"Big sis!" Komachi called.
"Komachi-chan!" Asuna replied.
In Arun, Yukino and Komachi greeted the arriving group of five. Komachi rushed to Asuna, clinging to her joyfully. Hachiman, sensing a threat, hesitantly asked, "Hey, Komachi… who do you like more, me or big sis?"
"Huh?" Komachi replied, glaring disdainfully.
Hachiman nearly cried, but Komachi's face broke into a bright smile as she approached. He opened his arms for a hug, but she dodged, saying, "Obviously big sis, Trash-nii."
"Guh!" Hachiman collapsed.
Feeling pity, Komachi added, "Your question was wrong. If you asked, 'You love us both, right?' I'd say yes."
Relieved, Hachiman tried again. "Right. Komachi, you love both me and big sis, right?"
"Yup, with a huge gap, but I love you both, big bro!" Komachi said.
"Good enough. Komachi, I love you tons!" Hachiman said.
"Eh, I'm kinda meh, but thanks, big bro!" Komachi replied, returning to Asuna.
Hachiman seemed satisfied, so it was fine. Seeing this, Yukino, unusually playful, asked, "Komachi-san, who do you like more, me or Hachiman-kun?"
"Yukino-san!" Komachi answered.
"YuiYui or Hachiman-kun?" Yukino pressed.
"YuiYui-san!" Komachi said.
"Iroha-san or Hachiman-kun?"
"Iroha-senpai!"
"Hey, Komachi…" Hachiman stammered.
"Thanks, Komachi-san," Yukino smiled, stepping back satisfied.
Hachiman visibly slumped. Kirito and Lizbeth patted his shoulders consolingly.
"You guys…" Hachiman looked at them, hopeful, only to see their smirking faces.
"You too?!" he wailed.
"Quiet, Hachiman-kun. It's just the truth," Yukino said.
"Ugh, Yukino…" Hachiman groaned.
"Let's do introductions," Yukino said. "I'm Yukino. Nice to meet you, Asuna-san, Liz-san."
"I'm Komachi! Nice to meet you, Liz-san!" Komachi added.
"Asuna, pleased to meet you," Asuna said.
"Liz, blacksmith. Nice to meet you!" Lizbeth said.
Komachi eyed Lizbeth curiously, likely unfamiliar with Leprechauns. "Liz-san's a Leprechaun, huh?"
"Yup, the manual said they're good at crafting, so I went for it," Lizbeth explained.
"Cool, let's go gather materials sometime!" Komachi said.
"Sure!" Lizbeth agreed.
The two hit it off instantly. Hachiman, wary, asked, "Komachi… don't tell me, between me and Liz, who do you like more?"
"Liz-san!" Komachi answered.
"What…?" Hachiman collapsed again.
Soleil grabbed his collar, dragging him as she addressed Yukino. "Yukino-chan, guide us to the temporary base."
"Let's go," Yukino said.
The group followed Yukino, Hachiman still being dragged. Asuna whispered to Komachi, "You really love Hachiman-kun, don't you?"
"Of course! But if I say it outright, he'll stop trying to earn my affection, so I don't make it easy," Komachi said.
"Got it. Soleil-neesan said something similar," Asuna noted.
"Secret to harmony!" Komachi grinned.
"Exactly," Asuna agreed.
Yukino led them to a cozy house on the town's outskirts, spacious enough for a temporary base.
"Finding a proper place comes after Hachiman-kun forms the guild," Yukino said.
"This'll do for now," Hachiman said.
"Think of a guild name soon," Yukino urged.
"Uh, I'll try," Hachiman replied.
They settled in. "Everyone should arrive in about two hours. What now?" Yukino asked.
"Who's coming?" Kirito asked.
"Members joining Hachiman-kun's guild," Yukino answered.
"So, our future adventure mates," Kirito said.
"Not everyone can always gather, but they made time today," Yukino said.
Hachiman stared at Soleil. "Eek! Hachiman-kun's eyeing me like a beast! Save me, Asuna-chan!" she teased.
"Hachiman-kun…" Asuna chided.
"I just wanna know if Soleil-san's one of them," Hachiman clarified.
"Duh, but I'll barely show up. You made me super busy, Hachiman-kun," Soleil pouted.
"S-Sorry, Soleil-san," Hachiman stammered.
"You're falling into her trap again," Yukino warned.
"Ugh…" Hachiman groaned.
"But I am busy. Gotta focus on work," Soleil said.
"Don't worry, Hachiman-kun. She seems happy," Yukino reassured.
"Plus, she's got a cute little sister now," Soleil said, hugging Asuna.
Hachiman noticed Yukino's eyebrow twitch. (Does Yukino have an issue with Asuna? I gotta do something…)
"We got sidetracked," Yukino said. "Today's group: Klein-san, Egil-san, Silica-san, Leafa-san, Recon-kun, YuiYui, Iroha-san, Mobius-san, and someone I don't know, Argo-san."
"Argo-san?!" Asuna gasped.
"Argo's coming?" Hachiman asked.
"Argo…" Kirito muttered.
"She's busy too, so probably rare visits," Soleil said.
"Even occasional talks are enough," Hachiman said.
"That's… sixteen people?" Kirito calculated.
"Might grow, but max twenty, probably," Yukino said.
"That's big. Good luck, Hachiman," Kirito said.
"Uh, thanks…" Hachiman replied.
Note: Hachiman's guild would far exceed twenty members.
More arrived. Klein, Egil, and Silica celebrated reuniting with Lizbeth, catching up. Mobius listened to Hachiman's SAO tales. Leafa asked Kirito about Lizbeth, eager to bond. A knock came, and two players entered.
"Sorry we're late!" YuiYui said.
"Finally made it," Iroha added.
"YuiYui, Iroha, you're late," Hachiman said.
"Went to the Undine capital," YuiYui explained.
"Why there?" Hachiman asked.
"To pick someone up. Yumi, over here!" YuiYui called.
"Yumi?" Hachiman asked.
"Here, Senpai," a voice replied.
"Senpai?" Kirito echoed.
A female player entered nervously, greeted by all. "I'm… Yumi. Nice to meet you," she said.
"Yumi-san?!" Hachiman exclaimed.
"No way, Yumi?" Kirito said.
"Yumi-san!" Asuna recognized.
The Sobu High group and Kirito identified her. "Yumi's VRMMO debut, huh? How's it feel?" Hachiman asked.
"Too real, kinda shocking. Magic's a fresh experience," Yumi said.
"Got it. She's my old classmate, Yumi. Newbie, so help her out," Hachiman said.
Everyone greeted Yumi, who responded shyly, unlike her usual self.
"Yumi-san, you okay? You seem so different," Yukino asked.
"I get nervous too, Yukino," Yumi admitted.
"You'll adjust. No weirdos here," Yukino said.
"Except Recon," Leafa teased.
"Leafa-chan, that's harsh!" Recon protested.
Hachiman backed him up. "I rate you highly, Recon."
"Hachiman-san… I…" Recon nodded, touched, as Hachiman patted his shoulder.
"That's everyone. Here's to us," Hachiman said.
"Wait, where's Argo-san?" Asuna asked.
"Right here, A-chan," Argo said, appearing behind Asuna.
"Eek!" Asuna squealed.
Hachiman and Komachi had noticed but stayed silent.
"That's that. To our future, everyone," Hachiman said.
Thus, the members set to join Hachiman's guild gathered, ready for future adventures.
------------------------------
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