Chapter 380: Hichigaya Returns Home
"....?
Are you serious?"
Faced with Orimoto Kaori's sudden "straight-ball" confession, Hikigaya Hachiman almost dropped his glasses in shock.
In his view, Orimoto Kaori was merely a middle school classmate. Their relationship couldn't even be called a friendship; they were acquaintances at best.
Not to mention the embarrassing "dark history" from back then, when his brain had short-circuited and he rashly confessed to her despite not knowing her well.
Yet, beyond anyone's wildest expectations, Orimoto Kaori had now committed the exact same stupidity he had back then.
"Of course I'm serious!"
Orimoto's eyes were bright, sparkling with a determined light.
She took a proactive step forward and gently took Hachiman's hand. Her palm carried the unique warmth of a young girl; the grip wasn't strong, but it was exceptionally firm.
"Though saying this is a bit abrupt, I've never had any experience with love. It's only logical for me to be a bit clumsy, right?
Besides, isn't a girl who's a bit clumsy and not quite 'polished' more cute?"
Everyone on the scene watched with dropped jaws, rendered speechless by Orimoto's divine logic.
"But... shouldn't love be a step-by-step process? Getting to know each other slowly, becoming familiar, and drawing closer naturally..."
Sakura Airi thought back to the little moments she had shared with Hachiman.
At the start of the year, during the club recruitment fair, Hachiman had pulled her into the Photography Club.
When she faced the vile rumors spread by Yamauchi and the others, Hachiman had stood up to scold them.
When the creepy clerk at the electronics store approached her, it was Hachiman who shielded her.
It was through all these experiences that she had fallen irredeemably in love with him.
"The normal process is indeed like that."
Orimoto nodded candidly, not denying it. She then openly stated her reasoning without reservation: "But Asahina-senpai told me that Hikigaya is incredibly popular at Advanced Nurturing High School. If I followed a slow, conventional pace, I wouldn't stand a chance at all.
Since that's the case, I'd rather stake it all on one throw."
Her eyes curved into a bright smile, yet it hid the courage of someone burning their bridges. "A direct confession is my battle plan.
Furthermore, as I see it, Hikigaya is brilliant but has quite a troublesome personality... For a man with a mind as meticulous as yours, roundabout testing is too sluggish. The success rate would actually be lower.
Therefore, I'm launching a surprise 'straight-ball' attack!"
Having said this, the girl's feelings were clear and unmistakable.
Everyone's gaze focused instinctively on the man himself, quietly waiting for Hachiman's answer. The air was so still one could almost hear the others breathing.
Hachiman's expression was complex, his gaze subconsciously flickering away to avoid the girl's clear eyes. A faint smile, both awkward and polite, pulled at his lips. His tone was flat but carried an unshakable, gentle rejection: "Well... can't we just be friends?"
"Eh?"
A crisp sound of disappointment escaped Orimoto's mouth. Her sunny, smiling face instantly froze.
"Pfft!"
Beside them, Asahina Nazuna couldn't hold it back. She immediately turned away, her shoulders trembling slightly as she desperately suppressed her laughter.
"Mmph~"
Sakura Airi covered her lips with her hand, her clear eyes darting around as she silently searched her mind for sad memories, trying her hardest to keep her mouth from curling up so she wouldn't laugh out loud.
"Phew~"
Tamanawa quietly exhaled a breath of turbid air, his tense spine suddenly relaxing.
Orimoto's mouth hung open. This all-too-familiar scene reminded her of the time Hachiman had confessed to her years ago.
The boomerang from the past had struck her right back!
"...I failed, didn't I?"
'Can't we just be friends?'
Orimoto lowered her eyelids, her bright eyes dimming as a faint trace of sadness flickered across her brow. She forced her lips upward into a strained, stiff smile.
"Sorry."
Hachiman let out a long sigh.
"... Hikigaya has nothing to apologize for."
Orimoto waved her hands hurriedly, putting on a show of being carefree with a sheepish smile to hide the disappointment in her heart. "Well~ I was already psychologically prepared for the possibility of being rejected.
That's true, who confesses right at the start? That's just too weird... Ahahaha!"
The dry laughter felt particularly jarring in the quiet atmosphere.
However, as she laughed, crystal tears involuntarily surged from her eyes, sliding down her fair cheeks.
"..."
Hachiman instinctively took half a step forward, wanting to offer some comfort.
"I just remembered I have something to do. I'll take my leave first!"
Orimoto hastily interrupted him, her hands tightly covering her reddened eyes. No longer able to restrain her emotions, she turned and fled the scene.
"Orimoto-san, wait for me!"
Tamanawa's expression tightened. Without hesitation, he set off and chased after her.
The two figures, one following the other, disappeared around the corner of the corridor.
"Rejecting a confession from such a cute girl without any mercy... you really are cruel, Hachiman-kun~"
Asahina Nazuna slowly stopped smiling and turned to look at the boy beside her, a flash of deep thought crossing her eyes.
Orimoto's failed confession showed her Hachiman's decisive side.
Attempting a risky charge without sufficient affection built up was highly likely to end in failure!
It seemed she would have to act with more caution.
"What I want has always been only the 'genuine thing'.
Affection born from a momentary heat of the moment is nothing more than a shallow 'fake'."
In his eyes, Orimoto's sudden confession was more of an impulse—a flutter born of novelty and curiosity, not a settled, sincere heart.
This hastily sprouted affection could not withstand the test of time. Once the heat faded and she cooled down, the confession would lose its original meaning.
Since it was destined not to last, it was better to cut it off cleanly now, leaving no useless ties or unnecessary misunderstandings.
That was Hachiman's way.
"Alright, alright~ Let's not focus solely on Hachiman-kun's affairs.
The basketball game is over. What should we do next?"
Asahina changed the subject.
With the game over, they were allowed to leave the school premises. According to the pre-arranged travel plan, the group would stay at a nearby hotel for the night and return early tomorrow morning.
During this time, they had free reign for leisure.
"Let's just wander around and then grab some food."
Hachiman hadn't forgotten his promise from the morning. As an apology for being late, he was going to treat the members of the Basketball Club to dinner.
.
.
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A Commercial Street in Chiba
Hachiman's group wandered about.
Everyone was quite interested, as they usually stayed within the fully enclosed school; a rare opportunity for an outing was a treat. Each of them used the cash they had exchanged from points before leaving school to make purchases.
However, everyone seemed a bit hesitant, with their spending habits leaning toward the conservative side.
"I'm so used to using points at school that using cash suddenly feels a bit unfamiliar," Sakura Airi said. She had taken a liking to a bracelet but couldn't bring herself to buy it.
"Personal points are just a string of numbers. When they turn into actual cash, it definitely feels different."
Hachiman felt the same way.
Inside the school, he could spend 2,000 points on a cup of imported Ceylon black tea without blinking. But out here, if he actually had to pull out physical money, spending 1,000 points felt painful.
"Gosh~ Don't be so stingy.
It's a rare trip out, of course we should have a good time."
Asahina came up from behind, wrapping her arms around both of their shoulders.
"As expected of a third-year preparatory graduate, your mindset has shifted quite quickly," Hachiman praised. At the same time, a key thought occurred to him: "Nazuna-senpai, you must have accumulated quite a few personal points over these three years, right?
Once you exchange them for cash after graduation, you'll be a bit of a wealthy lady."
Being in Class A, one could certainly accumulate a significant sum of personal points over three years.
Asahina joked, "Ha~ Compared to you, Hachiman, my savings are just small change~~"
Hachiman didn't deny it. He nodded. "I plan to buy a house in Chiba with that money."
"Then you'll have to work hard, Hachiman-kun."
Asahina said meaningfully, "The house needs to be a bit bigger, or else there won't be enough room for so many people to stay."
'How am I even supposed to respond to that?'
Hachiman could only roll his eyes, choosing not to comment.
At that moment, Sakura Airi added in a small voice, "If Hachiman-kun buys a house, I... I'll also contribute some money...
My points aren't many, but I saved a bit of money from being a blogger before."
Asahina looked surprised. "Eeeh! I didn't realize Airi-chan was the real wealthy lady!
But then again, if Hachiman-kun is buying a house, in what capacity would Airi be contributing money?"
Airi was instantly stumped, stuttering, unable to answer: "T-That... this..."
Seeing this, Hachiman stepped in to smooth things over. "Alright, Nazuna-senpai, please don't bully Airi."
Asahina clicked her tongue. "Tsk tsk~ You get to say the nice things while I become the villain bullying Airi."
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Dinner Time
As promised, Hachiman took the Basketball Club members to a buffet restaurant featuring Chiba local specialties.
"Long live Hikigaya!"
Amidst the cheers of the crowd, Hachiman gave a grand wave of his hand and paid for everyone's buffet tickets at the front desk.
"Wait? Hachiman-kun, are you one ticket short?"
Asahina keenly noticed this.
"This is the correct number. I only said I'd treat you to dinner; I never said I was eating."
Hachiman handed out the buffet tickets to everyone, except himself.
"Huh?"
"Hachiman-kun doesn't plan to eat?" Airi asked in astonishment.
"I plan to take this chance to go home for a bit," Hachiman told the truth.
"..."
The group's expressions shifted, but they all expressed understanding.
"Have fun, you guys."
"Oh, right. I won't be returning to the arranged hotel, so do as you please."
Hachiman waved his hand and bid everyone farewell.
Airi hesitated as if wanting to say something, her gaze fixed intently on Hachiman's retreating back.
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The Hikigaya Residence
A perfectly ordinary detached house.
After a year, Hachiman had finally returned to his front door. His heart was inevitably a bit conflicted.
He took a deep breath and was about to press the doorbell when the door was pulled open from the inside first. Behind the door, that familiar and endearing cute face came into view.
"Komachi..."
A sudden warmth hit his heart. Hachiman instinctively opened his arms, waiting for his sister's customary flying hug.
"Eh?"
Komachi Hikigaya blinked her clear eyes, her face full of bewilderment. She tilted her head, looking at the man in front of her.
"Handsome guy, who might you be?"
"What do you mean 'who'? You can't even recognize your dear brother?"
Hachiman showed a look of dissatisfaction and reached up to take off the glasses on the bridge of his nose.
"Ah?!"
Seeing his face clearly, Komachi's eyes suddenly widened. She rubbed her eyes hard, and after confirming it repeatedly, she leaped forward without hesitation.
"Big brother!!
Stupid, idiot, Hachiman!!!"
Komachi was excited, leading with her familiar triple-insult.
"Komachi~ 'Hachiman' isn't an insult, is it?"
Hachiman caressed the ahoge on his sister's head with an affectionate look.
"Heehee~ This was a 'nostalgia-kill' Komachi prepared specially. Does it get a high score?"
Komachi looked up with a playful smile, her eyes sparkling with vivacity and joy.
"Mm-hmm! Perfect score! A full 100!"
Hachiman nodded in satisfaction.
"Ugh~ why are you saying such weird, silly things again?"
Komachi's cheeks reddened, and she pouted her pink lips slightly, her tone carrying a hint of disdain: "You were clearly mature and handsome when wearing glasses, but as soon as you take them off, you turn back into 'Trash-chan'?"
"Then I'll put them on?"
Hachiman started to put the glasses back on, but his hand was held down by her.
"No. This is fine..."
Komachi's expression was exceptionally serious. "If you're too handsome, you won't seem like Komachi's brother anymore."
"Oh?"
Hachiman had a strange expression and said thoughtfully, "Komachi, you couldn't be embarrassed, could you?"
"Huh?!"
Furious from embarrassment, Komachi began to hammer his chest frantically with her small fists. "You're just a mere Trash-chan, what kind of nonsense are you talking about!!"
The sibling banter caught the attention of the parents inside.
"Hachiman, you're back!"
Hachiman's mother walked out upon hearing the noise, her eyes full of a gentle smile. "Your homeroom teacher called yesterday and said you could come home for a bit. It really gave me a surprise."
"Yeah, I'm back, Mom."
Meeting his family again after a year, Hachiman's heart was filled with warmth and excitement.
"Yo! Isn't this Hachiman? After a year away at school, the change is quite significant."
Hachiman's father had just returned home from work and was looking him over with surprised eyes.
"And Dad still looks like a corporate slave, as usual."
A smile played on Hachiman's lips as he habitually retorted.
"Brat! Your tongue is still just as sharp. Watch out or I'll clobber you!"
His father laughed and scolded him.
"Dad, I advise you to be kind. The current you can't beat me."
Hachiman raised his brows, his expression carrying a hint of pride.