"Then I've got nothing more to say. If you insist on thinking that way, then go ahead. But Yuina, Minami, and Rin treat me really well, always thinking about me, even going out of their way to help me find a girlfriend. I hope you won't talk about this to others. They really aren't bullying me."
Hachiman was completely helpless now. If he didn't know for sure that he really got along well with Yuina, Minami, and the others, and that his own body was in excellent shape, easily handling 1V3, then even if you did say it was bullying, it would be him bullying them. Judging from Miura Yumiko's firm conviction, he might even start doubting whether he really was being bullied by Yuina and the others.
But now he didn't want to keep talking. Everything that needed to be said was said. If Miura Yumiko still didn't believe him, then no matter how much more he explained, she wouldn't believe it either.
However, a necessary reminder still had to be given, to prevent Yuina and the others from being reported by Miura Yumiko, that would really be a joke.
By then, even if they could clear up the misunderstanding of bullying, he and Yuina and the others would be labeled as having impure relationships between the sexes. Hmm… although it seems the Disciplinary Committee had already taken notice of him, blacklisted him, and even planned to punish him with disciplinary actions, Yuina and the others weren't on the blacklist yet. He couldn't just carelessly drag their reputations down.
"You obey their bullying and listen to them because you simply like being stepped on? Or do you like that kind of thing?", Turning around and staring at the stubborn Hachiman, Miura Yumiko took a deep breath, suddenly showing a complicated expression mixed with shame, frustration, and regret. Then she squatted down, pressed both hands on Hachiman's thighs, and glared fiercely at this clueless guy in front of her.
"If I bully you now too, will you start listening to me in the future?"
"Ah?", Hachiman looked at Miura Yumiko's fair and proper-featured face, which had already turned completely red, and quickly held down her slightly trembling hands, "Wait, I already said it's not bullying, why won't you listen?"
This was getting more and more absurd. Miura Yumiko clearly wasn't supposed to be one of those "underground world" heroines, yet her outrageous actions were catching up to them.
He used to only know that Miura Yumiko was as lacking in social commonsense as Queen Marie, had a hot temper, but a very fragile heart and was easily moved to tears. She cared about her friends, and even if not that close, she'd still show concern if someone had trouble, even a romantic rival.
You could say that Miura Yumiko was actually a blonde idiot who appeared strong but was weak inside. Her seemingly strong exterior and proactive behavior made people not dare to bully her.
But now, seeing that Miura Yumiko was even willing to offer him a "reward" just to pull him out of what she thought was a bullying situation, he was truly stunned.
If he really had been bullied, he would have been extremely touched, and then completely fallen for this adorable girl Miura Yumiko.
But alas, the one being fooled now was Miura Yumiko herself. Hachiman truly didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
"What 'ah'! I also stupidly bullied you before, can't I make it up to you now?", Miura Yumiko looked up at Hachiman, who looked like she was forcing him, and shouted in a low voice with embarrassment and frustration.
"Let's be clear, your special preferences, I'm not saying I can't satisfy you, but you have to promise me: from now on, don't get so close with Minami and the others, and obediently be my errand boy."
"Second, at most three times a week. I checked online. That kind of thing can't be done too much. Like Minami and the others doing it so many times every day, you'll be ruined."
"Lastly, you absolutely, absolutely must not tell Marin and Nijika about this."
Actually, Miura Yumiko didn't really want to do this either. Using her feet was humiliating; using other methods would be too intimate. But at that time, she really did participate in the bullying, and she did it knowingly, not out of a desire to reward Hachiman.
So now, giving a reward and pulling Hachiman out of what she thought was a bullied situation could be considered atonement.
However, even now that she was willing to help Hachiman, he still refused to believe her and continued to trust Minami and the others completely, which made her feel like her good intentions were wasted.
She had already decided to endure the shame and make up to Hachiman, and was even ready to bring Nijika and Marin along to protect this idiot.
And all Hachiman had to do in return was be their errand boy, was that too much?
And yet this Hikigaya still wasn't willing. Still didn't let go and insisted on resisting.
She was so pissed.
The more Miura Yumiko thought about it, the angrier she got. But before she could continue trying to make Hachiman obey, a somewhat awkward voice came from outside the bathroom.
"Ahem… Yumiko, um, could you and Hikigaya-kun maybe continue after dinner?"
"Your noises… were a bit loud…"
———
Hachiman and Miura Yumiko, a boy and a girl, went alone into the bathroom. Naturally, the people in the living room wouldn't just sit there and do nothing.
Even if Miura Yumiko was the one who pulled Hachiman away, it was still the same.
Earlier, Yuina and the others had gotten a bit close to Hachiman, but even if Miura Yumiko really liked him, she couldn't just boldly pull a guy into the bathroom like that.
Still, Ijichi Nijika, who knocked on the door and called out from outside, didn't want to embarrass Miura Yumiko and Hachiman.
Mainly, they had been guests at Hikigaya's house for a long time, and drank a lot of beverages. Just when she needed to use the bathroom, Miura Yumiko and Hachiman went in and occupied it.
She tried to hold it, but her awkwardness and urgency were noticed by Yuina and Kitagawa Marin, who were secretly debating who should go eavesdrop, so they pushed her to go ask about the situation.
Was Ijichi Nijika the type to eavesdrop on others?
As soon as she reached the bathroom door, she called out loudly, afraid of accidentally hearing something awkward from inside.
"Hm? No more sounds?"
Ijichi Nijika looked at the frosted glass bathroom door. After she called out a few times, it went quiet inside. She nervously swallowed and tightly squeezed her slender legs together, leaning against the wall to wait for the two to come out.
The frosted door naturally didn't show what was happening inside, but earlier when she walked over, she seemed to hear vague murmurs about satisfaction and Minami. Even her and Marin's names were mentioned.
She really couldn't figure it out. Why were Yumiko and Hikigaya talking about her in there?
If Yumiko was jealous, she should be jealous of Minami and the others. Marin had been sitting right next to Hikigaya, so barely understandable. But if she was jealous of her, that was just too unfair.
She'd just been sitting beside Yumiko earlier. Normally at school, when she went near Hikigaya, it was mostly to hang out with classmate Gabriel. There was no reason for Yumiko to be jealous of her.
What kind of relationship did she even have with Hikigaya?
Whoosh!
Just as Ijichi Nijika was lost in thought, the frosted sliding bathroom door suddenly opened. Hachiman and her good friend Miura Yumiko walked out.
Hachiman's expression was as normal as always.
Miura Yumiko turned her head with slightly red ears, avoiding eye contact with Ijichi Nijika.
Ijichi Nijika quickly glanced at the two. Miura Yumiko's makeup hadn't come off, and her clothes didn't seem particularly wrinkled. But… her knees were a bit red.
"Ijichi-chan? Do you need the bathroom?", Hachiman looked at the small, cute Ijichi Nijika whose eyes were darting around, and asked with a smile.
When they were inside, he thought Ijichi Nijika came to interrupt out of concern that something might happen. But seeing her unnatural expression and tense legs after coming out, he realized it wasn't Ijichi Nijika who interrupted them, it was they who had held up Ijichi Nijika.
"Ah! Yes! Sorry, I drank too much earlier, really sorry for bothering you two…", Ijichi Nijika, seeing Hachiman staring at her, could only blush and nod, then glanced at Miura Yumiko, who remained silent and looked away. As she walked toward the bathroom, she quietly explained.
Going to the bathroom wasn't anything to be shy about. But interrupting someone's "business" and then having to enter the "battlefield" that might not even have been cleaned, still filled with lingering smoke… that was mortifying.
But she really couldn't trouble Gabriel or Shion in the kitchen to take her to the bathroom in the next apartment.
They were busy cooking. How could she let everyone know that her good friend Yumiko had dragged Hikigaya into the bathroom to do something.
"It's all your fault! Now Nijika definitely misunderstood!", After hearing the sound of the bathroom door locking, Miura Yumiko finally turned her head, glaring furiously at Hachiman.
"How is it my fault? You were the one who dragged me in."
Seeing Miura Yumiko glaring again, Hachiman couldn't help but laugh.
Miura Yumiko looked fierce, but she was more like a nagging mom who really cared.
"Should we have talked in the hallway instead? Going to your room would've looked even more suspicious," Miura Yumiko felt her cheeks heat up and grumbled.
She hadn't thought that much at the start. Just figured that after telling Hachiman, he'd behave. If they left for a bit, no one would suspect anything.
Clearly, in terms of reputation, popularity, body… looks, and all that, they were superior. Even if Hikigaya had been craving girls and gave in to Minami and the others' bullying, he should've liked her, Marin, and Nijika more.
But this guy was totally immune, blindly trusting Yuina and Minami's "bullying" and refusing to believe her.
"Weren't you the one insisting on rewarding me? What, you're not even prepared for being misunderstood?", Hachiman rolled his eyes at Miura Yumiko. This girl had been trying to forcefully "reward" him, and now she was shy?
If he hadn't stayed strong, he might really have been cornered in the bathroom by Ijichi Nijika, waiting for Yumiko to finish "rewarding" him.
Now that would've been truly impossible to explain.
"That's totally different!", Miura Yumiko glared viciously at Hachiman, who stood off to the side making sarcastic remarks.
Who did she get misunderstood because of?
How could this guy act so indifferent?
"Alright, just explain it to Nijika and Marin in private. I'm sure they'll understand. Even if they hear about the bullying, it doesn't matter. I'm the victim, and I've forgiven you."
"Of course, it wasn't actually bullying. Whether it's Yuina, Minami, or you, it's all just a special kind of reward for me."
Hachiman reached out and patted Miura Yumiko on the head like a puffed-up cat.
Though it didn't sound like a compliment, Miura Yumiko was really like a tigress, caring but fierce, easily misunderstood, like a cat that needed her fur stroked the right way to be docile.
"Don't make it sound like I'm being unreasonable! And you're my lackey, I should be patting you!", Miura Yumiko slapped away Hachiman's hand from her head with a scowl.
"Alright, alright, you pat me, you pat me. Let's go back first. If Nijika comes out and sees we're still here, how do you plan to explain?"
"Hmph! I'll just tell her everything! You're going to be our errand boy anyway, Nijika can help too!"
"You want her to reward me too?"
"…You really are a pervert! You even want Nijika to bully you?"
"..."
In the bathroom, Ijichi Nijika listened to the teasing and bickering outside, looked up at the white ceiling, and clenched her pale little fists resting on her round thighs.
'Damn it…'
Even if she had interrupted them, wasn't it too much to block the door and flirt outside the bathroom?
She hadn't said anything just now. She'd only come to use the bathroom.
After a long while, once Hachiman and Miura Yumiko left and everything outside quieted down.
Ijichi Nijika slowly opened the bathroom door, peeked out to confirm no one was around, then finally sighed in relief, patted her still-blushing face, and walked back to the living room.
The seating arrangements in the living room had slightly changed. Kitagawa Marin, who had been sitting beside Hachiman, was now replaced by Miura Yumiko. Yuina and the others were no longer clinging to Hachiman either, instead sitting across on the sofa with Marin.
Miura Yumiko's expression was a bit strange, but Hachiman was as calm as ever.
"Ah, Nijika, you're back? This side's full. Go sit over there."
Seeing Ijichi Nijika come out from the bathroom, Yuina smiled and pointed at the sofa where Hachiman and Miura Yumiko were.
"???"
Ijichi Nijika looked at Miura Yumiko, who was sitting with arms crossed and a space of one seat between herself and Hachiman, full of question marks.
Where was she supposed to sit?
Between Yumiko and Hikigaya? Or on the other side of Hikigaya?
Just now Yumiko had dragged Hikigaya away because Marin and Yuina were sitting too close to him. No matter which side she picked now, it would look like she was deliberately provoking Yumiko.
Although she wasn't even sure her guesses were right, Yumiko's knees were red, but there wasn't any weird smell in the bathroom, and even the exhaust fan hadn't been turned on.
Ijichi Nijika's gaze involuntarily fell on Miura Yumiko's face, staring at the corner of her mouth.
"What is it, Nijika? Do you have something you want to say?"
Seeing Ijichi Nijika once again staring at her with a strange look, Miura Yumiko kept a straight face, looking at Ijichi Nijika expressionlessly.
As expected, Nijika misunderstood her.
It's all Hachiman's fault.
Right now, Miura Yumiko really wanted to severely bully Hachiman, who had embarrassed her.
But she wasn't like those guys such as Minami. At most, she'd just make Hachiman run errands every day, or reduce the promised number of rewards, making him endure for a week before rewarding him once.
Hmph, making him suppress his perverted hobbies could also be a form of bullying.
"N-no, nothing..."
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