"Later, after I send off Nijika and Honami, Iris will have time to see me."
Hachiman said casually. He didn't know what Iris was doing now, but based on his understanding of her, the reason she wasn't appearing in front of him could only be one of two possibilities. One, she really had something to do. Two, she was being considerate and not interfering in his life without reason, and would wait until he was free to come over.
"After sending us off… that'll probably be pretty late, right?", Ichinose Honami looked at Hachiman a bit hesitantly.
Coming so late just to meet with Hikigaya? It seemed the relationship between the elf princess Iris and Hikigaya was much closer than everyone thought.
"They are elven royalty, they can use magic. A teleportation spell is enough for them to leave," Hachiman waved his hand. Everyone didn't know much about the elf princess in detail, but they did know that the otherworldly elves were pretty much like the ones many people imagined in fantasy worlds. Naturally, they knew that elves could use magic.
However, maybe because demi-humans rarely revealed their identities openly, elves and mermaids were very popular online, but in reality, no one had actually encountered a demi-human revealing themselves.
Only Sobu High was this lucky, having so many demi-human transfer students studying here so openly.
Well… maybe not so much lucky. Considering the strength of the elf princess and the dragon tribe leader, if they didn't restrain themselves, Sobu High could easily be destroyed.
"That's true. Then we'll trouble Hikigaya-kun to send us home. My house really isn't nearby."
Ijichi Nijika nodded in agreement. She also felt that Hikigaya's relationship with the elf princesses was deeper than they had imagined, maybe even beyond normal friendship.
But if that were the case, why would the elf princess allow Hikigaya to hang out with so many girls?
They were classmates, so it could barely be explained, but it seemed like Hikigaya's Service Club also had a lot of girls.
Forget it. Since the elf princess hadn't declared her relationship with Hikigaya, nor stopped others from approaching him, then as Yumiko's good friend, knowing that Yumiko liked Hikigaya, it was only natural for her and Marin to support Yumiko.
They weren't planning to go against the disciplinary committee, but if Yumiko and Hikigaya's relationship progressed quickly and they acted lovey-dovey at school, they could help keep watch and avoid getting caught by the committee.
They chatted for a while, and seeing it was about time, Hachiman finally got up to send Ijichi Nijika and Ichinose Honami home.
Vignette and Gabriel said their goodbyes and returned next door. Yuina, Minami, and Rin, the gyaru trio, said Yuina's house was close, and they'd take the bus, so they didn't leave with Miura Yumiko and the others.
The only ones heading to the train station with Hachiman were Kitagawa Marin, Miura Yumiko's flashy group, and the lone transfer student, Ichinose Honami.
"Hikigaya, take care of Nijika and make sure she gets home safely. Don't even think about doing anything bad to her," At the train station, Miura Yumiko saw the train approaching, suddenly glared fiercely at Hachiman, and warned him.
"What bad things could I possibly do to her? Don't slander people like this, okay?"
Hachiman looked speechlessly at Miura Yumiko. Wasn't it she who suggested that he send Ijichi Nijika home? Now she didn't trust him?
"Hmph, who knows what you're thinking," Miura Yumiko pouted at his words.
Actually, she felt someone like Hachiman, who had been bullied by Yuina and the others, was unlikely to actively harm Nijika. But thinking about how in the restroom, even when she struggled, she couldn't move his strong arms at all when he pinned her hands down, she hesitated.
Yuina and the others probably weren't a match for him either. But he never seemed to resist their bullying.
For now, she felt Hachiman was okay, and probably wouldn't hurt Nijika. But Hachiman was so twisted he treated bullying as a reward, if he knelt down and asked Nijika to bully him, then who knew if Nijika would agree?
After all, Nijika was so considerate and gentle. What if she gave in because she felt sorry for him?
"Wait, Nijika, come over here for a second," Seeing the train doors open, Miura Yumiko bit her lip and quickly pulled Ijichi Nijika to her side.
"Huh?"
"What? Yumiko, you're saying… how can that be possible? Are you joking?", Ijichi Nijika froze, staring blankly at Miura Yumiko whispering in her ear. Suddenly her fair face flushed red, looking at her good friend Miura Yumiko and at Hachiman beside Ichinose Honami in disbelief.
'So… Yumiko and Hikigaya-kun are that kind of relationship?'
It was completely unexpected.
She thought Yumiko liked Hikigaya, but now Yumiko said it wasn't just liking him, it was already a special relationship.
Not just Yumiko, even Yuina, Minami, they all had special relationships with Hikigaya...
"Whether you believe it or not, Nijika, you must be careful. Don't let Hikigaya get his way!"
Miura Yumiko saw Ijichi Nijika become wary of Hachiman and nodded seriously.
She didn't mention the bullying. If Nijika knew, she might even want to help that pervert get satisfaction.
She had already taken responsibility for her role in bullying Hachiman with Minami and the others. She didn't want sweet, kind Nijika to be humiliated by him too.
But by saying she, Yuina, and Minami all had special relationships with Hikigaya, Nijika should be cautious enough not to fall for him.
She wasn't afraid Nijika would spread it around, Nijika wasn't that type of person.
"Yumiko? The train's about to leave!"
Already inside the train, Kitagawa Marin saw Miura Yumiko still hadn't entered and quickly called out.
"Coming, coming!"
Miura Yumiko hurried onto the train. Before the doors closed, she looked at Ijichi Nijika one more time and reminded her:
"Nijika, don't worry. Hikigaya's not a good person, but he won't force you. As long as you don't agree, you'll be fine."
"Uh, okay…"
Ijichi Nijika had many questions, when did Yumiko and Hikigaya get close, why did she agree to something like that, and why did she do it knowing about Yuina, Minami, and Rin? Or maybe Yumiko was first, and Yuina and the others cut in later?
But watching the train doors close and Kitagawa Marin and Miura Yumiko slowly drift away, Ijichi Nijika could only swallow her confusion and wave goodbye.
She had to ask Yumiko properly about it. She couldn't just let it go...
Not just Yumiko, even Yuina and Minami didn't seem like the type to lack self-respect. How did they suddenly become that kind of relationship with Hikigaya, and with so many people together...
Blushing, Ijichi Nijika wanted to take out her phone and message Miura Yumiko, but seeing Ichinose Honami and Hachiman beside her, she slowly put her phone away.
"Nijika, what did Yumiko say to you just now?"
Hachiman saw that after Miura Yumiko whispered to Ijichi Nijika, her expression toward him changed. He moved closer and asked.
"N-nothing! She just said it's late and to be careful, that's all!"
Seeing Hachiman come over, Ijichi Nijika tensed up and quickly suppressed her urge to back away, shaking her head to deny what Miura Yumiko told her.
She still wasn't sure if it was true.
If Yumiko was joking, and she blurted it out, it wouldn't just be her embarrassed.
Though she felt Yumiko wouldn't joke about this, given Yumiko's contradictory attitude of caring deeply yet being fierce to Hikigaya, it was still possible.
Was her purpose to warn that Hikigaya was dangerous, or just to get her to stay away...
Then Ijichi Nijika suddenly remembered. It was Yumiko who suggested that Hikigaya walk her home. If he really was dangerous, would Yumiko warn her?
So, maybe, possibly, perhaps… Yumiko was joking?
Realizing this possibility, Ijichi Nijika immediately felt relieved and relaxed.
She wasn't some fake friend trying to steal her best friend's crush, so she wouldn't mind Yumiko joking to keep her away from Hikigaya.
Yumiko was just jealous and didn't want her getting close to Hikigaya. That was better than him being someone dangerous.
They had just eaten at his house today, and now he was sending her home, if something really happened, that'd be terrible.
This was fine. This was fine.
"Hehe… our train's coming too. Let's get ready to board."
Seeing Ijichi Nijika looking wary, then slowly relaxing, Hachiman took out his phone and sent a message to Miura Yumiko, smiling as he changed the topic.
Miura Yumiko… slandering him behind his back.
He hadn't even made a move on Miura Yumiko, and she already painted him as a scumbag who ruined her.
Sure, the idea of sacrificing her reputation to protect her friend was nice, but underestimating him this much was unacceptable.
He even stopped Miura Yumiko from using her hand to "reward" him in the restroom, and now she was accusing him of trying something with Ijichi Nijika?
Looks like Miura Yumiko needed to taste the consequences of her actions.
"Mm-hmm, let's send Honami home first."
Seeing that Hachiman didn't notice her change and was still as gentle as ever, Ijichi Nijika quickly pulled Ichinose Honami along to board the train to her house.
Ichinose's home was closer than hers, so after they dropped Honami off, Hikigaya could take her home.
Maybe afterward, she could ask Hikigaya about Yumiko, and see how far their relationship had gone?
This kind of thing involved Yumiko's privacy and wasn't something Honami could know, it had to wait until it was just the two of them.
"Thank you for sending me home…"
Ichinose Honami looked at Ijichi Nijika beside her, her eyes showing a bit of helplessness.
She actually wanted to be alone with Hikigaya too… maybe talk about how Ayano was doing in the Service Club, or what the elf princess wanted from him every day...
But she really didn't have the chance. She couldn't ask Hikigaya to send Nijika first and then take her home, right?
Although it didn't make a difference to Hikigaya, it meant walking farther for her. It would look suspicious, like she had ulterior motives...
Meanwhile, on Miura Yumiko's train, "Yumiko, what are you looking at?"
Since it was only a few stops, Kitagawa Marin and Miura Yumiko stood in the corner instead of finding seats. Just as she picked up her phone to chat with Ijichi Nijika about what happened, she noticed her friend Miura Yumiko staring at her screen, fingers tightly pressed on her phone.
"N-nothing!"
Miura Yumiko quickly closed the chat window, her ears turning red as she locked her screen.
"Hmm? So mysterious?"
Seeing Miura Yumiko panicking to hide her phone, Kitagawa Marin blinked in surprise.
'Yumiko's chat partner's profile icon… looked like Hikigaya-kun's...'
They had all exchanged friend contacts today, and she remembered Hikigaya's profile icon.
But what did Hikigaya send to make Yumiko so flustered… that she didn't even want her to see it...
———
"..."
Miura Yumiko knew what Kitagawa Marin was suspicious of, maybe even had seen something, but she still couldn't let her good friend know the content of her conversation with that guy Hikigaya.
If it were seen, then she really wouldn't be able to explain her relationship with Hikigaya.
After a while, Miura Yumiko saw Kitagawa Marin pick up her phone to chat with Nijika and stop paying attention to her, so she cautiously unlocked the screen and reopened the chat window with Hachiman.
Just now, she had indeed been chatting with Hachiman.
However, there actually wasn't anything unspeakable in her conversation with Hachiman.
To be precise, Hachiman had only sent her one sentence.
[Yumiko, I heard you're going to be my f*ck buddy like Yuina and the others?]
Miura Yumiko almost screamed when she saw this sentence.
She had only told Nijika that she hoped Nijika wouldn't soften up and agree to this pervert Hikigaya's request, and that later, once Nijika got home, she would explain that it was just a joke.
Anyway, Nijika wouldn't go around telling others.
But how come not long after she got on the train, Hachiman already knew?
[How did you know?]
Miura Yumiko glanced at Kitagawa Marin beside her who wasn't paying attention over here and immediately sent the message. Hachiman also quickly replied.
[Couldn't it have been Nijika who told me?]
[Impossible! Nijika would never tell you!]
Miura Yumiko typed and sent the message at lightning speed. Nijika wasn't the kind of person who spoke carelessly, not to mention something like this, she would never say it out loud.
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