"Alright, listen up. First things first, I'm going to introduce everyone here."
Hachiman addressed the gathered group of friends and allies, signaling the start of the formal introductions.
"To state the obvious, the guest of honor is Fuka-jiro—otherwise known as Miyu Shinohara."
Miyu pushed her glasses up her nose with a sharp clack, a beam of pure joy radiating from her face.
"I finally feel like I've connected with everyone in the real world," she chirped. "It feels like I've become a member of Valhalla in the truest sense. Please look after your cute little Fuka-chan from here on out! And Leader... to commemorate this day: Je t'aime!"
"I thought you were being uncharacteristically demure for a second, but no—you're still as annoying as ever," Hachiman muttered.
As Miyu lunged forward with open arms, Hachiman unceremoniously palmed her head, holding her at arm's length while he moved on to introducing Karen.
"This is Karen, Miyu's friend. Coincidentally, I actually knew her through a separate chance encounter, unrelated to Miyu."
"I'm Karen Kohiruimaki. I'm essentially Miyu's guardian," Karen said with a polite bow. "I know she can be a handful, but please, try to get along with her."
"Gah! Kohi! That's low, trying to make yourself look like the 'good child' while throwing me under the bus!"
"Just behave yourself for five minutes, would you?" Hachiman sighed.
Next, Hachiman turned the group's attention toward Daru.
"This is Daru. He's our Super Hack-a."
"It's 'Hacker,' man. Use your brain," Daru retorted instantly.
"Daru's been helping me out with a variety of tasks over at Soleil," Hachiman continued, ignoring the correction. "And finally, this is Kurisu Makise. Some of you might recognize the name—she's a researcher at the Viktor Chondria University Brain Science Institute. She recently had a paper published in Science; she's basically on the fast track to global fame. She's agreed to serve as an advisor for Soleil."
"I'm Kurisu Makise. It's a pleasure to meet you all," Kurisu said, her greeting simple and poised.
"Kurisu will be visiting Valhalla Garden as a guest soon," Hachiman explained. "I wanted her to meet everyone today so things aren't awkward later. If you see her around, treat her well. As for your character name… what did you decide on?"
"Well..." Kurisu pondered for a moment. "Since it's a play on my name, I think I'll go with 'Krishna.'"
"Right. Krishna is technically a guest, but I'm treating her as a formal member. If she asks you anything, don't hold back. Give her the full run-down."
With the formalities out of the way, the tension in the room thawed, and the party drifted into the easy flow of casual conversation.
"H-Hey, Hachiman."
"Yeah? What's up, Daru?"
"I know I thanked you earlier and all, but... don't I totally stick out like a sore thumb here?"
Hachiman blinked. "Huh? In what way?"
"I mean, just look at me. It's pretty obvious, right?" Daru muttered, his eyes darting nervously toward the rest of the group.
Hachiman didn't hesitate. His voice was flat, certain. "I'm looking, and I still don't see it. You're a good guy, and you're reliable. That's all that matters."
"But..."
"Did something happen in the past?"
"Well, yeah... a lot of things. I mean, look at me. My appearance, my hobbies... I'm 'that' guy."
"You shouldn't waste your energy worrying about people whose brains are made of nothing but cotton candy."
Hachiman turned. "Yukino."
"Ah! Her Majesty, Absolute Zero!" Daru squeaked.
Yukino didn't look offended; instead, she offered a small, graceful smile. It seemed she had long since stopped taking that particular nickname as an insult.
"So, you are the famous Daru-kun," she said kindly. "I've heard you're a hacker whose skills rival even Argo's. I look forward to working with you."
"Y-Yes! Likewise! It's an honor!"
"There's no need to be so stiff," she chuckled.
"Yukinon! Hikki!"
Yui Yuigahama bounded over, her voice bubbling with excitement. Lately, Yui had begun to shed her childhood innocence, growing into a woman with a natural, age-appropriate charm. Naturally, someone like Daru didn't stand a chance.
"Oh, so this is the famous Daru-kun? You're just as big as the rumors said!"
"U-Uh, hey. Nice to meetcha. So, uh... what kind of rumors exactly?" Daru asked, his face flushing deep red. Despite Hachiman's encouragement, old habits died hard; his posture remained slightly hunched and self-deprecating.
"Just that Hikki was really happy to have found a great friend," Yui said brightly.
"Hikki... that's Hachiman, right? I see. I see..."
Overwhelmed with emotion, Daru suddenly lunged forward and tackled Hachiman in a bear hug.
"Hachiman! We're Zuttomo—bros for life!"
"Yeah, yeah. You, me, and Kyoma. We'll keep at it together."
"Hey, Hachiman! Don't go forgetting about me!" Kazuto interjected, grinning.
"Oh, right, Kazuto. My bad. Just got caught up in the moment."
"The Black Swordsman!" Daru gasped.
"Wait, please! Drop the '-sama'!" Kazuto pleaded, looking deeply embarrassed.
"O-Okay, how about Kazuto-shi?"
"I guess I can live with that," Kazuto sighed.
"Hey, I've got a question for the tech wiz," a voice popped up.
"Whoa! Yumiko, don't just sneak up behind me like that," Hachiman barked as Yumiko Miura peered over his shoulder.
"So, what's the question?"
Yumiko explained that her phone had been acting up—specifically, the ACS (AI Communication System) was glitching out. Daru took one look at her screen and solved the problem in seconds.
"This app and the ACS have a compatibility conflict," Daru explained, his tone shifting into one of effortless expertise. "Delete this one, swap it for this alternative, and your performance issues will vanish."
"You even know your way around the ACS?" Hachiman asked, impressed.
"Yeah, I actually helped with some of the optimization tweaks a while back."
Having her problem solved in an instant, Yumiko's sharp exterior softened into genuine appreciation.
"You're actually amazing. Uh, Daru-kun, right? Thanks."
"A-Ah, don't mention it."
To Daru, someone like Yumiko represented the type of person he was usually most intimidated by. Her "Queen Bee" aura normally would have sent him running, but Yumiko didn't seem to care about any of that. She kept asking him follow-up questions, and as Daru answered, his nervousness evaporated. Soon, a small circle of girls had formed around him, all eager for tech advice.
In a brief lull between questions, Daru leaned toward Hachiman and whispered.
"Hachiman... am I actually being popular right now?"
"Told you. No one here is going to judge you by your cover."
"I can't believe a 'Mote-Event' like this is actually happening to me..."
"You're exaggerating," Hachiman said, though he couldn't hide a small smirk. "But if you're happy, that's enough for me."
Meanwhile, Miyu was deep in conversation with the student group—Asuna, Rika, and Keiko. Karen stood slightly back, looking a bit overwhelmed by the crowd, though she watched Miyu with a contented smile.
"You're being awfully quiet, Karen," Hachiman said, stepping over. "Sorry for dragging you into a room full of strangers."
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