Chapter 2 (231): Hikigaya, You're a Damn Normie
Yukinoshita: "Hikigaya-kun, why do you look so pale?"
Hikigaya: "I might just have been a bit busy lately."
During this rare time alone together, Yukinoshita felt no need to maintain a facade. After all, they had long since given themselves to one another.
"Tell me the truth, did you do 'that' kind of thing again...?"
"Er... is it really appropriate to say that?"
"Sigh, you're not a child anymore. You should be careful with your health regarding such matters. And..." As she spoke, Yukinoshita's cheeks flushed red at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Hikigaya, not yet reacting, asked out of instinct: "And what?"
"Nothing..."
Having said that, Yukinoshita stormed ahead of Hikigaya as if she were throwing a tantrum and left the spot.
'Women really are hard to understand...'
After returning to ANHS, Hikigaya was once again invited to the office by Chairman Sakayanagi. Sakayanagi Arisu, his old friend whom he hadn't seen in a while, was also present.
Chairman Sakayanagi: "So you are Hikigaya Hachiman. As the benefactor of our school, I haven't had the chance to thank you properly."
Hikigaya: "No, it didn't have much to do with me. And since so much time has passed, there's no need for the Chairman to be so polite."
Chairman Sakayanagi: "Arisu often tells me about you. If you get the chance, please look after her. After all, as you know, her health isn't very good..."
Hikigaya: "I definitely will. After all, Sakayanagi-san has helped me in many ways as well."
Looking at Arisu sitting quietly to the side, Hikigaya felt this scene was very strange. The topics they were discussing had nothing to do with school; instead, it felt like he was meeting a girlfriend's parents.
Sakayanagi's face still held that same calm smile. Facing her father's words, she simply nodded in agreement.
However, in Hikigaya's mind, Sakayanagi was no ordinary person.
After finishing the talk with the Chairman, Hikigaya and Sakayanagi returned to his room. After all, Sakayanagi's legs were indeed inconvenient, and it wouldn't be good if no one was there to look after her.
"Long time no see. How have you been?"
"I didn't expect little Hikki to take the initiative to care about others. But... the current you is truly completely different."
"After all, having experienced life and death so many times, it feels like I've lived through countless cycles of reincarnation. So, it's not surprising to have this feeling."
"No... that's not what I meant."
"Then what?"
"Your heart is no longer so resistant to letting people in."
Just as Sakayanagi said, it was true. After dying over and over again, he understood clearly that if he didn't grasp certain things now, he might lose them forever. So... if he liked someone, he had to hold on and not let her leave him again.
Just as Hikigaya was thinking this, Sakayanagi seemed to have awakened her "mind-reading" skills once again, sensing his change. She pretended to lose her balance, letting her cane slip from her hand and fall some distance away.
Hikigaya came to her side and gently supported her, but at that moment, Sakayanagi leaned unsteadily against Hikigaya's chest as if she were drunk.
"Let me be cunning just this once, little Hikki."
"Since you understand this truth now... I haven't remained stagnant during this time either. Ever since you left, I secretly vowed that if I saw you again, I would become yours."
As she spoke, her clothes seemed to fall away as if planned, sliding from her shoulders to the floor.
Finally, her two snowy-white "jade rabbits" were revealed. Their fragrance seemed to erupt into Hikigaya's nose instantly. Their softness was such that even the slightest contact felt like raindrops merging together.
She held Hikigaya's head tightly with both hands, her eyes filled with tenderness. Even her habitually calm expression finally succumbed to a bashful blush. All of this was happening right before Hikigaya's eyes.
"Be a little gentle..."
"After all, for me, it's also the first time..."
Because everyone's constitution is different, Hikigaya was indeed very cautious when facing Sakayanagi. Her small body seemed even softer on the massive bed. Even compared to Ichinose, she didn't pale in significance. Different from Priscilla's dominance and Sakura's gentleness, at this moment, the petite Sakayanagi seemed to have entrusted her entire being to Hikigaya. Aside from occasional cries of pain, she mostly bore everything silently.
"Tap, tap, tap..."
As the door was briskly knocked open, Kamuro and Sakura walked in together.
Looking at Sakayanagi pinned beneath him, Kamuro asked with some concern:
"Princess, are you alright?"
"Mm~ it feels quite good."
Hikigaya: "Didn't I change rooms? Kamuro, how did you get in?"
Having been caught so many times, Hikigaya was already used to it.
Kamuro folded her arms, looking proud: "Did you forget what my background is? I stole your little key and made a duplicate a long time ago, back when I was with you."
He suddenly remembered when he had first returned to this world; Kamuro and Karuizawa couldn't wait to drag him into a room. Under the pretext of "wanting to see the new room," they had forced him into doing 'that'.
'Fine... as expected of Kamuro.'
Kamuro: "Still, you've got quite the nerve! To not even spare the Princess."
Sakayanagi: "Masumi, don't blame little Hikki. I was the one who took the initiative..."
Kamuro: "What... is the Princess going to become my rival too?"
Sakayanagi: "I already am..."
Sakura, on the other hand, didn't waste any words. Having been caught in this situation many times lately, she had grown anxious. Although she remained without regrets so far, she would still get jealous if Hikigaya-kun favored others too much.
So...
Stimulated by the scene before them, Kamuro and Sakura didn't let Hikigaya and Sakayanagi continue alone; they chose to join the fray.
The battle was indeed intense—from morning to night, from clarity to a blur, from excitement to exhaustion. Their erupting hormones felt like inexhaustible power. On this journey of youth, they could never stop.
Sakura: "From now on, we must always be together."
Kamuro: "Don't go causing any more trouble for me. Just be a good boy from now on. As long as you can live safely, I'll be happier than anyone."
Sakayanagi: "Little Hikki, I won't let you leave me."
...
Returning to the Service Club once again, it seemed everyone was there this time. Miura, Ebina, Saika, Hayama, Zaimokuza, all those familiar faces appeared before him. It was a scene Hikigaya had never imagined.
Meanwhile, Iroha, Yuigahama, and Yukinoshita had clearly been waiting for a long time... As Hikigaya entered, the atmosphere of the Service Club instantly froze.
'Like I said... don't stay silent... this makes it very awkward for me, please...'
Hayama: "It seems our protagonist has arrived."
Saika: "Hachiman, you're finally here."
Miura: "Making so many of us wait for you, you've certainly got a lot of nerve. However... Considering how busy you are lately, I won't scold you. But you're not allowed to do this next time, do you hear me?"
Hikigaya: "As expected of the Queen. I'll try my best next time."
Ebina: "I'm really looking forward to it. Seriously, this is way too exciting. I feel like there are still some parts that were missed."
Miura: "You just want to rewatch all those weird parts over and over, don't you? On behalf of Hina, I'll apologize first for that kind of strange fetish."
Yukinoshita: "Anyway, this time let's count exactly how many bad things Hikigaya has done… By the way, my mother and Haruno will be coming later too. Hikigaya-kun, you understand, right?"
Yuigahama: "Uh… my mom said… she's coming later too…"
Hikigaya: "Are you really not trying to put me on some kind of righteous trial? This is way too scary…"
Iroha: "Senpai, these are sins you brought upon yourself, so of course you have to bear them. But… this is fine too. After all, there's still infinite potential for development in the future."
Hikigaya: "I get it now. Turns out girls aren't necessarily made of spices or sweets. They might just be made of the spiciest chili peppers in the world."
Yukinoshita: "Hikigaya-kun?"
Hikigaya: "Pretend I didn't say that…"
Just as they were talking, a voice suddenly came from outside the door: "Hiratsuka-sensei? Why are you here?"
"As your teacher, how could you not call me for something like this…"
Hikigaya: "I feel like you're supposed to be working at a time like this."
Hiratsuka Shizuka: "The world is full of infinite possibilities. My students are already traveling between worlds, if I'm still diligently working, that would be a bit too unreasonable."
Hikigaya: "Another perfectly good excuse to not work… but… since it's come to this…"
Hikigaya lightly snapped his fingers, and people from two different worlds flooded in like a tide.
Karuizawa immediately clung to one of Hikigaya's arms: "This spot is mine."
Kushida: "Hey, hey, that's way too sneaky."
Kamuro: "Yeah, yeah, at least let's compete fairly."
Sakura said helplessly: "Karuizawa, there are so many people watching…"
Karuizawa: "I don't care."
Priscilla: "Then I shall take the next spot. Al, be my seat."
Crusch: "Such a talented individual should not be tempted by things like this, Lord Hikigaya…"
Felix: "Crusch-sama, Hikigaya-kyun can't hear anything you're saying anymore."
The Service Club descended into total chaos. Emilia wanted to say something, but had no idea where to start.
Puck: "Lia, you're a real woman now. You need to be more decisive, or you'll end up like this…"
Rem: "Rem thinks Puck is right. Emilia-sama, I'll go first."
Ram: "Eh, Rem… wait for your sister."
Beatrice: "If magic were allowed here, I suppose I'd make all of you get out of the way, I guess."
Pandora: "Another party, huh? Good thing I've been staying inside his body. If something this exciting happened without telling me, that would be too cruel."
Emilia: "That's right… I have to take that step too…"
Ichinose: "Everyone, everyone, don't push. We should get along peacefully."
Yukinoshita: "I suddenly miss the Hikigaya-kun who no one approached at all…"
Yuigahama: "The past won't come back, and we're the same. Yukinon, do your best."
Kiryuin: "I'm saying, aren't you all a bit too perverted…?"
Sakayanagi: "I think I'll just sit quietly…"
Asahina: "This is basically a crime…"
Hikigaya: "The video's starting! The video's starting! The video's starting!"
At Hikigaya's shout, everyone finally quieted down.
That's right. They had gathered here to relive everything Hikigaya experienced over the past year. There were too many things they couldn't hold onto with their hands, but the video alone had recorded their youth.
From shyness to bashfulness, from unease to nervousness, from fear to welcoming the New Year, along this path, everyone has grown little by little without realizing it. And the Hikigaya of the past finally learned how to face loneliness on his own during this journey.
A well-trained loner had seen countless battles. When it came to defeat, Hikigaya had never lost, so…
As he looked back at his former self, that gentle warmth flooded his heart once again. It was himself, yet not himself; it was the past, something he could never return to. But the people and events he encountered during that year would forever be engraved in Hikigaya's heart.
As the video gradually began, everyone focused their attention on the screen. Watching that version of Hikigaya, they were all pulled into their memories. And at that very moment… no one noticed that inside the Service Club room, Hikigaya Komachi quietly walked in alone from the doorway.
Seeing Hikigaya Hachiman surrounded on all sides, Komachi immediately began to doubt whether she had entered the wrong room, or mistaken the person.
But… How could that be?
At that moment, Hikigaya Hachiman finally noticed his little sister and shouted loudly through the crowd: "Komachi?"
"It really is you, Onii-chan?"
"Why are you doubting my identity? What kind of bad person do you think your brother is?"
"Onii-chan, it's over… Komachi can't believe her eyes… but…"
"You damn normie!"
At the same time, the video echoed with the line: "Normies, just explode already!"
[The End]
(End of this chapter)