As If The Cynic Wasn't Already Dealing With Enough Problems On His End, Yukinoshita Haruno Pays Him A Surprise Visit

A fated encounter.

It was perhaps something that each and every one of us hoped would happen at least once in our life.

Now I may not be good at Math but statistically speaking, if there are billions of people on Earth, there should be at least one person out there who would be the perfect match for you.

The only question remaining is when you two will ever meet.

For all we know, that time will never come…

Conversely, it might even happen while you were just going about on your daily routine.

Depending on how you look at things, both are equally likely possibilities.

As I was stuck in my musings while on my way to school, the unexpected happened.

Due to how I have Stealth Hikki retroactively active from those who don't know that I actually exist, I had to deliberately avoid people while I was walking or I might end up bumping into them.

As for the people walking from behind me however, well it's not like I have eyes at the back of my head so there was nothing I could do for the other party if they are ever acting in a careless manner…

Like one of them now.

"Kyaa!"

A distressed cry rang out shortly after I felt something bump into my back.

Turning around, I saw the figure of an unfamiliar female student from Sobu who fell on her butt after crashing into my back just now.

Compared to me who has been recently working out because I was convinced (read: coerced) by Yukimama that it will be good for me, it was only natural that a girl with average proportions like her will be hurt if we collided by accident.

If I was in my usual disposition, I see no demerit in just walking away after doing the bare minimum of visual inspection to check if she had any injury or not. The only thing worthy of note here was her forehead which was probably the area that took a direct hit but it didn't look anything too serious.

This much should be fine on my end already…

But because of working for several hours in our class' café yesterday however, my muscle memory kicked in and I consciously dispelled Stealth Hikki before approaching the girl who fell down.

"Are you okay?" I asked as I extended my hand towards her.

Boy Meets Girl.

It was that kind of cliché development.

Apparently, even a contrarian like me still had the chance to have his own romantic comedy…

I harbored such a naïve thought until reality hit me like the Tokyo Shinkansen.

The moment my eyes met with the girl who accidentally bumped into me, her stare was one I was well-acquainted with in my younger years.

It was like she instinctively wanted to say something rude but couldn't bring herself to do it in front of my face. If I had to take a guess then it was probably something along the lines of weirdo, gross, creep or all of the above.

"No, it's alright. I'm fine."

That was definitely not what her eyes were trying to say earlier but sure lets go with that.

The girl swiftly got back up on her two feet without my assistance. She then gave her skirt a few pats, grabbed her bag which fell down beside her before leaving the scene as if she was uninvolved with what just happened.

It would have been fine if that was all there is to it but because of her shriek earlier; there were a couple of eyes on me now that I was not under the cover of Stealth Hikki anymore.

Fantastic.

The one time people took notice of me as I went to school just had to be when I was right next to a girl who fell on the ground.

I could already imagine what kind of delusional crap the witnesses will pull out of their imaginations from this scene.

That girl's actions left me no choice.

If she can ignore the pressure from all these stares then I suppose two can play in that game.

Loner Skill No. 108: Indifferent Hikki.

I retracted my hand which was left hanging and moved it towards my pocket instead and nonchalantly headed to my classroom in the same pace as I did earlier while retreating back to my idle thoughts.

Seriously, I should refrain from using Fake Hikki for a while after the festival otherwise; I might just start getting the wrong idea that I'm actually popular with the ladies. It's a good thing I didn't unconsciously call her My Princess earlier or things could've ended up being more awkward than they already were.

Now, what did we learn this early in the morning?

People believe what they want to believe.

Riajuu can all just go and explode.

Society is to blame for everything.

And finally, I, Hikigaya Hachiman am not popular with girls.

Yep, all was right in this twisted world.

Like for most high schools in Japan, Sobu's Cultural Festival lasted for two whole days.

The first day was exclusive to the students and for their respective family members to visit.

The second day however opened the gates to the general public.

It was not only a school's indirect way of promoting themselves, it's also a pitch to bigtime names and the like to make them donate to the school and become one of its stakeholders.

During special occasions like this, representatives of these collaborators visit the school in order to discuss future plans moving forward.

If the younger Sagami's goal was to sabotage the festival then logically speaking, the most surefire way to achieve this objective was for the cancellation of the event altogether.

And yet, he did not do such a thing.

Since we're running out of time, I'll have to set aside my curiosity and ask him about his motive after everything is all over.

What's more important now is to know when he'll act and how he is going to do it.

So if I'm assuming that he still hasn't given up on his plans yet then he'll definitely make his move today where it will cause a much bigger scene as compared to yesterday…

But that kind of thing will only result in chaos. It doesn't really achieve anything concrete.

Unless…

"Hikigaya-san, there's another set of customers asking for you from the table in the far left corner."

Unfortunately, due to the arrangements behind-the-scenes of a crafty classmate of mine, I was still stuck at helping out with our class' café even in the second day on the Cultural Festival so no matter how much I think about the younger Sagami's plans, I wouldn't be able to do anything about it given that I'm stuck here.

"Roger. I'll be on my way," the call from my classmate who was also a fellow butler in this café arrangement brought me out of my musings. Before I could follow through what he just said however, I had to leave a few parting words to the girl I was entertaining since earlier. "If you have some free time on your hands My Princess then I highly recommend that you check out this class' play. A friend of mine is playing the lead role and I guarantee that you'll enjoy it."

Since I was technically using both Fake Hikki and Butler Hikki for a better cause this time, I did not feel that ashamed of myself as I usually do.

It's all for the greater good… Or so I tell myself.

"Is that so? I'll be sure to check it out later," the unsuspecting girl who, if I am not mistaken, was the same girl who bumped into me this morning, answered with a smile. I was just about to leave her table and move on to the next customers who were waiting for me when she suddenly grabbed my sleeve before I had the opportunity to do so. "I-I-If it's possible might I be able to know who you are?"

I had to physically stop myself from sneering at that moment.

The difference in treatment I got after I made myself presentable was literally like heaven and earth that I was almost tempted to remove my glasses out of spite. I wonder what would happen if I revealed the fact that I was the same guy who walked away from her earlier.

Of course, I was well-aware that doing such a thing was never going to result in anything good down the line so I refrained from doing so.

Besides, the girl in front of me was innocent. If I really wanted to blame something then I guess I can only curse my poor genetics.

There was only one way to end an encounter filled with lies like this one…

Needless to say it was through yet another lie.

Loner Skill No. 109: Fake Hikki.

I was 100% sure that the smile that was etched on my face at this juncture would instantly make my stomach churn if I ever saw my reflection on the surface of a mirror.

"I'm just a passing-through butler," I then waved my glove-clad hand around as if indicating to her that this entire interaction of ours was just a fleeting dream. "No need to remember me or anything like that." [1] [2]

Because of the unexpected wait that I had subjected my next customers, I was fully prepared to apologize and flatter them as reasonably as I could but upon seeing the faces of three familiar women sharing the same table I lost all that desire as well as my willingness to keep this butler façade of mine.

"Yahallo, Otouto-kun!"

"Yo, Hikigaya."

"Hachiman-kun, long time no see!"

My eyes were inadvertently drawn to the girl in the middle. She was a beauty that would cause heads to turn towards her no matter where she went. It was the one and only Yukinoshita Haruno whom has become my older sister in name due to prior events.

To describe her attire as bold would be an understatement. She wore a white sleeveless blouse that stuck pretty snugly with her figure which meant that not only was she exposing a lot of skin via her bare arms; the parts that were covered were leaving a lot for the imagination. As excellent as it was for eye candy, now that the nature of our relationship has changed, I was more concerned rather than captivated. She was also wearing a gray pencil skirt with a slight slit on her right-hand side. Placed on her lap was a blazer with the same gray as her skirt. The only saving grace I noticed with her getup was the fact that she was wearing tights but there are other people who prefer them covered anyways so it was not as if it was completely safe. In more ways than one, whatever this older sister of mine was wearing was bad news.

"It brings me great joy to see you have enough time to pay Sobu a visit, Haruno-san."

In contrast to my smile and my polite gestures, my voice was layered with thick sarcasm.

"Of course. I wouldn't miss this event for the world," there was a trace of fondness and mischief on Haruno-san's smile as she shrugged off my attempt to probe her intentions.

While there was definitely some truth to that statement of hers, it wasn't as if there weren't any inconsistencies because if that was her only reason, then why did she not decide to come yesterday when she is classified as a family member to one of the students here.

As usual, nothing good comes from buying anything that Haruno-san says in face value.

Loner Skill No. 91: Fashion Critique Hikki.

"In business casual attire? Sure, let's leave it at that for now."

I turned my gaze towards the one who gave a languid greeting that was very reminiscent to my own. It was from my former sensei, Hiratsuka Shizuka. I never thought the day would come where I would see her not wearing her usual labcoat getup in Sobu but I guess here we are now. That being said, it was not like her entire outfit strayed too far away from her usual flair. While she did ditch the trademark labcoat, she kept wearing her black slacks which emphasized her long legs though from what I could see from where I was standing, the material that said slacks are made of seem to hug her legs a little tighter, giving off a more seductive air. It was scary how much change one little detail could bring to the table. She wore a dark red long-sleeved blouse on top that was buttoned down to her collar and an ebon coat which matched the same shade as her slacks can be seen hanging from her chair. If I had to sum it all up in one line, it was the perfect divide between masculinity and feminine charm.

"It has been a while, right, Hiratsuka-sensei? I'm glad to see you doing well…"

Try as I might to hide it, my withdrawn pause and my stare was only saying one thing.

Are you still sin-?

"Hikigaya, for your sake, I suggest you don't finish that rude thought of yours."

Loner Skill No. 12: Mimic Hikki.

Target to copy was…

Yukinoshita Haruno and her indiscernible smile.

"Now I wonder if I was thinking of such a thing."

I immediately retreated away from that landmine of a sensei and into the direction of the only normal person in the trio.

She was my senpai, Shiromeguri Meguri. The radiant smile she made as our eyes met was almost enough to make me forget about the existence of the two dangerous women I talked to earlier. What she was wearing can be said to be an amalgamation of some aspects from what the prior two wore. Her upper garments were composed of a long-sleeved white blouse like sensei but on top of that blouse was a sleeveless suit vest in a bluish-green shade. As for the bottom half, she was also wearing a skirt like Haruno-san but its height reached right around her knees and it also had no unnecessary slit. Said skirt shared the same color as her vest. Without any favoritism or bias whatsoever, Meguri-senpai is the clear winner in my eyes but so as to not sow any seeds of chaos and the like, I'll keep that opinion to myself.

"Long time no see, Meguri-senpai," I brought back a little of my butler persona while greeting her and bowed respectfully.

"Jeez, what are you doing, Hachiman-kun? You don't have to act so polite to me, you know?" Meguri-senpai giggled bashfully in response.

"No no no, I feel that this is only proper," I bowed once again eliciting another giggle from my senpai.

"Stop teasing your senpai, Hachiman-kun."

As the two of us exchanged laughter like this, an envious gaze was cast on our direction from one of the occupants of the same table.

"Is it just me or is there a clear difference in treatment present here, Shizuka-chan? Wasn't I supposed to be his Onee-san?" Haruno-san complained to the older woman beside her.

"Don't talk to me yet, Haruno," Hiratsuka-sensei sighed and rested her forehead on top of both of her hands. "I'm still hurting a bit because this brat just had to indirectly open my wounds like that."

Though it was for different reasons, a depressive air hung around the two. While it wasn't really my intention to do such a thing, I'd be damned if I didn't take advantage of such an opportunity.

"So, can I finally ask why you decided to drop by, Haruno-san?"

Despite being so down just a second ago, my demon superwoman of a sister immediately reverted back to her usual smiling visage.

"Apparently, that performance of ours last year that we set up at the last minute while you were looking around for that chairman girl ended up being a big hit so the school made a special request for us to perform this year as well."

Before I could get the opportunity to call her out or something, unexpected aid came from Hiratsuka-sensei's side.

"I think we should stop beating around the bush, Haruno," Hiratsuka-sensei's gaze at me became sharp like that of a bird of prey. "Judging from the look on Hikigaya's face, he already has an idea."

"I guess that's true. Well, he wouldn't be my Otouto-kun if he can't guess at least this much," Haruno-san leaned a bit closer in amusement. "I wonder what exactly gave it away."

I didn't see any reason to divulge all my thoughts to her so I chose to answer more vaguely. "Various things actually."

In truth, what made me absolutely certain of my suspicion…

Was the fact that Hiratsuka-sensei didn't punch me immediately despite harboring such a rude thought about her.

It was as if beating me up at this juncture would be a major inconvenience to them down the line.

On a side note, when I looked towards Ebina's direction to silently ask her if it really was okay for me to take my leave like this, all she could do was nod reluctantly before I exited 3-F's classroom while accompanying the last three customers that I served. Understandable. After all, there was no way she can stand up against someone like Yukinoshita Haruno.

It isn't a widespread fact among the students since they don't normally get to visit it throughout their entire three-year stay in this school but Sobu High has an exclusive reception reserved for entertaining important guests and the like.

This however was not my first time coming to this place as a certain family matriarch called me over here in order to talk about a prom proposal last year.

Unlike the last time I came here however, the reception room was more properly furnished in order to entertain more visitors at once.

It was basically set up as an impromptu conference room.

Instead of the sofa and coffee table before, there was a large table on the middle and several office chairs were surrounding it.

Naturally, a few adjustments had to be made in the room to accommodate for the increased bulk from these furniture pieces so some of the cabinets and ornamental plants which decorated this room were swapped for more appropriate ones although from what I can see at the moment, it was still a work in progress.

Despite the fact that the redecorating procedure of the room was still ongoing however, one of the office chairs surrounding the table was occupied by a single individual.

In contrast to this uninteresting interior of the room which was as commonplace as can be, her ethereal beauty felt like she was plucked straight out of a fairy tale.

"It's a pleasure to be seeing you once again, Hikigaya-san," said fairy-like girl, Kujo Koyuki, stood up and curtsied gracefully after noticing our entrance. Since she was greeting me specifically, she's probably met up with the other three already.

Similar to the trio who guided me to this room, she was also on business casual attire. She was wearing a long gray skirt which reached below her knees just like Meguri-senpai. Black vertical lines ran through her skirt following its creases. On top, she put on a black turtleneck whose sleeves reached just a little above her shoulders. Depending on the lighting, you can easily mistake its color to be dark purple. The stark contrast of her fair skin with her dark-themed outfit was tantalizing to say the least. It took a lot of willpower from my side to focus my gaze solely on her azure irises.

I was supposed to be donning a different suit but Haruno-san ordered me to just stick to the butler outfit that I was already wearing. Since this is still technically formal attire, it seems Kujo-san didn't have trouble recognizing me. I wonder how she would react upon seeing me without all these fancy garments. Oh well, let's not think too much about it for now.

"The pleasure is all mine, Kujo-san," I bowed, now whether that was because I just came here from my butler gig earlier or I just found myself returning a formal greeting with one of my own, I wasn't sure anymore. For all I know, it might even be a combination of both reasons. "Welcome to Sobu High. It might pale in comparison to the school that you're currently enrolled to but please do enjoy yourself."

"It's a pity really," Kujo-san's rosy lips curved upwards ever so slightly. "It would have been nice if we met today in a more relaxed fashion since it's your school's Cultural Festival and all that."

"It can't be helped. Duty calls after all," I added in a hint of resignation in my tone.

"Your serious disposition is ever so admirable, Hikigaya-san."

Just like our last meeting, it would appear that Kujo-san was still having some trouble discerning between which was sarcasm and sincerity. While I was only trying to gauge her, the people from the sidelines seem to have misunderstood this little exchange of ours.

"I don't mean to interrupt this wonderful mood you've set for yourself my dear Otouto-kun but," Haruno-san grabbed one of my shoulders, prompting me to look at her direction. "Let's get down to business first."

I wasn't sure why but her voice became several degrees colder as she gave that order.

Whether her mood was bad or not, it wasn't like I was planning on disobeying her or anything… Not like I had any choice in the matter.

"Understood."

After all five of us sat down, our discussion for what will go down today finally began.

As if it was the most natural thing in the world to do, Yukinoshita Haruno occupied the seat that was reserved for the person who has the highest position in the room. To her left and right-hand side were Kujo-san and me respectively. Beside me was Hiratsuka-sensei and sitting opposite her was Meguri-senpai.

"Let's all start with a question for you, Otouto-kun," Haruno-san crossed her legs from underneath the table and smiled seductively. It was most definitely not something she should do in this kind of situation but who in this room had the authority to rebuke her for her actions. That's right, no one. "What kind of job do you think is coming up?"

"Isn't it just like the usual?" I shrugged nonchalantly. "You talk to important people and I'll be there to assist you though I will say that I am quite literally unprepared right now but it should be fine if I get up to speed on things as soon as possible."

"Unfortunately, you're only half-right, Otouto-kun," Haruno-san wagged her finger playfully while pointing out my mistake. "For today, I'll actually be relying on Koyuki-chan to be performing your usual role."

Though Kujo-san is lacking a bit in terms of experience, given the blood of the Kujos that was coursing through her veins, she will probably do fine and could very well exceed our expectations.

Besides, whether the assistant is competent or not wouldn't slow Haruno-san down at all. I should know, as when I just started, calling me useless would be an understatement.

"In that case, what will I be doing?"

The nature of Haruno-san's expression changed into that of a hunter who successfully lured her prey.

"You'll be doing the exact same thing I'll be doing."

I waited for a short while for Haruno-san to say the punchline but since she didn't say anything else afterwards, I could only work with the most recent set of words she just said. It was only when I properly digested that statement did I finally realize the predicament that I was in.

"What?!"

"Why do you sound so surprised?" equal parts teasing and provocation were laced in my superior's tone. "Even though it's an honorary position, you still are a member of the Yukinoshita family so letting you do something like this from time to time isn't that weird, you know?"

Getting emotional about it wouldn't change anything so I decided to go at it in a more rational manner.

"Aren't these kind of stuff something you should tell your subordinates beforehand? I wouldn't want to smear mud in the Yukinoshita name," I tried to disguise my nervousness with self-deprecation but my boss' amethyst-like irises easily saw through such a ruse.

"Ara but you're the one who said that I could just come visit whenever I wanted, right?" that implicating statement from my older sister brought back a certain recent memory which gave me goosebumps. Upon seeing my look of realization, Haruno-san looked even more amused. "It just happened that I also had a job for you while I dropped by. It's all just a coincidence. A coincidence."

"Hold on," before I lost this opportunity in front of me, I decided to ask one important question beforehand. "Haruno-san, you're not doing this out of spite right?"

One second.

There was a pause of around one second before Yukinoshita Haruno giggled and flashed me the very same enigmatic smile she wore during our first meeting last year, when we accidentally met while I was out shopping with her little sister.

"Who knows?"

Yep, she's doing this out of spite alright.

Nevertheless, I'm not going to let myself get dragged into this so easily.

"How about Yukino?"

But of course, there was no way Haruno-san did not consider her flesh-and-blood younger sister first before a sibling only in name like me.

"She will be busy dealing with another batch of guests that are more aligned with the political side of things," my act of resistance was easily swatted by Haruno-san like it was as insignificant as a fly though one particular word from that statement of hers stood out to me amongst the rest.

"Wait, what do you mean by batch?"

Delight was clearly reflected by Haruno-san's eyes. Having known me for quite some time already, she knew that I wouldn't miss such an obvious detail even if she decides to just mention it offhandedly like that.

"As you can see, even with the quick renovations this room is rather small so if all the guests come at the same time, we'll have a lot of trouble fitting all of them at once," Haruno-san's gaze then moved towards Kujo-san who was in front of me. "Koyuki-chan, please give Otouto-kun here the rest of the details."

"Understood, Yukinoshita-san."

Despite the respectful tone that the azure-eyed fairy adopted, my demon-like older sister only pouted in displeasure.

"Koyuki-chan, I thought I told you to call me more casually."

Kujo-san cordially smiled before apologizing. "I'm sorry but since there is an upcoming event, I wouldn't want to slip and call you in in informal manner in front of so many guests."

"Hmm," Haruno-san then rested her shoulder on the table and leaned on her hand. "I guess that's fine for today but be sure to not be this formal next time."

"I'll try my best," Kujo-san bowed again before redirecting her gaze towards my direction. "Now where were we, Hikigaya-san?"

"You were just about to get started on giving me a more detailed explanation of what will happen later and why I'm supposed to get involved."

Kujo-san did not forget this of course. It was just a way of making the transition smoother from her talking to Haruno-san which is her superior for today and me, a coworker.

"As mentioned by Yukinoshita-san earlier, this venue is a bit too small for all of the guests so she was planning on entertaining them by batch. Luckily, the vacant time of these esteemed people were also varied so it all worked out in a way."

They were all probably pressured to adjust but the Kujo heiress didn't need to know that.

As I listened to Kujo-san speak so eloquently, I can't stop myself from thinking that my position as Haruno-san's secretary may very well be in jeopardy as we speak.

"I understand everything so far but I still don't get why I'm supposed to play a part in all of this."

"Unfortunately, Yukinoshita-san is scheduled to perform later during the festival's closing program so she is unable to exchange talks with all these VIPs for the entire day."

This was perhaps the biggest surprise I've heard this entire discussion.

"Oh so that part about having a performance wasn't a lie?"

The sarcasm in my tone seems to have made a vein pop in Haruno-san's head.

"Otouto-kun, just what kind of person do you think your older sister is?"

I ignored what Haruno-san asked in favor of giving my response to this assignment at hand.

"Since there really is no other candidate then I guess I'll give it a shot."

Such was the destiny of someone who is in the lower end of the pecking order.

After hearing my declaration, Haruno-san's expression warped into that of an older sister who wanted to cheer their younger sibling on.

"I'm counting on you, Otouto-kun."

"Let's just hope your faith in me isn't misplaced, Haruno-san," I sighed before I straightened my seating posture. "Can I please get some information about the people I'll be dealing with later?"

"Now hold on," Haruno-san raised her hand in response to my inquiry. "Even I am not cold enough to send my little brother in that kind of event alone, you know?"

Yes, you are. Also, don't pretend that you're doing me a favor here when you're the one who put me in this difficult situation in the first place.

But there was no way I could ever say all that out loud.

"So I get an assistant as well?"

"Yep," Haruno-san nodded jovially.

"Does that mean..?"

My gaze inadvertently landed towards Meguri-senpai but upon seeing the bittersweet smile on her face, I already knew I was going to get an answer that wasn't yes.

"Sorry, Hachiman-kun. I was called here to assist Haru-san's sister actually."

I wonder why but for some reason the current situation felt so much like I got rejected after I confessed. Talk about depressing, it must be so nice to be Yukino right now.

"That's truly a pity," were the only few words I could spit out in my miserable state.

In that case, is my assistant going to be..?

I turned towards the only other candidate which is none other than the woman beside me who has kept her silence ever since we entered this room.

"Sorry to betray your expectations but I'll only be acting as a third party who is technically connected with Sobu even though I'm not really working here anymore as they had no other choice but to call me up because they were extremely short in hands," Hiratsuka-sensei shrugged after her long explanation. "Besides, someone like me wouldn't be of much help in discussions of this nature anyways."

"I guess you're right," I jokingly supplemented, earning me a wry smile from sensei's side.

"Don't just agree so easily like that, Hikigaya. I'll punch you."

We both know you literally can't.

Despite that segway from Hiratsuka-sensei, I still dedicated most of my attention to the topic at hand.

"If it's neither Meguri-senpai nor Hiratsuka-sensei, then who could this assistant be?"

"I invited her while thinking it was a good opportunity to test you, to prove our initial assessments wrong, as well as for you to learn to take responsibility for your choices," that was a lot of things that she wanted to find out but before I could interject in any way, Haruno-san suddenly made a phone call. It didn't even take a second before the call connected so the receiver from the other side was probably waiting for this signal. "You can come in now."

Immediately after Haruno-san's command, the door to the reception room opened once again to reveal a girl with long brown hair reaching up to her waist that was held in place with a black hairband. While I did say that her hair color is brown, depending on how the light is reflected, you could easily mistake it as being blonde. It was most likely a genetic thing but who can really say? Definitely, not me.

She wore a light gray short-sleeved blouse underneath a cream blazer and straight fit pants of the same color as said blazer. The other thing that I immediately noticed aside from her hair was how tall she was for a girl. Her height was probably around Saki's. If I was slouching as bad as I was last year then we would probably be around the same height and she would easily eclipse me if she wore a pair of high heels.

Anyone could tell from a single glance that her figure was one that curved around the right places and from the way she carried herself, she was aware of how good-looking she was though from her current outfit, she didn't seem the type to flaunt it away like Haruno-san. By my rough estimates, it was quite likely that she was around Meguri-senpai's age.

Since she was given permission to enter this room, she was most likely in the same league as Haruno-san and Kujo-san here. In other words, it was yet another heiress to a big family here in Chiba.

Her good looks reminiscent to that of a model was not something too surprising if you consider her origins but I guess the weirdest thing that I can say about her was how she responded to me when we made eye contact.

Since staring at her body for too long was rude, I acted in the same manner as when I met Kujo-san earlier and focused on her scarlet eyes instead. While I fully expected an intense glare to be sent my way, all I actually got was a look that indicated that she held me in high regard, as if she owed me something.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you again, Hikigaya-sama."

The way she acted and what she just said was definitely not how someone would interact with a person they were meeting for the first time.

From my side, I was also having this odd feeling that she was both familiar and strange to me.

Do I know this girl perhaps?

I can't really imagine myself forgetting about someone who looked this attractive.

As I was busy sifting through my memories however…

"I apologize for all the trouble that I've caused during our last encounter, Hikigaya-sama."

…She goes ahead and bows while making giving an apology like this.

The way she was harboring so much respect for me only served to send me into a greater state of confusion.

Seriously, past me! What the hell happened between you and this girl?!

It was only natural for big business owners to engage in various philanthropic activities.

Though the most common option has always been establishments like orphanages and the like, donating to schools was also within the top five options.

As to why such an option is famous then that's because said company who invested on the school had the privilege to ask the administrative heads to secure potential young talent from their graduates before their fellow competitors.

Long story short, despite the immediate losses they will incur because of these donations, this was a win-win situation for both the school and the large corporations in the long run.

With only a few hours remaining before my eventual meeting with some of those important people, I had to make haste with my preparations.

Since that was the case, I decided to head over to the Service Club as the special building which that humble clubroom of ours was located was one of the few places in Sobu that was a bit quiet though the ambient noise outside still reached us here through the windows but that kind of thing can't be helped since we are in a festival after all.

I was not by my lonesome however…

Watanabe Wakumi.

The reason I forgot about who she was for a second was because during our first meeting back at the Summer Ball, she was wearing a gown, a set of accessories as well as some thick make-up.

The impression she currently gave off in her relatively simpler getup and while working in front of a laptop was one of a hardworking careerwoman instead of the spoiled heiress she was back at the party.

Well, let's just hope that her change in outfit also meant a change in her internal disposition as well after all; my initial profile of this woman was… Let's just say it was far from ideal.

It was just the two of us here as the others were also busy with their own preparations with the respective batch of visitors that they'll be dealing with.

Just looking at the stack of papers that I had to go through was more than enough to make me sigh.

The distress probably showed on my face as I saw my assistant for the day cast a worried glance towards me.

"Don't worry, Hikigaya-sama," Watanabe-san smiled as she continued to reassure me. "I have thoroughly prepared all the information that there is to note about who you'll be meeting today. You can leave it all to me."

While I am truly thankful for her offer, given the situation, it's not something I should accept and as rude as it may sound, I don't think she has the capability to do such a thing but let's continue the conversation with the assumption that she can handle it like she said.

"That defeats the entire purpose," I sighed once again before holding my forehead in pain and letting my elbow rest on the table. "Those people will probably bombard the Yukinoshita name with insults if the young man that the family took in was unable to meet their absurd expectations."

"I suppose that's true."

Dejection did not seem to suit those intense colored eyes of hers so I decided to drop this topic now.

"For now, can you bring me the profiles of all the people I'll be meeting later?"

"Right away, Hikigaya-sama."

Although I find being called by that honorific with a girl who was a little older than me a little uncomfortable, I don't think I can convince her to change her manner of addressing me just yet so I let it be for now and focused on my job at hand.

It didn't take me that long to notice something odd while skimming through the documents I requested.

"Huh. I recognize all of these people."

Needless to say, that didn't mean that I knew them personally or something. What I meant by that statement was I read about them before while I was doing profiling work for the Yukinoshitas.

Despite the differences in there family names and factions, there was one common denominator between all of them.

No, they weren't corrupt officials and they also don't have any underground connections with a syndicate or something along those lines…

.

.

.

Okay, maybe that can't be 100% proven just yet but for the benefit of the doubt, let's just say they're all innocent on that regard for now.

The more important trait to highlight here was their stubbornness.

All of the people that I was going to meet later were all old men who've held on to very high executive positions in their respective business for far too long.

Now let this be known beforehand that both Haruno-san and I have nothing against old people.

What we were trying to crack down on are those with extremely close mindsets.

It didn't matter what their age were, if they were stuck with such an ancient way of thinking then they were not worth our attention.

Time constantly moves forward regardless of what the people choose to do.

If the bosses of such big companies are still stuck with ideas and methods from the past then they were going to be left behind by the others for sure.

However…

For some of those companies out there who are able to grasp our more adaptive approaches then Haruno-san would like nothing more than to establish connections with them as soon as possible.

"Shall I compile a list of these people's properties and assets?" flames of eagerness seemed to figuratively burn when I looked into my lovely secretary's eyes but unfortunately, she was way off the mark with what she was supposed to do.

"Ah, those won't be necessary; we can't really use that kind of data for the talks that will happen later," feeling slightly bad, I decided to add something else to my reply. "I will still need them for future reference after this is over but don't prioritize it yet because what I'm in need more is a report of the most recent events that happened to these people's businesses and/or family."

Watanabe-san tilted her head in confusion. Looking at her doing something like that made me think that she was like a combination of both Yui and Miura.

"But how can that help in this situation exactly?"

It was good that she was trying to find out my intentions by actively thinking about them but given how short we were in time, she'll have to save that curiosity for later.

I tore my gaze away from the documents that I held in hand. "You seem to be having a little misunderstanding Watanabe-san but first allow me to clarify something from your side," I joined both of my hands and leaned a little closer to my aide so I can examine her reactions better. "Aside from making you my assistant, did Haruno-san tell you anything?"

"No, Yukinoshita-sama hasn't told me of the specifics," Watanabe-san's long hair swayed to and fro as she shook her head. "I was just instructed to prepare adequately and help you to the best of my ability."

"Figures," I sighed before smiling wryly. "I guess that is something she would do. Since we're in a little hurry, I'll keep it brief," I laid the document I was holding to the table and gave my full attention to the scarlet-eyed young woman in front of me. "We're not trying to butter up to them, what we're trying to find out is who between them will possibly become our potential ally and/or enemy."

Watanabe-san's scarlet irises bulged in surprise. "Is that really okay?!"

"In my own personal opinion, not really," I shrugged nonchalantly before chuckling in resignation. "But it's what my older sister wants so as a little brother, though we are not bound by blood, I would like to support her wishes."

A brief interval of silence lasted between us as Watanabe-san let the declaration I made settle in. Shortly after that however, the spoiled heiress from before then bowed to me for the second time since this unexpected reunion of ours.

"I see," upon raising her upper body once again, I saw firm resolve blaze on Watanabe-san's eyes. Its passionate emotions like these that fit that fiery shade very well. "In that case, as your assistant for today, I will strive my hardest to support you in your goal, Hikigaya-sama," she then got back to her seat and began typing on the laptop that she brought with her. "I'll bring out what you requested from me shortly."

"Please do."

While I was more than ready to say a few more lines, it's good that this assistant of mine was convinced so easily.

I followed her working profile with my eyes for a bit before I diverted my gaze back to the document I was reading earlier.

Assistant, huh.

I brought a hand to my chin as I played around the multitude of meanings that singular word could imply.

Trust and/or Competence were the two most fundamental things when you are looking for an ally.

Or rather, it's better to have at least one of these two traits when choosing your people.

A trustworthy person can be trained to become competent.

A competent person can be given incentives so that they are more likely to remain loyal to you.

For the case of Watanabe Wakumi in front of me however, she currently possessed neither of these two characteristics.

The original plan for the Yukinoshita Family was to cut ties with the Watanabe Family so that already says enough about their competence.

As for the trust aspect… Well, this is our first time working together so I can't really say anything about this area as well, not to mention that our last meeting prior to this didn't end in the most savory manner.

Speaking of which…

"Watanabe-san."

Her nimble fingers which were tapping her keyboard paused in midair. "Yes?"

"Do you mind if I ask a few questions unrelated from this job?"

"I don't mind of course."

The decisiveness in which she answered that question crumbled when I made my next move.

I'll be sure to apologize to you properly later, Watanabe-san.

Loner Skill No. 50: Maou Hikki.

"Have you already apologized to Miura Yumiko from the Summer Ball incident?" my onyx orbs gazed intensely at her fiery scarlet eyes while waiting for her answer. The black abyss lurking in my eyes easily devoured the flickering embers of her scarlet orbs like it was just the little flame of an ignited match.

Understandably enough, the girl I was supposed to be working with became a little frightened with my sudden hostility.

"N-N-Not yet," Watanabe-san's voice trembled as she answered. "But I'll be sure to invite her over to my house and give a formal apology after this event is over."

The fact that she didn't forget about what happened in the past or deny that she did nothing wrong means that she at least reflected about that incident.

"Let's hope that really is the case," I turned up the pressure that I applied to her ever so slightly. "Allow me to remind you that I can easily write a recommendation for you to undergo retraining."

Watanabe-san visibly flinched after hearing my words.

"I-I-I'll keep that in mind."

Calling the Yukinoshita family's employee training as arduous was an understatement.

After passing from that spartan session, anyone with a good head on their shoulders would never subject themselves to the same torture again.

From her reaction, it seems Watanabe-san experienced the same horror as well so that only made my threat even more effective.

This should be enough to guarantee that she won't turn back from her word.

"You don't have to do something that grand as it might even end up with Miura getting uncomfortable instead," I lightened the tone of my voice in order to make Watanabe-san relax more. "Just a simple personal apology would do," I was then reminded of a future arrangement that I was going to have with said girl. "Come to think of it, I was going to treat her as an apology this coming weekend, how about you join us instead? That way you can settle things face-to-face."

Instead of the fear she harbored earlier, confusion was written all over Watanabe-san's face.

"Is that a personal appointment between just the two of you, Hikigaya-sama?"

"Yes."

"Then I'm afraid I might be intruding if that's the case," Watanabe-san laughed a little uncomfortably on my expense.

I had to take immediate action after hearing that implicating statement of hers.

"It's not like that," I waved my hand around in denial. "The two of us are just friends."

"Hikigaya-sama, I'm begging your pardon but if I were to put myself on Miura-san's shoes, I wouldn't accompany a guy on my own if I didn't harbor the slightest bit of interest in him," Watanabe-san only got more passionate the more she spoke. At the end of her statement, she even leaned forward albeit unconsciously. "If you'd like, how about I offer you suggestions about the best places to go to for your date?"

Listening to her any further was giving me a headache so I chose to set aside this issue for now.

What's important to garner here is that she was going to apologize to Miura eventually so let's just move on.

"Okay, I'll consult you about this matter in another time," I waved my hand around as a gesture to change the topic. "I have one last question for you, Watanabe-san."

"Yes. Fire away, Hikigaya-sama."

"For this task given to us by Haruno-san," because of the most recent change in our subject, Watanabe-san seems to have regained her cheer but that all but vanished in thin air as I reapplied the same amount of pressure that I subjected her earlier. "Are you here to hinder me or help me? If it's at all possible, please tell me the truth."

Though she was still a little afraid, unlike earlier where I mentioned the retraining thing, Watanabe-san could now reply without stuttering even amidst her fear.

"Of course, the reason I'm here is to be of assistance to you, Hikigaya-sama," she then raised her head and looked me in the eye. "At least, I firmly believe so."

I kept my gaze on her as I tried to digest her intentions from the way she answered and how she behaved so far.

While the Yukinoshitas set rather high expectations both for themselves and for the people working under them, they also weren't the type to assign work that was impossible for you to complete. That didn't mean these tasks weren't absurdly difficult however. Furthermore, in spite of her apparent playfulness, Yukinoshita Haruno was not one to mix in her emotions with her work.

With the case of this current job, aside from the fact that I was going to be acting as the vanguard in the talks and I don't have ample time, I wouldn't really say that it was anything too different from what I did with Haruno-san during the spring break. At the same time, this family wasn't one to not have thought of appropriate countermeasures in case of failure.

Therefore, what the Yukinoshita family wanted me to accomplish today was something else.

The final piece of the puzzle could only be Watanabe Wakumi.

There must be a reason why Haruno-san called for her specifically.

As I toyed around with that idea, the words that Haruno-san said to me earlier came back to me like I was watching an instant replay.

I invited her while thinking it was a good opportunity to test you, to prove our initial assessments wrong, as well as for you to learn to take responsibility for your choices.

Concurrently, I was also able to recall something else. This time around, the speaker was none other than yours truly.

Essentially what you want to happen is a cleansing but it doesn't really have to end up into a purge, something like a conversion should be enough…

Rather than being able to solve the puzzle, it was more appropriate for me to say that the true puzzle has finally decided to show itself.

I chuckled a bit in order to lighten the mood before saying anything else.

"I truly hope that that's the case, Watanabe-san," I stood up from my seat and extended my hand towards my assistant's direction. "I'll be in your care for today, Watanabe-san."

"Likewise, Hikigaya-sama," she grasped my hand and shook it with two of her own while smiling.

As I gazed into the joyful expression on her face, I couldn't help but feel a slight sense of guilt.

After all if my intuition not wrong…

Then one of today's objectives is to show to the Yukinoshitas just how much exactly Watanabe Wakumi is worth.


SS 1: With No Other Choice, Sagami Minami Could Only Reluctantly Trust Her Worst Enemy

Just like most middle-class families in Japan, mornings in the Sagami family start early what with both parents needing to head to work and both kids having school.

For this family in particular, the mornings started even earlier for both the mother and the son which was the younger of the two children as this was the pair who are designated with the day's first few chores.

That being said because her shift was much earlier, the mother was already done with eating and has left for work, leaving her son to have his breakfast on his own…

At least that was how things should have happened when on this very rare occasion however, the first daughter of the family was already awake and was sitting opposite to her younger brother on the table.

"Sugita," she tried her best to sound as stern as possible despite still being a little drowsy from just getting out of bed.

"What is it, Nee-san?" the light of stubbornness was being emitted by the younger brother's eyes as he asked back. As much as he wanted to get things over with, he was stuck on this chair of his until he finished his breakfast. How he wished he could get away at this very moment but alas, a young man's growing body needed its calories.

"We need to talk," she said before her fingers even touched her chopsticks.

"I don't think there's anything we have to talk about," Sagami Sugita answered immediately before wolfing down what were the remains of his breakfast and promptly heading to the sink to wash his dishes.

Despite having her brother's back turned to her, it didn't stop Sagami Minami from saying what she wanted to say.

Apparently, stubbornness was a trait that ran in their family.

"Whatever you plan on doing, stop it."

The little brother's hands that were about to just rinse off his dishes froze in midair before he finally gave an answer.

"What are you talking about, Nee-san?" he tried to play dumb but if even someone like sister could see through it then he was doing a terrible job at doing so.

"I'm pretty sure you know him better than me having worked with him before but even so, let me give you a warning," her hands now reached for the bowl of rice and chopsticks set close to her. "That guy will probably foil all of your plans so you better make sure to prepare yourself for what comes next."

The eyes of Sagami Sugita underneath his plain spectacles blinked several times before he finally digested the words that his sister just told him. After which his look of confusion immediately turned into one of denial.

"Like I said, I'm not planning anything," the second child of the Sagami family insisted before wiping his hands and grabbing his school bag afterwards. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'll head out to school first."

As her brother closed the front door and was out of earshot, the older Sagami sighed once again before grumbling something to herself.

"Haa, you always try to walk away whenever you're exposed like this."

On the other side of the door, one Sagami Sugita was massaging his temple repeatedly in a vain attempt to contain his bewilderment.

"What's gotten into Nee-san today?" but after thinking about it for a few seconds, he shook his head and discarded the thought. "Well, it doesn't matter," he unconsciously clenched one of his hands into a fist. "Regardless if someone is going to stop me or not, there's only one thing I can do now."

Despite the resigned tone of his voice, Sagami Sugita's eyes were filled with unshakeable resolve.


SS 2: Uncharacteristically, Hayama Hayato Brews Up His Own Secret Plan

As the sole heir of the Hayama family, it's only natural that you can do at least this much…

Only the Kami above know exactly how many times Hayama Hayato heard such a statement from all the people around him.

To him, it felt like it was the first line that was stuck into his head ever since he became old enough to comprehend words.

Needless to say, he was quite sick of always following such grand expectations.

It was most certainly a life he wouldn't wish to someone even if they were his greatest enemy.

And yet…

On one hand, you have freedom along with all the uncertainty it carries with it while on the other hand, you have a future filled with excessive responsibilities but it also comes with it a lot of financial stability and promising prospects provided that you don't completely screw something up.

Now then, given these two choices, which do you think a person like me, who operates with logic most of the time, would choose?

The person that currently fits that description the best was diving head first towards the lifestyle that he was desperately trying to get away from.

In the same way that he is burdened with responsibilities because of being born rich, those in the lower caste are also restricted with what they can do with their own means.

The grass is always greener on the other side.

That day was truly a humbling experience for Hayama Hayato.

You could even go as far and say that it was that talk of theirs that became the herald of his rebirth.

One thing led to another after this confrontation and before he knew it, things ended up in a way that Hayama could never have imagined.

Miura confessed… But it wasn't a typical confession. What she asked was nothing more than for them to become friends both in name and in meaning.

Because of this, the clique that revolved around Hayama Hayato now became a little sanctuary for him that allowed his true self to finally leak into the real world even if it was only for short instances.

In other words while the Blond Prince of Sobu was busy trying to one-up that raven-haired rival of his, the latter was actually making moves in the background in order to try and help him solve one of his most fundamental issues.

Was it because of a request perhaps?

There was no way that's the case.

After all, the only two people who should be aware of this personal circumstance of his were either Yukinoshita Haruno or Hikigaya Hachiman.

He can't possibly imagine that older Yukinoshita to do something like this now when she did nothing during their younger years.

As such, there was only one possible answer.

Hikigaya Hachiman helped Hayama Hayato of his own accord.

As for the cynic's reasons, that was a complete mystery for the Hayama heir.

Nevertheless, he'd be damned if he didn't do something for Hikigaya in return.

And the best way he was going to do that was to let Hikigaya have a taste of his own medicine.

That's right.

Normally, returning the favor to someone else would mean that you should give a gift back to show your appreciation but what Hayama had in store for Hikigaya was something closer to a little act of vengeance.

"Just you wait, Hikigaya…" Hayama Hayato mumbled to himself while smirking in a manner closer to that of a villain rather than a hero.

It was the first day of the school festival.

Currently, Hayama was checking how his costume looked on the mirror before he had to perform for his class' play.

Unlike Hikigaya Hachiman who received a special exemption not to do committee work by virtue of being asked to help out in his class instead, Hayama Hayato had no such privilege even though they were quite literally on the same boat.

As if that wasn't enough, his class collectively decided that he'll take the lead role as well so not only did he have to deal with egregious amounts of paperwork, he also had to memorize all the lines of his assigned character in order to be able to perform remarkably on stage.

No matter how excellent he was as an individual, Hayama Hayato was still just one person. There were limits to how much he can achieve in a given timeframe…

"To be or not to be. That is the question." [3]

…But apparently those limits are pretty high as he was able to perform remarkably well during their presentation while still being able to finish all of his duties as a committee member.

Every line he spoke and every gesture he made left the crowd mesmerized.

If you had to nitpick his performance for a flaw then perhaps it was the fact that he was so good that even his classmates would prefer to watch him act rather than perform with him.

It need not be reiterated but Hayama Hayato's specs are basically a cheat.

As a side note, the other performers on the stage besides Hayama were all girls while the guys were assigned with the rest of the miscellaneous work. This was of course in order to not promote any discord in the class though the assignment of roles was whole other bloodbath altogether.

Naturally, with Hayama Hayato being in the spotlight along with his stellar acting skills, the audience loved every second of their play.

Though it was good that he was able to answer those absurd expectations of him as usual, he'd be lying if he said that he didn't find such a development as too boring.

And just when Hayama Hayato thought that the second day would pan out in a very similar manner as the first one, he received an email from the only guy in school whom he considers a rival and a friend at the same time.

The Uncrowned King of Loners, Hikigaya Hachiman.

Hachiman: Mind lending a hand to a mutual friend of ours? It should be to your benefit as well because if it all works out, you can take a longer break.

Shamelessly going straight to the point while exposing the other party's hidden thoughts in the process was the signature style of Hikigaya that Hayama wished he could also emulate.

Hayato: I'm listening.

With what was going to happen a little later, the Blond Prince of Sobu decided to humor his cynical friend for now.

Back at Class 3-F, Hikigaya Hachiman looked at the most recent email he just received from Hayama Hayato with a wary gaze.

"Huh, he agreed to it so easily…"

Despite receiving a positive answer without much effort on his end, only negative thoughts swirled on Hikigaya's head.

Suspicious…


SS 3: With His Friend's Encouragement, Zaimokuza Yoshiteru Makes A Life-Changing Decision

Due to how everything is set up, the only guests roaming about on the first day of Sobu's Cultural Festival are the students and their respective family members.

With this limited number, if the attraction of some classes are packed beyond maximum, it only follows that there would be a few who are barely entertaining anybody.

One such class belonged to a former tennis club captain and a chubby chuuni.

Despite the fact that the day was already drawing to a close, they were only able to showcase their class' play thrice and during each performance, their audience was only around half of their classroom capacity.

"Don't mind it too much, Yoshiteru!" Totsuka Saika patted the back of a discouraged Zaimokuza. "It's just bad luck on our part that Hayato-kun's class was planning a play too."

A big sigh of dismay escaped from the incurable chuuni.

"It can't be helped, my ability is simply lacking," Zaimokuza unconsciously switched off his grandiose manner of speaking. "No matter how well Saika-dono or our other classmates act, if the script is no good to begin with then of course no one will want to watch our play."

Compared to the plays from the other classes who only went for the usual titles with some minor tweaks here and there if any, the word outlandish would not even begin to describe what the aspiring writer just wrote.

It was basically a retelling of one of Oda Nobunaga's campaigns mixed with more romantic elements from the classic, Romeo and Juliet.

How was all this supposed to mesh together?

Apparently, they were going to use the intrigue factor to entice the people to watch said show…

…But what was intrigue in the face of raw popularity?

If a student/s had only a limited amount of time and they were given the option between two presentations without knowing which one would be good or not then of course most of them would rather watch one that involved someone famous rather than a strange story, no matter how interesting the premise may seem. Although there are always some exceptions, they are only few and far in-between.

No matter if the show ended up being mediocre, at least you ended up seeing that famous person act. This statement held more truth if you were a girl who had a crush on the ever-so-perfect Hayama Hayato.

Such was the nature of humans.

"Now come on, don't be like that. I like your story, Yoshiteru," Totsuka then recalled a certain fact that he was sure to cheer his plump buddy up. "Ah, didn't Hachiman approve of the script you wrote? That should be a good sign, right?"

Instead of the smile that Totsuka expected, all he got from Zaimokuza was a grimace instead.

"No, that kind of thing didn't happen," Zaimokuza sighed and held his temple with both of his hands. "He only asked if Saika-dono was going to be the star of the play or not."

"Eh?" though Totsuka was a little afraid where this was going, he decided to satisfy his curiosity anyways. "In that case, how did you answer?"

A depressive air hung around the aspiring writer as he gave his reply.

"I said yes and Hachiman just gave me the script back without as much as a glance on it and said that it will be probably fine then."

The main character from the play whose script was ignored massaged his temples upon comprehending the meaning behind their cynical friend's words.

"So he's telling us that the play didn't matter as long as I was the star and we should've advertised something along those lines instead of our interesting plot?"

If Zaimokuza wasn't already down earlier, he sure as heck was down now.

"Basically, yeah."

Although they were desperate enough to consider doing exactly what that cynical friend of theirs suggested, since it was very closely approaching the end of the day already, they had no other option but to save that card for tomorrow.

Despite how much of a positive person Totsuka Saika is, given the current circumstances of their class, even he couldn't stop himself from sighing.

Even so, that didn't mean that he was going to give up so easily.

"There must be another way!" Totsuka declared before fishing out his phone and dialing the number of a certain friend of his.

"Saika-dono, what are you planning on doing?"

The former tennis club captain smiled audaciously. "I'm going to give Hachiman a call!"

"But what can he possibly do in this situation?" Zaimokuza asked while tilting his head in confusion.

"I'm not sure but I just felt like I should call him. Ah! Excuse me a bit, Yoshiteru," since Totsuka received the prompt from his phone that Hikigaya picked up, he wasted no time in trying to make his request. "Hachiman! We need your help!"

"I can't believe it…"

"See? I told you he'd come up with something! If Hachiman were here, he'd say that this is because of the power of friendship!"

Zaimokuza Yoshiteru and Totsuka Saika expressed their doubt and gratitude respectively.

Since there was a little time before the show started, the latter between the two still had enough leeway to fool around like this despite having the lead role.

While both of them already embraced the possibility that the festival's second day might end up in a similar manner as yesterday, they never expected that the tables would be turned and they'll be having a full audience instead.

As if that wasn't unbelievable enough, there was even a line forming outside of their classroom for those who wanted to watch their next showing.

"I wonder what kind of sorcery Hachiman did," the doubt in Zaimokuza's voice was then replaced with bitterness. "They're mostly girls too!"

Although the incurable chuuni partially went back to his trademark manner of speaking, it didn't bother Totsuka that much. In fact, he took it as a sign that his friend has cheered up a little.

"I asked around and most of them came from the butler café that Hachiman's class are doing while there are also some who watched Hayato-kun's play first before coming to ours."

"In other words…" the chuuni began.

"Yes, those two coaxed these girls to come here," Totsuka continued the latter half of the statement that his plump friend left unsaid.

"So that Hachiman has really turned into a full playboy, huh? How envi-I mean shameless!" Zaimokuza crossed both of his arms to his chest before realigning his glasses but after a few seconds of thinking over what he just said, one particular detail left him a little lost. "Some of these girls' tastes are a little odd, huh?"

"Actually about that…" Totsuka pulled out his phone and opened a certain photo for his friend to see. "This is how Hachiman looks like as a butler."

After looking at the photo for a few seconds, Zaimokuza blinked twice in confusion. He then removed his glasses and wiped them a few times before looking at the photo again. It was only when he was sure that his eyes weren't playing tricks on him did he react.

"What?! This is Hachiman?!"

Despite how over the top Zaimokuza's response was, Totsuka sympathized with him as he too was quite surprised when he first saw the same picture.

"He has some makeup on and all that but it's the Hachiman we know alright."

The shocked expression that was plastered on Zaimokuza's face since earlier was then replaced with a nostalgic smile.

"That gym partner of mine changed so much. I almost can't believe it," the chuuni's gaze was then redirected towards the silver-haired pretty boy next to him. "And you as well, Saika-dono."

Even with the glasses covering his eyes, Totsuka could tell just how filled with emotion Zaimokuza was as he said all that, prompting a chuckle out of him.

"What are you talking about? Haven't you changed a lot too?"

"I did?"

"Yeah. Can you imagine yourself last year working as hard as you are right now?" since Zaimokuza remained speechless from what Totsuka just said, he took the opportunity to add in a follow-up statement. "Besides, isn't it true for our other friends as well?"

The virtually perfect Yukinoshita Yukino has become more considerate with her words.

The… Also virtually perfect Hayama Hayato didn't mind getting closer to the clique anymore.

Miura Yumiko matured into a more level-headed individual.

The airheaded Yuigahama Yui learned to be more careful.

Ebina Hina wasn't as afraid as she was with the opposite sex as before.

Kawasaki Saki is not as hopelessly shy as she was last year.

The trio composed of Tobe, Ooka and Yamato all stopped their bad habit of talking to just fill in the silence and have all began to seriously consider their future goals more.

Totsuka Saika managed to overcome his slim physique and bulk up.

And finally, Hikigaya Hachiman, the one he considered as his longtime comrade…

Was now drifting slowly out of his reach after turning into an honorary member of a family as prominent as the Yukinoshitas.

Going through all of his friends' most recent changes made Zaimokuza feel that he was being left behind that he inadvertently said something a little out-of-character of him.

"If I try harder, is it possible for me to achieve such a dramatic change?"

That thoughtless comment of his was not missed by the ears of the former tennis club captain.

"Would you like me to help you, Yoshiteru?" Totsuka extended his hand to his friend as he made that offer.

The chuuni didn't need to think that long in order to come up with an answer to his friend's goodwill.

"If Saika-dono doesn't mind, I would really appreciate your assistance," the incurable chuuni shook the hand that reached out to him with glee. He can't help himself from imagining a scene of two shoguns coming into a mutual agreement after a bloody battle with heavy losses from both sides. "Please take care of me!"

That elation of his however was short-lived.

"Leave it all to me! I am living proof that my methods are effective after all!" that meek Totsuka from last year was now puffing his chest with pride. "Yoshiteru, with my help, you'll be charming girls left and right like Hachiman in no time!"

"No, wait! As good as that sounds, there's no way it was going to be that easy!"

Totsuka tilted his head while looking at a pleading Zaimokuza with a blank stare.

"Easy? Who said that what we're about to do is going to be easy, Yoshiteru?"

At that moment, Zaimokuza remembered that two major catalysts were involved with Totsuka's transformation.

One of them was Hikigaya Hachiman whom they've been talking about since earlier.

The other one was unfortunately…

Sobu's Ice Queen, Yukinoshita Yukino, herself.


SSS: Eagerly, Yukinoshita Yukino Looks Forward To The Biggest Challenge Of Her Life

Summer.

For most people, it was an ideal season for a vacation.

That statement held more truth in the context of a student who had a few days off from school during this particular time period.

Many things come into mind when the term summer vacation is even offhandedly mentioned.

Beaches.

Mountains.

Countryside.

Festivals.

But of course, the option of just enjoying the air conditioner at the comfort of your own home is a valid choice as well; some may even say that it is what a true cultured person would pick.

That being said, summer vacation is not only composed of such happy things.

Just like a coin, it has two sides and that other side came in the form of summer homework.

For most students, such a reality was something they only choose to confront at the latter half of their summer.

As such, no matter how much fun you had in the first few days of your vacation, all that positive stimuli is overwritten by the suffering that you subject yourself near the end.

That was perhaps the best way to describe Yukinoshita Yukino's current situation.

Naturally, the homework here is just a metaphor.

The younger heiress of the Yukinoshita family was already done with such a trifling matter.

What she was currently working on was about something far more important.

Today, Yukinoshita Yukino was in an office of her own while making preparations to take a test from her family.

She was wearing a gray long-sleeved blouse underneath a dark blue blazer. The former's sleeve was intended to be slightly longer than the latter revealing the gray cuffs on Yukino's wrists. The same dark blue theme was also present on the skirt she wore which was long enough to reach her knees. Finally, she also put on black tights to cover her slender legs. It was the picture perfect description of a careerwoman though the elegance factor was cranked up to the maximum, that's beside the point.

Depending on what will happen next, she may finally be able to set foot on the political side of the Yukinoshitas.

It was the first of many steps towards her grand dream but it's exactly because of how crucial this is for her that she couldn't leave one stone unturned when it came to her preparations.

She was a Yukinoshita. Passing was pretty much a given for her. The only question here was how well she was going to perform above those set standards.

Despite this being one of the most important moments in her life to date, Yukinoshita Yukino was still aiming for nothing else aside from excellence.

What else can really be said except as expected of a Yukinoshita?

"Yukino-san," the speaker had to consciously stop herself from calling her boss too casually by habit. "Are you finished with all of your preparations?"

The one inquiring the Yukinoshita heiress like a secretary was her good friend, Kawasaki Saki.

Instead of the sporty clothes or the school uniform that the misunderstood delinquent was usually seen in, she was dressed in a simpler set of work clothes composed of the standard black blazer, black skirt and white blouse. It was a choice of garments that made sure that she wouldn't be more eye-catching than her superior if they stood side-by-side.

"I'm just doing a quick review," the Ice Queen responded in a stern tone very reflective to her moniker. "I'll be done in a minute."

Luckily for Kawasaki Saki, a certain loner gave her a manual of sorts to deal with the stubborn heiress she was paid to work for. The contents of which has been mostly committed to her memory.

Tip #2. The best way to encourage Yukino-chan is to provoke her. She's cute like that.

"You must be extremely nervous if someone of your caliber is cramming like this, Yukino-san."

The taunt from the silver-haired assistant immediately proved effective as the ravenette's lapis lazuli-like irises glared right at her subordinate.

"For your information, Saki-san, I've already finished reading through everything," she waved around the document on her hand as if to emphasize the fact that it wasn't as important as it looks. "I'm just double-checking. Yes, double-checking. Therefore, I'm not nervous."

Tip #7. The more Yukino-chan tries to stubbornly cover something up, the more likely for it to be true. Isn't she so cute?

At this point, Kawasaki Saki was not sure if she should be amazed at how the writer of this manual is reading the girl in front of her like a book or just be scared of them instead.

Regardless, she should at least be thankful that it was making her current job a lot easier than it should be.

"Can I take that as you being ready then?"

Tip #19. Using Yukino-chan's words against her is one of the most surefire ways to get to accept her own defeat so be sure to use it often. You'll know you're successful because you'll be able to see her make one of her cutest expressions ever.

The result of this verbal exchange of theirs left the ravenette stunned for a couple of seconds.

And then, in accordance to what was written on the manual, Yukinoshita Yukino, the one dubbed as Sobu's Ice Queen for barely showing any kind of emotion in public…

Pouted.

It lasted not longer than a second to the point that Kawasaki even thought that it was nothing more than a mirage but when that same person deliberately coughed a few times, the misunderstood delinquent knew that what she just saw was real.

Yep, the writer of that guide was just straight up weird. It didn't matter if she happens to be the CEO of the company Kawasaki was working for.

It seems like the more perfect one appeared on the outside, the creepier they were on the inside.

"I suppose that's true," Yukinoshita deftly organized the documents on her table before standing up. Before she headed out of her office however, she decided to ask her assistant something. "By the way Saki-san, were you always this good with words?"

Having hung out with this girl for quite some time now, Kawasaki at least knew that Yukinoshita had no bad intentions with her question despite how poorly it was worded.

"Well, it's my job after all," the girl with the long ponytail that sometimes looked either gray or blue just smiled and nodded. This vague response of hers also doubled as an evasive maneuver to hide the existence of the guide she was relying on.

After that, these two girls with contrasting hair colors made their way towards the place where the second heiress of the Yukinoshita family will take her test.

Despite how young the two were, their bearing and poise was already at the level that it might put some adults to shame. This was most likely because Yukinoshita Yukino was a girl who could make the simplest actions look so elegant while Kawasaki Saki who has worked part-time before knew how she should conduct herself in the face of people with higher authority than her.

Before long, the two were now face-to-face with two huge doors with the sign Conference Room imprinted on the top.

This was not only the place where Yukinoshita's test will occur, this was also where, in a broad manner of speaking, talks of how to change Chiba for the better are conducted.

In other words, what was going to happen next was not just a trial for Yukinoshita, it was also a sort of an initiation ceremony.

Should she pass, she will be given the privilege to enter this room once again to join an actual session otherwise; the only time she'll be invited inside is when she'll have to retake the test.

After immersing herself on such thoughts, Yukinoshita nodded to Kawasaki to tell her that she was ready.

*knock* *knock*

"Come in."

"…"

That answer was more than enough for Yukinoshita to identify who was behind these huge doors.

She only knew one person in the world who could perfectly adjust the pitch of her voice in a way that it was underestimating and encouraging someone at the same time.

There was no mistaking it, it could only be…

"Excuse us," Kawasaki said so before turning the knob of the door and revealing the identity of those waiting inside.

A long table meant for the discussion of multiple people was in the middle of the room but instead of being surrounded by chairs on all sides, only two were present and it was the ones situated on the opposite ends.

Positioned on the seat that was meant for the highest position in the room was a figure Yukinoshita Yukino knew far too well.

With the exception of a few physical features, she was basically a mirror image of her. Even the clothes she wore were almost exactly the same except for the fact that the theme of the counterpart leaned more towards a darker violet instead of her blue.

Who else could it possibly be except for her very own older sister, Yukinoshita Haruno?

However, she was not alone.

Right behind Haruno was the visage of a tall young man clad in the standard business attire for men, white undershirt, black blazer and a pair of slacks. He was a person that Yukinoshita was acquainted with ever since last year but his current profile with his spectacles lowering the intensity of his fish-like eyes was a look he adapted only very recently.

The identity of this young man was none other than Hikigaya Hachiman.

Yukinoshita had always known that she'll end up eventually facing off against her flesh and blood sister some day but never in her wildest dreams did she ever think that standing behind her sister and supporting her was none other than her very first clubmate...

…But to say that she wasn't looking forward to this showdown of theirs would be a lie.

The blood of the competitive Yukinoshitas coursing through her veins seemed to simply relish the idea.

"Good day, Yukino-chan," Haruno smiled devilishly as if she already understood her sister's thoughts. "Are you ready?"

"Yukino-san."

Thankfully, her sister was not the only one with a reliable ally supporting her though the fact that it was actually that same black-haired youth who got this misunderstood delinquent to be on her side in the first place will be omitted.

Yukinoshita immediately gestured to her silver-haired assistant that there was nothing for her to worry about as Kawasaki simply misunderstood her superior's slight quivers as a sign of fear when in fact; it was all due to excitement instead.

"I'll be in your care today, Nee-san," Yukinoshita Yukino gracefully bowed to her older sister before bravely making eye contact to the raven-haired young man who kept his silence so far. "And you as well, Hachi-kun."

For the first time in her entire life…

Yukinoshita Yukino didn't mind settling for just the passing grade.


Author's Note:

Hopefully, I've restored some of your faith in me with this upload. Hahaha.

The next chapter will be the conclusion of this School Festival Arc. Please look forward to it when it comes.

From what I've conceptualized, it's potentially much chunkier than this chapter so expect a slightly longer wait than when I uploaded this one.

Alright, now for our usual guessing game.

This time, since the next update will have multiple SS once again, I want you to guess which character will I use in the title of the first SS.

Today's hint: This character is a Sobu High student. Hahahahaha!

If you're interested in participating, feel free to include your answer in your review.

Now with that out of the way, time to get on to the reviews from the previous chapter.

Shir0R4ven: I'm glad you think so. I was actually nervous since it's been a while and all that. Hahaha.

Coochies: Ha! Got it wrong again XD. I think you're forgetting that SSS stands for Summer Side Story so it can't possibly be the future date with Miura when SSS happens in the past. Also thanks, I'm glad you still enjoyed the character interactions. This long absence from writing is really making me develop a little paranois. Hopefully, I'll get more comfortable about things soon.

Godzilla is the goat: Thank you for still being here despite how long I've been away. It sincerely makes me happy to see my loyal readers. As for your praise, I'm pretty sure you've said something along those lines already but hey, I'm more than willing to receive it once again. Who am I to refuse? Hahaha.

Gid Lucione Deviluke: By all means feel free to cheer for both.

aiman031122: Thank you for reassuring me and all the well-wishes. I'm happy that you enjoyed the chapter. Has no one actually written a fic where Hikigaya and Kawasaki are married and their daughter is Keika? That's a little surprising.

Calo Lee Candame: Thanks a lot for the vote of confidence. It means a lot. I'm happy that all that setup didn't end up flopping.

DorkofaUser111: Yo, drive safely. The chapter isn't going anywhere soon unless I have to do some emergency editing.

Wellenrauschen: Your words have reached me indeed and you're also in luck because it just so happens that I'm updating this just a few hours after your review. Please enjoy.

Thank you all for these reviews. Your input is very much appreciated.

To everyone else who takes the time to read this fic, a huge thank you to all of you as well.

That's it for this chapter.

I hope to see you all again in the next one.

Reviews, follows and faves are all very much appreciated.

May everyone's good wishes and realities intersect.

Morii Hikikko

References:

1 – One of Kamen Rider Decade's signature lines.

2 – The same statement was used in the Azur Lane anime but I changed maid into butler given the identity of the speaker.

3 – A line from Hamlet.