"Hachiman, my father has died. How soon can you be in Kyoto?" She asked, keeping her tone level. The slight waver in her voice when she told me the news gave her away. By Kaguya's standards, she may as well have been bawling her eyes out.

"I'm here right now. When do you get in?" I tried to convey comfort and concern as we spoke, but either she didn't perceive it or chose not to acknowledge it.

"Why are you in Kyoto? If you have other business, I can call you right before the reading of the will." Kaguya amended.

"No, I'll be there. See you soon." I promised.

"Thank you Hachiman." She replied

I hung up on Shinomiya and entered deep into the catacombs of my contacts list. Wedged between the number of a delivery place Komachi liked and my go-to dry cleaning service was the number of the school's head honcho. Aoi Rumiro had welcomed me to the institution with open arms and had given me her number in case I ever "needed anything."

It rang 8 times before she picked up. "Hikigaya, what do you want?" She sounded tired.

"I need to leave the school trip. There's an urgent matter that requires my attention." I didn't go any deeper than that, not interested in divulging my friends' secrets.

She took a long breath and then exhaled it slowly before she responded. "Then, submit a form request like every other student."

"I'm asking for a personal favor." I tried again. By the time the paperwork was approved, it would all be over. I wouldn't have been there for my friend in the most important moment.

This time there was no pause before her reply. "Just because you came from Shuuchin doesn't mean that I'll do whatever you ask. I am the boss here, and you need to resp-" I cut off her pointless tirade. I refused to waste my time getting into an argument with her. "100 million yen."

"Excuse me." She was now unsure. Any anger that she did have had lost momentum.

"Do this for me, and I will donate 100 million yen to the school." I kept my voice low. I was highballing her, I probably would have achieved the same results with a tenth of the money, but I wasn't going to risk losing her interest with a lower amount.

"Uh, I guess I can look into-"

"No, see this done as soon as possible. Tell you what. Every second I wait for approval starting in ten minutes, I'll deduct ten thousand yen from the donation. The clock starts now." I hung up and re-entered the room I shared with several of the other boys. I began packing up my things and was grateful that I had kept most of my possessions in my backpack.

I exited and marched down the hallway. Lo and behold, within six minutes, I received the approval. Money really does talk.

While on the way, I resigned myself to face the music. I would have to let Yukinoshita and Yuigahama know I would miss the promised meal. But there was really no way around it. However, before that, I called an excellent teahouse I had been brought to before by clients.

"Yumi, it's Hachiman. I'm sending 2 girls for lunch tomorrow. I won't be there for the introduction, but I'll pay in advance, and you can keep whatever's left over. Consider it an inconvenience fee." I announced, though internally, I was grinding my teeth in anticipation.

The hostess confirmed over the phone and thanked me for my business when the generous sum was transferred to them.

With my tasks complete, I clutched my bag tightly and ambled down the hall.

~/~

Naturally, of course, my exfiltration didn't go to plan. I was approached by Hiratsuka. Her brow wrinkled fiercely. "Hikigaya, why did I get a call from the administrator telling me to let you go and not ask any questions?"

I opened my mouth without thinking and shot off a sarcastic reply. "I see you're better at repeating orders than following them."

For a moment, I thought she would hit me when she stepped forward, so I flinched when she lay her hand on my shoulder. "Hikigaya, don't get cute. What's going on?" Her tone was gentle, so I replied honestly.

"Family emergency. Someone died." I expected her to let me go or maybe say a platitude about her condolences. What I didn't expect was a hug. She pulled me in tightly and spoke into my ear.

"I understand. I'll delay your assignments' due dates and get the other teachers to do the same. Do you need cab fare?"

I smiled brightly at her. I had mouthed off at her, and she was still compassionate.

I broke the hug and shook my head. "Don't worry; there's a car being sent for me. Thanks. For everything." I turned tail and walked away. At that moment, I wondered. If I was ten years older or even if she was less mindful of boundaries between teachers and students. What would we have looked like together?

~/~

The car pulled up in front of the large estate, and I stepped out. I put my phone away. Yui had been supportive of me and grateful for the arrangements that I had made. Yukinoshita had expressed a similar sentiment and even sent me a message saying to reach out if I ever needed something. She had prefaced it by saying if I made a lewd request, she would block me, but still, by her standards, she may as well have declared herself my personal therapist.

I stepped out and thanked the driver, feet retracing the path I had walked. Except this time, it was dark, and I was operating on memory and the relatively weak flashlight of my phone. For all the modern amenities that the house's traditional Japanese style concealed, outdoor floodlights were not one of them. But I kept marching on, carefully each time I planted my feet.

I eventually reached the courtyard and was shown in by one of the many servants. A maid took my suitcase away, and I soon found myself in Gan'aan's private study. Staring down Un'yo and Oko. Kaguya's two half brothers.

"Aah, Hikigaya, what a surprise?" Oko stood up and offered me a bow.

"I am here serving as Kaguya's legal advocate, so I will engage you in that context," I warned, and his expression warmed a fraction of a degree. Oko was many things, most of them bad, but he did appreciate professionalism, in whatever form that may take.

Un'yo frowned. "I see that she managed to sway you to her side. How much did she offer? I'll give you more."

I raised an eyebrow. "She offered me enough. I'm not changing sides that easily; I gave my word, so I'll follow through."

Oko chuckled at this. "Nice try, Un'yo. You sneaky little bastard." I looked away awkwardly, not wanting to be dragged into a pissing match between the two of them.

Oko walked over to his father's liquor cabinet and pulled a bottle from the top shelf. "What do you guys say? Father isn't around anymore, and we all have to wait for Seiryū anyways. He's gone on a little self-realization journey in Nepal." Un'yo nodded approvingly.

"I'm grateful. That just means there's one less person to share the inheritance with." He accepted a tumbler glass of dark amber liquid.

Oko sneered at his younger brother. "That makes sense; you always were scared of competition. That being said, there's no way he'll see a dime from Father." He turned to me. "What about you, Hikigaya? Care for a drink?" I nodded.

"Sure, two fingers. On the rocks."

He nodded and scooped some ice from the wet bar next to the cabinet. So there we sat, mostly in silence, drinking an exorbitantly expensive bottle of alcohol that tasted like spicy piss.

That's how we passed the two hours that it took for Kaguya to arrive. She entered the room regally and offered a terse nod to Unyo and Oko before giving me a short hug. We both ignored the amused silence from her siblings.

"How long will it take before Seiryū arrives?" She addressed the room.

"The current estimate is about eighteen hours." I replied. "They have to find him first. Apparently, he's on some sort of self-exploration quest in Nepal."

She frowned but quickly pulled up a chair and sat with us, pouring herself a small portion from the bottle and swirling it in a glass.

She joined us silently, none of us talking or moving. I don't know how long we sat there together. Each of us lost in our own thoughts.

All that I knew was that by the time Kaguya stood up, my legs felt stiff and leaden when I tried to follow. We left her brothers in the study, neither of them sparing us a glance.

Kaguya returned the same degree of courtesy. We ambled slowly away and in the direction of her room. She allowed the tension to seep from her shoulders and her facade to crack when we were a few hallways removed from the others.

"Hachiman, will you stay with me tonight?" There was no expectation or lust in her gaze. Just a sense of loneliness and anxiety. Speaking of which, where was Ai? I knew that now wasn't the time to ask, so I filed the thought away.

I followed her into her bed-chamber, a place that I'd never set foot in before. She went behind a dressing screen and lay her uniform on top, I heard the rusting of fabric, and a minute later, she emerged in a nightgown as white as snow.

She lay in her bed, and I pulled up a chair next to it. I held her hand as she fell asleep, and I didn't let go until she awoke.

~/~

I awoke with a crick in my neck and a ringing phone. I heard the gush of water from the connected bathroom and noticed the absence of Shinomiya from the bed. Making an executive decision, I stood up and ripped a piece of stationery from her desk.

I scribbled a note about going to use the bathroom and left it on her bed. I did all of this as I answered the phone.

"Why aren't you here?" I began the call before Ai could speak.

"It's complicated." Was the only explanation she gave.

"I don't care if it's complicated. What's simple is that Shinomiya needs you, and you aren't here." I replied, my tone venomous. The pain in my spine from the poor sleep posture only exacerbated my irritation. I took a breath and reigned in my stampeding emotions. "Look, whatever happened, she needs you. You're the most important person in her life."

Ai was silent. She waited several seconds before answering. "I see; please be there for her. Goodbye, Hachiman." She hung up.

I couldn't be the support Kaguya needed. I was just not enough. I was never enough.

So I planned to do the only things that I could. I needed to call reinforcements.

I waited in the hallway for Kaguya to emerge. Only a few minutes later did she step out, clad in a long sleeve shirt and pair of jeans with her hair pinned up in a traditional resting bun.

I chuckled at the sight, and she fixed me with a quizzical look. She would be the only person to have a fancy hairstyle while wearing jeans and a shirt.

"Kaguya, I'm going to tell the rest of the student council what's happened and ask them to be here for you." I could already sense the next question, so I hastily corrected her perceptions. "I'm not going anywhere, but I want to ensure that you have the support you need no matter what."

She stood silent, working through her thoughts. "Do whatever you think is best; I trust you."

I didn't say anything. It felt like a dream. She seemed sincere. Somehow, I had earned her trust, which made me thankful. Glad that maybe our friendship was becoming genuine.

I nodded and walked outside to call Miyuki.

He picked up on the first ring. "Hachiman is this about Shinomiya?"

"So you've heard."

"Yes. It's the top story in several business publications."

"I see. I'm at the Shinomiya estate in Kyoto. Would you and the rest of the student council be willing to come down and support her during the funeral?" I asked.

"Of course. Why are you there?" He questioned, and I had to reign in my kneejerk response, a ribald joke. His jealousy is understandable, if somewhat annoying.

"I'm her lawyer, so I go where I'm needed."

~/~

Shinomiya paced impatiently along the lawn while I lay back and watched. "Would you like to join me for a walk, Kaguya?" I stood up and gestured to the expansive gardens. She smiled back.

"I suppose I shall. It will be at least half an hour before Seiryū arrives." She sighed. Ever since we received confirmation that his plane had touched down, her nerves had been on edge.

We were about to embark on a stroll, hopefully to calm her down, when a maid ran towards us. Kaguya fixed her with such a withering look that she seemed to lose all her nerve. "Is there some news that we should be made aware of?" She asked, her tone thin. Like a rope being stretched to its absolute maximum strength.

"Uhh, ye-yes, Ma'am. Your other guests have arrived. They are waiting to be received in our tea room." The maid scurried away before I could even try to ameliorate the situation. Any vestige of calm that may have been creeping into Kaguya's demeanor was obliterated.

Her eyes hardened, her shoulders tensed, and her mouth set itself into a thin line. "Well, receive them we shall. Come along, Hachiman. There's still much I have to do today."

I followed as she strode purposefully through the compound and then elegantly opened a door. Within the room sat the president and secretary of Shuuchin academy.

Kaguya greeted them the way that would be expected of a proper lady. "Thank you for coming, Shirogane, Fujiwara." We kneeled around the low traditional table, each of us on one side. Even Chika was behaving seriously, treating the circumstances appropriately for once.

"The Fujiwara family offers its sincerest condolences for your loss." Chika bowed her head.

Kaguya returned the gesture. "The Shinomiya family humbly accepts your condolences and thanks you for your consideration."

Miyuki and I watched, and though I at least understood the context, I still felt out of my depth. I wasn't the scion of a prominent clan. There were no traditions to guide me. I just stumbled in the dark, hoping that I was doing right.

The formalities over, Chika pulled Kaguya into a hug and whispered in her ear. Shirogane offered Kaguya a tentative expression when she looked over. He seemed unsure of where to look. I decided to give the three of them some space. Seeing as I was the outsider here.

I stood up. "I need the restroom. I'll be back in a few minutes." I stepped out of the room. I decided to do one lap of the inner courtyard before returning, giving them appropriate time to discuss anything privately. Unfortunately, life seemed to have other plans. I saw Seiryū talking quietly with Un'yo and Oko.

Immediately I ran back to Kaguya. Not wanting her to miss her inheritance because of some strange attendance clause.

When the sliding door slammed open, it cut off any conversation the current occupants were having. "Shinomiya, Seiryū is here. It's time." She stood and marched out of the room, followed hurriedly by the three of us.

We reached the central courtyard as her brothers faced us. "I see that you brought your own entourage, little sister." Oko sneered. "You always did have trouble doing things alone." Now that the money was coming out, everyone was laying their cards on the table.

"Let's just calm down, read this will. Then, none of you will ever have to see each other again." I interrupted before the four siblings would devolve into snide comments and cruel insinuations.

A clean-cut butler with completely white hair from his eyebrows to his head. Opened a binder and began to read.

"I was never one for sentimentality in life, nor do I intend to become so in death. In an ideal world, none of you would see a dime from me. I tried to mold each of you into a suitable successor, but each of you fell short in some manner. Oko, you lacked the creativity and agency to act apart from my will. Seiryū, where do I even begin with you? You failed because you barely even tried. Un'yo, you never had the backbone to lead, and you never will. Finally, Kaguya, I thought that I had created an ideal successor, but you were too bogged down by emotions, too compassionate to those that you should've crushed underfoot."

"However, my mind has been made up about who shall receive my fortunes. Kaguya, you are to be the sole inheritor of it all, the estates, the shares, and everything else-"

I felt elation. We won. She had won. And it just so happened that it was a big win for me too. Nothing could possibly ruin this. Her mouth was slightly agape, and her eyes were wide.

"This inheritance comes on two conditions, one is legally binding, and the other is my only piece of fatherly advice." Well, that shouldn't be too bad. I figured she wouldn't inherit it all, no strings attached.

"I expect you to grow the conglomerate's value, 50% in the next ten years. This is non-negotiable, if you fail, the shares will still be yours, but an interim CEO will be appointed." That could be a problem. The conglomerate was already so huge that she would have to try and expand into new industries and markets if she wanted a chance at that type of growth. But with her talents, it could be done.

The butler raised his eyebrows for a moment, and I tensed. He hadn't reacted to the first condition at all. What the hell was the second? Why would he actually be surprised?

"The second is advice on love. I have had multiple wives but loved none of them. They weren't my equals, nor could I be sure if they loved me for my wealth. But I believe I have found a suitable match for you. Hikigaya spoke with respect about you during our meeting and advocated strongly on your behalf. He is half the reason you are my chosen heir. To sway such a powerful figure to your side is quite a feat. He has massive wealth himself, so you know that wouldn't be the motivator for your marriage. Also, any children you may produce might inherit both of your gifts. This isn't a legally binding requirement. My lawyers informed me that even if I tried to make it so, most courts wouldn't recognize it as a reasonable condition."

The whole courtyard was silent. All of their gazes were on me. Maybe, I was already in hell, and this was my punishment.

(A/N): in this chapter, Hikigaya resorts to more brute force methods to get what he wants, literally just launching cash at the problem until it ceases to be one. Also, Kaguya is less assertive in this chapter because her father died, so she may be somewhat OOC in some readers' eyes.

DemonTetsu: I'm super excited to release this part of the story, and I really hope that you like it as well. Thanks for the feedback.

Ikea: I'm glad that you thought it was decent, I guess. I'm not saying that there is no potential for romance between 8man and Yui, but am instead trying to convey one of the original themes of Oregairu, the idea that by being honest with one another, we can have much deeper and more satisfying relationships than if we didn't. They are just sharing in the closeness that comes from being genuine. I considered whether or not to keep the "that's what she said" joke, but I left it in because I thought it added to the characterization. Hikigaya grew up in an environment of high-powered lawyers bragging about their encounters, which isn't uncommon or frowned upon. Yui is now attending college classes as well, and in college, people use more ribald humor than what is allowed in high schools. Yui is evolving because of her changing circumstances. This is what happens in stories. Characters change. The chapter was shorter, but I felt that adding fluff about them all walking around Kyoto would've been boring and pointless.