(Hey, guys! Welcome to chapter 2! Considering I'm essentially making this up as I go with the help of all who are giving me their thoughts on my little fanfic, things might change – for example, I might settle for just asexual Kazuma, but not aromantic as to confirm a ship that someone wanted that sounds fitting to the story. Also, in case you didn't notice, Liliruca Arde was the reference I mentioned at the notes near the end of chapter 2. Enjoy!)

(Note: Konosuba ain't mine, pal. Also, every chapter I seem to stray further and further from canon…)

Chapter 2 – The Forgiving Hiki-NEET!

"W-wait, what? But why?" Yunyun asked.

The girls, whilst trying to help, couldn't help stare at the wall that separated them and Kazuma as they listened to what he had to say – the same question being in everyone's minds.

Kazuma was momentarily silent, before he eventually gave an answer.

"Well… as much as I hate them for just upping and leaving without as much a goodbye, it kind of made sense that they would eventually. They're getting stronger, Yunyun."

Stronger? Yunyun thought.

"What do you mean, Kazuma?" she asked.

Kazuma let out a sigh.

"As much as I'd like to boast about my leadership skills, I'd rather not do that when we're discussing a serious topic like this. I'll say why."

Now everyone was curious.

"As you know, I'm an adventurer, the weakest class of all. I don't really see myself increasing my stats on magic, strength, and durability. As for my group, who have some pretty good classes, they seem to improve in said stats much more than me. Aqua went from being unable to knock out giant toads with God Requiem to being able to kill a Demon General with some help from us. You'd think that that would be it, but no."

Yunyun raised an eyebrow.

"And why is that?" she asked.

Kazuma sighed – again.

"Thanks to my determination back then when I wanted to help her achieve her dream of being the strongest arch-wizard in your clan and the world as well, Megumin can now produce more than one explosion per day. Not only did she manage to learn drain touch thanks to me giving her endurance training that I remembered from Japan –" (really it was just stuff his PE teacher did to warm-up exercise when Kazuma still went to school) "- before using Explosion. Surprisingly, it not only slightly increased her physical stats, and now she could also much, much more mana than the last time you met her. And if she runs out, Aqua is basically an infinite mana source, so she can simply ask Aqua for more mana, and soon I found myself at home whilst both of them went off to do Megumin's daily explosions. I was an idiot for not noticing…"

Yunyun was more impressed than she was taken aback by the information. She had thought that Megumin was truly a one-shot, multiple-kill type character, never being able to comprehend her using more than one explosion in one day.

"And I'm guessing that blonde Crusader… Darkness, was it? - somehow got stronger too?" Yunyun asked.

"You're right on the money, Yunyun," Kazuma replied. "She finally lives up to her Crusader class – she can defend and successfully attack her opponents now, and her physical stats are definitely better. Her luck, however, decreased by EVER so slightly – by 0.01%."

"Wait, she couldn't hit her opponents back then?" Yunyun asked.

Kazuma laughed – a cross between having a bitter taste and being a genuine one.

"Oh, you have no idea how many times she missed even stationary targets." He chuckled, sounding the same as when he laughed.

Huh, so I'm guessing that he taught her how to use a sword, if she was that bad, Yunyun giggled in her thoughts.

"A-and that self-proclaimed 'goddess?" Yunyun asked.

"Aqua? Oh, not much really – just that her intelligence somehow increased by 30% - SAME AS ME! IT'S IMPOSSIBLE, I TELL YOU! WHAT, IS THERE SOME GUY JUST ADDING RANDOM BUFFS TO THEM SO THAT THEY'D HAVE SOME MORE REASON TO LEAVE ME?"

Though no one else sees it, Kazuma winks at you.

*giggles in fourth wall breached*

Meanwhile, Yunyun feels more sympathy for the adventurer than ever before, especially since she knows where this is going.

"So, in a way, I think – no, they are going to be – a somewhat functional team, even without me."

Everyone was silent. It's hard enough to go through what he'd been through, it's even harder to think that it's fine just because you're the only one in your team not getting stronger at a speedy pace.

"B-but why do you want me to forgive Megumin?" Yunyun asked. "She so cold-heartedly abandoned you for that blue-haired son of a-"

Kazuma interrupts before she could continue.

"Because a leader should be able to manage his party. A leader should be able to see if there's anything unusual in their behaviour. A leader should be able to see if his own relationship has either gone to hell or was simply a lie from the start. Being the idiot I am, I didn't see nor do any of that."

"But mostly, I forgive Megumin – and only Megumin – for not being able to stop me for falling in love with her."

"Kazuma…" Yunyun started, but he cut her off once again.

"On that night when Aqua told me about what was really happening, Megumin looked pretty heartbroken – she wasn't cold-hearted when she left me. In fact, she was weak in the situation. She looked as if she couldn't choose between me or Aqua, but only went with Aqua because she didn't have the guts to tell the other person that she loves another and couldn't decide between the two."

Yunyun, as sad as she felt, was surprised by how much information Kazuma can take in whilst having a silent emotional breakdown on the inside.

"So if you see her around – which will be pretty rare unless you happen to work on the front lines against the Demon King's army – tell her just that."
"That she couldn't stop me from falling for her."

"That she couldn't stop herself from falling for two – one of which was somewhat random compared to the other, I don't know how they got lovey-dovey with each other."

"That in the end, she had to choose one, as you should when it comes to love."

"That in the end, she chose someone else over me, even if it hurt her heart."

Yunyun felt sadder than ever before – she couldn't believe that he had so much resolve for these situations.

Then again, he had experience for this back in Japan, so it was only normal for him, but shouldn't be. Not at all – even if it was slightly easier to drop such a heavy weight from your back after already having it put upon you.

The silence made the people who just got comfortable in the bath… well, uncomfortable.

So Chris – being a "deredere" type – got planning to making the atmosphere in the baths feel warmer.

She whispered to her members of her gang, and they seemed to like the idea.

Only Yunyun was left out.

"W-wait, what are you guys talking about?" Yunyun whispered.

Chris could only move through the water toward her and say this:
"You said that you're going to bathe together, you're going to bathe together."

Before Yunyun could comprehend what was happening, girls were wrapping their towels tight onto their bodies, then making a human ladder – right into the boy's baths.

"W-WAIT!" Yunyun whispered again, this time more frantically. "YOU AREN'T GOING TO-"

She heard a confused Kazuma screaming, then the next few seconds were what I can only describe as absolute chaos.

As Kazuma yelled them to let go, Yunyun heard Chris count from 3 to 1, then yell "Use 'Glue'!". Right after, the human ladder fell on their backs (caught by some other girls) but without breaking the human ladder, and managed to lasso Kazuma.

Into the girl's bath.

Steaming hot water was splashed everywhere, and through all the water Yunyun could see that the girls were taking off their towels and going in the bath.

"'Glue'? What's that skill?" Yunyun asked Liliruca Arde, who just happened to be sitting next to her.

"Oh! 'Glue' is when we concentrate on a certain part of our bodies of which we can make go sticky and unstick whenever we want!" She explained. "That means that if we wanted to, we could even scale mountains if we could somehow constantly replenish stamina every…" she actually stopped to calculate something. "500 metres!"

Huh, that skill sounds both useful and useless at the same time, Yunyun thought to herself.

Then, everyone's attention was now brought to the boy who was in the center of the girl's baths.

He blubbered and coughed a little, before realising where he was.

It took Kazuma a lot of effort to not nosebleed.

So many girls…

With wet hair…

And glistening skin…

And such cute blushes on their faces from the heat of the bath…

He let out a sigh, and a chuckle – the bitter tone completely gone.

"Alright, alright," Kazuma said defeatedly. "I may be asexual, but one thing's for certain – I do not have the mental capacity to be aromantic. Who wouldn't fall for such cute girls like y'all?"

Everyone burst into laughter.

"Oh, Kazuma, looks like you're not as tough as you seem," Chris teased, whilst Liliruca realised something.

She might – just might – have an opportunity.

After some very deep thinking in her little fox-girl head of hers whilst they were waiting for the authorities and going to the baths, she found that she had feelings for the man.

But of course, she can't admit them now – he literally just had an emotional pitfall because of love.

And besides, she still doesn't know him that much, only that behind that perverted body of a man was a person with a benevolent yet broken heart.

She felt that it was her job to fix it.

However, In the meantime, she'll do something else.

Something that will cause her to get closer to Kazuma.

Soon, after some more comebacks and jokes too, Kazuma's spirits were raised again, and was laughing his head off with everyone else.

After the whole thing

I never felt welcome in Chris' group.

Yes, she welcomed me with open arms after seeing that I had come from the abusive cult called the Sona Famillia my parents forced me to join, but out of fear, instinct and experience I decided to sneakily steal more of the share then she did.

Then one day, we went on a quest.

We were in a dungeon, filled with undead.

I found the chest – a chest filled with the most loot.

Again, out of fear, I realised that with this much money she could simply leave me alone.

But I went with her because of her kindness, so that I could travel incognito without being tracked by the cult, so that I could make a living.

Therefore, I tried to hide the chest somewhere it couldn't be found.

Instead, I opened up a new level, and fell down the stairs because I pushed the chest too hard. I twisted my ankle, and when I tried to walk I kept shouting at myself to cut it off due to the intense pain.

Inside were monsters that I didn't have the power to defeat.

Monsters that were going after me to kill.

I yelled for help, but nobody came.

Once again, I screamed for help, but nobody came.

Then, I remembered that a friend I met at a guild in Axel had told me to support a goddess called Eris, and was explaining about how it's lucky to do so – she got was saved when a pack of wolves tried to hunt her down.

So I prayed.

And at a speed I didn't know possible, Chris had appeared and managed to take out a couple of monsters.

One, however, managed to strike her on the bottom right side of her cheek.

She managed to take it down with magic that blinded me.

It was a miracle in my eyes.

She asked if I was ok. Dumbfounded, I couldn't help but gape as I nodded.

She carried me all the way up the stairs with the treasure chest.

When we got back up, it turns out that somehow a couple of people had found out about what my true intentions were.

I expected Chris to get mad, to throw me down the floor and slit my throat with eyes of betrayal.

Instead, I saw her smile and say, "Ah, but after what had just happened today between me and her on that floor, she won't ever do it again. Right, Lili?"

I was so taken aback by her reaction, that I was couldn't hold back my tears, and thanked her for her gracefulness.

Everyone else, was still – and always were – suspicious of me, bullying me for being a sneaky traitor of the group.

Today, however, Chris allowed me to move on with Kazuma. She understood that I couldn't

She made me promise that whatever happens, I'll be by his side to protect him.

Determined, I nodded.

Then, she gave me a hug.

I felt some tears on my shoulder.

"Damn it, Lili, I'm going to miss you," she told me.

I held back my own tears this time, but I hugged her back.

"Kazuma-kun! Kazuma-kun!" Liliruca called.

"Yes, I'm Kazuma," he replied. Then he saw that it was Liliruca. "Oh, Liliruca! What's up?"

He got more curious to find that she was carrying a very heavy, green bag with stuff poking out slightly, but not piercing the fabric.

Lili looked away.

"C-can I join your team?" she asked.

Kazuma froze, and flashbacks came fast like it was Japan all over again.

Stop it, Kazuma said. I don't need to remember that.

"Did Chris-san say you can leave her group?" he asked her.

She nodded.

"Ok, sure!" Kazuma enthusiastically said. "Besides, at least I can go on quests without Luna worrying for me…"

Then, Yunyun came out of nowhere.

"What about me?" she asked.

WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON? Kazuma thought to himself. 2 GIRLS SUDDENLY WANT TO JOIN MY PARTY! THIS MUST BE THE WORK OF SOME BEING HIGHER THAN THE GODS AND GODDESSES THEMSELVES! ARE THEY TRYING TO GET ME TO GO FULL HAREM ROUTE?

(keep dreaming, Kazuma. I'm putting you in with a ship from a reviewer xD)

Kazuma composed himself.

"Ok, but this is really so sudden, Yunyun," he said. "I mean, you might think I'm just useless as you get stronger…"

Yunyun gave him a hug. Kazuma ignored the fact that her large bosom was on his chest, and instead took in the warmth.

"At least it'll be nice to know that my friend is part of my team!" she chirped. "I mean, you'll want a close friend who's also powerful in your team, right?"

Damn, she isn't wrong, Kazuma thought to himself.

"Ok, then I, Kazuma Satou, shall accept both of you into my party!" he said, as if he were a cliché noble. He cringed when he realised what he'd done.

"Alright!" both girls jumped for joy.

"But you better not steal Kazuma-kun from me, Yunyun," she whispered to the Crimson Demon.

Yunyun let out a confused noise, before leading the two to her house, and pulled out two spare sleeping bags.

Thank god okaasan and otousan aren't here, she thought to herself.

Then, everyone went to sleep.

"H-hey, Liliruca? Why are you trying to get in my sleeping bag?"

(AAAANNNNDDDD That's it for Chapter 2! I hate to say spoilers, but Kazuma will end up with a girl! The twist – it isn't Liliruca…)

*gets murdered by readers*

(Also, I'd like to point out that I might add in more depth to Liliruca's story, show that Yunyun is 9000% friend-zoning Kazuma and maybe even show Megumin's perspective at some point! Anyways, I hoped you enjoyed despite this being about ½ shorter than chapter 1, and I will have them go on a quest together! Chapter 3 will be posted soon! Love ya guys

- CandiceLilDF1tInYoMouth)