When Hachiman got out of the bath, he put his hands on his hips and drank his milk in one gulp.

(There's no MAX coffee in this world, after all... Ah, I wonder if I can make it myself.)

Hachiman thought about taking cooking skills, but since he have a limited skill slots, he decided to hold idea for a while.

He lay down thinking he get to bed quickly for today, but he couldn't fall asleep right away.

Basically, when someone try to go to sleep, they tend to think about unnecessary things.

His mind is filled with thought about the people he had left behind and the people he just met in this world.

"Hachiman, are you still awake?"

Suddenly, Asuna called out to Hachiman.

"Can't you sleep?" he asked

"Yeah, I was fine until just now, but when I tried to go to sleep, I guess I just end up thinking about unnecessary things."

Asuna said this and suddenly began talking about herself.

It's unusual for people to suddenly talk about there real life to someone you just met in a game, but she must be feeling anxious or something.

He decided to stay quiet and listen to Asuna as she talk about herseft.

Being born into a prestigious family, her parents always have high expectations of her. she always try to meet her parents expectations by beings at top of her grade and many other things as well. She was worry that her parents would be disappointed.

The troubles of always trying to being good at everything from a young age is extremely stressful.

But Hachiman can't understand those concerns.

After all, people can never truly understand the pain of others.

(She is kinda like Yukinoshita in a sense… they even have similar backgrounds, But she's the complete opposite of Yukinoshita. If anything, she's more like Haruno-san.)

"How about your life, Hachiman?" asked Asuna

"...If I gonna be honest my life is not that interesting. In fact, I think it might be something that makes you feel disgusting." he replied

"I'm not saying you have to tell me, but I want to know why you're so kind to others." she said

When Hachiman heard what Asuna said, he immediately denied it.

"I'm not a kind person. I do everything for myself."

"That's a lie. It would have been much easier you to just abandon me back there, wouldn't it?" she said as matter of fact

"it would……"

"It's okay, I won't hurt you. You're my benefactor, after all. So it's not like I'm repaying you, but I'll listen carefully to whatever you have to say. If it can make Hachiman feel even a little better, then I'd like to help." she said

Asuna said this clearly, even though she sensed that something had happened in Hachiman's past.

Was he influenced by Asuna's feelings, or was it the atmosphere that made him do it?

Either way he began bit by bit talk about himseft , about his past, what he have experienced these past years and how he felt about it.

While Asuna listened to it in silence.

(It was more than I expected... I shouldn't have asked so easily.)

Asuna was shocked by Hachiman's past, but still she couldn't understand it all.

(All I can do now is talk about those things he has experienced as if I knew him) thought Asuna .

But it's hard to really understand it.

Still, Asuna wanted to understand Hachiman better and support him as much as she could.

When he helped her there isn't any malicious intentions, he had helped her because simply out of kindness.

And now I understood it.

"Are you crying?" he asked

When Asuna came to her senses, she was crying. Her tears were shining as they reflected the moonlight.

"You idiot, I like being alone. And what's wrong with being alone anyway? As long as people stay alone, they don't bother anyone, making it the ultimate eco-friendly option.

First of all, I can't accept that someone who works hard alone is inferior to someone who works hard with others.

I can handle everything on my own, so there's not the slightest bit of need for you to cry on me."

Asuna chuckled, wiping away her tears, she was probably unconsciously trying to comfort him by crying.

For some reason, Hachiman was telling Asuna about his philosophy.

"If you are worried about a relationship, just destroy it and you won't be bothered. If it's a negative effecting you, then I'll cut it off from the beginning. That's how I've lived my life. The idea that you shouldn't run away is nothing more than the arrogance of the strong. Other people often tell you to change, but change is just an escape from the current situation. If you want to win without changing, you have no choice but to get stronger. It's not about being good at fighting or anything like that, it's about maintaining a strong sense of self like me. It doesn't matter if you're alone or part of a group. As long as you have a strong sense of self, there's no problem." he said passionately

"Myself... my goals? My way of thinking?"she said confusedly

"It could be a goal, or an unchanging strong feeling. It could be something you want to protect." he replied

Asuna listened quietly to what Hachiman was saying. Her eyes, which had looked a little unsure until just now, seemed to have regained their strength.

"Also, I know someone who is in a similar situation as Asuna. Like Asuna, she is someone who is obligated to always win due to family circumstances, Maybe that's why she try to appear strong, wear a mask, and never show her weaknesses to others. Even though she probably tries to hide it, she cares deeply about her sister. In an attempt to change her younger sister, who cannot go against her parents and has no opinions of her own, Sometimes she have to be very strict, but she try to do whatever she can. Even if her sister hates her, no matter what I do, she'll just try her best" he said

"She's such an amazing person, trying to help her sister to become independent. By the way, that sister you mention is she the president of your club." asked Asuna

"Can you do your best even if someone you care about hates you?" she asked again

"No matter how much that person hates you, there are times when you think, if they're happy, then I'm happy too, right?" he answered

"Yeah, that kind of thing sometimes happens." she replied

"So I'm not important. If you're with me, people will look at you strangely. Even if people hate me, if it makes a lot of people happy,It's a very effective way to live." he said

After hearing that opinion, Asuna felt that Hachiman was a very dangerous person and I imagined what it would be like when he was gone, I realized that I was feeling very sad.

And now, Asuna had made a decision.

"I certainly think that's true. But, Hachiman-kun."

Asuna steeled herself and took a step into Hachiman's heart.

"That's no reason for you to get hurt, Hachiman. At least for me, I will be very sad to see Hachiman go. We've only just met, so that's weird, right?Maybe this is the suspension bridge effect. But, you know, I… After sharing all the joys, hardships and pains with Hachiman, I want to be able to hold my head up high and return to the real world. Let's fight together until the end, Hachiman." she said passonately

The words Asuna told me sounded like a love confession.

Now that the Christmas event had taken place, those words resonated easily with Hachiman.

During the Christmas event, after Hachiman bites Tamanawa,

Ever since the moment Yukinoshita bit Tamanawa, as if becoming an accomplice with Hachiman.

He had been imprinted in his mind with the possibility that there was someone out there who would hurt along with him.

Someone who has decided to walk together with Hachiman, who was basically alone.

It may be because of this situation, but that's not relevant now.

Right now, Hachiman sees someone who embodies that potential.

In the real world those two probably embodies that potential too ...

In the little heart of his, there was a small empty space,

I never knew that it was just only for two people...

It was like the snow was melting...and suddenly Hachiman was crying like a child.

Asuna continued to stroke Hachiman's head.

"How is it? Is there any place for you in the real world?" asked Asuna

"Yes, it certainly was. I really must go back to that place. I can't die without finding out whether something that could have been real was really real or not.

It's a very comfortable place that I finally got.

I will fight until I can see them again and laugh together.

Up until now, I have always intended to fight seriously, but this decision is different."

"Yeah, I'll go with you. By the way, will I be one of those guys?"

The sudden words took Hachiman off guard. Asuna was going to enter that room?

I pictured Yukinoshita, Yuigahama, and occasionally Isshiki, and then Asuna.

To Hachiman, it seemed a very natural scene.

"I definitely want to go back and complain to my parents. Of course, I don't want to just rebel.

After doing what needs to be done, I found out what I wanted to do, and then,

I want my mom and dad to acknowledge that. Not to get their approval, but to make them acknowledge it.

And then I'll talk about Hachiman with the members of the Service Club."

"When I get back, I'll be sure to introduce you to everyone. I'm sure we'll get along well."

It was a light-hearted way of saying, "I'd like to introduce you to a friend,"

Asuna no longer doubted that it would come true.

I felt like I received something important from Hachiman.

I wanted to protect that precious thing together with Hachiman.

"Hachiman, if you'd like..."

「Let me say the rest. I also want to look a little cool.

I know it's a bit weird for me to say this, coming from a past where I exposed my disgrace in front of Asuna.

My eyes are bad and I'm not very good at talking to people.

Basically, he finds it too much of a hassle to go out, and his eyes are rotten."

"I told you it's rotten twice. Stop saying stuff like that, okay?"

"S-sorry... so-"

"Well, since we're here, shall we say it together?"

Asuna suggested, Hachiman nodded, and they both spoke the words at the same time.

"Would you like to be my friend, Asuna?"

"Would you like to be my friend, Hachiman?"

In this way, Hachiman gained his first friend of the opposite sex.

Plus, for the first time, someone of the opposite sex asked to be friends with me, which was an added bonus.

"Uh, please keep the fact that I cried and all that a secret."

Hearing this, Asuna replied mischievously:

"Yeah, let's keep it a secret until we meet the people from the Service Club, okay?"

"Seriously...?"

From this moment on, Yuuki Asuna truly became Asuna, the rapier wielder.

And so Hikigaya Hachiman, at least temporarily, stopped being a loner.

"Nice to meet you, Hachiman-kun."

"Yeah, let's make sure we watch each other's backs and go back to the real world together."

"I need to get stronger from now on too."

"I guess it's time to say goodbye to my pathetic self."

There is no such thing as a perfect crystal created by a miracle alone.

This miracle happened only because of the build-up leading up to the Christmas event.

So slowly, one thing at a time, they build up and join hands.