It's about discussing things with Chisa, since Nanaka-senpai won't be coming to him for anything else.
Hachiman slowly approached, and as expected, her first words to him were, "Hachiman, what did you say to Chisa just now? She looks very excited."
Upon hearing this, he looked at Chisa standing behind the counter. She was wiping the dishes deftly, her eyes sparkling, and she was humming a song.
"She didn't say anything, but she talked about my fear of the sea, so Chisa decided to help me overcome this fear."
"Really?"
He nodded.
"Oh, that's great. I thought you two had a conflict and that's why Chisa was unhappy." Nanaka patted her chest, her expression relaxing. "Actually, Chisa had a habit when she was little: when she didn't know what to do, she would shift her attention to something else, and she would usually get very excited during those times."
Is there anyone with this kind of personality? I've never heard of such a thing before.
Even he wasn't sure what was causing her excitement, but this experience confirmed his belief that Chisa was indeed a very gentle person.
"Okay! Then I'll go and bring a girl who's suitable for you."
As he was relieved, Iori and the others also received Hamaoka Azusa's agreement. The two were extremely grateful and watched her leave the store.
Chapter 59 The New Girl Joins the Club
While waiting for Azusa-senpai to return, Hachiman spent his free time searching online for diving tips, since he was going to officially take the first step towards fulfilling his promise starting next week.
This is going to be an exciting moment. I hope he won't perform as badly as he did during that pool trip.
Well, this time with expert guidance, it should be much better. However, judging from what Chisa just said, she might be very strict this time. After all, there are less than four months left until summer vacation, and learning to scuba dive in four months is a tight schedule.
While he was thinking, Iori and the other person were exchanging glances, establishing a brainwave communication room where only the two of them existed.
Kohei: [Iori, do you think this is really a good thing for us? Doesn't Hachiman already have someone he cares about?]
Iori: [What's the point of caring? I didn't even succeed. She's at Tokyo University, which is a million miles away from Izu University. Besides, she's not only smart, but also beautiful. How could someone like that fall for that gloomy guy, Hachiman?]Gift Basket
Kohei: [Was it really necessary to portray Hachiman as so useless...?]
He felt that Iori had not only belittled Hachiman, but had also shattered his beautiful illusions.
Iori: [People always have to face reality. No matter how many setbacks they encounter, they have to forge ahead. Besides, it's not like he's really going to pick up girls; he's just making up the numbers.]
Kohei: [I see.]
The brainwave communication was interrupted. Iori stood up, walked to Hachiman's side, and put on a peaceful smile.
"Hachiman, why don't you come with us to the party tonight?"
"...Why did you call me along?"
Hachiman snapped out of his reverie from his phone screen and looked at him strangely. In the past, this guy was always the most boisterous during social gatherings, as if he was afraid that no one would know he was a virgin. Why was he being invited now? Wasn't he afraid of adding another competitor?
"With you here, Kohei and I will feel more at ease. Besides, you can speak human language, so you can be our wingman. Our lifelong happiness depends on this get-together."
Iori patted his shoulder, her eyes filled with seriousness. Her words were half true and half false; she was genuinely reassured, but pretended to be his wingman.
Just kidding. This guy is the type who makes female friends the moment he steps out the door. Making him a wingman is like having the magic staff appear in the movie Nezha, stealing the show.
"Being in a relationship doesn't guarantee happiness."
Youth novels often end the moment the male and female protagonists fall in love, but this is not because the writing is finished. Most of the time, it is because after the relationship, the story often involves twists and turns as the protagonists go from living alone in a small apartment to living together in a two-bedroom apartment.
"Yes, but as long as I break the Omega barrier, I can be happy!"
"...There are women here too. Didn't you notice that Chisa is looking at you like you're trash?"
"Please, come with us! This is a once-in-a-lifetime request!"
"Didn't you just use up one of your life's most important requests?"
Hachiman was speechless. This guy's shamelessness was unmatched. It felt like even a top-grade cursed tool couldn't pierce his face.
"In the end, Yamamoto and the others will go too, right? A dozen or so grown men aren't afraid of a bunch of girls."
"They're all useless! How can guys who've never even touched a girl's hand be considered strong males!"
"Your words are a bit harsh; you've dragged Kohei into this."
The blond boy's dejected appearance as he lay on the ground caught Hachiman's eye. He sighed. If he didn't go, this guy would definitely annoy him to death. He'd just go over for some free tea and slip away.
"Okay, I'll go."
"Nice!"
Iori returned to Kohei's side with a cheerful smile. His triumphant expression made Kohei realize that things might not be as he had imagined.
If it's just to make up the numbers, is it necessary to be so humble?
"Are you really going?"
Setting down the plate in her hand, Chisa asked softly.
"They'll keep bothering me if I don't go, so I'll just treat it as a free snack," Hachiman replied.
"Are you able to eat dinner?"
I'll eat less.
'Bang'
"I'm back--"
"Welcome back, Sister Zi!"
Upon hearing this, Iori and Kohei immediately stood up, their eyes filled with anticipation. What kind of girl would be suitable for them? She must have a heart as vast as Nanaka's and a personality well-versed in otaku culture, and perhaps even be an optimist.
"Um, where are the ordinary girls?"
"Don't rush." Hamaoka Azusa smiled and gently pulled the girl from behind the door. "Clang! Clang!"
The girl hiding behind the door was exposed to everyone's eyes, and Hachiman was attracted by the commotion and looked over.
A short-haired girl with dark blue hair stood gracefully beside Hamaoka Azusa, her youthful and cute face showing a hint of shyness, with blush spreading across her cheeks.
"...Um, hello everyone."
Hachiman felt that the voice sounded somewhat familiar, though he wasn't sure if it was just his imagination.
"She's a normal girl! Kohei, quickly pour some wine, no, pour some tea!"
Iori, who also felt the voice sounded somewhat familiar, didn't think like Hachiman. He opened his mouth wide, tears streaming down his face, making him look both comical and a little scary.
How long has it been since I've seen a normal woman!
This is truly a blessing from heaven!
What are you thinking about?
"This girl's voice sounds familiar."
Hachiman was certain he had heard a similar voice somewhere before. He looked at Hamaoka Azusa and asked, "Azusa-senpai, where did you bring this girl from?"
"She's a freshman at Qingnv Girls' High School. She's been attracting my attention at school ever since the boys' competition, but she's too timid to speak up. So I took the initiative to find her and ask her. I didn't expect that she wanted to participate in 'Pab'."
Hamaoka Azusa replied, picking up another can of green grape-flavored juice and chugging it down; it was a very hot day outside.
"Participate in 'Pab'?"
Hearing this, Hachiman was somewhat surprised, especially since it happened after the Men's Competition. This meant that the girl had very likely seen the performance. And yet, she was still able to join this club, which was almost entirely made up of perverts.
Wow, this woman is truly unpredictable!
The more Hachiman looked at the girl, the more unfathomable she seemed. Knowing there were bad rumors about this place, she still resolutely chose to come here. Either she was naturally a bit dim-witted and naive, or there was something here that was attracting her.
The passive skill of the human observer was triggered, and Hachiman keenly noticed that the blue-haired girl would occasionally steal glances at Iori while speaking.
Upon realizing this, Hachiman's first reaction was not to feel gratified for Iori, but rather to feel a sense of absurdity.
Really? Iori actually has a lot of luck with women?
That shouldn't be the case. If we're really going to compare, it should be Kohei first, since he has such a handsome face.
Wait, Kohei, Iori, and Otoko have feelings for him...
I vaguely remember there was such a woman, what was her name again?
"A corpse-masking monster?"
"It's Aina Yoshihara!"
Chapter Sixty: What to do if you run into an acquaintance at a social event?
The scorching sunset, the blood-red twilight, the cawing of flocks of black crows, the worst possible fortune slip after divination, and the grotesque corpses organizing a get-together...
"I think we've wandered into the wrong movie set. The Blue Sun harem horror movie should be next door, and we should be watching the Blue Sun comedy movie here."
Iori held the worst possible fortune slip in his hand and swallowed hard. At this moment, he was standing with Hachiman and Kohei at the place they had agreed upon with Yamamoto and the others, at the southern entrance of the pedestrian street. As it was getting dark, the streets were sparsely populated, and the hawkers' cries had turned from a few scattered calls to complete silence.
The setting sun cast their shadows long, like telephone poles, stretching all the way to the other end of the alley, where the shadows of tall buildings covered the area, making the overall silhouette appear desolate.
"Are we going to die later?"
What exactly are you fantasizing about?
Hachiman leaned against the lamppost speechlessly, thinking, "What kind of ghosts are these? It's the 21st century now, please respect science!"
"He's been watching Chinese horror movies lately, I think it's called something like Yin Yang Road."
Kohei explained Iori's unusual behavior, saying that he had also been watching from the sidelines and had to admit that it was indeed a very terrifying atmosphere.
Almost identical to the scene now, a young girl walks in a narrow alley with a white umbrella. She walks in a hurry, and large beads of sweat fall from her forehead.
The girl's eyes were filled with fear, and she kept looking back at the deserted road. The dull sound of footsteps echoed in the movie. The girl quickened her pace and walked into the sunlight. At that moment, she stopped and watched as her shadow was pulled by something and disappeared.
The scene flashed by, and the girl in that space was gone, leaving only a white umbrella.
He didn't watch the rest of the story, since he preferred watching lighthearted and cute anime. As people get older, they just like to enjoy something relaxing.Gift Basket
"Don't worry, Iori, that bad luck draw was just a scam."
Hachiman reached out and took the worst-case fortune slip from Iori's hand. He had already realized that the fortune teller was a fraud from the moment he stood there drawing lots.
The so-called divination ball is just a huge, round light bulb. The power cord is hidden in the fortune teller's empty sleeve. The bad luck slip is also a pre-prepared prop. Once the prey falls into the trap, the fortune teller pretends to be compassionate and says that there is a way to change the fate, and then makes you pay more money.
It's true, even though the country believes in the importance of science, there are still many charlatans like this.
"Cheer up! Look, Yamamoto and the others are here."
Hachiman pointed to Yamamoto and Nojima, who were running towards him from a distance. Both of them had beaming smiles on their faces, seemingly already imagining the wonderful life they would have with girlfriends.
"Sorry to keep you waiting!"
Yamamoto shouted and came to the three of them. Hachiman looked at the Japanese-style suit and the fancy-looking tie that the former was wearing and felt a chill in his heart. This guy is really serious.
Compared to him, am I dressed too casually?
Hachiman looked down at his clothes: a blue and white striped shirt, cropped casual pants, and a pair of white sneakers, looking like he was going on a picnic.
But it doesn't matter, he's just here to show off his fruit platter.
As the four headed toward their destination for the night, a traditional Japanese izakaya called "Machi no Mi," Yamamoto brought up their plans for the evening.
"What school are the girls at the social event from?"
"They are all first-year students at Qingnv."
"Qing Nu, that's something to look forward to."
"hehe."
Faced with his expectations, Iori could only give a perfunctory smile. In the end, after handing over the initiative of the social event to the Corpse Monster, he had already given up any expectations. As the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together, and the Corpse Monster's friends should also be Corpse Monsters.
Alas, it's a pity that Hachiman can't organize a matchmaking event. Otherwise, with those few cute girls around him who are just as lovely as Chisa, he would definitely cause a sensation. Maybe he could even get a share of the profits.
Well, the real purpose of organizing this get-together was just to escape being hunted down, so let's skip it this time. Also, there's something else...
Iori looked at Kohei and they exchanged a glance.
——Divider——
"I still don't quite understand why you insist on having Hachiman participate?" After deciding on the time for the matchmaking event, Kohei sat on the tatami mat in Iori's room and asked him.
He was far too attentive, so attentive that it seemed as if Hachiman was the main person at this social gathering.
"Hmph—that's obviously to make him fall for someone else." Iori explained, staring intently at the gloomy old house on the screen. "If he can meet a girl he likes during this matchmaking event, maybe it will pull him out of his fantasies and allow him to start a completely new life without his inferiority complex."