AN: Hi everyone! It's me again, back for a new update!
Just a heads up, after this chapter, there will be one more chapter before the end of the COTE Arc.
Also, this chapter... I might have been carried away a bit too much.
So for safety reasons, please read it alone. So don't come back to me saying I didn't warn you!
Ahahahaha! Jokes aside, I hope you like this arc. I did my best to show the feelings of each character and their connection.
So, if you have comments, make sure to leave some, alright?!
I would be happy to know about it.
========================================
Cruise Ship, Hachiman's Home Planet…
Horikita Suzune curled into herself, holding her pillow as it could save her. If there were a hole nearby, she would have buried herself in it already. Because right now… a couple was making out just a few steps away from her bed.
'I can't believe these two… are they seriously doing this here?!'
She placed her pillow over her ears, trying to block the sounds—sounds she never imagined the 'Little Angel' Ichinose Honami could make.
Sadly… it didn't help at all.
"Ahh~… Hachiman… not there~…"
Suzune lightly flinched at Honami's voice.
'Why am I hearing this… why me…?'
Her face gets redder and redder by the second.
"Ah~"
"—!!"
Suzune bit down on her blanket to stop herself from making any noise. Her shoulders trembled, caught between panic and something she didn't want to name.
'C-can you two keep it down…?' she whispered in her thoughts. 'Rather, how about you stop and do it in your room instead!!!'
"Hachiman…"
Suzune's eyes widened when she heard the way Honami said his name. It was full of feelings… which made Suzune's chest feel tight.
Then came the faint sound of lips meeting along with soft moans.
She swallowed.
'D-does it really feel that good…?'
The thought slipped in before she could stop it.
For as long as she could remember, Suzune had only focused on one thing: catching up to her brother, Horikita Manabu. Earn his approval and prove she wasn't a burden.
Even when they finally reunited after entering this school, things didn't go the way she had hoped. Years of distance, awkward pride, and misunderstandings only led to conflict between them.
And in the middle of that… Hachiman stepped in.
He stopped her brother's hand without hesitation.
"As an older brother myself, seeing someone hitting his own sister… I can't just ignore that."
That was what he said back then. Direct, almost careless. But to Suzune, it was... memorable.
He didn't stop there either. He also pulled her out of that negative spiral she had been stuck in… the belief that she was only holding her brother back.
Somehow, after that, they became… connected.
It wasn't something she could easily explain.
From then on, they spoke more often. Sometimes alone, sometimes together with her brother and Tachibana Akane. Conversations during lunch, occasional dinners—it just… became normal.
And without realizing it, her view of him slowly changed.
Watching him talk with Manabu about serious matters and trivial ones alike, she began to see a side of him most people would miss.
On the side note, this occasional outing with Manabu sparked the rumors about him, preparing Hachiman to become the next Student Council President… instead of Nagumo Miyabi, the current Vice President.
Anyways, Suzune would never admit it, and would even deny it with everything she had, but… she had grown comfortable around Hachiman. Maybe even too comfortable. There were times she caught herself acting childish around him without realizing it.
So when her brother casually asked her one day…
"Do you like Hikigaya?"
She froze.
Her face turned red, and no matter how hard she tried… she couldn't bring herself to deny it.
Manabu took her silence as an answer.
"A man like Hikigaya is rare… and exceptional," he told her. "On the surface, he looks mediocre. But from whatever he experienced, he became who he is now."
Suzune nervously listened, her fingers fidgeting.
"If you wish to build a relationship with him, Suzune… I won't stop you. The rumors about him being involved with multiple girls are… a bit concerning." He frowned lightly, then sighed. "But I'll trust you to handle it well. You are, after all, definitely not inferior to Ichinose or Sayanagi."
Those words… stuck with her.
Hearing her brother say that, acknowledging her, trusting her, was something she had long wished for.
Maybe because of that, she decided to try. In her own way, she starts getting closer to Hachiman.
But her personality didn't make it easy. Every step felt awkward, clumsy, and slow. And whenever she finally calmed down and thought about what she had been doing…
"…What am I even doing…"
She would end up burying her face in her hands, unable to handle the embarrassment.
"Mhmm… Hachi… mhmm… man…"
Suzune's thoughts were cut off by the soft, enticing sounds coming from Honami.
"Ah… so this… is… Hachiman's… mhmm…"
Her mind went blank.
Then—heat rushed straight to her face.
'N-no way… is she perhaps…?!'
"Kuh… Honami…"
And then… she heard it, Hachiman's voice.
It was different. Not the usual dry, sarcastic tone she was used to. This one was low… rougher… filled with something she had never heard from him before.
It made her chest tighten.
The sounds didn't stop. If anything, they only grew clearer—their breaths, their voices, the way they called each other.
Before she realized it…
Her hand had already moved.
"…!"
Her fingers trembled slightly as they pressed against her chest. Her breathing grew uneven. Even as her mind screamed at her to stop… her body didn't listen.
'W-what am I doing…?'
She raised her uniform shirt without thinking, exposing her well-endowed front. Her movements were a bit hesitant, and yet she was unable to stop.
For each sound she heard, it made her react more. Her grip tightened. Her breath hitched.
And when the feeling finally peaked—
She bit her lip hard, forcing the sound back down as her body trembled.
"Ahh…!"
The sensation washed over her in a wave, leaving her trembling for a moment.
"T-th-that was…"
Maybe because her thoughts were still hazy after that… she didn't notice when the infirmary, once filled with soft sounds, suddenly fell silent.
"Don't tell me… Koenji… that guy…!"
Hachiman's voice cut through the silence, clearly annoyed.
"H-Hachiman… i-is someone… h-here…?"
Suzune's eyes opened wide.
The moment Honami said that, her mind snapped back into reality. Panic quickly followed.
"Now that I think about it… Aside from you, Hachiman… Horikita-san wasn't present during the announcement…"
Suzune's face lost its color.
'Oh no…!'
The other bed creaked, and then footsteps came closer toward her. Suzune looked around in a panic, completely forgetting her current state, her exposed self, and how the blanket had been tossed away.
While she was in panic, the curtain hiding her was pulled aside.
And now, before her, a shirtless Hachiman standing, staring at her with his usual deadpan expression… though his slightly red cheeks gave away his true feelings.
On the other bed, Honami, equally disheveled as her, though at least he was able to cover herself, looked at Suzune with a mix of shock, disbelief, and embarrassment.
The time inside the infirmary felt like it had stopped.
"…Ah."
Suzune's brain failed her.
"H-hi…?" she said, voice small and completely unprepared.
"H-Ho-Hori-Horikita-san?!" Honami stammered, her voice rising in every syllable.
Hachiman's cheek twitched. "That Koenji…! So that's why he sat at the front. He didn't want me noticing someone else was here."
Suzune lowered her head, her face burning just as red as Honami's. The two of them shared the same thought—
If only there were a hole they could crawl into and disappear forever.
"…Haah," Hachiman let out a long, tired sigh. "...Yeah. Screw this, fate."
"?!"
"W-whaa?!"
Before either of the girls could react, Hachiman stepped forward, lifted Suzune in a princess carry, and placed her gently on the bed beside Honami.
Both of them remained stunned, unable to process what Hachiman was trying to do.
"…I've already worked hard enough in this world and in various worlds, as well." He muttered. "Since the universe is pretty much handing me a reward like this… then I'll graciously accept it."
"H-Hikigaya-kun?!" "Hachiman?!"
" "JUST WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?!" "
Hachiman didn't answer them; instead, he leaned in and captured Suzune's lips, not caring that Honami was beside them.
Suzune's eyes widened, then slowly closed. She didn't understand why… but the moment his lips touched hers, she found herself leaning back in, chasing him instead of pulling away.
It lasted longer than it should have.
When they finally broke apart, both of them were breathing heavier.
"…You're surprisingly greedy," Hachiman muttered, a hint of surprise in his voice.
Honami stared at Suzune, completely stunned.
"!!!!!"
Suzune's face exploded in red as she covered it with both arms.
"…Hachiman, you're really bold… kissing another girl right in front of your girlfriend," Honami said flatly, though the faint pout on her lips gave her away.
Hachiman blinked, then casually leaned over and gave Honami a quick kiss.
"Mm—!"
Just like that, her dissatisfaction melted.
"T-th-that's right, Hikigaya-kun! Y-you can't just steal my first kiss like that!" Suzune protested, trying to glare at him—but with her red face, it had no bite at all.
He turned back to Suzune, raising a brow.
"…That's not what it felt like when you were chasing my li—"
"SHUT UP!!!"
Suzune immediately covered his mouth, panicking.
Honami's brow twitched.
Somehow… she felt like the third wheel now.
Noticing her mood, Hachiman gently removed Suzune's hand from his mouth and leaned in again, this time toward both of them.
"?!"
"W-wait!! Y-you're… still going?!"
Seeing him lean in again, both Honami and Suzune instinctively tried to pull back, but there was nowhere to go. They were already lying on the bed, and Hachiman was right over them.
"Of course."
His calm reply only made their faces and bodies burn hotter… and yet, neither of them pushed him away.
Seeing that, Hachiman didn't waste any more time.
He leaned in and kissed both of them, starting with a light peck on each of their lips… before deepening it, alternating between them.
His hands weren't idle either. He traced along the girls' sides, their shoulders. Careful, but firm, earning such tempting reactions from both girls. Their breaths grew heavier as moans slipped out.
And that only made him push ever further.
However… Fate has different plans.
"Fufufu… it seems my dear Hachiman is quite active and energetic despite being 'injured.'"
The three of them stopped moving the moment they heard the familiar voice. Their heads snapped toward the entrance of the infirmary.
Standing there were Sayanagi Arisu, Kamuro Masumi, and Kushida Kikyo.
All three were smiling, but none of those smiles felt safe.
'Ah… the door wasn't locked.'
For once, Hachiman, Honami, and Suzune felt a cold sweat sliding down their temples.
———-
Just a few minutes earlier…
Arisu and Masumi walked side by side along the corridor leading to the ship's infirmary.
"That Sayanagi… are you really accepting Katsuragi's request? To lead us back to Class A?"
Unable to hold it in any longer, Masumi asked the question in her mind; her tone was a mix of doubt and curiosity.
"Hmm?" Arisu blinked, tilting her head slightly. "Since when did I say I would take the leadership of our class, Masumi-san?"
"…Didn't you just tell Katsuragi about taking over his position?"
Now it was Masumi's turn to look confused.
"Eh? Did I?" Arisu frowned, thinking back.
Masumi stared at her, deadpan. "Yes, you did. You even said you wanted to use the class to play with Ryuen."
"Ohh~ so that's what you meant." Arisu's eyes lit up as she nodded. "Silly Masumi-san~ I said I'd borrow the leadership for a while, not take it permanently~."
"…What?!"
"I only need the class to cooperate with me for a bit so I can play with Dragon-boy~," she added lightly, as if it were nothing.
Masumi's expression twitched.
"Besides…" Arisu continued with a small, satisfied smile, "I have no real interest in class competition. The only thing that matters to me is my everyday life with Hachiman~."
"You…"
Masumi could only stare at her.
Sayanagi Arisu—their leader (temporary)—had no real intention of reclaiming Class A at all.
"Besides, no matter which class I graduate from… my future won't really change. From the very beginning, my path has already been decided."
Masumi stopped at her words.
'That's right… As the only daughter of the Sayanagi family… she doesn't really have that much choice in life.'
A bit of sympathy rose in her chest. She clenched her fist slightly, about to say something—
But then—
"I, Sayanagi Arisu, only have one future… to marry Hikigaya Hachiman and become Hikigaya Arisu!"
"SO THAT'S WHAT YOU MEANT?!"
Masumi snapped, glaring at the now blushing Arisu, who looked oddly shy… almost girlish.
"Hmm?" Arisu tilted her head. "Is there anything else I could be?"
"…You…"
Masumi slammed her hand on her face.
"…Talking to you is more exhausting than that entire seven-day survival exam combined."
Arisu blinked, then simply shrugged. "Ahh—before I forget. You don't need to worry about your future either, Masumi-san. I already have it covered."
"Haa? What are you even talking about?" Masumi frowned, crossing her arms.
"As a reward for supporting me throughout high school and since Hachiman likes you, we'll hire you as our maid-slash-secretary~."
"What?!"
"And as a bonus," Arisu added lightly, "I'll even allow you to be my dear Hachiman's mistress."
"WHAT?!"
Masumi stared at her, completely stunned by how casually Arisu said all of that.
"Hmm, you see… with my condition, I don't think I can always keep up with Hachiman's… energy," Arisu continued, as if explaining something obvious. "So I'll have you substitute for me from time to time."
"Really—?! Wait! Don't decide that on your own!!!"
"Ara~ was that a bit of excitement I heard in your voice, Masumi-san?"
"Your focus is weird! And you're imagining things!"
"Ohh~ splendid tsukkomi as always, Masumi-san. But what you're saying and that expression of yours don't quite match~."
"Wha—!! Don't look at me, you idiot!"
Masumi quickly covered her face with both hands. Only then did she realize how hot her cheeks were… and the slight grin she couldn't suppress.
Arisu shook her head, clearly amused by Masumi's reaction.
'Just like Hachiman says… Masumi-san really is a masochist.'
"Ah…"
Arisu's thoughts were cut off by a light gasp.
"Hmm?"
Turning her head, she saw Kushida Kikyo standing there, frozen in place. From the direction she came from, it was clear she was heading to the same place as them.
The infirmary.
"My, what a coincidence. Hello, Kushida-san. How are you today?" Arisu greeted lightly.
"Sayanagi-san…" Kikyo stiffened slightly at the friendly tone. "Um… what are you doing here? Weren't you supposed to stay at the school?"
Right after saying that, she remembered Arisu's condition.
"Hehe~ you're right. Normally, I would be," Arisu replied with a small smile. "But tomorrow is August 8. There's no way I'd miss such an important day."
She placed a finger on her cheek, almost playfully.
"So after finishing a thorough check-up and spending some time with our lovely senpais, I managed to get enough points to buy the right board on the ship. I want to enjoy the rest of the vacation with my dear Hachiman… and everyone else, of course."
"I… see," Kikyo replied with a slightly strained smile. "As expected from you, Sayanagi-san."
"Then how about you, Kushida-san? Are you also heading there… to check on my dear Hachiman?"
Kikyo flinched slightly at the question before giving a small nod.
"…Yes. I am."
Arisu blinked at how direct that answer was.
"…Oh?"
A faint, sharper smile formed on her lips.
'So something did happen between her and Hachiman… she's not hiding it anymore.'
"Fufufu… then, would you like to come with us?"
"If… if that's alright with you."
"Of course~."
Arisu nodded, pleased.
The three of them continued walking toward the infirmary. With no further interruptions, they arrived without delay.
As they got closer, Arisu could feel excitement building in her chest.
After an entire week… She was finally about to see him again. And without realizing it, her smile grew just a little wider. With light steps, she opened the infirmary door.
But what she, Masumi, and Kikyo saw made them stop on their tracks.
On the bed, a shirtless Hachiman was caught in the middle of well… being intimate with Honami and Suzune. The two girls' moans and seductive breaths filled the room, making the scene impossible to misunderstand.
And the three on the bed were so lost in it… they didn't even notice the newcomers.
Arisu's smile slowly darkened.
"Fufufu… it seems my dear Hachiman is quite active and energetic despite being 'injured.'"
That single line broke the intimate moment between the three. The three on the bed jolted and turned toward them in an instant.
For a brief second, everything remained frozen.
Arisu watched their expressions change—shock, panic, guilt.
And strangely… she felt satisfied.
'Hehe… you really are sinful, my dear Hachiman.'
—----
Back to the present time…
Hachiman once again proved that fate is his true enemy.
The timing couldn't be worse. Not only did Kikyo and Masumi show up right when things were getting heated with Honami and Suzune, but even someone who shouldn't be here had arrived.
His 'childhood friend'—no, his 'fiancée'—Sayanagi Arisu, on a cruise ship, she wasn't even supposed to board.
'Of course you won't make this easy for me… right, fate?!'
He sighed inwardly.
Fate really had it out for him.
"Y-yo-you!" Masumi pointed at him, face bright red. "T-to think y-you're this kind of person?!"
'Kamuro-san, why does your voice oddly feel jealous?'
"How is it, Hikigaya-kun?" Kikyo asked sweetly, her smile perfect as always—yet the chill behind it was obvious. "Do Ichinose-san and Horikita-san taste good?"
"W-we're not food!" Honami blurted out, covering her face. "And you can't just… ask that so directly!"
Suzune turned even redder. "T-that's not the point! W-why are you even answering like that, Ichinose-san?!"
"I-I didn't answer!"
"You reacted!"
"Y-you reacted too, Horikita-san!"
"…!" Suzune froze. "T-that's because—!"
Hachiman pinched the bridge of his nose. "…You two arguing about that isn't helping."
"Y-you're the cause of it!" both girls snapped at the same time.
"…Yeah. Fair."
"Fufufu, so they say, my dear Hachiman." Arisu tilted her head, watching him with a small, knowing smile. "Do you have anything else to say?"
Hachiman blinked, tilting his head as he tried to figure out the best possible response.
'Yep… I'm screwed.'
After a brief moment of thinking, he concluded.
'Well… if I'm already screwed… might as well go all in. Praise Aha… I guess.' (Aha:???)
He glanced down at the embarrassed Honami and Suzune below him, then turned his eyes to the trio, Arisu, Masumi, and Kikyo, radiating a dark aura.
"…How about you three join as well?"
Silence fell over the infirmary. All five girls stared at him.
None of them knew whether to get angry, laugh, or just slap him on the spot for saying something so ridiculous—especially in this situation.
At that moment, they all shared the same thought.
'You're the worst… Hikigaya Hachiman.'
"…No?"
Hachiman added, still keeping a straight face.
On the outside, he may have looked calm… but on the inside?
'JUST WHAT THE HECK DID I JUST SAY?!'
"Y-you b-bast—?!"
Just as Masumi was about to explode, overwhelmed by whatever emotion she was feeling, Kushida Kikyo stepped forward until she was within the reach of Hachiman.
"Kik—!!"
He barely got her name out before—
Slap!
"?!"
"!!!"
"?!"
"Ow…" Hachiman rubbed his cheek. "…Yeah, I might deser—!"
He didn't get to finish what he was about to say. Kikyo suddenly grabbed and pulled him in and kissed him.
Deep and passionate.
The other four girls could only stare, stunned by how bold Kikyo was.
When she finally pulled away, Kikyo looked straight into his eyes.
"…You better fulfill your promise to me, you fool."
Her voice sounded… extremely coquettish, which made not just Hachiman, but the others as well swallow hard.
"…As you wish."
Hachiman answered, pulling her closer again.
Seeing the two of them heat up, Honami and Suzune moved almost at the same time, instinctively, without even caring about Arisu and Masumi watching from the side.
"…Hachiman, don't leave me out."
"Hikigaya-kun… since you started this… You'd better see it through properly... And take responsibility after!!"
Feeling left out of the foursome, Arisu's cheeks twitched.
'That's it… my patience is gone!'
"How dare you all forget about me…!" She stepped forward, her tone was dark and dangerous.
"Masumi-san, lock the door."
"...Haah?"
"I said, lock it. And make sure it stays closed."
Masumi's mouth fell open as Arisu moved without hesitation—joining Hachiman, who was already caught between Honami, Suzune, and Kikyo.
"Fufufu… how could you ignore your legal wife, my dear Hachiman?"
"…There's no way I'd forget you, my troublesome princess."
Hachiman pulled her in and kissed her deeply as he answered.
Arisu melted almost instantly, her breath growing uneven within seconds.
"…You're quite good at this," she murmured, giving him a small glare that didn't quite hide her smile. "Just how many girls have you practiced on, my dear Hachiman?"
"…Only the best," he replied evasively, leaning in to kiss her again.
"Mhmm…!"
Masumi, who had been left out, suddenly snapped out of her daze. Like she'd made up her mind, she turned around, locked the door, and shoved a medical trolley in front of it for good measure.
"There's no way I'm letting anyone interrupt now… at least not until I get my turn."
She double-checked the lock, then nodded in approval.
"Good."
Without wasting another second, she pulled off her gym uniform and stepped forward to join them.
"Hikigaya, you bastard—don't you dare forget about me!"
"…Yeah, yeah," Hachiman muttered, already overwhelmed.
And just like that, whatever peace the infirmary once had was completely gone.
So… let's leave them be for now and give them their privacy.
======