"After we drop off Bocchi-chan, how about I take you to mess with some delinquents? See if your strength now is enough to protect yourself, maybe even bully those punks."
"Master."
Karuizawa Kei stared blankly at Hachiman, who had comforted her again and again, never despising her, and she couldn't hold back anymore. She stretched out her arms and hugged him tightly, pressing her face hard against his chest.
'I mustn't let school bullying scare me anymore.'
'I must save those who suffer the same bullying I once endured.'
'For Master! For the Master who treats me so well! If I embarrass him again, I won't even have the face to stay by his side.'
"Why are you crying again? If you want to cry, wait until we're back, okay?", Hachiman felt the clothes on his chest grow slightly damp. He looked down helplessly at Kei, who was still holding him tight, and could only gently pat her back.
Kei was probably the girl who cried the most out of everyone he'd met. Back in the infirmary, when he protected her, she had also cried. Luckily, he had long since put up a barrier, so the people in the train only saw three normal students quietly sitting there.
But complaints aside, he could understand. Kei had once been bullied almost to death, and in order not to be bullied again, she had gone to any length to seek protection. Now that she suddenly felt genuine care without expecting anything in return, feeling restless, uneasy, even doubting whether she deserved it, that was perfectly normal.
From Kei's perspective, surrounded as he was by a whole group of beautiful girls, he had no reason at all to pay attention to her plea for help. Playing with her and tossing her aside afterward would've been normal.
But what he liked wasn't just a pretty girl, it was Karuizawa Kei, who had once resisted bullying to the brink of death, and was still fighting with everything she had to survive.
If it were only about physical desire, he could just ask Iris to have the elves send more elf girls over. Each one was beautiful and obedient.
"Hehehe...", Gotou Hitori, however, paid no mind to the scene between Hachiman and Kei. She had long since sunk deep into her own imagination.
Her desperate guitar practice, at first it was because she thought "even someone with social anxiety can shine in a band." On the other hand, she also wanted to make a lot of money so she wouldn't have to work in the future.
She wasn't good at studying. Even after working hard, she could still score zero. If she hadn't been admitted as a special talent student, she wouldn't even be in Sobu High. Her social skills were nonexistent; she'd hesitate forever just to go into a store. Thinking that with her pathetic abilities she'd probably end up as a sales clerk or waitress, facing strangers every day, she wanted to die just imagining it.
She barely had any friends. She didn't dare talk to strangers. Rather than wait until graduation, when she couldn't support herself and starved to death, only to appear on the news and be mocked by everyone, she sometimes even thought it'd be better to die early while her mom and sister were still around, at least eating her fill before going.
But now, hearing her only good friend Hachiman suddenly say he would take care of her, she was so happy she could die. She didn't even dare to doubt whether his words were true.
Her only good friend said he would raise her. Wasn't that basically saying he liked her and wanted to marry her?
As long as it wasn't work, she'd do anything.
'If this is a dream, please let me dream a little longer!'
"Um, Ha-Hachiman! This is the money my mom saved for my marriage! I-If it's okay, please take it!", Suddenly, Gotou Hitori pulled out a little piggy bank with pink ears and a flower pattern, held it up with both hands, head bowed, and shouted in a loud stammer.
"???", Kei, who was leaning against Hachiman's chest, turned her head and stared blankly at the socially anxious Gotou Hitori, who had suddenly let out a shout louder than she had ever managed before, her mind full of question marks.
'Aren't you supposed to be socially anxious?'
'Why are you carrying a dowry around with you?'
———
'Is this... a confession? Or a proposal?'
Looking at Gotou Hitori, who was bowing her head and holding out the piggy bank to him, Hachiman also felt complicated.
Come to think of it, this seemed to be the first time anyone had proposed to him.
Princess Iris had a relationship of aid with him. His childhood friend Kaede had a harem bet with him. Noble lady Tsubaki was willing to be his lover. Alien princess Lala had gone through a proposal ritual with him by accident when he acted first. Their relationships had long since blurred together, none of them ordinary.
But for someone like Bocchi-chan to solemnly take out a dowry and propose, this was really a first.
"Ah... um... Hachiman? Do you... like me? I didn't... misunderstand, right?", Head still lowered, Gotou Hitori only felt Hachiman's big hand gently stroking her hair. But when no expected reply came, after waiting a while, she couldn't hold back anymore and nervously raised her head, gazing at him anxiously.
Hachiman had just said he'd take care of her, that must mean this, right?
He was so nice to her, not despising her, becoming her only friend, that had to mean he liked her, right?
But if he didn't, and she suddenly did this, wouldn't she make him unhappy, wouldn't he not want to be her friend anymore.
"You didn't misunderstand. Bocchi-chan, you and Kei are both so cute. Of course I like you."
Seeing Hitori already starting to waver, Hachiman gave a helpless smile. Glancing up and seeing there was still enough time before they had to get off, he reached out and pulled her into his arms, then scooped Kei in from the side as well, seating them one on each of his thighs before continuing.
"But Bocchi-chan, you suddenly taking out this piggy bank really surprised me. As you can see, I have close relationships with many girls. Even so, do you still want to marry me?"
"Think it over carefully, Bocchi-chan. You're not only pretty, but also willing to quietly put in effort, practicing guitar alone for so many years. You'll definitely become super popular in the future."
"Even though I already can't bear the thought of letting you go, this is really important. I want you to think it through and then say it seriously."
Some things had to be said before confirming the relationship, to prevent Bocchi-chan from overthinking. Sure, she had social anxiety, and many of her thoughts were a bit unusual, but she wasn't stupid. She couldn't be treated like Saki, that kind of airhead.
"Mm, Bocchi-chan really is very pretty," Karuizawa Kei watched Hachiman lift up Hitori's bangs, revealing the beauty usually hidden beneath, and gently nodded, admitting Gotou Hitori's cuteness.
A face prettier than idols, guitar skills at a professional level, and apparently a hidden large chest, with very pale skin. These conditions were outstanding, even at Sobu High, where beautiful girls were everywhere.
Not to mention Bocchi-chan had social anxiety, basically no social connections, only Master as her single friend, and listened to him completely. Even making friends would be under Master's guidance.
A personality that normally counted as a flaw instead filled Kei with worry, making her feel more and more inferior the more she looked.
And Bocchi-chan didn't need to work anyway. The more she depended on Master, the more it turned into an advantage.
Bocchi-chan was loved so much by Master, even the band she joined was one formed by Nijika. If there could only be one pet, obviously Bocchi-chan would be the one more loved by Master. Kei was just one person, and she couldn't even do anything.
"Ehehe... I'm not really that cute...", Hearing herself called cute, even though she felt Kei's compliment wasn't all that heartfelt, Gotou Hitori still couldn't hold back a silly laugh.
This was her good friend's recognition, proving she wasn't just imagining things.
If only she really could become super popular. Though Hachiman said he would support her and Nijika in playing in a band and would raise her, there was a difference between being supported as some no-name band and becoming a super popular, booming band.
If possible, she definitely wanted to become super popular with Nijika and Ryou-san. Shining brightly wherever they went, admired by everyone, releasing albums, touring nationwide, holding concerts.
But after a brief spell of daydreaming, Gotou Hitori quickly snapped back to reality. She hurriedly grabbed the piggy bank again, held it out in front of Hachiman, forced herself to meet his eyes, and stammered as she organized her words.
"Ah, um... I... I've already thought it through!"
"Even though I know I'm not as cute as you said, Hachiman, and not as diligent or hardworking as you said... I just didn't have friends, so I had no choice but to stay home and practice guitar."
"But, but I'll try my best to make you like me!"
"As long as you don't make me go out to work, no matter what requests you have, I'll fulfill them!"
"P-Please, Hachiman, take this!"
Having blurted out such a long speech in one breath, the pale face of the usually untrained Gotou Hitori was already flushed red. But her blue eyes were still nervously and expectantly locked on Hachiman, terrified he'd say something rejecting.
From childhood she had never been able to fit into groups, had almost no friends at school, and during field trips could only trade lunches with the teacher.
She hadn't made friends in middle school either. Now in the music course she didn't even dare talk to the person sitting next to her. From beginning to end, she could basically say Hachiman was her only friend.
Finally, she had met the one friend in her life. And that one friend also liked her.
Gotou Hitori felt Hachiman might be her one and only chance in this life. Her only chance not to grow old alone or be abandoned by society.
The sense of security by Hachiman's side was even stronger than hiding inside her home's closet. And Hachiman was so considerate, even helping her make friends by reaching out to Nijika to get her into the band. If Hachiman didn't marry her, she wouldn't know what to do with herself in the future.
"Even though I know, Bocchi-chan, you probably don't yet understand what liking really means, your feelings have already reached me. I'll make you super popular, and I'll also make you super fond of me," Watching Hitori, who had gathered up her courage to once again ask him to accept her dowry, Hachiman smiled, nodded, and stroked her head.
Bocchi-chan, who had never had a friend before, probably hadn't thought that deeply. The reason she was being so proactive was entirely because of the weight of having her only friend, and her socially anxious, not-wanting-to-work mindset.
In the future, with Nijika and the others as her friends, Bocchi-chan probably wouldn't depend on him as much as now.
Still, if the feelings weren't deep enough yet, they could keep building them up. Love grows with time.
Besides, he wouldn't let go of Nijika, Ryou, or the others either. As long as all of Bocchi-chan's friends became part of his harem, then whether he was her only friend or not wouldn't matter.
With Bocchi-chan holed up at home all day, and only him as a friend, what he actually needed to worry about was her physical and mental health.
"Th-this... does this mean you've accepted?", Looking up at Hachiman's smile, Gotou Hitori could hardly believe it, carefully confirming in a small voice.
Really, she wasn't dreaming? She had been thinking maybe she was dreaming all along.
After all, her only good friend had said he liked her, said he'd take care of her, was willing to support her hobby and let her play in a band without having to work.
That dream she had longed for all her life. Was it already fulfilled the moment she met Hachiman?
Mm... if this really were a dream, then she felt like everything after meeting him had been a dream. From that tennis lesson where he first greeted her, to being taken to the guidance office with the elf princess, to now, when he said he would raise her. Every part of it felt like a dream.
"Yeah, I've accepted. From now on, your life, Bocchi-chan, is my responsibility."
Looking at Hitori, who had taken the initiative to propose but was now lacking in confidence after being accepted, Hachiman smiled and squeezed her soft cheeks.
"This place isn't the best right now, but to commemorate this moment, Bocchi-chan, why don't you give me a kiss?", He had always wanted to be a househusband, but raising a pet at home wasn't bad either.
And Bocchi-chan was actually a perfect match for him. Gloomy aura, no friends, unwilling to work, even a stray ahoge sticking out from her head, often showing dead-fish eyes. She was basically his other self.
"Th-this... right now...", Hearing Hachiman say he'd take responsibility for her life made Hitori want to cheer, but then hearing him ask her to kiss him made her cheeks flush scarlet, her eyes darting nervously left and right.
The other people on the train didn't notice, thanks to Hachiman's mysterious magic, but right next to her, Kei was still staring.
Though she had had even more intimate contact with Hachiman, that was an accident, a misunderstanding. Whenever she thought of it, she felt like dying of embarrassment.
But... if Hachiman was going to raise her for life, and she didn't even dare kiss him when asked. Then her promise just now would be meaningless.
After a long hesitation, under Kei's gaze, Hitori, not wanting to reject Hachiman, fought through her inner struggle, quickly pecked his lips, and before she could even feel what her first kiss was like, immediately buried her blazing red face into his chest, not daring to look at Kei's expression beside them.
Before, she hadn't even had a single friend. She never thought she'd now have someone to call a partner, even daring to kiss them in front of others.
'No, wait. Hachiman isn't a boyfriend, but a husband-to-be, right?'
'But Japan doens't allow polygamy... one man, one wife...'
'And Hachiman already have so many girls around him. Not to mention, the elf princess will definitely marry him, right? So can I really count myself as a marriage partner?'
Only now, after confirming their relationship, did Gotou Hitori realize that maybe something about her relationship with Hachiman wasn't quite right.
"What about you, Kei? Aren't you going to kiss me?", While stroking Hitori's little head, Hachiman turned to look at Kei, who had been silently watching.
Bocchi-chan was the big pet, Kei was the small pet. At this moment, he couldn't just let Kei sit and watch.
Although the two of them weren't that familiar with each other yet, their progress would eventually line up. He couldn't let Kei feel he was favoring Bocchi-chan.
"Mm...", Kei pursed her lips, then also leaned in to offer her feelings to Hachiman. But unlike Hitori, she wasn't so shy she couldn't face anyone. After kissing him, she just leaned against his shoulder, staring blankly at his profile.
Her life had already been handed over to Master long ago.
But, in this moment, she would accept his affection just like Bocchi-chan.
"By the way, Bocchi-chan, I'll accept the money you saved, but keep this piggy bank with you. From now on, when I give you allowance, whatever you don't spend, just save in here."
After carefully feeling the differences between his two pet girlfriends, Hachiman lowered his head toward Hitori, who was still too shy to lift her eyes. He pulled out her piggy bank from between them, then took ten ten-thousand-yen bills from his wallet, giving five each to Hitori and Kei.
"Why so much?"
Hitori, hearing "allowance," thought it would be just a few thousand yen. But looking down at the fifty-thousand yen in her hands, she quickly raised her head in shock, thinking he must have given it by mistake.
"Master, isn't that too much? We don't need that much," Kei was also a bit stunned. She had begged for Master's protection, yet not only didn't need to give him anything in return, Master was even giving her money?
"No mistake. Every week I'll give you some allowance. While I don't want you wasting money, don't treat yourselves badly either," Hachiman shook his head with a smile. Fifty thousand yen really wasn't much. It only seemed like a lot to Hitori and Kei, who still had no steady income.
Speaking of which, this cash had actually been prepared for him by the maid Kotoine under Tsubaki's instructions afterward. The cash was really just to pad his wallet; the money he actually used was all on one card.
But normally he hardly needed to spend much at all. After all, he'd never intended to throw money at girls, it was always the girls who took the initiative first.
Now, it was just because he had pets to raise, that he thought he should give Bocchi-chan and Kei, who didn't want to work, some confidence, letting them believe he really could support them both.
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