"Th-then I'll just put it all in..."
Hearing Hachiman say he didn't want them to waste money recklessly, Gotou Hitori shrank her head back a little, reluctantly folding up the bills in her hands and trying to stuff them into the little piggy bank.
Fifty thousand yen of allowance a week was really a lot, but unfortunately, she really would waste money.
Even now, the pink tracksuit she often wore at home had been a heat-of-the-moment purchase, and then she couldn't return it, costing her tens of thousands of yen, high-end stuff.
"Don't put away the first allowance. Save the later ones."
Hachiman gently took hold of Hitori's soft, delicate little hand, then looked toward Karuizawa Kei, who was also hesitating whether she should accept this money, and reminded them, "This is allowance money, for you to decide on what you want to eat or buy. If there's something especially expensive but you really want it, you can still talk to me. There's no need for formality between us. You're both mine, understand?"
"Mm... thank you, Master~", Understanding what he meant, Kei hesitated, then nodded and slowly tucked the money away.
Indeed, with her relationship with Master, and Master's relationship with Bocchi-chan, none of them could leave him anyway. Even if Master didn't give them money it wouldn't be a problem, and even if Master told them to go work part-time to earn money, they wouldn't refuse.
Mm... well, Bocchi-chan probably wouldn't want to work part-time. She'd just hole up at home editing performance videos for money to give to Master.
"Th-then I'll buy some tasty snacks and bring them for everyone tomorrow!", Seeing that she'd still be the one spending the fifty thousand yen allowance, Hitori perked up again, letting out a silly laugh.
Fifty thousand yen a week, two hundred thousand yen a month. Nore than she'd make working, right? And this was just allowance, with Hachiman fulfilling her other requests as well.
She almost suspected again that she was living in a dream.
"Alright, this is the stop, let's get off," Seeing the train doors open, Hachiman led them out, escorting the overjoyed Hitori to her home.
"Normally I should go in and greet your mother, but it's late already, and you have a performance tomorrow. I'll go in next time."
His relationship with Bocchi-chan wasn't just classmates anymore. Her mother definitely wouldn't let him leave so easily. If he went in as a guest, it would take a long time.
Bocchi-chan also had a cute little sister, but she was probably already asleep by now. Not seeing her on this first visit was a small regret.
"Mm mm! It's fine! Mom won't mind!"
With her guitar bag on her back, Hitori nodded her little head so hard it almost bobbed off, enjoying Hachiman's head pats and his careful reminders.
"Tonight, Bocchi-chan, go to bed early and rest well."
"Um, um... good night, Hachiman!"
After hearing his reminders, just as Hachiman was about to leave, Hitori suddenly stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. Without waiting for him to respond, she turned and ran straight inside.
'On TV, lovers say goodbye with a kiss, right?'
If she'd gotten it wrong, oh well. Hachiman was her only friend, she didn't even know how to make friends, much less how to date.
Today's developments had been completely unexpected. She never thought her only friend Hachiman would be willing to take care of her so she wouldn't need to work. Did that mean she could even drop out of school? She really didn't want to go. Just thinking of school made her feel sick.
But... if she didn't go to school, she couldn't see Hachiman, and Hachiman wanted her to make more friends.
Still, Hachiman definitely liked her a lot, right? Not only helping her make friends, but also giving her money to raise her.
'Hehe, Hachiman said I am cute, and that I'll become super popular...'
"Hitori-chan, you're back?", Hearing the sound of the door, Gotou Michiyo, who was practicing yoga in the living room, walked out.
"Hehe... Mom! Hachiman said he'll marry me, and he'll give me fifty thousand yen allowance every week! I won't need to work anymore!", Hitori was sitting in the entryway, grinning stupidly, but when she saw her mother, she immediately leapt up and threw herself into her arms, excitedly announcing the good news.
Mom had always worried about her future, now she didn't need to worry.
"Eh? Really? That's wonderful. Bring him home sometime so I can meet him...", Michiyo hugged her daughter back, but watching her this happy, couldn't help feeling worried.
Hitori-chan's social anxiety seemed to have worsened again. Not only fantasizing that she'd made friends at school, but even imagining that this friend would marry her just so she wouldn't have to work.
'If this goes on, what will happen to Hitori-chan...'
———
After dropping off the big pet Bocchi-chan, it was now the little pet Kei's turn.
Though, Kei wasn't exactly that "little." Compared with Nijika, she was fine, but against someone like Bocchi-chan, who could be the heroine of an alternate world, she seemed small.
"Kei, this is where you live?", Taking the train again to Kei's residence, Hachiman looked up at the single-person apartment and was a little surprised.
It wasn't fancy, but much better than the run-down building next to his home. The location was also decent, so rent couldn't be cheap.
He had thought Kei would look for a cheap apartment on her own after transferring, and he'd been considering inviting her to live in the building next to his.
"Of course I wouldn't live somewhere this nice. This was arranged by the school to compensate us. One year's rent paid as a dorm for students transferred to Chiba. After all, Advanced Nurturing High had promised free tuition and living costs, even job placements after graduation."
Kei explained with a smile, clinging to Hachiman's arm and swiping her key card at the entrance, waiting for the elevator.
"Well... later, when Advanced Nurturing High disbanded, we realized all that was false advertising. Only Class A really got those privileges. But back when we were in the dorms, we really didn't need to pay, and even if we ran out of living expenses, we could eat those nasty free meals..."
"Our homeroom teacher, Chabashira-sensei, also lives here. Same as before, she doesn't really manage us. I hear she's always out drinking with other teachers."
After Advanced Nurturing dissolved, she lost a lot of benefits, but since she'd only ever been in Class D, she couldn't enjoy Class A's treatment anyway. She had never been too concerned about living costs.
What mattered more to her was protection.
She wasn't like Bocchi-chan, a shut-in who didn't want to work. Kei was perfectly willing to get a job if it meant earning protection.
But now, with Master protecting her, caring for her, even saying he wanted to raise her for life, Kei thought it was really a good thing that Advanced Nurturing had dissolved. Otherwise, how would she have met such a good Master?
"Your teacher transferred here too? I didn't know that. I only knew most of the transferred students were from Class D, with a few first-years," Hachiman nodded thoughtfully. So Chabashira Sae, former Class 1-D's homeroom teacher, also lived here. Hearing a teacher living together with students, he instinctively felt tonight he might run into her.
But running into her wasn't a big deal. She wasn't the type to care much about her students, and now outside the old school system, even the disciplinary committee had no authority over it.
"There are more of us from Class D, yeah, but the class president is A-class's Sakayanagi. Most of us aren't good at academics, so after transferring to Sobu, we didn't know what to do. Sakayanagi looks tiny and frail, even needing a cane to walk, but she's reliable and conveyed all our needs perfectly to the student council."
Talking about the frail little class rep Sakayanagi Arisu, Kei couldn't help adding a few words.
Sakayanagi Arisu was academically excellent, super cute, only with health problems. She seemed more like someone who should be kept as a pet at home.
But her aura was strong, and she always had her bodyguard Kamuro Masumi with her. Kei didn't dare suggest Sakayanagi become a fellow pet, not just because of her dominant personality, but because she was worried she might drive her away.
No, better to find someone like Bocchi-chan: a friendless, easily bullied, socially anxious beauty. Sure, such a girl might also attract Master's attention, but at least she wouldn't fight her for his affection.
"Well, now that you're a disciplinary committee member, you can pass on requests to the student council too. And Kaede is closer to you. You don't need to worry about her giving you attitude over our relationship. She knows you've been bullied before. She won't look down on you, she'll only roll her eyes at me."
Hachiman smiled, unconcerned. Sakayanagi Arisu might be clever, but this wasn't Advanced Nurturing. At Sobu High, students either studied or joined clubs. No intricate scheming.
Here, with magic and demi-humans around, Sakayanagi had been nerfed hard. She'd just have to behave like a proper student.
"It's not Kaede I'm worried about. The class elected another disciplinary member besides me, Kushida Kikyo. She's good at socializing. I hear she's already made lots of friends after just a few days. Uh, speak of the devil," Kei turned, face a little complicated, as three girls came through the entrance together: the cold-faced athlete Ibuki Mio, the bookish Shiina Hiyori with books in her arms, and the cheerful, smiling Kushida Kikyo.
Kushida really was good at making friends. She was already close with ex-Class C students, hanging out with them at night. Of course, they were all one class now.
"Good evening, Kei~ I was wondering why you weren't around after patrol. Turns out you were out on a date with your boyfriend?", Kushida, walking in the middle, brightened at the sight of Kei and Hachiman, flashing a sweet smile and greeting them warmly.
"N-no, not my boyfriend...", Kei instinctively denied it, then hesitated and glanced at Hachiman.
She couldn't say "Master and pet." But then, how could she explain?
"Hello, I'm Hachiman from Class 1-F, and also the service club president. Kei joined our club. Tonight we had a request to handle, and it ran late, so I walked her home. I'll be heading back shortly."
Looking at Kushida, cheerful on the outside, but full of pressure and negativity inside, Hachiman calmly explained.
He didn't mind people knowing about Ursula's matter, but there was no need to spread it around. Better to use Nijika's band as the cover.
And it wasn't even a lie, they had just come back from Nijika's.
"So that's how it is. Sorry for the misunderstanding. I'm Kushida Kikyo. These are Shiina Hiyori and Ibuki Mio," Kushida smiled apologetically, then introduced her companions: the gray-stockinged literary girl and the short-haired athletic flat-chest.
As service club president, Hachiman was famous in Sobu. She, who wanted to be friends with everyone, of course knew him.
She was just a bit puzzled why he was with Kei.
After all, she'd seen Hachiman at the swim club before, and... was his energy really that endless?
"I've heard a lot about President Hikigaya at school. I thought the service club only took requests inside school, but it seems you also take them outside?", Shiina inclined her head slightly, gazing at Hachiman and Kei, smiling softly.
She liked spending time alone reading. At lunch breaks and after school she was usually in the library. Even without much small talk, she often heard gossip about Hachiman and his rumors with various girls.
She hadn't expected Kei to have private ties with him. Was being chosen as a disciplinary member part of that?
But being a disciplinary member wasn't a good thing. No perks, early mornings, late nights, patrol duty, and having to act as an example.
Kushida wanting the role was one thing, but Kei, a gyaru, as a disciplinary member, strange.
Still, Hiyori kept her doubts off her face.
Ibuki gave Hachiman a blank look, saying nothing.
She and Hiyori weren't into gossip, but Hachiman had too many rumors: swim team ace, gyaru, student council president, politician's daughter, elf princess, mermaid idol.
If Sobu didn't have such strict discipline and so many committee members, she would've thought this playboy could switch girlfriends every day.
"See you, Hikigaya-kun~"
"Good night, Kei~"
After a brief exchange, Hachiman and Kei stepped into the elevator, parting ways with the trio.
Their rooms weren't on the same floor as Kei's. On Kei's floor were Matsushita Chiaki, Sato Maya, Hasebe Haruka, and Sakura Airi.
"I don't have spare slippers. Should Master wear mine?", Kei opened her door, pulling slippers from the cabinet, then turned to find Hachiman still standing at the entrance, looking at the doorplate next door.
"I won't go in. Kei, rest well," Hachiman shook his head, stepping forward to pat her high ponytail.
"Eh? Master, you're leaving already?", Half-squatting on the floor, Kei gazed up blankly at his smiling face.
He had walked her upstairs. Ahe thought he'd stay overnight. She had even braced herself for an all-nighter. But he was leaving?
"Let's hang out after tomorrow's concert. For tonight, rest. Think carefully about how to handle things like today in the future. I've given you the strength and protection you need. All that's missing is a little courage."
Hachiman shook his head again, patiently reminding her.
"After I leave, you can go knock on the other girls' doors. That way they won't think I stayed the night here."
It would've been enough to walk her to the building. But since he'd escorted Bocchi-chan all the way to her door, he'd come up with Kei too. Otherwise she'd overthink.
Right now Kei only had him to rely on. Even knowing he had many girls, if he wasn't careful, her sensitive heart could easily be hurt.
Though Kei saw herself as his pet, clinging to him and trying to please him, he felt pleasing him and making her happy weren't contradictions. Just a bit of care from him was enough to satisfy her.
"Mm, I understand."
Kei nodded obediently. She knew he wasn't worried about his own reputation, but hers as a disciplinary member.
Though there wasn't a rule against romance, and this was outside school, it was still student housing. If people found out he had stayed overnight, rumors would spread.
She hadn't even become a committee member properly. If the scandal broke out, she'd feel too ashamed to keep the role.
"Then I'll go. Rest well tonight, and don't forget to watch Bocchi-chan's show tomorrow evening."
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