He located Raphiel using the romance list, Gabriel & Vignette was put in charge of capturing Raphiel.
"I'll just keep squatting, then."
Furuhashi Fumino lowered her gaze, her eyes rolling left and right as she stared at Tsukimi Chifuyu and Setsuna Ogiso for a moment, then said calmly.
Although half-squatting for a whole period would be very uncomfortable, maybe even require a visit to the infirmary, she decided to defend the little dignity she had left.
A bit of physical discomfort couldn't compare to her dignity.
"Or... should we find a bench to sit on? That might be a bit better."
Seeing Furuhashi so uncomfortable both above and below, Setsuna Ogiso thought seriously for a moment and suggested it.
She was close friends who often hung out with Raphiel and Chifuyu, but her relationship with Furuhashi wasn't bad either, Furuhashi just didn't like joining in their games much.
Seeing Furuhashi like this, Ogiso couldn't just ignore it. Besides, she and Chifuyu were already putting in effort to avoid pressing on Hachiman's hands, so finding a seat sounded sensible.
"Ugh... since Ogiso says so, let's find an empty bench. If we all sit down it might be better."
Furuhashi, whose legs were aching, thought about Setsuna's suggestion and agreed, tempted by the idea of sitting somewhere.
Ogiso's suggestion was good.
Actually, she didn't have to suffer so much, she could comfortably defend her dignity~
Tsukimi Chifuyu, with her heavy body and empty head, had neither thoughts nor objections.
Hachiman needed no further comment. Basically, he was the one taking advantage here.
Even though Raphiel shoved them, Raphiel ran because of him, so he couldn't completely wash his hands of the incident.
But Setsuna Ogiso and Furuhashi were both sensible; they just didn't demand an explanation from him.
Less talk, more action, quietly and passively enjoying things was the wise way to avoid more trouble.
After all, his life creed was: if it can be passive, never be active.
With two in agreement and two abstaining, the four of them slowly shifted their steps and left the field in search of an empty bench.
The school field was large, but the benches along the edge were already occupied; even if not every bench was full, the four of them couldn't squeeze in with strangers.
There were benches in the central courtyard of the square-shaped school building, but because they didn't know how long this state would last, Ogiso and Furuhashi decided to endure a bit and find a place where they wouldn't have to keep moving.
After weighing their options, they decided to head to the nearby library to wait for the strange force on their bodies to fade.
At this time, the library would certainly be quiet; when more people came at noon to borrow books, they could change seats and keep delaying until school ended and this ordeal was truly over.
As for the consequences of skipping class... they didn't really have a choice now. Going to class like this would be far worse than cutting class.
Not to mention social death, the disciplinary committee would probably drag them into any punishment against Hachiman later.
Although the library wasn't far, the face-to-face arrangement made the distance a difficult one. After a jittery, bumping walk they finally reached the almost empty library.
But when they really tried to sit on the reading benches inside, Furuhashi, already flushed from the walk, completely lost it.
Their plan was sound, but being stuck together meant there was no avoiding the face-to-face awkwardness no matter what they did.
Unless she knelt, sitting face-to-face meant she'd have to rest her slim, fair legs on Hachiman's thighs, lean forward slightly, wrap her arms around his waist, like a couple in love.
And with Setsuna Ogiso and Tsukimi Chifuyu also leaning against Hikigaya, he would look like a scumbag dating three people at once.
And she would be the official girlfriend being cheated on, forced to plaster a smile on her face while the third and fourth wheels mocked and bullied her.
"How did it come to this..."
Realizing not only did she have Chifuyu and Ogiso practically taunting her face-to-face, but her posture with Hikigaya was growing more awkward and ambiguous, Furuhashi truly wanted to cry.
What was the point of that difficult, treacherous walk? She might as well have just stayed on the ground, lying on Hikigaya-kun, using Ogiso and Chifuyu as pillows and napped until school was over.
As expected... there was no comfortable way to defend dignity.
She'd been foolish to hope for the best of both worlds.
Setsuna Ogiso and Tsukimi Chifuyu weren't doing much better, also leaning on Hachiman, bumping along, nothing really changed. At best, his hand that had been blocking between them had loosened a bit and wasn't gripping so tightly.
But seeing Furuhashi in the middle, getting slapped metaphorically when moving and shooting mournful little looks when still, their embarrassment and shyness turned into sympathy.
'Sorry, Furuhashi.'
'We really didn't mean it.'
"...", Furuhashi.
She didn't want to talk anymore. In the past, seeing these girls standing together was enough to make her avoid them, especially in a row, passing by felt like an execution.
If she'd known it would end up like this and there'd be no escape, she wouldn't have agonized over those things.
"Ahem! I have a friend forming a band who's missing a lead singer. Setsuna-san, would you be interested in joining?"
Seeing Furuhashi's resentment nearly turn into tears, and worried they might not wait to confront Raphiel, Hachiman decided to poke fun at himself to change the subject and distract them.
Ijichi Nijika was still negotiating with the runaway vocalist Kita Ikuyo, so it wasn't ideal to pull people in now, but he wasn't worried Setsuna Ogiso would accept.
Given the current awkward situation, Ogiso certainly wouldn't say yes. And even if she did, she could just be a co-lead with Kita Ikuyo.
After all, the band they were forming was a campus band; the number of lead singers didn't have to be conventional. Under his direction, everyone's rapport would be perfect, and the band would likely hold victory parties often.
"Lead singer? Join a band... why would you ask me, Hikigaya-kun?"
Setsuna Ogiso, who had been pondering whether Furuhashi's posture was comfortable or whether they should switch, was stunned by Hikigaya's sudden question. She hadn't expected such a leap in topic.
That's a big jump, changing the subject like that is weird.
Furuhashi jerked her head up, widening her shocked eyes as if looking at a cheater who'd cheated right in front of her.
Wasn't Hikigaya supposed to be here to find Shiraha? Why is he recruiting Ogiso as a band lead?
"Because I heard your singing is really good, Setsuna-san, so I wanted to invite you to join."
"You heard?", Ogiso blinked, her pretty brown eyes fixed on Hikigaya.
She loved singing, even solo karaoke, but she usually kept it from friends, rarely showing off her singing in front of others.
How would a stranger like Hachiman know she sang well?
"Yes. Yumiko told me. Yumiko sits next to me; she and Nijika are good friends."
"At the celebration after the band performance a few days ago she recommended you, Setsuna-san, she thought your singing was strong, but they haven't approached you about it yet."
Hikigaya nodded and pulled out his connection with Miura Yumiko.
Ogiso's bond with Raphiel was certainly closer, so to prevent Raphiel from later tricking Ogiso, he wanted to establish a bit of rapport. So that this stranger who'd only met her once didn't seem so alien.
"Yumiko... she's been talking about a boy a lot lately, could that boy be Hikigaya-kun?", Setsuna Ogiso said thoughtfully. Earlier she'd been puzzled, but upon hearing it was Miura Yumiko she wasn't surprised.
Yumiko was one of the few girls who'd gone singing with her; she was nice but had a temper that could put off people who didn't know her.
If Yumiko recommended someone, Hikigaya must either have a very good temper or be close to Yumiko.
"Yumiko's probably not saying nice things about me."
Hikigaya smiled and shook his head. A blonde tsundere like Yumiko praising him in public was hardly going to be praise.
"Heh heh, Hikigaya-kun, let me think about it, okay? I'll give you an answer tomorrow. Right now I can't calm down and think about this."
Setsuna Ogiso tried to keep composed and wore a gentle crescent-smile, but the downward glances betrayed her flushed, pretty face.
"Of course, I understand... I understand..."
Hikigaya spread his hands and nodded without hesitation.
No one can calmly think about anything while being grabbed like this.
Given all the shame and embarrassment Ogiso had endured, not slapping anyone was incredibly restrained, very well-mannered.
Although in the current situation, Ogiso actually couldn't raise her hand.
"Fumino, why are you so quiet? Don't dwell on this, once we can separate, Chifuyu and I will go with you to ask Raphiel what's going on."
After a brief chat about the lead singer, the awkward atmosphere slowly eased. Ogiso didn't want to continue staring down at her own captured state, so she turned toward Furuhashi, who was sitting face-to-face in Hikigaya's lap and silent.
She thought Furuhashi was still sulking, but Furuhashi couldn't do much, she couldn't say her figure was nice and that her shoulders were sore.
Voicing such fortunate complaints would only make Furuhashi even more resentful.
However, Furuhashi didn't answer Ogiso. She stared intently at the space behind Hikigaya.
"That girl over there... seems to be staring at us..."
"Huh? Didn't Hikigaya-kun say his invisibility magic makes others not see us?"
Ogiso was startled and reflexively followed Furuhashi's gaze.
In a distant corner of the library a silver-haired, purple-eyed girl with slightly pointed ears sat alone at a wooden table reading a nicely bound light novel.
Seeing that they'd noticed her, the silver-haired, purple-eyed girl put down the light novel and waved at them with a smile.
"Hello. Did you also skip class to come read?"
———
"A-an demi-human? Why here..."
When Setsuna Ogiso saw that the girl greeting them had slightly pointed ears and an ethereally beautiful, flawless face, she immediately understood why invisibility magic hadn't worked.
The difference between demi-humans and ordinary people was obvious; even if an ordinary beautiful girl looked similar, demi-humans stood out at a glance.
If a demi-human who also knew magic was the one greeting them, it wasn't that their invisibility failed. It was that the demi-human had noticed their invisibility.
If a demi-human normally greeted her, she'd be happy to chat, but the situation was currently inappropriate.
She hadn't expected to find a skipping-class demi-human in the library during class time. After finally arriving, they were discovered almost immediately.
"Yes, she's the vampire from the demi-human class, Tsukishiro Sayo."
Seeing the silver-haired girl greet them, Hikigaya quietly shared who she was with the two stunned girls and Furuhashi.
He'd always known there was a book-loving vampire in the library. Tsukishiro Sayo had enrolled at Soubu High back when the mermaid idols appeared, long before the succubus sisters and shrine maiden girls.
But he hadn't had reason to visit the library recently, nor had he had any desire to experience being bitten by a vampire, so he'd never met Tsukishiro.
Now he wasn't surprised why Tsukishiro, though a member of the demi-human class, was unfamiliar, she skipped class to come to the library during lessons, let alone after school.
"A vampire?"
Tsukimi Chifuyu, upon Hikigaya's explanation, reflexively tried to stand and back away. Then, feeling a tugging anxiety, she remembered she was still bound to Hikigaya and could only remain seated by his side, so as not to force him into another uncomfortable reaction.
Leaning on Hikigaya's shoulder, Chifuyu was still extremely shocked, even a little fearful as Tsukishiro Sayo approached.
Vampires are common characters in many fantasy works. More broadly used than elves who usually only appear in isekai settings. They can appear in otherworldly, ancient, urban, or near-future stories.
But regardless of the work, positive or negative, the basic trait of vampires is inseparable from blood-drinking.
In other words, is a vampire still a vampire if they don't drink blood?
Now the library was nearly empty, and they had used invisibility magic to appear before the vampire. With no one knowing they were here, weren't they at risk of being drained by the vampire?!
Even though Tsukishiro Sayo walked with unmatched elegance and beauty, comparable to world-popular mermaid idols like Elio and Elusi, at this moment Tsukimi Chifuyu was terrified.
"We're not monsters who go around sucking people's blood."
Tsukishiro Sayo rose from her corner, closed the light novel in her hands, and seeing the fear on Chifuyu and the others' faces, walked over while explaining.
"For vampires, drinking blood is necessary, but we can use specially made blood packs."
"Though that stuff has a lot of additives and doesn't taste great..."
"In any case, since we came to the human world to study, we follow the rules and don't randomly attack humans, you don't have to worry."
Tsukishiro Sayo wanted to reassure Chifuyu and the others as she approached, but halfway there she suddenly sensed something and had to stop, placing a hand over her chest as it heaved, her breathing became rapid.
Her already oddly beautiful face flushed an unnatural red, making her even more bewitching.
'What's going on?'
'I just drank a blood pack today, why do I feel the urge to feed again?'
'And this urge... Feels stronger than when I forgot to replenish a blood pack and resisted for a long time.'
Feeling an unprecedented, powerful impulse welling up inside her, Tsukishiro Sayo clutched her racing heart with one hand and her overheated, slightly dizzy head with the other, breathing rapidly and looking around in alarm.