Kanzaki Elsa typically shunned TV appearances, and even for magazine interviews, she rarely showed her face. This was partly due to her philosophy: "Being mysterious keeps people talking, right?" As a result, her face was known only through official music videos. Thus, no one in the room initially recognized her as Kanzaki Elsa. When her song suddenly blasted through the venue, most people's reaction was merely, "Oh, this is that trendy track."
"Isn't this Kanzaki Elsa's new single?" someone said.
"The PV was so cool!" another added.
The crowd's initial chatter was casual, but their attention shifted when Asuna and Elsa began singing and dancing in perfect sync.
"Those two are… kinda incredible," someone murmured.
"That girl, Asuna, Hikitani's girlfriend—she messes up the choreography sometimes, but her moves are so sharp," another observed.
"Forget that, the girl next to her is unreal. Look, she's matching the PV perfectly… wait, huh?"
A guy pulled up Elsa's PV on his phone, comparing it to the performance. His sudden gasp drew attention.
"Dude… this is…" he stammered, staring at his screen.
"No way… that means she's…" his friend whispered.
"The real deal?!" they shouted in unison.
All eyes turned to them. People whipped out their phones, comparing Elsa to the PV.
"Her voice is totally in sync with the song," someone said.
"It's not just in sync—it's the same voice!" another added.
"So… she's the real Kanzaki Elsa?"
"It's actually her!"
"No way!"
"Holy crap!"
The room exploded into a frenzy, transforming into a makeshift concert hall. Elsa, ever the performer, kept the energy high while subtly ensuring Asuna shone just as brightly. Asuna matched her with a stunning performance and a clear, captivating voice. The crowd was mesmerized, unable to tear their eyes away even after the song ended.
"Elsa's amazing, obviously, but Asuna's no slouch either…" Hachiman muttered, stunned by their display.
Asuna, beaming, ran to Hachiman and, without warning, kissed him full on the lips. The crowd erupted in squeals, but Asuna, unfazed, savored the moment. Hachiman, slightly flustered, let her continue.
"Phew, thanks for the treat," Asuna teased, pulling back.
"Oi, Asuna, weren't you just regretting letting everyone hang all over me?" Hachiman asked.
"Well, yeah, I got a bit jealous seeing other girls on you," she admitted. "But I reclaimed you just fine. Your lips are mine alone, after all."
"Don't say stuff like that with a straight face…" Hachiman mumbled, blushing furiously.
Elsa, watching their exchange with envy, piped up. "Asuna, my reward! I want a reward too, pretty please!"
"Oh, right. How about… a peck on the cheek?" Asuna offered.
"Yes! Thank you!" Elsa cheered, leaning toward Hachiman eagerly.
"Wait, what?" Elsa froze as Asuna stopped her.
"No, no—Elsa, offer your cheek to Hachiman," Asuna clarified with a grin.
"Oh!" Elsa's eyes lit up, and she turned her cheek to Hachiman, heart pounding.
"You're serious?" Hachiman asked, incredulous.
"It's a king's duty to reward his vassals, right?" Asuna said, smirking.
"What kind of logic is that…?"
Grumbling, Hachiman gave in to Asuna's pressure and kissed Elsa's cheek. Elsa's face lit up with ecstasy before she dramatically collapsed.
"Kyu…" she squeaked, fainting.
"Oi, Elsa, you okay?" Hachiman asked, alarmed.
Apparently, Elsa fainted when overwhelmed with excitement. Hachiman carried her to a sofa, mentally noting to avoid overstimulating her in GGO in the future. As an aside, this mirrored Pito's fainting spell during her antics with Ren in the second Squad Jam. Just then, Yukino, Yui, Yumiko, Argo, and Rose rushed to Asuna, pleading urgently.
"Um, what about my reward…?" Yukino asked hesitantly.
"Y-Yeah, maybe something for me too…?" Yui added.
"Since we're here, I mean… why not?" Yumiko chimed in.
"Might as well jump on the bandwagon," Argo said with a smirk.
"I can't miss this chance!" Rose declared.
"Uh… Hachiman-kun, please?" Asuna said, nudging him.
"Seriously, you guys…" Hachiman groaned.
Overwhelmed by their collective pressure, Hachiman reluctantly kissed each of their cheeks. Though he was pushed into it, to the onlookers, he looked like the ultimate harem king. Yet, surprisingly, no one held it against him. They'd seen Hachiman patiently try to reason with Yukko and Haruka without snapping back or getting emotional. He never bragged about his popularity, remaining his awkward, earnest self—a trait that won them over. The crowd understood that the girls' antics were their own doing, not Hachiman's ego.
"So, who's the loser now?" Asuna asked, arm linked with Hachiman's, staring down Yukko and Haruka.
The room had no interest in mocking Hachiman anymore. Even Minami, once a vocal critic, was fully on his side. For former classmates who'd only heard rumors about Hachiman's past, this display was more than enough to shift their perspective. With the former top caste—Asuna, Yukino, Yui, Yumiko—all backing Hachiman, it was clear: he was the de facto king of their year. Yukko and Haruka, faced with Asuna's claim that even a famous singer was her "vassal," were initially speechless. Their faces flushed with anger and humiliation, and Hachiman, sensing they wouldn't back down, sighed, unsure how to proceed.
As long as I've got my friends, I don't care what anyone says. But saying that won't fix this…
Haruka spoke first, her voice sharp.
"Being popular with girls doesn't make you a winner! What, are all hosts winners then? That's ridiculous. Yukko and I already have job offers from top-tier companies. What matters is your future, not how many girls fawn over you!"
"Oh, congrats," Hachiman said sincerely.
His unexpected response threw them off. Just then, the door burst open, and a woman strode in. She'd clearly been eavesdropping, as she planted herself in front of Hachiman and addressed Yukko and Haruka with barely contained fury.
"Isn't it about time you realized you're just nobodies? Did you hear what Senpai just said? Do you get why he said it? He doesn't care what you throw at him. Why? Because you're nothing to his life. That's why he can brush you off so easily."
The rapid-fire tirade came from none other than the legendary student council president, Isshiki Iroha. Beaming with a smug "I showed them, Senpai!" look, she turned to Hachiman.
"Oi, why are you here?" Hachiman asked, exasperated.
"Duh, I heard about the reunion and was waiting for a chance to join you afterward," Iroha said with a pout. "I was gonna hold off, but those nobodies taking advantage of your chill vibe pushed me over the edge. Wait… unless you planned this? Did you rile me up on purpose so I'd barge in, and then you'd show off by flirting with me in front of them? I didn't catch that genius move, so let's do it now—pretty please! I'm sorry!"
Hachiman stared at her, dumbfounded. "You've been pulling this act since forever, but hearing it now… you never actually turned me down, did you?"
"Tch, you're so slow, Senpai!" Iroha teased.
After getting Asuna's approval, Iroha gleefully received her "cheek kiss" from Hachiman, adding to the room's chaos. The crowd buzzed with confusion.
"Wait, wasn't the president after Hayama?" someone whispered.
"Sounds like she's been into Hikigaya since high school," another said.
"No way…"
Ignoring the chatter, Hachiman turned to Argo and Rose. "Was she outside the whole time you guys showed up?"
"Yup, she was there," Rose confirmed.
"Yeah, we were all peeking in together," Argo added.
"You could've mentioned that sooner…" Hachiman groaned.
Iroha turned back to Yukko and Haruka, glancing at Hachiman. "By the way, Senpai, they were bragging about their job offers, but you've got a job lined up too, right?"
"Hm? Oh, yeah, Soleil Corporation," Hachiman said casually.
"What?" Yukko gasped.
"That crazy up-and-coming company?" Haruka added.
Iroha pressed on, smirking. "And straight out of the gate, you're getting manager-level treatment, right?"
"Dunno the details, but something like that," Hachiman said.
"Did you hear that?" Iroha said, grinning at the pair.
Yukko and Haruka paled, firing back. "No way that's true! We didn't even get in!"
"Only the elite get hired there. No way a high school dropout like him could waltz in!" Haruka snapped.
"Oh, so you applied and got rejected?" Iroha said coldly.
"What? It's a tough company! Unless someone can prove he's actually hired," Yukko challenged. "Have you seen proof?"
"Well, about that…" Iroha hesitated, glancing at Hachiman.
Hachiman returned her look, equally unsure. Just then, Argo and Rose stepped forward, presenting business cards to Yukko and Haruka.
"I'm Argo, Media Relations Manager at Soleil Corporation," Argo said.
"And I'm Rose, his secretary," Rose added. "Here's your proof."
"What? Rose, what're you—" Hachiman started.
Rose handed him another card. It read: Hikigaya Hachiman, VR Division Manager. Hers read: Secretary to Hikigaya Hachiman, VR Division Manager. The room, including Hachiman, was floored.
"What the hell is this?" Hachiman muttered.
"It means the boss is that excited for you to join," Rose said. "Get it?"
"Still, this is…" Hachiman trailed off.
"Not exactly accurate, though," Argo interjected.
"There's more?" Hachiman asked.
"Oh, I'll take it from here," a voice called from the entrance.
Hachiman froze, recognizing the one voice he dreaded most. He shot Argo a look of betrayal.
"When you said 'peeking in together,' you didn't mean with her?" he demanded.
"I told you we were checking out the scene!" Argo said defensively.
Elsa, stirring on the sofa, stumbled over. "Huh? What's going on?"
"We're talking about my job at Soleil Corporation," Hachiman said, showing her the cards.
"Whoa, you're a manager there? That's huge!" Elsa exclaimed.
"Nah, I'm just a high schooler at the SAO returnee school," Hachiman clarified.
"Then what's this?" Elsa asked, pointing at the card.
"She's about to explain," Hachiman said, nodding toward the woman.
Elsa shivered as she saw her. "W-Who…?"
"The Demon King," Hachiman said gravely.
"The Demon King's here!" Elsa squealed, ecstatic.
Hachiman hurriedly calmed her to prevent another fainting spell. The woman stepped forward, addressing Elsa.
"Nice to meet you, Kanzaki Elsa-chan. I'm his sister-in-law, the Demon King of sorts, and president of Soleil Corporation—Yukinoshita Haruno."
Haruno's self-proclaimed "Demon King" title left even Hachiman pale with dread.
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