Chapter 160: Flexible Grouping Has Its Own Playstyle
The sharp sound instantly brought everyone to full alert, especially Hikigaya, whose guilt toward Sakura peaked.
"Kamuro-san... what did you just say?"
Kamuro was momentarily at a loss, looking at the dazed Sakura. She realized that gaining her approval now seemed almost impossible.
Sakura: "You... and Hachiman... you did that kind of thing?"
Kamuro gently nodded, then slowly closed her eyes, finally letting out a resigned smile.
"It's all my fault. I just hope you won't blame him."
Kushida watched Sakura closely, fearing she might not be able to accept this.
Sakura slowly stood, approaching Kamuro.
Kamuro, with eyes closed, braced herself, accepting whatever would come, believing it was deserved.
But under Sakura's gaze, she didn't strike her. Instead, Sakura crouched in front of her and gently took her delicate hands.
Kamuro was stunned, eyes wide with disbelief.
Sakura lowered her head, a mix of grievance and relief in her smile, leaving Kamuro unsure of what to say.
"Kamuro-san..."
"Mm."
"I've always been grateful for your help, you know? Without you and Hachiman, I might still be that timid girl who couldn't even meet someone's gaze. But under your protection, I finally understood myself, changed myself, gained my goals for these three years, and even joined the student council to improve myself..."
Looking back on the short six months, Sakura kept talking. Hikigaya and Kamuro, as the involved parties, were drawn back into that time.
"After being saved by Hachiman, I realized I had fallen deeply for him. There's no second choice in my life. But I knew I couldn't hold him with just myself. I was content just following him quietly, as long as he held a place for me in his heart."
Kamuro shook her head, glanced at Hikigaya, and then focused back on Sakura.
"No matter what, this is my fault."
Sakura seemed to ignore this, continuing: "Surprisingly, I became the first person to truly be with Hachiman. That gave me immense satisfaction. For a moment, I wished it was only him and me, no one else disturbing us. But I knew it was just a beautiful fantasy. Hachiman is wonderful and does his duty, but like his charm that drew me, it attracts others too. When that dream faded, I was sad, but this was exactly what I wanted in the first place."
"Kamuro-san, you needn't feel guilty. If I were in your shoes, I'd do whatever it takes to get Hachiman too. So... I accept you."
This sudden turn left all three present stunned. None expected that Sakura had such resolve.
Kamuro froze. Even someone so strong-willed couldn't hold back the tears streaming down her cheeks upon Sakura's forgiveness.
Seeing Kamuro cry so intensely, Sakura herself shed two tears.
Kushida finally exhaled in relief. Things weren't as bad as she had feared. At least this partially eased the situation, and Sakura's gentle nature allowed her to empathize.
The outcome was undeniably good. Yet Kushida pondered, could she herself have accepted this if she were in Sakura's shoes? Probably not.
This strengthened her resolve: Kamuro would be the last. As the first girl Sakura accepted, she wouldn't let Hikigaya fall into this kind of dilemma again. She didn't want Sakura to be hurt over this anymore.
Hikigaya, hearing the final resolution, also relaxed. For him, this outcome was the best possible. After all, Kamuro, being the responsible type, would never ignore the consequences.
Watching the three girls in their respective relief and thoughts, Hikigaya didn't disturb them. He went to the bathroom, fetched a broom, and carefully swept up the broken pieces of the cup.
A true househusband, very conscientious.
Noticing him, Sakura said sheepishly: "I lost my temper earlier, Hachiman. Sorry..."
"It's fine. Just a cup."
"When student council is done tomorrow, at the start of spring break, I'll go with you to buy a new one."
"I want to go too!"
"In that case, I'll go as well."
"Okay."
"...."
On this long night, with the final exam over and only the student council handover ceremony left tomorrow, they were halfway into vacation.
This was a rare moment of rest at this school, and after this semester, they would move on to second year.
Seeing the three girls getting along, Hikigaya didn't intrude on their conversation. He sat at the table, quietly reading a book.
Though it was a small room, the atmosphere was exceptionally peaceful, and Hikigaya liked it. It felt like being home.
As they chatted, the three girls, without agreement, removed their shoes and socks, climbing onto Hikigaya's bed to continue discussing "their own" matters.
Kamuro lay completely on her stomach, supporting her face with her hands, curiosity in her eyes: "Sakura, I know what's going on with Kushida, Hachiman can't accept a second after one, so she's obviously a sneaky cat. And she admitted it. But what I've always been curious about is, how did you manage to win over Hachiman?"
Sakura didn't hide anything. For her, the two in front of her had already become friends she could confide in. And since everyone had gone through similar experiences, there was naturally no awkwardness or shyness.
Kushida, for her part, was curious about Kamuro. Although she and Sakura had formed their "double team" for some time now, this question had always lingered in her mind.
Meanwhile, Sakura was recalling the events of that afternoon. For her, it had been a bold experiment, a beginning of happiness.
The emotional build-up, the creation of atmosphere, at that moment, was incredibly important, and Hikigaya was deeply captivated.
After listening to Sakura's story, the two girls were momentarily stunned.
This "millennium-old blockhead" actually had this side? Truly unbelievable!
After all, in some sense, both of them had forced situations with their partners. Sakura hadn't; even though her actions had been proactive, the feeling it gave was entirely different. It was something both girls couldn't help but envy.
As the conversation went on, Kamuro became increasingly shocked, hearing about things like her all-night duel with Kushida, the relentless "double play" with no chance to breathe, and all the strange "ambush" tactics, Kamuro's face turned red.
She never imagined that a girl who normally seemed so obedient could already be so far ahead in this regard. With Kushida, it wasn't surprising, but Sakura? Kamuro found it utterly incredible.
No wonder both of their faces were growing increasingly flushed.
Although Kamuro had been brave, proactive, and willing to love and hate when she made her decision, that night, after it happened, she had left Hikigaya's room after just one time. She couldn't sleep in her own room out of embarrassment; only the warmth in her lower abdomen reminded her that everything was real.
So in matters like this, Kamuro was still relatively inexperienced. Listening to Sakura and Kushida, she would blush to the point of avoiding eye contact, a rare sight for the usually proud Kamuro.
At this point, Hikigaya still didn't realize the seriousness of the situation, calmly reading his book, oblivious to the incredible developments happening on his bed.
Since all three had experienced similar things, their conversation naturally became more explicit, even surpassing topics typical among peers. Eventually, unable to control themselves, they began comparing sizes on the bed.
Kamuro first pointed to Sakura's, then touched Kushida's. As expected, it was as smooth as it appeared, and the size was beyond Kamuro's imagination.
In this contest, Kushida clearly had the upper hand.
Hikigaya kept reading his worthless book…
The three girls lay on the bed, hiding their bodies under the covers, so Hikigaya didn't notice.
Time passed without him knowing. Finally, Hikigaya took a deep breath. It was getting late. No matter what, keeping the three of them here could lead to unexpected trouble tomorrow. If someone saw, it would have negative consequences.
So he got up, intending to drive them out before bathing and resting.
But how could things go as Hikigaya planned? As he approached the three, something felt off, and it was too late to escape.
Where could he run now?
"Hey, I say… shouldn't you guys rest earlier?"
Kushida: "Actually, we've already been resting. As punishment for waking us up, come to bed."
Kamuro: "Actually, I've never spent a night in a boy's room before. If there's a chance, I want to try it."
Sakura reached out her hands. Her full figure was on display, and her already cute pink twin tails made resisting impossible.
"Hachiman, we just unanimously agreed on a plan: we'll completely drain you. Even if someone else tried, you'd have nothing left!"
Such a fierce plan…
Before he realized it, Hikigaya had been pulled onto the bed by Kushida, pressed against the corner of the wall. Kushida had her hands around the back of his head and gently knelt on his thighs, her mischievous smile impossible to hide.
"Little puppy, let's play."
As usual, Kushida quickly got into the mood, with Sakura providing support from the side. Kamuro, however, was still blushing and unsure what to do, as it was her first time joining such a "flexible team."
But inexperience is only temporary. Once the atmosphere is set, its explosive energy can manifest in an instant. This night would be an unforgettable sleepless one for Hikigaya, and Kamuro's first time sharing the bed.
Sure enough, under this intense onslaught, Hikigaya, perhaps holding back too long, didn't give in this night. The three girls, having found his "weak points," continuously moaned and trembled uncontrollably.
Kamuro was especially pitiful. Having only experienced a solo round before, she was completely outclassed here, like a bronze-tier player thrown into a grandmaster match. That night, she repeatedly triggered the "flowing staff" and couldn't control herself.
Eventually, all four fully entered the state. Hikigaya, who had held back for half a month; Kushida and Sakura, who had endured for half a month; and Kamuro, now finally free from solo play, everyone forgot they were mere "bronze-levels."
From initial shyness and blushing to completely uncontrollable redness, it proved the intensity of this "match."
If that wasn't enough, the school-issued blanket would testify: soaked from every angle, and even without sniffing deliberately, the sharp scent was evident.
The girls' perfumes had completely blended without clashing, producing a surprisingly pleasant scent, like discovering a new hybrid species.
---
By 4 a.m., the battle ended.
Hikigaya sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the fluids and sweat left on his body, feeling slightly uncomfortable, intending to shower first.
The three girls hadn't fully collapsed either. Except Kamuro, who had just joined the flexible team and was somewhat exhausted, the other two were still energetic, a reminder of girls in puberty.
He picked up a towel, ready to shower.
But would the girls let him off that easily? They had vowed to drain him, and they intended to keep their promise.
Sakura: "Hachiman, where are you going? If you want to shower, we can do it together!"
Kushida: "Girls' bathing is troublesome. If you do it one by one, it might take till sunrise, right, Kamuro?"
Kamuro panted heavily, face flushed, holding her burning belly: "Y-Yes… Kushida's right. We can't let you go that easily."
Biting her lip, she refused to lose to the other two.
Faced with her stubbornness, Hikigaya could only respond passively. With this willpower boosting the "flowing staff," the effect intensified to a shocking degree.
Although Kamuro lost in size, her stamina revealed her extraordinary talent. Even Kushida and Sakura had to admit defeat.
The four battled from the bed to the bathroom, seemingly tireless, never ceasing.
Only when the sun fully rose, scattering dawn light over their bodies, did the passage of time become evident.
Kamuro likely couldn't attend the change-of-duty ceremony that day. Even standing was difficult. If not for Kushida's provocation, she would've collapsed from fatigue.
Kushida and Sakura, however, were unfazed, their faces even rosier, a night like this was routine. Adding Kamuro had little effect on their burden.
Hikigaya, though spent from half a month of restraint, couldn't withstand a night of such relentless assault. He was tired but not as utterly collapsed as Kamuro, just sporting an extra layer of dark circles.
Sakura was first to get ready, ensuring her appearance before heading out. As the sole first-year participant in the ceremony, her image represented the entire class.
Kushida, wanting to give Hikigaya a break, took the white blanket out for washing, replaced the bedding for him and Kamuro, and then left, avoiding any rumors about leaving his room together.
Kamuro likely spent the day lying in Hikigaya's bed. Her mind fuzzy, she clung to him, smiling contentedly, oblivious to everything.
Hikigaya gently stroked her hair. Kamuro quickly fell asleep under his touch, while he briefly rested before preparing to leave for school.
This last day had been unexpectedly exhausting. Once Kamuro was asleep, Hikigaya carefully left the room.
---
As always, he waited by the elevator. When the doors opened, a familiar figure appeared: Ichinose Honami.
"Yahallo, Hikigaya!"
What kind of cross-world greeting is this?
Ichinose wore her usual healing, innocent smile, raising a hand and jumping excitedly to greet him. Despite it being the last day of the semester, her mood remained high.
"Oh, good morning, Ichinose."
As they entered the elevator, Hikigaya confirmed her surprisingly cheerful mood. Perhaps after his guidance yesterday, she had stopped overthinking things.
She moved closer, about to whisper in his ear, then frowned.
"Hikigaya, using so much perfume isn't good…"
Hikigaya shivered, scratching the back of his head.
Ichinose: "Let me smell… yesterday's perfume is still there… and… yuzu, and floral… it's weird. All these mixed, but somehow it smells good."
She smiled again.
"Could it be… Hikigaya, you're secretly a perfume genius? You mix your own? That's amazing… teach me!"
This silly girl… so innocent…
Even Hikigaya couldn't help but think.
"I-Actually, I accidentally got shampoo on my body, then rinsed with body wash. Yesterday's perfume didn't fade, so this happened, it's purely accidental."
Ichinose placed a finger on her lips, astonished: "I see… really incredible. And it smells nice…"
Hikigaya: "You're sensitive to smells, huh?"
No one else noticed.
Ichinose patted her chest proudly: "Of course!"
'Kind of like a dog's nose… like Yui…'
(End of this chapter)