The azure sea, but a lonely, fulfilled life.

He couldn't allow his long-lost sister to not miss him; it was all a lie.

"It's all because you left me with this mess, brother."

Komachi's angry voice came from the other side, and he also heard muffled thumping sounds, probably from someone punching a pillow.

Could it be that this girl hasn't gotten up yet?

"Did I leave any stalls behind?"

Hachiman counted on his fingers, thinking. There were no problems with Yukino, and Yuihama was an optimist; he'd occasionally reply to one of the dozen or so text messages she sent. As for Isshiki…

"Could it be that it's all the same color?"

"Huh? Isshiki-senpai? She's busy with student council stuff all day and doesn't have time to think about her older brother. Don't be so narcissistic."

Hachiman, who was inexplicably labeled as "self-satisfied," coughed twice. Yes, Isshiki is now a senior in high school, and as the student council president, he must have a lot of things to do. He hasn't even texted Isshiki much.

The last text message was still about wanting to come see me next year after getting into Izu University.

That girl, when we meet again, there will definitely be a lot of trouble.

Hachiman shook his head: "Then I really don't remember there being any unresolved matters."

"It's nothing, actually."

"Ok?"

Komachi's laughter, accompanied by the rustling of clothes, came from behind: "I missed you a little, brother. It seems you haven't changed much during my time in Izu."

No, I've changed a lot. I've not only learned to drink, but also how to get a hangover and scam people.

"People are not so easy to change."

Hachiman replied, "You're joking, how could you say something like that?"

Can I come see you next week, bro?

"I don't really care, but will Mom and Dad agree to you coming?"

“No, not at all.” She said flippantly, uttering words that sent a shiver down Hachiman’s spine. “But when I said I wanted to bring someone with me, they agreed.”

"Who?"

Hachiman's mind raced. Impossible! Who would come to see him at this time?

"Don't tell you."

Komachi chuckled and hung up the phone.

"Look forward to it, bro."

"Hello, hello?"

Hachiman stared at his phone with deadpan eyes, a bad feeling creeping into his mind. Considering the trouble Komachi had mentioned earlier, could it be that someone was coming?

……

"Your eyes look rotten. Has something happened?"

Just before the school bell rang, Kitahara Iori, Imamura Kohei, and Kotegawa Chisa arrived at the classroom.

Iori sat in the chair, looking at Hachiman who was muttering to himself, and asked him a question.

"I appreciate your concern, but could you please put on some clothes before you talk to me?"

"I'm used to it now, or rather, why aren't you used to it yet?"

"You've been reassigned to this state in less than two weeks?"

Hachiman stared at Kitahara Iori with half-open eyes, thinking that he was definitely someone who was good at playing FPS games.

"What are you talking about? You were all naked and partying with us last night."

Kitahara Iori rebuked him, saying that he shouldn't be the only one being treated as a pervert.

Hachiman was speechless. To be honest, he was sober when he took off his clothes yesterday. It was thanks to the fact that although he hadn't drunk much alcohol, he had a pretty strong tolerance for it.

If things had proceeded as usual, it would have been a complete mess. Not only would the atmosphere have cooled, but we might have even let them down.

He had no choice, you know? He had no choice but to sacrifice himself and become the instigator of that perverted night.

"They really drank heartily last night."

Kohei Imamura nodded in agreement; like Iori, he was also unclothed.

Upon seeing this, Hachiman suddenly turned around and looked at Kotegawa Chisa, who was sitting in the back seat pretending not to recognize the two of them.

She was wearing clothes.

Hachiman breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, there were still normal people who wouldn't be affected by the strip virus.

"That was the only night; I've decided to quit drinking."

"What! What kind of club do you think you've joined?!"

Afraid of disturbing the teacher at the podium, Iori whispered angrily.

"Isn't it a diving club?"

Hachiman sighed.

My sister might be coming next week.

"What? You actually have a younger sister?"

Kohei Imamura stared at him in disbelief, unable to imagine that the dead-eyed man actually had a younger sister.

"Is she a woman with the same 'mourning' attribute as you?"

"Am I really that depressed?" Hachiman retorted. "No, my little sister is quite lively."

"What should I call you?" Kohei asked eagerly.

"Why do you ask that?" Hachiman thought for a moment. "Sometimes you call me Onii, sometimes you call me Onii-chan, but most of the time you call me 'older brother'."

"I'm so envious!" Kohei clutched his chest, his face full of envy.

"Is this something to be envious of?" Iori asked, puzzled. His Shiori always called him Onii-chan, but he didn't feel much about it.

"Those who don't have a younger sister won't understand what it feels like to be called Onii-chan!"

Kohei waved his hand and pointed at Iori, his face contorted in extreme pain. Why did someone as perfect as him not have a younger sister of his own?

“I have it,” Iori said.

"Eh?"

Kohei's mind went blank, and he looked at Iori and asked, "You have a younger sister?"

Iori nodded.

Kohei: "Found it?"

Hachiman: "Trying to kidnap someone with a lollipop? Kohei, call the police!"

"Why are you all reacting so strongly? Is it really that impossible for me to have a younger sister?"

Iori scratched her head, puzzled.

"Because you're not a sister-obsessed person!"

Hachiman clearly remembers the look of disgust on the other person's face when they learned he was a siscon (brother complex) on the first day of school.

"Why does having a younger sister necessarily mean you have to be a siscon!"

"If you're not a siscon, what kind of sister do you even have?!"

"Having a younger sister means you have to be a siscon!"

That doesn't make sense. Almost everyone around him with a younger sister is a sister-obsessed person.

“Those three making noise over there, come to my office after class.”

The teacher on the podium, having reached her limit, punished the two students who were standing facing each other on the desk, along with a dead-eyed boy who was also talking loudly.

Chapter Twenty-Three: Encountering a New Character

Today was truly unfortunate. The last time I was called to the teacher's office to reflect on my actions was back in my first year of high school, when I got a good beating from Mr. Hiratsuka because of that self-righteous memoir of my youth.

Come to think of it, how long has it been since we last met?

It's been almost a year now. Since Hiratsuka-sensei left, I haven't heard much about her. It's said that she went back to her hometown, but I don't know exactly what she's doing there.

"Hachiman, shall we go back together? Nanaka-nee said this morning that lunch is yakisoba."

Kitahara Iori walked out of the faculty office and saw Hachiman waiting outside. He raised his right hand, showing his thumb, and pointed to a place, saying something.

"Let's skip it today. The teacher needs to talk to me about something and asked me to wait outside for a while."

Hachiman shook his head in refusal.

Besides, lunch this week has basically been fried noodles: seafood fried noodles, spicy fried noodles, ham fried noodles, and even curry fried noodles. Before coming here, he never knew that these two things could be put together.

"Really? Then I'll head back now."

Aren't you waiting for Gengping?

"That guy will come smelling it."

Kitahara Iori put her hands behind her head and strolled leisurely toward the stairs.

"By the way, we're having a meeting in the conference room downstairs tonight."

"What's the topic this time? Can something made with eaux-de-vie and oolong tea really be considered a cocktail?"

Hachiman gave a helpless laugh.

"That stuff is aqua regia, aqua regia. Drinking it will definitely corrode your stomach acid."

Kitahara Iori was shocked, as if he had imagined such a scene. He secretly resolved to prevent such a thing from happening.

"It's an event that's going to be held on campus soon. I'll tell you the details tonight."

Iori's eye twitched, which puzzled Hachiman. Usually, when he made that expression, it meant that he was about to face something terrible again.

"Row."

After saying goodbye to Iori, Hachiman leaned against the railing and continued to wait. After nearly three minutes, the office door opened, and Kohei Imamura walked out of the room with a smug smile on his face.

"Hey, Hachiman, where's Iori?"

What's with this feeling of seeing your dad and asking your mom?

Hachiman pointed to the stairs.

"He went back."

"Aren't you leaving? There's fried noodles today."

"Just how much do you guys love yakisoba...?" Hachiman was speechless. "Don't you ever get tired of it?"

"But when it comes to food in anime, noodles are definitely one of the first things that comes to mind: fried noodles, ramen, flowing noodles, udon noodles—very much like the male protagonist's style," Kohei Imamura said, giving examples.

"I don't understand the connection between the preceding and following sentences."

After all, he neither liked nor disliked such things.

However, he rarely eats it. He usually doesn't order it when he goes out with Yukino, as they are both sweet lovers.

"My teacher needs to talk to me later, so I won't be going home for dinner today."

"Really? What a pity. It seems you're destined not to have the luck to become the male lead. Bye-bye."

"OK Bye Bye."

What is the male protagonist's luck? The world of anime and manga is so complicated. Maybe he should introduce Kohei to Zaimokuza. He feels that the two of them must have countless things in common.

Hachiman shrugged helplessly and walked towards the office door that wasn't closed. Now that the two of them had left, it was time for the teacher to call him in.

He walked into the office and immediately saw the teacher slumped in a chair, looking as if all his energy had been drained.

Wait, what happened?

A terrifying thought surfaced in his mind.

Three minutes later, a look of satisfaction appeared on his face.