The azure sea, but a lonely, fulfilled life.

Applause erupted from the crowd; very good, the atmosphere was quite nice.

She closed her eyes and smiled, just like when she joined the baseball club: "After the first diving test this morning, I realized that I have unknowingly fallen in love with this club."

Another gasp rippled through the crowd, accompanied by the rustling sound of clothes.

"I will work even harder in the future..."

She opened her eyes, intending to say the words "trying to do better," but was shocked by the scene before her: there were balls, lots and lots of black balls!

Aina turned around in a panic and asked, "Isn't there something wrong with this club?"

The one who answered her was Iori and Kohei, who had also taken off their outer clothes. Seeing her embarrassed and shy look, Iori raised his eyebrows in confusion: "Haven't you already seen them?"

"Didn't we both take our clothes off at the Izu Festival and that outdoor BBQ?" Kohei waved his hand, unconcerned by her fuss.

"I was drunk that time and don't remember anything."

Was this just a normal day? She thought it was just him going crazy when outsiders came. Aina recalled in disbelief the naked men cosplaying she had seen before, thinking it was performance art, but it turned out to be a gathering of patients?

However, apart from boys, girls are all considered normal.

"You're back, Chisa. What happened to Hachiman?"

Aina looked in the direction of the sound and saw Kotegawa Chisa standing at the door, dragging Hachiman, whose face was ashen and who looked as if he had burned out, slowly walking in.

"I don't know, it was like this when I went there."

Chisa replied that since he still hadn't returned when the welcome party was about to start, she went to look for him and happened to run into her sister who had returned.

When she saw Nanaka, she noticed that the other person seemed to be holding something tightly in their hand, but she didn't pay too much attention to it. She asked if Hachiman was still at the outdoor sunshade, and after receiving an affirmative answer, she went over.

Before they even arrived, they heard a bitter, salty smell in the wind. Upon closer inspection, Hachiman looked like an uncolored manga sketch.

"Would it help if we watered it?" Gengping suggested.

"My suggestion is to strip him naked. I guarantee he'll have a sudden burst of energy before he dies." Iori's eyes sharpened. Having never beaten Hachiman in a game of baseball, he now deeply understood how important women—or rather, clothes—were to this guy.

"Is this really a suggestion a human being could make?" Mana retorted. No normal person would agree to this proposal. "Kotegawa-san would definitely refuse it outright as well."

"I think it's feasible," Chisa agreed.

"Look." Aina didn't immediately understand, and when she did, her eyes widened. "Eh, eh————————"

"Well, Iori, as Hachiman's close friend, knows him well, so it might work."

Seeing the immense confusion and shock in Aina's eyes, Chisa turned her face away somewhat awkwardly, her fingertips twirling a stray strand of hair by her ear.

"Well then, I'm going to start digging."

Iori rubbed his hands together, looking impatient. This time, he was going to take pictures of Hachiman's shameful side. If the kid ever tried to run away later, he would send all these photos to that girl with the caption, "I'm a perverted exhibitionist." Then, hehehe.

Good bro, don't blame me. I can help you get over your trauma and fall in love with other girls, but that's all! If you actually manage to get her, then I'll have failed you.

Iori smiled sinisterly, his gloomy face resembling a deranged killer from a crime film. Just as he placed his hand on Hachiman's belt, two hands grabbed his.

"A corpse-making monster?" Iori looked up at Mana, then at Chisa, who was holding his hand.

"This is my welcome party, I won't allow any nudity! Everyone, please put your clothes on properly!"

"Thinking about it carefully, there should be other better methods."

Forcibly stripping someone of their clothes while they are not fully conscious is really terrible! And...

Don't want him to see it.

I don't want him to be seen by others.

The two girls, each with their own thoughts, exchanged a glance and quickly looked away.

Chapter 49 Komachi's Thoughts

My first time in a police station wasn't for a driver's license test, but to bail out a group of naked men caught by the police for arson in the wild... This sacred place in textbooks is being defiled by filth! How did they manage to do that? Did they accidentally pour in the "life-giving water" while trying to put out the fire? Impossible, how could those alcoholics do something so wasteful of their lives?

On the way to the nearest police station, he kept his distance from Chisa while thinking. Even though they were four or five body lengths apart, he could still feel the cold glint of sharp thorns emanating from her. She was angry, and very angry, the kind that might draw blood. It seemed he needed to prepare a wreath for Iori in advance. Hmm, decided, he'd just go pick a few bunches of foxtail grass by the roadside later.

"How could those idiots turn a normal outdoor barbecue into arson?"

Chisa Kotegawa anxiously dialed her sister's number, but couldn't get through. This made her even more convinced that Nana was definitely not with Iori and the others. Otherwise, even if her phone was dead, her sister would definitely borrow someone else's phone to calmly explain the current situation to her.

But if we're not together, where will she be?

"Hachiman, do you have Tokita-senpai and Kotobuki-senpai's phone numbers saved?"

Chisa tried calling Hamaoka Azusa again, but no one answered. What's going on today? Is it because everyone's behind on their phone bills?

Her question struck a chord with Hachiman, who suddenly realized that he hadn't saved anyone's contact information after all this time.

Seeing his bewildered expression, Hiratsuka Shizuka, walking beside him, couldn't help but complain, "Why don't you still have the habit of saving other people's contact information?"

"How can you blame me? Usually, no one would save my contact information."

Hachiman said with a sly look, "In my nineteen years of life, the number of people I have in my phone's social list is only a handful. Apart from the two from the Service Club, there are only Hiratsuka-sensei, Komachi, Isshiki, Totsuka, and Ebina. You can count them on two hands."

Why would someone as indifferent and empty-headed as him actively ask for someone else's contact information?

"It's because you always dream of getting something for nothing that you don't have many friends."

Komachi said helplessly, "Who wants to make friends by waiting for the other person to take the initiative to ask for their contact information? You're not a banknote; not everyone will have a strong desire for you."

"I didn't."

Hachiman denied it; he would never admit it. Besides, if he took the initiative, he would only be disliked and disgusted by others. Ha, back in junior high, when a girl mistook him for a stalker and rejected him, he could go to dozens of theaters and say it hundreds of times without getting tired of it.

Because that's the best way to fit his persona!

"Let's not talk about this now."

Hachiman quickly caught up with Chisa. As he ran, he felt something was off. Izu wasn't a particularly small city; it shouldn't be so small that there weren't taxis. Besides, even if there weren't taxis, why didn't they just scan a shared bike instead of running there?

But seeing Chisa's serious expression and her focused gaze, Hachiman wisely refrained from bringing it up, as it would ruin the atmosphere and instantly diminish the tension.

And the most important thing is!

He didn't have a single copper coin on him.

Does he have to freeload off them? Ugh—

It's not so bad, really. After all, the dream of being a stay-at-home dad is almost no different from being a kept man. You say you'll stay home and take care of everything, but in the end, if you want to mop the floor and tidy up the room, first you need a home. If you want a home, first you need a house. If you want a house, first you need money. If you want money, first you need a job.

Being a stay-at-home dad doesn't strictly count as a job, so if you want to be a stay-at-home dad without a job, you first need someone willing to support you, which is called being a kept man.

"Onii-chan, what are you thinking about?"

Komachi, who was accompanying him, noticed that Hachiman had suddenly slowed down and had a serious expression on his face, and asked him what was wrong.

"I just suddenly realized that the wishes I've been pursuing these past few years aren't so unattainable after all."

"what?"

Ignoring Komachi's astonishment, he almost blurted out, "Would you be willing to support me?" It was terrifying; the principle of being a gigolo was eroding him.

"Your wish? That absurd idea of ​​becoming a gigolo?"

Upon hearing this, Hiratsuka Shizuka spoke up, and Chisa, who had been in a great hurry, paused for a moment upon hearing these words.

He is a stay-at-home husband.

Hachiman immediately retorted, "Although the real meaning is the same, would you call someone who hasn't been in a relationship for twenty or thirty years and only has a crush on one person in their memories a simp? When you're out in the world, you have to have your own style!"

"Ah, yes, yes."

Hiratsuka Shizuka casually waved her hand, her nonchalant attitude seemingly trampling on his dreams. So Hachiman looked up at the sky, so that his crown wouldn't fall.

Stay-at-home dad, what a strange dream!

Chisa glanced at Hachiman, who was looking up and oblivious to the stares of others. It was the first time she had ever heard of someone having such a bizarre wish.

It's not that it's bad; after all, everyone has their own unique ideas. But such uniqueness is truly rare. Based on her understanding of him, she thought he would become the kind of office worker who had to give in to the pressures of making a living. His temperament is very similar.

They complain about how hard life is, but they still have to grit their teeth and persevere. They work like oxen and horses, but earn less than oxen and horses.

However, with his abilities, he will surely succeed.

Chisa inexplicably held a very firm expectation for this boy. She believed that his future would be as he wished, and even if he encountered setbacks along the way, he would eventually find happiness.

Because he is the kind of person who will do his best to adapt to whoever he is with, and those who see his efforts will surely respond to his hopes because of his sincerity.

With that in mind, she slowed her pace and walked alongside Hachiman. After all, it was still early, so it didn't matter if she went a little slower.

"Aren't there two people standing over there?"

With a halting pace, the four of them reached the road halfway along the coast. Komachi squinted and pointed to two figures leaning against the railing not far away. Hachiman looked over.

I saw the person Chisa wanted to see.

"Nanaka-senpai, Azusa-senpai."

"Chisa? Hachiman? What brings you here?"

Chapter 71 German Exam

On the morning of the new day, "Grand Blue," the three male freshmen gathered around a table. They exchanged glances, and Kitahara Iori took the black box that had been under the table and placed it on it.

"Are you ready? I'm about to start."

Kitahara Iori placed her hand on the combination lock of the suitcase, and when Hikigaya Hachiman saw this, a strange light appeared in his dead fish eyes.

"You even locked it?"

"Of course, those are confidential documents."

Kitahara Iori looked solemn. After turning the first number, he quickly glanced around to make sure that only the three of them were present before turning the second and third numbers.

With a click, the box unlocked. Iori grasped both sides and opened it. Inside, there was a thick layer of foam, and in the center of the foam, there was a piece of paper covered with writing.

Is this... the way to help them pass their German exams?

Under the unwavering gazes of the other two, Hachiman Hikigaya calmed his emotions, picked up the paper, and stared at the nano-sized characters on it. He was inevitably shocked, his fingers gripping the corner of the paper tightly. This is... this is!

"Isn't this just a cheat sheet? And they even went to a print shop to shrink it so much, only a ghost could see it!"

"It's okay, just bring a magnifying glass."

Kitahara Iori remained calm and composed. Don't forget, they are students. It's normal for students to carry a magnifying glass with them.

"You're really a talent."

Hachiman couldn't understand. The proctor wasn't blind. During the exam, while everyone else was thinking about how to solve the problems, someone was looking around with a magnifying glass. You can't say that's cheating. Could it be that they were trying to make fire by rubbing sticks together?

"I also think this method is a bit inappropriate."

Kohei Imamura took the paper from Hachiman's hand and narrowed his eyes: "The magnifying glass is too big. It might be discovered along with the cheat sheet."

"Then what can you do?"

Gengping gave a cold laugh: "Find a shrinking glass and shrink the magnifying glass."

Upon hearing his words, Iori was immediately stunned. What? He hadn't even considered that there was such a method. Indeed, the saying "the early bird catches the worm" is true.

"You don't believe me, do you?" Hachiman asked speechlessly.

"That's a very good approach to solving the problem," Iori said earnestly, stroking her chin.

"So here's the question: where did you find that blue fat cat?"

"Nanaka-nee, could you please make some dorayaki?"

"Huh? It's not really a good idea to eat sweets so early in the morning."

Hachiman sighed as he watched Iori, who was smugly preparing to use a dorayaki to catch a cat in his room drawer. It seemed he was definitely going to fail his German exam today.

"Iori!"

Kohei suddenly shouted, but his serious expression did not make Hachiman think that he would blame the other party. After spending a long time together, he already knew what kind of tricks the two of them had up their sleeves.

How could you do this!

"What?!" Hachiman looked at him in disbelief. Noticing his horrified expression, Kohei smiled faintly at him, his eyes filled with reassurance.

"What are you talking about, Kohei?"

"I'm talking about your foolish behavior!" Kohei said disdainfully, turning to point at Iori. The bright sunlight shone on his golden hair, giving it a sacred glow.

"Doraemon is a national-level children's animated series in Japan. The storyline and characters in it are fictional and do not exist at all. So your attempt to use dorayaki to catch a cat is completely impossible."