The azure sea, but a lonely, fulfilled life.

"Oh, it's a friend coming over. I won't bother them then. I'll just put the photos on the table, hmm."

Nanaka's body tilted slightly as she accidentally stepped on a knocked-over soda can, causing the photos in her hand to scatter on the ground. One of the photos flew into the air and was caught by Kohei.

Everyone looked at the photo, and saw that Hachiman was being held by the arm of a pretty girl with brown hair, and the girl was playfully kissing his cheek.

A silent atmosphere filled the room.

Hachiman looked at the familiar little devil, Isshiki Hachiman, in the photo, and his heart went numb.

This was after he finished taking his graduation photos. The other person pulled him to the cherry blossom tree in the courtyard, saying they had a surprise for him. As a result, the thing in the photo happened, which was called a "friendship kiss before parting".

It seems we need to change the name now. This isn't a kiss of friendship; it's a death knell that could send him to hell.

"Feel sorry!"

Seeing the photos scattered all over the floor, Nanaka apologized profusely and squatted down to pick them up, while adding fuel to the fire as she did so.

"Hachiman, so you know so many girls."

so much?

The silent crowd grasped the key words.

So, there's more than one?

"Nanaka-nee, could you please give me the photo?" Iori asked indifferently, reaching out her hand.

"Eh? We'll have to ask Hachiman's opinion."

"It's alright! He's already agreed!"

Iori smiled broadly and pointed at Hachiman with both hands. Nanaka looked up and saw his companions surrounding him affectionately, while Hachiman nodded as he drank heavily.

"OK then."

Hearing the other party's response, Hachiman's pupils dilated in shock, but he couldn't offer any explanation.

"Stay put, Hachiman, or else..."

Nojima, who had tightly bound his hands, spoke in a sinister tone.

Under his desperate gaze, Iori took the photos from Nanaka's hand. As the photos were shown to them one by one, their faces turned as black as soot from the bottom of a pot.

"Nanaka-nee, could you please step outside for a moment? We have something we'd like to discuss privately with Hachiman."

Nanaka blinked: "Okay."

Don't go! No!

Hachiman pleaded with his eyes for Nanaka not to leave, but at that moment, Nanaka was like a husband in a sitcom who was always doing housework, completely ignoring his pleas.

"Well then, it's time for the pleasant interrogation." The crowd's faces were contorted with rage as they approached Hachiman, rubbing their hands together in anticipation.

"Ugh! Ugh! Ugh————————"

……

Nanaka stopped on the stairs after leaving the room. She took out a music ticket from her pocket, her eyes filled with ambiguity.

"Sister, did you take the clothes I changed out of today to wash?"

Just then, Chisa, who had just finished taking a shower, came over. She couldn't find Nana downstairs, so she was going upstairs to look for her. As soon as she went upstairs, she ran into Nana, who was in a daze.

"Ah."

Upon hearing this, Chisa became nervous.

"I have a music ticket in my clothes, sister, have you seen it?"

"Is this the one?" Nanaka reached into her pocket and took out the ticket she was already holding.

"Ah."

Upon seeing the ticket, Chisa breathed a sigh of relief. She took the ticket and looked at Nanaka.

The older sister seemed to have come out of Hachiman's room.

"What does my sister want with Hachiman?"

"No." Nanaka narrowed her eyes slightly and smiled.

It's all over now...

Penguins can't become bears

Chapter One: A Peaceful Morning

"What's wrong with Hachiman?"

The bright morning light streamed into the shop through the open doorway. At the Japanese-style table, Toshio Kotegawa put down his empty plate. He was conflicted. To be honest, he didn't really want to experience the way young people play these days, as it made him feel like he was no longer young.

But isn't this a bit too bizarre?

He focused his gaze on a boy not far away whose hands were bound behind his back with chains, who looked as if he were being suspended, his head hanging down, a sign that read "I'm a scumbag" hanging on his chest, and who was completely naked.

Because he rarely takes off his clothes and doesn't like to sunbathe, the boy's upper body skin is as white as a wall. At this moment, this white wall is covered with many red scratches of varying sizes, giving the overall impression of being humiliated.

Toshio Kotegawa had heard of a bold trend among young people called alphabet play, but this was the first time he had witnessed it firsthand. He didn't understand whether this method could really bring pleasure. He just felt that having his hands restrained like that would definitely give him frozen shoulder.

"It's nothing, he just likes cosplay, Uncle."

Kitahara Iori stirred the natto in the bowl. Hmm, this aroma of beans mixed with a faint stench is really unbearable.

"cosplay?"

Are there two ways to play?

Kotegawa Toshio swallowed a mouthful of miso soup in great shock. It seemed that Nanaka had added a little too much salt today; it tasted a bit salty.

Amidst the varying reactions of the others—some shocked, some calm—only Kotegawa Chisa's ears turned red as she tugged at Kotegawa Nanaka's sleeve.

"What's wrong? Chisa, do you want more rice?"

Nanaka Kotegawa looked at her younger sister with affection, noticing that her face was normal. Chisa pursed her dry lips and asked softly.

"Sister, don't you think something's strange?"

"strangeness?"

Nanaka Kotegawa blinked and turned to look at the food on the table: miso soup, smoked fish, natto, rice, and pickled radish. It was all normal, perfectly in line with the Japanese people's habits for a formal breakfast.

No! Something's missing!

"Yes, it's all my sister's fault for being careless."

How could I forget that thing?

Seeing that she finally reacted, Kotegawa Chisa breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that she wasn't the only one who felt something was wrong, which was really good.

"Chisa, here you go."

"...Sister, what is this?"

Chisaki Kotegawa awkwardly accepted the item handed to her. Staring at the unusual black machine in her hand, she pressed the red button on the right side with a sense of unease.

A bluish-green light flashed before her eyes, and at the same time, a buzzing sound rang in her ears.

Isn't this a stun gun?!

"Now Chisa is safe."

Nanaka clasped her hands together, rested them on her cheeks, and chuckled softly.

"What a wise idea! Nanaka-neechan."

Kitahara Iori gave a thumbs-up in praise.

Wow, they even have electric shocks! That's really fancy.

Unwilling to admit he's out of touch, Toshio Kotegawa is trying to keep up with the kids' ideas; after all, young people always have a lot of imaginative and whimsical thoughts.

"No, what's wrong with you guys?"

Chisa Kotegawa was completely bewildered. Iori was one thing, but why was her older sister like this too? And what on earth happened to make Hachiman look like this?

"Ugh, oh, it hurts, it hurts—"

Just as her mind was a complete mess, Hachiman Hikigaya, who had been forcibly shut down, finally woke up. The first thing he did after waking up was to take his hands out of the handcuffs under Chisa's horrified gaze, stand up without hesitation, and rub his sore joints.

"Ugh—"

He yawned and looked at everyone. His dead fish-like eyes were still shrouded in a gray mist. He hadn't fully woken up yet. His head was throbbing as if it were about to explode, and he felt hungry in his stomach, with an instinctive urge to eat.

"Good morning, Chisa, the manager, Nanaka-senpai, and the perverted naked man."

Muscle memory enabled him to greet people.

"Why does the way I'm addressed change when it comes to me?!"

Kitahara Iori pointed at him indignantly, while Hikigaya Hachiman scratched his head and replied.

"You haven't changed. Aren't you still the same perverted naked man?"

"You look more like it now!"

"What?" Hachiman looked down at himself, but his vision was blocked by the plaque on his chest. He stared at the blood-red words on the plaque for a long time before speaking.

"He's not naked, there's still a sign on."

"I was shocked by what was written on the sign!"

Kitahara Iori's expression turned serious. This guy really is a scumbag. Otherwise, his first reaction to seeing such a denial would definitely be to refute it.

In other words, what happened in those photos is real, not photoshopped! Unbelievable! This guy thought he only became popular with women after coming here, but it turns out he was already a womanizer back in high school! And he even tried to help him find someone new! Ugh! Disgusting!

Jealousy has distorted his image. There weren't any ugly women in those photos! They were all beauties on par with Nana and Chisa! This guy, he's even shy about dating. Tell me, isn't that infuriating? What's worse, he actually found someone!

What is it about this jerk that attracts beautiful girls?! Is it just because his Truth-Seeking Ball is a little bigger than others?! When he's erect, he's just a caterpillar, isn't he? Wait a minute! Could it be that they've seen him when he's erect?

Hachiman Hikigaya was looking down, trying to organize his thoughts. He was hungry, and his mind was completely occupied by the thought of being hungry and wanting to eat.

A whooshing sound came from the air. He instinctively turned his body to the side, and a fork flew straight past his chest, passing within five centimeters, and stuck into the wall with a clanging sound that left everyone dumbfounded.

Is this a new way to play?

Toshio Kotegawa couldn't hold back anymore; these young people are going too far with their antics.

It was tableware. Hachiman Hikigaya, who had narrowly escaped being assassinated, grabbed the fork and pulled it away, walking towards Chisa's direction. Subconsciously, he was told that staying by her side was safer.

He sat down next to Chisa, picked up an empty bowl, and held it out to Nanaka Kotegawa: "Could you please give me a bowl?"

"..."

Seeing this, Chisa Kotegawa felt a mix of emotions. She asked Kitahara Iori, who was sitting blankly to the side.

"How much did you drink yesterday?"

"Three boxes."

"Just three cases?" Chisa Kotegawa looked at him questioningly. Given their drinking capacity, this shouldn't be the case. "White or red?"

"Beer."

"That's not much, so why is he like this?"

Chisa, her cheeks slightly flushed, tried her best to avoid looking at Hachiman, who was calmly eating breakfast, and asked him urgently.

"The six of us only drank three cases, but he drank more than twenty bottles by himself, plus a bottle of liquor and half a bottle of brandy."

This guy's brain will be ruined by all that drinking!

Chisa Kotegawa was dumbfounded. She looked at Hachiman, who was chewing on smoked fish without even spitting out the bones, and quickly stopped him.

How can you drink alcohol like that!

Under Nanaka's astonished gaze, she cupped Hachiman's cheeks, pinched his jaw with her hands, and said forcefully, "Open your mouth."

Hachiman Hikigaya blinked. In his hallucination, he seemed to see his mother's stern face after she discovered that he had put a coin in his mouth when he was young and didn't know any better.

He obediently opened his mouth, and Chisa looked at the scattered fish bones on his tongue and breathed a slight sigh of relief, thankfully he hadn't swallowed them.

"Spit it out."

"say."