The azure sea, but a lonely, fulfilled life.

"Uh, never mind."

I believe no man could resist the embrace of a beautiful girl who doesn't want to pinch his waist, unless he is frigid or the girl is his relative.

Kanako Iida's departure took with her a natural fragrance, perhaps the scent of perfume or laundry detergent. Either way, it should have made him blush and his heart race, but surprisingly, he didn't seem to feel much of it.

To be honest, it felt like I was hugged by Komachi.

"Um, have we met somewhere before?"

Even the slowest person can find the answer by piecing together the recent strange events. Iida and Komachi found that the woman standing next to them in the photo had a similar face. Combined with their own inexplicable familiarity with Iida and the fact that the celebrity in front of them claimed to be Iida's older sister, they were able to piece together the evidence that the person in the photo with their younger self was the woman in front of them.

Although he had come to the conclusion that he did indeed know her, the loss of his memory still made him find it hard to believe.

Iida Maya paused slightly, then stepped forward and stroked Hachiman's forehead, the scent of expensive perfume lingering around Hachiman's nose as it traveled along her fingertips.

Hachiman blushed slightly: "Um, I'm not sick."

"Then how come you can't remember..."

The woman murmured, her tone tinged with helplessness.

"I'd also like to know about this."

He took a step back and shook his head.

"Miss Mizuki."

"Call me Maya."

"..." Will he be killed by Kohei after he goes out?

“Maya.” He spoke naturally, even forgetting to add a respectful address after her. “I don’t have any memory of you and Iida…Kanako, but I also know very well that we should know each other, because I have a photo of you and me when we were little.”

Amid the girls' disgruntled cries, he could only address them by their given names. What was truly astonishing was that his ability to make friends was such that he could call both women by their given names after only five minutes of interaction.

If this were posted on Twitter with an exaggerated title, such as "How to call a girl by her name in five minutes," it might attract the attention of many single men in China, potentially boosting his click count and making him an internet celebrity.

When he mentioned having a photo of her with him, Maya Iida's eyes sparkled like stars. If habits, names, and appearances could be faked, then photos don't lie.

He is his own Hachiman.

But... why doesn't he remember?

"We met thirteen years ago."

Maya Iida spoke slowly.

Thirteen years ago? That was when he was six years old, probably just starting first grade.

Hachiman Hikigaya recalled that his elementary school days were particularly memorable. It was from then on that he was isolated by that group of self-righteous brats. Ha, what a ridiculous tactic. The weak always band together to target the strong.

Oops, I'm getting off-topic. Speaking of which, I think I was possessed by someone just now. It was really scary.

First grade... that was so long ago, he has no recollection of it at all.

"It seems you still can't remember."

Seeing his thoughtful expression, Maya Iida felt a pang of disappointment. That memory was the driving force that sustained her as she persevered in her music career after graduating from high school. Whenever she felt tired and about to give up, she would take out the grasshopper he had given her and think about their promise.

"Feel sorry."

Hachiman Hikigaya lowered his eyes, a vague feeling making him feel uneasy. He had often felt this way before, and he thought that this was probably a feeling called guilt.

Feeling guilty towards the woman before him, she exuded a sorrowful aura when she heard that he couldn't remember his past. Perhaps in her heart, that memory with him was a beautiful past.

After his apology, the woman remained silent for a long time. Hachiman Hikigaya lowered his head, not daring to look at her, and waited for the punishment that was about to come like a child who knew he had done wrong.

Time ticked by, but the punishment he awaited did not come. A glimpse of white caught his eye out of the corner of his eye—it was the other person's lace gloves. The smooth touch brushed against his cheek, followed by a gentle voice.

"Since we've forgotten, we can just create something new."

Chapter 50 Great Detective Kitahara Iori

When he came out from backstage, Hachiman Hikigaya was still in a daze. On his way to meet up with Kohei Iori, he began to think about a question.

Is he really good at attracting girls? Why is it that after coming to Izu, he meets more and more women? Back in middle school, he was a gloomy guy who didn't get any attention from girls.

Could it be because they are all very gentle that they are willing to accept him? But something still feels off. There were several girls in my junior high class who were often praised for their good personalities, but they ignored him, even though he hadn't done anything wrong.

Thinking back on it, I was really miserable in junior high school. Maybe it was because I was ignored that I was prone to misinterpreting others' kindness.

Hachiman Hikigaya sighed. If he hadn't forgotten his so-called childhood memories, he might not have caused such an embarrassing incident in junior high school.

That said, what did she mean by creating new memories? He didn't dare to think too much about it because it sounded too narrow. In essence, the whole thing was ridiculous. A childhood friend he didn't remember becoming a popular idol and still thinking about him after they met again was something that only happened in those wish-fulfillment fantasies.

His life has no happy moments whatsoever. To be honest, it's like seaweed being boiled in a pot – not only is it dark in color, but it's also very soft and mushy.

If someone like him can become the male protagonist in a wish-fulfillment novel, then most of the writers must have too many wild ideas, and perhaps even lack a bit of common sense.

People like him...

"Oh, you're back, Hachiman."

Not far away, Iori and the others were sitting on a stone bench, lost in thought. When they saw him, they raised their hands to greet him, while Kohei walked over directly to welcome him.

Yes, that's the kind of life we ​​should enjoy.

Hachiman Hikigaya nodded and walked toward Kohei who was coming to greet him. When they were less than a meter apart, they smiled at each other. Kohei extended his hand, and Hachiman extended his hand in return.

"You bastard! How dare you get so close to Mizuki-chan! That's outrageous!"

Kohei Imamura reached under Hachiman's armpit and grabbed his shoulder. As he prepared to slip his other hand between Hachiman's legs to give him a stretch, Hachiman, anticipating his move, grabbed him and lifted him up, pulling him back to execute an over-the-shoulder throw.

Because I was holding his arm, I didn't actually throw him to the ground; I just let him experience the feeling of flipping in mid-air.

"Calm down, Kohei. I've seen through your moves."

Hachiman Hikigaya calmly released his hand that was holding him down. He had been on guard ever since they came out. This guy really goes crazy when he talks about the things he likes.

"How can it be repaired?"

Kohei Imamura stood up from the ground, not caring about what had just happened. He pressed down on Hachiman's shoulder, his eyes clear.

"What did you and Mizuki-chan talk about inside?"

The crowd also came to their side, seemingly wanting a share of the profits.

"We didn't talk about anything," Hachiman Hikigaya replied. He was joking, though. If this guy knew that he and his favorite idol might be childhood friends, he'd probably kill him.

"you are lying."

Kohei Imamura said with certainty that although the other party concealed it very well, he still saw the shiftiness in the other party's eyes for a moment.

Please tell me! I beg you!

He pleaded, wanting to know what his idol had said to his best friend, whether he had mentioned him, and whether his conspicuous behavior had left a bad impression on the other person. These potentially discussed words were like poison corroding his soul.

Seeing his persistence, Hachiman understood that if he didn't give an answer, the other person might think of something bad. So, he looked at Iori and slowly spoke under his questioning gaze.

Do you guys still remember Kanako Iida?

"Kanako Iida?" Iori thought for a moment, then tapped her palm. "You mean the girl from the aoboros who was scared away by Kohei at the last matchmaking event?"

"Hachiman even participated in a mixer?" Totsuka exclaimed in a low voice.

"That girl is... Ms. Mizuki's younger sister. She was backstage just now. She asked Ms. Mizuki to invite me over, saying that she wanted to express that she had a lot of fun last time."

Hachiman wove his lies without batting an eye, but fortunately, when Kohei heard that the girl who had been scared away by his shocking words last time was his idol's sister, he had already lost his ability to think like a stone statue and did not notice his abnormality.

"Hey—I see? What a small world." Iori was also surprised, never expecting to meet the younger sister of a popular idol. "But why did she only let you go over there alone?"

Hachiman didn't reply, but just silently watched the two of them.

OK, that makes sense. Everything is self-evident.

Kitahara Iori withdrew his desire to continue exploring. Their excessive enthusiasm last time might have frightened the other party, so it was reasonable for them to seek out Hachiman, who had not expressed any gratitude before, to express their thanks. He couldn't find anything wrong with it.

That was what he initially thought, but then he suddenly remembered something else.

Iida-san mentioned before that she also knew someone named Hachiman.

Kitahara Iori looked at the other person suspiciously. He remembered that when he told the other person about this, the other person made up an excuse about having the same name. But what if that wasn't the case?

They may have actually known each other for a long time, but they didn't want them to know, fearing it would anger them, so they chose to keep it a secret.

The reason they called him over separately this time might be to catch up! And if that's the case, Hachiman might have known Mizuki Natsuyo for a long time!

Wow, that's a brilliant deduction, Kitahara Iori! You have the potential to become a world-renowned detective!

Feeling smug, Iori immediately prepared! He looked away as if nothing had happened, after all, there were still many flaws in his guess.

For example, when Hachiman heard Iida's name during the matchmaking event, he didn't react strangely. In addition, Iida brought up the fact that he also had a friend named Hachiman. If Hachiman had decided to hide it from the beginning, it would have been like sabotaging himself. Hachiman, whose IQ is only slightly lower than his own, would not have made such a basic mistake.

Therefore, he cannot speak yet, as he still lacks the most crucial evidence. If he were to rashly reveal his speculations, it might cause some serious trouble.

This isn't a shop; this is Tokyo, a city teeming with people. We need to be more discreet.

If they cause any trouble and Nana finds out, they'll definitely be grounded for a week.

Therefore, we must not muddy the waters based on some speculation.

Thinking this through, Kitahara Iori chose to remain silent.

Chapter 51 Speed ​​and Passion

After leaving the store, Hachiman Hikigaya asked Totsuka and the others about their plans. He wanted to end this Akihabara trip as soon as possible; the events of the past half-day had almost driven him crazy.

He rarely felt so surprised that he had a pair of forgotten childhood sweetheart sisters. This was even more unbelievable than when he first learned that the dog's owner was Yuihama.

He desperately wanted to find a quiet place to sort out his thoughts, and even more so, he wanted to call his parents to ask them. If he, as a child, couldn't remember many things, then his parents, who were already adults at the time, should be able to recall some.

Totsuka shook his head while holding the alpaca doll he had bought. His head moved in the same direction as the doll's head, making him look incredibly cute.

"Nothing."

They were there for the meet-and-greet, and there were no further plans after the event. He really wanted to stay by Hachiman's side, but he now had other good friends, so it might be a little inconvenient.

"Then how about this..."

Let's call it a day and talk again another time.

"How about we go to the Game Center?"

Yoshiteru Zaimoto pushed his glasses up with his middle finger in the middle. This was a rare opportunity to meet. You see, if it weren't for his friend's invitation, he would have preferred to spend his free time studying how to write light novels. As for Hachiman, he was someone who never knew how to share his holiday time with others.

This may be a fateful encounter. The swordsman, who had slaughtered countless people and whose body was soaked in blood, wanted to redeem himself, and the heavens sent down gods and Buddhas to listen to his repentance of his sins.

Just as he was about to disband the group, Hachiman Hikigaya stared at the proud Zaimokuza with his lifeless eyes, wishing he could hit him on the head with his phone and wake him from his doomed dream of becoming a literary giant.

"Game Center? That's a good suggestion."

Ebina smiled and agreed with Zaimokuza's suggestion. Arcade game arcades, huh? That's the best place to showcase boys' passion. Maybe she can get a lot of inspiration from there.

She glanced at the four boys in front of her without revealing her expression, and then her lips curled into an exaggerated smile.

Kitahara Iori noticed this and moved closer to Hachiman, her brow furrowing as she whispered, "Hey, there's something strange about that girl's eyes."

"You actually noticed?" Indeed, Ebina hadn't tried to hide it; in fact, his gaze was now even more intense.

"The main thing is that her eyes are too familiar. Just like Azusa-nee, is she also a dual-wielder?" Iori saw the appearance of another familiar person in the girl. Her eyes, if not exactly the same, were at least seven or eight parts similar.

"No, she's straight, she just likes curved things."

"Ok?"

Hachiman didn't want to argue with him about too many things, so he was about to refuse their suggestion. But just as he was about to say it, Totsuka blinked his bright eyes and looked at him excitedly.

"Let's go together, Hachiman. Maybe we can do more fun things in Akihabara." His tone changed, and he looked up at her with a gentle expression. "Okay?"

His coquettish words almost depleted Hachiman's health bar. He clutched his heart, trying to calm his wildly beating heart. No, his jump count for today was about to exceed the limit.

Hachiman Hikigaya gritted his teeth. He felt he didn't need to be so distressed, because they didn't even have enough money for the high-speed rail fare back home, let alone to pay for exports.

"Feel sorry."

After thinking about it for a long time, he still refused.

"Eh—why?" Totsuka asked anxiously.

"I didn't bring much money with me this time. I only have enough for the return trip." He explained that he didn't mean to refuse their invitation; he simply didn't have the money.

"I can lend it to you, Hachiman, first."

Totsuka took out his wallet and generously pulled out a 5,000 yen note, handing it to the other person.