The Hikigaya couple's youthful love story is definitely not a problem.

After rolling over on the bed to make room for Hachiman, Komachi decisively threw away the game console in her hand and stared at her brother's side with her dark eyes. What Hachiman didn't know was that in recent years, he could no longer keep everything in his heart and silently bear everything alone, just like before.

Although Komachi was only looking at Hachiman's profile, she couldn't hide her sorrow. She didn't have much to do at school every day and didn't have to worry about anything, but Komachi was very unhappy.

No matter what her life is like, Komachi won't be happy if Hachiman is unhappy. In other words, if Hachiman always has a smile on his face, no matter how much injustice Komachi suffers outside, she can just run into Hachiman's arms for a while, and before long, she'll be back to her carefree and happy self.

If your brother has any worries or confusion, he can tell Xiaoshi. Isn't the reason why siblings have such a good relationship?

Komachi's uniquely deep voice gently rippled in Hachiman's ears, and every time she spoke like this, she always inspired others.

I was just thinking that Hachiman's closed eyes suggested he didn't want to share his feelings with Komachi.

Your brother is like a child; he won't even talk unless there's something in return. The fact that Komachi became your sister must mean she owed you a lot of money before, so she simply signed a contract to pay it off.

Ah! If that's the case, Xiao Ding might have been her brother's wife before?

Her eyes suddenly lit up. Komachi quickly went through her daily life with Hachiman after they became husband and wife, and then she burst out laughing like an idiot.

What nonsense are you thinking?

I've only ever heard of daughters being their fathers' lovers from a past life, but I've never heard of a younger sister being her older brother's childhood sweetheart from a past life.

Having his attention drawn to Komachi, Hachiman immediately felt much better.

Opening his eyes and seeing his sister's smiling face, the boy could only smile wryly. "I said I was in my past life, so what? Could it be that you still dislike Komachi, brother?" He gently lifted Hachiman's head and placed it on his kneeling thigh.

The smooth cotton pajamas carried a faint scent and warmth of a woman's soft body. Even through his hair, there was something indescribable enveloping Hachiman's entire head.

If my brother is unhappy or troubled by anything, he can talk to Komachi. Komachi is already a senior in high school and has her own worldview. Now she can finally help her brother relieve his worries in the living room.

A happy and joyful smile appeared on Komachi's face. It was clear that the woman was indeed as happy as she had said, genuinely delighted to be able to help her beloved brother.

I'm just wondering whether I should dwell on the past or let it go and find what I want again.

In the past, Hachiman had no life goals; he seemed to live simply to live, and to prevent his younger sister from experiencing heartbreak.

Now, this situation has become even more serious, to the point that the question that Hachiman thinks about most every day is what he exists for.

Ok.

In Komachi's opinion, it was absolutely impossible for her brother to forget everything.

My brother has always been more emotional than rational since he was a child. Even so, he has suppressed himself for many years and deliberately shown his rational side. But as siblings, we know each other very well. I know every aspect of my brother like the back of my hand.

Manju had a proud expression on his face, as if Komachi thought it was a difficult thing to understand Hachiman.

Therefore, what the older brother should do is not to completely forget.

He poured all his love—past, present, and future—into her, immersing her in the beauty of this newfound happiness.

Her small, delicate hand gently brushed against Hachiman's cheek and forehead, the gentle movement helping to smooth out Hachiman's deeply furrowed brows and bringing a happy smile to her own face.

Moreover, no matter what her brother chooses, at least Komachi is always by her side.

Having been cared for and looked after for so many years, it's finally Komachi's turn to repay her brother.

If you ever feel any sadness in your heart again, no matter when or where, you can come to Komachi. Komachi's embrace will always be there for you. She leaned down and whispered, her soft murmurs making Hachiman's ears turn a strange red.

Komachi's breath was like the most exquisite wine, making Hachiman intoxicated without him even realizing it.

Isn't my brother feeling unwell today? Let's just do this today, otherwise, in a few years, once Komachi gets fat, she'll probably start to be disliked.

Komachi, whose weight had already exceeded 100 pounds, patted Hachiman on the shoulder. The tacit understanding they had developed over the years made Komachi know that Hachiman would definitely understand what she wanted to do next.

Forget it, I don't think it's necessary.

With his eyes closed, Hachiman looked so relaxed that he didn't want to move an inch.

He simply used his younger sister's thigh as a pillow to rest on.

Never mind then~ I was planning to give this to my brother as a reward, but it turns out he doesn't want it anymore.

Komachi spoke nonchalantly, but her nonchalant tone caught Hachiman's attention.

What reward? I don't recall you ever asking me to do anything before.

After trying hard to recall, Hachiman was quite certain that he was still a very young boy, not some old guy with Alzheimer's disease. Not before, but now, I just happen to want to discuss some things with my brother today.

Since the New Year is coming soon, the student council of Soubu High School is holding a party. Although it's not a big event and not all teachers and students will attend, there will still be quite a few people. So I'd like to invite my brother to come and take a look, and maybe he can come backstage and help out.

With her eyes half-closed, Komachi always thinks about her brother's happiness, doesn't she? So she's using some little tricks, and she believes Hachiman will understand. Since you've said so, as the older brother, I naturally have no reason not to agree. Just tell me the time. Anyway, there's nothing important to do, it'll only take up half a day of work at most.

After some thought, Hachiman realized that he probably wasn't in good shape lately, so he decided to take this opportunity to adjust his mindset and relax.

Hmm, I knew my brother would agree. In that case, let's start naming him the same way as before.

After taking off her socks, her small, cute toes wiggled mischievously a few times, and Komachi seemed to be getting impatient.

After Hachiman turned around, she carefully supported him by the shoulder and stepped onto the platform. As Komachi stood up, her center of gravity shifted little by little! Hachiman couldn't help but let out a comfortable sound.

Using her sister's weight and the immense pressure from her feet to force the misaligned spine back into place is a rare and enjoyable experience.

if line

Chapter Twenty-Five: Prelude

Hachiman realized he had miscalculated. Yesterday, he was so engrossed in the pleasure of Komachi's weight and the way her outstretched feet corrected his misaligned spine that caused his poor posture that he had agreed without even thinking about it.

However, when he arrived at the scene, Hachiman realized that Komachi had now reached a point where she would even scheme against her own brother.

Hachiman had thought he could sit comfortably in the audience and watch his juniors perform, reliving the energy of youth, but now he felt it would be better to stay home and do his daily work.

After all, Hachiman is extremely familiar with his job. Even if he doesn't have any fondness for it, he's long been used to the mechanical routine. However, Hachiman has never been good at managing people. If he were to play the bad cop and intimidate others, Hachiman might have some experience.

Komachi.

If you need my help, please let me know in advance next time.

And wouldn't your classmates find it strange that someone you don't know well would suddenly appear at this event? Hachiman looked at the people around him running around busily and felt so out of place.

No, I only called my brother over today to deal with a annoying person. He promised to help me with a program, but he only came now and is very unhappy. However, Komachi forgot the face she had when she was coaxing Rumi. She was extremely mercenary and even threw out her brother's preferences without caring.

Let me guess, the person you're talking about is probably named Tsurumi Rumi.

Without a second thought, Hachiman immediately knew who Komachi was talking about. After all, the only person Hachiman could be connected to at Soubu High School right now was that little girl he had met by chance.

With a silent sigh, Hachiman roughly estimated that he hadn't seen Rumi for at least two years, and the impression of this girl had been buried deep in his mind.

If it weren't for a sudden thought this year to check on Komachi's academic performance when she was a senior in high school, Hachiman probably wouldn't even know that Rumi got into Soubu High School. He originally thought that time could gradually wear down people's feelings, but Rumi, who was different from ordinary people since childhood and had been isolated since elementary school, naturally wouldn't think in the way that ordinary people do.

After several years apart, their friendship has deepened. Even Hachiman, who has never liked socializing, finds it a bit tricky. This woman is the same as Yukino Yui and Isshiki. She not only knows the names of those she feels for, but also takes the initiative to express them at the right time.

Yukino's problem was that even though she knew her feelings for Hachiman were love, she could never take that step.

As for Yui, this girl seems to have always felt that she is just a bystander who is trying to ride the coattails of others' popularity. If things hadn't developed to the point where there was no way to end things without making a choice, Yui would probably still be confused and think that the relationship between the three of them is still stable and without any barriers.

As for Isshiki, she just loves to court death. Every time she has a good chance, if she just swallows the second half of her sentence, she won't end up getting the girl card from Hachiman.

Hehehe, as expected of Komachi's brother, you can guess what she's thinking.

Speaking without any shame, Komachi seemed completely unconcerned that Hachiman had seen through her actions.

Or rather, for Komachi, it would be easier for Hachiman to carry out what she wanted to do next if he knew.

But what's the point of calling me over? I have virtually no experience as a staff member in this kind of situation. If you want my help, you might as well ask a member of the student union. After all, as students, they would definitely be more enthusiastic than me about this kind of thing.

Having completely turned into a lazy bum, Hachiman, who was already reluctant to go out, lost all interest after being provoked by Haruno yesterday.

Moreover, how to handle the situation of studying in the United States is a question that requires time to think about. Hachiman really doesn't want to see another wonderful girl get hurt because of his flaws.

To others, the older brother would be utterly useless, perhaps even less effective than a scolding from a responsible teacher. But to Rumi, you are a highly effective and quick-acting remedy. As long as the older brother tries to persuade Rumi, all her nervousness and anxieties immediately vanish. With a playful laugh, Komachi pushed Hachiman from behind to the front of a classroom door. After patting Hachiman on the shoulder as encouragement, Komachi left with a satisfied smile on her face.

Just how wealthy is Soubu High School to have so many empty, unused rooms? Standing in front of the familiar wooden door, if it weren't for the wrong floor, Hachiman would have thought he had wandered back to the Service Club in a daze.

Unfortunately, the place that once held countless laughs and chatter among them has now become a dumping ground for miscellaneous items. If you're not careful before entering, you might very well be choked by the dust when the door opens.

He reached out to open the door, but it seemed to be stuck from the inside. Even though Hachiman was trying very hard, it wouldn't budge. He stood there awkwardly knocking on the door. If he didn't know Komachi's reliable nature at crucial moments, he would have started to wonder if she was joking with him. Was someone there?

Frowning, and still receiving no response after knocking on the door, Hachiman couldn't help but call out while pressing his ear against the sliding door, trying to determine if anyone was inside by sound.

It was as if Alibaba had given a secret signal—the door, which had been completely still, was suddenly flung open after Hachiman spoke.

Before he could even react, Hachiman was dragged into the room.

The scenery before him suddenly changed, causing Hachiman to feel a brief sense of bewilderment and helplessness.

However, once he regained his balance, the first thing that caught Hachiman's eye was that quiet girl.

Rumi gives Hachiman the feeling of a younger version of Yukino; the two are 90% alike in terms of personality and appearance.

This is one of the reasons why Hachiman found studying in America troublesome.

Did Komachi ask Hachiman to do it?

As Rumi spoke with an embarrassed tone, Hachiman immediately noticed the difference between her and Yukino.

Although both are high.

However, because Rumi skipped a grade, she was actually younger than when she first met Yukino, which made her face appear even more youthful.

Ah... um, she brought me here without telling me what I'm supposed to do.

Being called by his name by Rumi made Hachiman feel incredibly awkward, and even the air in the room started to feel unbreathable.

Hachiman might just feel a little awkward, but Rumi is different. Last time, she didn't even have a chance to get close enough to see if there was any difference between the person she hadn't seen for so long and the person she hadn't seen before. She could only imagine what Hachiman looked like based on Komachi's descriptions. Now, Rumi wanted to stick her eyes all over Hachiman. Hachiman spoils her too much. He never tells me what he wants her to do before he does it. He only mentions it briefly at the very end. He always adds to my burden. Rumi has been tricked by Komachi so many times. She is full of bitterness and resentment. Today, Rumi has finally found someone to complain to. So, the woman couldn't help but feel the urge to vent her inner bitterness.

Perhaps... For some reason, a strange sense of disgust arose in his heart. Komachi was undoubtedly the most important person to Hachiman, so no matter who spoke ill of her, it would make Hachiman a little unhappy.

Komachi also said it was because of their friendship, but I've never seen anything like it. What kind of friend would betray you like that?

Even with her lips pouting, which had a beautiful color, Liu Mei naturally wanted to share her feelings about being schemed against after meeting someone on the same side.

Let alone friends, that girl Xiao Ding is even scheming against me, her brother, all the time. It's as if you don't even have the right to be schemed against if you're not close to her.

His attitude softened instantly. Hachiman mainly thought that Komachi had been trying her best to bring him and Rumi together, so the relationship between the two of them must be very good.

Hachiman has an innate affinity for his sister's friends as long as they are not male, not to mention that Rumi is an old friend of Hachiman's.

After Hachiman answered Rumi's little question, the two fell into an eerie silence.

Hachiman doesn't know why he came here, while Rumi is unsure what to do next.

Although Rumi said she had told Komachi that she had never performed in front of so many people before and was therefore a little nervous, Hachiman's reaction didn't seem like he was trying to comfort her at all. So she knew that Komachi had forgotten to tell Hachiman the most important point again.

It's impossible for a girl to directly tell Hachiman that she's nervous and wants some comfort from him. Although Rumi really wants to take the initiative and reveal all her feelings to Hachiman, now is not the right time.

Rumi felt that she should at least wait until the time was right before taking the initiative. Right now, they had just reunited, and being too infatuated would not only not make Hachiman happy, but might even scare him away.