"Onii-chan, you're back!"
The moment Hikigaya Hachiman stepped through the door and into the entryway of his house, Komachi's cheerful voice came drifting out from the living room around the corner.
"You guys hungry yet? Huh? Wait, Komachi—did you already start dinner? Didn't we agree to wait until I got back to cook?"
Before he even reached the living room, the savory aroma of freshly made food greeted him.
He'd been running around all afternoon, which meant dinner would be later than usual tonight. He'd even been wondering whether Komachi might spoil her appetite with snacks before he got home.
But apparently, the two of them had gone ahead and made dinner themselves.
"Shiuan-chan can cook, so we didn't wait for you this time, Onii-chan~"
Wearing an apron and grinning brightly, Komachi popped her head out from the kitchen to greet her older brother as he came in from outside.
Normally, Komachi would just help out with chores or prep work—dinner was almost always handled by her brother, the self-proclaimed "aspiring househusband."
But well... maybe starting today, things were going to be a little different.
"You made the new girl cook the moment she arrived? Isn't that kind of rude?"
Hachiman stepped into the living room and saw a black-haired girl busily working at the counter in the semi-open kitchen. He turned toward Komachi, grabbed her cheeks, and stretched them out to the sides.
"Mmmn~ ith not like I made her! Shiuan-chan insishted hershelf!"
Komachi's words came out muffled and slurred thanks to her brother tugging on her face.
"So she insisted, and you just went along with it?"
Rolling his eyes at his scheming little sister, Hachiman let go and walked toward the kitchen.
"Good evening, Hikigaya-san. I'm Asougi Shiuan, Komachi's classmate. I hope it's all right if I stay here for a few days. Sorry for intruding on such short notice."
The girl in the kitchen—who had clearly noticed the arrival of Komachi's family long before—set down the utensils she'd been holding and turned around. She bowed slightly, her expression calm and polite.
At the same time, the familiar system notification chimed in Hachiman's head, exactly as he expected.
"Character Card Detected — Asougi Shiuan.""Character Mission Triggered — Nowhere to Belong: The Neighbor's Offering."
"Asougi Shiuan has suffered a family tragedy. Her mother had an affair and absconded with their savings, leaving home behind. Her father, driven mad, redirected his hatred toward her.Faced with his abuse, Asougi Shiuan chose to flee—but without the means to live independently, she's now lost and uncertain. Should she return to the home that once felt warm?"
(Illustration available in the updated version.)
Looking at Asougi Shiuan—her delicate features, pale skin, and calm, almost ethereal demeanor—Hachiman's mind, now running sharper than ever, instantly pieced together who this girl was.
So it's her…
She wasn't a major character, but her fate in the original story had been particularly tragic, leaving a deep impression on him.
Domestic violence. Abuse. Being used as a tool to earn money for her father...
A model student and a kind soul—Asougi Shiuan's life was about to be destroyed by the very family she was born into.
"No need to apologize. I should be the one saying sorry for making you cook the moment you got here," Hachiman said with a small shake of his head. His gaze drifted toward the kitchen. "Are the dishes ready? I can take over from here."
"It's all done already. We can start eating anytime," Shiuan replied quickly, relieved to find him so approachable.
"I'll help bring everything out then. Komachi, you too."
Casting a sidelong glance at his grinning sister, Hachiman washed his hands and helped carry the food that Shiuan had prepared to the dining table.
"See? I told you my brother's a good guy, Shiuan. Nothing to worry about!"
Komachi stuck her tongue out playfully at her friend, giggling as she trotted over to grab the bowls. Shiuan hurried to follow and help.
She didn't have many friends, and she wasn't especially close to Komachi. When she'd suddenly been invited to stay over for a few days, she'd worried that Komachi's family might find her a burden or dislike her.
But clearly, she'd been overthinking it. Komachi's brother really was gentle and easygoing.
"Itadakimasu," Hachiman said as he sat down.
Komachi and Shiuan took their seats across from him, and after their brief dinner ritual, they began to eat.
"So, Komachi—how long is Asougi-san planning to stay? Did she already bring all her things over?"
After a few minutes of quiet eating, the atmosphere at the table felt heavy. Shiuan barely spoke, eating silently, her expression subdued. Hachiman thought for a moment before asking.
"She already brought her change of clothes. I have an extra blanket I can lend her too. As for how long... I'm not really sure. Maybe three or four days? Five at most? Once her parents cool down and make up, she can go back home, right?"
Komachi swallowed her food, licked her lips, and glanced at Shiuan beside her, whose expression darkened slightly at the mention of her parents.
"I see..."
Hachiman studied Shiuan quietly, his tone neutral.
So she hasn't told Komachi the real reason she's here.
If the system's mission details were accurate, then her mother's affair was already out in the open. Her father had lost his grip on reality, lashing out violently, and she'd fled home in fear.
But that's not exactly something you can share with others casually.
"I'm just staying for a few days. I'll leave soon," Shiuan said softly, sneaking a glance at Hachiman's face. Seeing his thoughtful silence, she hurried to explain herself.
"Ah—you've misunderstood," Hachiman said, shaking his head with a faint smile. "I wasn't trying to kick you out. I was just wondering how much food I should buy for the next few days."
He paused, noticing the faint unease behind her quiet demeanor. "Oh right—mind if I call you Shiuan? You can call me Onii-san, like Komachi does. Though... 'Onii-chan' is probably pushing it."
"...Onii-san?"
Caught off guard, Shiuan looked at Komachi, unsure what to do.
"Don't worry, Shiuan~ Onii-chan isn't just being polite," Komachi teased, grinning. "A cute girl like you agreeing to be his little sister—even for a few days—is basically a blessing for him!"
Komachi shot her brother a mischievous look, clearly amused.
Her slacker of a brother, taking the initiative to call a girl by her first name? That was new. Sure, Shiuan was beautiful, but Hachiman wasn't the kind of guy who flirted on a whim. He'd even once bragged that he'd never go after middle schoolers.
Still, as a doting sister, Komachi would back her brother up no matter what—whether he was trying to flirt, date, or even go full scumbag mode.
"...Onii-san."
After a moment of hesitation, Shiuan looked from Komachi to Hachiman's gentle expression, then lowered her gaze slightly and whispered, "Thank you for letting me stay."
"Welcome home, Shiuan," Hachiman said, smiling warmly.
She blinked, startled by the phrasing.
"However long you end up staying, just think of this place as your home for now."
Family matters were always the hardest to untangle.
He was just a stranger who'd only just met her. Even if he knew her situation, he had no right to interfere—not after how things had gone the last time he tried to play the "good guy."
Still… if Asougi Shiuan truly felt safer here, then maybe, just maybe, he could find a way to pull her out of the crumbling mess she used to call home.