Next Target, 200PS!!
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"Come to think of it, you haven't been to my place to play games in a while. Want to come over tonight?" Marin Kitagawa asked casually, leaning against Kai.
"Ahem. Marin, we're out in public. Try to restrain yourself a bit," Yukino Yukinoshita reminded her.
She didn't suspect anything deeper. Marin was naturally outgoing, so her casual closeness just seemed like a sign of good friendship. Still, seeing the two of them glued together left a faint sting of displeasure in Yukino's chest.
"What does it matter? We're friends anyway. Hiding it would be the real problem!" Wrapping an arm around his shoulder, Marin looked entirely unbothered.
"..." It was sound logic. For a moment, Yukino didn't know how to retort.
"Alright, alright. Let go for now." Kai patted Marin's hand, signaling her to back off.
"Fine." Pouting slightly, Marin obediently pulled her hand away. Watching this unfold, Yukino felt a wave of satisfaction.
"As for the game, if nothing comes up, I'll be there." Calculating the days in his head, Kai figured Marin's body should be mostly recovered by now.
"Really?" Receiving a firm answer, Marin's face instantly lit up with joy.
"Unless something unexpected comes up, I should be free." It worked out perfectly—it would give Sakiko a much-needed break anyway.
"Yes!" Marin happily threw her arms around him again, leaning in to whisper in his ear. "I bought a bunch of new toys, you know."
"..."
Tsk.
Among all the girls around him, Marin was undeniably the most playful and open-minded.
"Oh, right!" Thinking of something else, Marin turned to look at Yukino and Megumi. "Yuki, Megumi, do you guys want to join us?"
"T-Together?" Yukino was in the dark, but Megumi knew exactly what kind of "game" Marin and Kai were playing.
Yukino, who innocently assumed they were talking about normal video games, shot the startled Megumi a confused look. It was just a game. Why the shocked reaction?
"As for gaming..." Truthfully, the warm atmosphere of the Service Club had made Yukino appreciate spending time with friends. Hanging out and playing games together sounded nice. However, she shook her head with a faint sigh.
"Sorry, my sister is coming over to my apartment tonight, so I'll be busy." Even though she had moved out of the family estate, Haruno still dropped by occasionally—mostly just to make sure her little sister hadn't been targeted by any shady guys.
"Ah, what a shame! I guess we'll have to wait until next time!" Marin looked disappointed but didn't push the issue.
"Yes, next time," Yukino agreed, mirroring the sentiment.
"..." Standing nearby, Megumi was speechless. 'If you actually knew what kind of "game" they were playing, I doubt you'd be feeling any regret right now.'
"What about you, Megumi?" Breaking the silence, Marin shifted her focus to the quiet girl.
"Me?" She had almost forgotten she was included in the invitation.
"I actually..." Megumi wasn't oblivious like Yukino. But before the words of rejection could leave her mouth, Marin leaned in with a bright smile.
"Don't worry, we're just going to play a game! If you don't like it, I won't force you into anything. Kai-kun and I can just walk you home afterward. How does that sound?"
While she desperately wanted to recreate her favorite eroge's co-op plotlines in real life, Marin had no intention of forcing the issue if Megumi was genuinely uncomfortable. It was only fun if everyone was a willing participant. If someone was resisting, it defeated the entire purpose.
"Well..." The offer made Megumi hesitate. Noticing Kai's gaze on her as well, the refusal died in her throat. "I suppose I can give it a try."
"Yay!" Seeing her agree, Marin cheered.
'It's just a game, right? Is there really a need to be that excited?' Yukino grew even more curious. She resolved to find some free time in the future to see exactly what kind of game possessed such captivating charm.
"Ahem." Kai cleared his throat. "It's getting late. We should probably head over to Hitori's place now."
After all, the entire point of meeting up today was to visit her house.
"Right, right! Onward to Bocchi-chan's house!" Marin cheered.
Ever since she heard Kai use the nickname, Marin had adopted it too. Mostly because Hitori seemed to like it and took zero offense. Otherwise, Marin would never have used a nickname like that.
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"Speaking of which... do any of you actually know where her house is?"
After riding the train for an hour and wandering into a quiet residential area, Marin suddenly realized she had no clue where they were going.
"..." Yukino and Megumi fell silent. Clearly, they were just as clueless.
The three girls simultaneously turned their gaze toward Kai. He was the one who had been leading the way this entire time, after all.
"Well, I know the general vicinity," Kai shrugged casually from the front of the group.
"The general vicinity? There are dozens of houses here! That's not going to work. Let me just call her." Marin reached for her phone.
"No need." Spotting something up ahead, Kai stopped her and pointed down the street. "Found it."
"???"
'Didn't you just say you only knew the general area? How did you spot it so fast?'
But as the girls followed his gaze, a collective silence descended over them.
Strung up directly outside one of the houses down the block was a massive, highly conspicuous banner:
[A Warm Welcome to Hitori Gotoh's Friends!]
Kai had seen this exact scene play out in the anime, but witnessing it in person still made him want to burst out laughing. Even the endlessly energetic Marin was left staring in stunned silence.
"As expected of Bocchi-chan..." Now that she thought about it, this was exactly the kind of stunt Hitori would pull.
"Mhm," Yukino and Megumi nodded in unison.
"Alright, let's head over. Who knows if Bocchi is getting anxious waiting for us." Led by Kai, the group walked toward the Gotoh residence.
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Meanwhile, inside the Gotoh household.
Hitori sat stiffly on the couch, fidgeting with nervous energy. Her parents exchanged a glance before her mother let out a gentle sigh.
"Don't be so tense, Hitori. Even if these friends of yours are imaginary, your father and I aren't going to be mad."
After all, she had pulled similar stunts since she was a little girl. Michiyo spoke gently, and Naoki, her father, nodded solemnly in agreement.
Only her younger sister—elementary schooler Futari Gotoh—sat comfortably on the couch, munching on snacks. "Well, sis, if you're really that desperate, I can introduce you to some of my friends at school!"
"..." Aren't all your friends elementary schoolers??
"N-No need!" Hitori shot up from the couch. She declared with firm resolution, "They aren't imaginary! My friends are going to be here any minute!"
"..."
Watching her desperate defense, her family exchanged another look and shook their heads. They decided to let it go. She was their daughter, and poking holes in her imaginary friend story would only make things worse. Knowing Hitori, she would probably just lock herself in her closet and refuse to ever come out again.
Ding dong!
The doorbell chimed. The family turned their heads just in time to see Hitori bolt toward the entryway with a look of pure joy.
"THEY'RE HERE! THEY'RE HERE!"
Seeing her rush to the door, her parents looked baffled.
"You don't think she hired actors, do you?" Naoki stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"Don't be ridiculous." Michiyo shot her husband an exasperated look. Even if their daughter was socially inept, she wouldn't actually pay people to pretend to be her friends just to reassure them.
"Sis's friends? I wanna see!" Futari hopped off the couch and chased after her, curious to see exactly what kind of people hung out with her older sister.
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"Yo! Morning, Bocchi-chan!" Standing on the porch, Kai raised a hand in greeting as the door swung open.
Marin and the other girls smiled warmly and echoed their hellos.
"Kai-kun! Everyone!"
They were actually here. Staring at Kai, Hitori was so overwhelmed with relief that tears sprang to her eyes.
"Waaah! Thank goodness! You guys really came!" Her legs buckled, and she practically dropped to her knees right in the doorway. "I am eternally grateful for your presence!"
"..."
Is it too late to turn around and leave?
Even Kai, who knew her personality perfectly well, was momentarily stunned by the sheer dramatics. As expected of Hitori Gotoh.
"When it comes to being unhinged, you are undeniably the strongest." He gave her a thumbs-up.
"Stop that." Yukino slapped his arm lightly before stepping forward to pull Hitori up from the floor. "It's just a normal visit from friends. There is no need to be this tense."
"Waaaah! President!" Her sobbing only grew louder.
"..." That reaction left Yukino completely at a loss for words.
"Hello!" Futari trotted over, her curious gaze sweeping across the group standing in the doorway. "Are you my big sister's friends? I'm Futari Gotoh!"
Her bright, confident demeanor was a stark contrast to her older sister's.
"Oh! Are you Boc—I mean, Hitori's little sister?"
Marin caught herself just before using the nickname. Since they were meeting the parents, using her real name felt more polite. She looked down at Futari in surprise. They looked so similar, but their personalities couldn't be more different.
"They really are opposites," Megumi noted from the back, nodding in agreement.
"I-I'm sorry..."
No one else thought anything of it, but Hitori immediately hung her head in shame. She was losing in social grace to an elementary schooler. She really belonged in her closet.
"Why are you putting yourself down?" Having swapped his shoes for house slippers, Kai walked over and gently pulled her upright. "Hitori is Hitori, and Futari is Futari. Your little sister is cute, but you are entirely unique too, aren't you?"
"Kai-kun!"
Hearing his gentle tone and seeing the sincerity in his eyes, fresh tears of gratitude welled up in Hitori's eyes. [Kai-kun! You really are a literal angel!]
"Huh?"
The Service Club members were used to Hitori's antics, so they didn't bat an eye. However, watching the interaction, Futari piped up with genuine curiosity.
"Mister, are you my sister's boyfriend?"
"F-Futari! Don't spout nonsense!"
Hearing the question, Hitori frantically waved her hands in denial. Even though she and Kai had crossed lines only couples crossed, she never dared to act like his girlfriend in front of others. It wasn't because she didn't want to. It was purely born of an inferiority complex. Deep down, Hitori firmly believed that having someone as pathetic as her for a girlfriend would only bring him shame.
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