Hachiman was about to say something, but the sound of the door opening interrupted him.
"Is this the Service Club?" the newcomer said in a haughty tone.
Yukino frowned as she looked at the person before her, who could not even knock on the door.
"Oh~ Isn't that Yuihama? Is this your club? It suits you pretty well."
Sagami Minami spoke maliciously.
"Eh? Sagami?" Yui turned around and looked at her with a beaming smile. "This isn't my club. It's Little Snow's."
"I'm only a club member here."
"I see? Right, I was overthinking it."
Sagami Minami said this.
"Shizuka Hiratsuka said this place could help me?"
"The purpose of this club is to help those in need. If there's anything you need help with, you can submit a request to us."
Yukino spoke indifferently.
"But—" the Ice Queen raised her voice. "Don't assume that I have to help you with anything. I can just as easily refuse you."
"This isn't a charity, and you're not the sort of person others would want to help. Don't act so self-righteous."
"What? Isn't this club supposed to exist to help others?" Sagami Minami said disdainfully.
"Although that's what it says, it's like compulsory education. It doesn't provide for mentally disabled children."
Yukino spoke in a chilly voice.
"So no matter what request you have today, I, as the head of the Service Club, refuse to accept it."
"Fine. Since that's what you say..."
"Don't blame me for being impolite."
Sagami nodded.
"If I remember correctly, the two of you are both Cultural Festival committee members, right? In that case, as the committee chair, I'd like to ask why the two of you are slacking off here instead of doing your jobs."
"I'm sorry to tell you this, but both of us came here for club activities only after completing our own tasks. So your questioning is meaningless to us."
Hachiman smiled as he walked over.
"So if there's nothing else, please leave. The Service Club doesn't welcome you."
Hachiman's expression turned exceptionally cold.
Sagami Minami was so angry that her body trembled slightly. Gritting her teeth, she left the Service Club.
"Were we a little too harsh?" Yui asked hesitantly.
"So what? She's only the Cultural Festival committee chair, not the Student Council President."
Hachiman spoke indifferently.
"Even if she were the Student Council President, so what? It's not like she could do something to the Service Club just because we refused one request, right?"
"And whatever she wants to do, she's powerless to do it anyway. After all, the Yukino Family is one of Sobu High School's trustees."
Hachiman said this.
"Hmm, I still feel like that wasn't very nice."
Yui stuck out her tongue.
"No. I refused her because of her awful attitude. If she hadn't been so condescending, I might have agreed."
"But she came asking for help and still used that attitude. I really don't know what she was thinking."
Yukino shook her head, unwilling to say anything more.
"Maybe because you didn't run for committee chair, she figured that Yukino wasn't all that impressive either?" Hachiman joked with Yukino.
"Heh."
Yukino shot Hachiman an annoyed look.
"Little Yukino~" Haruno suddenly appeared and walked straight toward Yukino.
"Sister?" Yukino looked at Haruno in confusion. "Why are you here?"
"Oh? Didn't I say I was coming?" Haruno blinked playfully.
"No... I mean, how did you know I was here?"
"I just asked Little Shizuka and found out~ By the way, what was up with that girl who just left? I heard her cursing at you."
Haruno asked in an unfriendly tone.
"That's what happened."
Hachiman spoke up, drawing Haruno's attention to himself.
Haruno glanced at Hachiman and noticed that Yukino and Yui were both sitting pressed tightly against him. Her eyes narrowed slightly. Then she saw that Yukino had no reaction at all and could only sigh silently before listening to Hachiman's explanation.
"I see."
Haruno nodded.
"Little Yukino really is something~ She actually gave away such a fun position to someone else."
"Heh."
Yukino sneered and ignored Haruno.
"I understand. In that case, we'll have to see how that girl handles it."
"If she can't do the job and still curses at my little sister, don't blame me."
Haruno said this with a smile.
"Don't worry. I'm all prepared."
Hachiman's expression was exactly the same as Haruno's.
"Do whatever you want. I don't feel like doing anything."
Yukino seemed to be showing signs of becoming a shut-in lately.
"I just feel like... you're all so scary."
Dango shrank into her seat. Looking at the three people before her, each more devious than the last, she could only tremble.
"All right~ I'll go chat with Little Shizuka for a while. I won't bother you anymore."
Haruno picked up her bag and walked out.
"I have a feeling Sagami's going to die a horrible death this time."
Hachiman stroked his chin and pondered.
"Whatever. What does how horribly she dies have to do with me? It's not like I made her act that way."
"You're really hopeless."
Yukino shook her head.
"Let's go home later. I'm a little sleepy."
"Okay."
Hachiman nodded and looked tenderly at Yukino, who yawned like a kitten, his heart overflowing with affection.
"Masami Nakajima: Who's the Teacher Here, Anyway?!"
In the evening, the four members of the Hikigaya Family sat around the dining table eating.
"Big Brother~ You look..." Komachi stared at the purple apron wrapped around Hachiman.
"What?" Hachiman looked at his little sister in confusion.
"Nothing..." Komachi stared at the cartoon cat embroidered on it, doing her best to hold back her laughter.
"All right, just laugh if you want. Don't hurt yourself holding it in."
Hachiman looked helplessly at Komachi, who was on the verge of internal injury from suppressing her laughter.
"Pfft—hahahahaha!" At that, Komachi immediately burst into a bizarre fit of laughter.
"Huh? What's going on?" Yukino, who had nearly fallen asleep, was jolted awake by Komachi's unrestrained laughter. She stared blankly at Hachiman.
"What's wrong with you lately?" Hachiman asked with concern.
"Mm~ I don't know. I'm always sleepy."
Yukino yawned and spoke in a childish voice.
"Haa~" Rumi, who was watching Yukino, yawned as well.
"Finish eating and go to bed. You two shouldn't stay up late."
Hachiman rolled his eyes at the two cats in front of him, who kept yawning one after another.
"Mm..." Yukino and Rumi listlessly stuffed food into their mouths.
Hachiman sighed and stood up, first lifting Rumi, who had already fallen asleep in his arms.
He pulled the chopsticks tightly clutched in his daughter's hand free, then carried her by her little bottom and took her to bed.
He reached out, took off Little Rumi's school uniform, and brought out her pajamas.
Half-asleep, the little one cooperated with Hachiman's movements. Once he had put her pajamas on and removed her socks,
Rumi rolled into the blankets with a sleepy murmur, found her familiar spot, and began sleeping with her eyes closed.
Hachiman glanced at her, shook his head helplessly, and walked out.
Not long afterward, Hachiman did the same for Yukino. Looking at the large and small figures nestled together, a trace of happiness appeared at the corners of his mouth.
With their eyes closed, they really did look exactly alike.
Hachiman thought this and turned back to the living room to finish his meal.
"What happened to Sister Yukino and Rumi?" Komachi had already finished eating and placed her dishes in the sink. She turned to look at Hachiman as he came out.
"They fell asleep."
Hachiman hurriedly finished eating and washed the dishes.
"Aren't you going to sleep? Tomorrow isn't the weekend."
"It's only a little past seven. Why go to bed so early?" Komachi, sprawled on the sofa, glanced at the time before turning back to the television.
"Hahaha~" Komachi let out a silly little laugh.
Hachiman sat down beside her and watched the variety show on television with her.
"What is this?" Hachiman watched with interest. He found it rather funny, so he asked Komachi the name of the show.
"Eh~ Big Brother doesn't even know this?" As she spoke, Komachi's pale little feet patted against Hachiman's thigh.
"It's Super Variety Show~ It used to be a really famous variety show."
"Not familiar with it~ I don't really watch television."
Hachiman held down the little feet waving around in front of him and gently scratched the soles of Komachi's feet.
"I don't know why, but such a great show suddenly stopped airing. It's really annoying."
Komachi lazily watched television while enjoying Hachiman's massage on the soles of her feet.
"Who knows?" Hachiman quietly enjoyed the pleasant time with his little sister.
"Mm, who's calling at a time like this?"
As he spoke, Hachiman took the vibrating phone out of his pants.
"Hello? May I ask who's calling?"
"Ah~ Hello, Mr. Hikigaya~ I'm Masami Nakajima, Tsurumi-san's teacher."
Before you continue