Just like the usual, the pressure came attacked the mercenary-like men like a giant waterfall that even made creaks in the air. However, being enraged and could not endure the men’s speeches, Kouki moved out only to get wrapped inside the pressure and trembled. Then, he saw Hajime, not caring about him, walked towards the men from the corner of his view.
Though it was too late, the men tried to apologize because they noticed they had picked a fight against someone they must not. But, on all-fours due from the pressure, they could not even open their mouths, so they could not apologize.
Hajime also didn’t want to hear their words anymore. There was already enough reason for Hajime to become mad because they were thinking of making Shia an outlet for their lust, but their malice also had frightened Myuu, so that led to a decision of making them live a life more painful than death.
Hajime loosened the pressure a little and lined up the men who were on their knees, then he unhesitatingly and devilishly shot the symbol of a man starting from the one at the edge. Furthermore, one by one the screaming, groin-holding men were kicked away and piled up in the corner of the plaza with their smashed pelvises. With this, they wouldn’t be able to make child or even walk. It was up to each person whether they’d work hard in the future to stay alive or not.
The overly excessive and merciless counterattack made Kouki’s party back away. The male students were especially affected and turned pale as they covered their nether regions.
Leering at Kouki’s party, Hajime returned to where Yue and the girls were.
“Once again, a merciless one, huh~. As expected of Master. Even though those art women’s enemy, doesth not a little sympathy spring up?”
“Usually Hajime-san would not be angry right~. As expected, is it because of Myuu-chan? Looks like the overprotectiveness keeps rising.”
“… Nh, though there’s that… Hajime was also angry for Shia.”
“Eh!? Angry for my sake? Ehehe, Hajime-san… thank you very much~.”
“… Yue can immediately seen through me.”
“Nh… of course. It is because I am always looking at Hajime.”
“Yue…”
“Hajime…”
In the end, Hajime and Yue began to create their own world, which Shia retorted, then Myuu jumped to Hajime to be spoiled, and lastly Tio let out perverted remarks that ended in her panting from Hajime’s coldness. These spectacles were connected with Hajime as the core.
Kaori was silently watching Hajime who carried Myuu while being surrounded by Yue and the girls. With the previous spectacle, she understood that Hajime would not hesitate to use violence. It was something vastly different compared to the previous Hajime, and just by seeing it, it became a denial of Hajime’s kindness.
However, she wondered about the reason for Hajime’s anger, which made him resort to violence. It was for the sake of the girls that were close to him, so they could enjoy themselves and laugh happily. Really, just how can a person who lost his kindness be surrounded by such smiles. Just how can such a young child yearn for him as a father.
Following that, the disturbance in her mind due to Hajime’s changes had dissipated. To begin with, Hajime had returned to the dungeon for the sake of relieving Kaori by informing her his survival. And just like his words, he had returned to the dungeon only for Kaori, but he didn’t cast the others away. He saved Meld who received mortal wounds and told his companion to protect Kouki’s party.
Kaori noticed it. The reason Hajime unhesitatingly displayed such violence and mercilessness towards his enemy was for the sake of protecting his important people. Of course Kaori herself might also be included inside, but it was a fact that Hajime was thinking for the others’ sake. The proof was the smiles from the girls surrounding Hajime.
Kaori guessed it. Hajime had lost his hair color, right eye and left arm, surely because of the severe environment he had lived through. He certainly almost broken down mentally and physically many times. No, it was possible… it was possible that he had already broken which resulted in his changes. Even so, Hajime walked on his path surrounded by those smiles.
That fact made the fog inside Kaori’s mind disperse. She could hear the sound of puzzle pieces being rightfully placed. Just what I was hesitating about. There’s “Hajime” before her. There’s the boy that her heart always thought of. The one who was called “incompetent,” but crawled from the abyss, gained enormous power, and came to save her.
There were parts that had changed, but there was also unchanged parts. However, that’s something natural. After all, people would always change with time, experiences, and meetings. That’s why, there was no need for her to feel fear. There’s no need for her to lose her confidence. There’s no need for her to back away from him.
If there’s something I don’t know, then it’ll okay if I come to know it while being by his side. Up until now, just like the time we were inside the class. There’s no way the strength of my feelings will lose! There’s nothing wrong with me joining the circle that surrounds Hajime! I won’t let anyone laugh at my feelings anymore!
Resolution and determination were born inside Kaori’s eyes. Shizuku, by her side, was smiling at her best friend’s change. Following that, she silently pushed Kaori’s back. Kaori , with eyes radiating more “strength” than before, nodded to thank Shizuku and moved towards her next battlefield. That’s right, toward her fight as a woman!
Hajime’s party noticed that Kaori was walking towards them. Hajime thought she came to see them off, while Yue by his side, “Muh?,” became wary as she frowned. “Arara?,” Shia was looking at Kaori as her interest deepened, and Tio murmured, “Looks like it’ll be a bloodbath huh~.” Because she was apparently not coming to see them off, Hajime was looking at Kaori, frowning due at the ominous feeling.
“Hajime-kun, can I come with you, too? … No, that’s not it, I will absolutely come with you, so please take care of me, okay?”
“… Hah?”
From the first words spoken, with neither preface nor wish-washing, it became a development where everything was decided and made Hajime’s eyes turn into dots. Inadvertently, he leaked such a stupefied voice. In place of Hajime, who could not immediately regain his composure due to being dumbfounded, Yue moved out.
“… You are not qualified for that.”
“What qualification? Is it to always think of Hajime? Then, I won’t lose to anyone, you know?”
Kaori calmly replied Yue’s words. Yue, “Mmhmp,” made her mouth into ^.
Kaori matched her gaze to Yue’s, then she abruptly moved her unshakable gaze towards Hajime. Following that, she united her hand before her chest with blushing cheeks, took a deep breath, then with desperate and trembling voice, she spoke to him… thus she conveyed it.
“I love you.”
“… Shirasaki.”
Kaori’s expression was mix of embarrassment, worrying while she was expecting Hajime’s answer, and happiness coming from being able to convey her feelings to him. Thus, with those mixed feeling, she didn’t back away, displaying her determination.
That gaze, filled with determination and sincerity made Hajime answered her with serious eyes.
“I have a woman I am in love with. So I can’t answer Shirasaki’s feelings. Therefore, I can’t take you with me.”
Hajime’s clear answer made Kaori immediately bite her lip as if she wanted to cry, but in the next moment, power was born inside the eyes that were about to spill tears and she raised her face. Thus she nodded to tell him she understood. Behind Kaori, Kouki and the others were in blank surprise, agape, and in a pandemonium-like situation, but not minding them, Kaori spun her desired words.
“… Un, I know. It’s Yue-san, right?”
“Yeah, that’s why…”
“But, I don’t think that can be a reason for me not to be at Hajime-kun’s side.”
“What?”
“Because, Shia-san and the slightly strange Tio-san are also in love with Hajime-kun, right? Especially Shia-san, I feel she is pretty serious about it.”
“… That’s…”
“Even though Hajime-kun, with you already having your own special person, she still doesn’t give up and wants to be at Hajime-kun’s side, and also, Hajime-kun lets her be so. That’s why, it wouldn’t be a problem if I am there too, right? After all, my feelings for Hajime-kun… won’t lose to anyone.”
Saying so, Kaori turned her blazing, strong gaze towards Yue. What was expressed was, My feelings won’t lose to you! I won’t let you laugh at them!, and Yue could see Kaori’s strong will. That was definitely a declaration of war. It was a declaration that she’d steal the one and only “special seat” from Yue.
Receiving Kaori’s piercing gaze from the front, Yue, unusually, turned her lips in a smile that could be understood by anyone as fearless.
“… I see, then come with us. And there I will teach you. Our differences, that is.”
“Not you, it’s Kaori.”
“… Then, just call me Yue. I accept Kaori’s challange.”
“Fufu, Yue. Don’t cry if you lose, kay?”
“… Fu, fufufufufu.”
“Aha, ahahahahaha.”
Yue and Kaori created a world of their own with a different meaning than the time Yue did it with Hajime. Even though Hajime was the one confessed to, he was being put aside before he was aware of it, and, in such a manner, in the end it was decided Kaori would enter his party making Hajime look into the far distance. Seeing Yue and Kaori who were laughing together, Shia and Myuu by his side were hugging him, trembling.
“Ha-Hajime-san! Is something wrong with my eyes? I can see dark clouds and draconic lightning behind Yue-san!”
“… Isn’t that normal? Even I can see a katana holding Hanya behind Shirasaki.”
“Papaa~! Those Onee-chan are scaryy.”
“Haa haa, thee are somehow… if you turn your gazes to this one… ngh, can’t hold it.”