Chapter 315: Please Allow Me to Explain
"Tch..."
Just as Tsurumi Rumi was beginning to feel happy about not having to eat alone, an ill-timed sound reached her ears. She subconsciously knitted her brows, but in the end, she endured it. There was no need to start an argument with those kids over something so trivial; after all, their horizons were limited to their immediate social circles. As long as they didn't cause her actual trouble, there was no reason to pay them any mind...
"Yui, let's go over there too."
Yukinoshita Yukino, who was also occupying a table for two, had noticed the situation on Hikigaya Hachiman's end. She gazed at Tsurumi Rumi, lost in thought for a moment, before suddenly standing up and carrying her breakfast over.
Seeing the previously ostracized Tsurumi Rumi suddenly surrounded by three high schoolers, a commotion broke out among the elementary students. Every little clique began whispering. Many started to regret or complain about the companions who had initially proposed isolating Rumi.
Among them, the ones feeling the worst were undoubtedly the four-girl group that had completely kicked Rumi out. Sitting at the table right next to Rumi's, their faces were quite unsightly as they watched her chatting and laughing with Hachiman's group.
But it didn't end there. Next, for reasons unknown, even Hayama Hayato—the most popular person among the volunteers in the eyes of the children—joined in, bringing Miura Yumiko and the others with him.
Seeing the handsome, sunny "big brother" they had just started to admire giving Rumi extra attention, the students instantly cast looks of jealousy toward her. This jealousy quickly morphed into the thought: "How nice it would be if I were her."
Ultimately, everyone present began to wonder exactly who had suggested isolating Rumi, leading to the high schoolers giving her this much extra care. The process of finding an answer wasn't long. Soon, all eyes in the room were focused on the group of four.
"W-what are you looking at us for? You guys participated too, didn't you?"
Finding themselves the center of attention, the four girls' bodies went stiff. However, it was clear that such an answer wouldn't satisfy the crowd. Just as the group was about to start condemning the four "culprits," Hayama Hayato suddenly clapped his hands and stood up, drawing everyone's attention.
"Everyone, make sure to finish your breakfast quickly. We have activities to get to in a bit!"
Hayama's sunny smile was not something elementary schoolers could resist. The crowd nodded one after another and returned their focus to the breakfast in front of them.
"Whew, that was close..."
Seeing the situation settle down, Hayama breathed a sigh of relief. That was a near miss. If he hadn't reacted quickly, those four girls would definitely have been ostracized by their classmates in the future.
'If you hadn't come over, nothing would have happened in the first place, right?'
Hachiman looked at Hayama with a trace of helplessness in his eyes. Did this guy have no self-awareness regarding how much of a draw he was for these kids? Originally, if he had just accompanied Rumi alone, the matter would have been handled perfectly. Why did everyone have to come running over and make a scene?!
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After breakfast, under the expectant gazes of the elementary students, Hayama and the other volunteers led them away to start their morning adventure. Because of the fight with the Ghost Emperor the night before, Hachiman stayed at the camp under the pretext of being unwell.
Of course, it was just an excuse. With the dual healing abilities of Avalon (The Remote Ideal Land) and the Killing Stone, even severe injuries would have been healed after a night's rest. Furthermore, with the Holy Grail from the other world providing spiritual power, Hachiman wouldn't suffer from a lack of "mana."
"Did you really take time off just because you didn't want to go? You're being a bit too casual as a volunteer, aren't you?"
Tsurumi Rumi sat beside Hachiman, complaining about the face that was written all over with laziness.
"Didn't you stay behind too?"
Since only the two of them remained, the camp was quite peaceful. Hachiman leaned lazily on the table, answering in a tone that sounded incredibly lethargic just to hear.
"What's so fun about the mountains? There are bugs, and you might see snakes. If you aren't careful, your clothes get dirty..." Rumi counted off the disadvantages of mountain climbing on her fingers.
"Is that so? That's also one of the reasons I didn't want to go."
Hachiman expressed his deep agreement with Rumi's reasoning. Although climbing a mountain wouldn't actually drain his stamina, he'd rather stay in the camp and rest than spend energy on such things.
With his eyes half-closed, Hachiman leaned on the table and stopped thinking. Suddenly, he felt a weight on his shoulder. Turning his head, he saw that Rumi had somehow fallen asleep and was now resting her head on his shoulder.
"This kid actually fell asleep..."
As if a flock of crows had flown overhead, Hachiman helplessly maintained his position and took out his phone to start browsing the web.
.
.
.
But sleep is contagious. After an unknown amount of time, Hachiman suddenly felt a gentle tug on his sleeve. He opened his bleary eyes and looked up. Yukinoshita Yukino, who was supposed to be up the mountain with the rest, was standing before him with a face as cold as frost. Her sharp eyes seemed ready to pierce right through his body.
"Haaa... Yukinoshita, why are you back early?"
Hachiman raised a hand to cover a yawn, looking confusedly at the empty space behind her. It was rare to see Yukino without Yuigahama Yui by her side...
"Why? Did you want everyone to find out that you're a lolicon?"
As Yukino spoke, the hot summer day instantly entered a glacial age. The biting cold made Hachiman shiver, and he woke up completely.
"Mm..."
From his other side came Rumi's sleepy mutterings. Hearing her voice and looking at Yukino's increasingly dark expression, Hachiman felt as though his life was about to reach its end. He swallowed hard and stammered:
"Listen, I think I can explain the reason for this situation..."
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