"Let me check with them and call you back."
"Got it. Talk to you later."
"Bye."
Shino quickly messaged the three girls and called Hachiman back. "It's a go."
"Great."
"Regarding the pickup... they're all coming over to my place tonight, so could you just swing by here in the morning?"
"No problem."
"And where are we going?"
"Wherever they want. Let them decide tonight and let me know."
"Okay. See you tomorrow, then. Good job today, Hachiman."
"You too. See ya."
Shino hung up, a smile lingering on her face. She turned back to the video, but Hachiman-kun was silent, his "eyes" closed as if processing data.
"Hachiman-kun? What's wrong?"
"I was just searching for that ringtone of yours... Tell me, Shino, were you secretly born in the Showa era?"
"What?!"
"Lum's Love Song? Seriously?"
Shino blinked. She knew the name of the song, but she hadn't realized how old it was. "Showa?! Is it really that old?"
"Where did you even find it?"
"Just a random search... I thought it was a pretty music box melody."
"So you set it as my original's ringtone without knowing the lyrics?"
"...Yeah."
"Listen to them later."
"O-Okay..."
They finished watching the battle footage. Hachiman-kun watched the scenes of Shana and Shizuka's rampage with intense interest.
"My original is quite the beast," the AI muttered.
"Even you're impressed?"
"My base data doesn't include large-scale combat like that. We may look the same, but we aren't the same person, Shino. Never forget that."
"I won't."
After the video ended, Hachiman-kun pulled up another file on the PC. "It was a paid download, but I took the liberty of covering it. Watch Episode 1."
"Episode 1? Is it a drama?"
Just then, the door buzzer rang. Eiko, Mii, and Shiina had arrived.
"Yahoo! Shino!"
"Hachiman-kun, long time no see!"
"Wait, what are you guys watching?"
Hachiman-kun turned his head toward Shiina. "This is the source material for the song Shino uses for my original's ringtone."
The three girls exchanged looks. They clearly knew the song.
"Ohhh, that one?"
"It's a cute melody."
"Right? I found it by accident," Shino said.
"I always wondered where you got it," Mii said, "but I never looked up the lyrics. What kind of song is it?"
"It's from an old anime," Hachiman-kun said. "Just watch."
The opening credits began to roll.
"Wait... the vibe is way different from the music box version..." Shino murmured.
"It's cute, but... wow, it's definitely retro," Eiko added.
"Wait, the lyrics!" Shiina pointed at the screen.
As the song finished, the three girls surrounded Shino, their eyes gleaming.
"Um... guys?"
Shino's face was bright red. The lyrics about "Darling, I love you most in the world" and "I get jealous when you look at other girls" had been laid bare.
"'I love you most,' huh? Shino-chi~"
"I really didn't know the lyrics! I swear!"
"'Dreaming of my Prince'... it's all right there."
"That's...!"
"This was a calculated move!" Eiko declared. "She thought we wouldn't know the song, so she could sit there and secretely smirk about how she's Lum and he's her Darling!"
"N-No! You've got it all wrong!"
"Really?"
"REALLY!"
The girls then watched a few clips of the actual anime, grinning mischievously.
"If you're truly innocent," Shiina said, "then say it. Say the line: 'Darling, it's Shino-daccha!'"
"Yes! That's it!"
"Eeeeeeeeh?!"
"If you can't say it, you're guilty," Eiko teased.
"Definitely guilty."
Shino's mouth worked like a landed fish as she struggled with the sheer embarrassment. Meanwhile, the three girls and Hachiman-kun huddled together.
"Think she'll actually do it?"
"I was joking, but she looks like she's having a total meltdown," Hachiman-kun whispered.
"She's in full panic mode. It's adorable."
"Hachiman-kun, can you record this?"
"I have a recording function, yes."
"Nice! If she says it, record it and play it for the Prince tomorrow!"
Finally, after an agonizing internal battle, Shino squeezed her eyes shut and spoke.
"D-Darling... it's Shino... daccha."
"OHHHHHHHHH!"
"We got the '-daccha'!"
"So cute!"
They left Shino frozen in a state of terminal blushing and decided to keep watching.
"What kind of show is this, Hachiman-kun?"
"A slapstick rom-com. I highly recommend the second movie."
"Sounds fun! Let's watch!"
The four of them got sucked into the marathon, and eventually, even Shino joined in. Ten episodes turned into twenty, and then they started the movie. Time ceased to exist.
"Phew... that was actually really good."
"Right?!"
Hachiman-kun checked the time. "By the way, ladies... look at the clock."
"Ah..."
"It's 3:00 AM?!"
"Crap!"
"We need to sleep!"
Abandoning all pretense of a proper setup, they threw some futons on the floor and collapsed in their pajamas, huddling together for a makeshift slumber party. Hachiman-kun watched over them, occasionally pulling a stray blanket over a sleeping girl.
Morning came far too quickly. The intercom buzzed—Hachiman had arrived.
-------------------------------
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