Diary Of Service Club, Helping The Elf Princess

Gabriel stared at Vignette, observing her again and again but never noticed anything particularly special. It didn't seem like she had used any charm ability on Hachiman. Left with no other option, she turned her gaze toward Hachiman.

Although she was the top angel in Heaven for this session, Gabriel wasn't arrogant. Who knew what kind of strange and unpredictable abilities a demon might possess?

She couldn't be certain whether it was her inability to notice any problems or if this demon truly hadn't done anything to Hachiman. So, she decided to imitate this demon: whatever the demon did, she would do too.

That way, even if the demon wanted to harm Hachiman, she could stop it in time.

'Hmm… In that case, wouldn't it be more convenient if I moved in next door?'

To prevent the demon from leading Hachiman astray, she needed to live in the room next to the demon's and keep an eye on her.

Gabriel thought she should find a time to discuss this with the administrator, Miss Asou.

However, she had just paid the rent, deposit, and gratuity for her current place. If she moved out now, she wouldn't get her deposit back.

Even if Miss Asou treated her like she did Asougi Shion and waived the deposit and gratuity, the rent would still be required. If Gabriel used her entire monthly living expenses on rent, she might go hungry for many days this month…

'No, that's wrong! I am an angel. Going hungry wouldn't kill me.'

How could a mere empty stomach stop her from saving a good friend being eyed by a demon?

Gabriel secretly made up her mind.

"Calling me by my first name? Of course, that's fine, Gabriel-san."

Hachiman was a little puzzled as to why Gabriel suddenly wanted to call him by his first name, but he ultimately thought it was a good thing. Smiling, he nodded at Gabriel.

Who could refuse a kind and adorable golden-haired little angel as a friend? He certainly couldn't.

"Hmm… You don't need to use any honorifics. Just call me by my name, like Vignette does."

Gabriel nodded her head. Since she was prepared to scrimp on food to afford rent and protect Hachiman, she didn't hesitate anymore and spoke directly.

If the demon Vignette could get along so closely with Hachiman, how could she, an angel, lag behind by being overly cautious?

After all, Vignette had known Hachiman for much longer and could spend time with him daily due to living next door. If Gabriel didn't quickly close the gap between herself and Hachiman, he might one day be tempted and fall under Vignette's influence. By then, she might not even be able to bring the fallen Hachiman back to his senses.

Vignette felt Gabriel's gaze on her seemed a bit strange, but she didn't dwell on it.

"Hachiman, it's my turn now. You should go take a break."

Seeing that Hachiman had finished handling the fish, Vignette immediately squeezed her way forward, eager to help, fearing he would continue working without letting her do anything.

"Why are you in such a rush? It's just chores, not something enjoyable. What's the point of competing with me for it?"

Hachiman looked helplessly at Vignette, who had wedged herself between him and Gabriel.

"If it's just chores, then why don't you take a break, Hachiman?"

Vignette wasn't foolish and immediately countered.

Hachiman claimed this was a tiring task and didn't want her to do it, but in reality, he kept insisting on doing it himself.

"You're guests, after all. How could I let you do the work while I take a break? Gabriel, why don't you take a rest? I'll do this with Vignette."

Hachiman was beginning to feel a headache. To an outsider, it might look like they were competing for some reward, but in reality, they were just arguing over chores.

"I already said, we're friends. Isn't it natural for friends to help each other out? Besides, it's just cooking and stir-frying."

The more Hachiman tried to persuade her, the more stubborn Vignette became, insisting on helping.

Maybe Hachiman's reasoning wasn't wrong. It wasn't ideal to let guests do the work. However, she wasn't just a guest; she was also a friend. So why not help with a little cooking?

"Hachiman, you should take a break. Vignette and I can handle the rest."

At this moment, Gabriel also agreed with Vignette's point of view and tried to persuade Hachiman.

Was Hachiman planning to have her leave the kitchen so Vignette could stay alone with him?

No way! That was out of the question.

The kitchen could only accommodate two people: either herself and Hachiman or herself and Vignette. She absolutely wouldn't allow Hachiman and Vignette to be alone together.

"Alright, alright… I'll leave it to you two then."

Hachiman looked at Vignette, who was adamant about squeezing into the tiny kitchen to work, and Gabriel, who supported Vignette in pushing him out of the kitchen. With no choice, he walked to the side and let the two take over.

'Hmm… This situation seems to be heading in a strange direction…'

He had thought about a day when all three of them might be squeezed into the kitchen together, with him standing in the middle, indirectly enjoying the company of these two—an angel and a demon. But now, he found himself watching them do all the work.

Wasn't he supposed to be the host? Now he was being kicked out of his own kitchen by two guests. How did it end up like this?

Could Gabriel have figured out his plan?

Was he planning to lead Gabriel into corruption by giving her no escape route, only for Gabriel to turn the tables and adopt his househusband aspirations, leaving him without a role at home, thereby forcing him to find a job?

'Uh… Probably not. That would be too malicious, right?'

Looking at the kitchen, where an angel and a demon were busy preparing his dinner, Hachiman shook his head vigorously, trying to dispel the strange speculations in his mind.

He couldn't give up or falter. He had to firmly stick to his laid-back plan.

As long as he remained in need of saving, these two angels wouldn't abandon him.

Of course, he couldn't be too lazy. That might make them think he was beyond salvation and decide to stop trying.

In short, he needed to maintain a delicate balance between being redeemable yet hard to save, always staying just one step away from being fully rescued.

Of course, he couldn't slack off entirely, as doing so might make them feel he was truly hopeless and not worth saving.

In short, he needed to commit to partial slacking—just enough for Gabriel and Vignette to think they could save him but always fall short by a tiny margin.

"Yahallo, Hachiman! Are you done in the kitchen? Come play games with us and Shion."

Yuina, who was playing games in the living room, waved at Hachiman as he stepped out of the kitchen.

"Eh! Coming, coming!"

Hikigaya walked over, surveyed the crowded couch, and squeezed in beside Yuina, Minami, and the others. Picking up a game controller, he joined the blushing Asougi Shion and Rin in playing games, diligently carrying out his silver-tier... slack-off plan.

Cough cough, he really wanted to mix things up a little, but with Kaede and Suzu right there keeping an eye on him, he couldn't do anything reckless.

As a self-proclaimed househusband, Hachiman felt a bit unworthy for not showcasing his cooking skills in front of so many top-tier candidates.

But since Gabriel and Vignette had joined forces and kicked him out of the kitchen the moment they met, there wasn't much he could do.

Plus, today, with Yuina, the three gyaru, and the Kaede-Suzu sisters all gathered in his house, keeping them entertained and out of trouble was the top priority.

Though having so many people around meant he couldn't exactly do anything reckless while playing games with Yuina and Asougi Shion, it wasn't like he was constantly consumed by such thoughts—he just happened to have a healthy body.

Aside from the unsettling feeling of being watched by the Kaede-Suzu sisters, everyone gathering to play games was quite enjoyable.

Under the suspicious gaze of his childhood friend Kaede, Hachiman calmly leaned against the couch, playing battle games with Yuina, Rin, and the others.

The more tense the situation, the more composed he had to appear. Any sign of panic would look suspicious.

With Gabriel and Vignette, the pair of angels, visiting his house, this was the perfect opportunity to relax and focus on gaming. Who knows? Gabriel might decide she couldn't save him on her own and enlist Vignette to help too.

Gabriel and Vignette cooked quickly. Once the aroma of their dishes wafted over, Hachiman—KO'd by Minami and the others in-game—put down his controller and headed to the kitchen to help serve the food or lend a hand if needed.

His goal was only to slack off at school, leaving Gabriel no choice but to worry about him. At home, during private moments, there was no need to slack off as much.

To be saved by someone, you had to offer some redeeming qualities.

Even though Gabriel was an angel, she probably wouldn't waste her efforts on someone utterly hopeless.

———

"Strange... why is he suddenly so considerate…"

Kaede, who had been watching Hachiman closely, muttered under her breath before quickly following him to the kitchen to help.

It felt too surreal.

Hachiman, that guy, not only played games with people but also took the time to help in the kitchen.

This kind of considerate behavior used to be reserved solely for his sister, Komachi.

Even she, his childhood friend, had to drag Hachiman out shopping until he was thoroughly exhausted before forcing a little thoughtfulness out of him afterward.

However, despite Kaede's suspicions about Hachiman and the girls, she couldn't find any clear evidence of anything inappropriate.

Gabriel and Vignette in the kitchen weren't worth mentioning. Having recently transferred schools, they had no romantic connection with Hachiman. They'd simply ended up at his house, voluntarily or otherwise, and decided to help cook. There was no way Kaede could uncover anything shady there.

Asougi Shion, who was temporarily living at the Hikigaya household, had a quiet and aloof personality. Only recently did she open up to Hachiman and start showing a shy side. However, in front of so many people, she wasn't bold enough to get close to him. Sitting next to Komachi, she gave no cause for suspicion.

Only Yuina, Minami, and Rin were physically close to Hachiman. Their playful touches and carefree attitude made his house feel like their own. They laughed loudly while gaming and casually helped themselves to drinks from the fridge without needing Komachi's assistance.

However, as a student council president with extensive experience observing students, Kaede found nothing unusual about such behavior from gyaru.

Gyaru were just like that—not only in appearance but also in their actions. Bold, outgoing, and intentionally rough-speaking. If Yuina and the others had acted overly distant from Hachiman, that would've been suspicious.

Since Yuina had gone out of her way to visit Hachiman's house and help out, their close relationship was obvious. If they'd maintained a deliberate distance, it would've meant they were hiding something.

Having scrutinized everyone but herself, Suzu, and Komachi, Kaede found no suspicious behavior.

Could it be...

Had she misunderstood?

Was Hachiman not romantically involved with anyone here?

Maybe, after founding that community service-oriented Service Club, Hachiman's positive traits were simply noticed by others, earning him so many friends?

Kaede silently stared at Hachiman's familiar profile. After helping serve the dishes, she sat beside him, eating quietly while pondering the dramatic change in her childhood friend. Unbeknownst to her, Suzu was also silently watching her from the side.

Gabriel and Vignette's cooking skills were excellent, but Kaede couldn't focus on comparing their dishes.

Her childhood friend, suddenly so popular, had thrown her into turmoil.

Maybe... she should find a chance to talk to him about it.

Kaede realized she might have feelings for Hachiman. After all, they'd grown up together, and if she didn't care about him, she wouldn't have stuck around this loner all these years.

But she didn't particularly like his ambition to become a full-time househusband.

While she didn't expect Hachiman to support her, she knew he could accomplish great things if he applied himself. Why, then, did he seem fixated on becoming a househusband?

'Hachiman... couldn't even bring himself to take up the position of Student Council Secretary to build his resume.'

'Instead, he set up some Service Club...'

Just thinking about it put Kaede in a bad mood. She wanted to punch him but refrained, knowing so many people were present. As the student council president and his childhood friend, she couldn't just start a playful scuffle in front of everyone.

She'd have to wait until they were alone.

———

After dinner, with Shion and Komachi handling the dishes and tidying up, everyone took a short break before Gabriel, Vignette, and Yuina's group announced their departure.

"See ya, Hachiman!"

"Dinner was amazing today! Let's do this again sometime."

"Thanks for the compliment. Let's come over again when we're free. We don't want to impose on Hachiman too much."

"Hachiman, I'm heading back. See you tomorrow."

Cooking and eating had taken quite a bit of time. It was late now, with the moon high in the sky, and it was time for everyone to leave.

After seeing them off, Hachiman returned to the living room, where only the Kaede-Suzu sisters remained.

Seeing Hachiman enter, Kaede sat on the couch, unmoving, her gaze locked onto him.

"What's wrong, Kaede? Didn't you see enough of me during dinner?"

Hachiman waved a hand in front of Kaede's face, noticing her unwavering stare. Suzu, silent and expressionless, also fixed her eyes on him. A bad feeling crept over him.

This pair of sisters, with their contrasting personalities—one lively, one quiet—rarely acted in sync. Yet now, their gazes felt as if they were catching him red-handed.

"Hehe... why do you think I'm staring at you?"

Kaede crossed her arms and scrutinized Hachiman for a long moment before speaking, her expression blank.

"If you don't tell me, how would I know? Could it be you've fallen for me and want to confess?"

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