Singing the Praises of Youth is Wonderful!

Hikigaya scribbled down the details on a piece of paper before sending it off with a carefully chosen gift.

The upcoming tennis tournament had drawn participants from ten different schools. With a few of them located quite far away, the actual competition wouldn't start until the next morning and would continue through the afternoon.

There was still enough time for Katsuragi's sister to receive her gift, provided she was at home to accept it.

But there was always the chance that she might not be there, or that she might not have time to prepare a suitable gift herself.

If that happened, there wasn't much anyone could do.

"I hope Katsuragi-san's sister receives his gift," Komachi said sympathetically after hearing the whole story.

If Katsuragi hadn't been in such dire financial straits, he would never have left his sister alone, especially since they only had each other. But reality was often cruel, particularly when money was involved.

If Hikigaya were in the same situation, would he make the same choice? Wait… something felt off.

His family wasn't struggling financially, and both his parents were alive and well. So why had he been forced to leave his sister behind?

Hikigaya couldn't help but start questioning his own life choices.

"Onii-chan, what are you daydreaming about?"

"...I was wondering if maybe I was a child delivered by a stork."

"Eh? Komachi thinks it's more likely you were picked up from a trash heap."

"Ugh..."

"Wait! Komachi was just kidding! Don't look like you're about to cry!"

I'm not crying! It's just... there's something in my eye, that's all!

That was the last bit of defiance Hikigaya could muster. But truth be told, if he had been adopted, he might have been overjoyed.

"At least now I can relax," Komachi suddenly beamed. "I was worried you'd be all alone at school, but you've already made friends—and with boys your age! I'm impressed, Onii-chan!"

"What's with the exaggeration? And besides, I wouldn't call that guy a friend," Hikigaya grumbled.

Komachi put her hands on her hips and puffed out her cheeks. "You're saying that again? I'm not around to smooth things over for you, so don't go driving away the few male friends you have!"

"…Why do you keep stressing that they're male?"

Hikigaya felt a pang of concern. Had Komachi been influenced by some fujoshi while he was away?

No way—he couldn't bear to see his sister like that.

"Anyway, you should cherish your friends." Komachi wagged her finger at him before breaking into a smile. "Oh, and tell me more about your school! If even you managed to make friends there, it must be a pretty unique place!"

"Yeah... it's not your average school."

If he had a choice, Hikigaya would've preferred it to be a bit more ordinary.

Especially with his year. None of them were easy to deal with—each one more of a headache than the last. Ichinose was probably the only exception... no, even she didn't quite fit in.

Given Ichinose's personality, she might be the most out of place in that school.

As they chatted, they strolled aimlessly down the street, looking for something fun to do.

"Komachi, is there anywhere you'd like to go?" Hikigaya asked. "Anything you want to eat or do—I'll cover it all."

"Oh wow! Onii-chan, you're being so generous?!"

Komachi's eyes lit up.

"Does that mean the Advanced Nurturing High School gives you lots of pocket money every month? Are you rich now?!"

"Well... something like that. But mostly, I just don't spend much."

If he told her the truth, she'd be shocked. And it probably fell under the confidentiality clause, so he decided not to mention it.

"I've got about forty thousand yen left. Go ahead and spend it all—no need to hold back."

"Alright! Komachi won't be shy, then!"

But despite her words, Komachi wasn't the type to splurge recklessly.

They spent the entire afternoon playing around, only buying some snacks and drinks and a few outfits and shoes for Komachi. The total came to less than twenty thousand yen. That was mostly thanks to Komachi's impressive bargaining skills—she managed to get everything for nearly half price.

Could it be that being cute lets you get away with anything?

Hikigaya had never experienced that privilege. If he tried bargaining, they'd probably charge him extra.

They did splurge a bit on dinner, spending nearly ten thousand yen at a slightly upscale restaurant.

That was more money than Hikigaya could have imagined spending in the past, especially since it was the kind of sum he'd only receive as a birthday gift.

But as long as Komachi was happy, that was all that mattered.

After dinner, the two siblings wandered leisurely through the streets, occasionally bickering like they always did, feeling as if they had returned to simpler times.

"Wow, it's been ages since we took an after-dinner walk together, Onii-chan. You usually just eat and sleep—watch out, you might turn into a cow!"

"Hey, I'm just making sure not to waste those calories I just took in."

Come to think of it, Hikigaya rarely went out with Komachi unless they had a specific purpose in mind. Now, he regretted not spending more time with her before.

If he'd known, he would've tried to be there for her more often.

Walking through this familiar neighborhood, with lights glowing from every home, he felt a strange sense of unfamiliarity with Chiba—a place he once knew so well.

It was strange.

Four years might have made sense, but four months? That was hardly any time at all—it should've passed in the blink of an eye.

Yet the feeling of alienation clung to Hikigaya, and he couldn't shake it.

Perhaps it wasn't Chiba that had changed, but him.

Even though he'd gone through plenty during middle school, especially during his time in the Service Club, it didn't compare to the intense experiences he'd had in just four months at Advanced Nurturing High.

He'd met so many different people, gotten involved in countless events... and encountered unimaginable conflicts.

What a pain...

"Hehe."

Komachi's sudden giggle interrupted his thoughts.

"Judging by your expression, you're enjoying yourself at school, aren't you, Onii-chan?"

"Huh? No way, I'm just stuck with those guys..."

"You don't have to explain it to Komachi," she interrupted, smiling warmly. "In two years, I'll find out for myself, and then no amount of denial will help!"

"...I'm telling you, it's not like that."

"Sure, sure. Keep telling yourself that."

This familiar exchange, full of nostalgia, made Hikigaya smile.

"And besides..." Komachi's voice softened as she looked down, her words almost a whisper. "Having someone say 'welcome home' is such a happy feeling... That's why I have to get in."

Hikigaya paused, turning away slightly.

"Then I'll just record it and you can set a timer to play it every day when you get home."

"Wah—how can my brother be such a jerk!"

Komachi couldn't accept that brilliant idea at all.

Admittedly, it was pretty terrible.

But if Hikigaya didn't say something like that, he wasn't sure he could keep his emotions in check.

Even he wanted to maintain a bit of dignity in front of his sister.

Not much, just a little.

"Onii-chan, are you not going to stay home for the night?" Komachi suddenly asked.

"...I'd better not," Hikigaya said, shaking his head slowly. "I used my Student Council status as an excuse to get out, so I can't push it too far. And if I just show up out of the blue, I'm pretty sure Mom and Dad will freak out."

"Heh, you're probably right."

Komachi chuckled.

"They might think you've dropped out of school and kick you out of the house."

"Hey, don't say stuff like that—it's scary."

The fact that it wasn't entirely impossible made it all the more terrifying.

Then came a brief silence.

"Ah..."

As if by chance, their hands brushed together, and Komachi sighed dramatically.

"Sigh, honestly." She heaved a heavy sigh. "Onii-chan, you're not just a tsundere—you're also terribly lonely. If you want to hold Komachi's hand, just say so."

This girl, talking to herself over there...

"By the way, don't just make up weird terms on your own!"

"But, oh well, I suppose I can let my big brother act spoiled just this once!"

With that, Komachi threw her arms around Hikigaya's.

"Eh-heh-heh, you smell like big brother," she murmured.

"…What the heck? I'm nowhere near getting old enough for that," Hikigaya grumbled.

"It's okay! Even when you get old, I'll still love you just the same," Komachi reassured him.

"Don't say dumb things like that. By then, you'll be an old lady too," he retorted, rolling his eyes.

After all, they were only two years apart. It would take more than a generation to develop a gap between them.

Even if they took the long way around, dragging their feet the entire time, they would still eventually reach their destination.

As they arrived at the school's beachfront entrance, Komachi reluctantly released her brother's arm.

"Sorry, big brother. I have cram school tomorrow morning, so I can't come by to cheer you on."

"Don't worry about it. It's not like I'm the one competing anyway."

The most important thing was that Hikigaya was already content with today.

"Speaking of which, there are still quite a few people practicing, huh? Everyone's working so hard," Komachi observed as she gazed through the chain-link fence at the school's tennis courts.

Although the sun hadn't fully set yet, the floodlights on the field were already on, illuminating athletes from various schools who were sweating it out in preparation for tomorrow's matches. Among them were students from their school, though they seemed distinctly separate from the others.

"That's just how sports clubs are," Hikigaya replied nonchalantly.

He couldn't stand these overly dramatic scenes of youth. Celebrating victory with tight hugs or comforting each other after a loss—everyone acted like they were in some kind of inspirational drama.

Instead of staying out late playing tennis, wouldn't it be better to just head back to the dorms and get some sleep?

"Big brother, you're sounding grumpy right now… Eh? Is that Totsuka over there?" Komachi suddenly pointed out into the distance.

"Yeah, right. There's no way I'm falling for that," Hikigaya shot back. He knew full well that Sobu High's name wasn't listed in the tournament this time.

In other words, there's no way Totsu—

"Hachiman?!"

Wait, was he hearing things now?

"Hachiman! It's you! And Komachi, too. It's been so long!"

"Good evening, Totsuka!" Komachi cheerfully greeted the approaching Totsuka, who was jogging over with an enthusiastic smile.

Meanwhile, Hikigaya was frozen on the spot.

Could this be… a hallucination?

Or maybe it was his time to go, and that's why an angel had appeared before him.

"Hachiman, are you okay?" Totsuka asked with concern, noticing his stunned expression.

Hikigaya snapped out of it, shaking his head. "N-no! I'm fine! I was just… so overwhelmed with emotion that I couldn't tell what was real for a moment."

Was this the Matrix or something?

"Ahaha, you're still the same as ever, Hachiman," Totsuka said, smiling warmly. "I heard that Advanced Nurturing High School was participating in this tournament, and since I'd once had some exchanges with their tennis club, I came here as a practice partner. I was hoping to run into you. But the students from that school are so strict, they wouldn't even talk to me… By the way, how did you manage to get out? It seemed like they even had bathroom breaks under strict rules."

"Ah, well… I'm in the student council, so I have some special privileges," Hikigaya stammered, clearly uncomfortable.

Honestly, this situation was getting a bit tricky.

If they were in their school uniforms, it might have been possible to remember that Totsuka Saika was a boy. But once he switched into a tennis outfit—where the designs were the same for both genders—there was no way to tell… No, actually, he looked like the cutest person on earth!

Those slender arms, that slim waist, those delicate legs, and that pale, flawless skin.

—Damn it! Why does he have to be a guy?!

Hikigaya had lost count of how many times he'd lamented this fact. Each time, it only deepened his desire to find the Steins;Gate of fate.

"Is that so… hehe," Totsuka said with a nostalgic smile.

"Hachiman, you really do like helping people, just like back in middle school. You were always running errands for the student council."

"No, that's not it at all," Hikigaya denied firmly.

Whether it was middle school or high school, he'd been nothing more than a slave, ordered around without any say.

"By the way, Hachiman, didn't we used to play tennis together?"

"Yeah, I think we did."

It was right after Hikigaya joined the Service Club, probably the third request they'd handled.

"This is a rare opportunity. If you don't mind, would you like to practice rallying with me again?" Totsuka asked, looking up at him with slightly flushed cheeks and hopeful eyes.

How could anyone be this cute?

Hikigaya swore, if graduating from Class A meant he could marry Totsuka, he'd take out every other student in the grade and become the sole student in Class A.

Wait, why go to Class A alone?

What a dumb question.

Obviously, it's to keep anyone else from getting close to Totsuka!

"Big brother, I can tell you're thinking something stupid again," Komachi remarked, her expression filled with disdain.

"Ugh…" This little sister of his was so rude—this was a serious consideration, after all!

Whatever. He'd deal with her later.

As for Totsuka's request, there was only one answer.

"Sure. I just finished eating, and I could use some exercise."

Hikigaya had only one thought in his mind right now—

Celebrating youth is amazing!