As everyone enjoyed their food, Hajime, feeling exhausted from the long day, found himself dozing off. Without even realizing it, he had laid his head on Sockoo’s lap, his breathing steady as sleep took over.

  Sockoo blinked in surprise, looking down at Hajime as his soft gray-blue hair rested against her legs. She hesitated for a moment but then gently ran her fingers through his hair, a small smile forming on her lips.

  Daka glanced over, snickering. "Damn, Hajime. You really got comfortable, huh?"

  Rizra smirked. "I’m surprised he knocked out that fast. Must’ve been tired after all that chaos today."

  Ray, still chewing, grinned mischievously. "I should take a picture and sell it to the highest bidder."

  Sockoo shot him a glare. "Try it, and I’ll break your fingers."

  Ray dramatically held up his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright! No need for violence, geez."

  Daka chuckled, watching as Sockoo continued to absentmindedly play with Hajime’s hair. "You’re really enjoying this, aren’t you?"

  Sockoo blushed slightly but shrugged. "He looks peaceful like this. It's… kinda cute."

  Rizra smirked, nudging Daka. "We should wake him up."

  Daka grinned. "Oh, I got an idea."

  Everyone froze.

  Hajime, still completely knocked out, mumbled in a low voice, "Touch me, and I’ll break your arm."

  Daka immediately yanked his hand back. "Okay! Okay! I won’t!"

  Sockoo giggled. "Even in his sleep, he’s still scary."

  They all continued eating, letting Hajime rest peacefully on Sockoo’s lap. Despite all the chaos that had happened, this moment of calm felt nice—a rare, warm moment for everyone.

  Sockoo looked at Ray with determination in her eyes. "How did you become the strongest? And… do you think I could ever become like you?"

  Ray blinked in surprise, caught off guard by the question. He put down his chopsticks, rubbing his chin as he thought about it. "Hmm… That’s kinda hard to answer."

  Sockoo tilted her head. "Why?"

  Ray leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. "Because I didn’t become strong with some crazy training method or secret power-up. I had a goal, I worked for it, and I achieved it—then I went beyond that."

  He shrugged. "Simple as that. If you have a goal, and you’re willing to work your ass off, you can get there too."

  Sockoo thought about his words carefully. "So… all it takes is hard work?"

  Ray smirked. "Hard work, discipline, and the ability to get back up even when you’re beaten down. If you keep going no matter what, you’ll get stronger."

  Daka, overhearing, snorted. "Easy for you to say. You’re built different."

  Ray laughed. "Yeah, but I still had to put in the effort. Talent only gets you so far."

  Sockoo clenched her fist, feeling motivated. "Then I’ll do it! I’ll work my hardest and get stronger, just like you."

  Ray ruffled her hair. "Then prove it. Let’s see how far you can go."

  Hajime, still half-asleep on Sockoo’s lap, mumbled, "Mmm… train later… nap now…"

  Everyone chuckled at that, and Sockoo smiled. "Fine. But when Hajime wakes up, I’m gonna train harder than ever!"

  Ray leaned forward, pointing at Hajime, who was still resting on Sockoo’s lap. "If you need an example, just look at this guy."

  Sockoo blinked, looking down at Hajime. "Hajime?"

  Ray nodded. "You know better than anyone—Hajime never quits. He’s not the strongest yet, but he keeps going. He doesn’t say it out loud, but I know he loves the peace he has with you guys. As a kid, he didn’t have a chance for that at all."

  Sockoo’s eyes softened as she listened.

  Ray continued, his tone serious. "If you really want to get stronger, then just be like that—never back down. No matter how hard it gets, no matter how much you struggle, don’t stop."

  Daka crossed his arms. "So basically, just have Hajime’s stubbornness?"

  Ray smirked. "Exactly."

  Rizra nodded. "I mean, that does make sense. Hajime is an idiot, but he never gives up."

  Sockoo smiled, gently running her fingers through Hajime’s hair as he slept. "I get it. I won’t back down, no matter what."

  Ray chuckled. "Good. That’s the spirit."

  Hajime slowly opened his eyes, blinking a few times before lazily stretching. "Who called me an idiot?"

  Daka and Rizra immediately pointed at each other. "They did."

  Hajime squinted at them, still lying on Sockoo’s lap. "Tch. Figures."

  Sockoo giggled. "You kinda just woke up out of nowhere, Hajime."

  Hajime sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Of course, I did. My idiot senses were tingling."

  Ray smirked. "Then they must go off all the time since you’re always around yourself."

  Hajime gave him a deadpan look. "I hope your retirement home gets your pudding order wrong."

  Ray laughed. "Bold words from someone I can still one-shot."

  Hajime groaned, flopping back down onto Sockoo’s lap. "Rage on desu…"

  Daka chuckled. "Anyway, since you’re awake, you can go ahead and make more food, right?"

  Hajime turned his head slowly toward him. "You freeloading bastard."

  Daka shrugged. "Your cooking is good, so of course I want more."

  Hajime sighed dramatically. "Fine. But only because I feel like it. Not because you asked.""Alright, what do you guys want?"

  Sockoo beamed. "Surprise us!"

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  Hajime smirked. "Alright, but if you all cry from how good it is, I take no responsibility."

  As he walked toward the kitchen, Ray leaned back and grinned. "See? This is exactly what I was talking about."

  Sockoo nodded with a warm smile. "Yeah… Hajime really does love the peace with us, huh?"

  Hajime, overhearing, peeked his head out from the kitchen. "Oi, stop making it sound all sentimental, it’s weird."

  The group laughed, and Hajime, despite his words, couldn’t help but smile.

  Hajime was in the kitchen, grumbling under his breath in Japanese as he prepared the food. His tone was filled with mild annoyance, but also a sense of determination as he chopped vegetables with expert precision.

  Sockoo tilted her head, confused. "Uh… what is Hajime saying?"

  Ray, who had been leaning back on the couch, raised an eyebrow before realization hit him. "Oh right, you’re not Japanese."

  Rizra smirked. "He’s basically complaining about how you guys treat him like a personal chef but also saying that he’ll still make it because he’s ‘too amazing not to.’"

  Daka, already used to Hajime’s ways, just laughed. "Yeah, that sounds about right. Dude acts all grumpy but loves every second of it."

  Sockoo blinked, watching Hajime continue grumbling in Japanese while flipping something in the pan like a pro. "Wow… so he’s just tsundere about cooking?"

  Ray chuckled. "He’s tsundere about a lot of things."

  Hajime turned his head slightly, still cooking. "I can hear you, you know."

  Daka smirked. "Yeah, and?"

  Hajime sighed, still speaking in Japanese. "Idiots, all of you.

  Rizra snickered and translated.

  Sockoo pouted. "Hajime! Don’t call me an idiot!"

  Hajime glanced at her, crossing his arms. "I didn’t say names."

  Daka laughed harder. "Bro, you basically implied it!"

  Hajime sighed dramatically, turning back to the stove. "Rage on desu…"

  Sockoo, still pouting, leaned toward Rizra. "Tell me when he says something nice in Japanese so I can tease him about it later."

  Rizra grinned. "Got it."

  Hajime sighed again. "You guys are a pain."

  Ray smirked. "But you love it."

  Hajime didn’t answer, just grumbled in Japanese again while Sockoo, Daka, and Rizra giggled in the background.

  Hajime, still grumbling in Japanese, finished cooking and placed a plate on the table. On it sat a perfectly crafted fancy burger

  Sockoo, Daka, Rizra, and Ray all stared at the burger like it was a rare treasure.

  "No way… you made this out of scraps?"

  Hajime, arms crossed, clicked his tongue. "Tch. What else am I supposed to do? Let you starve?"

  Ray smirked. "And he says he doesn’t like spoiling people."

  Sockoo clapped her hands together, practically sparkling. "Hajime, you’re amazing!"

  Hajime turned away, pretending to focus on something else. "Yeah, yeah. Just eat already."

  The group wasted no time, taking their first bites. Instantly, their eyes widened in pure bliss.

  "Oh my god…!""This is… heaven."

  Rizra leaned back, almost crying. "How is this possible? It’s just a burger, but it’s so perfect!"

  Daka, mid-bite, shook Hajime by the shoulders. "Bro, what did you put in this?! What’s your secret?!"

  Hajime shrugged. "I just cooked it normally. You guys just have low standards."

  Ray, completely ignoring Hajime’s downplaying, wiped a fake tear. "I’ve eaten at five-star restaurants, and yet this… this is the greatest burger I’ve ever had."

  Sockoo suddenly grabbed Hajime’s hands, her eyes sparkling. "Hajime! Marry me!"

  Hajime froze, eyes widening. "H-Huh?!

  Daka slammed the table. "SEE?! I KNEW IT! SHE FELL FOR HIS COOKING!"

  Ray burst out laughing while Rizra smirked. "So Sockoo, you’re saying Hajime’s food is enough to make you want to marry him?"

  Sockoo, still dramatically holding Hajime’s hands, nodded aggressively. "Absolutely!"

  Hajime, completely red, yanked his hands away. "Tch! Just eat your damn food and shut up!"

  The group erupted into laughter, while Hajime sat there, arms crossed, trying to hide his embarrassment.

  Rizra leaned forward with a smirk, resting her chin on her hand as she looked at Sockoo.

  "Aren't you already dating Hajime?"

  Sockoo blinked, then started stuttering. "W-Well, yeah, but—"

  Daka immediately jumped in, pointing at her dramatically. "SO YOU’RE SAYING YOU WANNA MARRY HIM ALREADY?! THAT FAST?!"

  Hajime nearly choked on his drink, coughing violently. "OI, STOP SAYING WEIRD SHIT!"

  Ray smirked, clearly enjoying the chaos. "Well, if Sockoo’s already thinking about marriage, then maybe we should start planning the wedding."

  Rizra nodded seriously. "I can be the best man."

  Daka threw his arms up. "I CALL BEING THE RING BEARER!"

  Sockoo, now completely red, waved her hands frantically. "H-Hey! I was just joking! I mean, kind of? But not like that!"

  Hajime slammed his head on the table. "Why are we even talking about this?!"

  Ray crossed his arms. "You brought this on yourself, kid. You made a burger so good it got you proposed to."

  Rizra smirked. "Damn, Hajime. Who knew you had that rizz?"

  Hajime groaned into the table while everyone else laughed at his suffering.

  Ray leaned back on the couch, arms crossed, and looked at Hajime

  with a serious expression. "So, kid, now that you're graduating, what

  are you gonna do next?"

  Hajime, who was still recovering from the whole "marriage

  talk," sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Dunno. Probably just

  gonna do what I always do—fight, get stronger, and enjoy life. Haven't really

  thought about it."

  Daka raised an eyebrow. "You’re telling me you don’t have a

  plan? At all?"

  Hajime shrugged. "I mean, what do you expect? I’m not the

  type to sit down and make some ten-year plan. I'll just go with the flow."

  Sockoo rested her chin on her hands, looking at him. "But

  what about a job? Or... maybe traveling?"

  Rizra smirked. "Knowing Hajime, he'd probably just get into

  fights wherever he goes."

  Ray sighed. "Look, I get that you're not the planning type,

  but you can’t just wing your entire life, Hajime. You gotta at least have some

  direction."

  Hajime scratched the back of his head, looking up at the ceiling. "I

  mean... I guess I could take on missions, keep training, and see what happens.

  I ain’t gonna stop fighting, that’s for sure."

  Ray gave him a small nod. "Well, whatever you do, just

  don’t waste your potential. You’re strong, Hajime. Stronger than most people

  realize. If you’re not careful, that strength could go to waste."

  Hajime snorted. "Tch. I ain’t gonna waste anything. I’ll do

  things my way, like always."

  Sockoo smiled. "Then, maybe after you graduate, we should

  go on that date like we planned?"

  Hajime blinked, then rubbed his nose, looking away. "Y-Yeah,

  sure. I guess."

  Daka and Rizra burst out laughing. "HE'S BLUSHING!"

  Hajime glared at them. "SHUT UP, DAMMIT!"

  Ray just smirked, watching the chaos unfold. "Yeah... I

  think you'll be fine, Hajime."

  Sockoo leaned forward excitedly. "Hey, Hajime! What if we

  convince the principal to give you special access to the school even after you

  graduate? That way, you can still come to the Music Club!"

  Hajime, who was lazily lounging on the couch, raised an eyebrow. "Hah?

  You seriously think the principal’s just gonna let me waltz in whenever I

  want?"

  Sockoo pouted. "C’mon! You’re practically a legend here.

  You were the best in ranked battles, and the Music Club is basically

  place. If we explain it well enough, maybe they’ll allow it!"

  Daka crossed his arms. "That actually doesn’t sound

  impossible. I mean, it’s not like Hajime’s gonna be a random dude wandering

  in—he’s got history with the school."

  Rizra smirked. "Plus, if anyone tries to stop him, we all

  know he’s just gonna force his way in anyway."

  Hajime chuckled. "Tch, you’re not wrong. But, I dunno… I

  feel like once I leave, I shouldn’t keep clinging to school life, y’know?"

  Sockoo poked his cheek. "It’s not about clinging, dummy!

  It’s about keeping something important to you. You love the Music Club, don’t

  you?"

  Hajime sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Well, yeah…

  It’s the only place where things felt normal. A place where I didn’t have to

  fight all the time. Just play music and chill…"

  Ray smirked. "Then what’s the problem? If you want it, just

  take it. That’s how you do things, right?"

  Hajime thought for a moment, then shrugged. "Fine. I guess

  it wouldn’t hurt to try. But if the principal says no, I ain’t begging or

  anything."

  Sockoo clapped her hands together. "Great! We’ll go first

  thing tomorrow!"

  Rizra grinned. "Oh, this is gonna be fun. I can’t wait to

  see the principal’s face when we tell them Hajime still wants to hang around

  the school."

  Daka sighed. "We’re about to cause so much trouble, aren’t

  we?"

  Hajime smirked. "Like that’s anything new."

  Ray leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, with a smug grin on his

  face. "I could easily convince the principal. I mean, c’mon, I

  the strongest in the world."

  Hajime rolled his eyes. "Tch, here we go again…"

  Sockoo looked at Ray, impressed. "Wait, you think you could

  really do it?"

  Ray smirked even harder. "Of course. Who's gonna say no to ?

  The principal knows who I am. If I tell him Hajime should have special access,

  he'll listen. Simple as that."

  Daka sighed. "Man, must be nice having that kinda power.

  Just casually bending school rules like they're nothing."

  Rizra snickered. "Hajime, you should be grateful. The

  strongest guy in the world is using his influence just so you can keep hanging

  out in the Music Club."

  Hajime grunted. "Tch, I don’t need that kind of

  charity."

  Ray shrugged. "Fine, go do it your way. But if you fail,

  I’m stepping in and fixing it."

  Sockoo giggled. "It’s kinda nice seeing Ray spoil Hajime

  like this."

  Hajime groaned, rubbing his temples. "I ain’t spoiled. I

  just have an overpowered grandpa who doesn’t know how to mind his own

  business."

  Ray smirked again. "And yet, you don’t mind when it

  benefits you."

  Hajime clicked his tongue, looking away. "Shut up,

  gramps."

  peaceful bonding, personal growth, and lighthearted chaos in Hajime’s apartment. Exhausted from the previous day, Hajime falls asleep on Sockoo’s lap, creating a rare moment of intimacy and calm. Sockoo’s gentle care and Ray’s guidance spark reflections on strength, perseverance, and setting goals, inspiring Sockoo to commit to getting stronger.

  themes of independence, loyalty, and following one’s own path. Hajime considers continuing his missions and training, while Sockoo and his friends encourage him to retain ties with the Music Club, hinting at plans for the next chapter’s school interactions.

  future challenges balanced by strong interpersonal bonds.