Monogatari Series - Volume 23 - Chapter 1.45

045

“It’s Araragi-senpai!” “No way, Araragi-senpai!?” “It’s true, it’s Araragi-senpai!” “By Araragi-senpai, you mean that Araragi-senpai?” “Yeah, it’s that Araragi-senpai! What other Araragi-senpai is there!?” “Hanekawa-senpai’s friend!” “Senjougahara-senpai’s boyfriend!” “Oikura-senpai’s childhood friend!” “And, above all, Kanbaru’s master!” “Naoetsu High’s only delinquent graduate, Araragi-senpai!” “Araragi-senpai!” “Araragi-senpai!” “Araragi-senpai!”

I was extremely popular.

An unprecedented Araragi chanting was occurring right now—I never thought I’d be received so warmly when I crashed a pajama party of high school girls.

Araragi-senpai has also become corrupt.

“Aaararagi! Hey, Aaararagi! What’s up, Aaararagi!”

“Kanbaru. Don’t take the lead.”

You’re doing totally fine, aren’t you.

What’s up with you.

Well, thanks to the benefits of modern science, I had the presence of mind to make a phone call before I hopped into my New Beetle, after all.

“And what’s with those pajamas of yours?”

“What’s the matter, Araragi-senpai. Of all people, you, Araragi-senpai, don’t know about the negligee, pajamas that don’t get in the way of regular affairs?”

“What I don’t know is having a junior like you. Nice to meet you.”

This exchange of greetings turned out to be a big hit with the high school girls—we were in a room on the second floor of the Higasa residence. The eight-tatami room, which was normally not so small, had been crammed with clamoring high school girls.

Packed in tightly.

Maybe it was tight because they were clamoring so much.

They were all OG members of the Naoetsu High girls’ basketball team—while Kanbaru’s negligee (when I asked why she was wearing such a feminine nightgown when she was so boyish, she said, “I’m usually naked, so I borrowed it for today.” But who lent you that?) was the extreme example, they were all equally, truly, in their pajamas.

That was where I’d found myself.

Even just getting into the house of Higasa-chan, whom I’d only just met yesterday, required a mental toughness that I probably needed to learn from my smaller little sister—so how did something like this happen?

It was such a drop that I wanted to ask what happened to the climactic feeling from earlier—what, are there still about 500 more pages in this book?

I thought I’d had enough self control to not end up like this, but what was the difference between me right now and a college freshman who’d lost his grip on studying and was constantly going to mixers?

Well, whatever the case, I could just say I was glad Kanbaru was okay… I had better report to Gaen-san.

“By the way, Araragi-senpai.”

Higasa-chan, the owner of the eight-tatami room, raised her hand.

“You said that you had something urgent to say about the current state of the girls’ basketball team, so I made an exception and let you into this girls-only meeting, but even if you are Araragi-senpai himself, you must observe the dress code.”

“Dress code?”

“Pajamas, of course. It’s a pajama party, after all.”

But there’s no need to worry, if you are currently not in the possession of any then we can certainly rent one out, said Higasa-chan in rapid succession, with fluency like flowing water—but, no, of course I wouldn’t be in the possession of any.

Well, Kanbaru had said something like that when I had called her—I had halfheartedly agreed to it since I didn’t really have a choice, but that really wasn’t a joke?

“Yes. Our OG association is run based on strict etiquette. Even if you are a childhood friend of Oikura-senpai.”

“That’s right. Even if he is a childhood friend of Oikura-senpai.”

To Higasa-chan’s words, the other association members (?) nodded in agreement—why were they so familiar with Oikura?

The total period of time she attended Naoetsu High shouldn’t be that long, right?

“All right, all right—but I’d feel a bit bad if I were to borrow the pajamas of your father or brother without even having met them.”

I couldn’t just stroll in and say that I wasn’t going to follow the rules… And I couldn’t just leave, either.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

Playing it by ear, it’s Araragi Koyomi.

And just as I thought that, I received a remark from Kanbaru.

“Araragi-senpai, Higasa doesn’t have a father or brother.”

“Eh?”

“Didn’t I mention it yesterday? My mom’s a single parent. One mother, one child. With her own hands, she raised me very well. Even now, she’s working to help pay for my college education.”

So I broke into a household with that kind of background?

Seriously?

Would it even be enough to die and apologize?

“And so, we only have girls’ pajamas in our house at the moment, but no need to worry! As you can see, the OGs of the girls’ basketball team are pretty confident in their height!”

Yeah, yeah. So what? I wonder what you could mean by that?