Supernova

Supernova is chapter five of the Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai spin-off series, Haganai CONNECT. It is chapter five of volume one.

Summary

 * This chapter is narrated from Stella's point of view.

As a young girl, Stella knows nothing about her father and, despite her young age, is adamant in learning about him. Her mother, Noel, eventually discovers Stella's efforts but, nonetheless, reveals her father's name: Pegasus Kashiwazaki.

Years later, Noel raises Stella to be a woman of power, as shown when she graduates from her college education at the mere age of fourteen. However, news of her mother's marriage to the president of a rival company upsets Stella and leads her to find her father in Japan alone, only leaving a note of farewells and good wishes to her mother.

At the doorsteps of the Kashiwazaki estate, Tenma greets Stella and fully acknowledges her as his daughter and welcomes her into his house; however, Stella requests her father to let her live in his estate not as his daughter, but as a servant. Tenma approves of Stella's wish, contacts Noel for the last time and retires the former, elderly stewards of the estate as Stella works as an intern to gain their position. After being introduced to her fellow servants in the estate, Stella meets her half-sister, a young Sena. Before Stella can (jokingly) introduce herself as Sena's sister, Tenma interrupts their reunion and instead, Stella introduces herself as a distant relative and their estate's new steward.

While bashfully helping Sena undress, the young girl asks Stella if she really is her sister. Taken aback, Stella confirms their sibling-relationship but asks Sena to only address her by name and to keep their relationship a secret from others, especially her mother, whom Sena seem to dislike. Stella then asks Sena if she has any friends, to which Sena replies that she has no need of them since she is being disliked by her fellow playmates. Stella realizes that for a young, 'shining' girl like Sena, for someone to stand by her side should be as dark, akin to a night sky, and only then when Sena can truly shine, achieve redemption and save that 'someone' who is in the darkness.