Chapter 520: Hachiman's Clever Plan to Comfort Yukino
"Safe and sound, I'm first!"
Yui bounced out of the aquarium entrance, laughing joyfully like a victorious child.
Seeing her childlike excitement, both Yukino and Hachiman couldn't help but smile fondly.
"I had so much fun today! Thank you both, Yukinon, Hikki."
Turning to them, Yui expressed her gratitude.
Yukino simply shook her head with a smile. "I had a great time too. I got to see a lot of cute animals, so you don't need to thank me."
"Exactly! We all had a great time. If we get the chance, let's come back again together next time," Hachiman added, smiling as well.
Upon hearing this, Yui's eyes sparkled with excitement, and she nodded vigorously.
"Yeah! Next time, the three of us must come back to have fun together!"
"Absolutely," Yukino agreed, her expression softening even further.
....
Leaving the aquarium, Hachiman first dropped Yui off at her home before heading to Yukino's apartment.
At first, Yukino was reluctant to let him accompany her, still somewhat annoyed.
However, there was no way for her to resist Hachiman, who had become quite shameless. Ultimately, she found herself holding hands with him as they walked toward her apartment.
Even though her hand was being held, Yukino kept her face cold, turning her head away and refusing to look at him.
Seeing her sulky demeanor, Hachiman sighed in exasperation.
"Yukino, I know I messed up, so please don't stay mad at me."
Upon hearing this, Yukino turned her head slightly, a cool smile appearing on her face.
"How could I possibly be angry, Mr. Emperor Penguin? You aren't in the wrong; we just have different views."
Hachiman was bewildered. How did this conversation shift to issues of perspective?
He understood that Yukino was upset. After pouring her heart into their relationship, to be met with a flirtatious, indecisive guy like him would irk anyone.
However, it was impossible for him to abandon the other girls. Each of them genuinely liked him, and he wouldn't want to be the kind of scumbag who denies responsibility.
Clearly, Yukino needed a more patient approach.
With this thought in mind, Hachiman decided to change his demeanor. He let a shadow of disappointment cloud his face and sighed softly.
"I'm sorry, I..."
But before he could finish his sentence, he hesitated, putting on a forced smile instead.
"Let's go."
Seeing him like this made Yukino's heart tighten. She felt an unwelcome sense of panic and couldn't help but ask, "Are... are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Hachiman said, forcing another smile.
"Let's go. I'll walk you back."
Without giving her a chance to respond, he continued moving toward the apartment.
Before long, they reached Yukino's apartment building. At this point, Hachiman appeared conflicted, as if struggling with his thoughts. Eventually, he released Yukino's hand.
"You should go up. I should head home now."
Observing this, Yukino's heart grew even more anxious.
Given her understanding of Hachiman, Yukino knew he would typically muster the courage to come upstairs instead of just turning and leaving, especially now that they were at her apartment.
She felt in her gut that if she let him go today, she would lose something incredibly important.
Just as Hachiman turned to walk away, Yukino couldn't hold back any longer and leaped forward, embracing him.
"What's wrong with you?!"
As she acted on impulse, a triumphant smile crept onto Hachiman's lips.
Ah, this is called a strategic retreat.
Sometimes, an unconventional action can capture a girl's attention.
Of course, such strategies should be based on sufficient mutual affection; if the feelings aren't there, she might not even notice you, which would only push the relationship further away.
Hachiman realized that in the past, he had been too accommodating toward Yukino, often taking the initiative. However, overdoing it can lead to him ending up in a passive position.
There's an old saying: in romance, the first one to initiate loses.
Hachiman's feelings for Yukino were genuine, and that was beyond doubt. But precisely because of this, he often found himself on the defensive, constantly accommodating her.
Now, he was ready to reclaim the initiative.
Yet, he needed to keep up the act. Even though his ploy had initially succeeded, Hachiman still put on a façade of disappointment.
"I'm sorry for disappointing you."
"You've done so much, yet I couldn't give you a clear answer."
"We..."
"It's okay! I can wait; we're still young," Yukino interrupted.
Hachiman noticed the tension in her voice and saw her shaking her head in a hurry, fearful of him saying something she couldn't accept.
"Yukino, I know what answer you're hoping for, but I just can't give it to you right now." Hachiman said, his face showing a hint of sadness as he shook his head.
"I'm sorry."
This "sorry" was heartfelt. In truth, Hachiman owed more than just Yukino an apology; he owed it to all the girls. They had given him their love, while he...
It couldn't be helped; this was the plight of a transmigrator, or perhaps one could say it was a common issue among men.
Ultimately, it was about possessiveness causing chaos.
With this thought in mind, Hachiman turned and held Yukino tightly.
"Yukino, can you give me some time?"
"With the entrance exams coming in a year, if I say anything now, it might ruin things for them."
"So, can you wait a little longer?"
As he spoke, Hachiman looked down at the girl in his arms with gentle eyes.
"I understand. I'll wait for you," Yukino replied softly.
Seeing her reflection in his eyes, Yukino confirmed his feelings.
This guy really does like me.
With this realization, she couldn't help but lean her head against his chest.
Yukino understood what Hachiman meant.
They were all about to enter their final year of high school, a crucial time for studying. If they maintained the status quo, they could smoothly get through it. They could all work hard together, striving for their ideal universities.
However, if things were made clear at this moment, it could lead some girls to despair, possibly giving up on their studies and jeopardizing their futures.
Though she didn't want to admit it, Yukino knew that the girls' feelings for Hachiman were not less than her own. In fact, compared to a few of them, she was the latecomer in this emotional game.
To be fair, if the person they had loved for so long suddenly expressed a desire to date someone else, it would undoubtedly be a huge blow to them and could send them spiraling.
After all, Yukino was not an evil person; she wouldn't want such a situation to arise.
With these thoughts, she commended her kind heart.
"Then I'll wait for a year."
As she spoke, a smile blossomed on Yukino's face, returning to her usual demeanor.
"Thank you, Yukino."
Seeing her smile, Hachiman let out a sigh of relief.
At least he had managed to stabilize Yukino for now. It was clear that he couldn't be too hasty regarding her feelings.
At this moment, Hachiman viewed her as the "final boss." Until the timing was right, he needed to tread carefully.
But now that things were calm, Hachiman relaxed and returned to his usual nonchalant self.
"Just to be safe, I'll give you a little reassurance, Yukino."
"Huh... reassurance?"
Yukino blinked, not quite understanding his intention.
Before she could voice her question, Hachiman leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips.
"Mm..."
All her questions turned into a soft gasp, muted and captured behind Yukino's lips.
.....
Uncertain of how much time had passed, their lips finally parted, and the long-suppressed breaths escaped into the air.
Yukino, her face flushed, pushed gently against Hachiman's chest, wiping the moisture from the corners of her mouth and shooting him an irritated glance.
"I really shouldn't give you any good will," she said with a slight pout.
Hachiman, unable to resist the beauty of her autumn-like eyes, was once again drawn in, leaning in to kiss her again.
However, this time, Yukino seemed prepared and raised her hand to block his mouth.
"Not again! Haven't you had enough?"
Though he was thwarted, Hachiman didn't mind. Instead, he placed a soft kiss on her palm.
Feeling the touch, Yukino's cheeks flushed deeper, and she shot him another glare.
"You're so shameless."
At her words, Hachiman shrugged carelessly. "Isn't this just my way of proving my sincerity to you, Yukino?"
"Who asked you to prove it like this?"
Recalling the intensity of the kiss they had just shared, Yukino's earlobes turned crimson, and she couldn't help but mutter indignantly, "You idiot, fool, Hachiman!"
"Yes, I'm here!" he responded playfully.
Hachiman knew that Yukino was mostly flustered and embarrassed, but the soft tone of her words drew him in nonetheless.
"I'll always be by your side, no matter what."
Yukino paused at this heartfelt declaration, and after a moment, a soft giggle escaped her lips, her demeanor becoming gentle again.
"You... fool."
"Yes, I'm a fool, but what about the Yukino who likes this fool?" Hachiman lowered his gaze, warmth shimmering in his eyes as he looked at her.
Yukino lifted one hand slightly, lightly caressing Hachiman's cheek.
"I guess I'm a fool too."
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