Chapter 204: Yumiko's Shift in Attitude
Unexpectedly, Hachiman kissed Yumiko, leaving her a bit bewildered. However, under his skilled kissing technique, she quickly lost her resistance and couldn't help but respond involuntarily.
Before the girl lost her ability to resist, a thought crossed her mind.
Why is Hachiman so proficient at this? How many times has he kissed Yui?
However, this thought only lasted for a moment as Yumiko was soon captivated by Hachiman.
The setting sun's warm glow streamed through the window, casting a golden veil over the kissing teenagers, creating a scene of tranquility. Everything seemed quiet and peaceful, like an unfolded painting.
After an unknown amount of time, their lips parted, and Yumiko finally caught her breath, breathing heavily.
"Hachiman, you..."
"Sorry, couldn't resist it for a moment. It's just that you're so beautiful, always attracting my attention."
At this point, Hachiman started becoming shameless.
"Don't worry, now that I've kissed you, I'll take responsibility."
Upon hearing his words, Yumiko was stunned. A ripple emerged in her heart, and a faint blush appeared on her face.
Throughout her life, due to her proud and queen-like personality, hardly anyone dared to confess to her directly. Hearing such straightforward words suddenly made her heartbeat quicken.
The first time is always impressive, and though she doesn't want to admit it, Hachiman has left a lasting impression on the girl's heart.
Actually, when you look closely, Hachiman is quite handsome, and as a famous light novel author with excellent cooking skills, he's indeed a good candidate for a romantic partner.
Almost involuntarily, this thought crossed the girl's mind, but she shook her head a moment later.
Yumiko thought of her best friend, and her expression became conflicted.
"Yui..."
Upon hearing the name, Hachiman smiled.
"Don't worry, Yumiko, I like you on this side, and I won't give up on Yui either."
"Only kids make choices; as an adult, I want everything. You're all my wings."
At this point, Hachiman completely let go and openly expressed his true thoughts.
This made Yumiko's gaze suddenly sharp.
"What do you mean? Do you want to have a harem?!"
Seeing her reaction, Hachiman sighed inwardly.
Indeed, dealing with strong-willed girls is not easy, but since he has already made up his mind, he won't give up.
The best way to deal with a strong-willed girl is to be even more assertive than her, as demonstrated with Utaha before.
In the disbelieving gaze of Yumiko, Hachiman once again kissed her lips.
Initially, the girl was naturally unwilling, but under Hachiman's exceptional skill, she quickly succumbed.
Yumiko felt as if her soul had been sucked away, her consciousness becoming fuzzy, and she responded to the kiss entirely based on instinct.
After an unknown amount of time, the sound of a wine bottle being uncorked, "pop," echoed, and the two finally parted their lips.
A moment later, Yumiko regained consciousness, sensing a strange sensation on her lips. She reached out, touched it, and then spoke up angrily.
"Why did you suck so hard, you jerk? My lips are swollen."
"But it seems like you responded quite actively," Hachiman shrugged.
Hearing his words, the girl's face turned red, and her tone became stuttered.
"T-that's just a natural reaction. Blame it all on you, jerk."
"Alright, alright, blame it all on me."
Hachiman went along with the girl's mood. Dealing with a girl like Yumiko, who has a quick temper and is easily appeased, requires going along with the flow.
"As long as you know."
As expected, upon hearing his words, the girl turned her head away without looking at him, but a smile still appeared at the corner of her mouth.
It was almost six o'clock, and observing the gradually darkening sky, Hachiman spoke, "It's getting late. Let me take you home."
"Hmph, I don't need you to escort me."
Although appeased, Yumiko now displayed a somewhat spoiled attitude.
"No, I can't let you go alone. After all, Yumiko, you're so pretty, and with your injured foot, what if you encounter some bad people?" Hachiman coaxed and warned.
"Ugh... fine."
Hearing his words, the girl fell silent, hesitated for a moment, and eventually agreed. Although it sounded intimidating, it couldn't be denied that such incidents could actually happen.
Seeing Yumiko's agreement, Hachiman smiled, turned around, and crouched down with his back to the girl.
"Get on, I'll carry you back."
Witnessing this scene, the girl's face blushed slightly. While being carried might be a bit embarrassing, it was much better than being princess-carried.
She slowly stood up from the sickbed, raised her injured foot, leaned forward slightly, and leaned on Hachiman's back. Her two hands instinctively wrapped around his neck.
While the girl's bust wasn't as ample as Yui and the others, it still had a considerable size. Feeling the soft pressure on his back, Hachiman's heart fluttered for a moment.
However, he quickly suppressed the excitement in his heart after a moment and glanced downward.
"Hold on tight; I'm going to stand up."
Upon hearing his words, Yumiko instinctively tightened her arms.
Sensing her movement, Hachiman slowly stood up, securing her legs with his hands.
"Let's go; I'll take you home."
"Okay."
Yumiko replied softly, lying on Hachiman's back. As she looked at his profile, she felt an unusual sense of security.
Sorry, Yui. Let me enjoy this moment for now.
Apologizing silently to her best friend, Yumiko slowly pressed her cheek against Hachiman's back.
The surroundings seemed to quiet down, leaving only the synchronized heartbeat of the two in the air.
With the campus now deserted, and students involved in club activities gone, Hachiman left the school carrying Yumiko on his back. They walked slowly on the road, bathed in the warm glow of the setting sun, casting their elongated shadows.
Soon, guided by the girl, the two arrived at her doorstep.
Setting Yumiko down from his back, Hachiman smiled and spoke, "Alright, I've safely brought you home. Now I can go back without worries."
"Hmph, that's what you should do. It's all because of you that I got injured in the first place."
Yumiko, at this moment, reverted to her proud demeanor.
Seeing her like this, Hachiman found it a bit amusing.
"Alright, it's my fault. Remember to apply cold compresses a few more times tonight; it'll help with the swelling. As for me, I'll head back now. Goodbye, my Yumiko." With that, he leaned down, planted a quick kiss on her cheek, and swiftly ran off.
"You jerk!"
Watching him escape, Yumiko muttered under her breath, then cautiously looked back at her front door. After confirming no one had witnessed their interaction, she sighed in relief.
The girl suddenly realized that, despite her reluctance to admit it, she wasn't as resistant to Hachiman's kiss as before.
Unwillingly, she acknowledged that he had indeed left a mark on her heart, like an ink drop spreading slowly in water.