Chapter 401: I Couldn't Help but Feel Moved Too
Looking at Hachiman's expression, Yumiko's face showed a hint of suspicion.
"I have a feeling you're thinking about something naughty."
Upon hearing this, Hachiman felt a bit embarrassed.
Girls' intuition is always so accurate.
But Hachiman was who he was, with maxed-out Acting skills; he shrugged nonchalantly, pretending as if nothing was amiss.
"How could that be? I was just thinking how beautiful you look tonight, Yumiko."
With his praise, Yumiko's attention indeed shifted.
"I don't need you to tell me that. And, I'm not just beautiful tonight, I'm beautiful every day."
Though she felt happy inside, Yumiko still couldn't be too straightforward, as Hachiman had mentioned earlier.
"And don't you dare say I'm yours."
Seeing her reaction, Hachiman felt a bit helpless.
What does she mean, "scared away by me"? I'm not that scary; it's clear that Ebina created an opportunity for us to be alone.
"Alright, alright, stop being so tsundere. It's better to be straightforward," Hachiman chuckled and shook his head.
Hearing this, Yumiko glared at him fiercely.
"It's all because of you, being indecisive like this and wanting to build a harem. How could I ever agree to that?"
"And most importantly, you even have feelings for Yukino."
Seeing her getting worked up over Yukino, Hachiman felt a bit helpless.
"Why are you so incompatible with Yukino? You two don't interact much anyway."
Upon hearing Hachiman's words, Yumiko snorted.
"Hmph, although we don't talk much, every time I see her acting all high and mighty, it makes me uncomfortable."
For Yumiko, who had always been in the spotlight since childhood, and had a bit of a princess complex, there were many things she found distasteful, and Yukino's cold demeanor was one of them.
Yukino's aloof personality always made Yumiko feel like she was looking down on others.
Furthermore, Yukino's beauty and excellent grades made her more susceptible to jealousy from other girls, as same-sex repulsion is a common phenomenon.
In the original story, Yumiko's animosity towards Yukino stems from another source: Yukino's treatment of Hayama.
Given Yumiko's affection for Hayama, hearing Yukino's sarcastic remarks and disdain towards him naturally fuels her anger.
Additionally, Yukino and Hayama share a childhood friendship, and Hayama's feelings towards Yukino remain ambiguous. This uncertainty leads Yumiko to fear that Yukino might win Hayama's affections, hence her negative feelings towards Yukino.
Even though Yumiko's feelings for Hayama have faded, her conflict with Yukino persists due to her feelings for Hachiman.
As they say, life is full of unexpected twists and turns.
Observing Yumiko's demeanor, Hachiman can't help but sigh. Building a harmonious group of romantic interests still seems like a distant goal.
The revolution hasn't succeeded yet; comrades still have much work ahead.
Seeing Yumiko's sulking expression, Hachiman reassures her with a smile, "Alright, don't be upset. When your birthday comes, I'll organize a grand celebration for you."
"Hmph, you better stick to your word. If you forget, you'll see what I'll do to you."
Yumiko's mood visibly improves at this promise. Having spent enough time with Hachiman, she knows that once he decides something, he rarely backs down, so she decides to let the matter drop.
"Rest assured, since I've promised, I'll definitely follow through," Hachiman assures her.
"At that time, let's invite your parents and Komachi, and we'll celebrate together as a family."
Hearing this, Yumiko feels a surge of happiness, although she blushes faintly when he mentions her parents.
"You jerk, why are you saying such things? Who said they're your in-laws and who said we're a family?"
"Get lost, leave me alone. I can't stand being around you."
With a dismissive gesture, she expresses her disdain.
Understanding her shyness, Hachiman doesn't push further and simply shrugs before departing.
As she watches Hachiman leave, Yumiko feels a bit dazed.
Suddenly, a familiar voice speaks in her ear.
"Yumiko, is everything alright?"
The sudden voice startles Yumiko, but she quickly recognizes the speaker.
"Hina, you scared me! Don't sneak up on me like that."
Indeed, it was Ebina speaking. Yumiko hadn't noticed when she had approached from behind.
Upon hearing Yumiko's words, Ebina chuckled, "Oh my, I'm not sneaky at all. It's just that you were so captivated by someone that you didn't notice me."
"W-Who... Who's captivated? Hina, don't talk nonsense," Yumiko retorted nervously.
"Well, who knows."
Watching the girl's obvious attempt to cover up, Ebina's lips curled into a mischievous smile.
"Oh dear, but Hachiman-kun is certainly popular."
With that, Ebina's gaze shifted to a nearby scene where Hachiman was conversing with other girls. Each time he approached them, they genuinely smiled with happiness.
"What special qualities does Hachiman have to be so popular with girls?"
Hearing Ebina's words, Yumiko scoffed dismissively, "Tch, that guy just happens to be a bit better at cooking, more reliable, speaks nicely, and is genuinely sincere..."
But as she spoke, her voice trailed off because when she carefully considered it, Hachiman had too many positive traits.
Just then, Ebina's teasing voice sounded in Yumiko's ear again.
"Oh my, I didn't expect you to understand Hachiman-kun so deeply."
"Hmph, who would bother to understand that jerk? He's just always around me, so I got to know him," Yumiko said, pretending to be nonchalant.
"Are you sure it's not because you like Hachiman-kun that you understand him?" Ebina continued to tease.
Yumiko fell for it, turning her head away and speaking insincerely, "Who would like him? He's just Hachiman Hikigaya, nothing more."
Seeing her reaction, Ebina's lips curled into a mischievous smile.
"I see. Well, if you don't like him, then I'll make my move."
"After hearing you list all of Hachiman-kun's qualities, even I can't help but be a little intrigued."
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