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[-Continuation-]
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[Hachiman's POV]
After a few minutes of waiting, the trio of girls reached the parking lot.
….and without any further ado, both Yukinoshita decided to leave now.
"I can give you a ride home if you'd like?" Haruno suggested, casually leaning against the open car door.
"That won't work. We stay in completely different directions. Moreover, aren't you tired of the hectic work you've done today? Just go home and rest." I politely declined, gesturing towards the direction of her home.
Actually, Yukinoshita and I stay in the same city and are close by, but in the case of Yuigahama, I can't say the same, and there is no way I would leave her alone when she came with me.
"Ah, if my little brother insists." Haruno's eyes sparkled with mischief as she teased.
"...tsk, aren't you finished with that joke by now?" I said, dismissing her offer with a wave of my hand.
"Now, now, don't get flustered, little brother." Haruno continued, clearly enjoying our exchange.
"..." This time, I remained silent, refusing to indulge her further.
"Come on, Big Sis, stop holding them up. It's getting dark." Yukinoshita chimed in, having completed her parting greetings with Yuigahama and Komachi.
Finally, Haruno's laughter faded away, and she turned to leave.
"Well, I suppose I shall head back then. It was…..enlightening, as always." She paused, her gaze lingering on mine
"Anyway, little brother, don't forget to call your poor big sister occasionally." With a dramatic wave of her hand, she made her way towards the other door of the limousine.
However, instead of entering, Haruno halted, confusion etched across her features as she looked at Yukinoshita, who had also stopped in her tracks after opening the car door.
"...Yukino…?" Haruno called out, her brow furrowed.
"....give me a minute." Yukinoshita responded and closed the door without entering.
"....." Haruno simply stared at her sister's actions, as did the three of us.
Under our collective gaze, Yukinoshita walked in my direction and stopped a mere few feet away from me.
I watched, clearly surprised yet undoubtedly intrigued by what she had to say.
The moment lingered in silence as she raised her hand to my chest level, her palm open in a silent request.
?!!... Instinctively, understanding her intention, I retrieved my phone from my pocket and placed it in her outstretched hand.
"Hehhe~" Haruno laughed, finally understanding what her little sister was doing. Her smile was cheeky, as if she could see through Yukinoshita's jealousy.
Yet neither Yukinoshita nor I paid any heed to Haruno's amusement as Yukinoshita entered her contact details into my phone and handed it back to me.
Turning away, she muttered barely audibly. "See you...."
"Y-yeah, see you too…." I responded, my voice mirroring the quiet intimacy of the moment.
As she disappeared into the limousine, the engine roared to life, and it sped away into the night.
The silence that followed was oppressive, heavy with unspoken words and unresolved tensions.
It was Yuigahama who finally broke the stillness, her voice barely above a whisper. "I think we should head home, Hikki."
"Right, let's go." I nodded, my gaze still fixated on the spot where Haruno's sleek vehicle had vanished from sight.
The walk to our respective homes was shrouded in an uneasy silence, each of us lost in our own thoughts, processing the events of the evening.
Komachi did try to subdue the tension, but there is little she can do.
Eventually, I decided to drop Yuigahama off at her house first, considering the late hour.
Though Yuigahama didn't try to refuse her way out, my little sister did her magic.
So yeah, now we find ourselves on the way to Yuigahama's house, having just departed from the train station.
As we walked from the train station, Yuigahama kept stealing glances in my direction, her brow furrowed with concern, but she refrained from voicing the questions that danced across her features.
Walking side by side with Komachi in between us, Yuigahama suddenly spoke up.
"Hikki, I don't think I can be your friend anymore." Yuigahama said firmly.
Her words struck me, and I turned my head to gauge her expression.
It seemed like she was telling me she wanted to cut any and all ties with me.
"Yui, what ar-!" Komachi's voice chimed in, laced with concern, but I swiftly cut her off.
"Komachi, stay out of this." I interjected, my tone leaving no room for argument.
She puffed out her cheeks in an irritable pout, violently stomping her feet, but sensibly stayed silent, recognizing the gravity of the situation unfolding before her.
Before I could respond, Yuigahama pressed on, her words tumbling forth with an unexpected level of honesty.
".....I think I like Yukinon more than I thought." She blurted out, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Hum...? You just found that out?" I asked, feigning nonchalance, but my heart began to race.
"....." Yuigahama fell silent, her eyes downcast, seemingly unsure how to proceed. The silence stretched between us, thick with unspoken emotions.
I took a moment to gather my thoughts, drawing in a deep breath.
"Okay." I said, nodding slowly.
"But acting like a stranger all of a sudden isn't my thing. Maybe for a girl, it could be second nature... So let's do this." I continued thinking deeply.
"Moving forward, you and I are just friends of friends. Let's keep it at that." I continued, trying to articulate my feelings clearly.
….and I don't think there is a need to specify who that friend is supposed to be.
"I don't know whether Yukinon is going to accept that." Komachi interjected, her voice tinged with frustration as she turned her head away from me.
Listening to Komachi's comment, Yuigahama spoke up while imitating Yukinoshita's hypothetical response. "Yukinon would probably say something like, 'Hikigaya, I don't remember giving you permission to claim me as your friend.'"
It felt like she was attempting to laugh off the awkwardness, but it fell flat. Trying to hide behind a mask of nonchalance, attempting to feign indifference to the emotions that were clearly still raw and vulnerable.
"Yeah, you are probably right." I said, my voice firm but gentle. "But that wasn't funny."
The silence that followed was oppressive, the air was thick with unspoken emotions. I could sense the weight of Yuigahama's confession still lingering between us, like a palpable force that refused to dissipate. I knew that our friendship, or whatever it was, had been forever changed by this moment.
As I pondered these questions, I couldn't help but wonder what Yukinoshita would say if she were here.
Would she be angry, hurt, or perhaps ....even relieved?
….
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[Yukino Yukinoshita's POV]
As the limousine pulled away from the curb, I settled into the plush leather seat, stealing a glance through the tinted window at Hikigaya's silhouette slowly fading into the distance.
A heavy silence hung in the air, thick with unspoken implications.
"My, my, Yukino." Haruno's melodic voice broke the stillness, her tone laced with thinly veiled amusement.
"Exchanging contact information right in front of me? How daring of you."
I turned to face her, my expression carefully composed, betraying none of the turbulent emotions swirling within me. "I fail to see the significance of such a trivial act."
"Oh, come now, dear sister. We both know there's more to it than that." Haruno's perfectly sculpted eyebrow arched, her ruby lips curling into a mischievous grin.
"Enlighten me, then." I challenged, my voice steady despite the uneasiness that was building up inside of me.
Haruno accepted my challenge with a knowing smile, as if she had been waiting for this moment. "Isn't that your last line of defence against him."
She paused deliberately, locking eyes with me. "....No, maybe more like against yourself."
Her words struck a nerve with unsettling accuracy, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of frustration.
The truth was, the person I was actually trying to restrain by not giving my number wasn't Hikigaya, but myself.
It felt like a self-imposed restraint, a final struggle against the potential outcomes I imagined for my future self.
Leaning back casually, Haruno toyed with a strand of her silken hair, her gaze never leaving mine.
She continued, her tone casual yet loaded with insight, as she analyzed my reaction. "Also, let's be real, you have never been one to make bold moves, Yukino. Yet, there you were, putting yourself out there for our dear Hikigaya to see."
Heat crept into my cheeks, and I fought the urge to avert my gaze. "You are reading too much into a simple exchange of contact information."
"Am I?" Haruno countered, her eyes sparkling with mirth.
"Or perhaps you are the one downplaying the significance of your actions."
I opened my mouth to retort, but Haruno pressed on, her voice taking on a softer tone. "You know, Yukino, there's no need to be so guarded with me. I have seen the way you look at him, the way your entire demeanor shifts when he's around."
My heart thundered in my chest, and I found myself at a rare loss for words. Haruno's perceptive gaze seemed to pierce through my carefully constructed facade, laying bare the emotions I had fought so hard to conceal.
"It's endearing, really." Haruno continued, her expression softening.
"To see you, so typically strict and composed, come undone by the mere presence of a guy."
"You are imagining things, big sis." I swallowed hard, willing my voice to remain steady.
Haruno's musical laughter filled the confines of the limousine, a sound both melodious and maddening. "Denial suits you poorly, dear sister. And we were already once over it."
Frustration bubbled within me, but I couldn't bring myself to refute her claims outright.
"Don't fret, Yukino." Haruno said, her tone gentle yet laced with a hint of teasing.
"Your secret is safe with me. Although, I must admit, I am rather invested in this little drama of yours. Perhaps I should start taking bets on when you will finally confess your feelings to our beloved Hikigaya."
"Big sis, you are insufferable." My cheeks burned, and I fought the urge to bury my face in my hands.
Haruno's laughter rang out once more, rich and melodious. "Ah, but you wouldn't have me any other way, would you?"
Despite my best efforts, the corners of my lips threatened to curve upwards ever so slightly.
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[To be continued…]
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