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[-Continuation-]
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[Third Person View]
"Gosh, how did I end up in this situation?" Yukino muttered, her words laced with equal parts disbelief and frustration.
Undeterred, Hachiman simply watched her, clearly relishing the opportunity to rile her up further.
"Perhaps I shouldn't have opened the door to begin with." Yukino continued, her voice tinged with regret as she contemplated the series of events that had led them to this point.
"Oh, do you think that will work…?" Hachiman mocked.
"The next moment, my phone will be dialed to 'my' big sister Haruno, and I will leave the rest to your….. Imagination." He continued, his tone daring, yet betrayed by a flicker of terror in his eyes, a sign that even he was frightened by his own words.
The implied threat hung in the air like a gloomy fog, and it caused Yukino to feel a chill run down his spine.
…..and having been triggered by Hachiman's suggestion, Yukino envisioned the scenario in her mind.
The images of a woman bursting into her apartment, 'tagging' along with 'Hachiman' flashed through her mind like scenes from a movie reel.
"You…." Yukino's voice shook with anger as she pointed a sharp index finger at him, her eyes narrowing in warning.
"Aren't you supposed to take care of me? Why are you trying to freak me out even more?" Her thoughts spilled out involuntarily, as if her inner monologue had been given a voice without her consent and she only realized it after the words had already escaped her lips.
"Heee..." Hachiman's response was immediate – a wide, smugly triumphant smile that spoke volumes about his satisfaction at having successfully rattled her composure.
Realising her slipup, Yukino scrambled to regain control of the situation.
"...I think I am really sick, what am I saying?" She tried to backtrack, blaming her odd behavior on her illness in a weak attempt to save face.
But it was too late. Hachiman was far too pleased with himself, too satisfied with having managed to crack her usual calmness, to even consider her excuse.
"Hey, I was just kidding around." He said, his voice uncharacteristically gentle. "You know I would never actually call your sister, right?"
Yukino averted her gaze, her cheeks burning with embarrassment at having been so easily rattled.
"She is too hard to predict, like a storm in which even I might be swept away by whoever actually initiated it without mercy."
He added with a frightened tone. "It is like a double-edged sword."
"Glad you have retained your sane part…. at least a little." She murmured, adding a delicate blend of defensiveness and pride to her tone. "However, do remember that I am not some fragile creature who needs your coddling."
Hachiman let out a sigh as he ruffled his tangled hair with his palm, making a gesture that conveyed equal parts weariness and acceptance. "Right, I am aware. So don't worry, I won't take it too far."
"..." - "..."
For a moment, neither of them spoke, the air thick with unresolved tension.
Then, to Hachiman's surprise, Yukino's lips curled into a faint smile.
"Since when do you concern yourself with taking things too far?" She inquired, her voice regaining its familiar hint of playful challenge.
Hachiman blinked, taken aback by her quick shift. But then, recognition dawned, and a slow grin spread across his face.
"Fair point." He conceded, leaning back into the cushions once more.
Yukino's eyes narrowed as she regarded Hachiman's self-satisfied smirk.
"Wipe that insufferable grin off your face." She snapped, looking like she was ready to breathe fire, her voice carrying a razor-sharp edge that would have sent lesser men cowering.
Hachiman, however, was not one of those men, he seemed utterly unfazed by her bravado.
Forget about cowering, this guy had the nerve to lean back in his comfy cushions, cool as a cucumber
"Make me." He said, sounding bored.
He stretched out like a lazy cat, which only made Yukino madder.
Her face went from frustrated to furious. Her hands balled into fists, and a faint red tinge crept up her neck for a second, it looked like she might actually punch him.
….?Hachiman just raised an eyebrow, like he was daring her to do it.
But to his surprise, the next moment she simply took a deep, steady breath, her features schooling themselves into a mask of composure once more.
"You underestimate me, Hikigaya." She said at last, her voice deceptively calm.
"I have merely been allowing you to indulge in your childish antics. But make no mistake, I am the one in charge here."
"...*chuckle." A low chuckle rumbled in Hachiman's throat as he met her challenging gaze head-on.
"Is that what you tell yourself, Yukino…..?" He taunted, emphasizing the familiar honorific in a way he knew would grate on her nerves.
Sure enough, Yukino's eyes flashed with annoyance, but she refused to take the bait. Instead, she simply arched a delicate eyebrow, her expression one of cool indifference.
Hachiman leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees, his eyes never leaving Yukino's face. "....and you know, for someone 'in charge,' you sure sound like you're getting all worked up."
??!!Yukino's posture stiffened almost imperceptibly. "Worked up? Not at all. I am just stating it as it was, Hikigaya."
A smirk tugged at the corner of Hachiman's mouth. "Oh yeah? Well, here is something to think about - you are still here, going back and forth with me. If you were really running the show, wouldn't you just leave?"
For a split second, something flickered across Yukino's face - maybe a tiny bit of doubt? But it vanished so fast that one would think they had imagined it. Her face went right back to its usual calm look.
"I am here because this is my house... you dummy." She said flatly, sounding both annoyed and like she couldn't believe she had to say it.
?...? Hachiman's smug look disappeared in a flash, replaced by a look of total surprise.
"Oh. Uh, I forgot about that." He mumbled, then suddenly found the floor super interesting.
All the tension in the room just fizzled out, like air escaping from a balloon.
Yukino let out a big sigh and pinched the bridge of her nose. "How on earth did you manage to forget something so obvious? Maybe all your efforts to disagree with your youth have finally scrambled your brain."
Hachiman awkwardly scratched the back of his head, searching for something in reply.
"Anyway…. Nice place you got here." He offered lamely, gesturing vaguely around the room.
Yukino rolled her eyes, but a tiny smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "Your observational skills continue to amaze me. Perhaps next you will notice the sky is blue?"
"Hey, I am trying here." Hachiman grumbled, but there was no real heat in his words. "Not all of us can live in fancy houses like this."
"And not all of us can forget where we are quite so spectacularly." Yukino countered, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
….
.
The clock on the wall ticked away, its fancy hands pointing to a pretty late hour. Yukino's eyes darted to it, and she let out a tiny sigh.
"Hey, Hikigaya." She said, trying to sound casual. "It is getting dark. Don't you think it's time to head out?"
Hachiman, sprawled out on the couch like he owned the place, just yawned. "Is it? Huh. Guess we were having too much fun to notice."
Yukino's eyebrows scrunched together. She couldn't tell whether he was serious or just trying to annoy her. Knowing Hachiman, it was probably both.
"Fun? That's what you call this?" She inquired, shaking her head. "Look, I have stuff to do. You should probably go home too."
Hachiman's lips curled into that annoying smirk of his. "Stuff to do? At this time of night? What? Are you secretly a superhero or something?"
"Pfft…" Yukino almost slipped up with a laugh.
However, she held it in. She hated when he did this - turn things around on her.
"That's none of your business." She said, trying to sound stern. "The point is, it's time for you to leave."
Hachiman didn't budge. He just sat there, looking all comfy and stubborn. "Aw, come on. I thought we were having a moment here."
Yukino rolled her eyes so hard that she feared they might fall out of her head. "A moment? Is that what you call forgetting whose house you're in and then refusing to leave? You have a strange idea of bonding, Hikigaya."
Finally, Hachiman stood up. But he took his sweet time about it, stretching like a lazy cat. "Alright, alright. I know when I am not wanted."
"Do you?" Yukino muttered under her breath.
Hachiman stretches again. "I gotta say, your hospitality could use some work."
"I will be sure to take notes from the master of social graces himself." Yukino said dryly. "Now, if you please, the door is that way."
As Hachiman shuffled towards the door, he turned back with that half-smile of his.
It was the same half-smile that always left Yukino feeling... well, she wasn't sure what.
"Same time tomorrow?" He asked, already planning his next visit… of course, he was only joking. He is not planning to scare her away.
In response, Yukino looked annoyed, and she could feel the corners of her mouth twitching.
"Goodnight, Hikigaya." Was still all she said.
As the door closed behind him, both of them wore small, secret smiles.
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[To be continued…]
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