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[-Continuation-]
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[-Hachiman's POV-]
"Ugh… Please don't talk to me."
"...S-sorry." The first guy stammered, clearly rattled by her frosty response.
"Ah-we…!!" His friend, a step behind him, shuffled uncomfortably, as if reconsidering this whole approach.
It was my cue to step in.
I closed the remaining distance between us.
"Oi! Yukino..." I called out, my voice sharper than I intended.
?!Both guys turned to face me, surprise flashing across their faces.
They hadn't expected anyone to intervene.
Perfect. The element of surprise was on my side.
Hearing her first name called so casually by me, Yukinoshita turned toward me, her eyes locking onto mine. As soon as she recognized me, her expression softened noticeably.
"Back already?" She asked, her voice a lot - no, I mean it - a lot softer than before.
Indeed, the softness in her voice was so cheerful, something almost... warm.
There was a subtle shift in her stance as well, one that made it seem like she was relieved I was there.
I didn't say a word, just moved to her side, subtly positioning myself between her and the two guys.
I held up the can of Max Coffee. "Got what I came for."
She glanced at the Max Coffee and then back at me, her expression inscrutable for a moment before she spoke again. "I see. You really are simple sometimes…. Hachiman."
Wait, what? Did she just use my first name?
?!Hmm. I blinked. Yukinoshita never called me by my given name. Except for those rare occasions when she used my full name, this was definitely a first.
Was she trying to tease me? Get back at me for something? Or maybe… was she feeling unusually at ease?
"....." I glanced at her, and she turned her head slightly, her eyes drifting to one side. Even in the dim light of the streetlamp, I could see it, a faint blush coloring her cheeks.
Seriously? She is blushing now?
Then why did she use my first name in the first place?
It was a rare sight, like catching a glimpse of something secret and precious, something she wasn't quite ready to show.
I shrugged. "Sometimes, being simple isn't so bad."
She tilted her head, a hint of skepticism in her voice. "And what exactly is so good about being simple?"
"Well, for one, it makes me easy to please." I replied with a smirk, adding a playful wink for good measure.
"Like..." I began to let my voice trail off deliberately in suspense.
She raised an eyebrow, a hint of curiosity flickering in her eyes.
"Like…?" She prompted, clearly waiting for me to finish.
"Like just now." I continued, my tone light but teasing.
She tilted her head, her expression still skeptical. "Just now?"
I chuckled softly. "Yeah, you know, calling me 'Hachiman' like that. It's kind of nice."
Her cheeks colored slightly, and she quickly turned her gaze away, but not before I caught the hint of a smile tugging at her lips.
I thought she might retort. But then, to my surprise, a soft chuckle escaped her lips.
"Haa…."
It was light, almost musical, and it eased some of the tension in the air between us.
We continued talking, effectively shutting out the two guys who were now exchanging bewildered glances, trying to make sense of what had just happened.
"...She has a boyfriend." The second guy muttered to the first, his voice barely above a whisper, tinged with disappointment.
"I don't know… She's really scary." The first guy added that his face paled with something akin to terror.
The guys seemed just as stunned by Yukinoshita's sudden shift from intimidating Ice Queen to someone who, at least for a fleeting moment, appeared less threatening and... dare I say - Kind.
Their expressions said it all, a mix of shock and bafflement as they tried to process the unexpected turn of events.
I mean, just a second ago, Yukinoshita had looked like someone who would have no qualms about ending a conversation, or a person, with a mere glare.
And now here she was, standing beside me, her expression soft, almost serene, with maybe even a hint of a smile.
Not gonna lie. I imagined this would be my moment to swoop in and save the day, the classic 'knight in shining armor' scenario.
Then again, it's not all bad.
What more could a guy ask for than this?
I mean, my girl is a force to be reckoned with, after all.
Meanwhile, with things being as clear as daylight during this midnight, the supposed 'goons' seemed to have realized their mistake and decided to walk away, muttering a half-hearted 'good luck' under their breath.
Wait, what? Did I hear that right?
I doubted my ears, but that was definitely what I heard.
Well, to be fair, these random dudes(:goons) didn't seem like they were looking for trouble. Maybe one of them found her intriguing and decided to try his luck.
Unfortunately for them, they picked the wrong person to chat up and ended up facing rejection in the process.
Looking at it from that angle, it wasn't all that horrible at all.
Not for me, anyway.
Well, at least I didn't punch them in the face before figuring things out. So, that's a win.
Once the guys were out of sight, I let out a breath that I hadn't realized I was holding.
Turning to Yukinoshita, I held up the can of cola.
"Here." I said, trying to sound casual. "Thought you might like this."
She took the can, her expression unreadable.
"Thank you." She replied quietly, her fingers brushing against mine for a brief second as she accepted the drink.
Yukinoshita glanced over at me, the faintest hint of amusement in her eyes. "You know, you didn't have to step in."
I shrugged again, this time with a bit more ease.
"Maybe. But sometimes, it's nice to be the guy who steps in. In fact, I thought I got my heroic moment, but you had to play it tough… huh?"
"I suppose…" Yukinoshita said after a moment, her tone light but hinting at seriousness. "I am just not used to being the damsel in distress."
I chuckled softly. "Yeah, that's true. You are more the type to save herself, or anyone else, for that matter."
For a moment, Yukinoshita remained silent, her expression calm but with a soft, almost imperceptible nod.
"But what were you doing here…?" I asked, my curiosity finally catching up to me.
I took a moment to actually notice my surroundings for the first time. Up until now, I had been too distracted by the situation at hand. There was a store to my right, a clothing store, to be exact.
When I didn't get an immediate response, I glanced back at Yukinoshita.
That's when I noticed the bag in her hand, a transparent one, revealing a piece of clothing inside. From the color and texture, it looked like a red woolen garment.
"Really, shopping at this time of night?" I asked, my tone tinged with mock complaints.
She sighed, a faint smile playing on her lips. "What choice do I have when I have such a hopeless individual accompanying me all the time? Someone I need to take care of." Her voice carried a blend of resignation and mild disdain, but also a teasing warmth.
Where is this coming from, all of a sudden?
I raised an eyebrow, puzzled. "Wow, such a predicament you are in…."
I wasn't entirely sure how to interpret her comment, especially since the only clear takeaway was the 'hopeless' part.
"You understand, right?" She pressed on, adopting a theatrically exasperated expression and rubbing her forehead. "Don't you?"
Now that's taking it a bit far.
"Hey, you want to argue, or–!?" I started to say, but was cut off when she suddenly pulled out the 'red cloth' from the bag.
As it unfurled, I saw it was a scarf.
Yukinoshita's eyes flicked over my thin, shivering form.
She sighed softly, a hint of genuine concern threading through her tone. "You're going to catch your death of cold out here. Take this. I can't have you shivering like this. The weather's not going to improve anytime soon."
When I didn't immediately take the scarf from her, she moved closer. To bridge the height difference on tiptoe, she draped the warm, soft fabric around my neck, her fingers lingering just a moment longer than necessary.
"There." She said, stepping back to assess her work. "It looks good, I guess."
"Also I trust you can manage to be marginally less helpless now, Hikigaya?" A small, almost imperceptible smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she stepped back, her gaze softening ever so slightly.
I adjusted the scarf slightly, feeling the warmth of the fabric against my neck.
"Oh." Yukinoshita's voice broke the silence, as if she had just remembered something.
Her expression shifted to one of playful innocence, the corners of her lips turning up ever so slightly.
"....Is this simple enough to please you?...." She inquired, her tone light and teasing, her smile looking almost too innocent to be true.
….
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[To be continued…]
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