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[-Continuation-]
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[-Yukinoshita Yukino's POV-]
"Quite the revelation." I murmured, a subtle smile curving my lips as I regarded him.
A big leap in logic. if I may add.
Shouldn't he have begun with something more fundamental - like, I am not sure, the basics of actually finding a girlfriend first?
The idea made me chuckle softly.
Yet, as I allowed it to settle in my mind, it wasn't as outrageous as it seemed at first.
"So, what does this newfound clarity lead you to?" I inquired, my voice softening with curiosity.
Hikigaya shifted on the wooden bench, his gaze flitting around the park before finally settling on me. The intensity of his look was almost tangible, causing my breath to catch. I found myself captured by his stare, unable to tear my eyes away.
"What's more to say?" He began, his voice low and uncharacteristically gentle. "I need... a wife now."
He spoke with an earnestness that was almost disarming. For a fleeting moment, his face twisted into a look of frustrated exasperation, a sort of pout that would have been amusing if it wasn't already adorable.
It was as though he was a child pleading for a toy he knew was out of reach but wanted desperately anyway. The sight was oddly ….charming, though I would never admit that aloud.
I blinked rapidly.
This impossible man... how could he so effortlessly speak something so forward, so uncomfortably honest, while maintaining such a perfectly straight face?
My heart pounded so loudly, I was convinced he must hear it.
Was he genuinely suggesting what I thought he was? Or did it seem as though he was asking for my hand in marriage rather than merely inviting me on a simple date?
The lines began to blur in my mind. I could no longer distinguish one from the other.
Trying to steady myself, I wavered between irritation and the peculiar warmth bubbling in my chest. "Hikigaya, you realise that normal people don't leap straight to finding a wife. There are traditionally a few steps in between."
He shrugged nonchalantly, a smirk playing at the edges of his lips. "Since when have either of us been normal, Yukinoshita?"
The casualness of his response only made my face flush deeper.
Why was he so easily drawing me into this tangled mess? Surely, I am perfectly normal in many respects... right?
…..And also Hikigaya, that's not something you say to a girl in a casual manner!
"I prepared a lot for today… you know?" He continued, his tone softening, almost as if he were revealing a vulnerable side of himself.
I tilted my head slightly, arching an eyebrow in silent inquiry.
"Yeah, you did?" I replied, letting a touch of sarcasm color my words. "Perhaps you should have directed some of that effort towards choosing something more appropriate."
He let out a short, dry laugh, shaking his head slightly. "I meant mentally…"
Our eyes locked, and within his gaze was a silent plea, that said - 'I am trying to be serious here.'
"Mental preparation, you say?" I asked, my voice dropping to a whisper, intrigued. "And just what exactly have you been preparing for, Hikigaya?"
"...." - "...."
Silence stretched between us, a delicate pause filled with unspoken emotions.
He hesitated, his gaze drifting momentarily, as if searching for the right words. "Give me a moment. I have forgotten everything now."
That startled me…..
It struck me as genuinely amusing, no matter how I looked at it.
It wasn't the kind of response I had anticipated, or rather, one I would have ever expected. But, upon reflection, it did make a kind of sense, albeit only to him.
I complied, giving him the space he needed.
"...." - "...."
The silence that followed felt heavy, laden with unspoken thoughts.
After a brief pause, he finally spoke, his voice barely above a whisper.
"For this. For us."
There it was again - his rare, raw honesty that cut through his usual facade. A flutter of warmth stirred in my chest, something unsteady and profound.
Before I could fully process the depth of his words, he added with a tentative resolve.
"Let's get married... I don't think I can get by without you."
?!!His declaration hung in the air, a startling confession that seemed too monumental for the quiet moment we shared.
"I mean, after we graduate from high school, then university... maybe a year after that." He continued, his tone almost nonchalant, as if discussing weekend plans, but his serious black eyes spoke otherwise.
I believe that is something we should plan together, not something you should decide on your own.
...and let's not forget, I haven't agreed to anything of the sort yet.
"I... I am sorry. What!?" I managed to stammer out, my usual eloquence deserting me. "Hikigaya, are you... are you asking me out?"
He rubbed the back of his neck, a faint blush creeping up his cheeks. "Well, yeah... I guess I am. But it's more than that, you know?"
The world seemed to freeze around us, and the evening air grew still as I processed his words. He wasn't merely asking me out. He was proposing something far deeper.
He moved closer, reducing the distance between our shoulders. I could feel the warmth emanating from his body, mere inches away from mine.
Suddenly, I felt his hand twitch, his fingers inching closer to mine as I felt his nails brush against my palm.
He hesitated for a moment, his usual cynicism warring with a newfound courage. Finally, he bridged the gap, gently taking my hand in his.
He let out the breath he seemed to have been holding, his shoulders relaxing slightly. His fingers curled around mine, holding on as if he was afraid I might withdraw. But I didn't. Neither do I wish for it.
Honestly, even if I wanted to pull away, I don't think I could, as I wasn't any less at ease in this moment than he seemed to be.
As his fingers intertwined with mine, my breath caught in my throat. His palm was surprisingly warm, a stark contrast to my perpetually cool hands. I marveled at how our hands seemed to fit together so perfectly, despite our genetically different structural sizes.
?! I slowly glanced down at our intertwined fingers, a faint blush coloring my cheeks.
"Hikigaya?" I murmured, my voice barely audible, and my eyes fixed on our intertwined hands.
He didn't miss a beat.
"So, Yukinoshita Yukino." He began, his tone carrying a surprising firmness and confidence. "What do you say?"
I looked up, meeting his gaze. My heart was pounding so loudly I could hardly hear myself think.
"I should be the one asking that. I am much more spoiled than I let on." I confessed, a hint of self-awareness slipping through.
"I know." He nodded, almost amused.
"You are supposed to deny that." I retorted, pinching his hand lightly, though our fingers remained intertwined, unwilling to let go.
"Ouch…" He winced, though his expression softened. He didn't pull away. "Don't ask for the impossible."
"I get the feeling I will just rely on you all the time and become more and more hopeless." I admitted.
He shrugged, a soft chuckle escaping his lips. "Well, you said I am already hopeless, and now you are too. What can two hopeless people do but rely on each other?"
"And then...?" I trailed off, unsure of how to voice my fears, my uncertainties.
"It's fine." He interrupted gently, sensing my hesitation. There was a calmness in his voice, an unspoken reassurance that made me pause.
?..?Before I could react, he gave a gentle tug on my hand, urging me to stand. I stumbled slightly, caught off guard.
"Ekk!" I squeaked in surprise.
With a careful but deliberate motion, he shifted his position on the bench, guiding me to sit between his legs. He pulled me close, enveloping me in his embrace. The boldness of his action left me momentarily breathless.
As I settled into this new, intimate position, I felt Hikigaya's chest press against my back.
His warmth seeped through the layers of my coat, causing me to lean into him instinctively. As I adjusted myself, I felt his head rest on my right shoulder. The closeness was intense, almost overwhelming.
His warm and soft breath tickled past my coat's collar, reaching my neck and sending a shiver down my spine. Each exhale was a gentle caress against my skin, making my pulse quicken. This proximity was new, thrilling, and a touch frightening in its intensity.
But…. He didn't stop there….
Hikigaya's arms wrapped around my waist. His hands found mine in a reassuring clasp, and finally, his fingers settled around my wrists, the touch tender yet resolute. I noticed how delicate my wrists seemed in his hands, how fragile I felt in this moment.
Then he hugged me tightly, drawing me even closer to his chest. The embrace was wholehearted, almost desperate in its intensity, as if I might make a run for it if he loosened his hold even slightly.
"Is this... okay?" He whispered, his voice low and uncertain. His lips brushed my ear with every word, creating a new sensation.
It was so unlike his usual deadpan tone that I couldn't help but smile.
"I think…" I replied softly, surprising myself with how easily the words flowed. "You should probably be asking for permission before you pull me in like this."
"I will remember that... maybe next time." He responded, his arms tightening around me ever so slightly, a subtle reassurance.
I could feel the rapid beat of his heart against my back, matching the frantic rhythm of my own.
His thumb traced small, gentle circles on my arm, a gesture so tender it seemed to surprise even him.
As we sat there, entwined on the park bench, I marveled at the turn of events. Here was Hikigaya Hachiman, the cynical, lazy boy I had sparred with countless times. Yet in this moment, he felt like the most precious person in the world to me.
A small smile tugged at my lips as I relaxed further into his embrace. For once, I allowed myself to simply feel, to bask in the warmth of his affection without overthinking.
"Hikigaya." I began, my voice soft but steady. "What does this mean for us?"
"...." He was quiet for a moment, considering my question.
When he spoke, his words were measured and sincere. "Well, you said it yourself. I am trying to sell myself here, and I think I am out of sales pitches."
My lips curled into a small, genuine smile. I leaned back further into his embrace, my hand coming to rest atop his.
"I think... I would like that." I replied my voice was barely audible but filled with warmth.
"Could you say it more properly?" He asked, leaning forward slightly and shifting to his left, trying to catch a glimpse of my face.
I immediately turned my head away. Just as he was about to lean in this direction, I spun back around, burying my face against his chest and gripping his t-shirt tightly.
"Don't you look, or I will make you regret it…" I muttered, lightly pressing my forehead against his chest in fake disapproval.
"That isn't exactly what I am hoping to hear." He complained, though a hint of amusement laced his words.
I stayed hidden against his chest, feeling the steady rise and fall of his breathing.
"How can you be so inelegant, using such crass commercial terminology." I murmured, my face still buried against his chest, using it as a barrier between us.
"Yet, if it means you won't entertain offers from other potential... buyers, then I suppose I have no choice but to stake my claim. So, consider yourself purchased. You are not for sale anymore, alright?"
"And... I like you too." I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper. "And I think... I could see myself being with you. Not just today or tomorrow, but... for a long time, perhaps even longer than that."
"Also." I added, my voice still soft but more confident now. "I wouldn't be opposed to moving forward with that future plan of yours, even if you did decide it without bothering to consult me."
"Is that a yes?" He asked, hope shining in his eyes.
….
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[To be continued…]
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