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[-Continuation-]
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[-Hachiman's POV-]
I suppressed a sigh. My girlfriend really did need to work on her family dynamics.
As I sat there, waiting for her return, I couldn't help but feel a mix of concern and fondness.
"Yeah, I don't believe you… Hikki." Yuigahama said her face is a blend of challenge and smug satisfaction. "I bet you don't know a single thing about Yukinon."
The challenge hung in the air, transparent as glass.
Yuigahama's smug satisfaction was palpable, practically preening at her perceived cleverness.
Yuigahama's satisfaction was almost tangible, as if she were basking in her own cleverness.
Alright, let's see you prove me wrong by spilling everything you know - I could almost hear the imaginary applause in her head, congratulating herself on what she likely thought was a brilliant move.
What a clueless move - I suppressed a smirk. Did she really think I would fall for such an obvious trap?(Author : You totally will)
"Well, if you insist, I guess I have got no choice but to prove it." I began, leaning back as I prepared to dive into the mess of phone calls and family drama.(Author : Wait! Not this fast)
As I spoke, Yuigahama's attention zeroed in on me with laser focus. Her usual fidgeting came to a halt, and she hung on every word as if I were unraveling some long-lost secret.
"...and there you have it." I finished, punctuating my explanation with a flick of my right hand index finger pointing at her.
Yuigahama made a thoughtful face, poking her cheek with her finger and tilting her head from side to side as if she were trying to solve a tricky math problem. For a few moments, she remained in that thoughtful pose, then, as if a light bulb had flicked on in her mind, her eyes widened with sudden realization.
With a quick smack of her fist into her open palm, she exclaimed.
"Oh! So Yukinon just doesn't want to go home!" She nodded vigorously, clearly pleased with her deductive skills. "Geez, Hikki, you could have just said that from the start."
I bit back a sigh. That's exactly what I said, but sometimes Yuigahama needed things spelled out in neon lights.
–thud!
The closed door slid open at that exact moment, allowing Yukinoshita to step into our little scene.
The slight hesitation in her step gave her away - she had overheard everything, no doubt about it.
Well, not my problem. I quickly buried my nose back in my book, pretending to be completely absorbed in the words in front of me.
Yuigahama cast Yukinoshita a look that was a mix of guilt and 'oops', while our club president lingered in the doorway.
For a few tense seconds, she just stood there, her eyes flicking between us as if weighing whether to address what she had heard or let it slide.
After what felt like an eternity compressed into a few heartbeats, Yukinoshita glided to her usual spot and placed her phone on the table with a deliberate calmness.
…..and no one spoke a word.
I cleared my throat, setting aside the pretense of reading. "So, about those souvenirs you bought during the field trip for your family, have you given them yet?"
She definitely bought gifts for them, that much I was sure of.
Yukinoshita hesitated, her gaze shifting slightly as if searching for the right words. "No… I haven't."
"Got a timeframe in mind?" I prodded gently, though I suspected I already knew the answer.
"I am... not certain." She said, her voice lacking any surety.
I tried to sound casual. "Well, keep me posted. I picked up something for Haruno, too. We can give them to her together."
"I am... considered using a courier service." Yukinoshita murmured, her words lacking the usual crisp confidence.
Yuigahama, who had been unusually quiet, finally spoke up. "Yukinon, that's... not the best plan." She said, her eyes darting back and forth between us.
Yukinoshita's shoulders stiffened at the remark, a flicker of frustration crossing her features. She turned slightly, avoiding direct eye contact as she responded,
"It's simpler that way." Yukinoshita countered, turning away, her tone clipped.
"Maybe so." Yuigahama conceded, her voice softening like she was approaching a skittish animal. "But don't you think it's a bit... inappropriate?"
"...." Yukinoshita silently pressed her lips into a thin line, her eyes dropping to study the grain of the table.
Ah, there it is.
Just how strained is her relationship with her sister that she's considering sending a gift by courier?
The realization hit me like a splash of cold water.
If you ask me, I would say there is no real animosity between these two sisters. Despite their differences, they genuinely care about each other and want the best for one another.
So what's the problem? Honestly, I don't know.
But I think I know the solution.
There is no rule that says you have to fully understand a problem to find a solution.
And the solution to this problem is - they need to talk.
Really talk.
Trust me, it helps. A lot.
And I decided that today we are going to have that talk.
But honestly, these two sisters can be a real pain sometimes, a pain that, for better or worse, I am stuck with for the long haul. There is no walking away from this one, no matter how tempting it might be.
Wait, did that just make me sound like a masochist? Damn.
I cleared my throat, breaking the fragile silence.
"Let's head to Chiba today." I suggested the beginnings of a plan taking shape. "I have got some business there, and since Haruno's university is nearby, I can deliver 'my' souvenir to her."
I stressed the word 'my' leaving no room for doubt. The ball was firmly in Yukinoshita's court. She was coming with me, no matter what she decided about her own gift.
Truth be told, I did have plans in Chiba, though not quite as I had implied. Ryota had been bombarding me with texts, his persistence rivaling that of a certain other acquaintance.
Might as well kill two birds with one stone, I thought.
Yuigahama's face lit up like a firefly. "That's brilliant, Hikki! Oh, and while you are there, could you bring back some cooki-!?"
–knock!knock!
Her request dissolved mid-sentence as a sharp rap echoed through the room. The door quivered under the relentless knocking, as if whoever was on the other side was intent on making their presence felt.
"Enter." I called out, my voice steady but not overly loud.
Immediately, the door slowly slid open.
"Coming in." A familiar voice announced, muffled yet unmistakable.
Ms. Hiratsuka stepped into the room, a gust of wind following in her wake. Her long, obsidian hair danced in the breeze. Brushing it away annoyingly, she entered the room with noisy steps.
"Ms. Hiratsuka, you surprised us. Since when did you start following social niceties like knocking?" I remarked, raising an eyebrow in mock surprise.
"Care to test if my right hook has improved?" She retorted, her fist curling in a gesture that walked the line between playful and menacing.
Man. Even after she started dating, her sharpness, whether in her words or actions, remained unshaken.
Guess some inbuilt traits can't be changed no matter what.
"Well, you are our club advisor. So I suppose you have the right to come and go as you please." I offered, injecting a hint of self-deprecating humor into my tone.
"Ah, I see you are honing your skills in the art of flattery." She smirked, clearly unimpressed by my clumsy attempt at diplomacy.
Before I could come up with a reply, Yukinoshita intervened, her voice slicing through our banter like a scalpel. "If you two could stop your verbal sparring for a moment, we have visitors to attend."
Ms. Hiratsuka's attention snapped back to us, her expression shifting to one of purpose.
"I have a task for you both." She announced, then turned towards the still-open door. "You may enter now."
A soft "Excuse me" preceded the arrival of a familiar face.
Meguri Shiromeguri, the student council president, glided into the room, her forehead-pinned pigtails bouncing gently with each step.
Trailing behind her was an 'unfamiliar' female student, her presence hesitant yet intriguingly curious.
"We had a request so…" Senior Meguri began, her words trailing off as she turned to the newcomer.
With a gentle nudge, she encouraged the girl to step forward.
The stranger's semi-long, flaxen hair swayed in sync with the step she took forward. Her uniform looked slightly worn out, and she was slightly squeezing the cuffs of her cardigan, which was somewhat rugged.
"Ah, Iroha." Yuigahama's voice rang out in recognition.
The girl - Iroha - responded with an airy tone while slightly inclining her head.
"Senior Yui, hellooo~."
"Yahallo~!" Yuigahama chirped back, both girls exchanging small waves.
"...." As I watched the exchange unfold, a sense of inevitability washed over me.
So it's finally come to this, huh?
I looked at Ms. Hiratsuka from the corner of my eyes, though just for a second, and I stopped.
I bit back a sigh, remembering how I already suggested to her to patch up the 'loophole' I stumbled upon in the Student Body Election Rules.
But no, she had waved it off like a pesky fly, saying it was too much hassle, and whatnot.
The pieces were falling into place, setting the stage for what promised to be an intriguing - and potentially frustrating - new [Mission] of our club's saga.
….
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[To be continued…]
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