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[-Continuation-]
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[-Hachiman's POV-]
It was a little past evening, and it began to get dark along the street lined with trees.
With the sun setting into Tokyo Bay from behind, I didn't stop pedaling my bike.
As we approached the national highway, I turned the handlebars to the right, our destination clear in my mind.
If I headed right on the national highway from the street that I took home from school, then I would make it to Chiba.
It was a city with a movie theater, a bookstore, an arcade, and a manga café.
The kind of place where time could slip away unnoticed.
"So, where exactly are we going?" Yukinoshita's voice floated from behind, curious but restrained.
"Chiba." I replied, my eyes fixed on the road as street lights flickered on one by one.
She sighed lightly, her tone turning dry. "That much, even I am aware of."
I felt a smirk tugging at my lips. "Well, there's this film I have been itching to watch for a while, maybe that woul- ow!"
Mid-sentence, my words were abruptly cut off by a sharp sting at my waist.
Yukinoshita's fingers had expertly found their mark, pinching just hard enough to send a clear message but not enough to throw off our balance. I winced, realizing I had tested her patience just a bit too much.
"Enough of your antics." She murmured, her tone a blend of irritation and something softer.
"Alright, alright. No more teasing." I conceded, my voice losing its teasing edge. "Haruno suggested a coffee shop nearby. It's just around the bend."
Another sigh from Yukinoshita, this one tinged with resignation, but her grip remained steady. We continued our journey, the streets of Chiba growing more familiar as we neared our stop.
A few blocks ahead, the familiar green glow of a Starbucks sign flickered against the growing twilight, casting long shadows on the sidewalk.
But I passed it by without a second glance.
That wasn't where we were heading tonight.
Instead, I veered toward a smaller, less crowded donut shop situated diagonally from the movie theater.
It was a cozy, unassuming place, the kind I often visited when I needed a moment to myself.
I slowed the bike, pulling up to the side of the shop. The quiet hum of the wheels faded as I brought it to a stop and parked it near the entrance.
"We are here." I announced, waiting for her to get down.
Yukinoshita released her grip and gracefully dismounted, her hand lingering on my shoulder for just a moment before stepping back. She smoothed her skirt, her eyes scanning the small donut shop ahead.
While she took in the scene, I quickly sent the location to the person who had asked to join us, then shifted my attention to the shop's inviting facade.
The scent of fresh pastries and coffee lingered in the air, wafting out to meet us.
"A donut shop?" Yukinoshita's voice held a hint of skepticism, her expression clearly saying. 'This was supposed to be a coffee shop, wasn't it?'
"Don't let the shiny donuts fool you." I quipped, pushing open the door. "They serve decent coffee too."
Yukinoshita glided past me into the shop, her expression a masterclass in controlled curiosity. "So, in your expert opinion, a decent coffee is enough to determine the worth of a place?"
"Pretty much." I responded, letting the door swing shut behind us.
Her gaze danced across the cozy interior, landing briefly on the display of pastries before shifting back to me. "As all ways, that's quite a low bar you have set."
I scanned the room, searching for the other Yukinoshita, the bigger, more troublesome one.
It didn't take long to find her. Or rather, for her to find us.
"Yukino~! Hachiman~! Up here, you two!"
A melodious voice cascaded from above, tinged with unmistakable mischief.
Our gazes drifted upward in unison, landing on Haruno's beaming face, waving her hand with her usual exuberance from the second-floor seating area.
Her headphones now hang loosely around her neck.
Beside me, Yukinoshita let out a barely audible sigh, her fingers briefly brushing her temple.
"Well, I guess we should get this over with." She muttered, her voice laced with resignation.
"Yeah." I agreed, my voice equally low. "No point dragging it out."
Yukinoshita's eyes narrowed, a flicker of annoyance returning. "You really have no right to complain, Hikigaya. This was all your making after all."
I sighed inwardly. She had a point. "Yeah, yeah." I muttered, scratching the back of my neck. "I will take the blame... again."
Without hesitation, I led us up to the second floor.
As we ascended the stairs, Haruno's voice grew louder. "Oh, come on, don't be such sourpusses! It's not every day I get to see my favorite duo out and about!"
Yukinoshita didn't respond, but her posture straightened as we approached Haruno's table.
Her expression, while still calm, had a touch of apprehension that only those who knew her well would notice.
I glanced at her and caught a glimpse of that familiar tension she always felt around her sister, subtle but unmistakable.
Haruno, of course, was the picture of relaxed charm. She was dressed in a white blouse under a knitted cardigan, her long skirt flowing as she crossed her legs under the table. Her posture exuded casual confidence, as if she owned the room without trying.
"Well, well…" She crooned, her eyes dancing with undisguised glee. "Aren't you two just adorable?"
The sly smile tugging at the corner of her lips suggested she already had a narrative spinning in her mind.
"Uh-huh…." I mumbled, unceremoniously claiming a chair and slumping into it.
I felt like a mouse willingly walking into a cat's lair.
Yukinoshita sat down beside me. Her expression was cool, but her eyes momentarily flickered toward her sister, likely bracing for whatever was coming next.
"So, Hachiman, what's the occasion?" Haruno asked, leaning forward slightly.
Her fingers lightly tapped the side of her coffee cup, a subtle rhythm that mirrored her curiosity. "It's not your usual style to reach out for a meeting with me."
"....."
As I opened my mouth to explain, Haruno's hand shot up, effectively corking my words before they could spill out.
"No, wait! Let me guess..."
I blinked. Oh boy, here we go.
For the record - No.
Haruno wasn't aware that Yukinoshita and I were dating.
At least, not yet. How long that would last, though, was anyone's guess.
"You want me to 'talk' to our parents, right? But let me stop you right there." She said, her face morphing into a look of mock seriousness, as if she had everything sorted out.
"No matter how much you try to convince me, my answer is still no. You two are way too young to even think about that next step." She leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms with a sense of self-satisfaction, like she had just played the role of a wise, older sister flawlessly.
And just to hammer it in, she added.
"At least wait until you graduate from high school, okay?" She gave a conspiratorial smirk, lowering her voice as if letting us in on a secret.
High school graduation? That wasn't even that far off. Shouldn't she be aiming a bit higher?
I mean, shouldn't the bare minimum be something like university graduation or, better yet, landing a job?
But no, apparently in Haruno's world, we were just ticking down the days to high school graduation and then… Well, who knows what she thought came after that.
I deadpanned, cutting through her absurd conclusions. "No, you are wrong."
Haruno arched an eyebrow, intrigued. Yukinoshita remained silent, but I could sense her internal sigh of relief at not having to directly engage with her sister's eccentric imagination.
Ignoring Haruno's playful pout, I rummaged through my bag and placed a small package on the table, nudging it toward Haruno.
"Here. It's a souvenir." I clarified, cutting off any chance for her to conjure up more wild speculations. "Picked it up during our trip."
Haruno's eyes gleamed with curiosity as she glanced down at the package. Her lips curled into a mischievous grin. "Aww, you shouldn't have, Hachiman~."
Hey… hey…
You ladies think you are so slick, but I am onto your game.
I could see right through it.
That grin wasn't fooling me - it wasn't the look of someone who wanted to reject a gift. In fact, before I could even say anything, she had already reached out and picked it up, despite all her teasing a moment ago.
"Funny, I could have sworn you just said you didn't want it." I muttered, watching as she turned the package over in her hands, like a curious archaeologist with a new artifact.
Ignoring my comment, she unwrapped it with a deliberate slowness, her fingers deftly peeling back the packaging, as if dragging out the suspense for her own amusement.
Well, if you guys are wondering what is inside, it is a bracelet.
….yeah, and I had to say I spent quite a bit on it, but I guess with all the chunk of numbers in my account, it isn't that big of a deal.
Meanwhile, Yukinoshita beside me remained silent, though I noticed her shift ever so slightly in her seat, clearly accustomed to her sister's antics but still mildly exasperated by them.
"Let's see what thoughtful little gift my dear lil bro has brought me." Haruno cooed, throwing a quick glance in my direction, her teasing voice ever-present.
Yeah, this was going exactly as I expected.
But little did I know, at that moment, nothing was going to follow the script I had in mind.
Unbeknownst to me, I had already set off a chain of events, one disaster after another, that would turn this evening into something far more complicated than I had anticipated.
….
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