….
[-Continuation-]
.
[-Hachiman's POV-]
"Actually, I was pretty surprised she didn't refuse to come to the family dinner, you know… even though she might be joining late, she still agreed." Haruno added with a teasing lilt to her voice.
"....your 'parents' are here?" I asked Haruno and did a light stretch and took quick looks around.
Haruno chuckled, easily seeing through that sneaky behavior.
Haruno, catching on to my not-so-subtle behavior, let out a soft chuckle. "Oh, don't worry, Hikigaya. They're not lurking around to ambush you yet."
I wasn't sure if that was supposed to make me feel better, but she continued before I could respond. "But they will be here soon. I am just waiting for them."
"Ahh, I see…" I said, feigning indifference.
Komachi, who had been quietly watching, flashed me an encouraging thumbs-up. Then, as if nothing was amiss, she leaned closer to Haruno, eagerly joining in on what sounded like some girly chat.
I sighed, brushing off her gesture, but Yuigahama chimed in hesitantly. "Wait, Yukinon's parents? Are they… um, strict or something?"
Haruno tilted her head as if contemplating the question seriously. "Strict? Hmm… I would say demanding. But don't worry, Gahama, Hikigaya here should be fine, he has a certain charm that might keep them entertained."
Komachi, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke up with a smirk. "Don't sweat it, Big brother. You are totally capable of impressing anyone! Even, uh… Yukino parents?"
Her hesitant delivery didn't exactly inspire confidence, and Haruno's knowing laughter only made it worse.
I sighed again. Yeah, this was shaping up to be a great day.
While they continued chatting away, Hayama and I sat in silence, not finding much to add to the conversation. The contrast between the lively banter of the girls and our muted presence was striking.
But Hayama, apparently not one to stay idle for too long, eventually broke the quiet.
"Birthday present, huh…?" He murmured, glancing in my direction. "What did you buy?"
I narrowed my eyes slightly at his question and looked at him suspiciously
"Ahh, just some stuff."
"I see." Hayama averted his gaze, not pressing me any further.
From there on, Hayama lent his ear to Haruno and Yuigahama's conversation, occasionally responding.
I glanced down at the wrist of his hand that held his cup, the second hand of his watch slowly tickled.
….
.
The stagnant time carried on.
Twenty-five minutes had passed since Haruno's phone call to Yukino.
If she was coming directly from her apartment, it would still take a little more time. But I wasn't in a hurry. Not that it would matter if I was.
The coffee in my cup had long been gone, leaving only faint traces at the bottom, and the teapot that once carried warm steam now sat cold and forgotten.
Yuigahama, sitting beside me, was noticeably restless, her head turning frequently in different directions.
Finally, her eyes lit up, and she raised her voice in recognition.
"Yukinon, over here!" She called out.
I followed her gaze and spotted Yukinoshita briskly making her way toward us.
"Yuigahama..." Yukino greeted her with a polite nod as she came to a stop.
"Right, right. Um… I was out shopping with Hikki and little Komachi, and somehow I got caught up in this too…"
Yuigahama, clearly unsure whether to reveal that we were here for Yukino's gift, stumbled over her words suspiciously.
"I know…" Yukino replied, her expression calm and unsurprised, despite Haruno only mentioning me during the phone call.
After all, I had let her know earlier that I would be out shopping for her birthday present. So Yukino, noticing this, didn't press the matter.
Even then, like come on, Yuigahama, did you really think she wouldn't figure it out?
Yukino isn't the type to miss something so obvious.
She probably pieced it together the moment you mentioned a shopping trip and conveniently didn't invite her.
"Anyway, sit, sit!" Yuigahama said quickly, standing halfway to make space for Yukino on the sofa and gesturing for her to join us.
Inevitably, Yukino ended up seated in a spot where she didn't have to face Haruno directly.
As a result, she ended up sitting between Yuigahama and me, with Komachi seated across from her on the opposite side of the table.
She then bowed her head to both Yuigahama, and Komachi. "I am sorry that my older sister was a bother to you both."
"Oh no, not at all." Yuigahama answered, cheerfully waving her hands back and forth.
Komachi, still watching from her spot, leaned back with a grin. "No need to apologize, Yukino. Haruno is fun to chat with, actually."
…only a devil would say that, but still, Yukino pressed her hand against her chest, looking slightly relieved.
"Yeah, you tell her, little sis." Haruno teased, running a hand through her hair as she leaned back, enjoying the banter.
…they have become close?
After a brief moment, Yukino turned her attention to me, her eyes flicking upward, silently measuring how I was handling everything.
Our gazes locked, and in that fleeting moment, she gave me a look that was unmistakable - Couldn't you have done something about this?
I blinked, her silent reproach hanging in the air.
Looks like I wasn't going to get any apology here.
With a resigned sigh, I subtly shrugged and mouthed a silent Sorry, though I wasn't sure she believed me.
Meanwhile, the main culprit behind that was wearing a provocative smile, and she teasingly greeted Yukino.
"Yukino, you are sooooo slow." Haruno teased, drawing out the words with exaggerated emphasis.
Yukino shot her sister with a sharp look, irritation clear but controlled.
She exhaled softly, her patience thin. "Haruno, really?"
She added with a small pause. "You have a lot of nerve, considering you called me out earlier than we agreed."
Haruno shrugged nonchalantly, her smile never wavering.
I couldn't help but jump in, nodding slightly. "Why not leave it at that? Looks like Yukino rushed over here as fast as she could."
Haruno raised an eyebrow at my comment. "Oh? So you are siding with her now?"
I too shrugged nonchalantly, leaning back slightly.
"Don't get it wrong. I am always on her side." I replied, not missing a beat.
"..." Haruno looked at me quietly, seemingly amused.
Before she could say anything else, Komachi, who had been quietly watching, suddenly chimed in, her voice dripping with playful sarcasm. "Big brother, could you please stop trying to hit on a girl in front of your sister? It's disgusting."
Yuigahama burst into laughter at that.
I couldn't help but roll my eyes internally. I am not hitting on anyone.
There was no need to - Yukino was already my girlfriend. So what was the point?
Clueless girls, all of them.
I decided to ignore the teasing and shifted the focus back to something that was still within my control. "I am getting myself a coffee. Want something?"
Yukino glanced at me briefly, the tiniest pause before answering. "...I will have black tea."
I turned to find the waiter, placed the order, and let the conversation drift again.
The drinks arrived, and I picked up my coffee, sipping it quietly, not really engaging in the ongoing chatter…
Hah, glad I got that coffee.
I was so smart sometimes…
But before I could fully savor my quiet moment, something caught my eye.
She was here.
A woman in a kimono was heading our way.
Put up black, glossy hair and a demeanor of tranquility. She seemed younger than my parents. She walked with a noiseless and graceful gait, balancing her well-proportioned body.
Just beside her… I saw one more person giving rise to a feeling of déjà vu.
He looked similar?
I squinted slightly. Isn't he the old man from before?
The recognition hit like a punch to the gut.
My heart skipped a beat. Why is he here?
Please don't tell me–!
But before I could even process the situation further, the woman in the kimono approached our table, moving without hesitation.
Then she called out.
"Haruno."
Her voice sliced through the ambient noise, drawing the attention of several nearby customers as if it were the only sound in the room.
And of course, the old man was right there too, standing silently behind her.
Before either Yukino or Haruno could respond, the man locked eyes with me.
His voice was low, smooth, but carrying a weight to it.
"Yukinoshita... Renjiro Yukinoshita. That's the name of this 'old man,' young man."
It was at this moment that I know - I fucked up.
Damn it, Chiba.
.
….
[To be continued…]
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