Chapter 323: Mrs. Yuigahama's Helplessness
"Mother asked me to bring you back."
Before Yukinoshita Yukino could speak, Haruno stated the purpose of her visit.
"Mother asked for me?"
Upon hearing her sister's words, Yukino subconsciously knitted her brows, a look of resistance flashing across her face. The matchmaking banquet from last semester still frequently surfaced in her mind; she feared that going back this time would only lead to more unpleasantness.
"I don't know the specifics. After all, I just got back from a business meeting myself."
Seeing Yukino's questioning gaze, Haruno shrugged, indicating she was also in the dark.
"Is that so? I understand."
Nodding as she accepted the reality, Yukino bid farewell to Hachiman and Yui, then stepped into the car.
"Will Yukinon be alright?"
Watching the departing silhouette of the sedan, a shadow of worry crossed Yui's face. For some reason, she felt that if they parted like this, she might not see Yukino again for the rest of the summer.
"She'll be fine," Hachiman consoled her, watching the car disappear.
If anything truly went wrong, he would definitely step in. And given his current situation, there was almost nothing he couldn't handle!
"Um, Hikki, there's something I wanted to tell you..."
Looking down at the tips of her shoes, Yui shifted her body uneasily.
"Do you want to say that you were the owner of that dog back then?" Hachiman beat her to the punch.
"Eh?"
Yui looked up in shock, her eyes wide.
"Curious how I knew?"
Looking at her bewildered expression, Hachiman's eyes held a hint of smugness.
"Yes..."
Yui nodded gently, blinking her large eyes as she waited expectantly for Hachiman to explain how he had figured it out.
"Sable likes me a lot, you know."
Hachiman didn't give a direct answer but instead mentioned Yui's little dog.
"Ah, so Sable gave me away?"
The usually slow-reacting Yui understood his meaning instantly. She was a bit conflicted about being exposed that way, but thinking about it, it made sense. If it had been their first time meeting, Sable definitely wouldn't have lunged at Hachiman so enthusiastically.
"Then... will Hikki hate me because of that?"
With her hands behind her back, Yui's foot traced aimless circles on the ground out of anxiety.
"Do I hate you now?" Hachiman countered.
"No..." Yui froze for a moment, then shook her head.
"Then isn't the result already obvious?"
Hachiman glanced helplessly at the silly "Gahama" in front of him, then picked up their luggage and began walking toward home.
"Ah, Hikki, wait for me!"
Realizing what he meant, Yui burst into a happy, silly grin. Watching Hachiman's back, she skipped and hopped to catch up.
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"Oh my, Hikigaya-kun is visiting our house again?"
Having walked Yui to her front door, Hachiman was about to say goodbye when the closed door suddenly swung open. Mrs. Yuigahama stepped out and saw her daughter standing with Hachiman. She paused in surprise before greeting him warmly.
"No, well, I was just dropping Yuigahama off..."
Faced with her enthusiasm, Hachiman tried to explain, but he was promptly dragged straight into the house.
"Woof!"
As he was pulled into the entryway, a brownish-yellow blur streaked out from the living room.
"Sable, long time no see."
Crouching down, Hachiman patted the little dog circling his feet, then exchanged a helpless look with Yui.
A few minutes later, in the Yuigahama living room.
Hachiman sat opposite Mrs. Yuigahama, feeling immense pressure as he endured her smiling interrogation.
"Just... resting at home, finishing the homework the teachers left, things like that..." Hachiman described his recent days guiltily.
"Hikki went to be a volunteer for the past two days!"
Seeing that Hachiman was making it sound like he'd done nothing all summer, Yui quickly added the bit about the volunteer work they'd just finished.
"A volunteer?"
The trace of worry that had been building on Mrs. Yuigahama's face softened instantly upon hearing he had been volunteering.
"That is true."
Hachiman lowered his head and admitted to the volunteering, though he'd only actually worked seriously on the first day...
"Oh, right, how has little Komachi been doing lately?"
Perhaps unsure how else to probe Hachiman for a satisfying answer, Mrs. Yuigahama quickly shifted the topic to his cute younger sister.
"Komachi... she's living every day to the fullest..."
Thinking of Komachi lying on the sofa just as he did every day, Hachiman spoke through gritted teeth.
"If you ever feel bored at home, you're welcome to come over and play anytime."
Hearing Hachiman's rhetoric, Mrs. Yuigahama seemed to understand something. Her mouth twitched slightly, but she forced the conversation to continue.
"Alright..."
Seeing the strain in her forced gentleness, Hachiman lowered his already bowed head even further.
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After sitting in the Yuigahama home for about half an hour, Mrs. Yuigahama finally waved her hand and let him go. Having received permission to leave, Hachiman—who didn't want to stay a second longer—bolted out like a gust of wind.
"Mom!"
Once Hachiman was gone, Yui turned to her mother in embarrassed indignation, questioning why she had dragged him inside and asked so many awkward questions.
"What, are you angry?"
With the outsider gone, Mrs. Yuigahama's worried look vanished, replaced by her usual smile.
"I'm not angry, it's just that asking Hikki those questions...
Since my daughter has made her choice, it's only right for a mother to vet him a little, isn't it?"
Mrs. Yuigahama pulled Yui into a hug, interrupting her. Recalling Hachiman's clumsy performance just now, she couldn't help but shake her head. That boy clearly had eyes full of confidence, yet he deliberately acted so poorly. He was a difficult person to read.
However...
She glanced down at Yui in her arms. Currently, the "Gahama" was lost in thought, a silly, happy smile on her face.
Seeing her daughter like this, Mrs. Yuigahama sighed. No matter what kind of person Hikigaya Hachiman was, since her daughter had fallen for him, she, as a mother, could only accept it.
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