Chapter 318: It's Become Second Nature to Grab Him
Around four in the afternoon, the grand mountain-climbing party finally returned to the camp.
"Yukinon, today was absolutely exhausting!"
Yuigahama Yui dragged her worn-out body back into the tent, and the moment she saw Yukinoshita Yukino, she immediately lunged forward to pour out her grievances about the "harassment" she endured today.
Facing Yui's tearful complaints, Yukino didn't know whether to laugh or cry. When they were about to head up the mountain this morning, Yui had been the most excited of all the girls, yet now...
"Alright, sit down and rest for a while."
Yukino gently patted Yui's shoulder in consolation, pressing her down to sit on the bedding before picking up a nearby fan to start fanning her.
"Mm, that feels so good~"
Closing her eyes, Yui enjoyed Yukino's care, an involuntary moan escaping her lips.
[You have absolutely no backbone...]
Miura Yumiko, who had returned along with Yui, saw her little follower being bought off by a mere fanning service the moment she entered the tent. Instantly, numerous black lines descended across Miura's forehead.
She zipped the tent flap shut. Since they were all female, there was no need to avoid one another. Having walked all day, Miura—whose clothes were completely soaked with sweat—stood in the center of the tent and began to change right then and there.
Initially, Yukino hadn't paid much attention to Miura. After all, the two of them usually didn't get along, and they had just had a fight the previous night. However, when that pair of shapely curves was exposed to the air, as if drawn by some invisible thread of fate, Yukino happened to glimpse the scene.
With a clatter, the fan in her hand fell to the ground. Yet, Yukino—unaware of her own reaction—remained staring blankly at Miura's physical silhouette.
[I knew there would be a gap, but is the difference really this massive?]
Yukino subconsciously placed a hand on her own chest and pressed lightly. Then, she tragically realized she had suffered a total defeat—the kind that couldn't be remedied no matter how much papaya milk she drank...
"I win!"
A woman's keen intuition allowed Miura to sense Yukino's "peeping" the moment the gaze shifted over. However, Miura chose to remain silent about it. Part of the reason was that she had lost their argument yesterday and didn't want to humiliate herself further.
As for the other reason...
Having finished changing, Miura cast a pitying glance at Yukino's flat physique, then thrust her chest out provocatively as she walked out of the tent.
"Eh? What was Yumiko doing just now?"
Yuigahama Yui, completely oblivious to this invisible clash, watched the entire process in total confusion. Once Miura had left, she quickly turned to ask about the meaning of Miura's movements.
"......"
Yukino looked helplessly at the "curiosity kitten" before her. If she didn't know that this silly girl truly hadn't understood, she would have genuinely thought Yui was dealing secondary damage.
"Yui."
"What is it?"
"Sometimes, I ponder a certain question."
"What question?" Yui leaned in closer, intrigued.
"I wonder if the reason your grades are so poor is because all the nutrients meant for your brain were absorbed by these things instead?!"
Yukino reached out and grabbed Yui's "weapons"—which were even more terrifying than Miura's—kneading them while speaking in a tone of grief and indignation.
"Eh! It's not my fault they grew this much! And if they're too big, my shoulders get really tired..."
Yui's hands quickly moved to defend herself. She struggled to block Yukino's invasion while explaining herself with a pitiful look.
"Tired?"
Hearing Yui's explanation, Yukino's face darkened by several more shades.
'Heh. I've never felt my shoulders ache once. In Yui's eyes, I must be someone to be deeply envied, right?'
.
.
.
The events inside the tent remained unknown to everyone outside. The group returning to camp had already begun preparing for dinner. Yet, while everyone else was busy, two figures walked toward the outskirts of the camp with total nonchalance.
"Phew, those brats really wore me out today."
Under a familiar patch of shade, Hiratsuka Shizuka leaned against a tree trunk with a lollipop in her mouth, complaining incessantly about the hardships of being a teacher.
"So, is there a reason you called me out here?"
Hikigaya Hachiman ignored her complaints and got straight to the point, asking why she had called him for a chat at this time.
"That's cold. Can't I call you out just to talk?" Shizuka looked at Hachiman with a hint of dissatisfaction. She felt that since a certain day last semester, this guy had become a different person; she almost couldn't recognize him anymore.
"When a sensei calls a student out, isn't there usually a reason?" Hachiman gave her a deadpan look.
"But there's no rule saying a teacher can't call a student out for no reason." Shizuka spread her hands, acting like a bit of a rogue.
".......I'm going back."
Faced with this "thug" of a teacher, Hachiman expressed that he was currently quite helpless and speechless.
"Eh, wait a second, I was just joking."
Seeing that Hachiman really intended to turn and leave, Shizuka quickly took a few strides to catch up, grabbing him by the collar and dragging him back.
"Why the collar?"
Hachiman, who hadn't offered any resistance, was back under the large tree. However, their positions had swapped; instead of Shizuka leaning against the trunk, he was the one leaning against it now.
"Ah, I guess I've just gotten used to grabbing you there?"
Hearing the question, Shizuka thought for a moment and gave an answer that fit the facts. It seemed that every time she went to catch Hikigaya, she grabbed his collar. Over time, it had become a habit she couldn't help.
"Then stop getting used to it!"
In his mind, Hachiman flipped a table, then pinched the bridge of his nose to calm himself down.
"Sorry, sorry. I'll make sure to grab a different spot next time," Shizuka replied in a voice that was clearly perfunctory. Then, her tone shifted, suddenly becoming serious.
"My mother called me today. It's news regarding your side of things."
"Eh?"
Faced with Shizuka's sudden seriousness, Hachiman didn't react immediately. But soon, the expression on his face turned solemn as well.
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