The Real Yukino Yukino / The Approaching Weekend

"Hm." Hachiman took them and put them on, only to hear Yukino let out a startled cry.

What's wrong?

"N-Nothing."

Seeing Hachiman wearing the glasses, Yukino's pretty face flushed. She stammered, while Hachiman blinked suspiciously before letting out a slightly weary yawn.

"It's already two o'clock. We should go to sleep."

Hachiman took off the glasses and handed them to Yukino. "I don't need these anymore, and they're no use to me anyway, so you can have them. It's late. If we don't sleep now, we won't have any energy tomorrow." As soon as he finished speaking, Yukino rubbed her eyes sleepily.

Nodding, Yukino took another thin blanket from the cabinet nearby and quietly spread it over the bed.

After taking off her shoes, Yukino lazily climbed onto the bed and lay down a short distance from Hachiman. "Hikigaya-kun, oyasumi." After wishing Hachiman good night, Yukino turned her back to him and closed her tired eyes.

"Good night, Yukino."

After greeting Yukino, Hachiman closed his own eyes as well.

In the morning, by the time Yukino woke up, it was already seven o'clock. Because of her constitution, Yukino always woke up groggy and irritable from low blood sugar.

Her cold gaze fixed straight on Hachiman, who was sneaking over her body. "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. It's just that I have to get out this way if I want to leave. If you still want to sleep, then go ahead. I'll wake you when breakfast is ready."

Hachiman looked at Yukino awkwardly as he spoke.

Hearing this, Yukino simply closed her eyes and sank back into her dreams.

When Yukino opened her eyes again, she found Hachiman standing in front of her with a bowl of rice porridge. "I added sugar. Hurry up and drink it."

"Mm." Squinting, Yukino slowly finished the plain porridge and finally became a little more alert.

"Go wash up and change your clothes. We're getting ready to go to school."

Hachiman spoke to Yukino, who looked satisfied.

"Got it. You're so long-winded, just like an old man. You're seriously annoying."

Yukino held her uniform and glared at Hachiman. "Why aren't you leaving yet? What are you planning to do? Don't tell me you expect me to change in front of you?"

Thus, Hachiman had no choice but to turn around and walk outside.

He waited restlessly outside for several minutes, but Yukino still didn't come out.

Hachiman lightly knocked on the bedroom door. "Are you done? We're going to be late."

With a click, Yukino slowly opened the door, revealing only her head. "Go get my underwear for me. It's hanging out on the balcony. I forgot to bring it in last night."

Hachiman scratched his chin and turned toward the balcony.

When he opened the balcony door, all kinds of underwear came into view.

Regardless of whether they were made of cotton or trimmed with lace, and regardless of how varied their styles were, every piece was high-end. The most striking thing was how perfectly they seemed to fit the skin when held in one's hands.

Holding two matching pieces, Hachiman saw that the pale green bra and panties had lace flowers sewn into their edges. Deliberately ignoring the thong hanging nearby, Hachiman carried the two pieces toward Yukino's bedroom.

He lightly knocked on the door and handed the underwear inside. The sensation of his arm brushing against her was even more comfortable than the fabric itself.

After Yukino finished dressing, she put Hachiman's glasses, which he had left by the head of the bed, onto his nose. Then she took a pair of unopened black thigh-high stockings from the cabinet. Sitting on the sofa in the living room, she slowly pulled them up and smoothed out the wrinkles formed while putting them on.

Yukino walked around the living room in her slippers and found them comfortable enough. She then put on her little leather shoes in the entryway, took Hachiman by the hand, and walked out of the apartment.

Unlike usual, Hachiman wasn't the same as always today. With his Dead Fish Eyes hidden behind the glasses, he was a handsome young man whose looks were no worse than Hayama's. As a result, he attracted countless girls' attention on the way from The Yukino Family to Sobu High School.

Yet when those girls saw Yukino walking beside Hachiman, they all quickly looked away.

Just as Hachiman and Yukino were about to enter the school gate, a voice called out, "Hikki, Little Snow, wait for me~" Hachiman and Yukino turned around at the same time and saw a pink Dango running toward them while waving.

Chapter 7: The Real Yukino Yukino

As the girl with pink hair ran, the Dango on her head and chest trembled and swayed, making it clear that her presence was anything but weak.

"Huff..." Yui ran over to Yukino and Hachiman and lightly caught her breath. "Yahallo! What a coincidence~ Little Snow, Hikki, I can't believe I ran into you here."

"Ah, good morning, Yuihama. I only just happened to run into him too, so I suppose it is quite a coincidence." There wasn't the slightest trace of a lie on Yukino's face as she smiled at Yui.

Just then, Yui noticed Hachiman's eye twitching beside her. "Oh, Hikki, you look so handsome today."

"D-Do I?" Hachiman had never been praised like that by a girl before, and he scratched his cheek shyly.

"Ehehehe, you look so much better with glasses on. I guess your Dead Fish Eyes really do ruin your overall image."

"Haah... So how long are you two planning to keep chatting? If we don't go inside, we really will be late."

Yukino let out a small yawn and reminded the two in front of her.

"Mm, then let's hurry. If we're late, Teacher Hiratsuka will definitely kill us." As he spoke, Hachiman headed toward the classrooms.

"Why do Hikki and Little Snow both seem especially tired today? Didn't you sleep well last night?" Yui asked as she looked at the faint dark circles under Hachiman and Yukino's eyes.

"We were giving Zaimokuza's light novel some advice. We didn't get to sleep until very late."

"Seeing how energetic you are, don't tell me you didn't read it at all."

Hachiman rubbed his eyes and glanced at the lively Yui, showing her the results of Yukino's hard work from the previous night.

"Hehehe, what? How could I not read it? I read it very carefully."

"Yes, exactly."

Yui remembered the manuscript she had taken home yesterday without even opening it and waved dismissively.

"That's good, then. When Zaimokuza comes this afternoon, just tell him what you thought. Don't worry about hurting his feelings or anything like that."

"Just say whatever you think."

After saying goodbye to Yukino at the stairwell, Hachiman reached the classroom door. He took off the glasses he was wearing, put them safely into their case, then pushed open the classroom door and entered with Yui.

As usual, hardly anyone paid attention when Hachiman entered the classroom. He simply walked to his seat, put down his schoolbag, and began another day of lessons.

During lunch break, Hachiman was about to buy a can of MAX Coffee from the vending machine as usual when he noticed an unexpected person standing in front of it.

Yukino stood before the machine with her arms crossed, staring at it intently until Hachiman tapped her on the shoulder.

She only relaxed after turning around and seeing that it was Hachiman.

"How do I use this?" Yukino pointed at the vending machine with an expression that suggested the answer should have been obvious.

Hachiman said nothing. He stepped forward, selected a bottle of coffee and a bottle of sweetened milk, then handed the milk to Yukino. As he opened the coffee can, he asked, "Why did you come here to buy food today?"

"It's all thanks to a certain someone. I didn't have time to make a bento this morning."

"Mm, all right. I'll treat you today. Consider it an apology."

As he spoke, he handed Yukino the yakisoba bun he had just bought from the school cafeteria.

"What about you?" Yukino asked after taking it.

"I'll buy another one. Wait for me on the rooftop."

Hachiman turned toward the cafeteria and waved an arm at Yukino behind him.

By the time Hachiman reached the rooftop, Yukino was already taking small bites of the bread.

Hachiman walked over to the chair where Yukino was sitting and dropped into it without ceremony.

"So, what did you call me here for?" Yukino turned to look at Hachiman. The coldness had vanished from her dark blue eyes, replaced by a deeply hidden trace of affection and dependence.

Hachiman stared into Yukino's eyes, as if he could see the feelings in the heart of the girl before him.

"Yukino, I don't think you've noticed it yourself, but you've changed a lot recently."

Hachiman carefully considered his words and spoke cautiously.

"I understand what you mean. You're saying that because of that dream, I've fallen in love with you?" Yukino smiled, her eyes narrowing as well. She resembled a flower blooming on a lofty mountain. Though battered by the cold wind, she still displayed breathtaking beauty.

"Perhaps. Hikigaya-kun, do you know how deeply those experiences affected me? Ever since I was little, I've always followed my sister's path, wanting to become a perfect person."

"But throughout those experiences, the thing I had pursued all along turned out to be ridiculous. The beliefs I'd held from birth until now were completely negated by that dream."

Yukino extended her pale hand and examined it beneath the sunlight.

The light made the faint blue veins on her delicate hand, as smooth as fine white porcelain, clearly visible. Her fingers were flawless, as if carefully carved, with evenly distributed flesh and sharply defined joints.

Even her neatly trimmed nails formed a harmonious melody with her hand.

Yukino gazed at it as though admiring a perfect work of art without a single flaw. "Hikigaya-kun, I've thought about many things. Really, so many things. I wondered: if I'd never had that dream, if I'd never met you and Yui, would I have continued pursuing so-called perfection just as I originally did, until I became a second sister—a shadow of Haruno Yukinoshita?"

"Instead of becoming myself, instead of existing as Yukino Yukinoshita."

"But I'm happy, because your appearance, together with hers, gave Yukino Yukinoshita her own soul. I no longer live to surpass anyone, nor do I live to change the world."

"I once wanted to help others change their weak sides, but I realized that I couldn't even deal with that side of myself. So how could I talk about helping others?"

Yukino continued speaking quietly, her tone never wavering in the slightest.

"So, from now on, the always-correct Yukino Yukinoshita no longer exists. I'm a person too, and I have a weak side of my own."

"So whether it's my sister or my mother, their strength has nothing to do with Yukino Yukinoshita. From today onward, Yukino Yukinoshita will make mistakes, and Yukino Yukinoshita will be weak."

Hachiman watched the girl before him speak. As her words continued, her expression grew more and more natural.

She was no longer deliberately pretending to be strong as she usually did.

"Hikigaya-kun, please remember this from now on. The beautiful girl standing before you is named Yukino Yukinoshita."

Yukino suddenly stood up and pulled Hachiman from his chair. She clasped his hand in hers, then released it and took half a step back.

"Hachiman Hikigaya, my name is Yukino Yukinoshita. It's nice to meet you. I hope we'll get along from now on."

Hachiman watched as Yukino bowed to him. Her delighted voice came from her body bent at a ninety-degree angle.

Then Yukino raised her head. Her face was flushed, and her smile was genuine, joyful, and heartfelt. "Ah—mmmmm~~ I finally figured out why Little Snow's personality changed. Now I can openly shower Hachiman with affection~"

Chapter 8: The Approaching Weekend

Zaimokuza was not feeling very good at the moment. The two people sitting across from him were acting like a married couple, singing in harmony as they criticized his light novel.

From beginning to end, they had given him dozens of suggestions, and not one had been praise.

In Hachiman and Yukino's shared opinion, Zaimokuza simply wasn't suited to being a light-novel author. His writing was packed with countless incomprehensible settings, and his grammar and sentence structure were even worse than a middle-school student's composition.

In short, the two people before him had criticized Zaimokuza until he was utterly battered and found completely worthless.

As for the other person, she was currently hugging Zaimokuza's light novel and sleeping soundly.

"If even ordinary high school students like us can't stand reading this, let alone professional editors. They probably wouldn't even have the patience to finish it before throwing this stack into a shredder."

Yukino spoke to Zaimokuza without the slightest mercy.

Yukino's kindness toward others was limited to Hachiman and Yui, who was sleeping beside them.

"Zaimokuza, I think you should go back and work on your language skills. Once you're better prepared, try writing again. It may turn out much better than this."

Yukino spoke to Zaimokuza, who had already been driven to lose all confidence.

Looks like even General Swordsman can't withstand the ice woman's attacks. Hachiman looked at Zaimokuza and thought.

"Hachiman, my friend, do you think so too?" Zaimokuza lifted his head and looked at Hachiman hopefully.

"I think so too. Light novels don't have to be as serious as traditional literature, but that doesn't mean you can succeed by writing whatever you want."

"And could you stop looking at me like that? It's seriously disgusting." Hachiman quietly moved his chair backward.

"I poured so much effort and time into writing this, yet you've judged it completely worthless. Hachiman, do you not care about our friendship anymore?"

"All right, Zaimokuza. Instead of wasting time talking here, you should practice more. Sitting here and talking won't improve you much." Yukino dismissed the white-haired boy before her.

After Yukino glared at him, Zaimokuza said nothing further. He picked up the manuscript Yukino had painstakingly annotated and quickly left the Service Club without looking back.

As for Yui, who was sleeping soundly nearby, she hadn't even flipped through the manuscript, much less looked at it.

"So why am I sacrificing my sleeping time for something like this?"

After the outsider had left, Yukino's tone instantly softened, almost as if she were acting coquettishly. "Hikigaya-kun, I'm so sleepy right now."

"You can imitate Yuihama. No one's stopping you anyway."

Hachiman gestured toward Yui's seat with his chin.

"Sometimes I really envy her. It seems like she never has any pressure at all."

Yukino rested her head on her arms and unknowingly drifted off to sleep.