The Hikigaya Couple's Youth Romance Story Is Indeed Problematic

A very sweet, soft female voice came from the other end of the phone.

"Ah? Ms. Nakajima, hello. Is there something you need at this late hour?" Hachiman asked politely.

"It's nothing much, I just wanted to ask you about Tsurumi-san."

Nakajima continued.

"Is she having some kind of problem recently?" Hachiman asked nervously.

"It's not really a problem, I just feel like she's a bit of a loner?" Masami Nakajima chose her words carefully, taking a while to land on "loner."

"Well... she is a bit, it's a lot like her mother."

Hachiman said with a wry smile.

"Is it serious?" Hachiman sounded worried.

"Hmm, how should I put it? Aside from the two girls she met when she first started here, she basically doesn't talk to anyone else."

Masami Nakajima thought for a moment before saying this.

"That's fine then. As long as she has friends, there's no issue. As for others? She's never been one to pander to people, so it's not a problem."

Hachiman said with a smile.

"Is that so?" Masami Nakajima frowned, not satisfied with Hachiman's explanation.

"But a child shouldn't be like this, should they? Other children are usually lively. I'm really quite worried."

"So, Teacher, you believe that being different is wrong?" Hachiman's expression turned cold.

"Is it wrong to be left-handed? To the point where they'd use corporal punishment to change it? To make them like everyone else?"

"If I may be so blunt, Teacher, I don't agree with your philosophy. In my opinion, if this child has such a personality, I can't just stifle it because she's different from the majority of children, turning her into a tool stamped from the same mold?"

"No... that's not what I meant. I just think it's not ideal for her to be like this... she might get ostracized by other students after so long."

"You worry too much. From the very beginning, it was Little Rumi who pushed everyone else away."

"Ostracization isn't just an action of the majority against the minority; it can also be the disdain of the minority towards the group."

"It's like in middle school, some classmates didn't like me and kept trying to provoke me. My approach was to ignore those guys. At most, they'd just disgust themselves with their own actions."

"It had no actual impact on me."

"Similarly, Little Rumi isn't interested in those who try to talk to her, so she's excluded those people from her social circle from the start."

"Is... is that so?" Masami Nakajima listened dumbfoundedly to the Great Teacher's lecture.

"Yes, that's just how this child is, so you don't need to worry."

"Then... I'll leave it at that."

Masami Nakajima felt a bit lost, questioning who the teacher really was.

"Thank you very much for your concern for Rumi, Teacher. If there are any problems at school, please be sure to notify me and Yukino."

Hachiman said politely.

"Of course. The mental and physical well-being of students has always been my concern."

"In that case, I'll trouble you. If there's nothing else, I'll hang up now."

"Mm... okay." Masami Nakajima agreed.

Chapter 60: Hachiman, Hurry Up and Move!

The preparations for the Cultural Festival continued in full swing, and the festive atmosphere gradually thickened throughout Sobu High School.

However, Hachiman and Yukino, as members of the Cultural Festival Committee, were not swayed by this atmosphere, calmly handling the tasks assigned to them.

After completing their tasks for the day, Hachiman and Yukino would still head to the Service Club to have tea and chat with Yui.

However, an uninvited guest had appeared in the Service Club today.

"Little Yukino seems to be having a good time at school~" Haruno said, holding her teacup. She blew on it gently, took a sip, and then picked up a cookie to eat.

"It's been a long time since I've eaten anything made by Little Yukino."

Haruno squinted her eyes, saying with some emotion.

"Really? Hachiman suddenly interjected, "Anyway, Yukino makes all my meals, snacks, late-night snacks, and desserts."

"How dare you say that?" Haruno glared at Hachiman through gritted teeth.

"Do you see Little Yukino as a girlfriend or a free maid?"

"What? I'm not forcing her. She's doing it completely voluntarily, you know?" Hachiman continued to provoke Haruno.

"Unlike some people, who can't get her to do anything for them."

"You!" Haruno's chest heaved violently; she looked clearly infuriated.

"Alright, you two, are you still children?" Yukino watched the two of them bickering over her with a helpless expression.

"How old are you, still fighting with your little sister over cookies?"

Hachiman said dismissively.

"You're questioning me? Yukino didn't say anything, and we have a deep sisterly bond, so what's wrong with that?" Haruno glared at Hachiman, her beautiful, ruby-like, shallow red eyes fixed on him.

"Mm, whatever makes you happy."

"Heh~" Haruno let out a cold laugh and downed the black tea in her cup in one go.

"I'm leaving now. I still have to direct the Cultural Festival, and the committee chair Little Meguri picked isn't even as good as a mascot."

Haruno sighed, unable to bear seeing her alma mater's once-a-year event ruined like this.

"You've worked hard."

Hachiman said to Haruno.

"If you think I've worked hard, then come help me. What's the point of just saying that?" Haruno rolled her eyes.

"Mm, since you put it that way."

Hachiman lazily got up and casually pulled Yukino over to stand beside Haruno.

"What are you waiting for? Do you want me to carry you?"

"Crouch down!" Haruno suddenly said.

"Huh?" Hachiman didn't react immediately, asking blankly.

"Didn't you say you were going to carry me? If you don't crouch down, are you expecting me to jump on you?"

Haruno looked at Hachiman seriously, walking closer to him as she spoke.

"You're a bit tall."

Haruno patted Hachiman's shoulder. "Hmph~" With a burst of strength, Haruno jumped directly onto Hachiman's back.

"Hachiman-kun, hurry up~" Haruno squeezed Hachiman's thighs instinctively, wrapping one arm around his neck and pointing forward with the other.

Hachiman felt the soft touch on his back and the hot breath on his ear. The corner of his mouth twitched slightly; he was speechless at his eccentric, older sister-in-law.

"Why aren't you moving?" Haruno asked curiously, simultaneously squeezing Hachiman's waist with her thighs like she was urging a horse to move.

"Sister..." Yukino's tone was filled with coldness.

"What is it?" Haruno feigned confusion as she looked at her sister, whose face had turned dark.

"Isn't that enough?"

"Hee hee hee~" Haruno giggled and jumped off Hachiman's back.

"Little Yukino is jealous?" Haruno playfully poked Yukino's cheek.

"Yo~ Your cheeks are all puffed out from anger."

"Are you done playing?" Hachiman's forehead was covered in dark lines.

"I wasn't playing. Didn't Hachiman-kun say he was going to carry me?"

Hachiman didn't say anything and pulled Yukino away.

"Hey~ Wait for me!" Seeing that the two were completely ignoring her, Haruno pouted listlessly and then quickly caught up.

"Ah~ Sister Haruno, you're here!" Meguri Shiromeguri exclaimed in surprise.

"Could I not come?" Haruno leaned in close to her and whispered.

"Little Meguri, I'm not going to say it, but you shouldn't have picked someone like this, who doesn't even have a backbone, when you have someone as wonderful as Yukino."

"Senpai~ You can't blame me for this... Your sister was unwilling."

Meguri Shiromeguri said with a wry smile.

"Even so, why did you pick her? What would you have done if I hadn't come this time?"

Haruno said to Meguri Shiromeguri with dissatisfaction.

"What does that have to do with me~ Although she's the Student Council President, I've already delegated my authority and am preparing for my college entrance exams."

Meguri Shiromeguri smiled gently.

"..." Haruno suddenly had nothing to say and just looked at Sagami Minami with pity.

"How unpopular can you be? Even someone as gentle as Little Meguri is like this."

"Forget it, let's just consider it a final farewell for your last year as Student Council President."

Haruno waved her hand.

"Everyone~" Haruno said loudly as she walked to the front of the stage, subtly pushing Sagami Minami, who had been speaking, aside.

"Did you all complete the tasks I assigned yesterday?"

"Here we go again."

Hachiman saw the familiar smile reappear on Haruno's face and muttered to Yukino beside him.

"What?" Yukino looked somewhat confused.

"She has a terrible personality, but as soon as she's around outsiders, she pretends to be gentle, and others don't even notice."

That's because my sister considers you family.

Yukino stared gently at Hachiman, her fingers tightly clasped together.

"Hachiman~" Haruno suddenly called out, waving at him and signaling him to come over.

"What is it?" Hachiman pulled Yukino along as they walked up to Haruno and took the file she was holding out.

"Work, what else."

Haruno said irritably.

"You want me to do it all myself? Are you trying to work me to death?"

"Mm, is that all?" Hachiman glanced over the documents and asked Haruno.

"There's one more for Yukino."

Haruno pointed to another file on the table.

Hachiman reached out, took it, and casually sat down in an empty chair, getting to work.

Yukino, whose file Hachiman had snatched away, felt a bit idle. She ended up sitting next to Hachiman, cupping her face in her hands, and just staring at him.

Haruno, busy as she was, saw her sister's lovesick expression and twitched the corner of her mouth without saying anything.

The other committee members in the conference room couldn't help but be drawn to the pair, stealing glances at the dazed Yukino. When their gazes shifted to Hachiman, most of them gritted their teeth in anger, unable to comprehend how such a guy had managed to attract Yukino. They could only curse him inwardly.

"All the good cabbages have been gobbled up by pigs."

Chapter 61: Hayama: Hachiman, Come Here

Sagami Minami felt extremely displeased. She was the committee chair for this Cultural Festival, so why was no one paying any attention to her? She resentfully glared at Haruno, who was eloquently speaking on stage, and even started to resent Hachiman, who was diligently working beside her.

"If it weren't for you guys, why would I be completely ignored right now?"