Then she pointed at Luo Yu and said, "This one also said he's a junior."
Finally, she looked at Hachiman Hikigaya. "What about you, Hikigaya? What's your relationship with Little Yukino? Are you two dating?"
"He isn't my boyfriend." Yukino Yukinoshita sighed softly. "We're just in the same grade."
"Ooh~" Haruno Yukinoshita slowly shifted her gaze to Hachiman Hikigaya.
Hachiman Hikigaya avoided Haruno Yukinoshita's gaze and said, "I'm not her boyfriend."
"Having a lover's quarrel?" Haruno Yukinoshita asked Luo Yu.
True to his principles as someone who enjoyed watching the fun, Luo Yu neither denied that Hachiman Hikigaya and Yukino Yukinoshita were dating nor denied the possibility that they were having a quarrel. He merely smiled and shook his head, indicating that he didn't know either.
"Then you must be having a lover's quarrel." Haruno Yukinoshita leaned close to Hachiman Hikigaya and began poking his cheek. "If you dare make Little Yukino cry, I won't let you off."
"Sis, have you had enough?" Yukino Yukinoshita spoke up to stop her.
"Ah, sorry, sorry. Big sis may have gotten a little too excited." Haruno Yukinoshita leaned close to Hachiman Hikigaya's ear again and whispered, "Little Yukino is very delicate, so make sure you cherish her properly."
However, Hachiman Hikigaya took two steps back.
Had he noticed? It seemed Hachiman had seen through Haruno Yukinoshita's true nature.
Luo Yu observed from the side and concluded that Hachiman Hikigaya had indeed noticed Haruno Yukinoshita's true nature.
Seeing Hachiman Hikigaya step back, Haruno Yukinoshita asked in confusion, "Did I do something that made you dislike me?"
"No, um... actually, my ears are a little sensitive," Hachiman Hikigaya said awkwardly.
Hachiman, that excuse was truly awful.
Yukino Yukinoshita, meanwhile, did what she usually did and jabbed at Hachiman Hikigaya. "Hikigaya, don't expose your fetish to a woman you've just met."
Haruno Yukinoshita's gaze swept back and forth between her younger sister and Hachiman Hikigaya several times.
Then she burst out laughing and patted Hachiman Hikigaya on the back. "Hikigaya, you're really interesting."
"That's enough. Sis, if you have nothing else to do, we'll be leaving first." Yukino Yukinoshita issued an order to leave.
"See you next time, Luo Yu, little Komachi." Haruno Yukinoshita ran a short distance away, then turned back and continued, "Oh, and Hikigaya—once you become Little Yukino's boyfriend, let's have tea together."
Invite me when you have tea too, Luo Yu jokingly shouted in his heart.
"Your sister is really something," Hachiman Hikigaya remarked to Yukino Yukinoshita.
"Everyone who meets my sister says that," Yukino Yukinoshita replied. "Indeed, there probably isn't anyone else as perfect as her."
"That's not the kind of impressive I meant. How should I put it..." Hachiman Hikigaya didn't know how to describe it for a moment.
"Too fake," Luo Yu cut in.
"Right, too fake." Hachiman Hikigaya came to his senses and said to Luo Yu, "You noticed too?"
"Isn't that obvious? How could there be someone so perfect in the world? She acts too perfectly—so perfectly that it feels fake. Most importantly, that fake smile on her face? I stopped using that back in third grade."
Thinking back to the smile he had practiced as a child to deal with all kinds of guests at banquets, Luo Yu realized Haruno Yukinoshita's smile just now wasn't much better than his own had been back then.
One look was enough to tell—it was a completely fake smile.
"Exactly, exactly. Ideals are ideals, reality is reality. That's why she seems so fake. But Luo Yu, you can make that kind of fake smile too?" Hachiman Hikigaya agreed with Luo Yu.
"You mean this?" Luo Yu put on the signature fake smile he used to deal with guests as he spoke.
"You should put that away. That smile is disgusting to look at." Seeing Luo Yu's fake smile, Hachiman Hikigaya felt physically uncomfortable.
"Luo Yu is one thing, but I never expected you, Hachiman Hikigaya, with those rotten eyes—no, perhaps it is precisely because you have such rotten eyes that you can see through certain things." Yukino Yukinoshita praised(?) Hachiman Hikigaya.
"Are you complimenting me?"
"It is a compliment. A very high evaluation, in fact."
"Luo Yu." Komachi Hikigaya tugged at Luo Yu's clothes and asked, "Those two are dating after all, right?"
"What do you think?"
"Then they are!" Komachi Hikigaya declared.
"Woof... woof..."
A burst of barking came from nearby.
Everyone looked toward the sound and saw a dog charging toward the four of them.
Hmm, this dog looked a little familiar.
Before Luo Yu could react, the dog had already thrown itself into Hachiman Hikigaya's arms, while Yukino Yukinoshita was so startled by the little dog that she collapsed onto the bench.
"Hey, where's your owner?" Hachiman Hikigaya asked as he held the dog.
I remember now! Isn't this Dumpling's dog? That means Dumpling is nearby? Then shouldn't she be here any moment?
I want to see blood flow like a river.jpg
Dumpling's Misunderstanding
Just as Luo Yu was looking forward to blood flowing like a river, their heroine finally arrived.
"Sorry, Sabure caused you trouble..." Yui Yuigahama came running over.
"Yo, isn't this Dumpling?" Luo Yu greeted her first, avoiding any awkwardness later.
"Huh, Little Luo, Little Hachiman, Little Yukino. Why are you all together?" Yui Yuigahama looked at everyone in surprise.
"If you're asking why, it's nothing..." Yukino Yukinoshita and Hachiman Hikigaya said in unison.
So when are you two getting married already?!
"Then I won't ask." Yui Yuigahama said in a flustered voice, "The two of you going shopping together on a holiday, there's obviously no need to ask. I see, how did I not notice? And here I thought reading the room was my only strength."
"Hey, Dumpling over there! Are you pretending I don't exist?" Even if he knew she liked Hachiman, did she really have eyes only for those two? How could she ignore him and Komachi, two living people standing right there?
"Little Luo?" Hearing Luo Yu's words, Yui Yuigahama realized she might have misunderstood. She scratched her head and laughed. "Ahaha, sorry, Little Luo. I didn't see you just now."
Who are you trying to fool?! I was the first one you called out!
"And this is?" Yui Yuigahama noticed there was someone among the four whom she didn't know.
"Hello, I'm that guy's little sister, Komachi Hikigaya." Seeing Yui Yuigahama looking at her, Komachi Hikigaya introduced herself while pointing at Hachiman Hikigaya.
Yui Yuigahama introduced herself as well. "Hello, nice to meet you. I'm Yui Yuigahama, Little Hachiman's classmate. I'm also in the same club as Little Yukino. Um, why are you looking at me like that?"
"Ah, it's nothing." Komachi Hikigaya put away the expression she had been using to scrutinize Yui Yuigahama and said indifferently.
So she had noticed too. When would they finally uncover the truth completely?
As someone who enjoyed watching the fun, Luo Yu was very anxious. He really wanted to know what it would be like when the truth came out.
"Since Little Luo is here too, then it isn't what I thought." Yui Yuigahama patted her chest, looking as though she had breathed a sigh of relief. "Then what are you doing?"
"Ah... well..."
Everyone began looking around.
"Huh, it seems like everyone doesn't really welcome me." Yui Yuigahama's expression darkened. She picked up the dog and said, "In that case, I'll be leaving first. Have fun."
"Yuigahama." Yukino Yukinoshita stopped Yui Yuigahama, who was about to leave. "I want to talk to you about our matter. Can you come to the clubroom on Monday?"
"Actually, I don't really want to hear it, though I want to say that..." Yui Yuigahama replied.
Then the two of them began talking completely past each other.
Luo Yu watched from the side with great interest.
In the end, their conversation concluded with Yukino saying, "But I still want to have a proper talk with you."
Watching Yui Yuigahama leave in a daze, Luo Yu couldn't help sighing. Poor Dumpling. Everyone had only wanted to give her a birthday present. Looking at her, she probably thought Yukino Yukinoshita was going to lay everything out with her.
But Dumpling really was so pitiful. No, he couldn't bear to watch anymore!
Where were the people bullying Dumpling?
Oh, he was one of them. Never mind, then.
After Yui Yuigahama left, everyone continued their journey to pick out a gift.
In the end, Luo Yu went home carrying a pink spatula.
Well, it was pink. Yui Yuigahama would definitely like it, right?
Monday.
In the clubroom after school.
"Hey, hey, Luo Yu." Ritsu Tainaka poked Luo Yu. "What's going on with those three?"
Following the direction of Ritsu Tainaka's finger, Luo Yu saw the three members of the Service Club sitting in silence.
"Them? Ignore them. It'll be fine soon." Most importantly, don't get in the way of him watching the show.
"Yuigahama." Yukino Yukinoshita broke the silence between the three of them.
Hearing that, Yui Yuigahama replied, "Um... you want to talk about you and Little Hachiman, right?"
"Yes, I want to talk to you about our plans going forward..."
"Ah~ actually, you really don't need to worry about me." Yui Yuigahama interrupted Yukino Yukinoshita. "I was definitely startled, but I think I should congratulate you or give you my blessings."
"You figured it out?" Yukino Yukinoshita said in surprise. "I was even thinking of having a proper celebration. And I also want to properly thank you."
Pfft. He couldn't take it anymore. Luo Yu desperately controlled his expression. He couldn't laugh yet. What kind of god-tier conversation was this, talking completely past each other like that?
"Don't say that. I haven't done anything worth thanking me for..." Yui Yuigahama's voice grew quieter and quieter. "I haven't done anything..."
"Even so, I'm still very grateful to you. Besides, this kind of celebration wasn't because that person did anything in the first place."
Yukino Yukinoshita continued performing steadily.
And Luo Yu could no longer hold it in.
"Pfft, hahahahaha!"
Luo Yu's sudden laughter drew everyone's attention, and they all turned to look at him.
"I can't take it anymore, I couldn't hold it in." Luo Yu laughed so hard that he clutched his stomach. "Yukinoshita, Dumpling, you two are amazing. You can even keep a conversation going while talking completely past each other like this."
"Talking past each other?" ×2
Yukino Yukinoshita and Yui Yuigahama looked at each other in confusion.
"Dumpling." Luo Yu looked at Yui Yuigahama. "Don't tell me you thought Yukinoshita and Hikigaya were dating?"
"Huh!" Yui Yuigahama cried out. "Aren't they dating?"
"How could that be?" Hachiman Hikigaya spoke up in denial.
But Hachiman, please remember how certain you looked right now.
"Yuigahama, even I get angry sometimes." Yukino Yukinoshita denied it as well. "Besides, why would you think that man could have a normal relationship with a woman? He can't even manage normal interpersonal relationships."
"What's that supposed to mean?!" Hachiman Hikigaya shot back as usual.
"Sorry, sorry." Yui Yuigahama scratched her head, smiling as she sat down. "But if it isn't about dating, then what did Little Yukino want to tell me?"
"Of course it's because today is your birthday, Dumpling." Luo Yu lightly tapped Yui Yuigahama on the head with a notebook.
"Mou~ Little Luo, don't tease me." Yui Yuigahama took the notebook off her head. "This is... a cookbook?"
That was right. Although Luo Yu had initially picked out a little pink spatula, after giving it some careful thought, he felt that giving kitchenware as a gift wasn't very appropriate. So he handwrote a cookbook instead. The dishes in it went from easy to difficult; if she could learn them all, she would at least reach LV3.
His and Her Beginning Finally Came to an End
"Oh, right! Today seems to be my birthday!"
Yui Yuigahama looked at the cookbook in her hands and suddenly realized.
You're only realizing that now?
"What, what? Today is your birthday, Yui? You never told us." Ritsu Tainaka leaned over and cut in. "And Luo Yu, it's Yui's birthday today. Why didn't you tell us?"
Before you continue