"Senior, how much of what you just said was true and how much was false?" Hikigaya asked curiously after finishing his patrol of the city.
"Eh? How can it be fake? I genuinely have feelings for Sobu High School and the Student Council. After all, we have been together for such a long time, so it is natural for me to express my feelings," Yukinoshita replied, sounding a bit wronged.
"Okay, let's not dwell on that, senior. Where are we going to eat lunch today?" Hikigaya suggested, deciding to tackle their hunger first.
"Hehe, Hikigaya-san, do you think I'm going anywhere else?" Haruno replied proudly, demonstrating that she was just as capable as Yukino.
"Uh... senior, then we'd better change direction first," Hikigaya suggested quietly.
"Are you sure, Hikigaya-san? You don't want to take me there, do you? It's only one kilometer away from Sobu High School. Is there someone else hiding in your house?"
Haruno's eyes sharpened again.
"Of course not, but the refrigerator at home is empty right now, so we have to go to the supermarket to buy some groceries first. What do you think, senior?"
He would never refuse Haruno visiting his home, but he couldn't treat Yukinoshita Haruno to a self-heating hotpot again.
"Of course I'll listen to you, Junior," she replied.
"What kind of name is that?" he asked, slightly taken aback.
"I think it's interesting. It's too troublesome to always call you Hikigaya-kun."
"You can call me 'Hachiman-san'; that's easier."
"Can I just call you Hachiman without the 'san'?"
"Please allow me to refuse..."
In Hikigaya's view, even if someone was close, there was no need to express feelings through crude methods like calling each other by their first names. His relationship with Komachi was an exception; they shared the same surname and it would be impossible to tell them apart otherwise. The thought of one day Komachi changing her surname sent a shudder through him. Why not just change his surname? But how could one go about doing that? There seemed to be a very convenient way to do it.
"Junior, why are you distracted?"
Haruno noticed Hikigaya was lost in thought and waved her hand in front of him.
"Ah, Senior. Nothing much. I was just thinking about what food to buy for lunch," he quickly made an excuse.
"Leave this to Senior Sister. You just need to wait for lunch today," she replied, clearly eager to showcase her cooking skills.
The two of them strolled leisurely through the supermarket. Suddenly, Haruno had the thought that sometimes, showing intimacy didn't need to be complicated or cheesy. Just like how they were engaging in a simple activity—shopping for groceries together, discussing what to cook when they got home. It was heartwarming to think about.
"Hikigaya-kun, did Yukino cook for you that day when she was at your house?" Haruno asked, curiosity shining in her eyes. She knew her sister had lived alone for a long time and her cooking skills had significantly improved.
"Uh...she made me a self-heating hotpot; does that count?" Hikigaya replied.
"Okay, then I will be the first to use the kitchen in your new home, so stay tuned!" Haruno said with a smile.
————
Yukinoshita Yukino was eating at home, focusing on her studies. As a freshman preparing for the high school entrance examination in March, she knew she had to review diligently.
Both Yukino and her family expected her to achieve top academic performance. This expectation would remain unchanged, even at a school like Sobu High School. For Yukino, who had always felt the pressure of living up to her sister's achievements, the only source of consolation was knowing that her academic performance had to surpass her sister's.
Yukino was aware that her sister had not dedicated much time to studying during her three years of high school, yet she had easily met the standards for Chiba University. Yukino understood that if she did her best and still fell short of maintaining the first-place position, she wouldn't forgive herself.
Yukino often found herself overthinking situations that had yet to occur, which only heightened her mental exhaustion. As a result, she frequently found herself stuck in a dead end.
"Hey, Hikigaya-san, what did you have for lunch?" Yukino thought chatting with Hikigaya might alleviate her internal stress. After finishing her meal, she decided to start a conversation with him.
Soon, she received a reply. There was no text, just a photo of a familiar table filled with a variety of hot meals.
"Wow, that looks really delicious! Did Hikigaya-san make it himself?" she wondered aloud.
Before Hikigaya Hachiman could respond, Yukino received another message from her sister, Haruno. Like Hikigaya's, it contained no text, only a photo. However, the angle was different and showcased the same food from a different perspective.
Yukino put down her phone, feeling her mental exhaustion intensifying.
————
"I have to ask, are you two sisters being childish?" Hikigaya remarked, staring at Haruno, who was sitting across from him with a mischievous grin while looking at her phone. They were already seated at his new dining table, ready to begin their lunch.
"Eh? It's just fun to tease your sister! Haven't you ever teased Komachi before, junior?" Haruno replied with a teasing tone.
"I'm sorry, but I can't do that. That's one thing I absolutely can't bring myself to do," Hikigaya responded, raising his right hand in refusal.
"Ah, a sister complex," Haruno said, somewhat disdainfully.
"How dare you accuse me of that! You're the one with a sister complex! And since I love Komachi, I write her short stories that I never publish. So what do you think of that?" Hikigaya said proudly.
"... From now on, I'll call you 'Brother.' Can you read those short stories to me too?" Haruno asked seriously.
"Senior, please have some moral integrity..." Hikigaya replied, exasperated.
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