The Hikigaya couple's youthful love story is definitely not a problem.

People who look good without any makeup are never cheap, because compared to expensive cosmetics, skincare products that allow you to look great even without makeup are never cheap.

If the money and effort invested in Yukino's face were measured in specific numbers, it would likely be a terrifying figure.

—The thought that his little face, which he hugs and nibbles every day, might be more expensive than gold of the same area made Hachiman a very strange idea.

Then, thinking about how Yukino usually applies body lotion and other random things, meaning that Yukino seems to be precious from head to toe, ugh~ suddenly his teeth hurt a little, and Hachiman couldn't help but start calculating how much money he swallowed when he usually hugged and gnawed on Yukino.

Unfortunately, Hachiman, who wasn't very sensitive to the price and brand of cosmetics and only learned some mediocre makeup skills so that Yukino wouldn't waste too much time on makeup every day, couldn't calculate how much Yukino's bottles and jars were actually worth.

However, after a little calculation, Hachiman realized that the amount of stuff Yukino applied to her face every day was probably around two or three thousand yen.

It may not seem like much, but it still needs to be used up every day.

Hachiman felt that making Yukino stay up all night was a waste of money, and he was already very sensitive about this. Feeling that he owed Yukino money because of financial reasons, he dared not continue to make the girl stay up all night.

He quickly pulled the girl into his arms as if coaxing a child, gently embracing Yukino.

The girl enjoyed the gentle treatment and gave a small haughty hum, expressing her displeasure at Hachiman's attitude of being arrogant at first but then obsequious. However, the spoiled Yukino didn't care too much about Hachiman's drastically different attitude.

Yukino hugged Hachiman's body tightly once more, feeling wonderful because she had taught Hachiman a lesson, and closed her eyes comfortably.

Deeply troubled but daring not to show it on his face, Hachiman could only sigh inwardly.

Yukino has become increasingly difficult to deal with lately. Hachiman thinks it's probably because Isshiki's appearance has given Yukino a sense of crisis, which is why the girl regained her intelligence under the influence of this sense of crisis.

Hachiman couldn't help but feel a bit of a headache. Although the clever and witty Yukino possessed an unusual kind of beauty, Hachiman preferred a girl who was a little clever but willing to put on a carefree act.

The consequence of Yukino being too smart is that Hachiman is usually more tired.

When this meticulous young woman gets serious, her investigative abilities are absolutely on par with any private detective.

Hachiman felt like he was walking on thin ice when dealing with someone like Yukino, constantly afraid that he might offend her again if he wasn't careful.

Despite being in a relationship for so long, Yukinoka hasn't become the kind of person who is very understanding. On the contrary, the longer she spends with Hachiman, the more willful she becomes. After all, while she is indulging Hachiman, Hachiman is also indulging her.

The way long-married couples get along is not fixed, but changes constantly with their moods.

Forget about thinking about so many things, Hachiman thinks it's better to go to sleep. Otherwise, if his thoughts get too cluttered later, he might not be able to fall asleep.

Not wanting to be held by two girls while enduring the torment of not being able to sleep, Hachiman simply closed his eyes, leaned on Yukino's head, and prepared to fall asleep amidst the fragrance.

Even with her eyes closed and not yet asleep, Yukino felt Hachiman's warmth and, following her heart, leaned her head closer.

Their foreheads touched, and they could feel each other's warm breath as they breathed. Hachiman and Yukino both felt relieved.

As time slowly passed, the breathing of the three people in the room gradually calmed down.

Perhaps because it could no longer detect any conscious activity, the already dim desk lamp slowly extinguished its light.

From then on, all three members of the Hikigaya family fell asleep to recharge for the so-called gathering the next day.

Hachiman, on the other hand, slept soundly, since they never felt any psychological pressure because of such things.

But the other guy in the same dry leaf couldn't fall asleep so easily.

Chapter 683 Not everyone can bear the burden of guilt to apologize.

Lying blankly on her soft little bed, having finished washing up and changed into her pajamas, Iroha had been lying there with her eyes closed for who knows how long.

Ultimately, she didn't continue her futile efforts and opened her eyes dejectedly.

Her slender, white hand instinctively reached for her phone. Her eyes, which had already adapted to the darkness, were suddenly stimulated by the bright light, and her single-colored eyes even felt a slight pain.

It took a few seconds for Isshiki to adjust to the light from the phone screen, and after squinting to see the time displayed on the screen, he immediately felt that life was bleak.

The girl clearly remembered that it was less than 10 o'clock when she closed her eyes, but... there were only a few minutes left until midnight.

Did I lie in bed for that long? Instinctively, I doubted that I had misremembered the time I closed my eyes, because in Isshiki's perception, she had only been lying down for a maximum of twenty minutes.

Who knew that in that moment of distraction, two whole hours would slip away through Yise's fingers.

The more worried she was, the less sleepy she became. Finally, she simply sat up in bed, turned on the bedside lamp, and fell into a state of insomnia she hadn't experienced in a long time. She was blank and helpless on the bed, not knowing what to do. She didn't know many friends to begin with, so naturally there was no one she could call in the middle of the night to share her inner turmoil. She could only blankly scroll through her phone, hoping to find something interesting to relieve her loneliness.

However, all these efforts were in vain, and Isshiki understood very well the reason for her insomnia.

Trying to fall asleep by distracting yourself when your mind is too cluttered is unrealistic.

However, Issei couldn't force herself to stop thinking about those things, because she was naturally a sharp-minded and quirky person.

It's simply unbelievable that someone who's always scheming and plotting against others could control themselves from overthinking after suddenly learning some explosive news.

Ultimately, it was Yukino's phone call that made Iroha feel uneasy, which is why she had so many strange and unusual ideas.

Just thinking about it gives me a headache. As for Isshiki, whether it's Hachiman or anyone else, there are ways to deal with them.

But this Yukino was the only one whom Isshiki couldn't see through at all. In fact, every time Isshiki met Yukino, he would have a strange feeling that he was completely seen through.

It felt as if Yukino had known her for a long time, but Isshiki had lost her memories of those things for various reasons.

In fact, Isshiki not only had this inexplicable feeling when facing Yukino, but also had this illusion when he was with Hachiman.

This is one of the reasons why Isshiki is so interested in Hachiman; otherwise, even if Hachiman does have a unique appeal, Isshiki wouldn't have approached him so easily.

For Isshiki, who is very confident in her self-control and has always considered herself a very reserved girl, that strange familiarity is the real reason why she can't help but get closer to Hachiman.

Frustrated, she stomped her smooth, shoulder-length hair, utterly bewildered as to why Yukino would use Hachiman's phone to call and invite her to some random party.

Ishiki couldn't help but imagine all sorts of scenarios in her mind, feeling that the guy who spoke with a big smile during the day might have a terrifying true purpose.

Although Yukino's actions and Iroha's experiences differed in their fantasies, the ultimate consequences for the girls were almost identical, with the only difference possibly being the degree of their pitifulness.

In short, in Isshiki's view, tomorrow's so-called gathering is basically the beginning of her tragic fate.

However, he dared not refuse. Yukino had already made her point so clearly, and if he tried to play dead to avoid questioning when he felt guilty, he might really be doomed in the end.

Whether tomorrow's event is a trap or something else, I still have to go.

Since Yukino has been so straightforward, it proves that she doesn't have any ill intentions. She simply wants Isshiki to come out and meet her so that everyone can clear things up.

That's the way it is. Although Se is not very old, she can still understand these basic principles.

Having done some thinking and understanding doesn't mean that Issei won't be afraid because of it.

Yukino's reputation at Soubu High School was already quite strange, and coupled with Isshiki's long-standing misunderstanding of her, the girl was terrified of meeting her the next day.

I can't help but think about melodramatic things, like the terrible revenge people suffer after offending wealthy heirs, which I've read about in novels and TV dramas. It would be strange if I could sleep peacefully with that thought.

Even though it was just her own fear, Yise still managed to scare herself, to the point that she still can't fall asleep peacefully.

I regret not calling Hachiman this afternoon to sound him out; otherwise, Ishiki wouldn't be so worried all by himself.

However, the girl also had another idea. After all, those feelings were only one-sided. If she forced Hachiman to share the burden with her, even if Hachiman had the best temper, he would probably develop a dislike for her.

Boys hate it when others cause suspicion between them and their loved ones, and Iroha understands this very well.

If you have a problem in your own heart that leads to feelings that shouldn't exist, you must have the courage to take responsibility for it. You can't just deny it after someone else's partner notices it.

Deceiving yourself will only lead to self-deception in the end; others will surely see things clearly, just like a mirror.

Unable to sleep due to worry, Isshiki began to think about how best to confess his sins after meeting Yukino the next day.

Should she carry thorns on her back to apologize? Thinking this pitifully, Issei felt that doing so as a girl might actually have the opposite effect.

After all, she was well aware of Yukino's weaknesses. Even though Isshiki wasn't a particularly good speaker, she barely passed the minimum requirement at the age of 20+.

If Yukino feels that Iroha not only lacks sincerity but is even subtly mocking her, then the final outcome might not be so good.

Chapter 684 Accepting Fate

I feel like I'm late today.

It seems that he really couldn't fall asleep, and Isshiki gave up the desire to struggle.

She's had times when she couldn't sleep before—and she's not an old woman who feels like she's dead after a bad night's sleep. She's still very young, so even if she stays up all night, it won't be a big deal.

As for dark circles, they might be more noticeable on guys, but for a girl like her who's skilled at makeup, her not-so-serious dark circles don't need to be covered up so much. Just a little bit of foundation is enough to easily conceal them.

What gave Issei even more of a headache was figuring out what to do during this long night.

She doesn't have a loving partner who can keep her awake and force her to talk to her.

Having been single since birth for seventeen years, the girl, who has never experienced love in her life, looked out the dark window and couldn't help but feel a pang of melancholy.

Fortunately, Isshiki had previously discovered a good way to pass the time.

She quietly got out of bed and, like a thief, stealthily opened the door and crept towards the living room.

To avoid making too much noise while walking, Se didn't even wear slippers, and walked barefoot on the cold floor.

The reason for all this trouble was that Ishiki couldn't wake her sleeping parents.

No matter what kind of person Yise is at school, she has always been a good girl in her parents' eyes.

In order to avoid being scolded by her parents for staying up late, or even having her allowance cut, Yise decided to make do with what she had for the time being.

Fortunately, she only went to the living room to steal the computer, which didn't take her long at all.

Once again, she sneaked back to her room, clutching her laptop, and happily went back to bed.

What worries and anxieties could possibly be more important than the drama? Isshiki didn't believe that Yukino would actually cause her any real harm. Tomorrow, all she would face was questions from Yukino.

There's no way of knowing what Yukino is going to ask tomorrow, so I can't prepare a plan in advance.

Having already given up on himself, Isshiki simply put the matter out of his mind, as if he was convinced that there would always be a way out.

With practiced ease, Iseki turned on the computer. Lately, Iseki had been spending her free time watching the drama "The Solitary Gourmet." Since she was currently bored, Iseki didn't hesitate to continue watching from her previous viewing history.

However, when the sizzling sound of grilling meat reached her ears, Se realized the inappropriateness of her actions.

It was late at night, several hours after dinner, and suddenly seeing a screen full of barbecue, with the sounds of fine beef being grilled over an open fire still ringing in my ears, made me immediately start drooling and my stomach rumble.

"I'm so hungry!" I thought. Watching Matsushige Yutaka's character, Inogashira Goro, devour his food on the screen, Ishiki couldn't help but rub his stomach, which was almost empty.

Normally, the smooth feel of touching this area is something Iroha is always proud of, but at this moment, Iroha feels that being so thin is not a good thing.

Unfortunately, no matter what body shape she has, she's hungry.

If someone else saw something like this at night, it would be impossible for them to remain indifferent.

Fortunately, I was prepared.

She gently tapped the spacebar to pause the TV series, then turned over and opened the bedside table next to her.

The full cabinet of various snacks was the reason why Isshiki dared to stare at the ugly faces of these people in the middle of the night. Although her snack stock could not allow Isshiki to enjoy the same level of deliciousness as barbecue, it could fill her stomach so that the girl would not have to suffer from hunger.