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

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to.

He apologized sincerely, and if the room had been a little warmer, Hachiman might have broken out in a sweat from the shame that welled up inside him.

It's alright, these are just facts, nothing to hide.

Moreover, I never believe that not getting married is a sad thing.

I seem to be someone who is inherently averse to sharing life with others for extended periods. Short-term relationships are fine, but the possibility of a marriage contract based on decades terrifies me from the bottom of my heart.

Thanks to this mindset, I made sure to clearly state to every relationship I had in my youth that I had no intention of spending the rest of my life with them. Some of them did indeed choose to leave because of this, but a few others were completely indifferent to it and only pursued the happy times of those few years.

And because of those wonderful women, I have been left with many unforgettable memories—a treasure that I will cherish for the rest of my life, a treasure that there will never be another like it in this world.

While the parent in charge of the case was speaking at length, Hachiman's attention was entirely focused on one word.

Decades? Staring intently at Butler Watari's white hair and the wrinkles that had inevitably gathered on his cheeks due to age, Hachiman was indeed doubting, though not in a friendly way, whether Butler Watari could live for decades more.

Oh, Mr. Hikigaya, don't assume I'm an old man on my deathbed just because I have white hair. I'll only be 40 after June. Even if Hachiman doesn't say anything, Butler Wataru can probably guess something just from his eyes.

However, having been treated this way by countless people before, the housekeeper had long been used to it.

error?

Hachiman blinked blankly. If a gray-haired person said he was not yet fifty, Hachiman would most likely suspect that he was being targeted by some unknown prank show.

However, reality is that Hachiman has no reason or need to lie to Butler Wataru.

Moreover, Hachiman also observed that although Butler Wataru's hair was a bit white and his face had some wrinkles, his body hidden under his butler's uniform was still tall and strong, not at all like an old man with a slender figure.

36 Haha, it seems that my white hair is just due to genetics.

Just a few years ago, his hair was jet black, but in that one year it suddenly turned completely white.

My owner was quite startled and immediately took me to various hospitals for tests, but in the end, they couldn't find anything.

The butler, Wataru, spoke to Hachiman with great pleasure, treating his own affairs as something to boast about.

As he said, ever since Mr. Saito went abroad to develop his career and was too busy to take the butler with him, and for some reason he couldn't bring the butler along, Butler Wataru hadn't had such a happy chat with anyone in a long time.

It seems that Mr. Wataru and Mr. Saito have a very good relationship.

It doesn't seem like a simple master-servant relationship; rather, they're very good brothers? With a knowing look on his face, Hachiman simply opened up today and continued talking without wanting to stop for a moment.

Ah, of course, besides Mr. Kozurumi, my master is the closest person to me.

After all, I had torn apart a lame lone wolf in the Canadian wilderness for some reason, so I wasn't afraid of being bitten myself.

If it weren't for the frigid weather and my timely arrival, I might have perished in the snowy forests of Canada.

His face revealed an expression of reminiscing about his glorious past; it seemed as if the butler was reminiscing about his long-gone youth.

"Mr. Hikigaya, would you be interested in hearing me tell you the story from back then?" Butler Wataru, suddenly intrigued, looked at Hachiman with hopeful eyes. After holding back for so long, finally someone was going to talk to him, and since it was late at night, there was no need to worry about running out of time. Therefore, Butler Wataru really wanted to seize this rare opportunity and talk for a while.

If it's not too much trouble, then of course you can.

As he said this, Hachiman's curiosity was actually piqued by Butler Wataru.

Being able to kill a wolf with bare hands, even if it's a lone wolf with a limp, already puts one at the pinnacle of human strength.

How could Hachiman not be curious about the story of such a person?

Moreover, he was able to deduce some of the man's sexuality from the stories the steward had personally experienced, so that he could use it when he might need it later.

That would be wonderful! But after talking for so long, I'm getting a little thirsty. I imagine Mr. Hachiman is feeling the same way? Hachiman asked, and after seeing him nod silently, Butler Wataru continued, "I'll go get some wine. Would Mr. Hachiman like champagne, whiskey, or something else?"

Hachiman at the Champagne Bar only wanted to drink some water, but it seemed that the butler's drink menu had nothing but alcohol.

Wait a moment. Since we're going to drink champagne, let's have some late-night snacks too. Otherwise, it would be a bit awkward if we got hungry after we finished drinking.

He turned back to Hachiman with a smile and said that it seemed that Butler Wataru had done this kind of thing more than once before, having a late-night drink.

Hachiman simply nodded silently; it was better to let the host make the decision.

Moreover, in his view, the housekeeper's actions were flawless.

The last time I drank late at night was probably when I drank Viagra dry.

Recalling his past painful experiences, Hachiman suddenly felt that having an experienced driver was a very fortunate thing.

I just wonder what they'll bring to eat. If it's grilled chicken skewers, oden, or grilled fish, that would be a truly blissful experience.

As he imagined those things in his mind, Hachiman felt his mouth watering.

About twenty or thirty minutes later, the butler came over leisurely, carrying a large tray in both hands.

Even though they weren't very close, Hachiman's keen nose still caught the unique aroma of the grilled food.

Raising an eyebrow, Hachiman watched as Butler Wataru walked up to him, placed the tray on the table, and lifted the lid.

It seems that Mr. She and I are not only destined to meet, but we also think so similarly.

Looking at the perfectly colored chicken skewers, Hachiman suddenly felt a strong urge to eat them.

"Thoughts?" The butler, who was pouring sake for the two of them, looked up at Hachiman without hearing what he was saying. However, he didn't intend to say anything more and just waved his hand casually.

Although there are many ingredients in the refrigerator, I don't know how to cook any of them. The maid who is supposed to prepare the meal is still not up, so I could only make some chicken skewers, which I am good at. The ingredients are just frozen chicken bought from the supermarket, so please don't mind.

He said with some guilt that compared to the sumptuous ingredients of dinner, this late-night snack was indeed rather meager.

No problem. My stomach is used to these simple, everyday foods. If you make me eat such refined food every meal, I might get angry in a few days because I can't stand such gentle treatment.

Half-jokingly, he said that whether it was frozen chicken sold in the supermarket or the expensive ingredients he ate tonight, in Hachiman's opinion, as long as it could fill his stomach, it was good food.

Well then, I won't stand on ceremony.

With his hands clasped together in front of him, Butler Wataru mumbled something indistinctly. He seemed to have no sincerity at all, merely repeating the familiar "I'm starting!" phrase. Hachiman had initially wanted to be reserved, but seeing Butler Wataru's hearty manner with a wine glass in his left hand and a chicken skewer in his right, he could only smile helplessly.

He didn't seem like a butler from a wealthy family at all; he was more like a gentle old man from next door.

Seeing the butler's satisfied expression, Hachiman was also unconsciously influenced. He reached out and grabbed the freshly grilled chicken skewer, slicing off half of the meat on the skewer in one go.

When you're hungry at night, even frozen chicken skewers, once seasoned and grilled, have a blissful flavor... How can I put it?

After eating and drinking a little to replenish his energy, and wiping his mouth with a handkerchief, Butler She frowned slightly as he recalled what had happened back then.

As his deep voice slowly spread throughout the room, Hachiman gradually learned about Saito from the butler's descriptions, as well as some of the qualities of this never-before-seen Mr. Saito.

As darkness gradually turned into dawn, the wine in their glasses and the snacks on their plates dwindled.

Neither Hachiman nor Butler Wataru showed any signs of fatigue; on the contrary, they occasionally burst into laughter together.

If it weren't for the fact that it was time for the housekeeper to go about her work, the two of them could easily have talked from tonight until tomorrow night.

After offering a slightly regretful apology, Butler Wataru and Hachiman agreed to chat again sometime, and then Wataru left the room, leaving Hachiman sitting on the sofa, his face slightly flushed, looking quite energetic.

if line

Chapter 57

Sitting on the soft sofa that made it easy to fall asleep, Hachiman quietly watched the sun slowly rise outside the window, illuminating the sky.

Perhaps it's because of the pleasant surrounding environment, but as the sun rises, the industrious birds begin to announce the start of the day with their calls in the surrounding forest.

Standing up and stretching his slightly limp body, Hachiman guessed that the two women in the room, who were sleeping soundly on the sofa, embracing each other, were probably already...

Thinking of this, Hachiman didn't even bother to sit down—his legs felt sore and numb from lack of blood and energy the night before—and strode towards his room.

Just as Hachiman reached the door, he happened to run into the maid pushing a food cart.

He quickly went over and stopped her. Not wanting outsiders to make too much noise and disturb the two who might still be sleeping, Hachiman gently indicated that he would take care of the rest.

Although somewhat puzzled, the maid's job wasn't to serve these people their meals. Her only responsibility was to ensure that the guests received the food; whether they ate it or were satisfied was none of her concern. Hachiman quietly opened the door, only to find that both Komachi and Rumi were still fast asleep.

He was immediately puzzled, because the Hikigaya family's daily routine had always been regular and healthy.

Normally, by 6:00 or almost 7:00, these two should already be awake, or at most just lying in bed playing on their phones and refusing to get up.

However, Hachiman wasn't surprised by this. It was a good thing to let the two girls sleep a little longer during their rare holiday. After all, they were at the end of their puberty. If their bodies got enough rest and proper nutrition, it was very possible for their petite and youthful bodies to regain their vitality.

Looking at the steaming breakfast, Hachiman didn't feel like eating much.

I had a leisurely meal and drinks with Butler She until after 4 a.m., and then we chatted about many unrelated topics under the influence of alcohol. It was from this that I learned that although Butler She was not married, he had a lovely daughter.

Moreover, a casual remark by Butler Watari left a profound mark on Hachiman's heart.

Things you experienced in the past but didn't take to heart may very well develop into bigger troubles later on.

When Ba Ru heard those words not long ago, it was as if she had suddenly grasped the key point of the problem, and she searched her mind for something important that she had overlooked in the past.

However, just as Hachiman was about to think of something and was trying to reach out to grasp that elusive and indistinct key point, he was stopped.

The housekeeper interrupted them on the spot.

With a slight headache, Hachiman massaged his brow with his fingers. He was feeling quite unwell, having just settled down, but a few casual words from someone else had stirred up unpleasant memories from the past.

There is a lingering attachment in my heart to the events that happened during my years in the Service Department, but the past is the past, and it can only exist in the depths of my heart, and cannot be compared with real life.

For Hachiman now, Rumi, with whom he has entered into a marriage agreement, is the most important person.

Although he was deeply in love at the beginning, after years of hard work yielding no results, Hachiman was forced to give up due to the coldness of reality and his long period of wandering and despair.

Just like a diver searching for lost treasure in the deep sea, no matter how much they cherish their treasures, they have to rise back to the surface after their oxygen runs out.

While deep affection is a rare and precious quality, even the deepest feelings will eventually be worn away if no one reciprocates them.

With a silent sigh, Hachiman seemed to want to drain all the sorrow and grief in the world from his body.

—Only after his lungs were completely full of air did Hachiman begin to breathe deeply.

As for the underwear, and the clothes worn on the outside...

Because Xiaoding hadn't woken up yet, he still didn't really know how to coordinate everyday clothes. When Hachiman came out of the bathroom again, drying his hair, Rumi and Komachi, who had been sleeping peacefully, woke up under the influence of their biological clocks or the aroma of food.

"I'm so clean, Hachiman?" Rumi stared suspiciously at the shirtless Hachiman. Although she hadn't lived with Hachiman for very long, she knew from Komachi that he didn't like taking baths. "I went out for a run before you woke up and worked up a sweat, so I just came back to take a shower."

Speaking casually, Hachiman himself didn't know why he suddenly woke up in the middle of the night. In order not to make the two women worry that he had some unspeakable ailment, Hachiman still kept what happened last night a secret.

Run?

This time, not only Rumi had some doubts, but even Komachi raised her voice and repeated her brother's words.

It should be noted that Hachiman only does sports when he is forced to, and he doesn't feel embarrassed about it.

As for Hachiman himself—the possibility of him going out for a morning run early in the morning is definitely no lower than that of TV Tokyo changing its scheduled programs.

Therefore, after Hachiman finished giving his fabricated reason, Komachi's expression was even more interesting than if she had seen a ghost.