Uneasy daily life

Give up, this isn't a dream.

Yukino Yukinoshita sighed in defeat, making no attempt to hide her disdain, and asked, "Good morning, sister—what are you doing here?"

"Of course I'm worried that Yukino might do something drastic after the car accident." The woman greeted her with a smile, "Come on, come on, have some breakfast. You have to go to school later—hmm?"

When the car accident was mentioned, the woman's brow twitched slightly as she noticed a hint of melancholy on her younger sister's face.

Yukino Yukinoshita sat down at the table and coldly reiterated her question: "Why are you here? You have to attend classes at university too, right?"

"Well, I came here to handle some company matters. Of course, I've already asked for leave." The woman rested her chin on her hand, watching Yukino Yukinoshita pick up the bread.

Yukino Yukinoshita put down the bread, stared at the woman for a few seconds with a blank expression. The woman's smile remained unchanged, while Yukino Yukinoshita seemed unable to withstand it. Finally, as if defeated, she looked away and casually changed the subject, asking, "About family matters... the Chamber of Commerce or the bidding?"

"Nah."

The woman laughed happily, "A project that we acquired a long time ago is about to start construction. I'm just here to wrap things up and sign a demolition agreement with the residents on behalf of the company. Most of the work is done by others. In popular terms, I'm just here to gain some experience, get some credit, and learn the work process."

"Oh."

Yukino Yukinoshita lowered her head and began to eat breakfast.

"How's Yukino? Are you settling back into Japan?"

"Ah."

"If you encounter any trouble at school, you can ask Xiaojing for help."

"know."

"Are you keeping up with your recent private tutoring classes? If you're finding it difficult, there's a top-notch female tutor here!"

"—!"

Yukino Yukinoshita silently suppressed her rising emotions, quickly finished her breakfast, ignored her nagging older sister, picked up her schoolbag and walked towards the door, fully demonstrating her unwillingness to communicate with her.

Treating people like children... It's infuriating, and what's even more infuriating is that the angrier you get, the more motivated the other person becomes.

In short, avoidance is also a tactic.

"Yukino—that student who got into the car accident back then, wasn't he from the same school as you?"

Yukino Yukinoshita, who was about to leave, paused, her mind flashing back to that person's 'righteous or evil' way of dealing with things. She frowned and replied, "It has nothing to do with that Hachiman. I'm neither being entangled nor being coerced by anyone for no reason. I can handle my own affairs. Sister doesn't need to worry about it, and don't think about any nonsense."

boom.

The door is closed.

Yukino Yukinoshita didn't see it. After she replied, the woman at the table was stunned for several seconds, with a strange expression on her face.

...Did Yukino predict my thoughts?

—Interesting! There's a secret!

Once the demolition arrangements are finalized, I'll go to Zongwu High School for a stroll and maybe see Xiaojing.

……

……

An annoying older sister comes to our door to handle the aftermath of a car accident...

Yukino Yukinoshita was walking to school, feeling a little down.

It's okay, at least there's still that annoying guy, so it's alright.

Yukino Yukinoshita paused, looking at the corner ahead—the gate of Soubu High School was just around the corner.

At this corner, Hachiman Hikigaya, holding his bicycle, peered out cautiously, his expression serious and tense, radiating a strong aura of suspicion.

"What is the suspect planning? Tell the police quickly."

Hachiman Hikigaya whirled around, saw who it was, breathed a sigh of relief, and said irritably, "Yukinoshita! The situation is serious right now, I don't have time to argue with you!"

"Hmm—?!" Yukino Yukinoshita's eyes narrowed as she stared at the culprit who had hurt Yuihama, uttering a cold, icy interjection.

"..."

Hachiman Hikigaya instantly transformed from a carefree brown bear into a frog being stared at by a snake, weakly protesting, "-The situation is really serious, I'm not lying to you..."

Yukino Yukinoshita frowned and said, "What nonsense are you talking about? Have you been infected with the white fungus to a late stage?"

"You'll know once you come and take a look..."

Good morning! Xiaoxue—Xiaoqi…?

The two turned around and saw Yui Yuigahama carrying a schoolbag.

Yui Yuigahama had just greeted him, feeling happy to run into a friend, when her eyes met Hachiman Hikigaya's. Suddenly, she remembered her current situation and yesterday's conversation, and instinctively looked away with guilt and disappointment. Her blooming expression quickly faded—it was all her fault.

Yukino Yukinoshita happened to meet Yui Yuigahama's disappointed gaze, and a heavy sense of guilt welled up in her heart—it was all her fault.

She didn't dare look at his disappointed and sad expression, avoiding his gaze. Instead, her eyes pierced directly at Hachiman Hikigaya, radiating a chilling aura—"It's all my fault, why don't you hurry up and make up with Yui Hama?!"

"Ah, hahaha... Good morning..."

Hachiman Hikigaya awkwardly greeted her, then gave a forced smile as he looked at Yui Yuigahama, trying his best to ignore Yukino Yukinoshita's piercing gaze—it's all my fault, why did I do something so stupid as to save the dog!

Why, why do I have to face this torture so early in the morning?!

So this is the price of doing stupid things, isn't it? If I hadn't saved that dog... never mind, I just rushed in on a whim, without thinking.

Alas... did Hachiman ultimately fail to reach the state of invincibility?

Hikigaya is very sad and doesn't dare to look at Yukinoshita, the cat next to him. He can only try to look at Yuihama, the dog.

Yuihama dog didn't dare to look at Hikigaya mouse, and could only try to adjust her expression to look at Yukinoshita cat.

Yukinoshita Neko didn't dare to look Yuihama Inu in the eye, and could only turn her emotions into murderous intent as she stared at Hikigaya Momo.

Like three people in a game of animal chess who counter each other, they were awkward for a while, then realized they couldn't let the awkwardness continue.

"I...I'm leaving now..."

Yui Yuigahama was the first to succumb to the oppressive atmosphere and rushed out around the corner with her head down.

It's all my fault. If the collar hadn't broken when I was walking the dog, Xiao Qi wouldn't have been hit by a car. So I guess I deserve to be disliked...

Once again, I've lost a friend.

Would things be different if I apologized directly during our first meeting?

But it was too late.

Yui Yuigahama ran, raised her sleeve to press hard on the corner of her eye, and looked up at the school gate.

Yuihama...

Yukino Yukinoshita lowered her raised hand, unable to grab the other person, or rather, she wanted to grab the other person but hesitated... What good would grabbing Yuihama do? Would it solve the problem? Of course not.

We can only use our own methods.

Yukino Yukinoshita made up her mind, but Yui Yuigahama returned like lightning from around the corner!

Her face was full of confusion and bewilderment, mixed with a hint of inexplicable fear.

"Yuigahama?" Yukino Yukinoshita called out, "What's wrong?"

"Um, um, it's just..." Yui Yuigahama seemed to be in a state of confusion, gesturing wildly and speaking incoherently.

Yukino Yukinoshita subconsciously looked at Hachiman Hikigaya.

"You're presuming guilt, disregarding the law, and fabricating responsibility." Hachiman Hikigaya, on the other hand, seemed to know Yui Yuigahama very well. He snorted coldly, took half a step back, and said, "If you're so capable, then get out—I guarantee you won't even make it to the school gate before you come back."

and also?

"baffling."

Yukino Yukinoshita made a comment and prepared to walk out around the corner.

Yui Yuigahama grabbed her wrist abruptly, stammering, "X-Xue...Shiro is at the door!"

"He's right at the door, what's there to be afraid of?"

Yukino Yukinoshita pulled away from the restraint, feeling even more confused. She stepped out of the corner and looked toward the school gate.

The school gate was bustling with people in the early morning. The open gate was like the mouth of a bottle, and students poured in one after another. Some chatted with their friends as they walked, some ate as they walked, and some stood by the school gate pretending to be a sculpture... Hmm?

Yukino Yukinoshita subconsciously stopped in her tracks and stared at the scene for a few more seconds to get a better look.

A white figure stood by the school gate, his left hand raised diagonally, holding a cheap cross, while his right hand held a thick book with a black cover, held against his chest and open. He was dressed in a solemn black priest's robe, his head slightly raised, his eyes closed, his face dignified and solemn, like a sacred church statue, exuding a deathly aura that made even demons retreat. No student dared to pass within three meters.

Yukino retreated to the corner.

Yukino Yukinoshita remained silent under the gazes of Hachiman Hikigaya and Yui Yuigahama.

Hachiman Hikigaya said simply, "You're scared."

“No,” Yukino Yukinoshita said. “I was just observing what was going on.”

Hachiman Hikigaya questioned, "I don't believe you unless you walk over there now."

Yukinoshita Yukino: "..."

"Ahaha..." Yui Yuigahama still felt embarrassed, as if ants were crawling all over her body. "I... Shiro shouldn't do anything too weird, right? So many classmates went in and nothing went wrong... I, I'll go first..."

"you sure?"

Scenes flashed through Hachiman Hikigaya's mind: Hikigaya's brother, the soul of his best friend's all-night wailing. He said sadly, "Maybe if I walk over there, the captain pretending to be a statue will open his mouth and say, 'Amen! Hikigaya, repent!' and then grab me at the school gate and put on an impromptu performance... I'm scared. I can't fight against the captain. I can't do anything."

Yui Yuigahama, wanting to escape the awkward atmosphere, tried her best to lift her feet, but her feet seemed to have a mind of their own, firmly rooted to the ground. She thought of 'the queen and the maid,' she thought of 'going to the toilet,' she thought of that dreadful 'hemorrhoids'... She wasn't afraid at all; she was mainly worried that Shiro would be embarrassed.

Yukino Yukinoshita wanted to say that she wasn't afraid and that she had the courage to forge her own future. She thought of 'The New World of Yukinoshita,' 'The Delinquent Racer Yukinoshita,' and 'The Successful Yukinoshita Will Ultimately Achieve Nothing'... No other meaning, it's just that her throat was a little sore and she couldn't speak.

What's truly frightening isn't social anxiety itself, but rather the stumbling and arduous journey it takes to overcome it.

This corner is certainly awkward...

But what lies ahead is a death trap.

Chapter Forty-Five begins with committing a crime—

"..."

"..."

"..."

In the corner, the three of them exuded an aura of embarrassment.

It's like the boss and employee being trapped in an elevator at the same time, like the student and teacher being trapped in an elevator at the same time, like rebellious children and parents being trapped in an elevator.

Hachiman Hikigaya was shocked to discover that this corner had become a secret room, where a great force of nature had stuffed people with awkward relationships into it, staging a silent drama.

Why would this happen? Yukinoshita applying a frost buff to herself can be interpreted as her feeling that she hurt Yuihama's feelings and being somewhat angry.

Why does Yuihama look so guilty and afraid to talk to me? Didn't I make it very clear yesterday that saving the dog was my stupid mistake and had nothing to do with her?

According to the minister's "responsibility transfer theory," Yuihama should be at ease and comfortable, without having to worry about the unfounded "dog rescuer," and should be free from debt.

Would anyone be happy to be heavily in debt?

However, this was not the case.

Am I still not strong enough at observing human beings? What have I overlooked?

Yukino's behavior towards herself was quite normal, mostly out of concern for her friend, though a little prickly. But why did she seem to feel guilty towards Yui? Could it be due to some strange logic, like 'the car I was in almost hit Yui's dog,' which takes a lot of roundabout steps to make a direct conclusion? What inexplicable thing was she feeling guilty about?

What exactly was Yukino trying to express yesterday? It's really puzzling.

Ultimately, it was just a simple accident, but Yukinoshita spoke in a strange tone as if she wanted to take responsibility for it.

Hachiman Hikigaya pondered, realizing that he, who prided himself on enjoying observing people, knew absolutely nothing—damn it, he really wished he could see through people's hearts like the captain…

Hmm? Could it be that the minister has already understood everything?!

Logically speaking, could it be that he stood at the school gate today pretending to be a statue just to create this awkward atmosphere?

Since they didn't know him well and hadn't had much contact with the minister, they wouldn't be too scared to enter the school. The only ones who would be intimidated were the three people in the club...

However, the possibility of the minister suddenly acting erratically cannot be ruled out...

Hikigaya Hachiman pondered the behavior of the department head, his mind gradually entering a dead end of 'Did the department head have a seizure today?' and 'The department head must have his own reasons.'

The only conclusion we can draw is: there is a high-energy reaction ahead, so don't go if you don't want to die.

"Yuihama, remember to come to the activity room this afternoon."