Uneasy daily life

"Minister...may I ask what exactly you bought from the supermarket?"

"Pig intestines—I'm thinking of making braised ones since spicy food isn't to my liking... You all stop right there! I recently looked it up online, and there are quite a few pig intestine dishes in Japan, right? There's even pig intestine sashimi that I wouldn't dare to try, and there are plenty of these kinds of things at roadside barbecue stalls at night!"

"hiss--!"

"Oh! Brother Bai, let's just forget about it!"

"Minister! Is it possible that we wouldn't dare to challenge that kind of thing?"

……

……

"There are at least some semi-processed ones—why did you insist on buying this one with such a strong smell? Now, right now, tie the bag up for me!"

"What a joke! You call yourself a chef? You think strong flavors mean freshness and aroma? Half-processed intestines? To be frank, they're like chewing on a shoe sole, just tasting spices. You're insulting my dignity!"

So, with his dignity intact, Shiro was driven to the restroom by Yukino Yukinoshita.

"He's the kind of guy who can't stand not having something happen every day."

Yukino Yukinoshita was arranging the ingredients when she made a few comments about Shirokage. Then she said, "Komachi, let's divide the work and make a menu for lunch."

"Hehe, okay."

Hikigaya Komachi stroked her chin, looked around, and gave a teasing smile: "I always feel like Yukinoshita-neechan and Shiro-nii are quite skilled at bickering."

"Skilled? Forget it..."

The price of mastery is your blood pressure fluctuating wildly.

"Hmm—this, this, this…this carrot needs its top peeled off…"

Hikigaya Komachi cut out a slice of carrot.

"Komachi's knife skills are amazing..." Yukino Yukinoshita compared her skills and felt that her own knife skills might not be as good as Komachi's.

"I'm the head chef at home, this is a piece of cake. Yukinoshita-neechan, why did you buy so many eggs and milk? This is cake flour, it's not for making noodles, is it?"

"That's for making desserts like cupcakes."

"Desserts? I'm not very good at that, I'll just have to learn from them later."

"When you're secretly learning, remember to listen carefully."

The two people in the kitchen got busy.

Hachiman Hikigaya sat on the sofa, glanced at the bathroom with the sound of running water, and then at the kitchen with its constant noise.

After a moment's thought, I leaned back decisively, pulled out my phone—let's have a thrilling 0-21 game!

"What the hell are you doing here?!"

Suddenly, a commotion broke out. A white figure strode from the bathroom toward the door, skillfully pulling a trash bag off the wall. At that moment, another white figure was stepping on the floor, rushing toward the white figure.

The white figure squatted down with a smile, pulled open the trash bag: "You beast, take this—ha!"

"Meow!"

Knight crashed headfirst into the garbage bag.

Tie a knot to finish packing.

"Hachiman, bring me this devil's dog's head."

Bai Ying casually handed the struggling cat in the bag to Hachiman Hikigaya and continued struggling in the bathroom.

Hachiman Hikigaya glanced at the water stains on the bag, wisely refraining from sniffing it, and instead released the cat before immediately stuffing the trash bag into the trash can.

"Hey, hey, don't run around!"

She raised her hand and pinned down the meowing kitten, using the familiar techniques she used to serve her master at home. In the blink of an eye, she had the kitten rolling around on the sofa, unable to resist.

Why does it seem like the minister ran to the door to get a trash bag and then skillfully put the kitten in it?

Well, probably because of the fact that they live across the street, the department head who often comes to Yukinoshita's house has naturally developed a skill in skillfully putting the cat into the bag.

Just as Hachiman Hikigaya was about to look at his phone again, the well-behaved Knight suddenly jumped off the sofa.

Stop right there! If you scare the minister again, he'll terrify me!

Hachiman Hikigaya quickly got up and chased after it, only to find that the kitten had not rushed to the bathroom, but had run to a door, stretched out its paw and pounded on the door, looking like it really wanted to go in.

Could this be Yukino's room? Is there cat food inside?

Taking advantage of the moment, Hachiman Hikigaya picked up the kitten, glanced at the door with some confusion, and then at the kitten meowing in its babyish voice...

To be honest, although the minister doesn't like cats, he's very popular with them; the kitten wants to come into this room—

"Knight is probably hungry, here's some cat food."

A calm voice came from behind.

"Thank you for your help, Yukinoshita-san."

Hachiman Hikigaya turned around, took the bag of cat food, and, holding the kitten hostage, strode towards the living room.

He always felt a solid gaze fixed on his back, like small nails, chiseling towards his heart...

It's an illusion! It must be an illusion!

Hachiman, don't look back.

Chapter Seventy-Seven: Plastic Acting Skills

Once the seed of doubt is planted, anything can serve as nourishment for it to take root and sprout, just like a tooth decay gnaws at a tooth, slowly eroding a friendly relationship, unknowingly shaking mutual trust, and ultimately either becoming unrecognizable with a sense of estrangement, like a rotten tooth falling out on its own, or a diseased tooth being forcibly and bloodily pulled out.

Hachiman, are you standing right next to the gates of hell?

Hachiman Hikigaya sat on the sofa, expertly petting the cat, but his eyes were unconsciously a little vacant, his mind subconsciously playing with a jigsaw puzzle.

Hachiman Hikigaya is quite adept at this kind of 'self-entertainment,' it's one of his proudest skills—who can play riddles and word games with him? I can!

So once you sit down and enter a state of solitude, your brain instinctively begins to think.

Intelligence 1: The club president slept on the floor of the activity room instead of the activity room, ruling out the possibility that he felt embarrassed. The last two people to leave that day were Yukinoshita and the club president, and the sleeping mats in the activity room disappeared the next day…

Intelligence 2: Yesterday, Yukinoshita initially agreed to the dinner party, but when Yui suggested having it at her house, Yukinoshita immediately objected. Ultimately, it was the department head who spoke up and finalized the location. Thinking about it carefully, her words were rather meaningful…

Intelligence 3: The house the kitten really wanted to go into...

"Hachiman, when the others arrive later, could you please open the downstairs door for them?"

Intelligence 4: Yukino suddenly came out of the kitchen to give instructions—

"Ok!"

Hachiman Hikigaya snapped to attention and answered loudly.

Yukino Yukinoshita put down the fruit platter she had prepared, giving her a strange look: "Was it really necessary to be so loud? Did I accidentally startle you and make you daydream?"

Everything seems normal...?

"Ahem, I was just engaging in my usual thinking and meditation; that's not considered daydreaming—"

"Is it because you're used to no one liking to talk to you that you've developed a habit of spacing out and daydreaming? Sigh."

Yukino Yukinoshita shook her head and sighed.

Wow! You wretched woman—calm down! Hachiman! Keep calm, keep calm! She suddenly struck up a conversation with you; she's definitely testing you!

Hachiman Hikigaya retorted, "Yukinoshita is no less remarkable. She's developed the habit of trying to solve everything by herself. She could practically be called Yukinoshita Superman."

"..." Yukino Yukinoshita didn't want to bring up some old grievances, so she coughed and said, "Actually, I wanted to talk about the club commission competition."

"Huh? Chitanda's request is pending the results, and the outcome of the exam is still far off, at least until we get back from the school trip. What kind of request could there be?" Hachiman Hikigaya nodded casually, then his expression suddenly froze. "You...you're not talking about me, are you?"

“That’s right, it was a request from Hiratsuka-sensei to correct Hachiman-kun’s awkwardness,” Yukino Yukinoshita said with a smile. “Hachiman-kun, you wouldn’t really want Haku-kun to correct you, would you?”

Are they here to poach talent, develop spies, or turn Hachiman against his cause?

Hachiman Hikigaya said solemnly, "My loyalty to the minister is as clear as day."

Yukino Yukinoshita raised an eyebrow slightly, analyzing as if casually, "So what treatment method will Haku-kun use? Bloodletting? A sensational drama that will shake the whole school? Taking you to the streets to wreak havoc on passersby? Or teaming up with Komachi to completely control everything about Hachiman-kun..."

Hachiman Hikigaya, sweat beading on his forehead, said solemnly, "Loyalty is negotiable... but that's impossible! Yukinoshita-kun, the Service Club will never beat the Support Club! Victory, Victory, Victory!"

Why the sudden oath of allegiance?

Yukino Yukinoshita turned her head sharply.

My gaze fell on the living room hallway, skimming along the floor, and then swept toward the bathroom door, which was slightly ajar.

Look at the previous eye.

"Well, that's a real shame."

Yukino Yukinoshita coughed and said, "Shiraki-kun, are you acting out a horror movie in someone else's house? Try to tone down your theatrical desires a bit."

She was about to go back to the kitchen when she turned around and saw Komachi Hikigaya peeking out from the kitchen.

Noticing she had been discovered, Komachi Hikigaya tapped her head with a laugh, stuck out her tongue, and chuckled cutely to get away with it before quickly retreating back into the kitchen.

"..."

After a brief silence, Yukino Yukinoshita headed towards the kitchen.

Hey—you summoned this disaster, and now I'm the one who has to suffer the consequences?!

Under the gaze of the Gate Eye, Hachiman Hikigaya felt uneasy. He really shouldn't have come out for a meal; the outside world was a horror movie for him!

The minister is still looking at me!

calm! Hachiman!

Hachiman Hikigaya had a sudden inspiration, raised his hand and tapped his head, let out a "hey," squinted his dead fish eyes, revealed an awkward smile, and stuck out his tongue like a hanged ghost.

It has a kind of ugly-cute beauty.

The eye disappeared, then a thumb was used to make a gesture, and then the gap, like the gates of hell, closed.

Phew...safe and sound.

Hachiman Hikigaya breathed a sigh of relief.

Hikigaya-kun, you probably haven't realized that the white shadow isn't your neighbor, but rather someone you're living with, right?

Before returning to the kitchen, Yukino Yukinoshita glanced back at her with a wistful look.

The seeds of doubt... (omitted below)

……

……

Just before 11 o'clock, Hachiman Hikigaya started opening the downstairs doors for the other people, and in the process, he successfully handed over the restless cat to Angelina.

Then I fell into a subtle awkwardness of 'I can't do anything'.

"These are some handmade snacks I made, please enjoy them—I'll go to the kitchen to see if I need any help."

Chitanda Eru found a plate, spread the still-warm animal crackers from the bag on it, and got up to go to the kitchen.

Hachiman Hikigaya glanced subconsciously at Yui Yuigahama, who had claimed to bring cookies but ended up bringing fruit.

"I'll go help in the kitchen too!"

Yui Yuigahama promptly followed.

Hachiman Hikigaya and Houtarou Oreki exchanged a glance—"Are you also a lazy bum who just sits around doing nothing and waits for food to come to him?"

"Want to eat it?"

Angelina was engrossed in playing with the kitten, occasionally eating a cookie and teasing the kitten with the cookie, making her the least embarrassed person in the living room.

While cats can eat biscuits, it's best not to give them to them, as it can easily cause indigestion...

Hachiman Hikigaya was eager to prove his usefulness.

"No way! Crunch! Hahaha!" Angelina grinned mischievously as she tossed the cookie into her mouth. "I just checked on my phone; the ingredients in cookies are too complicated and can cause indigestion. Cats will get diarrhea from eating cookies—"

Knight got angry and threw cat punches at the trainee cat owner. Angelina then pretended to spar with the cat.

My usefulness is less than that of a mobile phone... This is normal, after all, it is the crystallization of human wisdom and includes inventions from multiple disciplines.