Hachiman sat across from Yukino, watching intently as she delicately cut her steak into small pieces, her fork gently lifting each bite to her lips. She chewed with slow, practiced grace, entirely focused on her meal.
"What are you staring at? Aren't you going to eat?" Yukino mumbled around her food, finally noticing his gaze.
"It's nothing," Hachiman replied calmly.
Without another word, he reached out and wiped a bit of sauce from the corner of her lips with his finger. Glancing around the table and finding no napkin in sight, he casually licked the sauce off his fingertip.
"Komachi just texted me. She bought the movie tickets. It's a bit past two o'clock," he said as he messaged back.
"So we still have time to look around, then?" Yukino tapped her cheek with her finger and blinked those beautiful eyes of hers.
"Huh? Shop around? Can't we just find somewhere to sit and wait for the movie to start?" Hachiman's face paled at the thought of wandering around for another hour.
"And what's with that face, Hikigaya-kun? Are you saying you find shopping with me annoying?" Yukino puffed her cheeks like a hamster and turned away sulkily.
"No, that's not it at all." Facing a Yukino acting so girlishly, Hachiman surrendered instantly and raised his hands in mock defeat.
"Relax. I just need a second opinion. I'm buying a few things for myself."
She paused. "Maybe something for Yui too."
At the mention of Yui, Yukino's expression shifted subtly, as if something had just occurred to her.
"By the way, how should we even act around Yui right now?" Yukino's tone carried a rare nervousness as she spoke of her best friend.
"Yui might look like an airhead, but she's a lot sharper than she lets on," Hachiman replied with a furrowed brow, feeling a bit troubled himself now that Yukino brought it up.
"Well, no point overthinking it right now. And don't buy her anything this time. Let's wait till her birthday. We can go shopping for her then."
After a brief pause, he added, "If it were anyone else, maybe we'd have to be more careful, but Yui is easy to get along with. Don't worry too much."
"Is that so...? Maybe I'm just overthinking it."
After a moment's hesitation, she said softly, "You and Yui... you're both really important to me."
Her voice dropped, the weight of her words heavy with sincerity. Yukino rarely said things like this aloud.
Seeing her low spirits, Hachiman stood and stepped beside her. He leaned down and wrapped his arms gently around the girl who had once been so alone before she met him and Yui.
Just as she looked on the outside, the girl in his arms felt slender and fragile, almost heartbreakingly so. His hand moved slowly along her back, brushing gently down her spine like one would calm a small kitten.
When his hand neared the base of her spine, Yukino let out a surprised jolt and quickly slipped out of his embrace, covering her backside and rubbing it with a flustered expression.
"Trying to take advantage of me now? Be careful or I'll kick you."
Blushing furiously, Yukino stretched her foot slightly. Her delicate toes shifted restlessly in her sandals, and the sight of it instantly made Hachiman's mouth dry.
He forced down the urge rising within him and said stiffly, "If you're done eating, let's go."
Yukino wrapped her arm around his and the two of them headed out.
While they were walking down the street, Yukino tugged on Hachiman's arm and glanced meaningfully toward a nearby lingerie store.
"I want to go in... for a bit."
"...Then go. I'll wait out here."
Seeing the suspicious look from the store clerk, Hachiman's shame got the better of him.
"But... if you don't come with me, who's going to help me choose?"
She spoke in a tiny voice, her eyes avoiding his.
With the store clerk eyeing him like a creeper, Hachiman slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out his glasses case. He put them on with a sigh.
In an instant, the dead-eyed delinquent transformed into a well-mannered, clean-cut young man. Ignoring the stunned expression from the clerk, Hachiman took Yukino's hand and walked in confidently.
To the overly friendly store associate, he said firmly, "We're just browsing. We'll call you if we need anything."
After browsing together for a while, Yukino eventually selected a neat stack of pastel bras and panties and glided into the fitting room with them.
Left outside, Hachiman could hear the faint rustle of clothes from within. His mind wandered, painting dangerous mental pictures.
Suddenly, a pale arm like a lotus root reached out and yanked him inside.
He stumbled but managed to regain his balance, only to come face to face with Yukino, wearing nothing but a pale pink set of lingerie.
Her arms were crossed modestly over her chest, thighs pressed together, trying her best to shield the rest of her body from his gaze.
Hachiman's eyes dropped slightly, catching the faintest glimpse of fabric and the absence of anything darker beneath.
A bold assumption began to form in his mind.
As Hachiman's naked gaze swept across her body, Yukino felt heat bloom wherever his eyes landed. Her chest, still modest, had a soft fullness to it, and her slim waist looked like it could snap in a stiff breeze. Her thighs glowed a pale white under the store's lights.
By the time they exited the lingerie store, Hachiman's brain had completely shut down. In his mind, images of everything he had just seen flickered uncontrollably.
He lightly slapped his cheeks, trying to regain composure.
His phone rang in his pocket. It was Komachi.
"Onii-chan, are you guys done yet? I'm already waiting at the cinema entrance!"
"Yeah, Yukino and I are heading over now. You got the tickets, right?"
"Hehe, don't worry, Komachi has it all covered. But more importantly, how did it go with Yukino? Having fun~?"
Even over the phone, he could feel the teasing grin in her voice.
"Well, uh... yeah, I guess. It was nice."
"Sounds like Onii-chan had a very fun afternoon~. Hurry up, the movie's about to start!" she said, giggling.
When Hachiman and Yukino arrived, Komachi handed them their tickets. People were already going in.
Not thinking to check the tickets, Hachiman pulled Yukino along into the theater.
Once they found their seats, Hachiman looked up to see Komachi sitting a row behind, smiling brightly at them.
"Why are you sitting there?" he asked.
"There weren't any three-seat rows left!" Komachi winked playfully.
Looking around the half-empty theater and back at Komachi's mischievous grin, Hachiman sighed in resignation.
As the movie played, Hachiman soon felt the boredom creeping in. His eyes grew heavier and eventually closed, his head resting gently on Yukino's shoulder.
When the movie ended, Yukino lightly nudged him awake. Groggy, he opened his eyes to find Komachi giving him a disappointed glare and Yukino rubbing her sore shoulder.
"Did I fall asleep?" he muttered blearily.
"You were out cold, Hikigaya-kun," Yukino replied, her tone slightly exasperated as she massaged her shoulder.
"Maybe it was just too boring..." Hachiman chuckled awkwardly.
They followed the crowd out of the theater. Hachiman waved at Yukino.
"See you at the Service Club tomorrow?"
"Mm. See you, Hikigaya-kun," Yukino smiled. "And... I had a really nice time today."
She turned and began walking toward her home, her figure glowing in the warm light of the setting sun.
Hachiman stood there for a moment, silently watching her go, completely captivated.