[OreGaIru : New Me!]

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[-Continuation-]

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[-Hachiman's POV-]

"Hum… that's bad." He said, his tone low and contemplative.

What's bad?

Me?

The situation? His dinner plans?

Before I could hazard a guess, Haruno seized the opportunity to probe further.

"What's bad, Father?" She asked, her voice dripping with sudden curiosity.

I shot her a wary glance. What's this old man cooking now?

Renjiro leaned back slightly, his tone as casual as if he were commenting on the weather. "If he were the polite type, he wouldn't even be able to call me 'old man.'"

I blinked, my brain stalling on his words.

What…? Was that a setup for something?

Was he seriously implying he wanted me to call him 'old man'? Or was this some elaborate social landmine that I was seconds away from stepping on?

Haruno chuckled lightly, clearly entertained. "Haa… Father. Why are you suddenly so interested in being called that?" She asked, her tone laced with amusement.

Renjiro's expression shifted slightly, almost nostalgic. "It's just that, earlier, a kid called me that, and it wasn't bad."

Haruno raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh? Something like that happened? And the kid got away with it?"

Got away with it? - Why is this starting to sound like a cautionary tale of forbidden words?

Renjiro's face remained unreadable. "He did." He said simply, as if that was the whole point.

Haruno leaned back, her grin becoming positively conspiratorial. "He must be super lucky then…"

Renjiro, however, seemed unimpressed by her assessment. "Hum… I can't say the same. I think he has terrible luck."

The space around grew heavier with awkwardness, and I, still caught in the crossfire, didn't know whether to laugh, cringe, or simply walk out. Instead, I opted to remain frozen, waiting for the next round of this bizarre exchange.

That's when Komachi, always one to stir the pot when it's already boiling, chimed in cheerfully.

Her tone was light, but the damage was immediate. The words - Yukino's in good hands - echoed through the room like a starter pistol for mayhem.

"Is that right, Yui?" Komachi added, dragging an unsuspecting Yuigahama into the mess.

Yuigahama, caught off guard, fumbled for a response. "Yes… no… yes..." She mumbled, her words devolving into an unintelligible mess.

Meanwhile, Yukino, seated beside me, stiffened. Her cheeks flushed a delicate pink, a stark contrast to her usual composure. I immediately fought the urge to bury my face in my hands.

"Komachi…" I muttered under my breath, low enough that only she could hear, my voice filled with an exasperation that barely scratched the surface of my actual feelings.

What's your endgame here, little brat? You're not helping.

And where did this newfound 'unshakable trust' in me come from?

She made it sound like I was some kind of dependable hero - a knight in shining armor.

That level of faith was a complete fabrication, and we both knew it.

This wasn't the same girl who'd teased me mercilessly about my every social misstep or made me the butt of jokes in front of our parents.

Now she was out here selling me as - Mr. Reliable?

Komachi caught my eye and flashed me a mischievous victory sign, her grin practically glowing with self-satisfaction.

Oh, I see. You think you're helping.

But let me break it to you - you are not.

Her expression clearly said she expected some kind of reward after this ordeal was over.

A pat on the head, maybe? Ice cream? A Nobel Peace Prize? Who knows.

Not that she would understand without a proper explanation - a luxury I didn't have the time or favorable conditions to provide.

So instead, I stood there, waiting for this absurd situation to unravel further.

"It must be true if you are saying so much." Yukino's mother remarked, her voice level but with an underlying skepticism.

I wasn't sure how to take that. Was it meant to be a compliment? A test? Or maybe just a quiet nudge to see how I'd respond.

"Yes. How can a little girl like her lie?" Yukino's father, Renjiro, chimed in, his voice carrying the ease of someone who clearly didn't expect a reply. He added. "He has a really intriguing character."

Haruno laughed. "Intriguing is putting it mildly, father."

Yukino, sitting beside me, hadn't said a word so far. She stayed still, her posture composed, but I could feel the subtle tension radiating off her.

And me? I was just trying to survive this disaster of a meet-the-parents moment.

Sakura, Yukino's mother, turned her attention to Haruno and Hayama, her tone polite but final. "Well then, shall we get going?"

"Okaaaay." Haruno chimed in, standing up as if she were leaving a casual gathering, which only made things worse.

Hayama followed suit, reaching for the checkbook.

But Yukino didn't move, her gaze fixed ahead, still seated beside me. The pause hung in the air.

Seeing that, Yukino's mother calmly asked. "Yukino…"

Yukino's eyes flickered briefly, her hands resting lightly on her lap. Then, she answered softly, "I will join you in a moment."

"Oh, you want to spend some more time with your boyfriend?" Haruno teased, her grin widening. "Maybe, if you want, you can invite him and the rest as well… after all, we are celebrating your birthday today."

Yukino glanced at me briefly, her expression unreadable for a second. I caught her gaze, and before she could say anything more, I gave a slight shake of my head.

"There is no need for that." I said quietly, my voice low but firm. The last thing I wanted was to be dragged into another round of whatever this was.

The thought of walking into a full-blown family gathering, complete with prying relatives and Haruno's endless needling, was more than I could handle. I knew exactly how it would go. No thanks.

Haruno's smirk only grew. "Oh, but I insist, little brother." Her tone was all too knowing, like she was playing a game I didn't know the rules to.

"Haruno," Renjiro said firmly, his voice cutting through her theatrics. "Let's go. Yukino said she will join us soon."

Yukino's father gave a small nod, and Yukino returned it, a quiet show of gratitude. I could see the faintest relaxation in her shoulders as he stepped back.

With that, the moment of tension dissolved, or at least, loosened its grip.

Yukino's mother didn't press further.

Haruno, surprisingly, didn't push back either, though her grin remained firmly in place.

As they filed out, Hayama threw a polite nod in my direction before following behind.

Haruno, of course, waved dramatically as she left, her smile far too pleased with itself.

And just like that, they were gone.

The door clicked shut behind them, and I let out a long, heavy sigh, collapsing into the nearest chair.

I didn't care how ridiculous I must have looked.

It wasn't like anyone here was judging me - at least not right now.

Yuigahama, unable to hold it together any longer, practically dropped into her seat a split second before I did.

She is not dead, right?

I shot a glance at her, concerned, but before I could check, Yukino reacted quicker than I did, steadying Yuigahama just enough to reduce the impact of her fall.

"Thanks… Yukinon." Yuigahama mumbled, her voice sluggish as she tried to regain her composure.

I shook my head and rubbed the bridge of my nose.

That could have gone better.

A waiter passed by, tidying up the empty cups scattered across the table. I wasn't sure if I wanted to stay here any longer or leave, but one thing was certain: I needed something strong to get through this.

"Can you bring me a really strong coffee?" I said, staring after the waiter as he wiped down the table. "...like real strong."

"Hikki! Me too!" Yuigahama piped up, raising her hand as if she were a schoolgirl asking to be called on.

"I would like one too, though not that strong." Yukino added, her voice measured and calm, though I could see the strain in her eyes.

"Komachi?" I asked, looking over at her as she leaned back, utterly unfazed by the chaos.

"Milkshake." She said, with the kind of simplicity only she could get away with.

I nodded at the waiter, making sure he caught all the orders before he disappeared into the kitchen.

Finally, there was a moment of quiet. I slumped back into my chair, letting myself sink into the cushion.

It was the first real peace we would have since… well, since that entire ordeal began.

Just then Yukino spoke up as she hung her face.

"…I am sorry you needed to be considerate for me." Said Yukino, apologetically.

Yuigahama shook her hands back and forth. "No problem! I mean, I feel like we got something good out of it since we got to see Yukinon's parents!"

"I see. Then that's fine…" Yukino answered, but her lifted face was still gloomy.

Watching Yukino, Yuigahama slipped a smile out as well. "Let's celebrate your birthday again at school!"

"Alright…" Yukino replied, her tone soft but a little lighter now.

"Yes!" Yuigahama pumped her fist slightly in victory.

"Wait, but if it's at school, then I can't come!" Komachi chimed in, crossing her arms with a dramatic pout.

I raised an eyebrow at her. "Even if it's somewhere outside, you wouldn't be coming. You have got exams to study for."

"But I want to come." Komachi whined, leaning forward like her sheer determination could change my mind.

"No." I said flatly, crossing my arms to mirror her stance.

"...I hate you, big brother." She grumbled,

"Hikki, you are so mean." Yuigahama chimed in, grinning mischievously as if siding with Komachi for fun.

Yukino, who had been quiet up until now, gently patted Komachi on the head. "Hachiman, let her come. If it's a problem, I can help her with her studies."

Komachi's mood flipped instantly. "I love you so much, Yukino!" She beamed, practically glowing under Yukino's attention.

"Do whatever you want." I sighed, throwing up my hands in defeat. There was no winning here.

.

….

[To be continued…]

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