Reincarnation: Yukino Yukinoshita Is My Childhood Sweetheart

Haru and Yukino didn't have to wait long. With the sharp sound of a car horn ringing in their ears, a sleek black Toyota pulled up in front of them.

The car window rolled down, revealing the beautiful face of Yukinoshita Haruno. "Get in."

On the way to the restaurant, Haruno, as usual, tried to tease the two of them for her own amusement.

Haru had known her for years and was more than capable of countering her jabs with ease.

Yukino, while not as skilled as her sister, was too preoccupied with thoughts of Haru's parents to engage, leaving Haruno somewhat disappointed.

At least, that's what her expression suggested.

"You two aren't as cute as you used to be. Time really is merciless."

She sighed dramatically in the front passenger seat while the driver dutifully focused on the road without saying a word.

"Time is indeed merciless. I remember when Haruno-nee was willing to go river fishing with me. If I invited you now, you probably wouldn't agree, would you?" Haru said lightly.

Haruno turned back, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "That might not be true. If you were the one inviting me, I just might say yes."

"That's a lie."

Yukino interjected coldly.

Haruno blinked in surprise before laughing behind her hand. "What's this? Are you two a husband and wife mixed doubles team? How unfair, ganging up on your dear sister like this."

At the mention of the word "husband and wife" a flicker of embarrassment crossed Yukino's eyes, but she quickly composed herself.

Haru, on the other hand, remained unfazed.

The chosen restaurant was an upscale establishment. Judging by the elegant atmosphere, Haru was sure it had been booked by Mrs. Yukinoshita.

A waiter led the three of them to a private dining room where both the Yukinoshita and Amamiya parents were already engaged in conversation.

Their arrival immediately drew everyone's attention.

"Yukino~"

Haru's mother was the happiest of all. She barely glanced at her own son before warmly approaching Yukino.

"Auntie, Uncle."

Yukino had just greeted them when Haru's mother took hold of her shoulders, looking her over with an affectionate gaze. "You're so beautiful. No matter how many times I see you, I still think you're far better looking than our Haru."

Yukino's cheeks tinged with pink under the warm praise.

She didn't dislike it—in fact, she was quite pleased—but her personality made it difficult for her to handle such enthusiasm.

Even after knowing Haru's mother for years, she still wasn't entirely used to it.

She instinctively glanced at Haru for help, only to find that he had already started chatting with her parents.

With a silent sigh, she kept her thoughts to herself.

"Yukino, you mentioned on the phone that Haru bullied you. Did he play pranks on you like he used to when you were kids?" Mrs. Amamiya asked as soon as she sat down beside Yukino.

Haru, sitting nearby, sighed helplessly. "Mom, don't you think you should confirm that with your son first?"

"No need. I can just ask Yukino. You're too good with words, and your father and I have never been able to win an argument with you since you were little," Mrs. Amamiya shot him a look.

Mr. and Mrs. Yukinoshita and Haruno all smiled knowingly.

Haru turned to his father, silently pleading for help with his eyes.

His father, as usual, remained silent. Noticing his son's gaze, he simply took a sip of tea, pretending he hadn't seen anything.

So this is my place in the family hierarchy, huh?

Haru sighed.

Every time his parents saw Yukino, his status in the family plummeted instantly.

But who could blame them? His parents adored Yukino.

After some casual conversation, Haru gave Yukino a subtle look—there was another table nearby. "Shall we sit there?"

Yukino gave a slight nod.

Since dinner hadn't started yet, she didn't want to sit at the adults' table. If possible, she'd rather sit at the kids' table.

The two excused themselves and moved past the partition to the adjacent table.

"They get along so well," Mrs. Amamiya remarked cheerfully.

Mrs. Yukinoshita smiled. "Yes, they've been close since they were little."

Mrs. Amamiya's interest was piqued, and the two women began chatting about the topic enthusiastically, with Haruno occasionally chiming in.

Meanwhile, Mr. Yukinoshita and Mr. Amamiya sipped their tea in silence.

At the next table, Haru took a glance around. The small decorative items on the nearby tea table all looked expensive.

Yukino also noticed. She was clearly knowledgeable. "These teapots and hand warmers are likely replicas."

"Makes sense. If they were authentic, they would've been collected long ago," Haru agreed.

Lowering her voice, Yukino suddenly asked, "Has Koji been in contact with you recently?"

"Yeah, he messaged me last night about discussing the revenue split for his livestreams. I originally joined just for fun, but since they're taking it seriously, I plan to have Lawyer Takebayashi handle the negotiations."

Hearing this, Yukino's eyes showed approval. "That's the best approach. It's always better to settle financial matters early to avoid future disputes over profits."

She pondered for a moment before adding, "My suggestion? Have the lawyer draft a formal contract. Since they're willing to discuss things professionally, you should do the same."

Haru chuckled. "As expected of you. You always find the best solution."

Yukino accepted the praise without hesitation.

"How about becoming my personal assistant?" he teased.

Yukino gave him a half-smile. "You mean you want to keep me all to yourself?"

"Can't I?"

"You could, but I doubt your intentions are pure."

"When is keeping a beauty to oneself ever about purity?"

Haru's confident retort earned him a glare from Yukino.

A moment later, a voluptuous and beautiful waitress entered to refill their tea.

As she approached, Haru instinctively glanced her way, but before he could react, he felt a sharp pressure on his foot under the table.

He looked up. Yukino remained perfectly composed.

Only after the waitress left did she coolly remark, "Your gaze just now reminded me of the poster hanging in your room."

Haru laughed. "You're getting jealous surprisingly easily today."

A slight flush crept up Yukino's face, but she couldn't refute him.

His mother's enthusiasm earlier, combined with how everyone looked at them, had made her overthink things.

The word "compatible" lingered in her mind, leading to other thoughts.

Seeing Haru's amused expression, she attempted to stomp on his foot again.

But this time, his reaction was faster than she expected.

Without even looking under the table, he instinctively reached down and caught her slender leg in his hand.

Yukino instantly froze, her face turning red. She bit her lip. "Let go."

"You attacked first. Why can't I counter?" Haru smirked, refusing to release her.

Just then, Haruno emerged from behind the partition. "The food is being served. You two should come over... huh?"

She trailed off, eyes widening in surprise.

Due to the short tablecloth, the view beneath the table wasn't entirely concealed.

From her angle, she could see everything clearly: her younger sister, face flushed, had her leg in Haru's grasp while he grinned mischievously.

As Haruno stared, Yukino's face grew hotter.

Haru calmly released her leg. "Got it, we're coming."

Haruno smirked. "Did I interrupt something?"

"Not at all. Let's go eat," Yukino said quickly, standing up in a hurry, desperate to end the topic.

Haruno didn't press further but gave her a knowing look—one that said, "Do you think I believe that?"

That gaze made Yukino's heart pound. She nearly lost her composure.

Thankfully, once they joined the elders at the main table, Haruno refrained from teasing her.

Dinner was pleasant. Their families often gathered for meals, so most of the conversation was between the adults.

After the meal, Haru accompanied his parents outside, with the Yukinoshita couple following.

Yukino was about to leave when Haruno pulled her aside. "I need to ask you something."

Curious but compliant, Yukino stayed behind.

They stood in the restaurant's spacious hallway. Once the waiters had walked away, Haruno smiled playfully. "So... how far have you two gone?"

Expressionless, Yukino replied, "If this is all you wanted to ask, I'm leaving."

But Haruno's next words stopped her in her tracks.

"So, you're still the same as before, huh?"

Yukino frowned. "What do you mean?"

Haruno studied her for a moment, then chuckled, shaking her head. "You're smart and capable, yet in some things, you remain utterly clueless."

She glanced down at the parking lot, laughing softly. "You know you're beautiful, right? Then you must also realize that he really likes you."

Yukino flushed but remained composed. "What are you getting at?"

Haruno spoke lazily. "You've worked hard all your life, trying to match his pace, hoping to stand beside him with confidence. But have you ever thought about what he's been thinking all these years?"

She turned to her stunned sister with a sly smile. "He's been waiting for you. Because you wanted to grow and prove yourself, he respected that—so he never made a move."

Her smile turned teasing. "But trust me, teenage boys are full of energy. He's been holding back a lot."

Yukino was speechless.

Yukino took a deep breath and whispered, "I'm leaving, sis."

Heart pounding, she rushed off.

How foolish I've been!

I should have realized it long ago!

But I was always so focused on improving myself, on trying to catch up to him, that I kept overlooking the most important thing.

I love him.

That's why I've been working so hard, striving to stand by his side.

That's why he's always been waiting for me, respecting my choices.

Yukino's eyes grew more anxious.

For the first time in her life, she was losing control of herself.

But right now, she didn't care about that.

She had to find him!

Haruno watched her go, stretching lazily. "Maybe I should've let her figure it out herself. Watching would've been more fun."