Chapter 16: Easy to Handle Dumpling

"Are you really planning to make us fight with curses, with those kinds of monsters?"

In the Service Club, Yukinoshita Yukino, who had no friends, naturally got the key to the clubroom from the classroom office right after school, then came to the clubroom to sit alone, quietly waiting for the client who might show up at any time.

Yukinoshita Yukino was very concerned about what Hayashizaki said yesterday.

"Are you scared?"

A mouth grinned on the back of her hand.

"No, I just feeling a bit uneasy."

"You have a tough mouth."

"..."

Yukinoshita Yukino pursed her lips, her pale knuckles clenched tightly, showing a look of

although she was upset, she can't refute.

She was indeed a bit scared.

Three days ago, the psychological shadow left by the curse that looked like a terrifying mad dog attacking her at home had not completely disappeared. Moreover, she had only just learned how to control her curse power and had no idea how to fight.

Was she supposed to use her family's Aikido to fight the curse?

However, as a serious and strong-willed beautiful girl, Yukinoshita Yukino, under Hayashizaki's repeated taunts, threw all her psychological shadows and fears to the back of her mind, replaced by a surge of high spirits.

"I'm very brave"

In short, she was a bit overexcited.

"For ordinary people, feeling a bit nervous when facing such monsters without any experience is completely normal. But if you consider it as cowardice, then parasite-kun, you really have wasted two pairs of eyes."

Yukinoshita Yukino snorted coldly.

Hayashizaki found that his host had a very cute little habit - whenever she started to criticize or attack someone or something, she would unconsciously cross her arms, as if trying to add a bit of authority to her image.

However, no matter how she crossed her arms, her chest remained as flat as the Siberian plains.

"Well said! I'll reward you with a curse in the shape of a big dog!" 

Hayashizaki responded cheerfully, unaffected by Yukinoshita Yukino's somewhat harsh retort.

"#!"

A vein could be faintly seen bulging on the girl's forehead.

This guy must be trying to scare me on purpose... But what if Hayashizaki really found a curse that looked like a dog for her?

No, whether the curse looked like a dog or not, it was still very scary...

Her thoughts were a bit chaotic, and when Yukinoshita Yukino calmed down, her courage also decreased a bit, and she entered a state of being both timid and stubborn.

Just as she was having an internal struggle, the door of the Service Club was suddenly knocked, and a familiar orange dumpling head came into view.

"Yahallo~!"

Yuigahama Yui walked in cheerfully with her schoolbag.

"Good afternoon, Yuigahama-san."

Yukinoshita Yukino temporarily put aside the matter of being forced to fight curses, looked up, and politely greeted her.

"Hehe, I made these cookies myself at home yesterday as a thank you gift!" Yuigahama Yui pulled up a chair and sat next to Yukinoshita Yukino, then took out a bag of cookies from her backpack, acting as if she were at home. "After all, Yukinon has helped me a lot!"

"Y-Yukinon?" Yukinoshita Yukino, who had always been alone and had no friends, was clearly taken aback by Yui's fiery enthusiasm.

The idea of friends giving each other nicknames seemed a bit too much for her.

Without noticing Yukinoshita's discomfort, Yuigahama Yui stuffed the bag of cookies into her arms and began cheerfully sharing how she made the cookies at home yesterday.

"Oh, yesterday I said I wanted to make cookies when I got home, and my parents were so surprised! They asked if something had happened, and I said Yukinon taught me how to make them, and then, and then..."

"Wait, you're too close, Yuiga..."

Yukinoshita Yukino, feeling the large dog-like energy from Yui, couldn't help but push her away with both hands.

"I'll accept the thank you gift. Do you have anything else?"

In other words, if there's nothing else, you can leave.

"...Does Yukinon hate me?"

The girl with the bun hairstyle seemed to sense Yukinoshita's mood and asked cautiously.

"No, it's not that I hate you..."

Yukinoshita Yukino carefully chose her words.

"It's just a bit overwhelming."

"That's the same as hating me among girls!!!"

Yuigahama shouted, almost breaking down.

"Is it? I don't really understand the dynamics of typical high school girls..."

The girl with the furrowed brows looked cute but seemed to casually say something not so friendly, instinctively distancing herself from Yui.

So you are aware of your own oddness!

Hikigaya Hachiman, who had been eavesdropping outside the door for a while, kept complaining in his mind. To avoid the awkward atmosphere in the Service Club, he quickly opened the door and walked in.

He pretended to be surprised:

"Good afternoon... Huh, why is Yuigahama here?"

"Ah, Hikki, hello~!"

Yuigahama greeted Hikigaya Hachiman in a strange way, then stopped clinging to Yukinoshita and took out a bag from her backpack, handing it to him.

"Here, this is a thank you gift from yesterday!"

The cookies inside were different from the ones given to Yukinoshita, a whole large heart-shaped cookie, slightly burnt.

"Oh, thanks."

Hikigaya Hachiman took it casually and stared at the cookies with his lifeless fish eyes.

They were pretty good when made in the home economics classroom yesterday, so why did they turn out worse at home? Was it because there were no restrictions from Yukinoshita, allowing her creativity to run wild?

Thinking back to the taste of the cookies Yui made for the first time yesterday, the cookie in his hand seemed to turn into something indescribable, emitting a twisted dark aura, making it hard to eat.

But since it was a thank you gift, there was no choice.

He quickly unwrapped it and tried to take a bite with a carefree attitude—better eat it now before there's no chance later.

At the first bite, Hikigaya Hachiman's chewing motion froze.

So dry, so hard, and so sweet it could kill!

The indescribable complex taste on his tongue was the result of Yui's full talent, but under her expectant gaze, Hikigaya Hachiman still gritted his teeth and finished it all, chewing as little as possible and swallowing it whole.

"How does it taste?"

Yuigahama Yui asked shyly.

"How sweet..." the boy with dead fish eyes said honestly. It was indeed the truth, but he didn't say everything.

"That's good!"

Seeing the bright smile on the girl's face, Hikigaya Hachiman felt that the pain on his tongue was worth it.

Normally, the Service Club would be in a state of doing nothing, with the president and members doing their own things and going home when it's time. Even if Yui stayed to accompany them, it wouldn't matter.

But yesterday, another hidden

"president,"

Hayashizaki, gave them a task, so it wasn't suitable for Yuigahama to stay with them.

"Are you going?"

Hikigaya Hachiman asked.

"Where to?"

Yuigahama was confused, but Yukinoshita Yukino understood what he meant.

"Let's go, he's already urging us."

With a helpless sigh, she stood up and said,

"I'm sorry, Yuigahama, we have something to do later, so we can't continue to entertain you."

"Is it a club activity? I can stay and help!"

Yui volunteered.

"No, not this time."

Yukinoshita Yukino firmly refused. What they were going to do next couldn't be known to Yui, nor could she be involved.

"Really..."

The girl's face showed visible disappointment, her head slightly lowered like a dog abandoned by its owner.

Yukinoshita Yukino couldn't bear to see it, so she comforted her,

"You can come back tomorrow, Yuigahama."

"Can I really come back!?"

Yuigahama's eyes lit up as if she saw her owner turning back and waving at her.

Knowing she wasn't good at comforting people, Yukinoshita didn't expect her words to have any effect, but surprisingly, they worked.

"Ah, yes, of course."

"Great, see you tomorrow, Yukinon, Hikki!"

Watching Yuigahama leave, Hikigaya Hachiman couldn't help but smile:

"It's really easy to fool her."

...

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