124: Narcissism Is a Disease

Yukino's expression turned cold.

She slowly stood up from the ground, crossed her arms, and shot a sharp glare at him.

"Narcissism is a disease, and Kitahara, you've already reached the terminal stage."

"My advice is to immediately undergo a prefrontal lobotomy."

Yukino looked like a judge sentencing a criminal to death, her expression indifferent.

"Anyone else saying that would be one thing, but you, Miss Second Daughter, are the last person qualified to criticize me."

Takashi admitted that he was a little narcissistic.

If anyone else called him narcissistic, he'd accept it. But when it came to narcissism, who could beat Chiba's Second Princess?

"What do you mean?" Yukino looked displeased, her gaze colder than usual. "Are you trying to say that I'm narcissistic?"

"You seriously don't think you're narcissistic?"

Takashi's face was full of shock and speechlessness.

He genuinely didn't expect Yukino to have zero awareness of her own narcissism.

"Who was it that unilaterally decided I was stalking her, and arrogantly assumed that I must like her?"

The way Takashi and Yukino met wasn't complicated.

At the time, several high schools had extended offers to Takashi, and his first stop was Soubu High.

Takashi figured that compared to Tokyo, surviving in Chiba would be easier. 

Plus, a few of his targets happened to be in Chiba, so he thought he might as well pick a school there and save himself the hassle of constantly traveling back and forth.

Although Chiba couldn't compare to Tokyo, it still had a number of excellent private high schools.

Among them, whether considering teacher resources, academic atmosphere, or university admission rates, Soubu High was the best.

On the day he visited Soubu High, he met Yukino.

Seeing that she was dropped off at school by a chauffeur, he figured since she was a target, it wouldn't hurt to interact a little.

Takashi asked her for directions, and Yukino coldly pointed the way.

After leaving a simple impression, Takashi didn't pursue further interaction, as he hadn't finalized which school to attend yet and didn't have the energy to focus on her.

Their second meeting came half a month later.

By then, Takashi was already a student at Aoba Academy, and he was in Chiba to do some advance scouting for his first date with Utaha.

They ran into each other at the library.

That day, the library was quite crowded. Takashi saw an empty seat next to Yukino, greeted her briefly, then lowered his head to read Love Metronome.

The two of them spent the entire time reading in silence, marking the end of their second encounter.

Their third meeting was at last year's Cat and Dog Exhibition.

Takashi had arrived early to kill time and coincidentally bumped into her again.

Before he could even say hello, Yukino's first words were: "Stalker?"

Her greeting instantly left Takashi speechless.

Sure, he admitted that his motives weren't entirely pure—he had been thinking of approaching her—but he hadn't even done anything yet, had he?

Besides, with so many date targets lined up, did he really have time to be stalking her all day?

Takashi couldn't hold back and shot back: "How big is your ego?"

He knew it wasn't right to treat a potential client that way, but he just couldn't help himself.

And it was because of that comment that Yukino never missed a chance to mock and taunt Takashi every time they met afterward.

Takashi thought to himself, Since I can't even mooch off your family, why should I tolerate your lousy attitude?

So he fought back every time they met.

"I really thought you must have liked me back then," Yukino said in her usual cold tone, showing no signs of surprise.

Yukino was indeed very cute.

Even students from other schools had heard of Soubu High's "Ice Beauty."

In terms of reputation, she even surpassed Shinomiya Kaguya.

But matching her cute looks was a level of self-confidence that was simply off the charts.

Takashi's expression was like someone finding a rat's head in their instant noodles: "Where do you get the confidence to think I would like you?"

Was he that desperate?

Like her?

Takashi didn't even want to imagine what it would be like having kids with Yukino. 

When it came time for the baby to nurse, if the baby touched Takashi: Hmm, that's Dad? (?????)?

Touching her: Huh? That's Dad too? ゛('◇')?.

Question: How many dads does this kid have? And where's the mom?

"Well, to someone like Kitahara-kun, who's at the bottom of the social ladder, I might seem abnormal. I don't blame you. But from my perspective, my way of thinking is perfectly normal."

"It's based on my personal experience and observations."

Yukino brushed a silky strand of black hair over her shoulder, her eyes flashing with the proud, dismissive gaze of a capitalist looking at a lowly worker.

Takashi took a step forward, standing in front of her, and once again showed the same disdainful expression often seen on Shinomiya Kaguya's face.

Yukino had to tilt her head up just to see his face; otherwise, she wouldn't be able to see him at all.

In terms of presence, she had already been suppressed.

Yukino realized Takashi was doing it on purpose. She glared at him fiercely but still silently stepped back to create some distance.

Even though she lost in terms of presence, Yukino still puffed out her chest proudly. "Because I've been cute ever since I was little, and all the boys around me have always liked me."

Takashi glanced at her chest and chuckled lightly.

Hmm, her chest and back were equally flat.

It was hard to tell the front from the back.

Yukino noticed Takashi's glance. Even though he didn't say anything, she still felt deeply humiliated.

It was blatant, naked humiliation.

She immediately covered her chest with her hands and glared at Takashi, comforting herself internally: I'm still young. I can still develop.

Her older sister grew up nicely, after all.

She shouldn't end up that far behind.

Even half as much would be acceptable.

"Before you, there were other boys who tried to approach me and later stalked me, so that's why I assumed you were one of them," Yukino quickly explained to avoid getting even angrier.

"I see."

Takashi nodded in understanding.

Although her personality was terrible, she really was good-looking.

Yukino breathed a sigh of relief but still looked at him suspiciously.

Since when was this guy so easy to talk to?

"Thinking that I like you... I have to admit, Miss Yukinoshita, you truly are brave," Takashi said sincerely, although the corner of his mouth curled into a scornful smirk.

The scorn of a 10-point charm person toward a 9-point charm person.

This annoying guy.

Yukino's expression instantly turned cold again, but she couldn't refute him.

Because it was difficult for her to attack Takashi based on looks.

The better looking this man was, the worse his personality became.

"I'm going to check out the dogs next. If you want to tag along, whatever," Takashi said, preparing to leave.

But just then, he heard someone call out: "Yukino? Takashi?"

Yukino and Takashi turned their heads at the same time and saw Hayama Hayato and Miura Yumiko watching them from not too far away.

When Yukino saw her childhood friend, she indifferently turned her head away, only to notice Takashi's eyes darting around, as if trying to avoid something.

Hmm?

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