Chapter 119 - 119: Haruno – I Messed Up

Haru didn't avoid Yukino and answered the call directly. "Good evening, Haru~" Haruno's voice was as charming as ever. "Is there something you need, Haruno-san?" Haru pressed the speakerphone button so Yukino could hear as well. Beside him, Yukino's expression showed mild resignation, as if saying she didn't need to listen to the conversation directly—he could just tell her afterward. But since speakerphone was already on, she simply picked up the remote, lowered the TV volume, and listened in. "There's just a little something I need to talk to you about. Just a tiny bit~" Haruno said playfully. Haru and Yukino exchanged a glance. Their eyes conveyed the same thought: If she's saying it's just a tiny bit, then it's definitely a lot more than that! "Should we meet up?" Haru asked directly. "I'll come to you. I have nothing else to do right now anyway." "Alright, Yukino and I are at home. Come over." "I'll be there soon." After hanging up, Haru turned to Yukino. "Any idea what this is about?" "You're asking me?" Yukino looked at him calmly. "Ever since the semester started, I've probably talked to my sister less than you have." "But you two grew up together. Normally, if I suggest she come over, she'd throw in a few playful remarks or tease you a bit. But this time, she just agreed outright and said she'd be right here." "I was thinking the same thing." Yukino restored the TV volume, her expression contemplative. Haru sighed. "Looks like the all-knowing Yukino encyclopedia is no help this time. I guess I'll just have to face the tiger myself and figure out the truth." "'Face the tiger'?" Yukino found his phrasing odd. "You know—Haruno-san, when she gets serious, she's like a tiger. No one dares mess with her." "Are you sure you're not describing my mother?" "…Oh. Actually, yeah, that fits her better." "Idiot." They continued chatting while waiting. The TV was playing a bizarre commercial for a facial mask. A mother, unable to clean her face properly, leaned in to nuzzle her baby—only for the baby to recoil and burst into tears. But after she used the facial mask, she tried again, and this time, the baby smiled happily. "I'm making a mental note of that brand. You should never use it." Haru muttered. Yukino gave him a sidelong glance. "What ridiculous idea are you thinking of now?" "Nothing. I just think the ad is too weird. If the marketing is like this, I doubt the product works well." "I have no interest in that brand anyway," Yukino said fairly. "But the baby was pretty cute when it smiled." Haru turned to her seriously. "If you lie down like a baby and let me nuzzle you, I guarantee I'll smile even brighter." Yukino: "…..." This conversation is over. She shot him a look full of disdain. "Amazing. In just one sentence, you've once again redefined my perception of your stupidity." Haru remained unfazed. He had long since grown immune to her insults. After a while, Yukino suddenly asked, "When Ms. Ninagawa questioned you before, what were you thinking?" "What else could I think?" Haru coughed awkwardly. Yukino instantly understood, sighing. "So my guess was right. You really wanted to answer that both Senpai and I are your girlfriends." Haru cleared his throat. Yukino spoke flatly. "Well, that is just like you. If you had only acknowledged me back then, it actually wouldn't have felt like you at all." Then, she added sarcastically, "A responsible scumbag, isn't that right?" Haru chose to surrender. He waved the white flag, accepting his fate. Yukino didn't push the topic further. Since she had already decided to forgive this guy, she occasionally still felt a twinge of annoyance, but it wasn't worth getting worked up over anymore. At 7:30 PM, Haruno arrived. She wore a stylish jacket over a fitted pair of pants that accentuated her curvy figure. She handed them a bag. "Here, try this. Since you're both here, I don't have to make two trips." "Calbee snacks?" Haru glanced inside. "Haruno-san, you like these?" "A friend gave them to me. Their family works with this brand, and they have kids who love snacks, so the company sent over a bunch." Haruno explained casually as she took off her jacket, revealing a white T-shirt with star prints. The snug fit emphasized her ample curves, forming a stark contrast with Yukino. "You came over in such a hurry. You must have something important to discuss," Yukino said coolly, holding the orange cat in her arms. She was clearly unfazed by her sister's figure. "I told you on the phone, didn't I? It's just a little something." Haruno sat beside Yukino, smiling as she made a "just a little bit" gesture—with her hand. Haru and Yukino spoke in unison: "I don't believe you." Yukino then shot him a glare as if to say: Why are you copying me? Haru chuckled. "Because I know you well." Haruno was also amused by their synchronized reactions. "By the way, Haru, you must be pretty good at mimicking Yukino, right? How about giving me a little performance?" "That sounds like a complete waste of time. I'm not interested." Yukino rejected the idea outright. Haru naturally had no intention of going along with it. "Haruno-san, how about getting to the point?" "Sigh, you two are getting less and less fun," she complained before suddenly flashing a carefree smile. "I'm off today and tomorrow… actually, this is my first break this month. Do you two want to go out and have some fun?" Haru and Yukino were both caught off guard. Neither of them had expected her to show up so late at night just for this. "Is there something else?" They exchanged a glance and decided to probe further. Haruno stretched lazily, looking completely at ease. "Nope, that's all. You two really overthink things. I don't always come looking for you just because there's a serious issue." That explanation seemed reasonable enough, leaving Yukino with little room for suspicion. "So, what's your plan?" "How about hiking? There are some great spots in Okutama. Besides, Yukino, you don't get much exercise, so let your big sister and Haru help you get moving a little." "You got that wrong," Yukino corrected her at once. "I've been following the workout plan Haru made for me since middle school." Haru nodded. "That's true. Yukino has improved a lot in every aspect of physical fitness. Among girls her age, she's actually pretty impressive." Haruno raised an eyebrow in mild surprise. "I knew you worked out before, but I didn't expect you to keep up with it for so long. You're really getting more and more impressive, Yukino." Yukino remained silent. At first, she had only started exercising because of Haru's advice—just to improve her overall health. But at some point, her reason changed. How can I keep losing so quickly in bed? That was the thought that had fueled her dedication ever since. Even though she knew Haru's physique was practically at an athlete's level—perhaps even beyond that—Yukino still insisted on training. At the very least, she didn't want to lose so embarrassingly. Just because she wasn't a heroic warrior didn't mean she lacked the courage to charge into battle. Besides, being a knight was also part of her identity. "We still have classes tomorrow," Haru said, snapping Yukino out of her thoughts. Haruno waved it off with a carefree smile. "Then just skip. You two have great grades anyway. One day won't make a difference." Haru had no objections and looked toward Yukino for her opinion. She hesitated for a moment. "Are we really just going hiking?" "What else would we be doing?" Haruno kept her smile. "I rarely get a chance to completely relax. Don't tell me you two won't even keep your big sister company?" Her words made both Haru and Yukino freeze. It was the first time either of them had heard her say something like that. Perhaps even someone as strong and outstanding as Haruno—someone who always seemed invincible among her peers—also had moments where she curled up in exhaustion, hidden from view. Haru recalled how, since childhood, Haruno had always teased and messed with him openly, yet she had never stopped looking out for him in the background. Something in his heart softened. "Alright. We'll take the day off." Yukino didn't refuse either. They were on the same page. Haruno, ever perceptive, seemed to pick up on their thoughts. She crossed her arms and chuckled. "Alright, spill it. What were you two just imagining?" Haru gave a gentle smile. "Nothing much. I just remembered something I read in a book once." "Oh? What's the quote?" "'No matter how exceptional a woman is, in moments of loneliness and vulnerability, she still longs for a simple, well-timed compliment or just the right amount of concern.'" For a moment, both Yukinoshita sisters were stunned. A hint of warmth flickered in Haruno's gaze before she quickly masked it with a smirk. "Not bad, not bad. At least you finally appreciate me. My years of looking after you weren't for nothing." Since Yukino remained silent, Haruno reached over and scooped the orange cat from her lap. Yukino blinked. "?" "Meow?" The cat, now unexpectedly in different arms, seemed utterly bewildered. Haruno met her sister's confused gaze with a grin. "You've been hogging it long enough. My turn." Then, she started rubbing the cat's head vigorously. The orange cat, apparently enjoying the massage, lazily closed its eyes and relaxed. That night, Haruno invited Yukino to join her for a bath, and surprisingly, Yukino didn't refuse. Meanwhile, Haru holed up in his room, grinding experience points for his [Jumping] skill. He was close to leveling up, and though he had no grand ambitions of standing atop the world, he was still curious about what the next tier of the skill would bring. In the bathroom— The Yukinoshita sisters shed their clothes. Just as Yukino was about to step into the bathtub, she noticed her sister looking her up and down. "What?" she asked calmly. They had bathed together before, so she wasn't embarrassed. But being scrutinized like this was making her uncomfortable. Haruno tilted her head, genuinely puzzled. "Why is it that after all these years, you still haven't developed at all?" …!!! Yukino's face darkened. It was as if an exclamation mark had just popped above her head. "I should've known nothing serious would come out of your mouth." She shot a quick glance at Haruno's chest, then coldly sat down in the bath. As the warm water enveloped her, she felt herself relax, closing her eyes in comfort. A moment later, the sound of water splashing signaled that Haruno had joined her. "You know, I find it pretty strange," Haruno mused. "Mom and I both have great figures, but you…" "If you invited me to bathe just to talk about something this shallow, then I don't think we have anything more to discuss." "Shallow?" "It's just fat. Isn't that shallow?" Despite her sister's blunt jab, Haruno didn't seem offended. She leaned lazily against the edge of the tub and sighed. "Oh, I just realized—I didn't bring any spare clothes." "You don't have to wear anything. Not like you'd be embarrassed," Yukino replied, still irritated. Haruno chuckled. "Still holding a grudge? I only said you hadn't developed, that's all." Yukino responded with a cold, sarcastic laugh. After their bath, Yukino dried off and put on her nightgown while Haruno grabbed the bathrobe Haru had prepared. "Why don't you sleep with me tonight?" Haruno suddenly suggested. Yukino didn't answer right away. "Is there a reason?" "Nope. I just don't want to have to watch you walk into Haru's room. That'd keep me up all night," she said, her teasing nature resurfacing. A faint blush crept onto Yukino's face. "What exactly are you implying?" "Nothing~ Just expressing my love for my dear sister." "That line Haru always says… it suits you perfectly." "Oh? What line?" "'That sounds like a lie.'" Haruno burst out laughing. "That's from an anime, isn't it? Since when did you start quoting anime?" Yukino remained expressionless. Wait… that's an anime quote? She had heard Haru say it so often that she thought it was just a sharp comeback. Haruno was still giggling. "Shizuka once said something similar to me. If you tell her that, she'd probably think you've changed." Ignoring her sister's teasing, Yukino finished dressing and was about to leave when— "Ah!" She turned back just in time to see Haruno flinch. Apparently, she had been laughing so hard that her focus slipped, and in an unfortunate accident, she had dropped the clean bathrobe. Right onto the wet bathroom floor. In seconds, the entire robe was soaked through. Haruno blinked. As if realizing she had just completely screwed herself over. Yukino, on the other hand, couldn't hold back the grin spreading across her face. "Oh, how interesting. Truly fascinating." She turned toward the mirror, casually fixing her damp hair while laughing softly. "You didn't bring any spare clothes, did you? Well, now you don't even have a bathrobe." Haruno, still dripping, smiled innocently. "That's why I have you! Be a dear and grab me a fresh one?" Click. Yukino unlocked the bathroom door. Haruno instinctively covered her chest and took a step back. "W-Wait, what are you doing?" But Yukino didn't fully open the door. She stopped just wide enough for herself to slip through, then turned back with a triumphant, almost wicked grin. "Nee-san, I'm going to dry my hair. Take care of yourself." …Take care of myself? Haruno stood there, mouth slightly open, before breaking into a helpless laugh. Wow… I totally screwed myself over.