Chapter 356: Confession and Success
"Yeah."
Hikigaya Hachiman nodded lightly, acknowledging the fact that he had saved Yukinoshita Yukino.
"So, before I was knocked unconscious, Yotsuya was reporting her location to you."
Speaking of this, a flush flashed across Yukinoshita Yukino's face. She shifted her gaze toward the still-unconscious Yotsuya Miko in the lower right corner, stared at her reproachfully for a moment, and then returned her attention to Hachiman.
"Sorry."
Hachiman lowered his head, avoiding eye contact with Yukinoshita.
"It's fine..."
Though she said it was fine, at the thought that the content of her conversation with Yotsuya Miko had likely been heard by Hachiman, Yukinoshita felt an urge to flee the scene immediately. However, to be safe, she intended to ask Hachiman exactly how much he had overheard.
"From what point did you start listening?"
"Probably... all of it."
As he spoke, Hachiman turned his face away completely, not daring to look at Yukinoshita. Although he hadn't actively intended to eavesdrop, that reason didn't seem like it would convince her.
"Is that so? All of it..."
Hearing Hachiman's answer, even though she had mentally prepared herself, Yukinoshita still felt as if her life had turned grey.
"Hey, Yukinoshita."
"Yes?"
Just as Yukinoshita Yukino was feeling despair as if her life was devoid of light, Hachiman suddenly called her name.
"If I said..."
Perhaps because he had seen the outcome of Yukinoshita's consent within the illusion, Hachiman scratched his cheek, wanting to voice the thoughts in his heart.
"You should know the consequences of saying it, right?"
Yukinoshita instantly regained her usual cool composure, attempting to stop Hachiman's impending words with a cold reaction.
"I know. But I still want to say it..."
Hachiman looked up at the dim roof of the tent, speaking as much to Yukinoshita as to himself.
It had been nearly two months since he met Key. During that time, so many people had cheered him on, and even Yotsuya Miko, a party involved, had encouraged him to take that step. Yet, because of his hesitation and his cowardice, things had never progressed...
In a way, he had the Nine-Tailed Fox to thank. If it hadn't trapped him in an illusion and shown him exactly what he wanted in the deepest part of his heart, he might still be hesitating whether to speak to Yukinoshita.
Senior Key was right. In all things, only after trying is there a possibility of success!
Thinking of the ending that existed in the illusion, Hachiman closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Then, he opened his eyes and turned around.
Slap!
A slap that wasn't loud but was definitely painful rang out in the tent.
"I haven't even said anything yet."
Hachiman looked helplessly at the girl before him who had just slapped him.
"Precisely because I know what you want to say, I gave you that slap."
Clutching her own palm, which had also gone numb, Yukinoshita explained while dodging Hachiman's gaze.
"If you still intend to continue, you might get slapped again. Do you still intend to speak even so?"
"Of course!"
Hachiman looked at the girl's averted profile and nodded, his attitude extremely determined.
"I like you, Yukino. Will you go out with me on the premise of marriage?"
When the words were spoken, Hachiman suddenly realized that it wasn't nearly as hard to say as he had imagined. Not only that, but after confessing to Yukinoshita, he found the oppressive feeling that had accumulated in his heart suddenly vanished, and the flow of spiritual energy in his body even accelerated.
"This is a quite terrible environment for a confession. When there's clearly someone else nearby, you choose a place like this to confess?"
The usually taciturn Yukinoshita Yukino was currently like a chatterbox, complaining incessantly.
"The answer?"
Grabbing the arm of Yukinoshita who wanted to stand up and run, Hachiman held that soft, boneless little hand and asked for her response.
"The same confession—you intend to give it to at least two other people as well, right?"
Yukinoshita did not give an answer immediately, but instead raised a question of her own.
"That's right."
Hachiman nodded lightly, admitting his ambition to "step on multiple boats."
"Then why do you think I would agree to share my husband with others?" Yukinoshita continued to press.
Perhaps because she understood that Hachiman's response was something he absolutely couldn't back down from, her tone became increasingly confident.
"Because the person making the decision isn't me, but you, Yukino."
Staring straight into Yukinoshita's eyes, Hachiman spoke his inner thoughts.
"You should be the one to decide your own life!"
"Myself?"
Hachiman's words caused a tremor in Yukinoshita's heart. The words Yotsuya Miko had spoken and all the past experiences with Hachiman and Yuigahama Yui flashed rapidly through her mind.
She turned to look at the dim exit of the tent, then looked back at Hachiman, who was holding his breath and suppressing his nervousness while waiting for her answer.
If I choose to let go, will I return to the way I was before?
Yukinoshita recalled what she was like before meeting Hachiman. Going to school alone, eating alone, being home alone...
After meeting you and Yui, I can no longer adapt to that kind of life. What a cunning guy...
Lifting her head, Yukinoshita met Hachiman's gaze. Then, the girl, with the tips of her ears turning red, nodded lightly and spoke in a voice almost like a mosquito's hum:
"Okay."
Hearing Yukinoshita's answer, an uncontrollable joy surged into Hachiman's heart, making him want to pick her up and spin her around right then and there. However, the stinging mark on his face reminded him that it was best to only think about such things for now.
After all, Yukinoshita had agreed to his request to date, but if he got carried away immediately, she might change her mind.
"However!"
Yukinoshita's voice rang out in the tent, raised intentionally as if to remind Hachiman not to celebrate too early.
"Only three people."
After agreeing to Hachiman's confession, Yukinoshita's mood had relaxed considerably. At the same time, the genes inherited from her mother hidden within her seemed to have been activated by her consent.
Holding up three fingers, as Hachiman's first girlfriend, Yukinoshita decided almost immediately to block any possibility of Hachiman finding a fourth wife.
Read ahead and finish this fanfiction by supporting me on buymeacoffee com/varietl or ko-fi edwriting