Chapter 168 Taking a Photo with Shiina, Setting the Wallpaper
"So that's how it is. Hiyori, you really are helpful."
Hikigaya expressed his praise. After returning his books and borrowing a few more on classical literature, he prepared to leave.
"Wait... Hachiman-kun!"
Shiina Hiyori suddenly grabbed his hand.
"Uh, Hiyori?"
Hikigaya was puzzled.
"...If Hachiman-kun has nothing to do this afternoon, could you stay here with me for a while?"
Shiina Hiyori gazed at him expectantly, her brow filled with a sense of pleading.
"I—I'll make tea for you!"
Shiina Hiyori pursed her lips, looking as if she were about to utter the words "Onegai" (please).
"Alright. I do quite like Shiina's tea."
Hikigaya's heart softened for a moment, and he agreed.
"Eh!"
"Hmph~ So it's only the tea."
In these few short seconds, Shiina Hiyori's face underwent a continuous change from "shock" to "delight" and then to "disappointment."
"It... it's not just the tea..."
Hikigaya's eyes flickered. Realizing the words sounded a bit ambiguous halfway through, he hurriedly added a clarification: "Don't misunderstand! What I meant was..."
Scanning with his peripheral vision, he suddenly noticed Shiina Hiyori cupping her cheeks with both hands, looking at him with a beaming smile: "Meant what?"
"Ahem!
When did Hiyori learn to be so bad?"
Hikigaya raised an eyebrow, feigning anger: "You've actually started teasing people?"
"Pupu~ Sorry~~"
Shiina Hiyori pressed her palms together in apology: "I recently read a romance light novel and tried to use a scene where the heroine hooks a pure-hearted boy. I didn't expect it to be so effective!"
"Why did Hiyori suddenly start reading romance novels?"
Hikigaya looked curious. He remembered her preferences were brain-burning plots like mystery and suspense novels.
They didn't seem to overlap at all with light novels, which are mainstream for light reading.
"I was just curious.
"he most popular books borrowed from the library are these types of light novels," Shiina Hiyori explained.
"That's normal. After all, most people have very simple minds."
Hikigaya's words carried a hint of pride.
'Sorry, saying it like that, am I acting a bit too arrogant?'
To his surprise, Shiina Hiyori didn't feel any ill will toward his arrogant statement. Instead, she nodded and affirmed his claim: "Yes~ Hiyori's mind is very smart."
Such blunt praise actually made Hikigaya feel a bit embarrassed.
"Um, Hiyori is also a super smart kid!"
It had turned into a session of mutual business flattery.
Shiina Hiyori shook her head, her expression somewhat troubled: "According to the settings of romance novels, girls who try to conquer smart boys are usually the not-so-smart type."
"Huh?
That's probably just the author trying to create a 'gap-moe' effect.
"eality doesn't work that way!"
Hikigaya countered assertively.
"Really?"
The distress on Shiina Hiyori's face instantly vanished, replaced by a sweet smile.
'Hiss— This smile... I really want to protect it!'
Hikigaya felt his heart rate accelerate.
*Click!*
Shiina Hiyori couldn't resist taking out her phone and snapping a photo.
"Um, Miss Shiina?!"
Hikigaya's expression froze.
"S-sorry...
I suddenly saw Hachiman-kun's cute expression and wanted to capture it."
Shiina Hiyori stuck out her tongue slightly, trying to act cute to get away with it.
"Give me the phone. Delete it!
Also, the word 'cute' shouldn't be used for guys."
Hikigaya's face darkened.
"Don't be like that~ Please~~
I even wanted to use it as my phone wallpaper."
Shiina Hiyori gripped her phone tightly with her small hands, looking incredibly reluctant to let go. Hearing this, Hikigaya became even more frantic!
'A phone wallpaper?! If others saw that, wouldn't all sorts of strange rumors start flying around?'
"No means no!"
Hikigaya made a grab for it, firmly grasping her phone.
"I beg of you, Hachiman-kun~
Onegai~~"
Shiina Hiyori grabbed his palm with her other hand.
"Hmph!
That trick doesn't work on me!"
Hikigaya had already suffered "Onegai" attacks from girls several times before; his resistance was already maxed out. He forcibly took Shiina Hiyori's phone, opened the gallery, and deleted his photo.
"Wooo... Hachiman-kun is so mean!"
Shiina Hiyori wiped away tears with a look of heartbreak.
'Playing the victim!' Hikigaya stared coldly.
Shiina Hiyori lowered her head, remaining silent.
'Acting deep!' Hikigaya remained unmoved.
Shiina Hiyori looked up, her eyes glistening with a hint of moisture.
'This is acting!'
1 second. 2 seconds. 2.5 seconds. ...
Hikigaya surrendered.
He clearly knew these were all tricks. Yet, facing the pit Shiina Hiyori had dug, he still foolishly jumped in.
'Such a stupid man!'
"Sigh~ Fine, I give up..."
Hikigaya sighed helplessly, then walked behind the library counter to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Shiina Hiyori.
"Eh?!"
Shiina Hiyori didn't seem to react yet, not knowing what he wanted to do. Hikigaya simply raised his phone with one hand for a 120-degree selfie.
"Wait, I haven't fixed my..."
Shiina Hiyori panicked, hurriedly trying to tidy her hair and collar.
*Click!*
Hikigaya decisively pressed the shutter.
"Wow, I really do have a talent for photography!"
In the frame, Hikigaya stood with a deadpan expression, while beside him, Shiina Hiyori's cheeks were flushed pink, caught in the middle of a flustered motion using both hands to smooth her hair. The facial expressions and movements were captured perfectly, and the focus and lighting were flawlessly controlled.
Hikigaya sent the photo of the two of them to his own phone.
"Hachiman-kun!!"
Shiina Hiyori snatched her phone back with an anxious face, glaring at him petulantly: "I wasn't ready yet!"
"No need to get ready.
Being able to capture the moment of Shiina being clumsy is just too cute!!"
Hikigaya pulled out his own phone, performed a few maneuvers, and set the photo as his phone wallpaper.
"Th-this is way too embarrassing..."
Shiina Hiyori couldn't help but cover her face with both hands.
"Oh? Is that so?"
Hikigaya raised an eyebrow. This was called giving her a taste of her own medicine!
Shiina Hiyori's body went limp as she sat back in the chair, then slumped onto the table like an ostrich, burying her bright red face in her arms.
"See if you ever dare to take random photos again!"
The corner of Hikigaya's mouth curled up.
This was his first total suppression of Shiina Hiyori!
Hikigaya, thinking he had won a complete victory, left the library in high spirits.
After a long while, Shiina Hiyori poked her head out from her arms. After looking around to confirm Hikigaya was gone, she breathed a sigh of relief.
"Sorry, Hachiman-kun.
I'll dare to do it again next time..."
Shiina Hiyori picked up her phone and looked at the photo of the two of them, a radiantly brilliant smile appearing on her face.
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