"Ah! So you really are Azuma-sensei's girlfriend!"
(®®)
"Onee-san, don't misunderstand! Azuma-sensei and I don't have that kind of relationship!"
Sadatou Ayano panicked as she explained.
Clearly, she had taken Kato Megumi's teasing seriously.
Yukima Azuma looked at Kato Megumi with a helpless expression.
Kato Megumi playfully stuck out her tongue, looking adorable as if she were just having fun.
(>)
"All right, onee-san doesn't mind, don't worry."
"Ayano-chan, are you out with your parents? Shouldn't you be heading back soon?"
Yukima Azuma glanced in the direction Sadatou Ayano had come from.
A woman who bore a seventy-percent resemblance to the little girl was nodding at him gently.
"Oh, that's right! Azuma-sensei, goodbye! Onee-san, goodbye!"
( ><` )
Sadatou Ayano had also noticed her mother waiting.
She waved at Yukima Azuma and Kato Megumi before running toward her.
The two of them watched as the small figure disappeared into the crowd.
"Megumi really does have some strange hobbies!"
"This is just preparation for the future. Azuma-san already has too many girls around him!"
( )
"But she's just a little girl, isn't that still within the safe zone?"
"Hmph, not necessarily. Azuma-san doesn't seem to reject anyone, from onee-sans to little girls."
( ,,'',,)
Yukima Azuma's forehead twitched with veins popping.
<( _)>
Well, when he want a harem, it was his fault in the first place, so he would endure for now.
He would get his revenge in bed later!
Vengeance will be mine!
After visiting two more stores, the two of them carried the ingredients back to Yukima's house.
"You two are back so late! Were you secretly out on a date?"
(_)
Eriri eyed them suspiciously.
"Of course not!"
"Definitely not."
The two of them denied it instantly without even thinking.
They didn't even blink after saying it.
Which, ironically, made Baka-riri start doubting her own judgment instead.
"Speaking of which, today is also the official release of White Album 2, isn't it?"
Kato Megumi smoothly changed the subject.
"Umu, that's right. It's Christmas, after allWhite Album season is here again!"
Eriri nodded enthusiastically.
The winter Comiket was being held on Christmas Day and the two days following.
Yukima Azuma's club projectWhite Album 2was officially launching today.
Originally, the whole group was supposed to go to Comiket.
But due to Yukima Azuma's unexpected situation, the girls preferred to stay home and spend Christmas with him instead.
"Let's try playing it later."
Yukima Azuma suggested.
Even though they all already knew the story inside out, experiencing it together in a proper setting was still a different kind of joy.
Kato Megumi and Eriri both nodded in agreement.
Carrying the ingredients, Yukima Azuma headed toward the kitchen.
Kato Megumi originally intended to roll up her sleeves and help, but before she could even tie on an apron, the doorbell rang.
So, she went to answer the door instead.
The door opened.
"Merry Christmas!"
A cheerful voice rang out.
Seeing Yukinoshita Haruno standing at the door, Kato Megumi's feelings became somewhat complicated.
But she still smiled and responded:
"Merry Christmas."
Chapter 255: The Story of the Christmas Eve Tangerine
After dinner.
Sora Ginko and Hinatsuru Ai left Yukima's house first.
Both of them still had other matters to attend to.
Kirisu Mafuyu also returned to her room.
After all, she was a teacherstaying any longer might make the other girls uncomfortable.
The remaining group gathered around the kotatsu with Yukima Azuma.
In the freezing winter, once you crawl under a kotatsu, it's hard to leave.
"Weren't we supposed to play a game?"
Yukima Azuma reminded them.
"Ehm, I think we did say that Let's do it later."
(* *)
Eriri leaned back, her eyes half-closed, looking utterly lazy.
Kato Megumi's gaze unconsciously landed on Haruno.
Initially, she had a rather good impression of this office lady onee-san.
After all, from the way Haruno spoke to how she carried herself, it was hard to dislike her.
However, after learning about the history between Yukinoshita Haruno and Yukima Azuma
Kato Megumi could no longer look at Haruno the same way.
You seems so refined, yet you's actually that kind of person?! Haruno-san!?
Whether Haruno had noticed Kato Megumi's gaze or not was unclear.
She was peeling a tangerine from the fruit plate on the heated table.
Then, she casually handed a fully peeled tangerine to Kato Megumi.
Kato Megumi was slightly distracted.
She took it without thinking, only realizing afterward.
"Thank you, Haruno-san."
Hearing that, Haruno simply smiled without saying a word.
Kato Megumi blinked in confusion.
Then, she broke off a segment and popped it into her mouth.
The next moment, her usually expressionless, adorable face twisted ever so slightly.
(><)
She wrinkled her nose.
Kato Megumi shot Haruno a glare.
Then, in silence, she handed the tangerine to Kasumigaoka Utaha.
Kasumigaoka Utaha took it and ate a piece as well.
After finishing, she too fell silent, staring at Kato Megumi for a moment.
( _ )
Without a word, she passed the remaining tangerine to Eriri.
Eriri, who had been lazily lying down, perked up the moment she saw a peeled tangerine being offered to her.
She immediately sat up.
"As expected of Christmaseven Kasumigaoka Utaha is being kind today."
( )
Eriri joked.
Normally, Kasumigaoka Utaha only ever bickered with her.
Offering food like this was practically unheard of.
Kasumigaoka Utaha still said nothing.
Eriri didn't think much of it and casually shoved two or three segments into her mouth.
And then
"UUUUUW!"
( )
The blonde-haired, twin-tailed girl let out a distressed groan.
She struggled to hold back the tears welling up in the corners of her eyes.
Eriri handed the rest of the tangerine to Yukima Azuma.
"I'm not eating it."
(;_)
Yukima Azuma refused outright.
"W-Why not? It's really sweet!" Eriri insisted.
As she said this, her eyes were still tightly shut.
"It must be sourEriri can't even keep her eyes open!"
"It's not sour! Not even a little!" Eriri protested, forcing her eyes wide open.
( )
Her watery eyes sparkled, making her look adorably pitiful, like she'd just been bullied.
Yukima Azuma remained unmoved. "Give it up. I'm absolutely not eating that tangerine today."
Hearing this, Eriri seemed devastated and dramatically collapsed onto the tatami.
"Uwaaaa! I'm throwing a tantrum! I'm throwing a tantrum right now!"
."®()®".
She rolled around on the tatami, making the kotatsu shake along with her.
"Lonely-kun, if this keeps up, all the warmth in the kotatsu will escape."
Kasumigaoka Utaha commented.
"That's right, Azuma-san, you should give in to Sawamura-san a little."
Kato Megumi added.
The two former victims of the tangerine had already passed the pain onto the next person.
But they couldn't stand the thought of someone escaping this punishment.
Yukima Azuma sighed helplessly.
With a spirit of reckless abandon, he accepted the remaining tangerine pieces.
Eriri had already eaten quite a bit, leaving only three segments.
Yukima Azuma took one and placed it in his mouth.
"So damn sour." His voice turned hoarse.
"Umu, really sour." Kato Megumi nodded in agreement.
Eriri fumed. "How can a tangerine be this sour?! Was it born just to take revenge on us?!"
"Lonely-kun, let me have a sip of your tea." Kasumigaoka Utaha reached out, demanding Yukima Azuma's teacup.
Yukinoshita Yukino watched their reactions with curiosity.
Was it really that sour?
She picked up one of the remaining two segments and hesitantly put it in her mouth.
The next moment, she wrinkled her nose.
()
Meanwhile, the true culprit was chuckling softly to herself.
"Haruno-san, here, I saved the last piece especially for you."
Yukima Azuma glanced at Haruno.
He wasn't about to let this wicked woman enjoy herself while the rest of them suffered.
Haruno paused for a moment.
Then, without hesitation, she picked up the last piece and put it in her mouth.
The instant the tangerine juice burst out, it was indeed extremely sour.
But Haruno ate it with ease.
Compared to the bitterness she had tasted before, this sourness was nothing.
Like that day, when Yukima Azuma got out of her car without looking back.
And held her little sister in his arms.
Like the disgust in his eyes when he told her:
"The only person I need is Yukino."
Compared to that this tangerine was almost sweet.
( )
Watching Haruno eat so nonchalantly, Yukima Azuma felt complicated emotions rise in his chest. He turned away.
....
The afternoon passed quickly amidst various diversions.
In the end, they never got around to playing White Album 2 as planned.
Instead, they ended up playing Minecraft online together for a while.
As night fell, Yukima Azuma reluctantly left the warmth of the kotatsu and headed to the kitchen to prepare dinner.
Kasumigaoka Utaha was quicker than Kato Megumishe rushed into the kitchen first.
Intent on helping Yukima Azuma.
It was strange.
With a skilled cook like Yukima Azuma handling every meal,
Logically, none of the girls should have needed to bother with cooking.
Yet somehow, their culinary skills had improved significantly.
Before long, a lavish Christmas feast was laid out.
"I brought some wine. Want to try a little?"
Haruno took two bottles of premium wine out of her bag.
Aside from Yukino, everyone else was under twenty.
Yukima Azuma rolled his eyes.
As for Kirisu Mafuyu
Ever since her legendary drunken incident, the group had silently banned her from drinking.
"Just a little won't hurt," Haruno said with a soft laugh.
Yukima Azuma shook his head in refusal.
At the same time, he glanced at Yukino and silently mouthed:
"How's your sister's alcohol tolerance?"
Noticing his lip movements, Yukino responded:
"Never seen her drunk before."
Having attended countless high-profile parties, Yukinoshita Haruno's alcohol tolerance was naturally top-tier.
Ordinary wine? Even a few bottles wouldn't faze her.
Chapter 256: Come On, Let's Sleep Together!
After confirming the information with Yukino, Yukima Azuma watched with amusement, waiting for what would happen next.
He felt that, with the personality of a wicked woman like Haruno
Taking out wine at this moment definitely had some ulterior motive.
Who knows, maybe she'd use the excuse of being drunk to take advantage of him.
When that time came, Yukima Azuma would surely expose the true face of this scheming woman!
( _)
However, after dinner
Yukinoshita Haruno drank more than a bottle of wine.
Her cheeks were only slightly flushed, making her look a little more seductive.
Other than that, there were no signs of drunkenness or pretending to be drunk.
Her gaze remained clear, completely sober.
On the other hand, Yukino had been forced to drink two glasses of wine by her sister.
At this moment, her eyes looked a bit dazed.
(///// " )
She actually looked quite alluring.
Noticing Yukima Azuma's confused gaze on her,
Haruno blinked at him.
As if to ask: "Were you expecting me to do something?"
()
Yukima Azuma looked away.
It felt like Haruno always threw out bait filled with hidden implications for others to speculate on,
Only to ultimately do nothing at all which, in itself, was a kind of action.
A dangerous woman would always be a dangerous woman!
"Ah, I missed the last train."
Haruno checked her phone and let out a soft sigh.
She had driven here.
But now that she had been drinking, she obviously couldn't drive home.
Yukima Azuma really wanted to say that he could call a driver for her,
But before he could, Yukino's dazed voice spoke up first:
"Then Sis, just stay over tonight."
"You can sleep in my room."
Yukino, who was usually cold and distant, became extremely clingy when drunk.
Though she seemed indifferent to relationships, in reality, she was someone who deeply cared about those around her.
Due to family issues and her own personality, she never showed much affection toward Haruno,
But in truth, Yukino cared a lot about her older sister.
Now that she was tipsy, that fact became even more apparent.
"Is that really okay?" Haruno sneakily glanced at Yukima Azuma,
As if seeking his opinion.
Meanwhile, in her heart, she secretly praised her little sister.
Haruno: ) Nice Yukino-chan!
Just as Haruno had predicted.
Now that Yukino had said it,
There was no way Yukima Azuma could tell her to leave.
However, Yukima Azuma still said,
"There's still a guest room available, no need to squeeze together."
Yukino drowsily nodded.
"( ) z Z
In reality, she hadn't even fully processed what Yukima Azuma had just said.
She simply agreed because it was him speaking.
Haruno had no objections either.
And so, she followed Yukima Azuma upstairs to the empty guest room.
He turned on the lights.
Then pointed toward the wardrobe.
"There are fresh blankets in there."
Since the room was cleaned regularly, despite being unused for a long time, it was still spotless.
However, with no personal belongings inside, it felt rather cold and lifeless.
Haruno looked around the room before breaking into a smile.
"Alright then, thanks, Azuma-kun."
...
Once Yukima Azuma left,
Haruno sat down on the edge of the bed, letting her fingers glide across the neatly laid-out sheets.
Yukima Azuma felt that this wicked woman definitely had some hidden agenda.
But what he didn't know was Haruno was actually quite easy to satisfy.
For example, right now, just being able to stay here for the night,
That alone was enough to make her content.
Even though they had once gone all the way,
During their time apart, whenever she thought of that boy,
Haruno could only recall his fading silhouette from old memories.
But now, she could sit and talk with him in this very house.
She could stay the night here even if this room didn't bear her name.
And that was enough to make her happy.
