[43] (Hidden Title)

A/N:

-Hey everyone, I've just read some comments, and I saw comment that Saeko's attack name is lame. I'm embarrassed about this. I've decided to change it. Check it out again in Chapter 39 to see if the new name is better.

------------------------

In a not particularly large yet tastefully decorated apartment, a young woman with an icy demeanor sat quietly, holding a book in her hands.

This young lady boasted waist-length, jet-black hair, a refined countenance, translucent porcelain skin, and a face so adorable it bordered on being unfair.

Though her chest was as flat as the Kanto Plain, she possessed long and well-proportioned limbs, a perfectly slender waist, and flawless body curves.

Even in casual home attire, her astonishing allure couldn't be concealed, as she appeared like a work of art bathed in the sunlight.

"Is it already this time?" Glancing at the clock on the wall, Yukino Yukinoshita closed the book in her hands and stood up.

"Today is the limited edition Mr. Pan; I must buy it," the girl declared before walking into the bedroom.

Shortly thereafter, Yukino, now dressed in a different outfit, left the apartment.

Inside Yukinoshita Co., Ltd.

"Oh, Yukino has actually left the apartment," muttered a short-haired beauty who bore a striking 70% resemblance to Yukino, though with noticeably different attributes, while she gazed at the slowly moving red logo on her phone.

This was Yukino's elder sister, Yukinoshita Haruno.

"Let's see where you're headed, then." Haruno picked up her phone and, after speaking, left the company.

Near the train station, there was a shop, and Yukino was the first to appear here.

A few minutes after Yukino entered, her short-haired sister, Haruno, also arrived.

"Hmm? A doll store? Is Yukino buying something?" Haruno tilted her head as she looked at the store in front of her but chose not to go inside.

She wasn't the type to enjoy buying dolls, and if she were to run into Yukino inside, it might be difficult to explain.

Finding a nearby coffee shop, Haruno entered and ordered a cup of coffee, planning to enjoy it while she waited.

Now, back to Yukino's side.

Entering the store, Yukino made a beeline for the middle booth and was relieved to find a few Mr. Pan dolls still available.

Mr. Pan, as it turns out, is a panda doll.

However, this particular doll wasn't as innocent and cute as one might expect.

While Mr. Pan's body was indeed as round as a panda, its expression had a somewhat fierce and mischievous quality, resembling a rebellious panda.

After purchasing her beloved Mr. Pan, Yukino wore a happy smile on her face.

Instead of leaving immediately, she found herself at a counter filled with adorable cat dolls, her face displaying a conflicted expression.

"Oh, these cat dolls are so cute. I really want to buy them."

No, no, there are already plenty at home, and I can't spend money impulsively.And I need to break free from my family's control.

Nevertheless, cats are just too adorable.

Despite her internal debate, Yukino ultimately succumbed to the temptation of the cat dolls.

She retrieved her wallet and purchased two of them.

Having purchased Mr. Pan and two cat dolls, Yukino exited the store.

Across the street in the coffee shop, Haruno spotted her younger sister leaving and promptly settled her bill before heading outside.

She took a brief detour, then strolled in Yukino's direction, planning to feign a chance encounter.

"Oh, isn't this Yukino? What a coincidence!"

"Nee-san?!"

"How are you here?"

Clearly, Yukino, in her innocence, didn't see through her sister's impressive acting skills and genuinely believed they had met by chance.

"I just bumped into an old classmate nearby. I never expected to run into you, Yukino. It's quite lucky," Haruno replied with a smile.

Hearing this, Yukino nodded.

She didn't doubt her sister's words since, unlike herself, who had no friends, her sister excelled in every aspect, even in making friends.

That's why I want to follow her footsteps so much...

"By the way, now that we've run into each other," Haruno said, "I'll come over to your apartment for dinner today. I haven't tasted your cooking in a long time."

"Yukino won't turn me away, will she?" Haruno said, and at the end of her sentence, a pitiful expression appeared on her face.

Upon hearing her words, Yukino fell silent for a moment before ultimately nodding.

"Perhaps cooking is the only realm where I surpass my sister," Yukino thought to herself.

"Great, then let's head there!" With a joyful smile, Haruno turned around and displayed an expression of anticipation.

However, not long after they began walking toward Yukino's apartment, Haruno suddenly spotted a familiar figure.

------------------

On Hachiman's side, the movie ended, and the two of them walked out of the theater.

"Wow, that movie was really good, don't you think so, Hikki?" Yui, in a cheerful mood, wore an energetic smile.

"That's true, the movie was excellent, but there is something even better," a mysterious smile appeared on Hachiman's face.

"Is there something even better? What is it, Hikki?" Yui asked.

After the movie ended, Yui returned to her naturally lively self.

She stood on her tiptoes, leaned forward slightly, and looked at him with eager anticipation.

"Of course, I find Yui much more attractive."

"Moo~ You're such a tease, Hikki." Hearing him say this again, Yui's cheeks couldn't help but flush with a hint of crimson.

"I'm not joking, you know." Unable to resist, Hachiman gently brushed his right hand across her cheek, relishing the delicate sensation beneath his fingertips.

"In my eyes, Yui is much more beautiful than any movie." As he spoke these words, Hachiman's gaze conveyed genuine sincerity.

"Hikki..." Yui, who still retained her innocence, found it overwhelming.

Her head suddenly grew dizzy, and she couldn't help but close her eyes.

Observing Yui with her eyes shut, her slender eyelashes quivering slightly, Hachiman couldn't resist lowering his head and gradually moving closer to her.

Just when they were mere inches apart, a shout came from a distance.

"Ara, isn't this Hikigaya-kun?" The voice hit them like a lightning bolt, jolting them back to reality.

Yui, realizing their proximity, quickly pulled back with a flushed face.

"Hikki, we..."

Seeing Yui's expression, Hachiman knew he had lost his opportunity.

He turned around with a dejected look, eager to identify the culprit who had disrupted their moment.

Then, he laid eyes on Haruno, who wore a smile, and Yukino, who appeared cold.

What's going on, sister? Do you realize you just messed up my big opportunity? Yui was about to be within my reach.

"Don't think you can act with impunity just because you have a bigger chest. My Yui's breast are even larger than yours," Hikigaya thought, frustrated by the interruption.

"Hikigaya-kun, good afternoon," Haruno greeted Hachiman with a smile as she approached.

Upon hearing Hachiman's last name, Yukino had a complex expression on her face.

---------------------------------

(A/N:The phrase "chest as flat as the Kanto Plain" is a figurative expression often used in Japanese light novels and manga. It means that the person being described has a very small or flat chest, implying a lack of noticeable breast size. The "Kanto Plain" is a region in Japan known for its flat, open terrain, so the comparison is used to emphasize the flatness of the person's chest.)

---------------------------------

Title Chapter 43: Encounter with the Yukinoshita Sisters

---------------------------------

Chapter 44: Hachiman and Yukino's First Meeting

Chapter 45: The Flame Empress