[527] A Mere Cheating Cat Dares to Steal a Man

Chapter 527: A Mere Cheating Cat Dares to Steal a Man

"Why rent a place when I can just buy an apartment near the university?"

Hearing Hachiman's audacious statement, both girls were stunned.

Yui stammered, "B-Buying a place... isn't that a bit too much, Hikki?"

"Too much? Not at all. We'll be at university for four years, and renting is just too much hassle. It's better to buy a place. Besides, it's not even that expensive," Hachiman waved it off casually.

With his current wealth, unless it was in one of Tokyo's top-tier commercial districts, buying a place anywhere else was like a drop in the ocean for him.

Even in those prime areas, he could still afford it, though the price would be higher. But that wasn't necessary. This place would only serve as a temporary residence during their university years, not his future home.

"When I buy the place, you two can just move in."

Hachiman had decided to purchase a bigger house, considering that there might be quite a few people living there later on.

However, despite his words, Yukino still shook her head.

"I still think buying a house is unnecessary. It's only four years of study, renting would be much cheaper."

"Yeah, exactly! Buying a house seems like such a waste," Yui nodded in agreement.

Coming from an ordinary family, she couldn't quite grasp the concept of casually buying a house on a whim.

Unfortunately, despite their objections, Hachiman remained firm in his decision.

"Even if it's just four years, it's still a place we'll be living in, a 'home.' If it's rented, something about it feels off."

"Can a place really be called 'home' if it doesn't give you a sense of belonging?"

"And a house, once bought, won't lose its value."

Hearing this, both Yukino and Yui fell silent.

They hadn't expected Hachiman to think this deeply.

A home, huh?

They both longed to have a home with Hachiman.

And he had a point. No matter how long you stay in a rented place, it always feels unfamiliar because it doesn't truly belong to you.

That's why so many people spend their lives striving to buy a house – because everyone wants a place they can call home.

At that moment, Hachiman smiled and continued.

"Once we buy the house, you can decorate it yourselves. That'll make it feel even more like a home."

Hearing this, both girls perked up.

Decorating it themselves?

That would definitely make it feel homier.

With those thoughts in their minds, their objections began to fade away.

Just as Hachiman said, buying a house wasn't really a big expense for him now. Plus, a house isn't a consumable item; it's a solid investment. Even if they lived in it for four years and sold it afterward, he wouldn't lose money.

Since the decision was made, Hachiman didn't want to linger on the topic any longer. Waving his hand, he said, "Alright, the house is settled. Now let's think about what to get for Komachi."

"You're right," Yukino nodded in agreement.

The three of them continued browsing the store. They were in an area specializing in cups, with all sorts of shapes and designs.

Suddenly, Yui seemed to spot something and dashed over. "Look! I think this mug is cute!"

In her hands was a panda-shaped mug.

Seeing the mug, even Yukino nodded in rare agreement.

"Yes, it's quite cute."

Pandas and cats were among the few animals that Yukino liked.

After scanning the shelves for a while, Yukino too seemed to have found something and walked over. She picked up a cat-shaped mug and examined it closely.

After confirming the mug's quality, a smile appeared on her face.

Seeing this, Hachiman chuckled. "You like that one?"

"Yes, I think it's cute," Yukino admitted without hesitation.

Hachiman and Yui were well aware of her preferences, so there was no need for her to hide anything from them.

Hearing Yukino say she liked the mug, Hachiman waved his hand. "If you like it, let's buy it! Money isn't an issue!"

"Thank you." Yukino didn't refuse.

In the end, all three picked out their gifts: Yui got the panda-shaped mug, Yukino chose a plush pillow, and Hachiman bought a small desk lamp.

Although none of the items were particularly expensive, as the saying goes, the thought behind the gift is what matters most.

And rather than extravagant, rarely-used gifts, these practical items—though simple—were perfect for daily use, weren't they?

After paying, the three left the shopping center.

As they walked back, they each seemed to have resolved something in their hearts.

At that moment, Yui suddenly remembered something and looked at Hachiman beside her.

"Oh yeah, Hikki, I forgot to ask. What did Iroha-chan need from you?"

Hearing this, Yukino subtly perked up her ears. After all, in her mind, Iroha was definitely a sneaky little "cheating cat." Last time, she had the nerve to make a move on Hachiman right in front of her, and now, seeking him out privately? There was no way her intentions were pure.

"Oh, you mean that? Isshiki wants to organize a ball, so she came to ask for my help," Hachiman explained honestly, without hiding anything.

Both Yukino and Yui were visibly surprised by this revelation.

"A ball?!"

Their reaction was understandable. After all, the graduation ball was still in the planning stages, and no information had been made public yet.

"Yeah, a ball. To be precise, it's a graduation ball," Hachiman shrugged.

"Since the third-year seniors are about to graduate, Isshiki is planning to host a ball to send them off."

"That sounds really nice!" Yui smiled, and even Yukino nodded in admiration.

"That's right, Isshiki really did a good job with this one."

"But why did she come to you for help? You don't exactly have any experience organizing a ball," Yukino asked suspiciously.

"Honestly, I have no idea why she came to me," Hachiman feigned ignorance, shrugging. "But since she specifically asked, I couldn't just turn her down, so I went to the student council today and discussed the general plan for organizing the ball."

"How did the discussion go?" Yukino inquired.

"We pretty much finalized the main outline. Now, it's just a matter of putting in the effort on all fronts," Hachiman shrugged again.

Hearing this, Yukino thought for a moment before speaking up. "Is there anything we can help with?"

The girl understood that organizing a ball wasn't something that could be done in a day or two, and she certainly wasn't comfortable with the idea of leaving Hachiman alone with Isshiki for extended periods.

"Yeah, let us help out too," Yui chimed in, genuinely wanting to lend a hand.

Hachiman chuckled at their offer. "Actually, there is something I could use your help with."

"What is it?" Both girls asked in unison.

"In three days, we're filming a promotional video for the ball. I was hoping you two could be part of it," Hachiman said with a smile.

"A promotional video for the ball?" Yukino and Yui were both surprised.

"Yeah, the ball is still in its early planning stages, and the student council will soon create an official account to promote it. To attract attention, we're going to film a video and post it there," Hachiman explained.

"Originally, we planned to shoot a duet, but I felt that wasn't impactful enough, so we decided to go with a group dance instead."

"The filming is scheduled for three days from now, and I'd really like for you both to participate."

"After all, for a promotional video, we need some beautiful people."

"Haha, 'beautiful' is a little embarrassing," Yui blushed as she playfully touched the bun on her head.

As for Yukino, she had no hesitation in accepting the compliment. She was quite confident in her looks.

"Yui and I don't mind the 'beautiful' part, but where are you going to find the handsome guy?" Yukino teased.

"That would be me," Hachiman said confidently, pointing to his chest.

"Tch, as expected..." Yukino immediately saw through Isshiki's original plan. If she hadn't found out about this, Isshiki would have surely paired herself with Hachiman for the dance.

The thought of the two dancing closely together irked Yukino a little.

But soon, she lifted her head again. "No problem, Yui and I will both participate."

Like hell I'll let that sneaky cat steal my man! she thought to herself.

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