Chapter 349: Yukino's Initiative Kiss
Suddenly being kissed by Hachiman in this situation, Yui's body stiffened for a moment. However, kissing each other was not something new to them, so she quickly responded.
After a while, their lips parted.
At this moment, the girl's gaze was somewhat dazed, her face flushed, and she was breathing slightly heavier.
"Hikki... why did you suddenly kiss me? What if Yukinon or the others saw us?"
Hearing her words, a smile appeared on Hachiman's lips.
"Yui, didn't you say you wanted to be with Yukino forever? So, you should get used to things like this gradually."
Since the girl had already expressed that she didn't mind Yukino, he also had to show it.
But hearing his words, Yui pouted and playfully hit his chest.
"Silly Hikki, you always tease me. How could you do this in front of Yukinon and the others? It's so embarrassing."
Kissing was nothing. Saeko and Kotonoha often did even more intimate things together, and their relationship was even closer than sisters.
But this was definitely something she couldn't say to Yui. Otherwise, this silly girl would definitely explode.
Hachiman shrugged and casually said, "Don't worry, I've already driven the motorboat far away. Yukino won't see us."
"Huh?"
The girl then realized that they were at least five kilometers away from the beach.
At this distance, even if Yukino could see their figures, she definitely couldn't see what they were doing.
Seeing the blurry figures on the beach, Yui breathed a sigh of relief.
But she still pouted slightly and glared at Hachiman.
"Thank goodness Yukinon didn't see us. If she found out, I wouldn't talk to you anymore!"
This surprised Hachiman a bit. It seemed that Yui really considered Yukino her best friend, to say such a thing.
"Alright, don't worry. I promise you, I'll make sure Yukino agrees too." Hachiman smiled and patted her head.
With Yui settled, Yumiko's situation wasn't a big problem either. He just needed to try a bit harder himself. As for Saeko, Kotonoha, and Utaha, it seemed they had already reached an understanding.
Unbeknownst to him, Hachiman had already gained the approval of most of the girls. Now, only Yukino, Erina, and a few others remained.
With Hachiman's assurance, Yui breathed a sigh of relief.
"Alright, let's head back. Hikki, it's Yukinon's turn for a ride."
"Yeah, let's go back."
Hachiman nodded, eased off the throttle, and guided the motorboat back towards the beach.
Before long, they arrived back at the shore.
As they disembarked, Yui approached Yukino, took her hand, and beamed at her.
"Yukinon, riding on the sea feels amazing. You should give it a try too."
It must be said that girls were indeed natural actresses, even someone as seemingly simple as Yui.
Her current demeanor made it difficult to discern that she had just been kissed by Hachiman.
Upon hearing Yui's suggestion, Yukino's face also lit up with a faint smile.
"Sure, I'll give it a try."
She then looked up at Hachiman.
"Hachiman, let's go!"
Yukino had some things she wanted to discuss privately with Hachiman, and a ride on the sea provided the perfect opportunity.
Hachiman naturally agreed and escorted Yukino onto the motorboat.
With the engine revving up again, the motorboat sliced through the waves and sped across the sea.
Similar to Yui, Yukino sat in front of Hachiman.
The gentle sea breeze caressed her cheeks, causing her to squint her eyes in comfort.
Her long black hair danced in the wind, a few strands teasingly tickling Hachiman's nose, making him feel slightly itchy.
After cruising on the sea for a while, Yukino suddenly spoke up, "Hachiman, could you drive a bit further away? I have something to tell you."
Hearing her request, Hachiman raised an eyebrow but complied. He steered the motorboat to a spot five kilometers away from the shore.
"Yukino, what's on your mind?"
Observing her lowering her head, Hachiman felt a bit puzzled.
Hmm?
Wasn't she the one who wanted to move away? Why isn't she saying anything now?
Before he could even ask, the girl suddenly lifted her head and kissed him on the lips.
Yukino's bold move caught Hachiman by surprise. He never expected the girl to initiate a kiss.
But he wasn't about to let this opportunity slip away. Taking the initiative, he seized control of the kiss.
With Hachiman taking the lead, Yukino had no choice but to go along with it.
After a moment, their lips parted. Yukino's face flushed red as she breathed slightly heavily, while Hachiman remained calm and composed, as if nothing had happened.
Observing this, Yukino felt slightly puzzled.
"Why do you seem so proficient at kissing?"
Although taken aback, Hachiman casually shrugged. "Well, maybe it's just a man's instinct."
"But it's quite rare for you to initiate a kiss like that," he added, teasingly.
Noticing the teasing tone in his voice, Yukino rolled her eyes at him.
"Ugh, you're impossible. Can't even give you a bit of kindness."
"Alright, alright, no more jokes. You mentioned you had something to tell me, right? What is it?" Hachiman smiled.
Taking in his smile, Yukino sighed softly before speaking up.
"I need your help with something."
"What is it? Just tell me, if it's something I can help with, I'll assist you, Yukino." Hachiman's face displayed a confident smile.
"I want... I want you to help me break free from the control of the Yukinoshita family," Yukino said calmly.
"Break free from the Yukinoshita family?" Hachiman paused for a moment, then realized something.
"That kiss just now, was it your way of paying me back?"
Upon hearing his words, a blush crept onto Yukino's face, and she turned her head slightly away.
Seeing Yukino's reaction, Hachiman confirmed his suspicion.
Although Yukino had always wanted to break free from the Yukinoshita family's control, why was she so eager this time?
What he didn't know was that Yukino's urgency stemmed from a conversation she had with her mother during their last visit home.
Mrs. Yukinoshita wanted Yukino to use herself as bait to trap Hachiman on the Yukinoshita family's ship, which only fueled Yukino's growing resentment. While it's true that Yukino likes Hachiman, it's based on her own feelings, not something imposed on her by her mother.
This is why Yukino is so eager to break free from the Yukinoshita family's control. She wants to assert her independence and autonomy, rather than being used as a tool by a powerful family.
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Chapter 350: Becoming Hikigaya Yukino
Observing Yukino's demeanor, Hachiman felt somewhat puzzled.
Although Yukino had been wanting to break free from the control of the Yukinoshita family for some time, today she seemed particularly eager.
Hachiman could somewhat guess the reason behind it. It was probably because Yukino's mother had said something that Yukino strongly disagreed with.
After all, Yukino had a stubborn personality and was not very articulate, making her prone to getting stuck in her own thoughts.
Just like in the original story, Yukino disagreed with Hachiman's method of sacrificing himself to protect others. However, being not very good at expressing herself, she didn't know how to address it, which led to the strained relationship among the three of them.
Moreover, Yukino had always wanted to prove that she could be independent.
Indeed, Yukino didn't resent the Yukinoshita family per se; she just didn't like her mother controlling her destiny.
Since childhood, she had been raised according to her mother's plans.
Without the constraints of her family, perhaps she could have been like anyone else, enjoying the things she liked and pursuing her own interests, a person with her own identity, a normal girl.
But being born into the Yukinoshita family, especially after her sister, Haruno, was designated as the heir, Yukino's path seemed predetermined—to become a tool for the family's alliances.
This wasn't the path Yukino wanted to take. She was a living person, not just a pawn manipulated by her family.
That's why she was so eager to prove herself independent. She wanted to show that she was just as capable as her sister, Haruno. Even if she left the Yukinoshita family, she could still live a fulfilling life.
Thinking to herself, Yukino lifted her head and looked directly at Hachiman.
"Can you help me?"
In fact, Hachiman's help wouldn't be difficult for Yukino to obtain. He had previously suggested that Yukino needed to achieve financial independence as the first step to breaking away from the Yukinoshita family.
His suggestion of the cat website was a good direction, but Yukino hadn't taken real action yet.
Once she achieved financial independence, Yukino would have the initial capital to break free from the Yukinoshita family. After all, it was a legal society now; the Yukinoshita family couldn't just come and abduct her, and Hachiman wouldn't stand idly by.
However, Hachiman was still curious about why Yukino was suddenly so eager.
"I can help, but can you tell me why you're in such a hurry?"
Of course, it's because of you.
Yukino mentally rolled her eyes at Hachiman. According to her conversation with her mother, it wouldn't be long before the Yukinoshita family approached Hachiman about marriage.
The specific content would likely involve using her as leverage to bind Hachiman to the Yukinoshita family's interests.
Yukino certainly wouldn't agree to that. She liked Hachiman, yes, but it was her own choice, not something forced upon her by her family.
Although the outcome might seem the same—marrying Hachiman—Yukino didn't want to become a pawn used by the Yukinoshita family to control Hachiman.
She wanted to stand her ground, even if it meant marrying Hachiman. It would be her choice, completely separate from the Yukinoshita family's influence.
However, she couldn't say these things directly in front of Hachiman; after all, she had her own pride as Yukinoshita Yukino.
With a plan in mind, Yukino maintained a cold expression on her face.
"Because when I went home last time, my mother said she wanted to arrange a marriage for me and unite the Yukinoshita family with a young man she approves of."
"What?!"
Hearing this, Hachiman exploded.
"No, absolutely not."
He had long regarded Yukino as his woman. How could he remain calm when the Yukinoshita family wanted to marry her off to someone else?
Seeing Hachiman's excited expression, Yukino couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction.
Of course, she wouldn't mention that the marriage arrangement her mother mentioned was about him; she continued with her act.
"That's why I'm so eager to break free from the Yukinoshita family's control."
"Will you help me?"
"Of course!"
Hachiman nodded without hesitation.
Plan successful!
Seeing his agreement, Yukino smiled. She had no doubt about his ability to help her, especially after the incident during the company visit.
However, Hachiman couldn't shake the feeling that he was being manipulated by her.
It must be just his imagination. After all, Yukino wasn't someone who played mind games, unlike her sister.
But before he could dwell on it further, Yukino asked, "How do you plan to help me?"
Shrugging, Hachiman replied, "As I said before, if you want to break free from the Yukinoshita family's control, the first step is to achieve financial independence."
Yukino nodded. Hachiman had indeed mentioned this before, along with his idea for a cat website.
"Even if you cut ties with the Yukinoshita family now, it wouldn't be a problem. I can support you financially, but I believe that's not what you want," Hachiman continued.
Again, Yukino nodded. Accepting financial support from Hachiman would mean becoming dependent on him, and she didn't want that.
"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime," Hachiman said with a smile, noticing Yukino's expression.
"So, the most important thing now is for you to learn how to earn money. The cat website we discussed earlier is a great opportunity. After all, you're the 'Cat Encyclopedia' and know everything about cats."
Hearing him mention her nickname, Yukino huffed but still smiled confidently.
"Of course, no one knows cats better than I do."
Amused by her pride, Hachiman shook his head. "So, opening a cat website is the easiest way for you to make money."
Yukino nodded again. Turning her hobby into a source of income was indeed appealing.
After a moment, Yukino's expression became hesitant.
"But I don't know how to build a website."
"It's okay; I can help you with that," Hachiman reassured her, glancing at the level five "Computer" skill on his status panel.
"Really? That's great."
Seeing his promise, Yukino smiled. But before she could fully enjoy it, Hachiman continued speaking.
"Helping you is fine, but I wonder what reward you'll give me, Yukino?"
"Huh? Reward?!" The girl blinked in surprise.
"I... I just kissed you earlier, didn't I?"
"Just a kiss isn't enough," Hachiman wagged his finger.
Hearing his words, Yukino's face flushed with embarrassment, unsure of what to say next.
"So... what kind of reward do you want, then?"
Seeing the shy expression on her face, Hachiman smirked and pulled her into his embrace, whispering softly in her ear.
"Since you're planning to break free from the Yukinoshita family, then from now on, you'll become Hikigaya Yukino."
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