Chapter 514: What is the Spirit of Craftsmanship?
On the second day of the Chocolate Making Festival, Valentine's Day arrives.
The entire Sobu High School is filled with a romantic atmosphere, with couples exchanging chocolates everywhere. Yesterday was merely a warm-up; today marks the official start of Valentine's Day.
Due to the declining birthrate in Japan, high schools typically do not have explicit policies against dating, but neither do they encourage it. Most schools prefer to turn a blind eye to students' romantic relationships, which are usually kept discreet.
However, this time is different. The student council, as the school's representatives, have taken the lead in organizing this Valentine's event, and students are now expressing their affection openly, seemingly relieved to finally do so.
As for Hachiman, he's receiving a lot of chocolates. Yukino, Yui, Yumiko, Saki, Iroha, and Ebina name it—nearly every girl has given him a piece. The envy of the others is palpable.
This is actually a restrained version of Hachiman's usual haul. If he were less modest, the number of chocolates he'd receive would be even greater. After all, given his newfound popularity thanks to recent events, chocolates are easily within his reach.
Yet, Hachiman maintains his decorum and politely declines chocolates from his more enthusiastic admirers.
Aside from the chocolates from Yukino and others, Saeko and Alice's Valentine's special event is also underway.
In the afternoon of Valentine's Day, Hachiman arrives at Saeko's dojo as scheduled. With Masao away for international swordsmanship exchanges, they are undisturbed.
Upon opening the door to Saeko's room, Hachiman is greeted by the sight of four girls waiting eagerly.
Their attire immediately catches his eye: they are adorned with nothing but a few decorative gift ribbons wrapped around their bare bodies, presenting themselves as living gifts, with chocolate syrup smeared over their chest areas.
Seeing the Valentine's chocolates presented by the girls, Hachiman doesn't hesitate to taste them.
The sweetness is perfect, and the texture is quite good.
However, Hachiman is frustrated to find that the chocolates lack syrup—a crucial component. As the world's greatest chef, he cannot tolerate such an oversight.
Determined to rectify the situation, Hachiman takes it upon himself to add rich syrup to each piece of "girl's chocolate," working tirelessly until he's nearly exhausted.
What is the spirit of craftsmanship, you ask?
Feel free to let the tears flow on the screen.
....
After a sweet Valentine's Day, Hachiman faces another important event: Komachi's entrance exams.
In the days leading up to the exam, Komachi has been studying diligently, determined to pass and join her brother at Sobu High. Seeing her hard work, Hachiman feels a pang of sympathy.
While he can't directly help her with the exams, he's been busy preparing delicious meals to support her through this stressful period. The results have been noticeable—Komachi gained a pound recently, which led to her chasing Hachiman around and giving him a playful beating.
Despite the playful violence, Komachi's anxiety before the exam has eased significantly.
On the day of the exam, Hachiman wakes up early to prepare a hearty breakfast for Komachi. Since the entrance exams are being held, Sobu High has given a day off.
As Hachiman enjoys his breakfast, he hears the familiar sound of "thud-thud-thud" footsteps approaching, followed by Komachi's cheerful voice.
"Good morning, Onii-chan!"
"Yeah, good morning, Komachi."
Seeing his energetic little sister, Hachiman greeted her with a smile.
"Ah... I slept so well," Komachi stretched with a yawn.
Hachiman nodded approvingly. "That's good. A good night's sleep will help you perform well today."
Without saying much, Komachi bounded over and hugged him tightly. "Onii-chan, I'm going to pass the exam and join you at Sobu High."
Seeing her determination, Hachiman lovingly ruffled her hair. "I'll be waiting for you."
"Yes, Onii-chan, just wait for my good news," Komachi said confidently, shaking her little fist.
After breakfast, Hachiman and Komachi left the house together. Since it was snowing, he decided to accompany his sister to the exam venue.
Upon arriving, Hachiman noticed some familiar faces. Yukino and Yui were also there for some reason.
"Yukino-nee, Yui-nee."
Komachi greeted them first.
"Hello, Komachi-chan!"
"Good morning, Komachi."
The two girls responded warmly.
Hachiman, puzzled, asked, "What are you two doing here?"
"Of course, we're here to see Komachi-chan off for her exam," Yui explained with a smile, while Yukino nodded in agreement.
"Yes, today is an important day for Komachi, so we came along to support her."
Komachi beamed with happiness. "Wow, Yukino-nee, Yui-nee, thank you!"
It seemed like these two were eager to become Komachi's sisters-in-law.
Seeing their enthusiasm, Hachiman couldn't help but smile.
As he glanced around, he soon spotted another familiar face. Saki was also there, accompanying a boy who appeared to be her younger brother, Taishi—Komachi's classmate from the tutoring sessions.
"Taishi, over here!"
Komachi waved excitedly when she saw him. Saki and Taishi walked over to join them.
Seeing the group gathered together, Kawasaki Saki was a bit surprised.
"You're all here too?"
"Yes, today is the day of Komachi's entrance exam, so we came to see her off," Yukino explained with a smile.
"I see," Saki said, realizing that Komachi was also an exam taker, just like her younger brother.
"You're here to see your brother off as well?" Yukino asked.
Saki nodded. "Yes, Taishi is also taking the exam today, and his first choice is Sobu High, so I'm quite worried about him."
"Heh, it looks like you're a good older sibling just like Hikki. I wish I had a younger brother or sister, but I'm an only child," Yui said with a touch of envy.
"…"
Meanwhile, Komachi and Taishi were also chatting about their preparations.
Komachi, curious, asked Taishi, "How was your review? Feeling prepared?"
"I've reviewed everything I needed to; now it's just about performing well today," Taishi said, showing a hint of worry.
"What about you? Are you confident?"
In contrast to Taishi's worry, Komachi seemed much more confident, smiling brightly. "I'm definitely going to pass. I've promised Onii-chan that we'll be going to Sobu High together."
Taishi's worry seemed to lessen with her confidence. "I'll definitely pass too. Let's both get into Sobu High."
Just as Taishi, feeling emotional, reached out to grab Komachi's hand, a clearing throat was heard.
"Ahem!"
Looking over, Taishi saw Hachiman glaring at him, which made him stand straight immediately.
Soon, it was time for the exam, and Komachi and Taishi said their goodbyes to everyone and entered the exam venue.
As they watched the two of them walk away, Yui expressed her concern.
"I wonder if Komachi-chan will pass. If she doesn't…"
She quickly realized that wasn't a very optimistic thing to say and corrected herself.
"Ugh, what am I saying? She will definitely pass."
"Yes, Komachi will definitely make it," Hachiman said with confidence.
Even if she didn't, with his current resources, he could still arrange for Komachi to get into Sobu High.
Of course, that was a secondary consideration.
Komachi had worked so hard; she would definitely pass on her own.
She definitely would!
---------------
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Chapter 515: Meeting the Parents Once Again
As Komachi walked into the exam hall, both Yukino and Yui couldn't help but feel nervous.
Even though they weren't the ones taking the exam, it was reassuring to know that the one being tested was their future sister-in-law; how could they not be worried?
Moreover, Sobu High is considered one of Chiba's top high schools, making it quite challenging to get accepted.
While the two were silently praying for Komachi, Hachiman's voice broke through.
"Don't worry, Komachi will definitely make it."
It's worth noting that for this entrance exam, the little girl had been working twice as hard over the past month.
Besides preparing delicious meals for her every day, Hachiman also occasionally helped her with her studies.
In addition, he frequently invited Mafuyu, their neighbor, to come over and explain difficult topics and key points to Komachi.
With all these efforts, he couldn't believe she wouldn't pass.
...
Seeing Hachiman's confidence, Yukino and Yui felt relieved.
After all, living together every day, if anyone knew how well Komachi was preparing, it would be her brother Hachiman.
"That's great! It looks like Komachi will soon be joining us at Sobu High," Yui said with a cheerful smile.
Yukino nodded, "Exactly, and she can also join our Service Club."
"Yes, once Komachi joins Sobu High, she can definitely be part of our Service Club," Yui agreed excitedly.
As the two envisioned the future, Hachiman interrupted their thoughts.
"Alright, alright, instead of focusing on Komachi, maybe you should think about yourselves first."
"Think about ourselves?"
The three girls looked confused at his words.
"That's right." Hachiman nodded.
"With Komachi advancing to Sobu High, doesn't that mean we'll be advancing to our third year?"
"Advancing to our third year means facing college entrance exams. We've already filled out our aspirations, and now it's our turn to focus on our own further education."
"Um..."
Hearing this, the three girls fell into silence.
That's true; once they enter their third year, they'll have to face the challenge of further education.
Yui, in particular, started to feel a little anxious because, among everyone present, she had the weakest grades.
Although she had chosen the same school as Hachiman and Yukino, Yui really lacked confidence.
Noticing her worried expression, Hachiman smiled and offered reassurance.
"Don't worry, Yui. Yukino and I will help you. We'll make sure you get into college smoothly."
Yukino nodded, her face softening into a gentle smile.
"That's right. We'll all be there to help you. We also plan to form a new Service Club in college."
"Thanks, Hachiman and Yukino..."
Hearing their words, Yui's face showed a touched expression.
On the other side, Saki watched the scene, feeling a bit envious.
Because she previously had to work part-time to earn her tuition, the girl was always alone and had no friends at school. By the time she stopped working, the cliques among the girls had already formed, making it very difficult for her to fit in.
Although she now had Ebina, who could barely be considered a friend, offering her some comfort, Ebina was usually with Yumiko, whom Saki didn't get along with. This often left her feeling lonely.
So when she saw Hachiman and the others together, she couldn't help but feel envious.
It's as if Hachiman sensed her feelings, for he smiled and extended an invitation.
"Saki, would you like to study with us? If I remember correctly, you're planning to continue your studies, right?"
"Huh? Can I really join? Wouldn't that be too much of an intrusion?"
Surprised by Hachiman's invitation, Saki responded.
"Haha, it's no trouble at all." Hachiman waved his hand dismissively.
"Your grades are quite good, right? You could help tutor this silly dumpling here."
"My grades... they're okay, I guess."
Talking about her grades made Saki a bit bashful. Ever since she stopped working, her grades returned to being excellent. Although not quite at the level of Hachiman and Yukino, she was still in the top twenty of her grade, more than capable of tutoring a certain silly dumpling.
Meanwhile, Yui, upon hearing Hachiman call her silly again, instinctively retorted.
"You're the silly one, Hikki."
Hachiman shrugged off the comment and then suggested, "How about we form a study group?"
"A study group? That's a good idea," Yukino agreed with a nod. "But where would we hold it?"
"As for the location..."
As Hachiman was thinking, Yui's eyes lit up.
"How about coming to my house? My mom often tells me to bring friends over, so today would be perfect."
Yui's house, huh?
Upon hearing this, Hachiman was momentarily stunned, then realized that despite having known Yui for quite some time, he had never actually been inside her house. He had only accompanied her to the doorstep a few times but never went in.
He had visited the other girls' homes to some extent, but not Yui's, the first one he befriended. This indeed seemed like an oversight.
Perhaps this was a good opportunity to visit her home and meet his future mother-in-law.
With that thought, Hachiman nodded. "I'm fine with it. How about you all?"
"Wouldn't that be too much trouble?" Yukino hesitated, as she generally preferred not to inconvenience others.
"It's no trouble at all. If anything, my mom would be really happy," Yui insisted, playfully tugging on Yukino's arm while pleading.
"Please, Yukinon, say yes!"
Unable to resist Yui's cat-like plea, Yukino finally nodded.
"Alright, I agree."
"Great! You're the best, Yukinon!"
With Yukino's agreement, Yui happily clung to her arm, then turned to invite Saki as well.
"Kawasaki-san, would you like to come too?"
Caught off-guard, Saki blinked in surprise. "Eh? You mean today?"
"Yes, I really need to catch up," Yui nodded, determined. Among them all, she had the lowest grades, so she needed to work extra hard.
However, Saki eventually shook her head.
"Not today. Keika is home alone, and I'm worried about her."
"Keika's home alone?"
Remembering the times she met Keika, Yui spoke with a bit of regret.
"Well, I guess it'll have to wait until next time then."
"Yes, next time," Saki agreed. "But feel free to ask me at school if there's anything you don't understand, Yuigahama-san. Don't hesitate."
"Really? Thank you so much, Kawasaki-san."
Yui beamed with happiness.
"Let's get started then. I'll first go with Yukinon to grab some textbooks. Hikki, you can head over when you're ready, right?"
"Absolutely, no problem at all," Hachiman replied with a slight smile.
Although he had never been inside, he knew the way quite well.
With that, they bid farewell and went their separate ways.
...
At the Yuigahama residence.
Hachiman soon arrived at Yui's door with his textbooks in hand.
Facing the familiar door, one he had visited several times but never entered, he felt a slight flutter of nervousness.
After taking a deep breath, Hachiman reached out and pressed the doorbell.
"Ding dong, ding dong."
The clear doorbell chime rang out, and soon he heard soft footsteps approaching from behind the door.
Accompanied by them was a gentle and soothing female voice.
"Hi there, just a moment please."
With a click, the door opened, revealing a face that bore a striking resemblance to Yui's, sharing about seventy percent of her features.
Unlike Yui, however, the woman had ash-blonde hair.
She must be Yui's mother, Mrs. Yuigahama.
"Hello, ma'am. I'm Yui's friend, Hikigaya Hachiman," Hachiman quickly introduced himself.
"Hikigaya..."
Upon hearing his name, Mrs. Yuigahama paused for a moment, then seemed to recognize him.
"Oh, you must be 'Hachiman'!"
As she spoke, she began to look him over, her gaze akin to that of a mother appraising a future son-in-law.
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