Chapter 500: The Harmonious Hikigaya Family
Watching the "parent-child interaction" in the kitchen, Mrs. Hikigaya couldn't help but feel delighted.
She thought this girl might make a good girlfriend for her son.
This scene didn't escape the attention of the other girls, either.
While most of them could take it in stride, Yumiko wasn't pleased at all. She already had a bit of a rivalry with Saki Kawasaki, and now seeing her use her younger sister to get closer to Hachiman only made her more annoyed.
Noticing the girls' gazes, Hachiman paused his actions.
"Alright, Saki, you should take Keika back to the living room. It's safer there."
Hearing this, Saki nodded and led her sister out of the kitchen.
Once the two sisters left, Hachiman resumed preparing breakfast.
Meanwhile, in the living room, the girls were secretly competing with each other, trying to win the most favor from Mrs. Hikigaya.
No matter how intense their competition was, Hachiman kept his focus on making breakfast.
Before long, breakfast was ready.
Tamagoyaki, grilled mackerel, miso soup... all simple home-cooked dishes. As for the main course, it was, of course, rice—a staple that never changed.
Due to the climate in Japan, fresh rice is available year-round, making it the most common staple food.
With breakfast ready, Hachiman called for the girls to help out, "Breakfast is ready. Come over and give me a hand."
Upon hearing this, the girls eagerly stood up, each wanting to show their domestic skills in front of Mrs. Hikigaya.
But while everyone else was trying to impress their potential future mother-in-law, one girl took a different approach.
Yukino walked over to Hachiman with a towel in hand. "You worked hard making breakfast."
As she spoke, she used the towel to gently wipe his face.
This was a rare treat.
Naturally, Hachiman didn't refuse and quietly enjoyed Yukino's attention.
Seeing this, Mrs. Hikigaya nodded approvingly.
Not bad, she thought. Knowing how to care for someone is a good quality for a wife.
However, as she looked Yukino up and down, she slightly furrowed her brow.
This girl... she's a bit flat...
.......
"Itadakimasu!"
Everyone gathered around, enjoying the breakfast together.
Mrs. Hikigaya took the opportunity to learn more about the girls, and she was quite surprised by what she found out—especially about Erina and Alice. She could hardly believe that her gloomy son had managed to connect with such important people.
Komachi also took the chance to brag to her mother about some of Hachiman's remarkable achievements.
Of course, she left out the whole "hero" part.
But even so, just hearing about her son's accomplishments was enough to make Mrs. Hikigaya drop her chopsticks in shock.
Kendo, writing novels, cooking…
When did her foolish son become so talented?
Now, Mrs. Hikigaya finally understood why so many girls were attracted to Hachiman.
Not only that, but in her absence, Hachiman had managed the household so well, keeping everything in perfect order.
In comparison, she felt she had been somewhat neglectful as a parent.
These thoughts left Mrs. Hikigaya feeling a bit downhearted.
"Haha, Mom, you don't have to worry about it," Hachiman said with a smile, as if sensing the guilt in her heart, trying to comfort her.
While he didn't feel particularly close to his parents in this life, he didn't harbor any ill will towards them either. After all, even though they were always busy with work, they still made sure to send him living expenses on time.
Although, Hachiman didn't really care much about the money itself.
"Honestly, compared to when you and Dad are home, I actually feel more comfortable when you're not around. I can do whatever I want."
"And with a sister and a house to myself, plus absent parents—doesn't that sound like the perfect setup for a light novel protagonist?"
Although she knew her son was trying to comfort her, Mrs. Hikigaya still felt a bit irritated. She delivered a swift karate chop to his head.
Hachiman could have dodged the chop, but he chose not to.
Well, he thought, let's just call this a parental perk.
After all, there's an old saying: even in old age, being scolded by your parents is a blessing.
While Hachiman wasn't old yet, combining the years from both of his lives, he wasn't exactly young either.
And since he had already been reincarnated, his previous life really was something to leave behind. He decided to take this chop as a sign that he was finally integrating into this family.
Even though he willingly took the hit, Hachiman still had something to say.
"Hey, Mom, what's with the sudden hit? It's embarrassing in front of everyone."
"Embarrassing? You're my son, and I'll hit you if I want to." With that, Mrs. Hikigaya swung at him again.
But this time, Hachiman wasn't just going to stand there. He swiftly dodged out of the way.
Letting you hit me once was already giving you a lot of face, but there's no way I'm letting you get me twice.
"Still trying to hit me? Don't I get any respect? If you keep this up, I'm really going to get mad."
"Tch, you're just a brat. What respect do you deserve?" Mrs. Hikigaya scoffed.
Though she said that, she still lowered her hand. After all, with so many girls around, it was important to let Hachiman save some face.
Seeing the playful interaction between mother and son, the girls couldn't help but laugh, especially Komachi.
It had been a long time since their home felt this lively.
This feeling… it's really nice...
...
After breakfast, everyone had free time.
Once the bedding in the living room was tidied up, the girls began to head back home, as they had already been out for a full day.
With their departure, the Hikigaya household returned to its usual calm.
In the living room, Komachi started chatting with their mom. The two had always been close.
Through their conversation, Hachiman learned that Mrs. Hikigaya was only back for a short break and would soon return to work.
Although Hachiman had considered suggesting that his parents retire—after all, he wasn't short on money and could easily fund a world tour for them—Mrs. Hikigaya declined the idea.
As his parents, she insisted, they couldn't just spend their son's money so casually, especially since they were still capable of working and weren't at an age where retirement was necessary.
After some more casual conversation, Hachiman went back to his room to write, and Mrs. Hikigaya headed to her room to rest after her tiring flight.
The day passed quietly.
Time moved forward, and after Christmas, New Year's Day was just around the corner.
When it comes to New Year's in Japan, you can't ignore the tradition of Hatsumode—the first shrine visit of the year.
Komachi would soon face her high school entrance exams, and a New Year shrine visit had become a crucial part of preparing for the big test.
After doing everything else she could to prepare, all that was left was to pray to the gods—whether they would actually listen or not was another matter.
Of course, relying solely on shrine visits without studying is nothing more than wishful thinking.
Komachi wasn't like that. She had been working hard throughout her entire third year of middle school to ensure she could get into Sobu High. The shrine visit was just for peace of mind.
Actually, it wasn't just Komachi—Hachiman could benefit from a visit too. He would soon be entering his third year of high school, and the pressure of university entrance exams was looming.
Not that Hachiman needed much help in that department. With his grades, he had nothing to worry about.
If you were to rank his performance, Hachiman was indisputably at the top of his year, even outperforming Yukino. After all, his maxed-out [Learning] skill wasn't just for show.
But to accompany Komachi, Hachiman decided to go anyway. Besides, if he remembered correctly, Yukino and the others were likely to be there as well.
"Onii-chan, let's go to the shrine!"
Komachi's voice interrupted his thoughts, and Hachiman glanced at the clock on the wall.
It was already 9 AM—early enough to go and return quickly.
"Let's go."
Hachiman nodded, and the siblings headed out together.
They took the train and soon arrived at the nearest shrine.
As expected, the shrine was packed with people eager to make their New Year's prayers.
As soon as they arrived, Komachi started looking around, seemingly searching for someone.
It didn't take long before she spotted her targets and dashed off into the crowd.
"Wow, Happy New Year, Yukino-nee, Yui-nee!"
As soon as Komachi's voice reached him, Hachiman heard a familiar response nearby.
"Happy New Year."
---------------
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Chapter 501: New Year's Visit
"Over here! Happy New Year, Hikki, Komachi!"
Turning towards the voice, they saw a cheerful pink-haired girl waving enthusiastically at the siblings.
Since it was winter, this silly girl knew how to dress warmly. She wore a khaki coat over a wool sweater, with a scarf wrapped snugly around her neck. As for her lower half, she had on a pair of navy skinny jeans, and her little hands were tucked into mittens, which she kept waving in the air—looking utterly adorable.
Standing next to her was, of course, Yukinoshita Yukino.
Yukino was dressed in a long white coat today, with a fluffy scarf around her neck. Beneath her checkered mini-skirt, she wore black tights.
When Hachiman approached, Yukino greeted him with a gentle smile.
"Happy New Year."
"Yes, Happy New Year, Yukino," Hachiman replied, smiling warmly.
After greeting Yukino, he naturally couldn't ignore the pink-haired girl beside her. Looking at Yui, Hachiman gave her a similarly warm smile.
"Yui, Happy New Year."
"Yes, Happy New Year, Hikki!"
Seeing Hachiman standing in front of her, Yui's eyes sparkled with delight.
Being able to see the person she cared about on the first day of the new year made Yui very happy. She nodded energetically, causing the bun on her head to bob up and down.
At that moment, Komachi's voice rang out.
"Onii-chan, Yukino-nee, Yui-nee, let's go for the New Year's visit!"
"Yes, let's go."
Hachiman nodded, then led the group up the steps toward the shrine.
When it comes to a New Year's visit, it's practically like a small festival.
And since it's a festival, the roads on either side were naturally lined with stalls selling snacks.
Taiyaki, takoyaki, okonomiyaki, candied hawthorn...
These delicious treats naturally caught the attention of both Komachi and Yui.
As the enticing aroma wafted through the air, Yui couldn't help but twitch her nose. "Smells so good."
"It really does," Komachi nodded in agreement.
"How about we buy something to eat?"
"Yes, yes! I want okonomiyaki!" Yui said excitedly.
"Komachi wants candied hawthorn!"
Just as the two were about to veer off the main path, Hachiman lightly chopped them both on the head.
"Eat later. Let's finish the visit first."
Hearing this, the two reluctantly quieted down.
As they entered the main path leading to the shrine, the crowd thinned out a bit. Since they were now within the shrine's grounds, there were no food stalls, only the shrine directly ahead.
Following the line, it was soon Hachiman's group's turn.
They stood in a row, took out some coins, tossed them into the offering box, rang the bell, bowed twice, clapped their hands twice, then brought their palms together and closed their eyes, beginning their prayers with sincere devotion.
Although Hachiman wasn't sure how powerful these so-called gods were, he still made a modest wish.
"I hope that the people I care about can achieve their dreams."
After making this wish, Hachiman opened his eyes and glanced at the three girls beside him.
At that moment, all three of them had serious expressions, even Yui, who usually loved to play around, was solemn.
Perhaps, in their hearts, making vows before the gods was a deeply serious and solemn matter.
After a short while, the girls finished making their wishes and opened their eyes, their faces showing expressions of relief, as if they had just completed an important task.
With the visit over, Yui quickly returned to her usual lively self, looking around the shrine.
Suddenly, she seemed to notice something and pointed in a direction.
"Let's try drawing a fortune slip!"
Hearing Yui's suggestion, Yukino thought for a moment and then nodded, "Let's go draw one."
She picked up the hexagonal fortune stick box, gave it a gentle shake, and let one of the wooden sticks fall out. After handing the stick to the shrine maiden and paying 100 yen, she received the corresponding fortune slip.
In reality, this is just a fun tradition; whatever result you get doesn't have much impact. Of course, if you draw a "bad luck" slip, it might dampen your mood.
Fortunately, all of them had good luck—they either got "good luck" or "great luck."
Seeing their fortunes, the three girls smiled happily.
Komachi was especially pleased since she's about to face her entrance exams. Drawing a "good luck" slip before the exams is indeed a positive sign.
As for Hachiman, he was less interested in the fortune drawing and more focused on observing the shrine maidens.
It wasn't because the shrine maidens were particularly beautiful, but rather because their attire caught Hachiman's eye.
Their black hair was tied back with a white ribbon, and they wore white long-sleeved robes paired with red hakama. The entire look gave off an air of elegance and grace.
Hmm... It might be nice to have Kotoha and Saeko try wearing this attire someday.
Just as Hachiman made up his mind about this, he suddenly felt a slight pain in his waist.
Looking down, he noticed Yukino standing on his left, her expression calm as she discreetly pinched his waist with her left hand.
Is she... jealous?
The thought amused Hachiman, and he shook his head with a smile. He reached out with his left hand, gently capturing her mischievous hand and naturally holding it in his own.
Feeling his gesture, Yukino didn't resist. She simply shot him a subtle glare before letting him hold her hand.
With her soft hand secretly in his grasp, Hachiman smiled and said, "Alright, we've paid our respects and drawn our fortunes. What should we do next?"
"Let's check out the stalls!" Yui immediately suggested, with Komachi nodding enthusiastically beside her.
"Yes, yes, let's go see the stalls!"
Earlier, both of them had been drawn to the various snacks, and now that the important tasks were done, they were eager to indulge!
This time, Hachiman didn't stop them and simply let the two girls go enjoy themselves.
Retracing their steps, they soon returned to the area where the stalls were clustered.
Not only were there food stalls, but also game booths and merchandise stands.
It really felt like a full-blown festival.
Seeing the many food stalls, Yui and Komachi let out cheers of excitement and then split up to line up for different foods.
Hachiman also released Yukino's soft hand, letting her move around freely.
Taiyaki, takoyaki, candied hawthorn...
All kinds of snacks were available, and there was even sweet sake to warm people up during the winter.
Hachiman approached the sweet sake stand and bought a cup.
Taking a small sip, the warm, slightly sweet liquid flowed down his throat, spreading a comfortable warmth throughout his body.
This sweet sake was made from glutinous rice, though he wasn't sure if it was the same as the famous kuchikamizake. But after drinking it, he did feel a cozy warmth spread through him.
Just then, Yui came running over with a box of takoyaki.
Reaching Hachiman, she picked up a piece with a bamboo skewer and offered it to him.
"Hikki, say ah~~"
Hachiman didn't hesitate and ate it.
Chewing the slightly hot takoyaki, Hachiman handed her the sweet sake he was holding.
"Have a sip to warm up."
"Mmm." Yui took the paper cup, drank a sip of the sweet sake, and smiled happily.
"Ahh, it's so sweet and delicious."
Whether it was because of the cold wind or the effect of the alcohol, Yui's cheeks, exposed to the chilly air, turned a rosy pink, making her look incredibly cute.
Noticing that Hachiman was staring at her, Yui couldn't help but feel a bit shy.
"Hikki, don't stare at me like that."
Hearing her playful complaint, Hachiman chuckled and reached out to pat the bun on her head.
"Alright, alright. We've known each other for so long—how can you still get shy over something like this, silly bun."
Noticing his gesture, Yui pouted unhappily.
"Mean Hikki, don't mess up my hairstyle."
She patted the bun on her head to make sure it was still intact, then breathed a sigh of relief. A moment later, as if something had crossed her mind, she spoke up again.
"By the way, Hikki, when are we going to buy Yukino's birthday gift?"
Oh, right, Yukino's birthday.
Hachiman remembered that Yukino's birthday was on January 3rd, and he had already agreed with Yui to go shopping for a gift together.
"How about tomorrow?"
"Okay, it's a plan—tomorrow it is."
Yui nodded happily, then murmured to herself.
"We have to give Yukinon a big surprise."
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