Yuu nodded, got into the car, placed the items in the back seat, and set the cage on his lap.
"She’s my classmate, Yuigahama Yui, one of the few girls I can talk to."
"I see~" Haruno drew out her words aningfully. Closing the car door and starting the engine, she said with a suggestive tone, "That girl’s pretty cute, and her figure seems nice too."
Yuu pursed his lips slightly, knowing exactly how to respond.
"Even if she’s cute, she’s not as beautiful as you. Even if her figure’s nice, it’s not as good as yours."
Haruno raised an eyebrow: "So you’re comparing to her, even secretly checking out her figure?"
"...I didn’t. I only heard it from you."
Haruno feigned anger: "You haven’t even seen her but say I’m prettier? If you’re going to talk nonsense, don’t be so insincere."
"As expected." Yuu sincerely clasped his hands, admitting defeat.
When it ca to dealing with won, he was still too weak, not at all worthy of smirking.
Haruno proudly lifted her chin, tapping the steering wheel with her fair, delicate fingers, then casually asked:
"You’re just friends?"
"Not even friends. Usually, she’s the one who cos to talk to , and I just reply with a few words... I’m quieter at school."
"Does she like you?"
"Maybe. Every year, soone likes ." Yuu glanced at her, not elaborating.
Because of that look, Haruno wanted to kiss him again.
But the car was moving, and anything reckless could cause an accident, so she only touched her slightly warm ears, driving with one hand (good kids, don’t imitate), and continued asking casually:
"I introduced you to Yuuki-kun and the others, but you pulled away like you were afraid of being caught cheating. That’s not fair, is it?"
"Huh? Not fair how? Isn’t that totally normal?"
Yuu sighed in resignation, genuinely impressed by Haruno’s selective amnesia.
"Haruno, I’m a rental boyfriend. We should avoid getting too involved in each other’s real lives to prevent trouble... Didn’t you know this from the start?"
"Last ti... with my sister, that was an ergency, unavoidable. But if I can avoid it this ti, why would I introduce you to a classmate I’m only casually acquainted with?"
The car cruised smoothly down the road. Haruno stared at the scenery ahead, her smile unchanged: "Hm, that makes sense."
"But you deliberately tried to get her attention... Please, I’m begging you, don’t do that again next ti." Yuu sighed.
He thought she’d reflect a bit.
But Haruno just smiled, replying in a cold tone:
"Don’t worry, I’ll do it again next ti."
Yuu paused for a mont.
"...Are you mad?"
Haruno answered, sounding genuinely surprised: "No. Why would I be mad?"
"Getting mad at sothing as obvious as Newton’s First Law, throwing a helpless tantrum over what’s clear—that’s not sothing a great adult would do."
After that line, even without seeing her expression, Yuu was certain:
"You’re definitely mad."
So Haruno stopped talking.
She silently pressed the gas pedal, as if wanting to drag him into the sea with her, speeding up endlessly on the long, seemingly infinite road.
Pushed back into his seat by inertia, Yuu clutched the cage with a pale face, managing to utter a single word after a mont.
"Ha... Haruno!"
"Hm? What’s up?" Her voice was soft and cheerful, but her face was expressionless this ti.
After half a second of frantic thinking, Yuu forced a slight smile, calling out in a helpless tone, unable to do anything about her:
"Next ti! Can I ask you to co to my house as a ’coworker’ to check on Yukinon?"
Though his sister might get suspicious and ask questions, Yuu didn’t care anymore—saving his life ca first.
(Haruno’s a crazy woman; whoever’s her boyfriend is dood!)
"Promise?"
"Promise!"
"Sorry, Yuu-chan, I got a bit too excited for so reason~"
Haruno said innocently, easing off the gas, returning the car to normal speed.
Yuu took a few deep breaths, calming his racing heart, then glared at Haruno in frustration.
"You’re really beyond saving."
Haruno nodded seriously, fully agreeing: "Yep, Yukinoshita Haruno’s been beyond saving for a long ti."
Frowning, Yuu asked again: "You like that much?"
Haruno suddenly smiled, answering in a sweet, cheerful voice without hesitation.
"Yes, Haruno really likes Yuu-chan!"
"..."
Faced with her half-joking attitude, Yuu could only lean back in his seat, utterly speechless.
[Ding!]
[Congratulations, host has received reward: Acceleration (Single-Use Status)]
[Congratulations, host has received reward: Vocal Skill (Advanced Level)]
...So, what does this an?
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
After a while, the car’s atmosphere cald down, and Haruno restarted the conversation.
"By the way, Yuu-chan, that dog Yuigahama was holding... it seems to have lost its appetite for no clear reason. Do you know why?"
ntally exhausted after over an hour of interaction, Yuu squinted and said indifferently:
"I know. But why are you asking ?"
"Don’t you communicate with animals?"
"You believe that?"
"I didn’t believe you could destroy a punching machine with one hit either."
"Fair point." Stroking the kitten’s head to soothe his tired heart, Yuu sighed. "It’s just in heat."
"In heat!?"
Haruno turned in shock. He quickly waved for her to focus on driving, then explained:
"Yeah, so dogs lose their appetite during heat, maybe? Anyway, I heard Sable yelling the mont it ca in, ’I don’t want food, give a male! I don’t want to eat, give a stud!’"
"If there’s another reason, I don’t know. I’m not a vet."
Maybe he’d know later, but not now.
"I see, wouldn’t have guessed." Haruno nodded, her curiosity satisfied, and kept driving.
After a brief silence, Yuu suddenly said: "Oh, Haruno, there’s sothing I want to talk about."
Haruno replied without turning: "What? If it’s borrowing money, I only have three to four million yen to spare right now."
"No, I’m not short on cash... Also, don’t lend money to a rental boyfriend!"
Yuu’s cheek twitched. He looked down at the gray tabby kitten purring softly under his touch.
"Can I change Yukinon’s na?"
"Eh? Why?"
"Hm... I feel another na suits her personality better."
Hearing the kitten mutter in its sleep, "Master, I’m hungry, I want three bowls of cat food," Yuu couldn’t help but show a complicated expression.
"Like Saber or Artoria or sothing... Also, looks like we need to stock up on more cat food at ho."
Haruno: "???"
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