The streets of Tokyo were bustling with people, skyscrapers towering overhead, a stark contrast to the relatively quieter Chiba.
Hachiman found his arm being intimately held by Sakayanagi as they strolled down the sidewalk, looking just like a couple.
A delicate and refreshing fragrance emanated from the girl beside him, complementing her adorable appearance—truly a lethal combination.
However...
Rather than feeling any joy from being so close to a beautiful girl, Hachiman looked as if he were wearing a mask of pain, utterly miserable.
Sakayanagi, on the other hand, was all smiles, radiating happiness as she spoke to him cheerfully.
"Hachiman-kun, let's go pick out a few more outfits, shall we?"
Notably, at this moment, Hachiman's right hand was already weighed down by several shopping bags—filled with clothes and dairy products Sakayanagi had just bought.
"Sigh."
He could only let out a resigned sigh and nod.
"Hachiman-kun, why the long face? Are the bags too heavy?" Sakayanagi teased with a sly smile.
"It's not that..."
Pausing for a moment, Hachiman took a deep breath and looked seriously at the girl beside him.
From their earlier conversation, he had learned that Sakayanagi was quite familiar with his girlfriend, Yukinoshita—so much so that it was clear they must have known each other personally.
Hachiman had been trying to get more information out of her, but Sakayanagi kept dodging the topic, much to his frustration.
If they were enemies, wouldn't that spell trouble for him as Yukinoshita's boyfriend?
"Hachiman-kun, why did you stop? You're staring at me. Is there something on my face?" Sakayanagi asked with an innocent smile.
Damn... that devilish smile!
Clearing his throat, Hachiman decided to ask directly:
"I'm just wondering... Sakayanagi, you're not Yukinoshita's... enemy, are you?"
"Enemy?" Sakayanagi blinked in surprise.
"Yeah. Otherwise, why are you so interested in me? My guess is that you're using me to get revenge on Yukinoshita."
Given his girlfriend's past personality, it wouldn't be surprising if she had made some enemies among other girls.
"Pfft~ Hachiman-kun, you really say the funniest things," Sakayanagi chuckled.
Seeing how serious he looked, she giggled and said, "It's nothing that dramatic. How could we be enemies?"
"Heh, not enemies? Then what, are you two good friends or something?" Hachiman asked casually.
"Ah~ As expected of Hachiman-kun, you got it right!"
"?"
Hachiman froze.
"Wait, seriously? You two were childhood friends?"
"Hmm? How did you know?" Sakayanagi's eyes lit up.
"Th-That was just an obvious guess..."
Avoiding her gaze, Hachiman looked away awkwardly.
Sakayanagi chuckled softly, then sighed.
"Yes, we were childhood friends. We used to play together all the time when we were little. But after she went abroad, we lost touch... I wonder if she still remembers."
"She definitely remembers you. Yukinoshita really values her friends," Hachiman replied casually.
"Oh?"
Sakayanagi's eyes twinkled with amusement as she tightened her grip around Hachiman's arm, leaning in close.
"Hachiman-kun, you're quite sweet, aren't you?"
"Huh? Sweet??"
Hachiman was dumbfounded.
"Hold on, you're too close!"
"Hehe~ What's wrong with being a little close? Hachiman-kun, are you getting shy?" Sakayanagi teased, laughing as she watched him squirm.
"Do whatever you want..."
Out of the corner of his eye, Hachiman glanced at Sakayanagi's chest.
Hmm... roughly the same level as Yukinoshita's.
Wait—no!
Actually, maybe even smaller than his girlfriend's already modest figure.
"Hm? Hmm!!"
Naturally, Sakayanagi caught his subtle yet dismissive glance, and her smile deepened. She leaned in even closer.
"Hachiman-kun, are you looking down on me?"
"N-No."
Hachiman responded with a deadpan face, completely unfazed.
"No? Hachiman-kun~~"
Just as Sakayanagi was about to press further and playfully seduce him—
A gust of wind suddenly blew past.
In an instant, her beret was swept off her head.
The once composed Sakayanagi suddenly looked flustered, a rare sight, as she called out in distress:
"My hat... Hachiman-kun!"
"Ugh, got it."
Seeing her pleading expression, Hachiman sighed and let go of her arm, quickly chasing after the hat.
Unfortunately, the forces of nature were relentless, and in the blink of an eye, the beret was carried up into a nearby tree.
"...Well, that's just great."
Sakayanagi reached up to touch her now exposed head, looking visibly troubled.
After glancing at the tree, Hachiman thought for a moment. Then, to the shock of Sakayanagi and the surrounding pedestrians, he nimbly climbed up like a monkey, scaling it with ease.
Thanks to his recent training, his upper body strength had improved significantly, making the climb a simple task.
Retrieving the beret, he swiftly descended, landing gracefully on the ground.
The surrounding crowd murmured in admiration.
Hachiman approached Sakayanagi and carefully placed the hat back on her head.
"Th-Thank you..." Sakayanagi muttered, lowering her head so that her expression was hidden.
"No problem."
Hachiman shook his head, but as he looked at the black beret, a faint memory surfaced.
Speaking of berets... back in middle school, on his way home, he had once picked up a white beret for a girl.
She had been very pretty.
Well, at least... that was how he vaguely remembered it.
To be honest, his mind had been in a haze back then—he had just been rejected in a confession and was in his ultimate self-loathing phase. He had returned the hat without even properly looking at the girl's face.
As Hachiman was lost in thought, Sakayanagi spoke in a small voice.
"Hachiman-kun, how long are you going to keep patting my head?"
"Eh? Ah, sorry!"
"It's fine..."
Sakayanagi lifted her gaze, lips curling into a faint smile.
"Hachiman-kun, I think we should leave now. After all, your little act of heroism just now was far too impressive~"
"Hm? What do you mean—huh?"
Finally snapping out of his thoughts, Hachiman looked around.
The surrounding pedestrians were not only murmuring but had also begun taking pictures of him and Sakayanagi.
"Mommy, that big brother is so cool! And the white-haired sister is so pretty!"
"Hehe, they totally look like a couple, don't they?"
"They're so cute together!"
"They must be high schoolers. Ah, youth is wonderful~"
"...!!!"
Hachiman felt a chill run down his spine.
No, no, no!
There's no way I'm a couple with this devilish little white-haired girl!
Meanwhile, Sakayanagi simply smiled, pleased with the misunderstanding.
She murmured to herself, "The first time was on a summer beach in elementary school... the second time was on a Tokyo street, catching my hat..."