"What's up with that picture?!"
Sure enough, not long after the photo was sent, Hachiman Hikigaya immediately called Yukinoshita.
"Uh…"
Yukinoshita didn't even have time to scold the system. She cleared her throat and calmly smiled as she spoke into the phone,
"I made that image just now. So? How does it look?"
"Huh? You made it? It's AI?"
"Well, what else? Did you really think I was actually pregnant?"
Yukinoshita huffed playfully. "Come on, just give me your thoughts on the picture already~"
As she spoke, she strolled under a lush green tree by the roadside for some shade.
"I mean…"
On the other end, Hachiman hesitated. After a few seconds of struggling to find the right words, he finally blurted out,
"It's… not that great!"
"Not that great? You don't feel anything?"
"Huh? Wh—what am I supposed to feel?"
Hachiman stammered.
[Ding! Hachiman Hikigaya is moved by your photo. Corruption level -1]
[Ding! Hachiman Hikigaya wants to kiss your round belly. Corruption Level -2]
[Ding! Hachiman Hikigaya…]
Tch. Tsundere much? Talking all cold, but he's honest in his heart.
"Heh… Hachiman-kun, don't you want to touch it? Or maybe get a little more aggressive?"
Yukinoshita's lips curled as she continued to tease him.
"Who the hell would get turned on by a pregnant woman?!"
Hachiman shot back quickly, then suddenly remembered something. His voice rose,
"Also! You're not actually pregnant, so stop messing with me! I—my heart can't handle this!"
"Well, I'm not pregnant. But… fufu, Hachiman-kun, why are you so nervous? Even your voice is trembling."
She tapped her toe on the ground, her smile glowing brighter.
"Nervous? Me? No way…"
"What's wrong, Hachiman-kun? Are you scared I might actually be carrying your baby?"
Yukinoshita pressed on, piling on the pressure.
"Who—who's scared?! I just mean, if you really got pregnant now, what would happen to high school? Are you seriously gonna go to class with a giant belly?"
"No big deal. I figure I won't give birth until after exams, right? I can just study at home and sit for the entrance exams."
Yukinoshita replied, calm and cheerful.
"You're serious?"
"Would I be the first pregnant girl in Sōbu High's history to take the university entrance exams?"
She joked, nudging the conversation further.
"No no no, that's just insane. Your mom and your sister would kill me."
Hachiman said, visibly shaken.
"My sister, who knows, but… hehe, Mother probably wouldn't mind all that much. She might even encourage us."
Yukinoshita smiled sweetly. "After all, she had my sister when she was about our age—during high school."
"Wait, Auntie did…?"
"So, you see, there's absolutely no problem. As long as you're bold enough, Hachiman-kun~"
She continued teasing him mercilessly.
"No! No way!"
Hachiman retorted again. "We're still in high school! If you really got pregnant, what would happen to our lives? I—I don't even have a job yet…"
"Hachiman-kun, are you actually worrying about raising a kid?"
Yukinoshita asked, eyes twinkling.
"I'm not… It's not worrying! I'm just being realistic!"
Hachiman snapped defensively.
"Fufu, don't worry about it. You won't have to raise the child—I'll take care of everything. Your job isn't to earn money; your job is to stay home and take care of me and the baby. Nice and easy, right?"
Yukinoshita said, full of affection.
"Hah?"
Hachiman sounded exasperated. "That just makes me a freeloader!"
"Don't think I don't know. One of your secret dreams is to live off a woman, isn't it?"
"Is it?"
"Not interested? Fine, then go get a job in college. I won't stop you. But… heh, raising a kid isn't cheap, you know. It's a huge expense. And doing it all by yourself while studying? Phew…"
"Ah? No, wait—I give up. I'll freeload off you!"
Faced with that bleak future, Hachiman immediately surrendered.
"There we go. I'll support you, so just relax and be my loyal assistant~"
Yukinoshita beamed smugly. "Come on, call me Master~"
"…Bug Master."
"Ugh! Just Master! No weird nicknames!"
Yukinoshita pouted.
"Buggy Master~"
"You…"
Seeing Hachiman daring to sass her, Yukinoshita pretended to be angry,
"If you don't behave, I'll give you two babies and punish you hard—make you go out to work every day!"
"Ah?! Two at once?! Master—no, Princess! I'm sorry, okay?! Please spare me! I can't handle that!"
Hachiman gave in again.
"Fufu, that's more like it. One at a time is enough."
Looking at the husband she had completely wrapped around her finger, Yukinoshita smiled in satisfaction.
"Uh…"
Hachiman hesitated, then said seriously,
"Jokes aside… having kids, that's something far off in the future, right? Yukinoshita."
Their back-and-forth, after all, had been mostly playful banter—typical of a couple being silly with each other.
"Well…"
Blushing, Yukinoshita mumbled,
"If you're really brave enough… I wouldn't mind taking maternity leave for real. I—I'm being serious."
"Eh?! S-Seriously?!"
"…Mm."
[Ding! Hachiman Hikigaya is particularly aroused by your performance today. He wants to make your belly swell and have a child with you. Corruption level -8]
"No no no, having a baby right now—seriously, we can't. Joking is one thing, but really doing it… It's way too soon, Yukinoshita. Let's talk about it later, okay?"
Hachiman said quickly.
"Wha—?!"
Yukinoshita opened her mouth in shock.
Geez, deep down he's thinking about getting me pregnant, but out loud he's acting all firm and resistant. Heh… as expected of my tsundere husband. I love it~
"I'm having your baby, and the next time I'm ovulating, you better not use protection, you hear me~"
"No, please…"
"Fufu~ I said I'm having it~"
[Ding! Hachiman Hikigaya's corruption level -3]
Oooh, it really works.
Looks like I'll have to keep up the spice from now on.
Or maybe…
Yukinoshita's eyes suddenly gleamed.
Should I go all in and actually get pregnant with Hachiman-kun's baby before marriage? Once there's a little one, I'll have him completely under my thumb!
But if I really am going to get pregnant… shouldn't I prepare first?
Mom once told me: Only by properly preparing for pregnancy can you have a healthy baby.