126 Haruno: This Hachiman is just too weak.
Huh?
At this moment, even Hachiman Hikigaya was shocked by Yukinoshita Yukino's actions.
He was speechless as he watched Yukino raise her swan-like neck and down the scarlet wine in her glass in one go.
This wild behavior bore no resemblance to the cool, untouchable flower he remembered.
And who was the true culprit behind all of this?
It's me...
"Yukino, you..." Hiratsuka Shizuka beside her wanted to say something but stopped, shooting an angry glare at Haruno.
Yukino was messing around, but as her older sister, you're encouraging her?
"Hehe, since little Yukino has drunk, Shizuka, Hachiman, how about you two drink too?"
"Drink, drink, drink!" Hiratsuka Shizuka, face dark, snatched the wine glass in front of Yukino — no way could she allow her student to keep drinking.
She picked up her own glass and sipped it lightly.
The wine had moderate acidity, a soft texture, and a very rich, layered taste. As the red wine went down her throat, its lingering flavor spread... but then came the aftereffect...
Hiratsuka Shizuka felt things going badly and turned to look at Yukino — she was already flushed, nodding like a pecking chick, her eyes glazed over.
The lofty flower had fallen into drunkenness.
Or maybe it wasn't the wine that intoxicated people, but people who made themselves drunk...
Idiot, who downs their very first glass of red wine in one go?!
It was indeed Yukino's first time drinking. At sixteen years old, her body couldn't handle the impact of the alcohol — just one glass had her so dizzy she was about to collapse onto the table.
She mumbled, "An-another glass, Onee-san... so good..."
Well... leaving the foolish Yukino aside, at least the glass was confiscated.
As for Hachiman...
Hiratsuka Shizuka gave him a glance. Hachiman was no longer her student — let him do as he wished.
"..." Hikigaya Hachiman hesitated as he looked at the two-thirds full glass of red wine before him.
Speaking of which, he had never drunk alcohol before. Moreover... after the hospital incident, he had developed a slight aversion to red-colored drinks.
It was practically PTSD.
"Miss Haruno, I still have to go home tonight, and I'm heading back to Tokyo tomorrow morning, so maybe I shouldn't..."
Before Hachiman could finish his sentence, he saw Yukinoshita Haruno in front of him, resting her head in her hand, gazing at him with soft, watery black eyes.
Those lively eyes seemed to be speaking silently.
"..." Hachiman frowned, gave up struggling, and raised the glass to his lips, taking a small sip.
.
.
.
Yumeko was in the kitchen peeling fruit for Komachi when suddenly her hand froze mid-action — she remembered something very important she had forgotten to tell Hachiman.
The medicine she had used to enhance Hachiman's stamina and virility was specially developed by the Yumeko clan, and there was a crucial point: within 24 hours after taking it, one absolutely must not drink alcohol, or it would trigger a secondary reaction.
And this time, the effect... would be even more violent and uncontrollable.
"Should I tell Hachiman about this..." Yumeko hesitated briefly. Based on her understanding of Hikigaya Hachiman, he shouldn't be going over to the Yukinoshita house and drinking at night... plus, he wasn't even of legal age.
But deep down, Yumeko felt a faint sense of anticipation, a sick fire burning wildly in her chest.
If Hikigaya Hachiman really did drink... Yumeko bit her red lips tightly, forcibly stopping herself from imagining further, but her hand involuntarily stroked her own face, her eyes glowing red:
Just imagining that he might go off having fun with another woman the day after marrying his new wife...
"It's too exciting!!"
Yumeko exhaled a long, white breath, the flame in her heart shredding her reason. She quickly poured herself a glass of cold water from the nearby dispenser to try to suppress the crazy emotions welling up inside her.
She didn't care whether Hachiman stayed "pure" for her — the more Hachiman played around and was unfaithful, the more Yumeko could enjoy the feeling of immorality. She was only worried that hiding such an important fact would make Hachiman angry afterward...
"I'll call him later to confirm." Even though she was secretly hoping for it, Yumeko still clung to a bit of rationality.
Destroying the relationship between the two of them because of her selfish desires — such a thing must never happen.
.
-
-
The clinking of glasses, the joyful gathering of guests.
Yukinoshita Yukino was completely down for the count, and Haruno had moved her to the sofa to rest.
The current seating arrangement:
[Haruno (Hachiman) Hiratsuka]
The two mature women, one on each side, were swirling their wine glasses, their cheeks tinted with an enticing red flush. Their hands were resting on Hachiman's shoulders, weighing him down so he didn't dare move.
The alcohol, which numbed the nerves and stimulated emotional release, combined with the fragrant scents of mature women, assaulted Hachiman's senses. He kept his hands tightly pressed on his knees, not daring to move.
Their combined age probably nearly tripled Hachiman's.
One was his work partner, Miss Haruno; the other was his beloved mentor, Shizuka-sensei — and crucially, both of them had majestic chests.
One wrong move and he would desecrate their sacredness.
Enough already! Hachiman cursed inwardly. He hadn't drunk much, but since it was his first time, his body had no resistance.
His condition was only slightly better than Yukino's. As the alcohol took effect, his previously clear mind grew numb, his ability to think plunging rapidly.
Already exhausted, Hachiman felt overwhelmingly weak after the alcohol hit.
He subconsciously lifted his head and looked at himself in the nearby full-length mirror — he looked shockingly haggard.
Wine and women... are bad things.
Hachiman made a firm decision: from today on, he would never touch alcohol again.
As for women... that would depend entirely on Yumeko's wishes.
"Come on, Shizuka, this Hachiman is just so weak." Haruno leaned in even more, half of her body collapsing onto Hachiman.
Leaning on his shoulder, she shifted some of her weight onto him.
But if one looked carefully, they would see that Yukinoshita Haruno's eyes still retained a trace of clarity. In fact, before they even started drinking, she had secretly taken an antidote to stay sober in order to properly execute her plan.
Since she wasn't sure about Hachiman's strength, she had specially called in Hiratsuka Shizuka as backup. With the two of them working together, surely they could take down a mere sixteen-year-old boy.
Looking at it now, she had completely overestimated him...
"Hikigaya's still just a student, you shouldn't make him drink so much," Shizuka, slightly tipsy but still clinging to her sense of duty as a teacher, slurred as she wobbled and grabbed Hachiman's hand.
Then, discreetly, her palm lightly brushed his.
Who knew what kind of thoughts this aging, single woman was having.
"..."
"Come on, Hachiman, finish this last glass and then we're done," Haruno proposed, refilling his glass to the brim.
"Alright, but this really is the last glass. I have to go home after this," Hachiman said, forcing himself to endure the growing drunkenness.