WARNING : I am not a native speaker. One of my reasons to re-write this fict is because I want to practice my English even just a little. So, read it with a grain of salt and please enjoy yourself.
—OoOoO—
Jujutsu Kaisen by Gege Akutami
Oregairu by Wataru Watari & Ponkan8
Genre : Supernatural, Action, Freindship, Slice of Life, and Little Bit Romance
Summary : Not the romantic comedy of youth that he experienced, not the quiet and normal life of youth he had. He never missed his day-to-day cursing his strange and annoying life. He is Hikigaya Hachiman and this is all his complaints as a jujutsu sorcerer.
Chapter 16: A Curse That Lies in Her Words.
—OoOoO—
The next day, the Sunday he didn't want. Hachiman left the house on foot toward Kaihin-Makuhari Station. This station was the closest to his home, less than a kilometre away. That was why Hachiman and a certain woman agreed to meet here.
Hachiman wore a casual summer outfit. A short-sleeved t-shirt with a dark orange colour wrapped his upper body. While the bottom was black shorts and dark blue Adidas sandals.
Apart from the digital watch wrapped around his left wrist, no other accessories were attached to him. In addition, didn't forget about his favourite waist bag, which he bought cheaply at an online store.
After about ten minutes of walking, the boy finally arrived at Kaihin-Makuhari Station. This station was one of the busiest in Chiba because it was in the city's centre. Moreover, being in a strategic location surrounded by department stores and office buildings, this station would be bustling at certain hours. If he was lazy cycling to his school, Hachiman himself would use this station. So, he got a feel for how crowded this place was on active days and during work hours.
However, because today was Sunday, the crowd was not as bad as what Hachiman saw every day.
Instead of going into the station, Hachiman immediately pointed his feet toward the car park. He had intended to wait there, but what happened was that he saw a woman sitting leaning against the front of a Toyota AE86.
The shoulder-length black-haired woman, who was busy operating her smartphone, heard the sound of approaching footsteps. Her head lifted, and a pair of violet irises met the eyes of a dead fish.
"Yahallo!"
The woman waved her hand with a smile as bright as the sun. Meanwhile, Hachiman sighed with closed eyes. He wondered what sins he committed in the past, so he deserved all this shit.
"Didn't you come too early, Haruno-san? There's still 15 minutes until 10:00 and you're already here?"
Haruno ignored Hachiman's complaint and asked, "So, where are you taking me today?"
Hachiman didn't care about Haruno's attitude. But, he had a principle. If you took Haruno's too seriously, you'd be the one to get lost first.
"I think about various things, but I want to take lots of photos. So, I think of going around the Boso Peninsula. What do you think?"
"Taking lots of photos and going to the Boso Peninsula, huh?" Haruno replied with a thoughtful expression, "Alright, that sounds fun."
Haruno was actually curious about Hachiman's date plans today. She also wanted to know how Hachiman answered the challenge she gave him yesterday. However, asking it in advance would not make things interesting, just like in a manga or movie-themed about detectives, which always unravelled all the tricks at the end.
If Haruno wanted to, she could just bombard Hachiman with all sorts of trick questions so she could get an idea of what Hachiman was up to. However, she didn't do it. Haruno wanted to ignore it and enjoy their Sunday like a regular date.
Haruno quickly opened the car door and sat in the driver's seat. Since this is a Japanese car, the driver's seat was on the right. Meanwhile, Hachiman strolled toward the other side of the car. To be honest, Hachiman wanted to sit in the backseat. However, Hachiman couldn't help but sit beside her to obtain proof of the challenge Haruno requested.
The roar of the Toyota AE86 rang in Hachiman's ears as Haruno started the engine. This car was a classic car, famous for the Initial D anime. Even so, it was still an old car. Unless you always cared for it, the engine's sound won't be this good.
The car's wheels turned slowly, taking them out of the parking area of Kaihin-Makuhari Station. Then, with a constant speed, Haruno, who was driving this car, steered the vehicle out of Chiba City via the Keiyo expressway.
When they get out of the Keiyo toll, they take the Higashi Kanto Expressway, or if translated, it means the East Kanto Expressway. This toll road would take them into Kisarazu City, which then led to Futtsu City and straight up to the Boso Peninsula area, which includes Kyonan City, Minamiboso, Tateyama, Kamogawa, Katsuura, to Ichinomiya City on the East side.
"Which Boso Peninsula are we going to?" Haruno asked.
"I was thinking of going to Mount Nokogiri, then to Nojimazaki Lighthouse in Tateyama, then having lunch at Wadaura. If we still have time, I'm thinking of going a little north, to Kamogawa Sea World. Otherwise, I guess I'll just go straight to Okinoshima."
"You're really thinking about circling the Boso Peninsula, huh? Hmm, as a Chiba people, I guess that's pretty standard." Haruno smiled as she said that.
"I'm also confused, though. I don't think there are many places where I can take pictures in peace in Chiba City. Actually, I was thinking about going to Hitachi Seaside Park in Ibaraki, but the flowers aren't blooming this season."
Hitachi Seaside Park in Ibaraki Prefecture was a famous photo spot that became "a hill of flowers". In spring, the hill was coloured blue by nemophila flowers, and in autumn, the hill was coloured pink by Kochia flowers. However, at the end of June, unfortunately, nemophila season had passed.
"I don't think that's a problem. I prefer to spend my days off in a place where I can relax rather than in a crowded place. Also, in this season, the Boso Peninsula is a great choice. The weather is also very sunny today."
"Well, I hope the sky will be cloudy and it will rain heavily," Hachiman's honest reply made Haruno laugh, "By the way, we're going to have a lot of walking today, are you okay?"
"Don't worry. You told me to wear comfortable outdoor shoes earlier," Haruno replied.
Hachiman and Haruno had not exchanged contact yet. However, after they parted ways in front of Chiba University yesterday, Hachiman told Haruno to wear comfortable shoes for outdoor use.
Because of that, Haruno didn't just wear comfortable white outdoor shoes. She also took the initiative to wear clothes that were also comfortable to move. As of now, she was just wearing a plain blue shirt with sleeves rolled up to the elbows and grey shorts. In the back seat was a small white backpack containing Haruno's personal belongings.
"Still, I didn't think you'd take me around Minamiboso and its surroundings, anyway," Haruno said with her eyes focused on the road, "Okinoshima as the last stop…, does that mean we'll be there in the afternoon? You seem more romantic than I imagined huh, Hikigaya-kun?"
Hachiman quickly turned his gaze toward the road on his left. The young man tried hard to hide the blush on his face from being teased by Haruno.
"By the way, I'm sorry you had to drive so far," said Hachiman trying to change the subject, "If you don't mind me not having a driver's license, I can replace you driving when you're tired."
Out of all Hachiman's conversations with Haruno, the sentence just now was probably the sincerest he had ever said to her. Because he knew very well that the journey from Chiba City to Mount Nokogiri alone was long enough, more than an hour by car. If you total up all the trips, including the return trip, it might take up to four and a half hours, or even more, depending on the traffic.
Hachiman realised that it was very tiring to drive alone. In addition, Haruno's stamina might also be drained as long as they stopped at their destinations later. And if something happened to Haruno, Hachiman would be in trouble. As such, with sincere feelings, Hachiman offered to replace Haruno for a ride if she was tired.
"Wow, you can drive a car?" asked Haruno, half surprised.
"I am the only man in my family. So, inevitably I have to be able to drive just in case something goes wrong."
Lie. The reason Hachiman was able to drive a car was not because of his family. During his time at Tokyo Jujutsu Tech, Hachiman also learned some skills. And one of them was driving a car.
Unfortunately, because Hachiman brought up his family, especially since Hachiman said he was the only man, made Haruno thought that asking further questions was not wise. Whether the reason was valid, Haruno didn't want to make Hachiman raise his guard against her.
"Then, please help later," replied Haruno, to which Hachiman nodded.
The car's speed slowed because the toll exit gate was starting to be seen in front. Haruno immediately took the e-toll card to pay the fare.
Seeing Haruno preparing her card, Hachiman took out his smartphone. He shot Haruno quickly and stealthily. Hachiman's smartphone camera didn't make a sound, unlike most phones sold in Japan. His smartphone was purchased from overseas, or rather, it was Gojou who bought the phone last year because Hachiman's old phone was destroyed during the mission.
However, despite not making a sound, Haruno instinctively turned toward Hachiman. Unfortunately, the woman found nothing because Hachiman had good hand speed.
They exit the Tateyama Expressway to Futtsu-Kanaya-IC. From there, they took National Road Route 127. The long journey finally ended when they arrived at the Nokogiri mountain area.
"Not much has changed from this place, huh?" Haruno said while looking around her.
The two of them stepped onto the path that led to the statue of Hyaku Shaku Kannon, or A Hundred Shaku Kannon. Shaku was a unit of length used in Japan, about 30.3 cm. While Kannon was the name of the Goddess Guanyin. So, Hyaku Shaku Kannon could also mean 30.3 meters of Guanyin.
"Have you been here before?" asked Hachiman.
"Last April I came here during Hanamatsuri, and I've been here before with my friends too."
Hachiman was a little surprised to hear that. Not on the part of her coming here with her friends, but on the part of Hanamatsuri.
"I didn't expect you to be a devout Buddhist to even celebrate Hanamatsuri here."
Haruno laughed loudly at Hachiman's sarcasm.
"It was not like that. I was just accompanying my father at that time."
Hanamatsuri was a Vesak celebration in Japan. In cities, usually, Hanamatsuri was only celebrated in temples, and of course, there was a carnival or procession. However, in a quieter place like Mount Nokogiri, Hanamatsuri celebrations had a more sacred impression and were indeed held for worship rituals, not just celebrations.
So, it was only natural for Hachiman to think Haruno was a devout Buddhist when he heard she was celebrating Hanamatsuri here.
"Well, I hope you're not bored because I brought you here then," Hachiman said flatly, "If you're bored that's okay too. It's even better because we can go straight home."
Haruno smiled, hearing how Hachiman had no intention of hiding his reluctance on this date.
"I don't think that's true. These days, there are a lot of girls who like to go to sacred places and temples."
Haruno said those words while looking around with interest at the vast Buddha statue carved into the monolith, various Buddha statues, and of course, the Hyaku Shaku Kannon.
"That's good then. I worry that the temples and Buddha statues will not appeal to women."
At that moment, a middle-aged man approached the two of them—or rather, approached Haruno. The man smiled and greeted Haruno, to which Haruno also returned with a fake greeting and smile. Then, realising the situation, Hachiman took a few steps back to make room.
There was no important conversation between them, just small talk. But, judging from his clothes, Hachiman could tell that the man was one of the officers in this place.
When their conversation ended, and the man started to leave Haruno, the woman kept her fake smile on until she confirmed that the man had really disappeared from her sight.
And at that moment, Hachiman took advantage of it and took another photo of Haruno using his smartphone.
He managed to take a close-up photo with the background of the path and the Hyaku Shaku Kannon statue. The image looks astonishing, with both sides like a stone wall flanking the Hyaku Shaku Kannon. The shadows of the trees also add a leafy atmosphere to the photo. In short, it was a perfect photo.
However, this time Haruno managed to catch Hachiman off guard.
"Hey, why are you taking photo all of a sudden like that? In the car, you also took my photo, right, when we were about to exit the toll?" Haruno inquired with her hands on her hips.
"Sorry, I just want to take photos that are as natural as possible. This is just your impression from my point of view."
"Hmmm..."
Haruno still looked displeased, but she chose not to say anything. And finally, the two of them continued their journey and climbed further up Mount Nokogiri.
After a few minutes, they finally arrived at Jigoku Nozoki. Here, a rock protruded on the roof, and the bottom of the rock was cut vertically by about 30 meters. And all of this was created naturally.
"Jigoku Nozoki. As the name states, when we look down from the other end, it's like peeking into hell."
When Hachiman said that, Haruno looked interested. However, she could hide it perfectly behind her mask. If Hachiman wasn't a jujutsu sorcerer who dealt with cursed spirits daily, Hachiman probably wouldn't have noticed the change.
"Since we've come this far now, what's the point if we don't look there, right?" challenged Hachiman.
Haruno looked at the young man with a seductive gaze.
"Did you expect there to be a suspension bridge effect on me, Hikigaya-kun?"
The suspension bridge effect was a psychological phenomenon occurring when a person crossed a suspension bridge and met the opposite sex. A person's fear of crossing a suspension bridge made the heart beat fast and turned into interest or passion for the opposite sex. That was what make someone misinterpret that feeling as love.
The two of them followed the overhanging cliff to its end. The distance between the tip and them was now only limited by a chest-high fence.
"It's called peeking into hell down here, Jigoku Nozoki."
When he said that, Hachiman also looked down, but the sensation of protruding into the empty space beneath him didn't give him anything.
On the other hand, Haruno seemed to have a complicated reaction. You could tell she looked happy, curious, free, courageous, and such. In fact, you wouldn't understand if it was her real face or just the mask.
Hachiman took another photo of Haruno, who looked full of expression. And again, Haruno noticed.
"You take a picture of me secretly again?"
"Well, I want to shoot each different expression."
Haruno continued to stare intently at Hachiman. She didn't like it when people took her photos secretly. However, she couldn't blame it all on Hachiman. Haruno gave him the challenge of providing proof of "who is the real her" on this date. So, she would stand with what Hachiman did, as long as it wasn't something truly impudent.
"Make sure you delete everything and don't spread it around, okay?" Haruno rebuked.
Hachiman shrugged, indicating that he wouldn't do anything indecent to the photos he took, making Haruno sigh.
"It was written on the front that monks often practice here to train their mental strength and concentration," said Haruno.
"Huh? I don't see any point in doing that, though."
Haruno smiled mischievously at Hachiman, "If an earthquake happens now, we're finished. If all this rock were to collapse, we'd be free-falling straight down."
"And if that's the case, I'll be the first to run fast from this place," replied Hachiman.
Haruno looked sullen because Hachiman didn't take her joke and only gave a nonchalant response. Of course, Haruno didn't expect a humorous reply from the boy beside her either. After all, Hachiman was a person involved with the supernatural world. And a joke like an earthquake or something like that couldn't possibly scare him.
However, Hachiman was also quite annoyed that Haruno always teased him. Not only today, but since they first met, Haruno had said many teasing words to him. Because of that, Hachiman wanted a little revenge.
"However, if something like that were to happen, I might as well save you, Haruno-san."
Haruno almost choked when she heard that statement. She didn't expect the reaction at all. However, hearing Hachiman say that and being unprepared made Haruno's heart beat a little faster than usual.
"Hahahahaha," Haruno laughed loudly to cover her awkwardness, "Do you really want to give me a suspension bridge effect, Hikigaya-kun?"
After saying that, Haruno immediately turned around and walked away from Hachiman. And without the girl knowing, Hachiman managed to capture Haruno's rare reaction on his smartphone.
Of course, he slightly used his cursed technique to give Haruno the illusion that Hachiman didn't do anything. In fact, using such a cursed technique was against his own principles. However, he couldn't help but take a picture of Haruno.
—OoOoO—
After leaving Mount Nokogiri, they headed south on Route 410. This time, Hachiman was driving the car. This was just a test as to whether Haruno could hand over the driver's seat to Hachiman or not.
"Where do we go next?" Haruno asked.
"To the Nojimazaki lighthouse."
Nojimazaki Lighthouse was the southernmost point of the Boso Peninsula. This lighthouse was built in the early Meiji period. Nojimazaki Lighthouse had the honour of being the second oldest lighthouse in Japan. The main attraction of this lighthouse was its exotic view because it face directly into the vast Pacific Ocean.
As the car they were riding passed through the mountains, the ocean suddenly stretched out in front of Haruno and Hachiman.
It was the Pacific Ocean.
Thanked the clear weather, the blue sea shined brightly. The reflection of the sun's light combined with the waves of the seawater gave a reflection of light that formed a pattern like a hologram.
The classic car continued down the road, with the sea on the right and the mountains on the left. Because this street was quite far from residential areas, only a few buildings—located far apart—were occasionally seen.
Soon, a shiny white building came into view. Looking at the building, you could feel classic and majestic with one look. That was the Nojimazaki lighthouse.
The land protruded into the sea like a small peninsula, and the area around the lighthouse was like a park.
"This is my first time going here," Haruno said after getting out of the car.
"Really? I don't think there's any place in Chiba that you haven't been to."
Haruno shook her head and replied, "Since it's too far South and there's not much you can see here, none of my friends is interested in having a vacation here."
It wasn't necessary information, but Hachiman would forever engrave it in memory.
"How about you, Hikigaya-kun?"
Hachiman turned his head slightly and then looked at the path leading to the lighthouse again.
"I've been here before. Only once."
'Just doing exorcised, though,' he added in his mind.
The area around the Nojimazaki Lighthouse had been neatly cleaned of grass and other things. Right in front of the promenade was a rocky beach.
"It's good to see the ocean stretch out with nothing but the horizon like this," Haruno said while taking a deep breath.
That scene made her chest swell, so the bulge of her chest became even bigger. Hachiman, who accidentally saw that immediately averted his gaze.
However, before that, he take a shoot again, aimed at the moment.
"You took my picture again?" Haruno asked with her eyes bulging.
Hachiman looked Haruno in the eye and replied, "Sorry. Just for today, please. Because this will be the answer to your challenge."
"But, look, I'd prefer you to take my picture when I'm ready," replied Haruno, who still looked displeased.
The pair of humans finally arrived under the lighthouse, and the expanse of the open sea spoiled their eyes.
"Want to walk all the way to the end?" Hachiman offered while pointing at the headland's tip, and Haruno nodded in return.
They walked side by side toward the end of the land. The sea breeze that blew was stronger, making her hair dance merrily to the rhythm of the wind.
Hachiman saw the opportunity and captured Haruno once more. And the woman didn't notice because she was busy straightening her hair. With the blue sea background and slightly dishevelled hair, this was one of Hachiman's favourite photos.
A boundless blue sea spread before their eyes when they reached the end. Haruno, who had taken out a headband from her small backpack, sealed her hair and allowed her to see the horizon clearly.
"You know, there's America, South America, and Antarctica at the other side."
The words flowed out of Haruno's mouth as if pushed by the wind.
"You sound like someone who just wants to sail around the world, Haruno-san."
"Sailing around the world, huh?" she retorted, repeating Hachiman's words, "That sounds like a big dream, doesn't it?"
"Do you really want to sail around the world?" asked Hachiman while looking at Haruno's face.
Haruno giggled at the question.
"It was a big dream, but I never felt that it was the place for me."
Hachiman didn't know how to respond. What Haruno said wasn't a question or a statement you could just comment on. Dreams, wishes, and goals were complicated things. No, those were simple things and sometimes felt very close. However, all of them—dreams, wishes, and goals— were things that were very difficult for you to realise and understand.
The flapping sounds and chirping of seagulls flying in groups filled the void between Haruno and Hachiman. The rush of the wind that rolled the waves in the sea became the melody they were currently playing. The minimally polluted air and the fresh smell of seawater became a therapeutic aroma that soothed the pair of young people.
"Lighthouse is the only guide in the dark night. Today, we have GPS, but back then, lighthouse was the only sign and hope for sailors. And they will follow where the lighthouse is, to where they are going," said HarunoG, and her eyes were on the lighthouse. The lighthouse's lime-white glint in the sun reflected the pair of woman's irises.
"That's why my father named me "Haruno" so that I can be a light for everyone and be able to give them hope and positive energy."
Hachiman thought for a moment while digesting Haruno's words.
"Light? Positive energy? Wait. You mean, the "Haru" in "Haruno" is taken from the kanji "hi (陽)" which means sunshine or "you(陽)" in "youshi (陽子)" which means proton?"
Haruno nodded at the question.
"Then, how about "no"?" asked Hachiman.
"Just "no (乃)" for affixes. Like in Yukino-chan's name," Haruno replied.
Hachiman was silent for a moment as if at a loss for words.
"I do not expect. I thought the "Haru" in your name used the simple kanji for "spring (春)"."
Simply put, the kanji used by Haruno's name was quite tricky to read. In fact, using the kanji for the name "Haru" alone was a bit unusual.
As Haruno said, the name had a profound meaning. In fact, you could write "heaven" using kanji. However, "heaven", in this case, was not heaven in general. Instead, it was the cosmic meaning of "heaven", namely the "Yang" particle in the Yin-Yang concept, which was entirely understandable for those with the attributes of divinity.
And if you write Haruno's name backwards, then change the kanji "no (乃)" in "Haruno" to the particle "no (の)", the name can be read as "you no Yukinoshita (陽の雪ノ下)", which means "Yang principle/energy of Yukinoshita". Or, in poetic terms, you could say "the godsends that belongs to Yukinoshita".
A name was a prayer. Sometimes prayers were answered, and sometimes they were not. In this case, "haruno" was the prayer her parents gave. And the prayer was heard by the Gods.
And that made Haruno the same person as Gojou Satoru. A human who was loved by the Gods, a human blessed by the heavens, and a human destined to be victorious.
And without thinking, Hachiman's hands holding the phone, he pointed at Haruno and took a quick picture of the girl right in front of her face.
"Hey!" Haruno protests,
Hachiman was a boy that hard to tell the truth. Living under the shadow of curses made him have to live full of lies. However, hearing Haruno telling the truth, at the very least, Hachiman wanted to respond honestly.
"Sorry. I couldn't help but take a picture because that was the best expression of yours I've ever seen."
Haruno sighed. Even though Hachiman had said it was important to answer her challenge, she still wasn't used to someone taking her picture carelessly.
After being in the lighthouse area for about 40 minutes, Hachiman and Haruno got back into the car.
"It's half past three in the afternoon. How? Want to find something to eat or go straight to Kamogawa Sea World first?" Haruno asked.
"My plan is to go to Wadaura first to eat because there are some unique restaurants that you can't find in Chiba City."
"Ah, you mean the restaurant in the WA-O Rest Area that provides the whale-processed menu?"
"Right. Have you eaten there, Haruno-san?"
Haruno shook her head, "Nope. I've only been in WA-O just looking for some souvenirs."
"The lines there are very long, especially on holidays. If we eat at WA-O first, we won't be able to make it to Kamogawa on time."
"Do you really want to go there? Do you want to watch a killer whale performance?"
Hachiman looked at Haruno for a moment before answering.
"Not really. Actually, it's just an additional idea since we're on the East side of the Boso Peninsula."
"Then there's no need to go to Kamogawa. I think Wadaura has been fun too. I heard the food there is delicious and the beach is pretty good too," said Haruno.
Hearing that, Hachiman nodded. The main purpose of this date was to please Haruno. If that woman had said it was acceptable not to go to Kamogawa Sea World, Hachiman would have happily crossed that off his plan list.
After the next destination had been decided, Hachiman, still in control of the driver's seat, started the engine of the Toyota AE86. After warming the machine, he stepped on the clutch pedal and shifted gears. Then he stepped on the gas pedal and slowly released the clutch pedal.
They retook Route 410 and headed North. This time, the route they took led them to the east side of the Boso Peninsula.
—OoOoO—
Finally, they arrived at the WA-O Rest WA-O Rest Area was quite unique and famous. The place was close to Wadaura beach, well-known as one of the whaling centres in Japan. Therefore, when you enter the rest area, you will be greeted by a complete skeleton model of a giant blue whale.
Hachiman and Haruno entered a Wadahama restaurant that was directly adjacent to the WA-O Souvenir Shop. As they expected, the restaurant was almost full. Lucky because there were still two tables left. And without further ado, they immediately walked to one of the tables.
"Seeing this restaurant full, I didn't think that Wadahama's rating on Google was that bad," Haruno said as she took the menu.
"Most of those who gave ratings at Google are Westerners. They give bad marks because this place serves whale meat," replied Hachiman, who was sitting across from Haruno.
The whole area of the Boso Peninsula, especially Minamiboso City and Tateyama, was originally known as a little paradise at the tip of Chiba. Foreign tourists were not widely known about this place, and the visitors were mostly locals. However, since the internet had been overgrown, especially when industry 4.0 was introduced, a lot of information could be accessed digitally.
Since then, the Boso Peninsula has begun to be visited by many foreign tourists. The positive side was that the tourism industry throughout Minamiboso was growing rapidly. Meanwhile, on the negative side, because of the cultural differences, especially for animal lovers who witness the capture and consumption of whale meat in restaurants, the image of the seafood industry in this place has plummeted.
The two of them looked at the "Whale Special Menu" page that Haruno had opened. In general, it was a rice bowl topped with whale sashimi, fried whale Tatsuta, and whale cutlet.
"Are you sure you want to order whale meat, Hikigaya-kun?"
Hachiman paused to think about the answer, "Honestly, I was a little hesitant. The prices were relatively high and I can't eat whale meat if it tastes weird."
"But, now that we're here, wouldn't you like to give it a try? We won't be able to eat whale meat again if the anti-whaling movement continues."
Even so, Hachiman hadn't made up his mind yet.
"Then let's order a portion of whale sashimi. We can share it together, right?" Hachiman finally spoke up.
The challenge every time you try a new food was the taste of the food. Trying new food was like picking two balls at random in a box. It could be that the ball matched your expectations, or it could also be that the ball betrayed yours.
The same was applied when you try new food. You may get a taste to your liking. However, it was also possible that the food would not satisfy your appetite. And in the end, you were just wasting your money on something pointless. To anticipate that, dividing one portion into two people was a solution if you wanted to try something.
Hachiman and Haruno ended up ordering whale sashimi. However, since a portion shared with two people wouldn't make his stomach light up, Hachiman also ordered Shun no Jizakana no Tsuke-don. If translated into English was "donburi with pickled seasonal local fish".
And unexpectedly, Haruno also ordered an additional menu, Ise-ebi no Nyumen. Which means "Nyumen with lobster". Well, the lobster here was not a whole lobster, but only a few pieces that were adjusted to the size of the bowl. While "nyumen" was a variant of soumen from Nara, which was rich in nutrients because it contained shiitake mushrooms, vegetables, fish cakes, and half a boiled egg. However, for Ise-ebi no Nyumen, the fish cake was replaced with a few pieces of lobster meat.
"Soumen? Are you serious? What's more, you ordered nyumen?" Hachiman commented after a waiter left their table.
"There is something wrong?"
"Nothing. It's just, that I didn't expect you to order extra food, Haruno-san."
Haruno put her hand folded on the table.
"All those trips made me hungry. Plus, I just had baked beans for breakfast, two sausages, a fried egg, and toast this morning."
"Ah, a day with Bland British Breakfast, huh?" he retorted.
Hachiman's response made Haruno want to laugh. However, the girl realised that many people around her wanted to eat in peace.
"Are you really anti-Western?"
"What? No," Hachiman replied casually with a shrug, "It's just, aren't people following western culture too much these days?"
"That's because their culture is freer. And young people today are more suited to that style."
"more suited, your ass. Youngsters like that are just a bunch of idiots who want to do what they want without wanting to take responsibility by hiding behind freedom."
Haruno smirked at his answer, and her hands supported her chin. Hachiman's way of expressing his opinion might sound harsh, but Haruno got his point.
Humans were gifted with logic, but unfortunately, most humans indulge their lust. A free lifestyle would only worsen the social environment for humans too obsessed with desire. Therefore, humans created laws to describe what and how humans should act to remain worthy of being called "humans". If the law was abolished, you would not know how far humans would fall from their nature.
The conversation between them continued casually, even though it was Haruno's dominance, and Hachiman simply answered as it was.
Due to the sheer number of visitors, they had to wait at least 30 minutes for the food they ordered to arrive.
Their main menu was served in a large sashimi bowl. They looked at the whale meat they ordered. The colour of the meat was much redder and darker than beef.
"Looks like horse meat," commented Hachiman as he pinched a slice of whale meat using chopsticks.
Hachiman chewed the meat slowly. His tongue danced as he searched for more whale sashimi flavours.
"The taste is more normal than I thought," Hachiman said after swallowing it.
"It's like strong lean meat, huh?" It was Haruno's turn to comment this time.
Hachiman nodded slowly. Both he and Haruno seemed to have the same impression.
"The smell is a bit distinctive, but the taste of the meat is quite normal," said Hachiman again.
Haruno finally looked at the young man with eyes that seemed to say, 'are you serious?' to Hachiman.
"From the beginning, you just said this is normal, that is normal. Don't you have any other vocabulary, Hikigaya-kun? Or is it just your tongue that's numb?"
Hachiman choked slightly at Haruno's reply.
"No. I mean, this is totally normal, you know? It tastes like beef and pork. It's just, this whale feels tenderest and chewiest."
Haruno couldn't help but agree this time. If normal, he meant that way, Haruno also agreed.
"Whales are descended from the same order Artiodactyla as cows and pigs. No wonder if it tastes the same. Today, whales, cows, pigs, and deers are all classified together into the order 'cetartiodactyl.'"
"Ooh," Hachiman responded as he chewed the food.
"By the way, the land animal closest to whales is the hippopotamus."
Hachiman swallowed his food and spoke, "You know a lot, huh? Are you Haru-pedia or something?"
Light conversation accompanied them, unlike before when Hachiman was more passive. Currently, the boy looked more active, although most are commenting on the taste of the food they ordered.
The entire banquet on the table was already clean and leaving only the dirty dishes they had tidied up and collected in the corner of the table. Hachiman turned on his smartphone, and the screen showed about five in the afternoon.
Haruno stood up from his place. Before she left, she looked at the boy sitting before her.
"I want to buy vanilla ice cream. Would you like to order something too?"
Hachiman thought for a moment before accepting the offer. Actually, he didn't want to eat anymore, but there was a snack that he wanted to try.
"Then, one blueberry milk yoghurt ice cream," replied Hachiman as he stood up and carried the dishes.
Looking straight into Haruno's eyes, he continued, "I'll go to the cashier after placing these dirty dishes. If you're done but I'm still not, just wait for me outside."
Haruno nodded in response. They were now separated. While Hachiman put the dirty plates back in the proper place and walked to the cashier, Haruno stood in line at the snack stand, and the sweets were there.
Luckily for the two, the line wasn't long, so Hachiman and Haruno could finish their business together and leave the restaurant. They were now leaning their asses on the hood of Haruno's Toyota AE86.
'This yoghurt ice cream tastes so soft. The sour taste of the blueberries balances the sweetness of the ice cream. And it doesn't make me sick even though I ate a lot earlier,' thought Hachiman.
Haruno, who was eating vanilla ice cream, now looked at Hachiman. Even though Hachiman didn't utter a single word, Haruno could see the satisfied reaction on the boy's expressionless face. At least his rotten eyes looked a little life this time.
With her right hand holding her hair from falling, Haruno quickly brought her mouth to his yoghurt ice cream. Without him being able to react, Haruno had already taken a bite of the yoghurt ice cream.
"It tastes sweet and sour at the same time. Having this kind of taste, in just one simple dish, isn't that more sumptuous than anything else?" Haruno asked in a seductive tone.
Noticing that there was a yoghurt stain on the corner of her lips, Haruno brushed it off with the tip of her tongue.
'It was my first indirect kiss!' thought the pubescent teenager.
However, in return, Hachiman, who had fast hand speed, didn't take long to open the camera app on his phone and take a picture of Haruno gently eating ice cream.
"Why do you keep taking pictures of me while I'm eating like this, anyway?"
Haruno was a little annoyed. However, according to the boy, Haruno's current way of eating ice cream was a little childish.
—OoOoO—
From Wadaura, their journey continued toward the island of Okinoshima. This time, Haruno was in charge of steering the classic car. She took route 128, the path that cut through the city of Minamiboso from end to end. This route was unlike routes 127 and 410, which run along the seaside along the Boso Peninsula.
Even though Route 128 was the path that cut through Minamiboso City, there would still come a time when they arrived at the road by the seaside.
When they had almost arrived, they were pampered by a view of houses lined on the hill overlooking the sea. When they arrived at this place, it felt like a different city from the Chiba City they lived in. The summer atmosphere, the coastal paths, and the hills' houses made them feel like they were on a South Island rather than Chiba.
"In an afternoon like this and imagining Chiba City full of people returning home, you don't think this could be called a 'megapolitan area', do you?" said Haruno.
Chiba City, in particular, and Chiba Prefecture, in general, belong to the Kanto Region, a region with the highest population density in Japan. Together with Tokyo, Kanagawa, and Saitama Prefectures, Chiba Prefecture was known as The Megapolitan Tokyo Area or The Greater Tokyo Area.
"Even so, even in Tokyo, there is still a remote area called Okutama, a place where bears sometimes appear."
"Oh, it's unusual for a boy your age to know that Okutama is in Tokyo. Usually, people would think it was in Yamanashi or Saitama," Haruno replied again.
"Well, as long as you don't sleep in geography class, you should know that Okutama is in Tokyo."
Lie. He knew Okutama in Tokyo because Tokyo Jujutsu Tech was there. Travelling from Okutama to the Tokyo Metropolis area—the 23 special wards of Tokyo—was an activity that Hachiman did almost every day when he was a student of Tokyo Jujutsu Tech.
After passing through Tateyama Station, they headed for the JMSDF Base in Tateyama. The connected uninhabited island to the west of the island was Okinoshima. While the parking lot was in front of the sandy beach that led to the island.
"If we saw the wild waves at Nojimazaki lighthouse, now we are treated to calm waves in Okinoshima," Haruno chirped.
Haruno got out of the car with a headband already perched on her hair so it wouldn't fall apart in the sea breeze. Seeing that, Hachiman quickly took a picture of Haruno without her noticing.
"Technically, Okinoshima is still up ahead," Hachiman replied, pointing at the uninhabited island, "We still have to walk from here to the island."
Despite being called an island, Okinshima wasn't really an island according to geography, or that's how it was today. To be precise, Okinoshima was a small promontory that juts out slightly toward the sea. And from the mainland to the headland, connected by a sandy beach.
The two of them walked along the beach, walking side by side.
"Okinoshima Island was originally a stand-alone island, but was later connected to the mainland after the Great Kanto Earthquake," said Haruno.
"Is that so? Then, just like Enoshima, huh?"
"Yes. Although not as popular as Enoshima though."
Haruno's eyes scanned her surroundings. The orange of the sky that coloured the beach water really spoiled her eyes.
"My father once gave me a question," Haruno said, continuing the conversation, "If it was me, what would I do to increase the attractiveness of Okinoshima?"
Hachiman's attention was now entirely focused on the woman next to him. As a man who loved his homeland, Chiba, he was interested in a topic that could advance one of these Eastern Prefectures.
"Then, I answered, I will build a castle in the middle of Okinoshima," Haruno continued.
Okinoshima was just a tiny island overgrown with dense trees, but it probably wouldn't look like that if a castle were built there. Unfortunately, the only main attraction of Okinoshima right now was the exceptionally romantic view of the sun setting behind Mount Fuji.
In other words, in seasons with high rainfall, such as autumn and winter, Okinoshima's attractiveness would diminish or even disappear. This was different from the Nojimazaki Lighthouse, whose attraction was not limited to certain seasons, as long as there were no storms.
In addition, building a castle on a small island had also been proven successful in attracting local and foreign tourists.
"You're trying to imitating the concept of Mont Saint-Michel in France, eh?" asked Hachiman.
Haruno nodded slowly. She didn't feel offended even though Hahciman called it "imitating". In fact, Haruno was indeed inspired by Mont Saint-Michel.
"This place is on the west side of the Boso Peninsula, right? If you come here at sunset and see it from inside the majestic castle, I'm sure it will be very beautiful," Haruno replied.
And Hachiman only replied with short words.
"Romantic and classic, huh?"
Haruno gave a small smile and replied, "If you can see the sunset, Mount Fuji and the sea at the same time like this, there probably aren't many places like that other than Okinoshima. So, it would be great if this place had another, more classic touches."
The two of them had finally arrived at the outer side of the island. From this side, you could see that the vegetation planted here was still natural. There was no human intervention. The information board on display also showed that this island had natural pools and caves.
Even though it was not the first time, Haruno always felt happy every time she came to this place. Moreover, Haruno never went to this place in the afternoon. All the information she had about this island romance in the afternoon she only got from reviews on the internet.
Feeling that this was the right moment, Hachiman took another picture of Haruno with his smartphone.
"You just took my picture, right?"
Hachiman didn't answer the question and just shrugged his shoulders casually.
"So, this is the road that leads to the island, right? Want to go there?" asked Hachiman to change the subject.
Haruno sighed. She still had to wait until their date was over to get an explanation about why he had been taking pictures secretly all along.
The two of them walked along the path that cut through the forest. They did step by step until their field of view finally widened, and they found a new sight.
They came to a small sandy beach sandwiched between rocks on both sides.
"It's even better than the photos on the internet," Hachiman quipped.
Haruno, who had taken off her shoes and put them away, had now reached the shore while occasionally kicking and playing with the water with a big smile. It was as if Haruno's figure was very different from usual.
Hachiman also took off his shoes to avoid getting wet. Then, the boy walked casually toward her, who was now playing with the water like an ordinary girl. And, of course, he had captured the scenery using his phone camera.
"Look, Hikigaya-kun, the sea water is very clean. Very clear to the bottom," Haruno said cheerfully, "You know, this beach always gets an AA rating, the highest level, in the water quality survey conducted by the Ministry of Environment."
Hachiman looked at Haruno, who was still playing in the water.
"You really like this place huh, Haruno-san?"
"Yes. Okinoshima is my favourite place. I've been here several times with my family and friends," Haruno replied while looking straight at Hachiman, "However, this is my first time coming here in the afternoon. How about you, Hikigaya-kun?"
"This is also my first time."
Haruno smiled broadly, a smile that was sincere from the heart.
"Then, I'll show you the great things about this place."
Without permission, Haruno grabbed Hachiman's wrist. Hachiman's face was slightly red. It was lucky for him that Haruno was now in her own world, so Hachiman didn't have to bother trying to hide his expression.
The woman dragged him toward the coral arrangement lined up neatly and beautifully.
"This is the northernmost boundary of the coral, and the coral can be seen by snorkelling. There are lots of small fish here. If we come a little later, I'll take you diving."
Haruno pointed out one by one the things that interested her and explained them well to Hachiman. Her finger was pointing at the places, making it seem like she was a tour guide who knew all the ins and outs of Okinoshima.
"If you look from up there, you'll find several types of tropical fish," Haruno continued, pointing at the rocks shaped like stairs.
"Where?" asked Hachiman.
"Over there."
When Haruno tried to turn around and go to the place to explain better, she didn't notice that the field they were standing on wasn't wide, and she and Hachiman were very close to each other.
That was why, when Haruno turned around, she bumped into Hachiman instead of walking straight to where she was going. Unfortunately, due to the height difference between herself and the boy, the top of Haruno's head hit the tip of Hachiman's chin.
"Ouch!"
Haruno took a step back slightly. However, because her feet were slippery, she slipped. Her eyes bulged. Falling out of this place wasn't funny. If you were lucky, you might get some scuffs and bruises. However, if luck was not with you, experiencing fractures was something you should at least be grateful for.
However, Hachiman grabbed Haruno's right arm with his trained reflexes. The tug wasn't too strong, but it was enough to Haruno pulled up and bumped into Hachiman's chest.
Unfortunately, Hachiman was a healthy teenager, and you could say Haruno's two assets were quite large. The two springy objects that hit Hachiman's chest caused a strange sensation within him. Because the dirty thoughts that crossed his mind made his concentration slightly lost.
In the end, Hachiman fell backwards because his feet were also slippery.
Luckily Hachiman wasn't standing on the edge—unlike Haruno—so he didn't fall into the sea. However, whatever it was, Hachiman falling down wasn't something that looked cool.
'If I have to fall embarrassingly like this, at the very least, let Haruno-san fall on me too, damn it!' Hachiman cursed in his mind.
"Th- thank you," Haruno said with a surprised expression as she extended her hand, "Are you okay? How about your feet? Did something hurt?"
Hachiman took the outstretched hand and stood up straight. He wiggled his feet several times to see if something was wrong.
"If I sue you, will you pay compensation?" Hachiman replied jokingly.
Haruno breathed a sigh of relief to see that the boy could make such a bad joke. She also saw that there was nothing wrong with his feet, and Hachiman's expression didn't show the slightest sign either.
"What are you asking for in return? Besides Yukino-chan, I will grant it," Haruno replied teasingly to break the tension.
However, before Hachiman could reply, Haruno first cut him off in a sensual tone.
"Or, do you want this onee-san to take care of you for a week?"
Hachiman rolled his eyes, and Haruno smiled at the reaction. However, because she didn't get an answer, Haruno walked over to the rock place and just sat down on a rock that she thought was comfortable to sit on.
"Hey, your pants will get dirty later, you know!" said Hachiman, who raised his voice a little because of the distance between them.
"No problem. This way, our pants are both dirty, right?" she replied.
Haruno looked at the left side, where there was still room. She then turned to look back at Hachiman, who was staring at her.
Patting her left side, Haruno said, "Come. Sit here. Or do you want to just stand there?"
Hachiman didn't want to sit next to Haruno in a place like that. Even though they had known each other for a week and had spent a whole day, he still wasn't used to Haruno intruding on his life. If this wasn't somewhere far from his home, Hachiman would probably have left soon for whatever reason he could think of.
After considering various things, Hachiman walked over with forced steps.
"I actually still want to take you around the island. Moreover, I haven't shown you the small shrine on the south side of the island," Haruno said after Hachiman sat down next to her, "However, since the sun will be completely setting soon, I don't think we'll find a place as good as this again to see the sunset if we go there."
"Well, we really seem to have spent too much time in the WA-O Rest Area."
"Not really. It's my fault for making the appointment time a little too late," Haruno replied.
"10:00 am is ideal, really. Especially on Sundays, I prefer to wake up late, no matter what."
Haruno giggled softly at Hachiman's reply.
She had gone to various places with her friends. There were countless men lined up neatly just to ask Haruno out. Most of Haruno refused because they were all boring. And some accepted the invitation because she was feeling bored. In the end, all these dates also always run boring.
On the other hand, her date with Hachiman was different. Even though this was just her attempt to lower Hachiman's guard so that Haruno could dig up more information about the supernatural world, she couldn't deny that today was a colourful one. Instead of feeling bored, Haruno enjoys her time with Hachiman even though their dating places were just places Chiba people usually go on holidays.
However, Hachiman, who didn't try to show his cool side, was an interesting one for Haruno because every guy Haruno knew always attempted to offer their good side.
On the other hand, taking turns driving with Hachiman when she was tired, changing music every time the driver changed, and even taking the wrong way because Hachiman saw the wrong sign were simple adventures that Haruno found very enjoyable.
People would play Haruno's favourite music whenever they were on a long trip. Whereas Hachiman would not hesitate to play his favourite music when he took the driver's seat. Such behaviour may seem selfish. However, it was things like that that made Haruno feel more valued.
Because by doing so, he indirectly looked at her on an equal footing. In fact, the act that seemed a little selfish actually showed that Hachiman was actually a person who was quite open to other people who wanted to know him.
It was just that, because of his cynical and sceptical nature, his expressionless face, and the look in his eyes that lacked enthusiasm, people would misunderstand him.
"Thank you for accompanying me all day," Haruno said while looking straight at the horizon, "Today was fun, even more fun than I thought. I'm used to being asked out to more fancy places or something, but it's all boring."
Hachiman smiled slightly sarcastically, hearing that.
"If this is a real date, wouldn't it be a bad thing to mention your dating experience with other people?"
Haruno raised her eyebrows and looked at Hachiman.
"Hmm? Are you the type to compare yourself to others, Hikigaya-kun?"
"Not really," Hachiman replied with a shrug of his shoulders, "As humans, it's only natural for us to live by looking at other people, right? Comparing ourselves, realising the bad things about ourselves, and finally feeling uncomfortable about them. That is the proof that we are living and being social beings."
Haruno blinked her eyes a few times. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that she was enchanted by those words. Not only did they have deep meaning, but they were probably the most meaningful words she had ever heard from Hachiman.
In essence, what Hachiman was talking about was how humans were in the process of becoming better than before.
Hachiman took a deep breath and continued, "That's why life is troublesome, and getting into a social community is exhausting. Locking yourself in your room and watching vlogs of some idols and voice actresses having fun is the ideal way to enjoy the daily life."
Haruno retracted her words praising Hachiman's words just now. Because it turned out that the beautiful words he said were just the premise to express his negative thoughts.
Even so, Haruno still caught what Hachiman wanted to convey. And from this, Haruno was increasingly convinced that whatever secret Hachiman held, he was just a clumsy teenager who found it difficult to express his true feelings. He was just a teenager who liked to wrap up what he really wanted to say using stupid things that short-minded people might hate.
'Perhaps, without us realising it in the first place, we have much more in common than we think. Hikigaya-kun, you may only use one mask, but it is a solid and indestructible mask. As for me, using a lot of masks might be easy to destroy, but can be repaired very quickly. But whatever it is and how people call it, this is who we really are, isn't it?'
Haruno smiled gently and turned her eyes back to the horizon, staring at the sun that would soon be hiding behind Mount Fuji.
What is the real me like? that was Haruno's question to Hachiman. As a questioner, she certainly knew what the answer would be. However, as a human, she sometimes doubted her answers. Because of that, Haruno often used other people's points of view on her as references.
However, their answers were superficial. An answer that even a child could make up. And Haruno wasn't satisfied with that at all.
"Hey, Hikigaya-kun," Haruno called softly, "The answer to my challenge, can you give it?"
Hachiman realised that he had to provide the evidence Haruno asked for. At first, Hachiman felt lazy and thought this was not important. However, watching and capturing the various expressions created by Yukinoshta Haruno turned out to be more fun than he thought.
Hachiman opened his smartphone and tapped on the icon with the word "Photo" on the screen.
"I captured what I thought about you, Haruno-san. You can see for yourself."
After saying that, Hachiman's body reflexively leaned slightly toward Haruno's. The woman did the same. She leaned closer to Hachiman, and they looked at the phone screen together.
The first photo was a photo of Haruno driving a car with a really bright expression because they had just left for Mount Nokogiri at that time.
Hachiman swiped his screen using his thumb and showed a second photo. It was a photo of Haruno conversing with the officer on the path near the Hyaku Shaku Kannon Statue. It was a close-up photo with Haruno putting on a fake smile against the backdrop of the leafy trees and the giant statue itself.
The third photo was the one he took when they were at the edge of the Jigoku Nozoki. Haruno then wore a complicated expression. She stared down the cliff with a look full of challenge, curiosity, freedom, happiness, and such. Words would never be enough to describe Haruno's expression in the photo.
Hachiman continued to slide his phone screen slowly so that the two of them could carefully observe every little detail in the photos.
Haruno whose hair was messy in the sea breeze, Haruno who saw the waves roll wildly on the edge of the Nojimazaki Lighthouse, Haruno who looked far into the horizon, Haruno who licked ice cream while smiling seductively, Haruno who played in the water happily and carefree in Okinoshima.
All of the photos capture the expression and natural charm of Yukinoshita Haruno.
"Your question yesterday was, "what the real you," right? I can't answer with words because words will never be enough to describe it. But, in essence, all I see in you is the real you. And these photos are just a small sample of it."
Whether how troublesome Haruno was or how Hachiman didn't want to get involved with her, you have to admit that every camera in this world won't be enough to capture all of Haruno's charms.
Hachiman wet his throat with his own saliva and then continued.
"These photos are just a little reference of what I see of you. Whether you looked flawless in the elite circle, or played freely in Okinoshima today, isn't that the real you? You fought hard on your own and sculpted the various masks you've hitherto used to protect yourself. Then, why should you bother limiting yourself like 'this is a mask' or 'this is the real me'?
In the end, they are all yours and become one with you. In my eyes, your mature and seductive side, your mischievous side, your goofy side, your normal girl-like side when you play here, and your weak side, if you have one, are all that made you Yukinoshita Haruno. If one of them isn't there, you're not the Yukinoshita Haruno I know right now."
Haruno was speechless hearing Hachiman's super long words. She couldn't even choose the right words to immediately reply. That was the longest string of words Hachiman had ever spoken to her. However, even though they were long sentences, every word could sink into Haruno's head well.
Humans were complex creatures. They were creatures that were always learning and adapting. When they were born into the world, maybe they had one innate trait. However, as their brains developed and were also supported by their environment, humans would develop into unique individuals. So, you could 't judge humans from one side or their past.
Just because you knew someone's comfort zone didn't mean it's who they really were. The comfort zone was just a place for them to rest and recharge. In the end, some humans try to get out of their comfort zone to create a new comfort zone. That was called a change or the process of becoming a better person.
Haruno was a genius and had a very high degree of adaptation. She was no longer at the level of finding a new comfort zone because everything she saw had become her comfort zone. She was never afraid of failing in the world she could see right now because she knew she would never fail in this mortal world.
Unfortunately, many people fail to realise this. Just because the figure of Haruno that she often showed in public was "Haruno" that free and easy to get along with, they thought that Haruno was tired and tried to escape from the world of the elite.
As for the upper class, they would see Haruno as a person who knew ledgeable in all fields, could speak many languages, and had perfect manners. They would think that the figure was Haruno's true self, where she used all her talent that she couldn't show when she was hanging out with the middle class.
These people were ignorant and boasted that they could dissect Haruno's masks one by one as if they were the ones who understood Haruno the most. Unfortunately, they were wrong. They were just people affected by Haruno's magic.
On the other hand, Hachiman didn't look at Haruno separately. He did not try to dissect her masks one by one to find her true identity. He only showed evidence of his point of view to Haruno through the photos he collected. Those photos with various expressions were what Hachiman saw about her.
And him saying that everything caught on camera was her true self, showed that Hachiman was the one who looked at Haruno as a whole.
And without realising it, the most beautiful smile Hachiman had ever seen in his life was now etched on Haruno's luscious lips. And when Hachiman realised that, the grand panorama of the sun setting behind Mount Fuji with the orange light reflecting off the seawater, slowly faded and became the backdrop that supported Yukinoshita Haruno's entire charm. As if nature itself was always on Haruno's side.
"…Thank you…"
The side of Haruno's face glowed orange under the setting sun, staring at the photos.
Without Hachiman realising it, Haruno had already taken out her phone from her bag. She quickly pulled Hachiman's arm. Then, with her two-finger pose, she brought to her cheek, and Hachiman still wore a surprised face, Haruno took a selfie of herself with him.
The photo was a little dark due to the lack of light. However, it was something she could edit later.
"This is my revenge because you've been taking photos of me all this time, Hikgaya-kun," Haruno said while looking at their selfie on her iPhone, "And this is also a sign of the ending of our date today."
"What? Wait, that's embarrassing, you know!"
If judged based on satisfaction and pleasure, Haruno could say this date was a great success. Not only did she get to know Hachiman further to dig up information about the supernatural world, but she also got the answers she had always sought.
Hachiman indeed had a closed and cynical nature, but according to Haruno, he was fairly an open boy with simple and silly things that could make him happy. Hachiman did have rotten eyes and looked like a dead fish, but with those same eyes, he could see something that no one else noticed.
Hachiman's nature was very close to some things and open to other things, making Haruno want to be more open to the young man. At least, if she wanted Hachiman to view her as a harmless ally even though she knew his secrets about the supernatural world, being more open was the least she could do for now.
"Hey, Hikigaya-kun. I have a friend. she is a Youtuber who likes to explore haunted places. And this Wednesday I plan to make content with her in the abandoned tunnel in Narita. Wha—."
"Don't do it."
The short answer that cut off her words took Haruno by surprise. She did not expect to get such a severe retort from the young man.
On the other hand, Hachiman cursed his stupidity for speaking without thinking. He had sworn not to get involved with Haruno, no matter what, after this date. However, the decisive impulse that he didn't realise, which worried Haruno, became proof that there was another side of him that still wanted to be further involved with that woman.
Hachiman immediately threw those feelings away before his mind thought about other unimportant things.
"I mean, are you fucking crazy, Haruno-san?"
Haruno smiled brightly. She actually didn't like it when other people worried about her. However, getting such attention from Hachiman caused a tingling feeling in Haruno's stomach.
"No need to worry. My friend has been making horror contents like that all along, okay? And she had never once encountered anything out of the normal. If there was, it was simply a set she had made. Besides, we'll be recording in the afternoon."
Hachiman also knew that. All horror contents on YouTube were fake. Ordinary cameras would not be able to capture the form of a supernatural being, or in this case, a cursed spirit. To do so, at least, it had to be a camera already imbued with the cursed energy.
"I know. I mean, you never know what's going to happen, do you? Wouldn't it be better to think twice than sorry?" Hachiman replied.
If there was a thing he hated the most these days, it was content creators with all their horror videos. They were the ones who just pinpointed a location that looked scary, then made it up and shot. With so many viewers on their videos, it was not uncommon for new urban legends to appear because many people believed what the content creators said.
'And if that's the case, who bothered the most? Of course, we are, the sorcerers, damn it!'
Haruno's smile grew wider when she saw Hachiman's reaction. She knew what she did seem reckless and stupid. However, Haruno had no other choice. She didn't know where to start for her further investigation. The only source she currently had was Hachiman. But, unfortunately, Haruno realised that she wouldn't be able to just ask and get information from him.
Because of that, you could say this was Haruno's desperate method. A haunted-looking place that Youtubers used to go to, they had actually been to such places several times before recording to ensure its safety and how they would arrange shooting sets or fake sightings. That was why following her Youtuber friend was stupid because all she met was fake stuff.
However, a haunted place did not automatically become haunted just like that. There must be stories behind it, and Haruno wanted to know those stories. She didn't expect to meet supernatural beings, ghosts, youkai or anything like that because she knew it was very dangerous to reflect on the events at the masquerade. However, Haruno at least wanted to find traces of the supernatural or something that could give her a new understanding of the world.
"Then, how about we make a bet?" Haruno replied.
"Hey, this isn't a joke you can bet on, you know."
Haruno was once again surprised by Hachiman's stubbornness, but she ignored it.
"If anything happens to me, I lose, and you can ask for whatever you want," Haruno said sensually, "However, if I get out fine or intact, you owe me something."
This time, Hachiman had no intention of hiding his expression. His forehead furrowed, and his brows knitted together until their ends were about to meet. Those words really made Hachiman feel uneasy.
To Hachiman, Haruno's curiosity was very dangerous. She was aware of her own fears, yet the fear was not enough to stop her. Haruno couldn't be stopped with ordinary fear. She would not stop until her thirst was quenched. From safety methods to frivolous methods, she had no qualms about using them.
Crazy and fearless, that was what Hachiman said to describe Haruno's current attitude.
"Haruno-san, don't you know that words have far more power than you think?" said Hachiman, who only replied with a confused look by Haruno.
Hachiman sighed and continued, "History has recorded time and time again, that the words can bring curses on humans."
Hachiman didn't want it to happen to Haruno. You didn't know which words brought you into desperation. As such, curses constantly toy you behind your words. Your confidence could lead you to disaster, and your fear could lead you to destruction.
And on top of that, Hachiman didn't want anything bad to happen to Haruno.
—OoOoO—
Yukinoshita Yukino had been living alone since she entered high school last year. She wanted to be independent and prove that she could be a person who stood on an equal footing with her older sister. Furthermore, she wanted to show that she was worthy of being viewed as a potential successor to the Yukinoshita family. Even though her older sister had been officially appointed as an heiress, that didn't dampen Yukino to prove her worth.
When she entered high school with perfect scores, her father gave her a luxury apartment of a 3LDK model in the CENTRAL PARK EAST Makuhari Park Tower building. This building was one of the most luxurious buildings in Chiba Prefecture, with all international standard facilities.
This apartment she should use every day for her needs and activities. However, unfortunately, it was not uncommon for this figure to break into her apartment. Yes, who else, if not her sister, Yukinoshita Haruno.
Yukino didn't know the details, but she only heard from her sister that she had just returned from a date. And because Haruno didn't want to be at home, she finally chose to stay at Yukino's place.
Well, Haruno had planned to stay overnight from the start. She didn't worry about a change of clothes because, in Yukino's apartment, there were already some clothes that she had left just in case.
And here was the super perfect woman, lying on the sofa in her pure white nightgown with a black face mask. She combed her hair back and held it in a headband. And didn't forget the bottle of wine on the table. In both ears, AirPods were attached, which were used to hear the weather report for tomorrow.
Yukino was tired of reminding her older sister not to drink alcohol at her place. However, she never stopped reminding her, even though it would only end in vain.
The same thing Yukino wanted to do right now. However, her steps stopped when she saw her older sister scrolling through her cellphone screen while looking at the photos. When she saw the images, Haruno smiled sincerely without any intention, and it was an innocent smile that Yukino hadn't seen in a long time.
'I wonder, what kind of man can tame a witch like her?' Yukino thought.
When Haruno slid the screen and displayed a pair of people on the screen, Yukino's attention was distracted.
Her sister posing with a "v" finger that she held close to her cheek, and a teenager who wore a shocked expression because he wasn't ready to be shot.
Poor lighting may make the photo not very clear. However, she couldn't possibly mistake the figure who was with her sister. To her, there was only one person with that spiritless face, one with such rotten eyes, and only one guy with such ridiculous hair antennae. And Yukino could never be mistaken.
'Hikigya…-kun?' Yukino thought in surprise, 'The worst combo that never even crossed my mind. Is the world going to end or something?'
—To Be Continued—
Author Notes: First, I hope Haruno and Hachiman aren't too OOC in this chapter. If you find them too OOC, I hope you understand why I made them this way. I mean, they're dating, right? Moreover, Hachiman also received a challenge from Haruno as compensation for leaving him at that time. So, I can't make Hachiman too passive. And so was Haruno, I tried to explore her character which I thought was appropriate, but never seen in the novel.
Right, how do you pronounce the native of Chiba citizen? I mean, like "Londoner" for London people. I keep thinking about this for a while. But, in Japan, they just say "千葉人 (Chiba-jin)" or you can say "Chiba people". So, how should I write it in English?
Next, I hope the explanation of Haruno's name isn't confusing because I've tried to explain it as simply as possible. By the way, one of the reasons why I made Haruno the main heroine here, is because her name is unique. If you look at the names of JJK characters, their names mostly have the same elements as their curse techniques.
For example, Kugisaki Nobara (釘崎 ), with "kugi (釘) which means nail. Nanami Kento (七海•健人), where if "nana (七) which means 7" and "mi (ミ) which means 3". This is similar to the 7:3 ratio curse technique. There's also Iori Utahime (庵 ), where uta (歌) means song, which according to the fanbook, Utahime's curse technique has something to do with the song.
By the way, this chapter was inspired mainly by my "to-do list", which I didn't have time to do in my almost 5 years in Japan. Among the places I mention, I've only been to Mount Nokogiri and the island of Okinoshima. The rest is just unrealised plans, sigh.
You can check out the Makuhari Park Tower building for those now in Japan or going to Japan, especially in Chiba. Makuhari Park Tower, okay? Not Makuhari Baytown Tower, because these two buildings are next. Makuhari Park Tower is Yukino's apartment, and the building is really luxurious because I once had an event there.
Iirc, the cheapest apartment alone can be around 230k Yen per month, equivalent to my two-month needs. From there, I realised that Yukino was the daughter of a crazy rich.
Well, actually, I wanted to include a few supernatural incidents here. However, after thinking about it, it would be better, in my opinion, to actually make this chapter a whole dating chapter instead.
So, what do you think about this chapter? And thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed. Please leave your review for this chapter because your review is my encouragement. See you in the next chapter and stay safe.