The Hikigaya couple's youthful love story is definitely not a problem.

The reason why Rumi was so generous today was because the prices of the seafood buffets she had eaten with Hachiman before gave her the illusion that the cost for the two of them wouldn't be much.

However, what Rumei overlooked was that Yukino's values ​​were different from hers.

Rather than considering factors like affordability or high cost-effectiveness, Yukino's first priority is the taste environment and the freshness of the ingredients.

This difference in perspective led Yukino to consider only the taste when choosing a place, while the slightly exorbitant price was not within her consideration, because she was not short of money.

Unfortunately, although Yukino is now completely disliked by her mother, who believes that she has brought shame to the Yukinoshita family name, her allowance will still be deposited into her card every month.

Even if Yukino's mother doesn't give it to her, Haruno will do her best to meet Yukino's material needs.

After all, her dear sister helped her solve the embarrassing problem of the Yukinoshita family having no male direct descendants.

As long as Yumi is around, Haruno won't be forced by her mother to marry some complete stranger.

Thus, the gap between poor Rumi and Yukino was formed.

One is accustomed to being frugal, striving to make two cents out of every penny, while the other buys whatever catches their eye, as long as they're happy, completely disregarding the universal problem of what to do next after spending all their money this month.

This disparity stemming from individual worth means that while Ryumei was heartbroken and indulging in a frenzy of eating, Yukino was leisurely reading a book and sipping a beverage.

The reasons behind the two drastically different scenarios.

...Could you please not be so calm? Doesn't this store have a time-limited discount? Looking at Yukino across from her, who was calm and unhurriedly reading her newly bought novel, as if she were an elite spending a leisurely lunch in a coffee shop, Rumi suddenly felt that her haste, which had left the table in a mess, looking like it had been chewed by a dog, was a very unseemly thing to do.

After glancing at Liu Mei, he surveyed the surrounding area once more.

Yukino noticed that everyone here except herself was busy eating.

Even if some people eat very elegantly, and don't chew like a squirrel like Liu Mei, they are still eating all the time.

But I'm not hungry.

Looking at Rumi with an innocent expression, Yukino wasn't deliberately trying to pretend anything. After all, she had paid for it, and if she could eat it, why would she leave those delicious foods untouched?

She wasn't really hungry. She had eaten lunch rather late, and in the afternoon she and Rumi had a small cake at a coffee shop. Even though the two of them didn't arrive until 5 pm, Yukino was already quite full after eating a little crab, oysters, sea urchin, and salmon.

Otherwise, why would she take out the book she just bought to read? Yukino just wanted to rest for a while so that her stomach could move some food out of the room and make room for her to continue enjoying the delicious seafood.

We're losing a fortune.

Without saying anything more, Liu Mei simply slowed down her eating pace, slumped on the table like a deflated balloon, her pretty little face full of heartache.

that.

How about I give you my share of the money later? Let's split the bill for today.

Yukino asked Rumi very carefully, not being generous enough to cover Rumi's share of the cost.

The two weren't really close enough to ignore many things, so for Yukino to blindly give up her share of the money for studying in America under these circumstances would be a bit disrespectful.

To be honest, it's less than 20,000 yen for a meal at Ichigaku. Although it's really expensive, how could someone like Rumi, who is so generous in saying that she'll treat, not afford it?

It's painful to see you suffer, and I'm reluctant to give up my studies, but that doesn't mean you'll be broke if you stay in the US.

Yukino didn't know about her family's financial situation, but she knew about Hachiman's income.

Because his copyright income is clearly written in the publisher's accounts, Yukino only needs to move her finger to see it.

We're all grown up now; there are some things we can't just do without thinking.

This often happens: the intention is good, but considering there's too little material...

Shaking her head, Rumi did not agree to Yukino's suggestion.

She understood Yukino's good intentions, but didn't want to accept them.

Keeping one's word is a basic quality of being a person. So what if you're studying in the US? You might break your promise just because the buffet is expensive.

She aspires to be an outstanding modern woman and would never compromise her principles for such a small amount of money.

but.

Forty thousand is enough to eat snow food for many days.

—Thinking about this makes my heart ache again. Even though I've tried my best not to think about the 40,000 yuan, whenever I see those hideous crabs, I feel like Fukuzawa Toukichi is waving goodbye to me.

For some reason, Yukino felt an urge to laugh. Looking at Rumi's conflicted expression while she spoke so confidently, she found the girl quite amusing.

Perhaps it's due to personal experience, but those who studied in the US have a strong desire to control money. They prefer to see it in their wallets or bank cards rather than spend it, letting it linger quietly beside them in another way.

She didn't repeat the opinions she had just expressed. Since she no longer cared about staying in the US, what else could Yukino say?

Just enjoy it quietly; you can always pay it back later.

In the end, the two of them will owe each other something, and it's probably impossible to calculate exactly how much they owed each other.

Just be happy, there's no need to overthink things.

As Hachiman said, she is now very indulgent, but indulgence can also be described with another word—free-spiritedness.

Easygoing people rarely care about anything, and naturally, they won't engage in scheming or backstabbing.

Yukino is going to die in a few years, why would she care about such trivial things? As a child, she will be taken care of by Hachiman and her sister. The Yukino family's wealth is enough to support them to squander as they please. Yukino really has no need to be lenient.

Just be happy, there's no need to keep arguing about who lost out and who gained by studying in the US.

Judging from Rumi's appearance, she doesn't seem to be short of money. The amount that Yukino paid for her bills must have been more than 20,000 yen.

So at this moment, she could comfortably slack off and read books.

Honestly, if it were that easy to get your money's worth at a buffet, would these buffets even exist?

The original intention was simply to have a pleasant meal, but instead, they stuffed themselves to the point that they needed help walking.

Even worse, some people vomit when they leave the restaurant.

I really don't know what they're trying to achieve by stubbornly turning what should be a happy gathering into an embarrassing situation.

Anyway, there are two hours to spare, so spending forty or fifty minutes reading is perfectly fine.

After all, it's a seafood buffet, and one that specializes in crabs. Unlike barbecue buffets, where you have to keep getting food to grill and you don't even have half the time to actually eat, this buffet is much better.

Besides, Yukino wasn't completely without food; she would just occasionally snack on small things while reading.

It's just that her decision to study in the US was so extreme that she seemed like an oddball.

Why don't you sleep at my place tonight? It'll be past 7 pm by the time we finish eating, and it'll be too late to go back to Gan Ye then. I'm worried about you going back alone.

Why don't you come to my house? The children have all been sent to your house, and it's been rather quiet lately.

Yukino said to Rumi while scooping sea urchin with a spoon.

Liu Mei, who was struggling with the crab legs, stopped upon hearing this and agreed without much thought.

Rumi is quite tired now, having visited many places and walked a lot. Returning to Kanba would require a long bus ride, so why not stay with Yukino? "Do you have a house in Tokyo?" Rumi thought to herself, inwardly cursing the evils of capitalism. She had no intention of envying Yukino.

It's not mine, it belongs to my father, it's just that my room is there.

I already own a house in Kanba, why would I need to buy anything in Tokyo?

However, Sapporo and the British side each have their own systems. If you and Hachiman ever want to go to either of those places in the future, just ask me for the keys.

Although the area isn't very large, it's still more comfortable than staying in a hotel.

Completely unaware that what she said was a boast, Yukino was simply trying to save Rumi and Hachiman some trouble.

I don't want to talk. I just feel so tired.

Although Japan has not yet recovered from the initial shock, after such a long period of recovery, housing prices are still beyond the reach of the average person.

If Hachiman's parents hadn't bought this house in Chiba for their children a long time ago, and if Yukino hadn't bought another one in the city where she works, this kind of problem that would have troubled two generations would have been as common as cabbage in Yukino's mouth.

There was no point in saying anything more; Rumi had already fully realized that she and Yukino were not on the same path at all.

Although Yukino doesn't often think this way, it's the subtle differences that are revealed that are most disheartening.

Actually, compared to such trivial matters, what matters more about studying in the US is going to your father's house.

Is it alright? Given my status.

Hesitantly, Rumi wondered if Yukino's parents knew that she was Hachiman's wife.

If you don't know, it's fine, but if you do, the situation can be a bit awkward.

It's okay. He doesn't usually live there, and even if he did, it wouldn't matter. I'm here for him.

With a smile, Yukino exuded boyfriend charm, and her confident expression reassured Rumi of her worries.

That.

Fine.

Curious about what the homes of truly wealthy people are like, Liu Mei nodded in agreement.

She also sent a message to Hachiman, saying that she would not be going home tonight but would be staying at Yukino's house. After that, she continued peeling shells, which she hadn't stopped since paying to enter the house. Rumi also took the time to check Hachiman's reply.

However, Hachiman only sent an OK emoji and didn't say a word, which made Rumi feel a little helpless.

This guy trusts her way too much; even Liu Mei finds it a bit abnormal that he trusts her so much.

However, when she thought about how she had once placed the same trust in Hachiman, Rumi had no other thoughts.

Anyway, Rumi won't disappoint him like Hachiman did, since she doesn't have any first love from the past.

From beginning to end, the only person Rumi liked was Hachiman. It's impossible that Hachiman would be cheated on by Yukino. If such a thing really happened, it would only show that life is too dramatic and ridiculous.

If this were a novel, then the author who created this plot would either be an idiot or unable to find a reason not to write it, hence this chaotic writing.

Hopefully, this will drive readers away.

It's settled then. I'll take you to my dad's place tonight. He has tons of snacks that you can't buy in Japan. We can eat them while watching a movie.

Because she was in a good mood, Yukino stopped keeping a cold face and smiled happily.

I don't know if it's just my imagination because I studied in the US.

She always felt that the more times she met with Yukino, the more often Yukino smiled.

It's as if... Yukino was influenced by her and became more optimistic.

Chapter 23

Rumi once believed that the wealth gap between her and Yukino could be bridged through hard work. After all, although she knew Yukino was rich, her wealth was limited to what she had seen.

Yukino's upscale apartment in Kaneba, along with the various furniture and the many designer clothes she rarely wore, were all factors that Rumi used to judge Yukino's family background. But even so, Rumi didn't actually find Yukino's family particularly terrifying.