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

Rather than saying it's strange, it's more accurate to say that Yukino was born with the wrong gender.

If Yukino's gender were changed to male, it wouldn't seem so strange.

Considering that Yukino's relationship with her mother was cold, but her relationship with her father was surprisingly good, Rumi roughly understood the reasons behind Yukino's personality.

Because of her poor relationship with her mother from a young age and her frequent reliance on her father, Yukino probably began to imitate her father's personality and actions without even realizing it. As an outstanding entrepreneur, Mr. Yukinoshita undoubtedly possesses many qualities common to successful people.

Excellent decisiveness and indifference towards outsiders are essential personality traits.

With deliberate imitation, Yukino's behavior—characterized by extreme indifference towards strangers but extreme friendliness once she gets close, and her strong masculine presence—became an inevitable trend.

Alright, let's talk about it later. I need to go to your mom's now, otherwise she might throw a tantrum if I'm late.

Mr. Yukinoshita casually placed the fruit plate on the small table in front of him, no longer intending to fight his daughter and the girl named Tsurumi Rumi.

However, Mr. Yukinoshita wasn't in too much of a hurry. He had finally met with his daughter and didn't have any busy work to do. Taking advantage of this rare moment of leisure, he had some things he wanted to say to Yukino.

If you have time...go see your mother.

She actually loves you more than you think, she just doesn't know how to express it.

With mixed gazes, the parents stared at their daughter, whose complexion was not very healthy. As parents, Yukinoshita and her husband also had many unspeakable secrets. However, since they had never talked to their children heart-to-heart from childhood to adulthood, even though they knew about Yukino's health condition, they could only silently pay attention and hope that she would get better.

Apart from a few incompetent parents who never intended to be parents but only sought pleasure, what couple in the world doesn't love their children? They just express their love in different ways.

Yukino's mother didn't really hate her daughter; she just had unspeakable secrets about what had happened in the past. Yukino's mother was only in her early twenties when she married Mr. Yukinoshita.

Couples deeply in love find it hard to control themselves, and so not long after they got together, they had their first child.

However, this child is neither Haruno nor Yukino, but their older brother.

Unfortunately, this young man, who was supposed to inherit the hopes of the Yukinoshita family, lost his life before he could even breathe a breath of fresh air.

Feeling guilty towards her husband, and feeling traumatized by giving birth to two daughters in a row, Yukino's mother kept thinking about how Yu, who had died before birth, was able to know the sex of the child before it was even born.

Choosing the right color for a child's room in a wealthy family like the Yukinoshita family is undoubtedly quite simple.

Because she was unaware of these secrets and her parents had never mentioned anything about her unborn brother, Yukino couldn't understand her mother's guilt-ridden neglect of her children and her desire to raise her two daughters with all her heart in order to make up for her husband's lack of care, hoping that they would inherit the family business.

Of course, even if Yukino knew what her mother was thinking, she would not forgive her mother because of it. If it weren't for her, Yukino wouldn't have had that kind of childhood experience, and naturally she wouldn't have developed such a masculine personality under her father's influence.

In short, even if it were her beloved father who spoke up, Yukino wouldn't do that.

The obedient child took the initiative to talk to his mother.

Without responding, she simply lowered her head silently, and the happy expression she had just worn vanished completely from her face.

With a sigh, although his daughter didn't speak, Mr. Yukinoshita understood what she was thinking from the expression on her face.

That makes sense. How could a conflict that has arisen over several or twenty years be resolved overnight?

I was thinking of giving up now and waiting for another opportunity, but then I remembered the worry that always appeared on my wife's face when she talked about Yukino's situation.

Mr. Yukinoshita couldn't help but feel a little sorry for him.

He feels sorry for his wife and daughter at the same time. As a good husband and father, Mr. Zhi really wants to work hard to make the family relationship harmonious.

Whether it was to ease his wife's guilt or to ensure Yukino's future well-being, he wanted to improve the relationship between the two of them.

Yukino's time is running out. If she could improve her relationship with her mother, she would probably be better off. Yukino's father glanced at Rumi, who was sitting quietly to the side, and pondered how to persuade Rumi in front of her.

Tsurumi tried hard to recall the familiar name, while Yukinoshita was very confident in her memory.

Therefore, since he was familiar with this name, he must have heard of it before.

But such a young woman.

Tsurumi is not a surname from any prestigious family, and Mr. Yukinoshita really doesn't know why he feels such familiarity with it.

He decided to put aside his confusion for now and ask his wife, who was currently on the other side of Tokyo.

After all, the only names he was familiar with, besides those he heard from his wife during casual conversations, were those related to his career.

Mr. Yukinoshita didn't think that Rumi Tsurumi, a woman younger than his daughter, could have any connection with his wife. So, he made up an excuse to let Yukino and Rumi chat for a while, and then silently went to the balcony to call his wife and ask who Rumi Tsurumi was.

Sitting on the sofa, even though Yukino's father had temporarily left, giving her space to speak, Rumi remained silent.

The reason is simple: Yukino's father put too much psychological pressure on her.

It's important to understand that her identity was already quite awkward. Just going on a trip with Yukino was already putting a lot of pressure on her, let alone now that even her father had shown up.

If Yukino's father finds out that Wan is Hachiman's wife, Rumi really can't guarantee what he will do, since this guy who loves his daughter so much.

Having read so many novels, Liu Mei always had the illusion that she would be humanely exterminated.

I am sorry.

I didn't expect my dad to be in the district.

Noticing Rumi's situation, Yukino tried to avoid making the atmosphere between the two awkward. After all, Yukino had only initially wanted Rumi to come to her house so that she could talk to someone more and relieve her loneliness.

Upon arriving here, Yukino encountered a situation she hadn't anticipated.

However, this can only be described as a coincidence, since very few family members have returned to the house since it was bought.

Yukino hadn't expected her father to be there.

Although it didn't actually affect her decision to study in the US, Yukino could tell from her nervous appearance how much psychological pressure she was under.

To her family, Yukino's father was a kind and amiable man; however, to outsiders, he was a heartless capitalist who only cared about making money.

Being around someone like that, just the aura of a successful person is enough to make someone like me, who hasn't even received higher education in the US, feel withdrawn and isolated.

Shaking her head, Rumi had already gotten used to the excitement and uncertainty that came with being with Yukino.

Meeting Yukino's father was something I never expected, but there was really nothing to be afraid of.

After all, Yukino would make sure she could safely get through the night and return to her warm home.

Of course, this is just a thought in my mind. In reality, if I want to stay in the US, I should just do whatever I feel like.

She didn't want to have any dealings with Yukino's father, who was her father.

Even if this person controls the resources of the entire Yukinoshita family, a good relationship would undoubtedly be beneficial to Rumi and Hachiman's future.

But so what? Hachiman and Rumi have probably already offended Yukino's parents.

Even though Rumi doesn't have children now, whenever she imagines Yukino's experiences happening to her own daughter, Rumi feels an urge to kill the people who hurt her daughter emotionally and physically, and made her a single mother.

After putting herself in Yukino's shoes, Rumi realized that Yukino was able to forgive her and even develop a good friendship with her. This person really understands life so well. Your father is very good to you, isn't he?

With a gentle smile on her face, Rumi felt that someone like Yukino, who could still show kindness and warmth to others even when the world treated her harshly, must have a reason.

It now seems that Yukino's father is her strongest support.

She couldn't help but feel a little envious of Yukino, because she also wished she could be like Yukino, able to chat happily with her father.

Instead of just basic greetings every time we meet, which only allows the atmosphere to slowly cool down.

Yes or no.

I should also spend some time secretly spending time with them.

Having overheard Yukino's conversation with her father, Rumi wondered if her own parents felt the same way, longing for family reunion. It's understandable; family reunion has been a desire and aspiration throughout history.

After a while, once we've finished our studies as students, we should take the opportunity to meet Hachiman and have a meal together.

But before that, there is one more problem to solve.

Rumi took Hachiman back to her parents' home; she couldn't possibly leave Komachi alone there.

Hachiman, being a siscon, would definitely not agree to leave his sister alone at home, so Komachi would undoubtedly go with them.

Therefore, Yukino's child became a problem.

There shouldn't be any major problems with Komachi following the two of them. Presumably, Rumi's parents will be very happy, since Komachi is Hachiman's younger sister.

But if she really did that while studying in the US, her parents would probably suspect that their daughter had lost her mind.

Moreover, Hachiman's parents in America still don't know that he had a girlfriend before, and even had two children.

In order not to ruin her parents' idea of ​​Hachiman as their perfect son-in-law, Rumi felt that she should just let Yukino have to compromise.

At worst... I'll come back and make it up to her.

We've become complete friends, though not exactly best buddies, but this kind of small problem is definitely something that can be easily explained.

Just as Rumi had expected, Yukino agreed without even thinking after hearing her words.

As Yukimano nodded, her father also came out with a strange expression on his face.

Staring at the girl who was whispering to her daughter and occasionally smiling, Mr. Yukinoshita was heartbroken.

He had felt that the name Tsurumi Rumi was familiar, but he never expected that this girl was actually Hachiman's wife.

—I just don't understand what kids these days are thinking. How can such a strange relationship make these two friends?

Or was it that the daughter knew the man who studied in the US from the beginning? Why would she...?

Mr. Yukinoshita really couldn't understand how that man named Hachiman Hikigaya could fool his daughter into that state.

It even made her willingly become friends with the Chinese student studying in the US.

I was just thinking of looking for an opportunity through Rumei, to see if I could use Rumei as a stepping stone to influence Yukino.

Now, with his mind in utter turmoil, Mr. Yukinoshita no longer even thinks about this question.

I'm leaving now. If possible, I hope you can have a good talk with your mother.

She doesn't not love you; it's just that many things that happened in the past prevented her from making the right choice.

With mixed feelings, Mr. Yukinoshita just wanted to leave this place as soon as possible.

Just because his daughter can accept this doesn't mean he, as her father, can.

For Mr. Yukinoshita, who deeply loves his daughter, to watch her become friends with the person who ruined his happy life was an ordeal every second.

Watching her father turn and leave, Yukino didn't know how to deal with the Hachiman Takashi he had left behind.

"Do you think I should go?" Yukino turned her gaze to Rumi, the only person currently by her side, and instinctively asked for Rumi's opinion.

Chapter 25

Rumi was caught off guard because she never expected Yukino to ask her such a personal question.

In fact, Rumi had been thinking about Yukino and her mother just now, but she didn't dare to say anything.