Zongman: Unknowingly trapped in the hatchet

?

Ayaka's faint murmurs were not enough to awaken Hikigaya's usual rationality.

Rationality is more of a tool for assessing the situation.

but now.

Hikigaya's actions were entirely based on his most sincere emotions.

The community office suddenly became unusually quiet because of his action.

in the air.

All that could be heard was the faint breathing of the crowd and the rustling sound of two pairs of palms rubbing gently together.

Hikigaya moved very gently, fearing to disturb the tranquility.

But that sincere warmth was truly passed on.

Maybe.

It was passed on very early.

"Is it still cold?"

Hikigaya gently stroked Ayaka's hand until he thought it was enough, then he raised his head and expressed his concern.

But at this moment, he unexpectedly discovered that the other party kept his head down.

and so.

He could only see that Caijia's almost red ears looked even more beautiful against the backdrop of the sunset outside the window.

"N-Not cold anymore....Thank you Hachiman."

Ayaka pulled her hand back, not meeting Hikigaya's eyes the entire time.

[Oops... I'm not going to screw this up, am I?]

Hikigaya's heart skipped a beat.

Reason is like a beast that has been suppressed for a long time, and is now venting its roar and madness wantonly.

"I-I just didn't expect Hachiman to be like that all of a sudden... I don't mean to hate him."

Even though her medium-length light brown hair couldn't hide the blush on Ayaka's face, and even though her voice was a little trembling, Ayaka was still trying hard to convey her meaning.

——She doesn’t hate it.

"Oh...that's good, but I was indeed a little abrupt just now."

Hikigaya lifted his hair in embarrassment, but his eyes were already elsewhere.

But even so, he felt a sense of steadiness deep in his heart.

[Now it seems that at least I didn’t screw up…]

"The heater doesn't seem to be broken..."

"Ah, it's because I've always had a cold body when winter comes... plus the wind in the corridor is too cold."

After hearing Yukino's puzzled murmur, Ayaka waved her hands and explained.

"Then you need to pay more attention to keeping warm."

Yukino nodded and said with relief.

"Come to think of it, Hikigaya was just trying to keep Ayaka warm... right?"

Facing Yui's darting gaze, Hikigaya realized that he couldn't avoid this question.

"Ah... That's right, there shouldn't be any problem, right?"

[Although it is a bit strange for male friends to do this, it is not against the law!]

Hikigaya defended himself in his heart.

Translated, it means - so what?

"Aido... no problem, no problem, but I have a question."

Yui shook her head.

Then, under the gazes of several people, she carefully held up the teacup with both hands and asked in confusion, "If you want to keep your hands warm, shouldn't you cover the cup with your hands?"

A word to awaken the dreamer.

Hikigaya was petrified on the spot.

Ayaka's eyes were also evasive, and she opened her mouth slightly, wanting to explain for Hikigaya, but she didn't know how to answer.

"It's like a little fight between men. Is this kind of behavior normal?"

Yui gave Su Qing a puzzled look, and she seemed to be sincerely looking for an answer.

"No, it's probably because Hikigaya-san is so naive that he didn't realize it. He just did it as soon as an idea came to his mind. But some things have nothing to do with gender."

While explaining to Yui.

Su Qing calmly moved his seat a little further away from Hikigaya.

Even the way he addresses her is "Hikigaya-san" instead of "Hachiman", which is simply drawing some kind of boundary.

"How is that possible? I was just worried that the temperature of the tea was too high and would burn Ayaka. And you, come back here, stop avoiding me like a pest!"

Seeing that Su Qing kept moving away, Hikigaya hurriedly reached out and grabbed part of the chair.

The moment he regained his rationality, the method Yui mentioned had already emerged in his mind, which allowed him to think of an excuse in advance.

"Hey, hey, hey, Hikigaya Pest-san, I'm going to move back now, please don't touch this wooden chair."

Su Qing had no choice but to move the chair back.

"Who would harm a wooden chair? Don't just think of pests as termites or something like that."

Hikigaya gritted his teeth in anger.

"By the way, that wooden chair was bought with the club's funds. If you can pay the right price, it's not impossible for you to buy it."

Holding her chin, Yukino spoke seriously.

"…I have been honest, please let me go."

Hikigaya wisely raised his hands to indicate his surrender.

"It seems that I can't blackmail Hachiman..."

Su Qing pretended to sigh with regret, but there was a smile in his eyes.

“Iron Mei!”

As Hikigaya asked in a pretended angry tone, everyone couldn't help but laugh, even Hikigaya.

The community office was suddenly filled with a cheerful and lively atmosphere.

?

Not long after.

"Hey, hey, Xiaoqing."

Yui gently poked Su Qing's arm, as if she had something to say.

"Huh? What's wrong?"

Su Qing immediately put down the teacup and lowered his eyes to respond to Yui.

I saw her rubbing her hands constantly, blowing out some hot air into them from time to time, and then continuing to rub them.

"You're not going to say that your hands are cold and you want me to warm them up for you?"

After staring at Yui for a while, Su Qing asked tentatively.

"Hmmmm! Xiaoqing is so smart!"

After hearing Su Qing express her thoughts as if she had telepathic communication with him, Yui nodded her head repeatedly and then looked at him with expectant eyes.

"...You covered the teacup yourself. Didn't you say that yourself not long ago?"

I thought something happened to Yui suddenly, but it turned out to be because of this, Su Qing said unhappily.

"…I just tried it, and just like Hikigaya said, it was too hot. So Hikigaya's method is better."

Said, under Su Qing's gaze.

Yui once again placed her fair hand on the cup, and pulled it back as if she had received an electric shock the moment it made contact, "See, it's really hot!"

"Then you should wait until it's not so hot before covering it."

I know Yui is just being cunning and isn't really cold.

Su Qing didn't spoil her very much either.

“Why, why is this…?”

Yui seemed to have received some kind of blow. She lowered her head in frustration, and her originally straight back bent a lot.

"Are you cold? Stretch out your hand and I'll warm you up."

I haven't realized Yui's true intention yet.

In addition, Xueno mistakenly thought that Su Qing was embarrassed to make such an intimate gesture in front of everyone, so she took the initiative to speak.

“Eh…? No…”

Before Yui could finish her refusal, Yukino had already taken the lead and wrapped her hand around Yui's.

one second.

two seconds.

Time passes at my fingertips, but unexpectedly slowly.

After a while.

Yukino blinked, and Yui blinked as well.

The four looked at each other.

Yukino frowned slightly and spoke slowly, "Your hand... isn't it quite warm?"

"Well, well. Xiaoxue, please listen to my explanation!"

……