Chapter 86 – The Mini Yukino
A few minutes later, another car pulled up at the campsite.
From it stepped four familiar faces—the so-called Popular Group: Hayama Hayato, Miura Yumiko, Ebina Hina, and Tobe Kakeru.
"Oh, Yukinoshita-kun, you're here too~"
Hayama greeted them with his trademark warm smile.
But to Yukinoshita Akira, that smile looked less like kindness and more like the painted grin of a jester—a facade.
Hayama Hayato secretly adored Yukinoshita Haruno, and because of that, he often mimicked her refined, diplomatic smile.
But if Haruno was a queen who ruled with grace and charisma, then Hayama… was little more than her silver-ranked imitator.
"Hm."
Akira merely responded with a curt nod. He had no interest in humoring him.
After all, this man harbored feelings for Akira's fiancée—at least in name—and that alone was reason enough for Akira to never treat him kindly.
"Wow, the air here's so fresh! Eh? You're here too, Yukinoshita-kuh—"
Tobe Kakeru, with his usual carefree energy, started to step forward, raising his hand to give Akira a friendly slap on the shoulder.
But before his palm could make contact—
Tep!
Akira's hand moved like lightning. In an instant, he caught Tobe's wrist, twisted it, and with a swift movement pinned his arm behind his back.
A single smooth motion—precise, effortless, and utterly dominating.
The onlookers froze in disbelief. That speed and strength were simply inhuman.
"Yukinoshita-san, Tobe didn't mean any harm! I apologize for his rudeness!"
Hayama quickly stepped forward to intervene, attempting to pull his friend free.
But when the time came, he couldn't move.
Not because of physical restraint—no, it was fear. Pure, instinctive fear.
Hayama Hayato, son of an influential family, could feel it. If he provoked this man—if he crossed Yukinoshita Akira—it wouldn't just end with a bruised arm. It could bring ruin to everything his family had built.
Thankfully, Akira had no intention of escalating the situation. He released Tobe just as abruptly as he'd restrained him.
"My sincerest apologies, Yukinoshita-san…" Hayama bowed slightly.
"M-my bad too…"
Tobe stammered, his face pale and drenched in cold sweat.
He wasn't a bad person—just thoughtless and loud. His carelessness often came off as friendliness, but in truth, it was simply a lack of awareness.
"If you ever try that again," Akira said calmly, "I'll send you straight to the orthopedics clinic."
The tone was casual, almost polite—but the chill behind it froze the air.
Neither Hayama nor Tobe dared to speak after that.
From a short distance away, Miura Yumiko had witnessed the entire exchange.
She watched as Hayama—normally confident, composed, and radiant—looked subdued, almost afraid.
To her, it was the first time she'd seen Hayama behave so cautiously toward someone.
Of course, she didn't yet understand that this wasn't about respect or temperament—it was about hierarchy.
There are some people in this world who stand above others so completely that defiance itself feels like blasphemy.
"Whoa… he's seriously amazing…"
Not far away, Hikigaya Komachi looked at Akira with sparkling eyes.
So cool. So composed. So strong. The embodiment of her ideal image of a "true man."
"He's a monster," muttered Hachiman, standing beside her. His tone was low, his eyes flicking toward the still-trembling Tobe.
"Hm? What do you mean, Onii-chan?"
"Komachi, unless it's absolutely necessary, don't get too close to Yukinoshita Akira."
"Huh? Why? You two don't get along?"
"It's not that. In fact… you could say he's the closest thing I have to a real friend."
"Then why?"
"Because he's dangerous. He's not… from the same world as us."
"Not from the same world?" Komachi tilted her head. "That's kinda hard to understand… but if you say so, I'll believe you. You're just trying to protect me, right?"
Hachiman smiled faintly. She really was his precious little sister—no one could ever replace her. Not even Saika.
His eyes drifted toward Akira, and a vivid memory flashed through his mind.
A moonless night.
Akira stood beneath the dark sky, crimson Nichirin blade gleaming in his hand. In one swift, graceful motion, he decapitated a creature—something that looked human, but clearly wasn't.
Blood splattered across the cold pavement.
The head rolled to a stop.
That night had seared itself into Hachiman's memory.
Behind the peaceful surface of their modern world… lurked something darker. A realm of demons and monsters invisible to ordinary people.
And suddenly, Akira carrying a katana everywhere didn't seem so strange anymore.
Hachiman didn't care for fantasy or supernatural nonsense—his chuunibyou days were long gone. He just wanted to live quietly.
But even he had to admit—Akira was different.
A man who stood on the boundary between worlds.
And yet… for some reason, that man still chose to call him a friend.
"Alright, since everyone's here," Hiratsuka Shizuka's voice broke through the tension, "I'll explain what we're doing. Starting today, you'll all be assisting as volunteers. Your job is to guide and protect the children during their summer camp activities."
As she spoke with authority, the others listened attentively—everyone except Akira.
Because at that very moment… he noticed something.
A small figure at the edge of the field.
A little girl with long, straight black hair, wearing a light blue dress. Her face was delicate, almost doll-like—like a miniature version of Yukinoshita Yukino.
The only difference lay in her aura. Yukino, despite her solitude, carried a quiet strength—self-sufficient, unwavering.
But this girl… looked fragile. Her eyes were downcast, her shoulders slumped. Other children played together nearby, leaving her completely alone.
There was a kind of loneliness around her—a quiet melancholy that reminded Akira of Hikigaya Hachiman's younger self.
A heroine's face… with the soul of a male protagonist.
"Yukinoshita Akira, what are you doing? Were you even listening?"
Hiratsuka's irritated voice snapped him back to reality.
The woman was glaring at him, clearly furious.
This kid…! Every single time! Couldn't he at least pretend to listen when she was giving an official briefing?!
When it was just the two of them, she could tolerate it—but in front of everyone? This was beyond disrespectful!
"Hm? Sorry, what was that?" Akira turned his head with an expression of mild confusion.
"'What was that'—?! You little brat, do you have any idea how—!"
Her voice thundered across the campsite.
But as usual, Akira's calm expression didn't budge an inch.
Hachiman watched from the sidelines, awe in his eyes.
This man… wasn't afraid of Hiratsuka-sensei.
Not even a little.
Truly, a role model worth respecting.
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