164 [164] The First Request

Chapter 164: The First Request

In the midst of Hachiman's silence, Yukino wore a self-assured smile.

"See, I am rather cute, you know."

"Alright, alright, I don't want to discuss whether you are cute or not."

Upon hearing the typical self-centered remark from Yukino, Hachiman waved dismissively.

"But, from my perspective, a student as attractive as you, Yukinoshita-san, likely doesn't have many friends."

"Uh..."

This momentary pause left Yukino momentarily taken aback, as the truth was, she lacked friends. However, the proud young woman was not one to readily admit defeat and began to present her case.

"It depends on how you define 'friends.' If you're referring to those superficial acquaintances, they hardly deserve to be considered my friends."

"So, you genuinely have no friends, not even someone to have a conversation with," Hachiman remarked, wearing a mischievous smile.

Yet, Yukino remained resolute.

"I only seek genuine friends with whom I can engage in meaningful conversation."

"You don't have any friends."

"True friendship demands sincerity."

"You don't have any friends."

"I won't waste my time on insincere relationships."

"You don't have any friends."

"..."

Under Hachiman's unwavering repetition, Yukino couldn't help but cast an annoyed glance at him.

"Fine, I'll admit it, I don't have any friends. Are you satisfied now?"

"Hmph, you're really annoying."

For Yukino, lacking friends appeared to mar her self-image as a person of excellence.

"You've misunderstood, Yukinoshita-san. I didn't mean to mock you."

Observing the girl's angered expression, Hachiman shook his head with a gentle smile.

"If you're open to it, I'd like to be your friend."

"Huh... you want to be friends with me?"

Upon hearing his words, the girl appeared somewhat taken aback, but she quickly assumed a guarded stance, crossing her arms.

"You're not scheming anything strange, are you?"

She hadn't forgotten that the last time they went to the beach, everyone there was a girl, and most were beautiful. What's more, they were all older than her!

Witnessing Yukino's skeptical look, as if she had encountered a potential wrongdoer, Hachiman's mouth quirked with amusement.

"When it comes to narcissism, you, Yukinoshita-san, are definitely the number one I've ever seen."

"I know, I know. It's all because I'm so adorable that I attract perverts like Hikigaya-kun."

"Hey, how did I become a pervert?"

"Aren't you?"

"..."

Just as the two engaged in their playful banter, a knock resounded at the door.

Yukino swiftly resumed her usual composed demeanor and softly uttered, "Please come in."

As the clubroom door swung open, a voice familiar to Hachiman echoed within the room.

"Excuse me, is this the Service Club? Hiratsuka-sensei sent me here."

Glancing up, the first thing Hachiman saw was not a face but rather two well-supported mounds, accompanied by that distinctive pink bun of hair.

It was none other than Yui.

"May I ask if this is..."

Yui began to speak, but upon seeing Hachiman sitting across from her, she leaped in surprise.

"Hikki, what are you doing here?"

"Well, Yui, I'm a member of this club because I've joined," Hachiman replied, remaining notably calmer than Yui, well aware that the wheels were already in motion.

"Huh? But I remember you were part of the kendo club, not this one."

Indeed, over the past year, Yui had not only physically but also mentally sharpened her perception. She still recalled Hachiman's prior membership in the kendo club.

"I recently quit the kendo club, and Hiratsuka-sensei just assigned me to this club," Hachiman explained with a nonchalant shrug.

"Oh, I see," Yui nodded, understanding the situation.

*Cough, cough...*

Hearing the two engrossed in conversation, Yukino couldn't help but clear her throat a couple of times.

Despite her role as the club president, it seemed that they had somewhat impolitely overlooked her.

"Yukinoshita-san?"

In that moment, Yui recognized the person who had just spoken as someone she had encountered on several occasions: Yukino Yukinoshita.

"Yes, Yuigahama-san, hello," Yukino greeted Yui with a nod.

"May I ask about the purpose of your visit today?"

Upon hearing this question, Yui remembered the reason for her visit and hesitated before explaining, "Well... Hiratsuka-sensei told me that this is the Service Club, a place where one can seek assistance."

"That's correct; this place does indeed offer assistance," Yukino confirmed. She then turned her gaze to Hachiman, who was seated across from her, and instructed him, "Hikigaya-kun, please fetch a chair for Yuigahama-san."

"Huh... me, go?" Hachiman, deep in thought, was caught off guard when Yukino called him and pointed at himself.

"Of course, you should be the one to go. I'm the club president, and you're a club member. Should I be the one to fetch it?" The girl gave him a disapproving look, making it clear that there was no room for argument.

With some reluctance, Hachiman rose and fetched a chair for Yui, offering it to her with a smile.

"Thank you, Hikki," Yui expressed her gratitude with a smile as she took her seat.

With all three of them now seated, Yukino, in her capacity as the club president, took the lead in the conversation. She said, "Alright, Yuigahama-san, please tell us what you need assistance with."

Yui appeared somewhat uneasy and cast a quick glance at Hachiman before finally revealing the reason for her visit.

"Well, actually... I want to bake cookies for a friend. But I'm not good at cooking, and my mom won't teach me. So, I went to see Hiratsuka-sensei for help, and she told me that this place can grant wishes. That's why I came here."

As Yui explained her reason, Hachiman couldn't help but feel perplexed.

In his envisioned scenario, this wasn't the plot he had expected. Yui making cookies should have been a way to express her gratitude to Hachiman for saving Sable. Their relationship should be on the verge of becoming a couple, and there should be no need for her to thank him with cookies. However, reality had different plans.

"I see, so you want to bake cookies," Yukino acknowledged after grasping the situation.

"But I want to clarify that this isn't a place to grant wishes. We offer assistance, but we can't change things for you if you're not willing to change yourself. We believe in teaching you how to fish rather than just giving you the fish. If you're not ready to put in the effort, we can't help."

"Oh, that sounds profound," Yui responded with a puzzled expression, not entirely understanding Yukino's words.

"Anyway, I'll teach you how to make cookies," Yukino continued, sighing at Yui's apparent lack of understanding. "But please remember, I can only guide you based on your current skill level, and it's up to you to improve. Follow me."

Before long, the three of them made their way to the cooking room.

At this point, both young women donned aprons, their elegant appearances and Yukino's long hair tied into a ponytail, giving them the air of beautiful cooking enthusiasts.

"Yuigahama-san, would you like to start by giving it a try?" Yukino asked after arranging the ingredients. She then noticed something amiss.

"Wait a moment, your apron is a bit crooked. Let me help you with that," Yukino stepped over to Yui, adjusting the buttons on her apron.

"Oh, thank you, Yukinoshita-san," Yui blushed slightly, appreciating the help.

Hachiman, observing this tender moment, felt like a third wheel.

"What about me? What should I do?"

"Yui handles the actions, and I guide. You, on the other hand, are in charge of tasting," Yukino replied calmly while fine-tuning Yui's attire.

"Alright," Hachiman concurred, playing his part and sticking to the script, which made it easier for him.

Thirty minutes later...

Upon seeing a plate of burnt objects in front of her, Yukino couldn't help but cover her face in exasperation.

"Why did you make so many mistakes?"

"It looks like charcoal, the kind they sell in the store. Do we really have to eat this?" Hachiman picked up a piece of the charred substance, wiping a few drops of sweat from his forehead.

"What, Stinky Hikki. It's not that bad!" Yui picked up a piece, but her enthusiasm dwindled after a moment.

"Actually, it does look pretty bad."

"Never mind, let's not eat it. Let's think about how to improve." Yukino disposed of the burnt disaster and prepared fresh ingredients.

"Should I help out? You know I can cook." Hachiman offered to assist because he really didn't want to eat charcoal.

"Uh... I'll pass. I took this assignment, and I'd like to handle it myself."

Upon hearing his offer, Yukino had a fleeting impulse to accept it. She had tasted Hachiman's cooking, and it was excellent, but in the end, she declined.

She still hadn't learned to seek help from others.

"Maybe I really don't have any talent for cooking. I can't even make an omelet rice properly, and I've always been bad at it," Yui kept her head low, appearing somewhat disheartened.

But Yukino, who was currently preparing the ingredients, calmly said, "Don't lose hope. There's a path forward, and it's through effort."

"Yuigahama-san, you mentioned talent earlier."

"Let go of that notion."

"If you're unwilling to make even the most basic efforts, you have no right to envy those who possess talent."

"Those who fail do so because they can't imagine the kind of effort successful people put in, and that's what dooms them to failure."

While Yukino's tone remained steady, there was a subtle undercurrent of encouragement in her words. For a girl not accustomed to expressing herself, this was no small achievement.