He knew Yumi was always keeping her distance with him was always setting up barriers around her and today he had made up his mind to capture her.
He casually walked towards her. Yumi didn't look up, but Haruto could tell she sensed him coming.
Haruto stood near Yumi, his posture rexed but eyes focused. "Hey, Yumi. You got a minute?"
Yumi barely gnced up, she replied bit annoyed. "What is it?"
He hesitated but he replied with something more serious. "How about we go out? Just the two of us, after this."
Yumi was stiff, not making eye contact with him. "I don't like to hang out. Especially not... with you."
Haruto took a step closer, his voice growing lower but more intense. "Come on, Yumi. We never really talk. You keep your distance, and I want to understand you better. Maybe we can start today." He reached forward and touched her hand
Yumi yanked his hand back, her voice sharp. "No hand touching!"
Haruto smirked. "Alright, no hand touching. But you're not getting out of this. Let's meet. No excuses."
Flustered, Yumi hesitated, her eyes darting away. "Fine. But it's not a date." She crossed her arms, face firm but a little red.
Haruto has took her to nearby cafe, he knows he had to take action with reserved girls like Yumi, Johanna and Rei since they are less proactive compared to Kei and Akira. Yumi has refused to let him hold his hand.
"Just so you know, this isn't a date," she repeated the words, more with herself than for him.
Haruto grinned. "You've mentioned that a couple of times now. Keep saying it, and it might start feeling like one."
Yumi gred, her lips pressed into a tight line. "Don't get the wrong idea. You've already got Kei wrapped around your finger, and Akira's obviously been... affected by your charms. And what's your next victim...Me!"
Haruto chuckled, he took her words calmly. "Affected, huh? You make it sound like I've got some kind of magic spell."
Yumi leaned forward to him, her voice low but sharp. "I've seen how you act, Haruto. I'm not stupid. You think you can just... seduce girls like me. But, you're wasting your time with me. Go away!"
Haruto met her intensity, and replied with a smile. "Who said anything about seduction? I just wanted to get to know you better. And it seems you're more affected than you think."
Yumi flinched, her cheeks reddening slightly. "Affected? Don't ftter yourself. You are stupid! If I wanted empty fttery, I'd talk to my reflection. At least it makes more sense than you. "
"In the case " Haruto said, leaning back with a smirk, "I'd start by pointing out how you keep gncing at me when you think I'm not looking. "
"See! even your own reflection betrayed you" Haruto replied as he pulled a handmirror and showed her face. Yumi's face was red and she is pretty worked up.
Yumi's face flushed as she stammered defensively, "I do not!"
Haruto's grin widened. "You also get a little defensive whenever someone mentions my name. I wonder why that is."
Yumi's voice cracked slightly as she averted her gaze with him. "I'm just irritated by your pyboy ways. You act like you're innocent, but I know you."
Tilting his head, Haruto softened his tone, almost teasing. "Oh, you know me, huh? Then tell me, what else do you think you know about me? Or are you just scared that maybe you are more curious about me than you're willing to admit?"
Yumi's tough front faltered for a moment. "I'm not curious about you. Not at all!"
"Not curious, huh? So, if I asked you what you don't like about me, you'd have a whole list ready, right?"
Yumi's eyes narrowed as she tried to regain control of the conversation. "I don't need a list! It's obvious! You're arrogant, maniputive, and you think every girl is just another challenge to be conquered. It's disgusting."
He raised an eyebrow. "Harsh. But you seem to be paying an awful lot of attention to me for someone who 'isn't curious.'" His voice was smug
Yumi crossed her arms, looking away again, her face still flushed. "I'm only paying attention because I have to. Someone has to call you out on your nonsense."
"You know, Yumi, you keep telling yourself you aren't curious. You keep trying to convince yourself I'm just another guy, but your actions are louder than your words." Haruto said with a confident smile. "Maybe it's not me you're trying to fool. Maybe it's you."
Yumi looked uncomfortable, she finally stopped. "I... I'm not."
Haruto smiled, leaning in just a little with gentle words. "Then prove it. Stay here with me. And we can finally know each other properly."
A soft chime echoed in Haruto's mind, and the system screen popped up:
[Argument Victory!]
Points earned: +1000Commentary: "Warning: Don't use arguments when girls are emotionally votile. Further arguments in that state may result in more... explosive reactions. Proceed with soothing them in that state"
Yumi stared at him, unsure. After a long pause, she whispered, "This still isn't a date."
"If it was," Haruto whispered back, his tone daring as he ignored the system message "would that be so bad?"
Haruto still didn't trust the system and despite it nagging him everyday, he refused to trust it completely.
Yumi didn't respond right away. She looked away, biting her lip.
The cozy café, has tea and is quiet. It is most suitable for a tea lover and quiet person like Yumi, but she wouldn't admit. Yumi sat across from Haruto, her usual composed her cheeks stayed slightly pink as she is slowly realizing she is alone with a boy. She avoided his eyes, trying to keep herself calm.
Haruto held the menu up with a zy grin on his face. "Okay now that's over, what are you getting? Maybe something sweet to match your personality?"
Yumi rolled her eyes but couldn't stop a small smile as she looked at the menu "As if. I'll get the Earl Grey tea. I lost the mood for desert thanks to you" She cleared her throat, her eyes narrowing. "And I can pay for myself."
Haruto leaned in, denied. "Nah, I got this. It's a date, right?"
Yumi smmed her hand onto the table. "Like hell you are. I said I can pay for myself." She pulled out some bills, tossing them down with more force than necessary.
Haruto raised his hands. "Fine, fine! Geez, you're such a tsun. I love this side of you"
They got their drinks, haruto purchased Lime mojito mocktail. Yumi sipped her iced tea, keeping her eyes on the table as Haruto took a bite of his sandwich.
"So," Haruto said between chews, "why do you always get so stingy with me, Because I gotta say, you're the one acting all aggressive."
Yumi gred over her gss, trying to compose herself. "I wouldn't have to if you weren't such a pyboy. You don't get it, do you? Ever since you came into our all-girls literature club, things have been... different. You stir things up, get under people's skin. The way you behave so freely, like you don't care what anyone thinks..." She set her gss down with a bit of force. "I always feel unsettled being near you. It's like I feel uncertain."
Haruto smirked and leaned forward. "Unsettled, huh? In that case, maybe I should calm you down." He said with smug smile. "Maybe I should give you a full body massage."
Yumi choked on her drink. "W-What the hell are you saying, you perv?!"
Haruto ughed, leaning back in his chair, clearly enjoying her reaction. "Just a joke, you've got options. Maybe next time, I will teach you how to chill ."
Yumi's face turned beet red, her eyes wide. "Y-You—! You're impossible!" She clenched her fists, her hands trembling slightly as she gred at him.
Haruto grinned. "Hey, it's not my fault you make it too easy to tease you."
Yumi's frustration boiled as she shook her head, muttering, "I hate you."
Later that night, Yumi stormed into her room, throwing her bag onto her bed and kicking off her shoes. She began pacing, muttering angrily to herself. "Stupid Haruto... with his stupid grin, thinking he can tease me like that... Who does he think he is?! Acting like... like..."
She groaned, throwing herself face-first onto her bed. "Idiot. Why does he always make everything weird?"
"I... I'm not curious about him," she whispered to herself
Meanwhile, Haruto was in the living room of Yumi's house, chatting with her younger sister, who was teasing him relentlessly.
"So, Onii-chan, what brings you here tonight? Came to see me or Yumi-nee?" she teased, her grin mischievous.
"You" Haruto replied to her first
Photot
She packs bigger melons inside the kimino