Life As Hikigaya Hachiman

Indeed, Yuigahama Yui's impressive growth since junior high school showcased the influence of her mother's favorable genetics.

Reflecting on Yukino's unchanging aspects that have persisted since her early development, Hachiman harbored some concerns about her future progression.

Such were Hachiman's contemplations.

Yukinoshita House——

"Ahh Choo!"

Yukinoshita Yukino, engrossed in her book, suddenly sneezed.

"Is someone speaking ill of me? Perhaps it's my sister?" Yukinoshita raised her head skeptically, scanning her surroundings. Finding no trace of her sister, she then directed her gaze downward, settling on her shoe. An unexplainable sense of unease washed over her heart.

As Hachiman glanced towards his side again, he noticed that the two of them were still crossing paths at the same traffic light intersection, without exchanging any words.

Observing Yuigahama's departing figure, he absentmindedly stroked his chin, contemplating how he could engineer a more deliberate "encounter." He wasn't about to wait for a car collision like in the original novel or anime – that would be too drastic a measure.

A sudden idea crossed his mind, focusing on Yuigahama's dachshund, Sable. With a smile forming at the corner of his mouth, Hachiman turned in the direction of his home, ready to put his plan into action.

The following morning, Hachiman arrived at the traffic light intersection earlier than usual, fully prepared to execute his plan. He had spent the entire night strategizing for this moment, determined to initiate his approach to get closer to Yuigahama.

Before long, Yui appeared with Sable by her side, just as she did every day, at the intersection of traffic lights.

When the green light illuminated, both Hachiman and Yuigahama began to move simultaneously, walking towards each other, following the routine of the previous two days.

As the distance between them shortened to about ten meters, Sable, who had been looking down, suddenly lifted his head, sensing something in the air. The dog's demeanor instantly shifted to one of excitement as it charged directly towards Hachiman.

Despite Sable's small size, Yuigahama's grip on the leash wasn't strong enough to hold the dog back. In a moment of distraction, the chain snapped, setting Sable free.

"Sable, where are you going?" Yuigahama exclaimed in surprise as she watched Sable break loose. She saw the dog rush toward Hachiman and leap excitedly in his direction.

Hachiman's plan had worked perfectly. As he had anticipated, he adeptly caught Sable mid-jump, securing the excited dog in his arms.

Observing Sable nestled in his arms, Hachiman concealed a satisfied grin. "Using Sable as the bridge to get to know Yuigahama is working just as planned," he thought to himself, pleased with the outcome of his preparations from the previous day.

"Woof! Woof!" Sable's nose twitched as he sniffed around in Hachiman's embrace. It seemed that he had recognized the enticing scent he had encountered before—the aroma of high-quality dog food. Without hesitation, Sable affectionately licked Hachiman's hand.

"Ah! Sorry."

As Yui approached Hachiman, her voice held a hint of apology. Seeing Sable enthusiastically licking Hachiman's hand, her worry increased. She wasn't sure if he was comfortable with dogs, fearing that Sable might accidentally bite him.

With a slightly embarrassed expression, Yui offered her apology, inclining her head slightly in Hachiman's direction. "I apologize if Sable is causing any inconvenience. He usually doesn't approach strangers like this," she explained, her tone apologetic.

Hachiman reassured her with a friendly smile, "No need to worry. Sable seems friendly, and I don't mind at all."

Yui's anxious expression relaxed, and she let out a small relieved chuckle. "Thank you for understanding. He's usually a bit more cautious around people he doesn't know," she said, her concern shifting to her dog's behavior.

Hachiman gently patted Sable's head, who was still happily nuzzled in his arms. "He's quite cute," he remarked, glancing at Yui with a friendly nod.

Yui's smile brightened at his compliment. "Thank you! He appreciates the attention. Sable, say thank you!" she playfully coaxed, earning an affectionate wag of Sable's tail in response.

The encounter seemed to be progressing well, thanks to Sable's friendly disposition.

Yesterday, Hachiman had planned and executed a series of preparations after deciding to use Sable as a means to get closer to Yuigahama.

With determination, he didn't hesitate to spend a considerable amount of money on a bag of high-quality dog food.

Despite the expensive price, he considered it a necessary investment to achieve his goal. His pursuit of getting closer to Yuigahama compelled him to take this financial risk.

Moreover, the first volume of "Sword Art Online" was nearly completed, and he held confidence that once he finished writing and submitted it to the editor, it would undoubtedly get published. This belief in his success assured him of future financial stability.

Hachiman took his plan a step further after purchasing the dog food. He spent the entire night stuffing dog food into his sportswear jacket, ensuring that the scent of high-quality dog food permeated his clothing. While this aroma might not be detectable by humans, dogs possess a keen sense of smell, making it an irresistible lure for them.

However, he didn't stop there. Just before leaving his house this morning, Hachiman took a handful of dog food and held it in his palm. This action ensured that even his hands carried the scent of the dog food. This clever ploy is what led Sable to lick him the first time they encountered each other.

With his thorough preparations, Hachiman successfully attracted Sable's attention as planned, which in turn allowed him to achieve his goal of getting closer to Yuigahama.

As he looked at Yuigahama standing before him, Hachiman handed Sable over to her, the dog still playfully licking his hand. "Since I've already made contact with Yui, Sable, you're no longer needed," he thought to himself.

Deep down, Hachiman couldn't help but feel conflicted about his tactics, questioning his own motives and character.

"Hello, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Hikigaya Hachiman, and I'll be a first-year student at Sobu High School," Hachiman said to Yuigahama, attempting a smile that he hoped appeared as handsome.

"Ah...well, hello. My name is Yuigahama Yui!" After taking Sable from Hachiman, Yuigahama quickly composed herself and bowed, introducing herself, "Oh, Hikigaya-kun, are you also going to study at Sobu High School?"

Yuigahama was taken aback by Hachiman's revelation that he was going to enter Sobu High School. She hadn't anticipated meeting a fellow student from the same school.

"Yes." Hachiman nodded, pretending to play along.

"That's such a coincidence, I'm also going to Sobu High School, and like you, I'm going to be a first-year student too." Yuigahama didn't catch onto Hachiman's awkward acting, believing it was simply a serendipitous encounter.

Upon discovering that they were both enrolling in the same high school, Hachiman and Yuigahama engaged in conversation, and before they realized it, half an hour had slipped by.

"Ah, it's getting late. I should head home now. Hikigaya-kun, see you tomorrow!" Glancing at the time, Yuigahama hurriedly bid farewell to Hachiman, holding Sable in her arms as she walked towards her home.

"See you tomorrow, Yuigahama-san!" Hachiman waved and said goodbye.

Watching Yuigahama disappear from view, Hachiman smiled to himself and turned to make his way home as well.

In the end, the meeting of the boy and the girl was set in motion by a simple "coincidence."