Chapter 534: You Are Mine

Chapter 534: You Are Mine

Standing above her, he could see the clear love mark on Yukinoshita’s delicate collarbone left from their passion, visible past her collar.

Himekoji remembered that kiss well…

In contrast, his own back still bore the deep scratches she’d left during their desperate embrace.

The answer in his heart became crystal clear in that moment.

No mistake about it—there could be no other explanation!

The mysterious girl who’d visited his dreams night after night suddenly had a sharp, real face—

A dignified face, even while doing that.

Long black hair past her shoulders, silky strands slipping through his fingers as he tried to grasp them in the dream, never quite catching hold.

So little stamina!

Yet she’d never admit defeat. Tired, she’d just press her lips tight and glare coldly at him while he worked above her. Then an icy chill would spread around them, forcing Himekoji to stop.

No wonder those dreams always started strong but ended weakly.

It made perfect sense if it was Yukinoshita.

Every single time: passion without warning, followed by disappointment without surprise. She really had zero stamina!

Though he liked to think he stopped halfway just to spare her feelings, waking up sore and spent every morning told another story.

…

“W-What are you looking at?!”

Yukinoshita finally snapped out of her lifeless gloom only to find Himekoji staring hard at her chest with greedy eyes.

She shoved him hard, escaping his princess carry and landing perfectly on both feet.

Her hands flew up to cover her chest.

Just seconds ago drowning in shame, she now felt a little smug—

Hmph! So even a chest like hers was worth stealing glances at!

Though he was only looking at her collarbone…

That deserved way more appreciation than her chest anyway!

Caught peeping, Himekoji actually blushed for once—but he quickly denied it:

“I-I wasn’t looking at anything!”

Without that damning love mark, there was nothing worth seeing there anyway!

Seriously, even after squeezing her on the bus days ago, he’d felt… nothing.

“You are looking! I feel like my chastity’s under threat just from your stare.”

Seeming fully recovered now, Yukinoshita hugged herself defensively and backed up two meters.

Was her self-protection kicking in? Making her block what happened on the bus?

Honestly, Himekoji felt his chastity was the one in danger!

And chastity…

Why bring that up now? That ship had sailed long ago!

The only chastity left between them probably belonged to the unborn baby inside her.

Figuring she needed reminding, Himekoji pointed meaningfully toward his own collarbone.

But Yukinoshita missed his point entirely. Still guarding herself she snapped,

“This gesture… Are you harassing me?”

“You’re the one who harassed me on that bus!”

Himekoji shot back without thinking.

Too late.

The memory she’d buried broke free instantly.

Her eyes dulled at once, face turning hollow. Two meters away, she sank down hugging her knees, shoulders shaking.

“I don’t wanna live… I can’t live with that shame… I failed Sensei, my classmates, my parents, Mr. Panda… I should just die!”

Was this Yukinoshita Yukino’s dark side?

Like at the hot springs trip!

Full of low self-esteem and depression… always seeing the worst.

Then it appeared because she was drunk and surrounded by big breasts…

Himekoji softened instantly. He crouched beside her, putting an arm around trembling shoulders. His hand stroked her slender back beneath long hair… But then he couldn’t help blurting out bitterly—

“When you apologized to Mr. Panda…”

“Mr. Panda is my panda plush.”

“Still not okay!”

“You won him for me! From the claw machine! At the animal expo!”

“I know. I’m still jealous though…”

Couldn’t help it—jealousy doesn’t make sense.

Suddenly—

“Nnngh!”

Himekoji clutched his head in pain.

“Wh-What’s wrong?”

Though still weak, her eyes were alert now, not lifeless.

“I… suddenly can’t remember what happened on the bus!”

Bad acting—he knew exaggeration might sell it.

Yukinoshita ignored the lie. Staring seriously into his eyes, she stated flatly:

“We came here on the subway.”

“Oh… R-Right! How’d I forget?”

He playfully smacked his own forehead.

Surprisingly gentle, she reached to rub it softly:

“It’s fine. With a mind like yours, bad memory makes sense.”

Himekoji: “……”

Thanks, that’s so comforting.

At least he knew she’d probably moved past the bus incident.

Time for the main event—

“Yukinoshita,” he said carefully, “do you know who left this mark on your collarbone?”

Her face changed.

She didn’t know he’d been dreaming the same dreams.

No one could guess that.

So she took it very differently—

Implying she’d slept around? Asking “don’t you know?” like it was some shameful secret?

When wouldn’t you know who kissed you?

Promiscuous! Must’ve lost count!

Just because of her mistake on the bus, she thought this?

He was the pervert—projecting onto her!

She wasn’t invincibly calm or logical. Something mattered more—

Her dignity as a woman!

Her eyes reddened instantly, tears forming. Through all the bus humiliation, she hadn’t cried… until now.

“Who do you take me for?!”

Shoving him fiercely, she shot upright, chin lifted high and stubborn. Mask of icy pride sliding back into place, she stood like a snowdrift—distant, eyes brimming as she put space between them.

The real Yukinoshita froze beneath layers of ice again.

Too late, Himekoji realized his mistake.

Left with bluntness as his only tool—

“Mine!”

“I consider Yukino-chan mine!”

“Sorry! I said it selfishly without asking… But I won’t take it back!”

You’re mine. But our child is ours.

Then later, our home will be yours, mine, and theirs.

Like a man, he wrapped his arms around her.

Ignoring how childish it sounded.

…

The first time they met, Himekoji definitely hated her.

Wrong meeting Right—didn’t need a reason to hate it.

Yet today, neither “Right” nor “Wrong” felt absolute anymore.

He’d gotten things right; he’d seen her errors too.

But right or wrong—it didn’t matter to his feelings now.

Just like hating her once required no reason, now loving her needed none.

Do you love something just for being right?

Stop loving it for being wrong?

Life’s not a multiple-choice question.

He hated those most anyway.

What a load of nonsense!

……