My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As Expected

Page 106

"Hasn't that achieved everything? So... next time, let's go out together!"

Yui stopped there, and I looked over curiously. When our eyes met, she smiled, and the incense stick in her hand popped open with a "snap".

Upon hearing this, my response was, of course, as follows:

"...Contact me again later."

× × ×

After we finished playing with the fireworks and cleaning up, it was already very late, just like yesterday.

Today, I took a bath in the public bathhouse inside the management building, just like before. This time, I was the last one in line, so I didn't need to rush. After bathing, I walked back to my cabin, enjoying the night breeze.

When we returned to the cabin, it was dark inside; it seemed everyone had already gone to bed.

I crawled into the already made-up quilt at the back of the room and breathed a sigh of relief... It must have been Totsuka who made the quilt for me. I really want to marry him...

"More like a penguin..."

"Hayama? Did I disturb you?"

"No, I just have trouble sleeping."

Indeed, how could one possibly have good dreams after doing something like that? Just observing from the shadows made me feel very uncomfortable.

"Sorry to force you to play the bad cop..."

"I don't mind, it doesn't actually feel that bad. It's just that it reminds me of the past... I've been in a similar situation before, but I didn't do anything about it."

Ye Shan's tone was neither sarcastic nor pitying; he was simply recounting a past event.

I didn't know about Hayama and Yukinoshita's past, so I couldn't respond and could only turn away in place of a nod.

"If only Yukinoshita could be like her older sister..."

Right, Hayama and Yukinoshita's family know each other, so of course he knows about Haruno's existence. However, although he's referring to the same person, I have a different opinion from him.

"No... she doesn't need to be like my older sister. The thought of Yukinoshita being so kind terrifies me."

"Haha, that's true."

Although I couldn't see Hayama's face, I could tell from his voice that he was smiling. Then, his tone suddenly turned low, and I could vaguely hear his breathing.

"...Compared to penguins, let me ask you. What would it be like if we went to the same elementary school?"

I answered this question without hesitation:

"Needless to say? That school will just have one more lone wolf, that's all."

"Yeah?"

"certainly."

I was absolutely certain of that statement. In the darkness, Ye Shan chuckled secretly, then coughed a few times to cover his laughter.

"I believe many things could have turned out differently. But..."

He paused, selecting words from his mind.

"I probably still won't be able to get along well with Hachiman."

I hadn't expected him to say something like that, and my mind went completely blank. Hayama gets along well with everyone, yet he'd say something like that… I paused for a moment, then deliberately answered him in a resentful voice:

"...You're really going too far. I'm a little taken aback."

Just kidding, goodnight.

"Okay, goodnight."

Perhaps I am only now truly understanding Hayama's character, just as Hayama truly understood Hikigaya Hachiman's character.

Although his voice was friendly, it also concealed a certain harshness.

My intuition told me that there was not a single lie in what he said.

Volume 4, Chapter 8: And so, the car carrying Yukino Yukinoshita gradually drove away.

The car was completely silent on the way back.

Less than thirty minutes had passed since we set off, and everyone in the back seat was dead. This kind of situation is actually quite common when traveling by car.

Sitting in the front seat, I could easily drift off to sleep, but if even I fell asleep, it would be too pitiful for Hiratsuka-sensei, who was driving, so I forced myself to stay awake.

There was little traffic on the highway. Although students were on summer vacation, today was a typical workday for most people. On the eve of the Obon holiday, there was no reason for traffic jams on the roads leading to Chiba City.

So, just be patient for another two or three hours.

"I'm planning to have everyone leave the school, is that okay? It's too much trouble to send you all home one by one."

Professor Hiratsuka drafted a return plan and asked for my opinion.

"That's great."

The teacher nodded in response. After all, she must be very tired, so it would be better if we dismissed her as soon as possible.

The teacher looked ahead and continued softly:

"This situation... was truly a close call. Had anything gone wrong, it could have escalated into a major problem."

She was referring to Rumi Tsurumi's situation. I don't remember bringing up the details of the whole thing myself; she probably learned about it from other sources.

"Yes, I'm sorry."

"I don't mean to blame you. You had no choice but to do it that way, right? Besides, time was so tight. I think you did a great job."

"However, the methods used were extremely crude."

"Yeah, you're really awful."

"Why criticize my character...aren't we discussing the methods I use?"

"When you come up with that kind of method, it means you're utterly incompetent. But perhaps it's precisely because you're so incompetent that you're able to connect with those who have fallen to the very bottom. That ability is incredibly valuable."

"This kind of praise is so annoying..."

I'm truly defeated by her.

In contrast to me, Hiratsuka-sensei was humming a song happily.

"So, how should we grade this time?"

"Of course, Hachiman won a great victory, right?"

From proposing the plan and formulating the solution to overseeing the entire project's completion, I handled everything. I admit that it's very difficult to say whether I was ultimately helpful, but given how proactive I was, I should be acknowledged.

"Hmm... But if Yukinoshita had chosen not to accept it back then, you wouldn't have taken any action, would you? Besides, if Yui hadn't persuaded you, I don't think you would have taken any action."

"Damn it, are we sharing the same light and getting the same score...?"

What a pity—just as I was thinking this, the teacher gave me a mischievous smile.

When did you start to have the illusion that you were on the same wavelength and had the same score?

"here we go again……"

"You didn't want to come in the first place, right? So after the points are deducted, Yukinoshita and Yuihama each get one point, and you get zero points."

"It seems like something was expected..."

"But thank you for your hard work."

The teacher held the steering wheel with one hand and reached over with the other to pat my head.

Please don't treat me like a child; it's embarrassing.

"Don't be shy, don't be shy~"

She seemed to find it very enjoyable to make me happy, and rubbed me several more times.

"Ah, I'm not saying I'm embarrassed, but as a teacher, treating a high school student like a child shows how old the teacher is—"

"Hachiman, go get some sleep."

The teacher's hand chopped down on my neck.

"Well……"

Then, my consciousness plunged into a dark abyss.

× × ×

Someone shook my body violently.

"Hachiman, get up quickly, we've arrived."

"Um……"

I opened my eyes and saw familiar scenery—Zongwu High School, where I studied.

It's just past noon now.

I think I slept very soundly, and I can't remember when I fell asleep, so I guess I was really tired. But because I had a good night's sleep, I feel refreshed when I woke up.

"Sorry, I think I fell asleep."

"Hmm? Oh, it's okay, you must be tired. Hurry up and get off the bus."

Hiratsuka-sensei's tone was unexpectedly gentle.

As soon as I stepped out of the train carriage, the sweltering heat of midsummer enveloped me; that's how the air is in the coastal area. We'd only been away for two or three days, but now I felt an overwhelming sense of longing.

Everyone was stretching and yawning on the way.

We unloaded our luggage from the van and slowly prepared to go home. The asphalt road reflected so much heat it was almost hot enough to fry an egg.

After everyone confirmed that nothing had been left behind, they quickly lined up. Ms. Hiratsuka looked at us with satisfaction and said:

"Everyone has worked hard. We're still in training until we head home, so please be careful on your way back. That's all for now."

Why did she put on that smug "how about that?" look? I guess she had decided before she even left that she would end things this way.

Komachi slung her backpack over her shoulder and looked up at me.

"Brother, how do we get back?"

"Take the Keiyo Line and then transfer to a bus. I can buy something on the way back."

"Aye aye, sir!"

She raised her hand in a gesture of greeting and responded with great enthusiasm.

"Since we're both on the Kyoto-Yo Line, would you like to come with us, Yukino-neechan?"

"Hmm... let's hitch a ride together then."

Yukinoshita nodded, while Yuihama and Totsuka looked at each other.

"Then, Xiao Cai and I will take the bus."

"Okay, then..."

After everyone decided how to get home, they said goodbye to each other.

At this time-

A black rental car pulled up in front of us with a low, rumbling engine sound.

The driver's seat was on the left, and the driver was a man who had just entered old age, with gray hair peeking out from under his uniform cap; because the rear window was covered with reflective paper, we could not see what was inside the car from the outside.

"It looks like a rich person's car..."

The front of the car features a gleaming gold ornament shaped like a flying fish; the hood is spotless, not a speck of dirt to be found. This car seems strangely familiar…

I stared intently at the rental car. Just then, the elegant driver stepped out of the car, gave us a respectful bow, and then deftly opened the back door.

Even though it's the hottest time of summer, the woman inside the car gives off a comforting feeling, like the warm winter sun.

"Hi, Yukino!"

Yukino Yukinoshita, dressed in a pure white summer outfit, walked out gracefully.

"elder sister……"

"Huh? This is Yukino's...older sister?"

Yui blinked repeatedly, comparing Yukinoshita and Haruno's appearances.

"Wow! It really does look quite similar..."