My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As Expected

Page 121

The conversation was interrupted again at this point.

We chatted idly like this, much like tuna cut into pieces. Meanwhile, the tram continued its journey.

The tram suddenly slowed down as the port observation tower came into view in the distance.

"ah!"

With a brief scream and the sound of wooden clogs, a fragrance wafted into my nostrils, and something soft pressed against my shoulder.

Yuihama wasn't used to wearing wooden clogs, and when the train slowed down, she suddenly lost her balance and fell towards me, which I naturally caught.

"..."

"..."

Their faces were so close they couldn't be closer. Yuihama blushed and hurriedly stepped back.

“S-Sorry…”

"It's alright, the carriage is so crowded anyway..."

I turned my face away from Yuihama's view, pretending to look at the scenery outside the window, but actually letting out a long sigh. The sweat on my body had been delayed for several beats, and only now was it starting to bead up.

I'm so nervous... Phew, this is dangerous! What if I'm just an ordinary guy? I'd probably already accidentally fallen for her.

However, that will never happen to me. I will no longer have any misunderstandings, misinterpretations, or wishful thinking. The bad habit of seeking meaning in purely accidental phenomena is a vice of "unpopular boys."

Greeting each other in the morning is just basic etiquette; seeing the other person drop their handkerchief is just her own carelessness; exchanging email addresses with her coworkers is simply to make it easier to switch shifts.

Whether it's chance, fate, or destiny, I don't buy into any of that. Only company orders matter. I absolutely refuse to become that kind of adult; I really don't want to go out to work…

After we got off the train and left the station, we immediately saw that the area in front of the station was packed with people. All we could hear was a noisy commotion.

The towering Chiba Port Observation Tower reflects the world below with its mirror-like exterior; the sunset, adding several times the brilliance, further heightens everyone's anticipation for the event's opening.

Everyone was talking and laughing loudly, exchanging bright and cheerful glances.

The roadside was lined with all sorts of stalls, including those selling takoyaki and okonomiyaki. Nearby convenience stores and pubs also set up stalls outside to sell their goods, while restaurants heavily promoted the fireworks as a gimmick to attract customers.

This is summer in Japan.

I don't know if it's because I have Japanese blood in my veins, but I couldn't help but get excited.

The Chiba Citizens' Fireworks Festival is about to begin.

× × ×

The train station and the fireworks display venue are not far apart; the entire park is practically adjacent to the station. However, with so many tourists flocking in, moving around inside is no easy task.

This square is usually quite empty, leaving only the impression of its vast size. But now, even from a distance, all you can see is a sea of ​​people.

Amidst the stifling heat typical of crowded places, a refreshing sea breeze swept by.

I checked my watch; it was just past 6 p.m., but the fireworks show wouldn't start until 7:30.

So, what should we do during this time...? I looked at Yuihama beside me to get her opinion first.

"We still have plenty of time, what should we do? Go back?"

"No! Why did you so naturally think of going back?"

I've fallen into that bad habit again—the feeling of always thinking about going home when I'm out in the world. No matter when or where, no matter the situation, I always prioritize getting home alive. It's awful; it seems like espionage or ninja careers are a perfect fit for me.

"Otherwise, what should we do now?"

"Should we just go back?" Just as I was about to reply, Yui took out her phone from her small bag.

"Hmm... Komachi sent me a text message with a list of gifts I want to buy."

She opened the message on her phone to show me, but the shiny rhinestones on the phone were both unsightly and tasteless, so I had to force myself to focus on the screen.

Komachi's shopping list

Fried noodles 100 yuan

Cotton candy 500 yuan

Marble soda 300 yuan

Takoyaki 500 yen

The memories of watching fireworks are priceless.

What was that last thing all about...?

Just thinking about the expression on Komachi's face when she typed out this list makes me, her older brother, feel a little embarrassed...

Seeing my expression of unbearable pain, Yuihama let out a wry laugh.

How embarrassing! My brother feels incredibly embarrassed right now!

Although I couldn't help thinking, "It's that guy again," I also understood that this was her way of being considerate towards me.

Komachi has already arranged things to this extent, so it's impossible for me to be so oblivious as not to notice.

I'm actually quite sensitive about this.

I'm allergic to this kind of thing, to the point of overreacting.

Out of men worldwide, a staggering 80% are constantly thinking, "Does she like me?"

That's why, no matter when or where, I must remain calm and clear-headed, and tell myself with a cold gaze, "This is impossible."

I don't trust others much, and I trust myself even less.

I let out a soft sigh to change my mood.

"Then, let's buy them in this order..."

"Um."

Whether it was because Komachi had sent that message that showed she was out of her mind, or because she had caught up in the lively atmosphere of the festival, Yuihama's wooden clogs made a cheerful "clack-clack" sound as she walked.

Even in the noisy crowd, I could hear her humming a little tune as she walked.

The crowd stretched all the way to the square.

Countless stalls stood side by side, each attracting a considerable crowd.

Although we all knew exactly what the food on display tasted like, the light from the bulbs still easily whetted our appetites. Even the sauce and oil on the stir-fried noodles glistened under the light, making them look juicy and delicious, almost making me think they were Kaba-ya's soda candies (Note 57 refers to Kaba-ya's long-selling brand "ジユーC", pronounced the same as the English word "juicy").

Yuihama's eyes lit up with excitement, and she tugged at my sleeve.

"Which stall should we start with? How about candied apples?"

"That's not on the list..."

And wouldn't our main purpose then become eating instead of buying things?

Yuihama was not happy about this. She looked at the candied apples with reluctance, but then turned her attention to her phone.

"So, which one should we start with?"

"Let's buy food that can be stored at room temperature for a long time first, so it'll be cotton—"

"Oh my god! Look! You can win a PS3!"

Halfway there, Yui grabbed my sleeve again. Her attention was completely drawn to the treasure hunt stall (Note 58: The stall provides many ropes for customers to choose from, with a theoretical chance of selecting a rope connected to a prize below). Besides a PS3, that stall also offered a wealth of luxurious prizes.

"It won't work... Also, are you even listening to me?"

"Huh? But the ropes are clearly connected."

"It is connected, but heaven knows where that rope leads."

The ropes tied to the prizes extended upwards, converged in one place, and then spread out in all directions, making it impossible for us to tell whether the store had tampered with them.

"Listen carefully, the fact that they put the best prize in such a conspicuous place is itself a trap. Anything that seems advantageous at first glance is definitely not innocent. That's common sense."

"That's common sense from some other world... Are you perhaps a member of the mafia?"

The uncle at the treasure hunt stall overheard our conversation and glared at us.

We quickly made our way to other stalls.

The first thing to buy is cotton candy.

The cotton candy machine hummed, emitting a sweet aroma. Vendors gathered the fluffy white sugar strands from the machine onto bamboo sticks, then packed them into bags and hung them from the eaves of their stalls. The bags were printed with anime or superhero characters; it seemed Toei Animation must have made a fortune.

It looked exactly the same as when I was a child, unchanged by the times. Yui, who is the same age as me, was also immersed in nostalgia, looking at the cotton candy with affection.

"Wow, I miss it so much! Which one should I buy?"

"Anyway, the contents are all the same. Excuse me, could you please give me this one?"

I picked out the marshmallows wrapped in a pink bag and paid five hundred yen.

Although I have absolutely no interest in anime intended for girls, since Komachi is a girl, I think it's better to choose something light, light... light something. Yes, that's right, I really have absolutely no interest in it, and I can't even tell the difference between "Jewelpet" and "Stargirl" (Note 59 refers to "Jewelpet" and "Stargirl").

After the marshmallows, we bought marble soda and takoyaki.

"Next up is fried noodles."

"Hmm, I think I saw it there just now..."

As we turned to walk back, someone was staring at us. The person waved slightly and walked over.

"Ah, Yui!"

"Little Model~"

Yui waved back and took a few steps over. Their movements were remarkably similar.

I get it, this is what's called "mirroring behavior," right? By adopting the same behavior, people are more likely to gain the other person's approval. I've seen this tactic in TV dramas before.

So... who is that person?

In this situation, it's best to minimize your presence and blend into the background as much as possible. I want to become a tree! (Note 60: The pronunciation of this sentence is the same as Chitanda Airu's catchphrase "I'm curious!" in Hyouka.)

That said, the way they address each other reveals a difference in their attitudes. Yuihama addresses the other person in a very intimate way, while the other person calls her "Little Model" in a different way, but at least they get along well and aren't strangers.

So... who exactly is that person?

The other party seemed to have the same question and looked at him expecting him to introduce them.

"Who is that...?"

"Ah, yes, that's right, this is Hikigaya, who's in our class. And she's Sagami Minami, who's also in the same class."

Oh? So she's from the same class. It was only after Hibin mentioned it that I remembered the girl's face, so I simply greeted her.

At that moment, our eyes met.

The next moment, a smile flickered across Sagami's lips.

"Oh, I see... You guys came together, right? Unlike me, I'm at a fireworks display that's all girls. Ah, that's great~ I really want to feel young again~"

"Hahaha... Why do you make it sound like a swimming competition (Note 61: 'A swimming competition for all women' is a TV program that aired in Japan in the past.) We're not like that at all~"

Yuihama was a little unsure how to respond, so she simply laughed it off with the other person.

However, I couldn't laugh at all.

I am quite familiar with Sagami's smile.

She neither smiled at me nor burst into loud laughter.

That was undoubtedly a mockery.

She did indeed show a mocking expression when she saw "the boy brought by Yuihama".

"Huh? What's wrong with it? It's summer anyway, isn't it perfect?"

The smile on her lips remained unchanged, and she assessed me with a single glance. That alone instantly vanished the warmth that had lingered in my heart, and my soul gradually froze.

Once my emotions calmed down, my mind cleared up.

My thoughts were reactivated, operating at super-efficient levels, like having liquid helium injected into my spinal cord. Reason, logic, and rules of thumb converged, vying with emotion. No need to wait for a verdict; the outcome was already clear.

I almost misunderstood again.

I have no contact with Sagami Minami, and we don't know each other at all.

If two people who don't know each other well want to get to know each other, what's the fastest way?

The answer is "tag".

If Sagami wants to understand me, they must rely on the information of "the school class I belong to." In fact, this is true not only for Sagami, but for everyone.