My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As Expected

Page 122

Before we get to know a person, we usually roughly determine their organization, workplace, rank, and title. In schools and companies, these benchmarks are often used to judge a person. Although we hear less about this nowadays, the common saying that "companies use academic qualifications to screen job seekers" is a prime example.

Yuihama breaks down the barriers of school hierarchy and has strong social skills, making it easy for people to forget the fact that she was originally at the top of the school hierarchy, not only in her class but also in the whole school.

In contrast, I belong to the very bottom of the school's social hierarchy. Putting aside Yukinoshita, who doesn't belong to any class, from an outsider's perspective, the fact that Yuihama interacted with me looked like she was doing charity work.

This is bad... This is a large-scale fireworks display, and high school students from the surrounding area will likely gather here. My consideration was really inadequate.

I feel as if I'm in a social setting for ladies, and the male companions I'm with might even symbolize their status, just as a person's worth is measured by the brands of their handbags and clothes.

If it had been Hayama instead of me standing next to Yuihama today, the reactions of those around them would have been completely different. Yuihama might even be on the honor roll for tonight. But if I were the male companion, I would only be thrown into a military court and subjected to a trial in absentia.

I don't think this is because we live in different worlds. If we really lived in different worlds, I would be so much happier. It's actually because we live in the same world that things are so complicated.

I don't care how much I'm laughed at, but it's so pitiful that Yuihama, who's with me, is being laughed at.

"There seems to be a long line at the fried noodles place, I'll go over there first."

"Ah, um. I'll be there soon."

Yuihama's smile seemed to carry a hint of apology. I left her there and quickly left the scene.

Factors that could lower Yuihama's status should be eliminated as soon as possible. Their conversation continued, but I ignored it and walked away alone.

I relied on my fleeting memory and the aroma of the sauce to reach the stall selling fried noodles.

The cooked fried noodles were packed in a plastic box and secured with rubber bands. Under the warm glow of the light bulbs, even I couldn't help but feel my mouth water.

Just as I finished paying for the fried noodles, Yuihama walked over.

"Feel sorry……"

Yuihama seemed a little apologetic, but she didn't need to apologize at all, which is why I spent a little time thinking about how to respond.

"...candied apples and hawthorns."

"what?"

Her eyes lit up immediately when she heard my murmur. Just to be on the safe side, I confirmed with her one more time.

"Didn't you want to buy candied apples?"

"Yes, that's right! I want to buy it! I'll share half with you later!"

"unnecessary."

If you can cut a candied hawthorn skewer perfectly in half with a knife, I'd be happy to accept it. Otherwise, don't you think...?

Anyway, now I've bought everything Komachi asked for.

The fireworks display is about to begin. I don't even need to look at my watch; I can tell from the excitement of so many people in the audience.

× × ×

The sun finally sank into Tokyo Bay, and the indigo night sky descended. The moon rose high in the sky, seemingly waiting to enjoy the fireworks display that was about to begin.

At the end of the rows of stalls lay the plaza, the main venue for the event. It was already packed with spectators.

The plastic mats covered the entire square, leaving no gaps, and before the event even officially started, everyone was already toasting each other. The cries of children echoed in the distance, while nearby, people were yelling at each other.

Therefore, let alone a place to sit, we even have trouble finding a space to stay.

If I were alone, it wouldn't matter. I could easily find a place to sit or retreat to watch the fireworks from a distance. However, I'm here with companions today, so it's a different story.

We couldn't stand and watch the fireworks the whole time, so we had to find a place where two people could sit down.

But we didn't have any plastic mats, or even newspapers. Yui was wearing a yukata, so she couldn't sit directly on the ground. As for the nearby benches, they had already been taken by other people.

Isn't this situation of having nowhere to go exactly what I was in when I participated in school activities?

"Wow, there are so many people! Haha..."

Yuihama sighed in distress. "Yes, you're right."

"I should have prepared a small waterproof mat."

"Hmm, I feel like it's my fault... I'm sorry, I should have told you sooner."

"...Don't misunderstand, it's just that I rarely participate in these kinds of events, so I didn't think about it that much. I'm sorry."

If I had paid a little more attention, I should have been able to consider this point. I am somewhat disappointed that I did not think this through.

Popular guys are probably very thoughtful and would be quite well-prepared for such occasions. Paying attention to these details is more important than good looks.

For example, sending text messages from time to time to check in on each other's well-being, doing thorough research and preparation before traveling, and chatting occasionally while waiting in line to keep the other person from getting bored...

...Huh? What is this? This is too much trouble.

If I have to go to such lengths to be popular, I'd rather not be popular at all. I'm serious. Why is it always the man who's in charge of taking care of things? Where has the concept of gender equality gone?

Ah! Does that mean we have to know how to take care of others to be popular (Note 62: The original word for "take care of" (もてなす) is pronounced the same as "become popular" (モテ成す)?) Oh my god, this pun is utterly boring, but I love the way I say it.

Where were we? In short, isn't it hypocritical to force yourself to put on a facade and present a side different from how you are when you're alone?

Can a love that requires so much effort be considered suitable for oneself—a love that is truly suitable for oneself?

If you change yourself in order to be liked by someone and win their heart, can you still call yourself "yourself" after the change? Since it is a disguised appearance, it will inevitably reveal its flaws somewhere. Moreover, if even the essence changes, you can never go back to your original self.

A jumble of random thoughts flashed through my mind, and I couldn't help but sigh softly.

I raised my gaze, which had unconsciously been lowered, and happened to meet Yuihama's eyes, who was staring blankly with her mouth open.

"what's wrong?"

"I never imagined that an autistic man could be so considerate of others..."

"What? Are you stupid? I'm incredibly considerate of others, okay! Can't you see I'm always thinking about not causing trouble for others, that's why I've been quietly staying in the corner?"

I never initiate conversations with people, nor do I walk alongside them; I always lag behind. To avoid disrupting others' plans, I never extend invitations.

My ability to think of others has reached an unparalleled level, as if I could launch a magic bullet at any moment (Note 63: the special move of the character Yamcha in Dragon Ball).

"Haha, that's not what I meant. Um... should I say he's a really nice person?"

"Hmm, you have a keen eye. Yes, I am indeed a very good person. Despite the many unpleasant experiences I've had, I've never held grudges against those people or sought revenge against anyone. If I were just an ordinary person, the world would have been destroyed long ago. From this perspective, I'm practically a savior."

"Ordinary people can't destroy the world, nor do they encounter so many unpleasant things!"

Yuihama makes a very good point.

"Okay, it doesn't matter. There seem to be some empty seats over there, let's go check them out."

"Um."

After we started moving, we unfortunately ran into a crowd of people rushing to buy things and use the restrooms before the event started, so we had to move against the current like salmon.

I moved forward, darting left and right through the chaotic crowd, searching for gaps to move forward.

Ah, I've made it a habit to walk without making any noise.

When it comes to finding open spaces, I'd call myself a dream player with the strength of the Japanese national team; this level of crowd is nothing to me.

Hmph! I've always been a lone fighter against the tide of society, and I've long since developed the superb ability to go against the current!

I pushed my way through the crowd alone, as if sparring with every single wooden dummy in the Wooden Dummy Alley (Note 64: It is said that Shaolin monks who wish to leave the mountain after completing their training must first pass the "Wooden Dummy Alley" test. The Wooden Dummy Alley is filled with two rows of wooden dummies, which are operated by manipulators to attack the monks.). Only after reaching an area where the crowd density decreased did I realize that Yuihama might not possess such skill.

Oh no, I accidentally rushed too far ahead as soon as I activated my skill. I turned around to look for her, only to find that I had been worrying for nothing.

Yui Hama was seen shouting "Excuse me," "Make room," and "Excuse me" while deftly slicing a path through the crowd with a chop of her hand.

Wow, this woman has such sharp eyes, she knows how to find a place to hide.

"What's up?"

She caught up with me easily, giving me a puzzled look.

"fine……"

Upon closer examination, seasoned participants who have attended numerous such events should know what to do. This is no longer the time for hidden small businesses to shine alone.

"In short, there are relatively few people here."

"Because you need to buy a ticket to get in here..."

At Hibin's suggestion, I turned to look around. The area was indeed separated by strips of cloth.

The square is completely surrounded by trees, so sitting in the general area might obstruct your view of the fireworks. The area requiring tickets is located on a slightly elevated hill, so the view is completely unobstructed.

Furthermore, the security here is quite tight, and the guys who work part-time here are patrolling around. If you linger in this area for too long, you might get kicked out.

"Let's try looking in other places..."

There were few people near the strips of cloth used for the separation, so I urged Yui to start moving.

"Huh? Isn't that Hachiman?"

A woman dressed in a dark blue yukata, exuding an elegant aura, called out to me. Her attire stood out against the darkness. The pattern of large lilies and autumn grasses on her clothes added to the sense of coolness.

That person is Yukino Yukinoshita.

A strip of cloth separates two different worlds, one inside and one outside.

Yang was in the inner world. She sat on a throne-like high-class chair, surrounded by attendants, just like an empress.

× × ×

The fireworks display was delayed by 10 minutes until 7:40 p.m.

A round of enthusiastic applause erupted, and some overly excited people whistled. If those kinds of people were nearby, I might just punch them. Half of the people whistling triumphantly are usually very low-key, but for some reason, they can't stay quiet at times like this.

This area is located on a small hill in the square, directly facing the fireworks display area. Since there are no trees around to block the view, the fireworks can be seen clearly.

Normally, you would have to buy a ticket to enter this area, but thanks to Yang Nai's words, we got permission to enter directly.

"I'm here today in place of my father, and it's been so boring shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries with everyone. Thankfully, Hachiman Hikigaya, you're here too!"

"Oh? Replacing your father? That's impressive."

I was so busy looking around that I didn't hear the rest of what Yang Nai said. Yang Nai smiled brightly and said:

"Hehe, you mean the VIP seats? Because ordinary people can't come in here."

She spoke proudly, like an innocent and carefree child.

Making no attempt to hide one's pride does not always make one appear arrogant.

Yukino's straightforward personality is perhaps the source of her charm. Earlier, she was surrounded by a group of people, but after she said, "Excuse me, it seems my late friend has arrived," everyone immediately stepped aside.

Not only that, when she beckoned us in, the personnel in charge of security didn't suspect anything and didn't even bother to verify our identities. True VIPs are indeed powerful.

"Where's the big celebrity...?"

Yuihama let out a rather peculiar sigh, whether out of admiration or surprise. Upon hearing this, Haruno smiled again.

"Hehe, you should all know about my father's work. He carries a lot of weight in these kinds of events organized by local self-governing bodies."

"Do county councilors really have that much influence over a city?"

"Wow, as expected of Hachiman, so perceptive. But if we're really talking about something, the company is the one that truly matters."

As far as I remember, her father was indeed in the construction industry. If he also got involved in public works, he would certainly be very powerful. There's a saying about the "three essentials for elections": territory, signboard, and cash. It seems he has all three. To clarify, the so-called cash is "cash," also called "silver bullets." Incidentally, the three most important bags in life are the paycheck, the stomach, and Mom. Wait, am I going to give a speech at a wedding? (Note 65: "Three bags" is a common theme used by guests in Japanese wedding speeches. The original word for mother is "お袋" (obukuro).)

The mayor and a host of other officials are currently giving lengthy speeches and wishing the event a complete success. Haruno invited us to sit next to her, and Yui and I decided it was the least we could do.

I nodded my thanks and took my seat.

Although I wanted to find a comfortable and relaxing position, Haruno next door kept me from settling down. She was a beautiful older sister, which naturally made me nervous, but I was even more afraid of her overly perfect exterior. Beneath her appearance, a dark inner world seemed to be forming a vortex, something I couldn't handle.

At that moment, Yang Nailang suddenly whispered in my ear:

"By the way... being a womanizer is not something to be encouraged."

"Wait a minute, where am I unfaithful?"

Upon hearing what I said, Yang's expression gradually turned cold.

"So you're serious...? Then it's even more unforgivable..."

"It hurts, it hurts!"

At that moment, I felt like Koi Isono, pitifully having my ears pulled by Sazae-san. Luckily, I escaped her clutches quickly, preventing any serious injury. If Haruno had pulled any harder, I might have ended up playing baseball with Nakajima (Note: The characters mentioned above are from "Sazae-san").

"I wasn't serious either..."

Honestly, I'm terrified of pain. Besides, how could I possibly be fickle, or serious? Just like I'm lacking drive, energy, and Iwaki (Note 67: "Drive, energy, Iwaki" is the image slogan of former LDP member Nobuko Iwaki. In Japanese, "fickle" and "serious" rhyme.). Although I don't know what she wants me to say, it won't work (Note 68: The original "そうはいかんざき" is an advertising line jokingly used by former Komeito Party member Takenori Kanzaki using his own name).

Just as I was dodging Yang Nai's attack, a certain important person finished his speech, and the first firework was finally about to be launched into the air.

Accompanied by music, a series of extra-large fireworks burst forth, creating a dazzling display of colors. Red, yellow, and orange lights intertwined, continuously illuminating the night sky.