My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As Expected

Page 14

In other words, in Book 1, Chapter 5, Yoshiteru Tateki is different from ordinary people.

Perhaps it's too late to say this now, but in any case, the main activity of the "Service Society" is to accept students' requests and help them.

If I don't explain it clearly first, people really won't understand what this club is about. After all, Yukinoshita and I usually just read books, while Yuihama has been playing on her phone the whole time since the beginning.

"Hmm... I mean, why are you here?"

Yuihama seemed so natural here, so I treated her naturally too. But in fact, she wasn't a member of the Service Club. To be honest, I'm not even sure if I count as a member. Wait, I really am a member? But I'm thinking of leaving the club.

"Huh? Hmm~~ I'm pretty free today."

"What? Who can understand that? Is it a Hiroshima accent?"

"Huh? Hiroshima? I'm from Chiba."

In fact, Hiroshima dialect really does add "na" to the end of words. Most people who hear it will react with, "Oh? I've never heard of that before." It can sound scary when a guy speaks with Hiroshima dialect, but it's actually quite cute when a woman speaks it, and it's definitely one of my top ten cutest dialects.

"Hmph, do you think being born in Chiba makes you a Chiba native?"

"Excuse me, Hachiman, I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about..."

Yukino looked at me with a look of utter contempt, but I didn't care.

"Take this! First question: What is internal bleeding caused by a fall or sprain called?"

"Blue mole!"

"Tsk, you got it right. I didn't know you knew the Chiba dialect... So, for the second question, what's the main side dish in a bento?"

"Miso-fried peanuts!"

"Oh, so it seems you really are a native of Chiba..."

"Didn't I already say that?"

Yuihama stood with her hands on her hips, tilting her head slightly, as if to say, "What are you talking about?" Yukinoshita, sitting next to her, rested her elbows on the table, rubbing her forehead and sighing.

"...What are you doing? What's the point of these questions?"

Of course, it's meaningless.

"It was just a quiz show by Chiba-dori. To be specific, the questions covered a wide range of subjects, from Matsudo to Choshi."

"Too short!"

"Isn't that good? How about Sahara goes to Tateyama instead?"

"That's a vertical span, isn't it..."

...You can tell the exact location just by hearing the place name, just how much do you like Chiba?

"So, for the third question, what rare animals occasionally appear when traveling on the Waifang Line towards the Tuqi direction?"

"Ah, speaking of Matsudo~~ Yukino, I heard there are a lot of ramen shops in that area, let's go eat there together sometime!"

"Ramen... I rarely eat ramen, so I don't really know much about it."

"Don't worry! Because I don't eat it often either!"

"Huh? How can I feel at ease with that? Can you explain?"

"Hmm. And then, I remember there's a restaurant somewhere in Matsudo, what's its name again? I heard it's really good."

Are you even listening to me?

"Hmm? I'm listening. By the way, there are some good restaurants around here. My house is nearby, only a five-minute walk, so I know it really well. I often pass by one of these restaurants when I walk the dog—"

...The correct answer is ostrich. Seeing an ostrich suddenly appear outside the tram window evokes more than just surprise; it's a feeling of profound emotion.

Sigh... I ignored the two girls' nonsensical conversation and continued reading my book.

There were clearly three people there, but I was the only one who felt very lonely. Why is that?

However, this way of passing the time feels quite like something a high school student would do.

Compared to junior high school students, high school students have a much wider range of activities and are more interested in fashion and food. Talking about topics like ramen shops is definitely a good fit for high school students.

...But they don't usually play Chiba-dori Quiz.

× × ×

The next day when I arrived at the club office, I was surprised to see Yukinoshita and Yui standing in front of the door. I looked at them, wondering what they were up to, and then I saw the two of them slightly open the door, seemingly peeking into the classroom.

"What are you doing?"

"Ah ah!"

The two girls' startled cries were so cute; they even jumped up.

"Hachiman...you...you scared me..."

"I think I'm the one who got scared..."

What was that reaction? It was the same as my cat's reaction when it encountered someone in the living room in the middle of the night.

"Could you please not make any sudden noises?"

Yukinoshita glared at me with displeasure, just like that cat in that respect. In that sense, she's the only one in our family who won't be friendly to me. Including this, Yukinoshita is really alike with our cat.

"Excuse me, what are you doing?"

I asked again. Yuihama, still peering through the slightly ajar door, answered me:

"There are suspicious individuals in the community office."

"You are the suspicious ones."

"That's enough, stop talking. Can you go in and check the situation for us?"

Yukinoshita gave me the order with a displeased expression.

I followed their instructions, stood in front of the two people, and carefully opened the door to go inside.

A gust of wind awaited us.

At that moment, the sea breeze blew in our faces. Because the school is located by the sea, the wind direction is very special, and the papers in the classroom were blown all over the place.

The scene before me was like a magician conjuring a flock of white doves from his magician's hat. In this white world stood a man.

"Heh, heh, heh, it's quite a surprise to see you here—I've been waiting for you for a long time, Hachiman Hikigaya!"

"What did you say?"

Why are you saying you're surprised and have been waiting for me for so long? I'm the one who's surprised!

I brushed aside the falling white papers, trying to get a clear look at the other person's face.

The result was... No, I don't know him! I don't know anyone named Yoshiteru Zaimokuza!

I don't know almost any of the students at this school, and among those I do know, the classmate I least want to get close to is the one I'm most reluctant to get to know.

Even though it was almost early summer, he was wearing a coat and constantly sweating, and he was also wearing fingerless gloves.

Even if I know this guy, I'll say I don't.

"Hachiman, he seems to know you..."

Yukinoshita hid behind me, looking at me and Zaimokuza with surprise. Zaimokuza flinched at her rude gaze, but immediately looked at me again, crossed his arms, and let out a low "heh, heh, heh" laugh.

He seemed to have discovered something, shrugged dramatically, and then shook his head with a heavy expression.

"You've actually forgotten what my comrade looks like... I misjudged you, Hachiman."

He said he was your partner...

Yui looked at me coldly, her eyes seeming to say, "A bunch of scum, go to hell."

"Oh, right, buddy. You should remember, right? We went through those hellish days together..."

"It's just that we were grouped together for PE class..."

I couldn't help but retort, and the other person showed a bitter expression upon hearing this.

"Hmph! Isn't that kind of despicable custom hell? Picking up someone you like to be in a group? Ha, ha, ha! I don't know when my time will come, I can't possibly have feelings for anyone! I don't want to suffer that agonizing separation again, like my body and soul are being torn apart. If that's love, I don't want any of it!"

The man gazed out the window into the distance, as if he could see the figure of his beloved princess in the void. Why does everyone love *Fist of the North Star* so much?

At this point, even the most oblivious person should realize one thing—there's something wrong with this guy.

"What brings you here, timber pedestal?"

"Hmm, so you've finally uttered the name etched into my soul? That's right, I am the swordsman general, Yoshiteru Zaimokuza!"

He forcefully swung his coat, turned to look at me, and a fierce expression appeared on his slightly chubby face. He was completely immersed in the swordsman general character he had created.

I couldn't help but get a headache.

Correction, I should say my heart is aching. Yukinoshita and Yuihama's gazes, standing nearby, also sharpened.

"Hey... what's wrong with him?"

Yuihama was unhappy—actually, she was glaring at me with obvious displeasure. Why was she glaring at me like that?

"He's Yoshiteru Zaimokuza... the guy who's always in my group during PE class."

To be honest, our relationship ended there, and we had no other interaction... Well, it wouldn't be wrong to say that he was a partner who helped me get through that hellish period peacefully.

Finding people you like to form a group is truly hell!

Like me, Cai Muzuo also experienced and tasted that painful time.

During our first PE class, neither Cai Muzuo nor I could find a group member, so after we formed a group, we...

That's how it is. To be honest, I really wanted to trade this severe case of chuunibyou (middle school syndrome), but no one was willing to take him, so I had to give up. On the other hand, I also considered using the free agent system, but unfortunately, the contract fees for players of my caliber are too high, and no one can afford them. Wait, isn't that right? Of course not, it's simply because neither he nor I have any friends.

As Yukinoshita listened to my explanation, she compared me to Zaimokuza, and then nodded as if she understood.

"That's called birds of a feather flock together."

She came to a terrible conclusion.

"Idiot, don't confuse me with him. I'm not suffering as much as he is. First of all, we're not friends."

"Ah, I have to agree. Indeed, I have no friends... I'm all alone, sigh."

The timber stand, heartbroken, mocked itself. "Hey, you're showing your true colors now."

"Anyway, your friend must have something to say here, right?"

Hearing Yukinoshita say that almost brought me to tears. Since that incident in junior high school, this was the first time the word "friend" had made me so sad.

"Hachiman is a really nice person, I like him a lot, but if we're talking about dating... well, let's just be friends."

Ever since Kaori rejected me... I don't need friends like that at all.

"Hahaha! I completely forgot. Hachiman, this is the Service Club, right?"

The wood stand started acting all high and mighty again, making strange laughs at me.

What was that laughter? I've never heard it before.

"Yes, this is the Service Society."

After Yukino answered for me, Zaimokuza quickly glanced at her before turning his gaze back. Why are you staring at me like that?

"...I see. If it's really as Hiratsuka-sensei suggested, then Hachiman, you have an obligation to fulfill my wish, right? I never imagined that hundreds of years later, we would still maintain a master-servant relationship... It seems this was also Hachiman's arrangement."

"The Service Society does not guarantee that your wishes will be fulfilled; we simply help you."

"...Hmm, hmm. Well then, Hachiman, lend me your strength. Hehehe, speaking of which, our relationship is equal. Let's rule the world again, just like in the past!"

"Didn't you just say we were master and servant? And why are you staring at me like that?"

"Gurgle gurgle! We don't need to worry about those trivial things. I'm granting you this right."

The woodworker coughed in an unbelievable way, probably trying to cover it up, and then continued to face me.

"I'm sorry, but it seems this era is far more corrupt than before; people's hearts have changed. I really miss the pure and innocent Muromachi period... Hachiman, don't you think so?"

"I don't think that way. And why don't you just go die already?"

"Heh heh heh, death isn't scary. At worst, I'll just go back to hell and fight for the throne!"

The timber stand held its arms high, its coat rustling in the wind.

He's incredibly immune to the phrase "go to hell"...

Me too, after getting used to being verbally abused, I've become increasingly adept at talking back or making light of things.