My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As Expected

Page 157

"If you understand, then hurry back."

"Then, wouldn't it be fine to just give it to Yukinoshita? She's so capable anyway."

"What? That's not the issue at all! You need to go up and announce the voting results and a whole bunch of other stuff."

Just as I expected, Sagami is incredibly difficult, and I'm gradually losing patience. Now is not the time to waste time here.

"If you want the vote count results, you can recalculate it yourselves. As long as everyone counts together..."

"I can't do it. What time is it? Who has that kind of free time?"

"Or, you can at least take this result with you!"

She excitedly shoved the vote count in front of me, causing the fence to sway slightly.

For a fleeting moment, the thought of grabbing that piece of paper and leaving immediately flashed through my mind.

But I can't do that.

The commission accepted by Yukinoshita—no, the Service Club—was to assist Sagami Minami in handling the duties of the chairperson of the school anniversary executive committee. In other words, it was to urge her to fulfill the responsibilities of the chairperson.

If it weren't for this request, I wouldn't be here now, and Yukino wouldn't be the vice chairman. If Sagami were to abandon this request, it would be to negate everything Yukino has done.

Therefore, what I must do now is to have Minami Sagami attend the closing ceremony, stand on the stage as the chairperson, and bestow upon her the honor of being the chairperson, as well as the regret and setbacks of becoming the chairperson.

So, what should I do?

Actually, everything can be resolved if the person Sagami wants to come here says what Sagami wants to hear.

Unfortunately, I can't do that.

No matter how long I continue to waste time here with Sagami, she will never change her mind.

Should we notify other people and ask them to come over? If so, who should we contact? Among the people I can reach on my phone, Yuihama and Hiratsuka-sensei are performing on stage; as for Totsuka and Zaimokuza, I don't think it would make any difference even if they came.

To my utter surprise, my proud and aloof personality actually backfired on me in this situation.

Isn't there any other way...?

I felt anxious and impatient, and my hands unconsciously clenched into fists.

At that moment, the door made a loud "squeak" sound again.

I turned my head, and Sagami probably looked over as well.

"So you were here... We've been looking for you for so long."

The person who walked out the door was Hayama Hayato. Behind him were the two executive committee members who were very close to Sagami; it seemed that Hayama had brought them along.

"Hayama... and all of you..."

Sagami called out his name and looked away slightly. This was probably how things had turned out for her.

Hayama responded to her expectations and came to meet her step by step.

"Everyone was worried because they couldn't get in touch with you. We asked around everywhere and finally a first-year student said he saw you climbing the stairs here."

Ye Shan used his connections and followed clues to finally find this place. I can only admire him for that.

Despite Hayama's painstaking efforts to find this place, Sagami's attitude remained unchanged.

"I'm sorry, but I..."

"Hurry back, everyone's waiting for you."

"yes!"

We are all very worried about you.

Hayama was well aware that time was running out, so he sincerely said what Sagami wanted to hear and tried his best to persuade her.

The three friends gently persuaded Sagami, and her attitude finally softened. Sagami held her friends' hands, feeling their warmth.

However, that's not enough.

"However, even if I go back now..."

"No, everyone is waiting for you."

"let's go."

Ye Shan listened to their conversation while quickly glancing at his watch. He must be very anxious.

Yes, everyone is working hard for you.

Although it wasn't exactly a killer move, Hayama still managed to squeeze out various words to try and persuade Sagami.

"But I've caused so much trouble, how can I face everyone back home..."

Surrounded by her friends, Sagami's eyes reddened, and she began to sob. The others tried to comfort her, but she refused to move her legs; only the hands of the clock continued to tick.

Even if Hayama came, would it change the outcome?

Tick-tock, tick-tock... the second hand begins its countdown.

The final deadline is fast approaching.

What is the fastest and easiest way to get Sagami out of here?

Forcibly taken away?

impossible.

If it were just me and Hayama there, it might be a solution, but there are two other girls present, and they would definitely stop us. Doing so would only waste more time.

Moreover, that's not the solution Yukinoshita wants to see. The bare minimum is for Sagami to leave this place voluntarily, on his own initiative.

Yukino has lived up to her style, facing challenges head-on with dignity, upholding her pride, and fully demonstrating her strength.

What about me?

Of course, I will also uphold my own style.

Openly and honestly, in front of the other party, using the most obsequious, despicable, and base methods...

How can I communicate effectively with Sagami?

People at the very bottom of society only have two ways of communicating.

One is licking each other's wounds, the other is kicking each other down.

The answer is quite obvious.

I looked at Sagami and Hayama.

Hayama continued to gently encourage Sagami, trying to find a way to at least get her to move one step.

"Don't worry, let's go back."

"I'm so terrible..."

Sagami felt disgusted with himself and stopped moving in the same spot again.

Okay, here comes the opportunity. Honestly, why do I always only want this kind of thing? I'm really starting to hate this version of myself, but surprisingly, I don't hate it either.

"Sigh..." I sighed deeply, my voice tinged with anxiety. "You really are the worst person."

Upon hearing this, everyone else stopped in their tracks and fell silent.

All four of them looked over.

There are four audience members now.

This is undoubtedly my best stage.

"Sagamite, you just want to be flattered. You did this because you wanted everyone to notice you, right? Even now, you just want to hear people tell you 'nothing like that.' You really are the worst person. It's just a coincidence that you don't get the treatment you deserve as chairman."

"What did you say……"

I abruptly interrupted Sagami's trembling words.

"Even someone like me who doesn't know you at all can see it, so most other people probably noticed it too."

"Don't compare me to someone like you..."

"But you are indeed like me, someone from the lowest rungs of society."

The tears in Sagami's eyes were long gone, replaced by a raging fire of hatred.

I carefully chose my words, giving her no chance to refute. Everything I've said up to this point is based on my subjective observations, which will only provoke Sagami.

"Think about it yourself. I have absolutely no interest in you, yet you were the first person I contacted."

Only by objectively stating the facts can the situation be changed.

In other words... no one else is seriously looking for you.

Sagami's face changed drastically; her previous anger and hatred vanished without a trace, replaced by a distorted expression of shock and despair. Unable to express the complex emotions within her, she could only bite her lip in anguish.

"You know very well that you're only at that level, right?"

I was halfway through my sentence when I suddenly made a "gurgling" sound in my throat and couldn't continue.

"Hachiman, shut up for a second."

Ye Shan grabbed my chest with his right hand and pressed me against the wall. The powerful impact from behind forced the air out of my lungs.

"……Oh."

I forced a smile to hide the breath I was exhaling. Ye Shan gripped my collar tightly, his fists trembling. To calm himself down, he took a deep breath and then exhaled forcefully.

We stared at each other for a few seconds.

The atmosphere, which had reached freezing point, seemed ready to explode at any moment, and the three girls who had been standing frozen to the side nervously came over to stop it.

"Hayama, stop! That's enough! Don't pay attention to that kind of person, let's go quickly. Okay?"

Sagami placed her hand on Hayama's back, and her action made Hayama let out a big sigh of relief and shake off my hand.

"...You all need to leave quickly."

He urged Sagami and the others in a calm voice.

Two female classmates surrounded Sagami, escorting her away from the scene. The two classmates deliberately spoke loudly to each other:

"Sagami, are you alright?"

"Anyway, let's get going."

"Who is that guy? That's going too far."

"I don't know him. What's he like?"

After the three figures disappeared, Ye Shan closed the door one last time.

"Why do you only know that method...?"

Hayama's words sounded like a murmur to himself, but they stung me every word.

I was left alone on the rooftop. I pressed my back against the wall and slowly slid down to sit on the ground.

The sky is so high.

Hayama, thankfully you are indeed very handsome and a good person.

If he hadn't been angry just now, he wouldn't be Hayato Hayama.

Hayama, it's good that you can't tolerate others being hurt in front of you, nor can you tolerate people who hurt others.

See, isn't it simple? In this way, we achieve a "world where no one gets hurt".

He might be right; this approach might indeed be wrong.

However, this is all I know how to do it right now.

That being said, I also believe that I will change someday.

That day will come sooner or later, and I will eventually be changed.

By then, no matter what my intentions are, the way others see and evaluate me will definitely change.

Since everything is in constant flux and the world is constantly changing, my surroundings and evaluation criteria will also change and become distorted, causing my existence to change as well.

and so……

Therefore, I will not change.

"well……"