My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As Expected

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To make amends for one's mistakes, one must pay an even higher price.

We must not only make up for what we have lost, but also for the damage caused by that loss. This is what is meant by "atonement."

If it were the Yukinoshita I know, she would definitely take the initiative to make amends for her actions. Therefore, Yuihama's idea might not be wrong.

For Yukino, while requests related to the student council might make her sad, there are also some possibilities—Yuihama Ren considered this point.

And what about me?

I made this choice only to prevent that office from continuing to crumble and becoming an empty space. It was nothing more than self-preservation and self-satisfaction. Realizing this, I couldn't help but look away from Yuihama's face.

"...Okay, maybe that was true before...but what about now?"

"Um……"

Yuihama's voice lowered. She probably understood that the possibility was extremely low.

When Isshiki arrived at the Service Club office, Yukinoshita's attitude was different from before.

She seemed to have lost her enthusiasm for commissioning and consulting.

Today, on the other side of this door, she still sits there quietly, as if she has completely given up on something, as if she has forgotten something.

It took us quite a bit of extra time to finally arrive at the community office.

I opened the sliding door and went inside, followed by Hibin.

"Hi!"

She greeted him cheerfully, looking over from under the snow by the window.

"Hello."

"……Hi."

After responding, I sat down in the chair that hadn't been moved for a long time and peeked briefly at the snow.

She looked no different from yesterday. If there was any difference, it was that she had finished reading another book. The pile of books resembled the stone towers of Saigahara (Note 26: a place where children who die before their parents are considered unfilial and suffer. The deceased must build a stone tower here as an offering to their living parents).

Yuhihama was using her thumb to operate her phone, probably checking text messages. As I was about to take my paperback out of my bag, as usual, I stopped, remembering something.

Yuihama already knows that I will be leaving the club a while ahead. I'd better explain this to Yukinoshita before time freezes.

"Oh, right, there's something I need to say."

Upon hearing this, Yukinoshita's shoulders trembled slightly. I didn't speak very loudly, but it still rang out remarkably in the quiet clubroom. Yui Hama also straightened her posture and turned her gaze towards her.

Yukino looked at me, paused for a moment, then suddenly seemed to remember something, closed the book, and spoke:

"……What's up?"

Her voice was calm and collected, and her gaze was rational and insightful. I imagine I felt the same way at that moment.

"I'm thinking of leaving sooner rather than later."

When she heard me say that, she blinked two or three times, then stroked her chin and began to think.

"Hmm... I haven't been very busy lately..."

I waited quietly for the next sentence, but Xuexia remained silent for a long time.

"Well... there are many factors... Komachi has been busy preparing for exams lately."

This reason wasn't entirely fabricated; it's just that I didn't state the real reason. There are always some things in this world that are better left unsaid.

"……Yeah."

Yukinoshita gently stroked the paperback in her hand, seemingly still considering something. It seemed she needed some time before she reached a conclusion. Yuihama, who had been listening silently, then spoke up.

"...However, this might be better. There's nothing we can do for Komachi, so let's leave this part to the introverted guy. What do you think?"

She leaned close to the table and looked at Yukinoshita as she spoke. Yukinoshita gave a faint smile.

"...Hmm, that makes sense."

"...I'm sorry."

I subconsciously scratched my head, and Yukino gently shook her head, indicating "don't worry about it." Then, the club office fell silent again.

Yuihama broke the silence with her voice.

"Oh, right. I'll send a text message to Komachi!"

As soon as she finished speaking, she picked up her phone and started typing away.

I felt it all too well once again: she had been the one holding this place together all along. Perhaps she was the one single-handedly maintaining the crumbling relationship between the three of them.

Our conversation proceeded as usual, without any apparent abnormality. To others, we might even have appeared to be having a pleasant conversation.

This is a world where conclusions are drawn through negotiation and management. This world is built upon the consensus reached by everyone through effective communication, mutual recognition and understanding, and the formulation of mutually acceptable answers.

Is this correct or not?

I swallowed the question, exhaled a breath of hot air, and felt my throat become incredibly thirsty. So, I began searching for a tea set that had long been unused.

Volume 9, Part 4. Therefore, Totsuka Saika harbored some aspirations.

After finally getting through the time spent in the community office, I switched myself into work mode and headed to the Civic Center.

I waited at the gate for a while, but Isshiki did not appear for a long time.

Considering the possibility that she might already be inside, I decided not to wait any longer and went directly to the lecture room.

The Civic Center was unusually quiet today; all the usual dance groups or other similar groups were nowhere to be seen.

Therefore, I was able to hear the voices coming from the upstairs lecture room.

I opened the sliding door and entered the room. The voices were almost all coming from Seaside Comprehensive High School; the people from Soubu High School were not very talkative.

"Hi."

After I greeted them and put my bag away, I noticed that Isshiki wasn't there either.

"What about Isshiki?"

Upon hearing this, the vice president sitting nearby asked in surprise:

"She hasn't arrived yet... Didn't you all come together?"

I shook my head, and the vice president turned to ask the other officers:

Does anyone know where she is?

"I've already sent her a text message to let her know..."

The respondent spoke with exceptional politeness, likely a first-year student serving as secretary or accountant. She wore glasses, had her hair in braids, and her uniform was impeccably neat, perfectly conforming to school regulations; beneath her quiet exterior, she seemed somewhat uneasy.

This person is in the same grade as Isshiki, but the two don't seem to know each other very well. I haven't seen them talk here, and they only communicate via text message when looking for someone. Speaking of which, it's really hard to pinpoint the line between using text messages and using phone calls to find someone…

She kept glancing at me and the vice president, pretending to be aware:

"They might still be with the club."

It was only after she mentioned it that I thought of this possibility. Before becoming the student council president, Isshiki served as the manager of the soccer club, and she still hasn't resigned from that position.

If she, like me, always shows up at her club first before coming here, she might not be able to use her phone right now. In that case, it would be faster for me to go directly to her.

"I'll go get her."

"Ah, um. This is troublesome."

I left the lecture hall under the watchful eye of the vice president and returned along the path I had taken not long ago.

It wouldn't take more than a few minutes by bicycle. I pedaled quickly, speeding back to campus.

The campus, which wasn't particularly large, was as crowded as ever with sports clubs such as baseball, soccer, rugby, and track and field practicing.

Although the sun was already setting, it wasn't so bright that I couldn't distinguish people's faces. I parked my bicycle and headed towards the soccer club.

From a distance, the football club members appeared to be playing a small match, divided into two teams.

Isshiki wasn't there; another female manager was on duty (so cute). She held a stopwatch and blew a whistle with a "beep."

At this moment, everyone took a breath and slowly walked back to the school building. It was probably break time, so they came back to get their water bottles to replenish their fluids.

I spotted the Minister of Revenue in one of the groups. He noticed me too, slightly raised his hand, and walked over. Hey, doing that will make me think we're friends, okay? Don't be silly.

"Hey, isn't this a penguin contest? What's up?"

The Minister of Revenue spoke to me very naturally. Why could this guy act like he knew me so well? Was he a fool...? But he probably didn't mean any harm, so I didn't care.

And this is good too, it saves me from having to ask others.

Is Isshiki here?

"Iroha? Iroha, huh... she shouldn't be here. Hayato—have you seen Iroha?"

Hubu turned around and looked around. After confirming that he did not see Isshiki, he asked Hayama Tai in the distance.

Ye Shan took the towel from the female manager (so cute!), wiped his sweat, and walked over—amazing! I can't believe the female manager actually handed me a towel! If it were me, I would have been so nervous that I would have sweated even more.

"Isshiki said she had other things to do and left first."

After Ye Shan answered, the Ministry of Revenue also looked over.

"That's what he said."

"Oh, I see. Sorry, thanks, I'll be going now."

I might miss Yise on the way and make a wasted trip, so I'd better hurry back. I gripped the handlebars of my bicycle and thanked the two of them.

"Where? It's nothing, nothing at all."

The Ministry of Revenue waved his hand and revealed a bright smile, while Hayama maintained a cold expression.

"Minister of Revenue, go and prepare the group assignments for the next match."

"Hmm? Oh, okay, I understand—"

Upon receiving the sudden instruction, the Ministry of Revenue, without a word, jogged back to the playground. I vaguely felt that Ye Shan had deliberately sent him away.

It wouldn't be good to take up too much of their time here, so I grabbed my bicycle and headed back to the Civic Center. Just then, I heard Hayama's voice behind me:

"...Would it be convenient for us to talk?"

I turned my head and saw him take the towel off his head, folding it as he said:

"You look like you're having a hard time."

I didn't know which thing he was referring to, so I turned my head to the side. Hayama smiled at this reaction.

"Weren't you asked by the student council to handle things for them? Iroha, I'll have to trouble you."

"What? So you knew all along."

He had initially thought that Isshiki had never mentioned this to him.

Ye Shan's smile turned into a bitter one.

"Yes. Although she didn't say what she was doing, I could tell she's been very busy lately."

So that's it. It's the girlish desire to both avoid causing trouble and still want the other person to know what she's doing. I understand, I understand... Yeah, right, I don't understand at all.

Furthermore, I cannot understand Hayama's attitude.

"You, since you know, why don't you go and help her?"

No matter what, Isshiki's relationship with him is deeper than with me. Even if Isshiki has her reasons for not wanting to ask Hayama for help, the Hayama I know would at least ask "Do you need any help?" when he notices that she is busy.

However, he narrowed his eyes, a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips, and uttered something unexpected—

"She didn't ask me. She asked you."

"I was just letting her do whatever she wanted."

"You never refuse a request from someone."

"I can't help but say it," Ye Shan said softly, his tone full of admiration. But the more pleasant his words were, the more they sounded like he was mocking me. Thanks to that remark, I joined in with my own sharp tongue.

"Who taught our club to be like this? Besides, we're different from you; we're always incredibly bored."

"Is that all?"

“…What do you want to say?”

Hayama's tentative question struck a nerve with me.

I retorted with my question, but he just smiled and didn't answer. Silence fell between us, while the sounds of other clubs around us grew louder. But from where we were, those noises sounded as distant as the horizon.