My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As Expected

Page 324

"Hikigaya-san."

"Um?"

I turned my head, and the enormous castle, pale in the lighting, came into view.

The person who appeared in front of the castle was Yukinoshita, wearing a pure white coat and smiling with a tearful expression.

That noble yet fragile demeanor made me forget to breathe for a moment.

She released the armrest, grasped my sleeve, and our skin accidentally touched. In that instant, my heart felt like it had been clenched.

The feeling of weightlessness, like falling into a bottomless abyss, finally came over me.

"You'll have to come and save me someday."

The whispers beneath the snow were quickly carried away by the wind, leaving me no time to respond.

Perhaps this is the first wish that Yukino Yukinoshita has ever spoken aloud.

× × ×

There is a shop a few steps outside the exit of Waterfall Mountain.

I went into the store, randomly picked out two drinks, paid, and walked back to where I started.

After we finished riding the waterfall mountain, Yukinoshita could barely walk, so I let her sit on a bench near the exit to rest.

When I returned to the bench where I had been sitting in the snow, I noticed that she had also gone shopping and was now busy packing long, thin plastic bags into her bag. As soon as she noticed me, she immediately zipped up her bag and placed it on her lap.

"Here you are."

I handed her the Christmas limited edition Johnny the Panda-shaped drink I had just bought, and she readily accepted it.

"Thank you... How much?"

"No need. I don't want to charge patients."

"Can't."

Have you ever seen an ambulance charge an injured person?

"Parasites will also receive proper compensation."

"And kind citizens will offer assistance free of charge. This is just for my own self-gratification; you can take it."

"Always spouting fallacies..."

Unable to argue with me, Yukinoshita gave a helpless look, gripped the beverage can, and gently stroked the decorative Johnny panda with her fingertips.

"...Something similar has happened before."

"Have it?"

I drank the coffee I bought for myself, and as I turned the thin bamboo-shaped straw attached to the can, I continued:

"Yes, my sister was there too."

"...Oh, right."

That was the first time I met her older sister. At the time, I helped Yukino get the doll, and the two of us were pushing it back and forth. Not long after, we ran into Haruno.

"You guessed our relationship so quickly, I was quite surprised..."

She recalled the incident and gave a slight, bitter smile.

"I just naturally felt that way. But even if I was right, she didn't hide it at all."

"That's right, that's part of my sister's charm. Even though that's her personality, she's always been loved by everyone... No, it's precisely because of that personality that my sister is liked, loved, and expected to be loved... And she certainly hasn't disappointed anyone."

Her words were fervent, as if she were proud of her sister. But in the next sentence, her tone immediately took a sharp turn for the worse.

"I've always been in her shadow, like a doll, so I'm often described as a steady, well-behaved child who doesn't cause any trouble... But conversely, it also means being cold and unlikable... I'm well aware that people often say that behind my back."

I nodded slightly at her words and took another sip of coffee. Although the warm coffee warmed my body, it left a strong bitter taste in my mouth.

These are the words that bind Yukinoshita: a steady, worry-free child.

"I used to be told I was aloof and unlikable. But now, Hiratsuka-sensei still scolds me."

"You must be annoying, arrogant, and trash."

"Wait a minute, doesn't the ending seem a bit off?"

A cheerful smile appeared on her face beneath the snow, which then turned into a calm smile.

"Your sister and I have always stuck to our own ways, which is why people think that way... But I still don't know how I should act."

She looked up at the sky, but instead of stars, she saw a row of orange-glowing lights swaying in the wind.

"In this respect, I'm probably the same as Hayama. Because we've known her for more than just a year or two."

I was a little surprised when she suddenly mentioned Hayama's name. In fact, Hayama has known the Yukinoshita sisters for far longer than I have, and her understanding of them is probably much deeper than mine.

This is already uncharted territory for me.

But I at least understand that no matter where Yukino Yukinoshita and Hayato Hayama go, Haruno Yukinoshita is always by their side.

A person turned against her, yet continued to project his hopes and dreams onto her.

A person admires her, assimilates himself with her, and in order to get closer to her.

What do these two people look like in Yukinoshita's eyes?

I was really curious about it, but I hesitated to ask. I took a sip of black coffee and then asked another question.

Do you still want to become like her?

During the previous school anniversary celebration, Yukinoshita mentioned her long-held aspiration.

"Hmm... I don't really think that way now. It's just that my sister has things I don't."

"You want one too?"

She shook her head quietly.

"No. I'll only be disappointed in myself. Why do I have what she has?"

I can understand that feeling. Whether it's longing, envy, or jealousy, it all ultimately leads to disappointment. When we observe others, what we learn from them is always only "what we lack."

Snow gazes at her own hands.

"You are the same. You have the same things I lack... We are so different."

"Of course..."

We can never be exactly alike, yet there are aspects that seem similar but aren't. As a result, we unknowingly project ourselves onto the other person, presumptuously guess their thoughts, and then misunderstand and interpret the wrong emotions.

"Therefore, this is not what I want."

She straightened the collar of her coat and looked straight at her.

"I've realized that I can't do anything, so I long for something that you and my sister don't have... In that way, I might have the power to save others."

"What are you trying to save?"

What does Yukinoshita want to gain, and what does she want to save? This passage lacks too many factors for judgment.

However, she wouldn't tell me clearly.

"What could it be—?"

She smiled like a young girl, as if testing me.

The unspoken answer is most likely her "reason".

Why did Yukino Yukinoshita initially plan to run for student council president?

And certain things that she still refuses to talk about, and that I have no intention of asking about.

Just before we plunged down from the top of the waterfall mountain, Yukino said something to me. I didn't ask about the meaning of that sentence, and she never brought it up again. The two of us seemed to deliberately avoid that part, chatting about other topics in a casual way.

Even without speaking out or asking, there are still ways to find out—this is very much like someone's wish to misunderstand something.

I gulped down the cold coffee, and Yukinoshita stood up from the bench.

"I'm fine now, I can go."

"Um."

So we headed towards the square. Our original plan was to return to the square to watch the fireworks after riding the waterfall mountain.

The parade is nearing its end, and the roads that were previously restricted should be open to traffic by now.

× × ×

I called Yuihama on my cell phone to ask for the approximate meeting point, and then Yukinoshita and I headed towards the white castle in the square. We didn't talk much along the way. As the parade ended and the crowds gradually dispersed, the roads became much smoother than when we arrived; Yukinoshita had rested for a while, so walking was much easier for her now.

Upon arriving at the square, we began our search for Yuihama.

"Ah! Yukino, the autistic boy, over here!"

Yui held her phone in one hand and waved to us with the other, seemingly preparing to make a call. After we met up, Yui immediately clasped her hands together and bowed to Yukinoshita in apology.

"I'm sorry! We ran away first—"

Don't take it to heart.

Yukinoshita answered with a smile, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

"After all, there are other people around, and it wouldn't be good to keep you waiting. By the way, did you take any photos of the march?"

"Ah, yes! You took a lot!"

Yuihama started by operating the digital camera, showing off the photos she had taken earlier. Since one of the purposes of today's trip was to gather material, she certainly couldn't miss these performances full of Christmas spirit.

"Yukino, look!"

"...Let me confirm."

"I said softly," Yukino said. She was heartbroken at missing Johnny the Panda's float, clutching her chest in apparent distress. "I was saying, if you had just said so, we could have easily gone around to see it..."

She and Yuihama continued to excitedly admire the photos, while the others were doing something else.

The fireworks display is about to begin.

I looked around the square and heard the familiar commotion.

"Huh, where's Hayato—"

"Ah—Yumiko, over here, over here!"

"Wow! The Ministry of Revenue? What's going on?"

Kebu pulled Miura along as they walked over, with Ebina following behind.

"Hey, uh—this place actually has a great view; it's a hidden gem for watching fireworks. Ebina, you like this spot too, right?"

"Me? Well, I'm fine anywhere."

Ebina's actions are far too disrespectful to the Ministry of Revenue...

In short, almost everyone had arrived, except for Hayama and Isshiki. I looked around again for them, and Yuihama, following suit, asked, "..."

"Where are Hayato and the others, Tobe?"

"Ah, um... well, they'll be back sooner or later—"

The Ministry of Revenue's answer was ambiguous. However, that's just how he usually talks... Well, he really is a good person.

At this moment, all the streetlights and decorative lights around the square went out, and classical music began to play.

"It's about to begin."

After finishing her sentence, Yukino looked up at the sky above the white castle, where the fireworks would be launched later. As expected of a seasoned traveler with a year-round pass, she knew this place inside and out.

Yuihama and I were looking in the same direction.

In the clear winter night sky, a vast expanse of colorful fireworks bursts forth. People often say that fireworks are the epitome of summer, and their blooming and disappearing against the backdrop of Orion adds a unique charm.

"I feel a little nostalgic."

Yuihama leaned close to my ear and whispered something.

I got goosebumps, but she seemed to have completely forgotten what she said, tilting her head back to admire the fireworks and clapping her hands. Do you know that because of your words, my attention was completely diverted, and I couldn't concentrate on enjoying the fireworks? I'm going to sue you.

I lost all interest in watching and simply lowered my head. In the flickering light, I spotted two familiar figures.

Whenever fireworks burst in the night sky, they, who were in the dark, are illuminated.