My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As Expected

Page 351

"Oh, you mean that thing..."

Sure enough, the rumors spread like wildfire, and even Totsuka couldn't possibly be unaware of them.

"I always thought Hayama liked Miura. So I was quite surprised when I heard it. And he said that during summer vacation..."

While camping in Chiba Village, Hayama revealed that Totsuka was also present on that night with the letter Y. Rewriting Miura Yumiko's name in Romanized form, the first letter is indeed Y.

However, when he encountered Hubu during the endurance run that morning, he didn't mention Miura at all. Perhaps it was because he was in the Hayama Group and had observed those two people closely for a long time that he clearly understood that Miura was not a viable candidate.

—Since Miura has been excluded, who does "Y" refer to?

"Hachiman? What's wrong?"

Hearing Totsuka's voice, I realized my brow was furrowed. I forced a smile and moved my eyebrows up and down, replying to him:

"No, I was just wondering who Hayama likes. There are quite a few people whose names start with Y..."

Yoshiteru Zaimokuza also fits the criteria, and Yamato might be the dark horse. Alternatively, we could suggest that Isshiki change his name to "Isshiki Wairoha," which would have a Y sound... No, that would make the first letter W, and it sounds a lot like Wairo.

Thanks to this pointless content, I was able to shift my focus.

As I chatted with Totsuka, the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch break. We had to be back in the classroom before the next pre-class bell. Seeing that I hadn't finished my bread, I quickly stuffed it into my mouth and downed it with a MAX coffee in one gulp. Totsuka, who had a smaller appetite, had already finished his bento. He slowly stood up and shouted to the club members on the court:

"Everyone, that's all for now—see you after school!"

Hearing Totsuka's voice, the club members all raised their rackets and waved them at him, and Totsuka waved back vigorously. I stared blankly at Totsuka, thinking: It's rare to see him so positive and cheerful.

"...Doesn't it look like me?"

Totsuka remembered my presence and looked over somewhat embarrassedly.

"Ah, that's not what I meant..."

Aside from that, I couldn't think of a response for the moment. While his actions certainly surprised me, the main reason was simply that I had been inadvertently captivated by his gaze. It was perhaps the most moving gesture I had ever witnessed from Totsuka.

"I was just surprised because I didn't know... you also have the air of a company president."

I couldn't properly describe my feelings, and my speech became disjointed. He seemed to find me amusing and laughed out loud.

"There are so many things you don't know."

"Yes, there's a lot I don't know." A smile crept onto my lips.

Totsuka tilted his head back and started counting on his fingers.

"The tennis club stuff, the sports-related college admissions..."

"Oh right, thank you for telling me that."

He nodded and continued counting.

"And... Hayama-san's team selection, the recent rumors..."

Regarding these two points, I really have nothing to say. Even now, I still have no clue what group Hayama might choose. Even after inquiring with the Ministry of Revenue and the Bureau of Timber, seeking their opinions, I didn't get much help; as for the rumors that everyone is spreading, I can only close my eyes and pretend to know nothing at all.

Unable to find a way to continue the conversation, a silence fell between them. The sound of the cold wind blowing by and the noise coming from the school building were particularly noticeable.

Totsuka took a deep breath, curled up his last little finger, and clenched his fist.

"And...my own affairs."

For some reason, I unexpectedly came to understand this sentence.

He reached up to his head, combed his wind-blown hair, and then straightened his back. This was the first time I had ever seen Totsuka, a side of me I had never known before.

"I'm working really hard—though I'm a little unreliable."

He smiled shyly. This is the kind of behavior I believe I would expect from Totsuka.

Therefore, this is perhaps the first time I've seriously looked at Totsuka Saika. At this moment, he is neither pretentious nor does he need to add or subtract anything. Nevertheless, I still don't understand him as a person.

But because of this, I want to know him better.

"...No, you won't be unreliable. Even I'm relying on you. Although I'm not entirely sure yet, I...I—I think I'll rely on you again."

At this point, I also stood up and took a step closer to Totsuka.

Totsuka also gave a shy smile and nodded firmly.

He must have been waiting, waiting for me to take the initiative to approach him like this.

Only by peeling away the mask bit by bit and shaving off one's own skin can the two sides truly see each other.

At the beginning of a relationship, people may not take each other seriously, thinking that what the other person does is none of their business, which may lead to harsh words. Alternatively, they may take a smooth and slow approach, gently peeling away each other's outer layers, and gradually becoming close friends.

Totsuka isn't an angel at all... so is he a little devil? Or an archangel... or a fallen angel?

It doesn't matter which one it is, Totsuka is Totsuka.

Volume 10, Chapter 6: With a dashing air, Yukinoshita disappeared into the darkness.

Several days passed afterward, and all I heard were endless chatter from my classmates, with no information that could help me determine Hayama's group.

From an outsider's perspective, Hayama and the others' interactions seemed no different than usual. Both Miura and Tobe were aware of the core issue and cautiously avoided touching upon it, but they didn't openly distance themselves either.

There isn't much time left to resolve the issue with Miura Consulting.

The deadline for submitting the survey is the end of this month, and there's a marathon race just before that. We need to find out which group Hayama has chosen before then.

Hayama hasn't told anyone which group he's chosen—that's the only information we have so far. Given this situation, we can only continue gathering information that allows for speculation.

Several days have passed quickly, and after this week ends, the marathon will be held next Monday.

After school, I observed the situation in the classroom and then went to the corridor. The situation remained deadlocked, with no change in sight. Therefore, Hama also made the most of the brief time before Hayama and the others went to their club, actively participating in the conversation and trying to gather information.

Since she was in the classroom, I could go to the club office first. So I stepped out alone and walked up the corridor leading to the special building.

At that moment, Ms. Hiratsuka appeared in front of me and gently waved.

"Join a club?"

"Yeah, that's right."

"Well, that's perfect. I was planning to go there too."

Ms. Hiratsuka pointed to the special building, walked in that direction, and gestured for me to follow her with her back. It seemed she intended to talk to me as we walked.

The teacher would be going to the student affairs office, and the representative would probably be assigning some tasks... Thinking about this, my heart sank. No matter how unwilling I was, disobeying the teacher would definitely not end well, so I chose to obediently follow her.

Are you free after school tomorrow?

"Yes, I should be free."

I don't really have any plans after school tomorrow, except maybe to handle Miura's consultation. But I don't have any specific plans regarding her consultation either.

To put it bluntly, we have no cards to play and no moves to make right now.

Whether it was intently eavesdropping on the conversations of the students around him, carefully observing Hayama's every move, or searching for an opportunity to speak with him one-on-one, all his hopes were dashed. With the deadline for submitting the survey forms fast approaching, it was only a matter of time before the winner was decided, even before all three were eliminated.

Whether Ms. Hiratsuka was satisfied with my answer or simply assumed from the beginning that I couldn't possibly have something else going on, she continued calmly:

"We're holding college entrance interviews tomorrow. The student council has been working very hard, but we still don't have enough manpower."

What? I thought that person just played games all day long, but it turns out they actually do some work.

"...So, Isshiki specifically asked you to come and help."

Iroha, would you like some Hachiman today? But unfortunately, the moment I heard the word "work," I knew my heart wouldn't flutter. (Note 38: Lyrics from the opening theme of the anime "Is the Order a Rabbit?")...

"Then why did the teacher specifically come to tell me this...?"

Isshiki had long been a regular at the Service Society, and she could have just told me that in the office.

"Because this is an official commission from the student council. The fact that Isshiki sought permission from the advisor shows that she has grown. Although we don't know what she's up to, given the conditions of being able to be freely deployed, you are undoubtedly the most suitable candidates."

Ms. Hiratsuka nodded. It seemed she could clearly sense Isshiki's growth… but unfortunately, the reality was probably not so rosy. I think Isshiki most likely wanted to use the teacher to pass on a message, leaving us no room to refuse. However, considering she's also working diligently, it wouldn't hurt to help her out a little.

"Since the teacher has said that... could you please tell me what kind of activity a college admission interview is?"

Simply put, it's similar to college entrance exam tutoring. Think of it as listening to older students share their practical experiences.

"Isn't it a bit too early to start college entrance exam tutoring now?"

"Didn't I already cover that in class meeting?"

Ms. Hiratsuka seemed a little unhappy. It was only after she mentioned it that I remembered something like that had happened during the class meeting. I guess I just listened casually and then forgot about it... Haha...

I let out an awkward laugh. The teacher probably understood that I had a hard time breaking this bad habit, sighed softly, and explained it to me again:

"In addition to the general education program, our school also has an international liberal arts program. Some students in the international liberal arts program plan to study abroad, so they have to start preparing early. Compared to other schools, Soubu High School does start quite early."

"Studying abroad..."

Oh right, I almost forgot. It's not necessarily true that you have to stay in China for university. Since further education isn't my immediate concern, I haven't really thought about it much. But in fact, some people definitely plan to study abroad. The International Liberal Arts Department is a major feature of Soubu High School, so students here are more likely to notice that studying abroad is also an option.

Studying abroad... sounds amazing... I have some experience traveling abroad, but I've never imagined what it would be like to live in a different country.

At the very least, this isn't something that can be decided easily in a few moments. Given this, those planning to study abroad likely made their decision long ago.

"So a lot of people have already decided which group to choose, right? I heard some people have even submitted the survey forms."

"Actually, it's not a lot, just a small portion. After all, the deadline for payment is at the end of the month, and most people will only pay it at that time... Oh right, Hayama has already paid."

"oh……"

How lucky! Hiratsuka-sensei brought up that guy's name on her own initiative, saving me the trouble of slowly guiding the conversation. I'd barely thought that when she immediately glared at me.

"Don't expect me to tell you. This is personal information."

"...I...I...I don't want to know."

"However, I understand that feeling. Everyone likes to ask what schools the people around them are applying to. It's quite enjoyable to talk about these things before officially entering the final sprint stage."

Hiratsuka-sensei smiled, lost in the memories of the past.

"In addition, students like Hayama and Yukinoshita are given special attention by some teachers because they bear the heavy responsibility of supporting the school's rankings."

"It's highly anticipated, isn't it...?"

"If we only look at your humanities scores, you're just as good as them... but you just don't get as much attention."

She puffed out her cheeks, looking rather dissatisfied. But then again, there's nothing I can do about not getting noticed. I've never been on good terms with my teachers, so no matter how high my test scores were, my report card was always mediocre. Why are the most popular kids with teachers in junior high always the noisy, mischievous, and naughty little brats (laughs)? I'll probably never understand…

Just as I was recalling unpleasant memories, Ms. Hiratsuka suddenly stopped, brushed her long hair aside, and looked straight at me.

"And you?"

"I'll choose the essay group."

I answered immediately, but the teacher shook his head.

"I'm not asking about your choice of team, I'm asking about your future plans."

"Househusband."

I had barely finished speaking when I was immediately tapped on the head. The teacher helplessly put her hands on her hips and rolled her eyes at me. She wasn't her usual domineering self; she seemed more like an older sister, which made me feel incredibly embarrassed.

"Please face reality," she said with a sigh.

I'm not escaping reality, but facing my ideals squarely—Hiratsuka-sensei's eyes were so sincere at that moment that I couldn't bring myself to say it.

I scratched my cheek and turned to answer.

"I haven't decided yet. Anyway, I won't be doing professional work, and I'm not considering a research career, so choosing the humanities group shouldn't be a problem."

"Aren't you interested?"

"I would treat that kind of thing as a hobby. Turning what you love into your job will only make life harder and harder."

Life is so tough—I feel like I've heard that line in a "life" ad before. Is it really that hard to overcome life's challenges? What kind of cruel joke is this?

"...That does sound like something you would say. But it makes a lot of sense. In fact, most people's choice of university major doesn't have a significant impact on their later lives."

Hiratsuka-sensei crossed her arms and looked out the window.

"Some science graduates go on to work in publishing; some sociology graduates go straight into the entertainment industry; some choose to study linguistics and then travel the world; those who choose law don't necessarily become lawyers or prosecutors. Even I myself didn't graduate from an education-related field... Of course, there are some professions that are not limited to this, such as doctors, lawyers, and researchers."

"Oh right, and a pharmacist too..."

The teacher nodded.

Think about it: choosing a major in university doesn't guarantee a future career in that field. My dad graduated from some obscure, unheard-of department and then went on to work in some equally obscure industry. Wait a minute, isn't that directly related...?

The distinction between humanities and sciences is too blurred now, and companies are starting to advocate the concept of interdisciplinary studies, deliberately bringing in talent from different fields.

Ultimately, the most reliable basis for judgment is still an individual's qualifications and abilities. For example, essential communication skills in today's society. Ugh, this is so annoying, let's stop discussing job hunting!

"Nevertheless, as a teacher, I still have to tell you first—"