My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As Expected

Page 382

"I told you to stop—!"

"No problem, what do you call that, richness? It has to have a richness to taste good."

I left the sobbing Komachi aside and continued cooking, which I was only halfway through. I cracked an egg into a pot, boiled it, and then scooped it out with the noodles into a bowl. Next, I placed the stir-fried beef and chikuwa on top. Then, all I had to do was add some wakame seaweed, nori, and corn… and I was done!

I pushed Komachi, whose brow was furrowed, to the kotatsu table. Then, I placed two bowls in front of her and handed her chopsticks and a spoon.

"Alright, eat up."

Komachi cautiously picked up her chopsticks and took a bite, her stiff face immediately relaxing.

"...Ah, it's surprisingly delicious."

After muttering something under her breath, she blew on the noodles and soup and started eating in small bites. Komachi's reaction was surprisingly good, and I breathed a sigh of relief and started eating too.

Because both of us were afraid of getting burned, we ate slowly. I leisurely enjoyed the food in my bowl when Komachi seemed to remember something and muttered to herself:

"My brother's cooking skills are about the same as before... I feel a little nostalgic."

Komachi looked down at the bowl, a gentle smile on her face.

When Komachi was in lower elementary school, sometimes when her parents came home late, we would cook and eat together, like we did today. Back then, all I could cook was this kind of unhealthy, masculine dish, but even so, Komachi never... no, she seemed to complain quite fiercely. Even so, Komachi always finished her food completely. It's a memory that I both cherish and feel a little embarrassed about.

"That's rude. It tastes so much better than before. Instant noodles have evolved so many times over."

"Indeed. My brother hasn't evolved at all!"

Komachi gave me a witty reply, then continued talking with a grin.

"But you should try harder, brother, so you can make some more presentable dishes."

"That's true, it's very important if you want to be a stay-at-home dad."

"Hmm. Although I probably can't be the older brother, what Komachi wants to say is that, for example, after going to university or starting work, one day you'll have to leave home, right? Then the older brother will have to cook for himself!"

"No, I never intended to leave this home..."

As soon as I finished speaking, Komachi glared at me with icy eyes.

"Get out of here."

"Whoa whoa……"

"Huh, does Komachi hate her brother?" I asked Komachi with my eyes. She cleared her throat, looked away, blushed, and said in a coquettish voice:

"It's okay. If you can't cook a decent meal no matter how hard you try, Komachi can occasionally go over and be your little cooking angel... Ah, that sentence earned Komachi a lot of points!"

"Based on the premise of 'kicking my brother out of the house,' I've lost quite a few points again..."

We chatted about trivial things and finished our instant noodles as a late-night snack.

"Thank you for the hospitality."

Komachi nodded respectfully in thanks, sighed contentedly, and then lay down.

"The food is simple, and we feel we haven't been very hospitable. Alright, go back to your room and get some sleep."

I was afraid Komachi would fall asleep in the kotatsu, so I said to her. Komachi initially just responded with a few casual "hmm" or "oh," but suddenly seemed to remember something and got up from the kotatsu.

"Komachi wants something sweet!"

"How do you want me to give birth to you?"

All I could offer Komachi was my handsome face, sweet words, and an incredibly naive way of thinking. (Note 42: The original text here uses "甘い," meaning "sweet.") These things, of course, could not satisfy Komachi, and she struggled to her feet.

"Then, let's go to the convenience store."

"It's so late, girls shouldn't go out alone."

"It's okay if you're not alone~"

Komachi reached out her hand. Sigh, well, it's been a long time since I've been a really good older brother.

× × ×

The starry sky is brilliant tonight. A strong night wind is blowing, and the air is cold and clear. The moon and stars in the sky, the streetlights on the ground, and the lights of rows of houses illuminate the entire street.

On the way to the convenience store, it was just the two of us. Komachi's voice echoed through the quiet street.

"Wow~ It's so cold! So~ cold!"

"It's really cold..."

The two of us shivered from the temperature difference between indoors and outdoors. Just then, Komachi squeezed in and grabbed my hand.

"...Yeah. This will keep me warm, and it will also earn me a lot more points."

She looked up at me as she spoke.

Because it was difficult to walk like this, and a little embarrassing, and she even managed to earn points from Komachi, I raised my hand, trying to pull away from her arm that was around me. At that moment, Komachi lowered her head and muttered to herself.

"There's not much time left until the exams... After the exams, I'll graduate... and then I'll go to high school."

The excitement from before was gone from Komachi's face; she gazed at the dimly lit streetlights with a troubled look. Seeing her uneasy expression, I unconsciously stopped raising my hand.

"Komachi."

"Hmm, brother, what's wrong?"

Komachi looked up. I tapped her on the head and then patted her head.

"I'll be waiting for you in high school."

"……Um."

Perhaps because my hand was pressing down on her, Komachi lowered her face. However, although her voice was soft, it was full of strength in her reply.

The streets were eerily quiet at night, so dark you couldn't see your footsteps, and the biting wind was piercing. I had no idea when the long winter night would finally give way to dawn. Even so, time relentlessly marched on. Even in the darkest of nights, if you looked up, the constellations of spring would always shine again.

Just as the seasons change, so too do the bonds between people. Will new classmates arrive in that classroom? In less than a year, I too will be leaving that clubhouse.

Winter is coming, and spring is not far behind. This night sky will one day be gone forever.

So, for now, let's enjoy the warmth beside us—

Let's look up at this starry sky together and take a step forward.

Postscript to Volume 10.5

Goodnight everyone, this is Watari.

Winter is coming to an end, and a brand new season is about to arrive. I wonder how all of you readers are doing? As for me, I'm still the same as always, doing nothing but work.

Since I started working, every year-end has inevitably brought a chaotic mix of schedules, which is incredibly exhausting. This year was no exception; I once again endured a period of struggling to survive at work. It's all their fault for poor year-end accounting and editing (angry).

However, perhaps it's precisely because life is so busy that the days feel real, and each day seems fulfilling and meaningful... As a working stiff, I can say I've passed the test! Thumbs up!

The word "routine" is often used to describe days that are unchanging, ordinary, and lack excitement. However, even without any major events, the mundane routine of daily life is certainly filled with joys and sorrows, as well as many inner struggles. For example, even if daily life is filled with work, one's emotions will inevitably rise and fall, with thoughts like "I want to beat that guy up," "I want to give that guy a good beating," or "I just beat that guy up, it felt so good." Once a corporate slave, always a corporate slave.

In this "everyday" routine, what are his thoughts, and what does she feel? When they recount those "everyday" memories, what kind of expressions will appear on their faces?

And so, episode 10.5 of "My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU" comes to an end.

The following is an acknowledgment.

Ponkan⑧ God, it's Iroha! This episode features Isshiki as the cover character, so it's guaranteed to be 100% authentic Iroha without any artificial additives! It's fantastic! Thank you so much.

Editor Hoshino-sama, oh dear, I'll definitely do better next time! Wahaha—Watari Wataru, who said those words, is dead, he's gone. (Note 43: From Simon, the protagonist of *Gurren Lagann*.) I'll definitely do better next time, I promise I won't lie to you again! Thank you so much. Wahaha!

To all the staff across the media platform, I am deeply grateful for your continued support. I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused by the TV animation and other matters, and I look forward to your continued guidance in the future.

Dear readers, I'm truly sorry to have kept you all waiting so long for each new volume. The writing of this chapter is progressing smoothly, and I hope you'll continue to support it with warm eyes. Furthermore, the second season of the TV anime will premiere in April, so please continue to support *Hajime no Aoi*, which includes manga and other cross-media platforms.

Well, that's about enough space, so please allow me to put down my pen here. See you in episode 11 of "My Teen Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As Expected!"

On a certain day in February, I used MAX coffee, the perfect companion for staying up late, to nourish and replenish myself before embarking on my journey.

Illustrations for Volume 10.5

Volume 11, Chapter 1: Winter always disappears before people even realize it has arrived.

The Taiwanese version is from the Kingdom of Light

Scanned image: Ren Leipi

Input by: Ren Leipi

First proofreading: Ren Leipi

Photo editing: Snacks

This happened not long after February.

The winter cold remained severe, and whenever the dry north wind blew, the classroom windows rattled.

After the class meeting before school ended, the temperature seemed to drop a bit. Because my seat was near the aisle, I couldn't enjoy the heating, and a cold wind was sneaking in through the cracks in the door that wasn't closed tightly. Every time the cold wind gently brushed against my neck, I would shiver.

But if you look out the window, you'll see that the sun is still some distance from the ground. The days are getting longer and longer.

The day of Lichun (the Beginning of Spring) is approaching. Every year I can't help but think this: anyone who talks about Lichun when it's this cold must be out of their mind, right?

But as the saying goes, "If winter comes, can spring be far behind?"

After school, the classroom gradually filled with an atmosphere like the arrival of spring.

There's less than a month left until the Awakening of Insects.

Because of the heating, spring arrived in the classroom earlier than the calendar indicated. The students suddenly became energetic, like hibernating insects, frogs, and snakes awakening.

The window seats, located directly under the radiator, looked particularly warm. The group gathered there were unusually energetic, and today they were engaging in remarkably loud conversation.

"I suddenly have a sweet craving. It would be so great to have that at a time like this."

As the Minister of Revenue fiddled with the hair, he said this, and Ooka and Yamato slapped their thighs in agreement, then pointed at the Minister of Revenue at the same time and said:

"Is it that one?"

"You mean that, right?"

The three of them kept exchanging glances.

"Because... chocolate bar?"

After Hubu said this in a serious tone, the three of them and Kazuoka looked at each other with "good job" expressions, and secretly glanced at the girls... Hmm, I thought spring was coming soon, but it seems that it is still winter!

But Miura's reaction was even colder than their comedic sketches that had gone cold.

"……what?"

She gave a brief reply, rolled her eyes at the others, and even those three idiots immediately shut up. Yuihama and Ebina could only smile wryly at this.

"Ah, in that case, we're almost there..."

Hayama stepped in to smooth things over, and Ooka and Yamato quickly nodded in agreement.

"Hayato doesn't care, but our situation is not good."

"That's right."

Ooka said with a serious expression, and Yamato wholeheartedly agreed. From their words, one could certainly sense the seriousness of the situation. However, this fickle, opportunistic virgin's eccentric personality was truly admirable in its awfulness… As I thought this, Tobe chuckled and patted Hayama on the shoulder:

"Oh dear... but Hayato basically never accepts chocolates from others."

"Really? That's such a waste!"

Ooka's shout made Hayama give a wry smile. So that's how it is; he probably made this choice to avoid unnecessary trouble.

However, from the perspective of a girl who admires Hayama, it might be hard to accept. Miura, representing this group, listened silently to the conversation between Tobe and the others, then turned away with a bored expression.

Upon seeing Miura like this, Yuihama called out softly.

"Oh, but receiving chocolate from a stranger feels a little scary."

She nodded to herself, as if to say, "I understand, I understand." Ebina also solemnly extended her hand, interrupting the conversation.

"Wait. 'Never being the bottom' means... the top. So, is Penguin the bottom?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Miura slapped her on the head. The woman looked serious, but what she was saying was utter nonsense... But Miura, with his motherly nature, still managed to slip her a tissue.

"Ebina, nosebleed."

"Oh, thank you, thank you."

Ebina stopped his strange "Heh-heh~" laugh and blew his nose with a tissue. Miura smiled gently at him. Because they were right next to the heater and for other reasons, everyone gathered there felt warm and cozy.

No, it wasn't just them; the entire classroom was filled with that warm atmosphere. Leaving aside the trio of idiots led by Hubu, a subtle restlessness was spreading through the class.