My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As Expected

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When she said those words, Yukinoshita looked up for a moment, her eyes wide as she stared at her mother. But she couldn't reply; she simply bit her lower lip and looked away. Those words, both gentle and cold, bound Yukinoshita. Just saying those words was enough to restrict her thoughts and negate everything she had.

Yukinoshita's mother's eyes were not sharp, and her voice contained no anger or impatience, but rather was closer to lamentation.

"I set you free because I trusted you... This is my responsibility, my failure."

She gave no room for anyone to refute her, and silently shook her head.

"I……"

Yukinoshita tried to say something quietly, but was easily interrupted by the next sentence.

"Did I do something wrong...?"

She muttered to herself weakly, her voice filled with remorse and regret. Her self-reproach made it impossible for anyone to blame her, not even Yukinoshita herself.

Yuihama, seizing the moment her mother sighed beneath the snow, timidly said:

"Um... we had a student council event today... we were helping out, that's why it's so late..."

"Really? You went out of your way to bring her back. Thank you. But it's quite late now, your family must be worried, right?"

Although she didn't directly tell us to go home, Yukinoshita's mother still hinted at it with a gentle voice and smile that were completely devoid of hostility.

At the same time, she drew a clear line with her attitude—this was a family matter, and outsiders had no right to interfere. Hearing her say that, we could only obediently step aside. Both Yui and I realized that there was no room for further discussion.

As we remained silent, she quietly approached and placed her hand on Xuexia's shoulder.

"I want you to be free to be yourself... but I'm also worried you might go down the wrong path... What are your plans for the future?"

I have absolutely no way of knowing how much of the questioning intent is in that statement.

"...I'll explain everything properly. You should go home now."

"Is that so... Since you've put it that way..."

Yukinoshita said with her head down, her mother looked confused, and then glanced at me and Yuihama.

"Now that I've safely delivered you home, it's time for me to go."

I nodded to Yukinoshita's mother and turned to leave. She must be worried about a boy staying with her daughter who lives alone. Staying here would only be detrimental to Yukinoshita.

"I...I should go too...Goodbye!"

Yuihama, who was behind me, said the same thing and quickly ran over. Under these circumstances, she couldn't possibly say she wanted to stay the night.

After walking several meters, I secretly looked back and saw that Yukinoshita seemed to be talking to her mother. After the conversation ended, Yukinoshita's mother returned to her car, and Yukinoshita, who had stayed behind, entered the building and disappeared from sight.

As Yuihama and I stood at the zebra crossing waiting for the green light, Yukinoshita's car slowly drove away. Although the back window was tinted black, making it impossible to see inside, it felt as if the other person was watching us, which made me very uneasy.

After a while, the light turned green, and Yui stepped out first, turning to me and saying:

"Then I'm going home."

"Ah... I'll take you."

Upon hearing what I said, Yuihama shook her head.

"No need, the station is nearby anyway. Besides... it feels a bit cunning."

Why is he cunning? I couldn't bring myself to ask that question.

"……Yeah?"

I could only respond helplessly, watching Yuihama's departing figure.

Even if I walked a little further to the station with her, the distance home wouldn't be much different. Nevertheless, I didn't go after her.

After watching Yuihama leave under the streetlights, I finally got on my bicycle.

Although the wind wasn't strong, the cold air still made my exposed cheeks sting.

After pedaling hard for quite a while, my body started to heat up, but my head went completely cold.

The real me, the real her, the real me—

Everyone has a self defined by others, and that self is always different from the real self. This is true for both her and me. The real us is always different from how others perceive us.

I understand this without needing to confirm it with anyone.

Because that's what I used to say. Because the old Hachiman Hikigaya was always shouting—

Is that alright? Is that your wish? Is that Hachiman Hikigaya—

I covered my ears, closed my eyes, and tried not to listen to the angry curses, shouts, and roars, replacing words with my hot breath.

If even I can't say "that's the real me," then what about the "real thing"... Where exactly are we, the real us? Why are those people able to define relationships?

Once this feeling is labeled as "unnatural," no other possibilities are considered.

This kind of feeling and relationship should not be defined, named, or have any meaning extracted from it. Because once meaning is derived from it, it loses its other functions.

It would be much easier if it could be framed. The reason I never do that is because I understand that once it's framed, it can only be changed by breaking it.

In the past, I always avoided giving names in order to seek something that would never fade away.

I've been thinking about whether she and I have always relied too much on intangible words.

I wish some snowflakes would fall right now. That way, at least it would cover up many things and stop me from overthinking.

Unfortunately, it rarely snows in this city, and the sky tonight remains crystal clear.

Only the dazzling starlight reveals my true self.

Volume 11, Chapter 7: Unable to contain herself, Yukino Yukinoshita's eyes became clear and bright.

⑦ Helplessly, Yukino Yukinoshita's eyes were incredibly clear.

The cooking class on the eve of Valentine's Day was several days ago.

The sky, which was so clear just a moment ago, is rather overcast today. I heard this unstable weather will continue for quite some time. Although the temperature drop tonight won't be as drastic, to be honest, it's only within the margin of error. Winter in Chiba remains cold.

After school ended, as the sun set, the chill became increasingly biting.

I walked through the cold corridor of the special building and crawled into the heated office, finally able to breathe a sigh of relief and open my paperback.

As dusk approached, the community office remained as usual.

On the long table were black tea cups and mugs, as well as completely mismatched Japanese tea cups.

In a corner of my view, Yukinoshita poured black tea into a mug and a Japanese teacup, then placed the cups in front of Yuihama and me respectively.

As I looked up to accept the black tea, my eyes met those of Yukinoshita across from me.

Yukinoshita quickly lowered her head, then raised it slightly before lowering it again. Her restless demeanor seemed different from usual. Yuihama seemed to feel the same way.

"Xiao Yukino?"

Yukinoshita then reluctantly looked at Yuihama, and also glanced at me, saying with difficulty:

"I'm so sorry about last time... my mother..."

Yukinoshita lowered her head quietly. Although she didn't say much, from that action and a few key words, I immediately understood why she was apologizing. I didn't need to specifically recall what happened that day. Because for the past few days, those events had been echoing in my mind, making it impossible for me to forget them. The matter of Yukinoshita's mother goes without saying, but the words Haruno said, Yui's words when she left, and my own inner cries still haven't disappeared. However, there's no point in talking about these things, and I can't blame anyone for them.

Therefore, I simply shook my head gently, telling her not to worry. Yui, sitting diagonally opposite, also waved vigorously.

"It's nothing! My mom often nags me about coming home too late."

"Yes, aren't all mothers like that? They love to nag, and they'll tidy up your room without your permission, and suddenly ask you if you're happy at school."

Why are all the mothers in the world so interested in their sons' living space, interpersonal relationships, and even the books they like to read? Why is that? Is she a fan of mine? Thanks, Mom. But please, don't touch my desk drawer, okay?

After hearing what Yuihama and I said, Yukino smiled slightly, her expression softening. As usual, she brushed aside the hair that was hanging over her shoulder.

"...Really? Hachiman's mother must have had a really tough time."

"What kind of person is the mother of this autistic boy?"

"I don't really know how to put it... just ordinary, like having another Komachi. But because exams are coming up soon, Komachi has been arguing with her mom a lot lately."

Even mothers and daughters with a fairly good relationship occasionally have conflicts. However, the biggest reason for their arguments actually lies with their father… That guy worries too much about Komachi, constantly criticizing this and that, which makes their mother explode, and then Komachi explodes too, until the whole family is filled with hostility… Ah, so it wasn't really a mother-daughter argument after all; it was just that the father was annoying. In any case, it's common for families to argue about their children's exams and college applications.

Hearing me say that, Yui nodded repeatedly.

"I see... Komachi has her exam tomorrow. So we get a day off too."

"I think Komachi should be fine..."

"Um……"

Yukinoshita's tone was somewhat uneasy. My agreement was probably about right.

Tomorrow is the high school entrance exam, and it's also Valentine's Day. Simply put, I won't be getting Xiaotong this year. What a pity, see you next year! (Note 28 is from *The Prince of Tennis*, a famous line by Eiji Kikumaru.) Although I want to look forward to next year, nobody knows what next year will bring. Thinking about the future makes me feel down.

Yuihama seemed to read my thoughts from my expression and gave me a concerned smile.

"Your older brother must be very worried..."

"Definitely..."

Hearing her gentle voice, I couldn't help but nod emphatically.

I sighed deeply. Things I had been deliberately avoiding suddenly surfaced in my mind, and my sorrow for the future welled up like a burst dam.

"My Komachi is so cute, she'll definitely be very popular after she enrolls, right? In that case, I'll have to be extra careful to avoid the flies around her, and I'll also have to be careful not to let the fact that she has a useless older brother like me be exposed, otherwise it will affect Komachi's value."

"Your worries are misplaced! And she's already been accepted!"

"I really don't know whether to call you positive or negative..."

Yuihama looked completely bewildered, while Yukinoshita sighed, a defeated expression on her face. Then, the two exchanged a smile.

It feels like no one will visit today; the office is as relaxed as ever.

Feeling a little relieved, I casually turned the pages of the book. Yui was sprawled on the table playing on her phone, while Yukinoshita removed the insulated sleeve from the teapot and elegantly refilled it with black tea.

Then, Yukino put her schoolbag on the table and took out a simple little paper bag. With a "snap," she gently opened the sealed paper bag, and a sweet aroma wafted out. It was probably biscuits meant to be served with tea.

Yukino carefully placed the cookies on a wooden plate. I glanced at it and saw a variety of cookies on the plate, including chocolate chips, jam, and checkered ones. Judging from the wide variety and the paper bags they were wrapped in, they probably weren't bought from outside.

"Oh, did Yukino make those cookies?"

Yuihama's eyes sparkled with anticipation.

Yukinoshita's culinary skills are widely recognized. Not only in the cooking class a few days ago, but she has also demonstrated her skills many times before, and Yuihama has always been able to enjoy her cooking to her heart's content.

So this is not surprising.

Nevertheless, Yuihama's casual remark inexplicably left Yukinoshita speechless.

"...Yeah, I made some last night."

Yukino lowered her head, gently stroked the edge of the wooden plate with her fingertips, took a soft breath, and then secretly glanced at me.

Her shoulders and neck remained completely still, only peeking through the gap in her bangs, her eyes filled with confusion, as if hesitating whether to look me directly in the eye. That action stirred something within me.

Yukinoshita slightly opened her mouth, then closed it again, looking as if she wanted to say something but couldn't. Her tender lips caught my attention, and I couldn't help but look away.

As a result, the office fell silent.

"I see... I tried again after that, but it still didn't work..."

Perhaps unable to bear the silence following her sudden visit, Yui Hama covered it up with laughter. She lightly scratched the bun on her head while glancing around.

"My oven seems to be broken. It makes a gurgling sound, but it just can't bake the cookies until they're crisp."

"That's just a regular microwave oven..."

After saying that, I sighed softly. Perhaps I was just relieved that everyone had returned to normal.

Yukinoshita covered her mouth and chuckled softly. Then, she put her schoolbag back on her lap and took out another small paper bag from it.

The paper bag was tied with a cute pink ribbon and had a cat's paw print on it; it was probably a gift for Yuihama.

"If you don't mind, please accept it."

"Is that okay? Oh—thank you!"

"The contents are basically the same."

Seeing Yuihama happily accept the gift, Yukinoshita added somewhat shyly.

"It's okay, I'm super happy! Yukino's sweets are really delicious!"

Yui gently hugged the paper bag to her chest, then carefully picked it up and gazed at it intently with tender eyes. After blinking a few times, she timidly shifted her gaze to the snow.

"...Um...is it just for me?"

I understood what the question meant and couldn't help but turn my face away. Although I tried to keep my eyes focused and continue reading the book in front of me, I couldn't concentrate on the words at all.