My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As Expected

Page 402

Why am I looking away...?

The sound of the steel bowl rolling echoed in my mind. Even if I could look away, I couldn't ignore the sounds running through my head. All I could do now was try to stop myself from letting my mind wander.

I was indulging in wishful thinking and unrealistic expectations, feeling good about myself. Regardless of whether she prepared a portion for me or not, trying to find meaning in this is strange. There are only three people in this club; it's understandable she didn't give me one, and giving one is just politeness. Once I start thinking about whether there's a deeper meaning, it far exceeds the level of excessive self-consciousness. Thinking about this only makes me look bad, and desperately telling myself not to think like that is equally bad. This kind of terrible and disgusting thought is, of course, a mistake.

Despite trying to fill my mind with thoughts, I couldn't calm down. I pretended to toss my hair, and my gaze began to wander, never settling on one spot.

For this reason, I caught a glimpse of Yuihama with her mouth tightly shut. Her pale throat twitched slightly.

"...What about the autistic guy's share?"

Why ask such a question on purpose... Besides, I don't really want it that much. Seriously.

I can't bring myself to say that.

Yuihama's tone and gaze were the same as always, timidly awaiting an answer, her left hand, resting on her lap, tightly gripping her skirt. When I saw this, I was completely speechless.

"Ah, um... I..."

I could only awkwardly stammer out a sound, while a sigh came from beneath the snow at the same time.

Yukino gripped her backpack tightly on her thigh, placed it beside her, and then quietly pulled out a chair and stood up.

She reached out as if to hold onto the long table and pushed the plate of cookies in front of me.

"...Please use it."

"Th-thank you..."

Even after I answered, Yukino didn't meet my gaze and refused to turn her head. The setting sun gently illuminated her profile. Perhaps because of the thicker clouds, the sunset was more vibrant than usual, bathing the entire office in a crimson hue.

She bit her lower lip awkwardly, her ears and neck slightly flushed, her long eyelashes trembling. I couldn't bear to look at her like that, so I rudely closed my book and reached for the cookies.

"……tasty."

"Right!"

I unconsciously whispered my thoughts, and Yui immediately leaned out to show her agreement, then picked up a cookie and took a big bite, her face beaming with happiness as she cradled her cheeks.

"...Is that so? I just did it the usual way..."

Seeing our reaction, Yukino finally relaxed her shoulders and returned to her original position.

The three chairs were in their proper places, a plate of cookies was placed in the center, and three teacups were steaming warmly.

We would occasionally chat about today's black tea and snacks, quietly read books or play on our phones, and then suddenly a few words would pop up, and we would naturally burst into laughter.

The community office, with no other outsiders present, exudes a comfortable atmosphere.

Time passed slowly, and the sun was about to sink below the horizon.

The winter sunset offers no warmth; it can only illuminate people, not provide comfort. If left unattended, the cold will likely persist indefinitely.

That's why we have to keep moving to keep warm.

Even when you feel something is wrong, you can't stop.

× × ×

Until the very end, no one came to the club office. As school ended, today's club activities came to a close.

We locked the door and waited for Yukino to return the key before leaving the school building. We naturally continued our conversation from the clubroom, and before we knew it, we were at the bicycle parking area. Although it wasn't exactly a return gift, I led their bicycles to the school gate.

Instead of using the side entrance I usually take, we went around to the main entrance facing the main road leading to the station. The sky was completely dark, with low-hanging, thick clouds that looked like it was going to rain.

"Ugh...it's so cold!"

"It's best to wear a scarf."

Yuihama shivered as soon as she stepped out of the school gate, and Yukinoshita quickly wrapped her scarf around her neck. Although the scene before her was heartwarming, it couldn't warm her body. After the sun set, the temperature dropped rapidly, and as soon as she stopped walking, the chill immediately crept up from her feet.

"It looks like it's really going to be very cold..."

The thought of the journey home made me feel gloomy. I was going to be riding my bicycle in the cold wind, who could stand that... I wrapped my scarf around myself again, pulled my gloves tighter, and gently raised my hand to say goodbye.

"goodbye."

"Well, bye."

Yui waved gently in front of her chest. I nodded to her and prepared to get on my bicycle.

Just then, I heard a faint sound mixed with exhalation.

"……ah."

Looking back, I saw that Yukinoshita seemed to want to call me back, and she took half a step forward.

Even when her eyes questioned her intentions, Yukinoshita did not change her attitude. Her lips remained still, as if she wanted to say something, and she stood frozen in place, tightly gripping the bag hanging on her left shoulder.

Seeing the unease in her eyes, I couldn't bring myself to ask questions and could only wait quietly for her to speak. The silent exchange continued until someone's footsteps sounded.

"Ah... um... I'll be going now?"

Yuihama gave a puzzled smile, but only took a step back. She gently stroked the bun on her head with her gloved hand, watching Yukinoshita's reaction.

That gaze caused Yukino to shake her head slightly in resistance, looking at Yui with pleading eyes. Yui lowered her eyes for a moment, then raised her head again, asking with gentle eyes:

"Hmm... how is it?"

There was no confusion in her voice, only a gentle confirmation of the other person's intentions.

"……that--"

The words Yukinoshita was about to say were scattered by the wind. She didn't know how to start, her face flushed with pain as she lowered her gaze, gripping her schoolbag even tighter than before, her shoulders trembling.

We stood frozen in place, waiting for her next words. No one spoke; only the sound of something hard colliding rang out.

Click.

It sounds like the sound of heels stepping on asphalt.

The footsteps drew closer, and I almost mistook them for my own heartbeat, or perhaps it was just a hallucination that only I could hear. I even thought that the doubt that had been buried deep in my heart had come to life.

However, it seemed I wasn't the only one who heard that sound. Yuihama also turned her gaze to the approaching footsteps, then let out a low gasp in surprise.

"what……"

The footsteps finally stopped. Yukinoshita and I followed Yuihama's gaze and stared in surprise.

"Yukino, I've come to pick you up."

"elder sister……"

Upon realizing who it was, Yukino called out softly.

Yukinoshita tapped her boot heels on the ground again as she walked up to us. She put her hands in her coat pockets, a smug smile on her face, and tilted her head to look at Yukinoshita.

"I don't remember anything that required you to pick me up..."

"My mom asked me to come; she wants me to stay with you for a while. Oh, you have extra rooms, right? My luggage will be delivered tomorrow. I don't know if that's convenient for you? I'll be home in the morning, but I need to go out in the afternoon. Could you help me out then?"

Once Yang Nai opened her mouth, she rattled off a long string of words, as if not giving me and Yui a chance to interrupt. Once she seized control with her imposing manner, we outsiders couldn't say anything more.

Moreover, although Yang Nai's tone sounded impatient, she spoke very naturally, as if she were stating an extremely obvious and established matter, showing an attitude that did not accept any objections.

"Wait...wait a minute, why did it suddenly turn like this..."

Yukino asked this question in a tone that was a mixture of reproach and confusion. Haruno's shoulders trembled, and she laughed in a slightly exaggerated manner.

Then, she leaned forward slightly, looked up at the snow-covered figure, and said with ill intent:

"You know what's going on, don't you?"

When Yukinoshita was asked this question, her shoulders trembled.

"...That's something I had to do myself, it has nothing to do with you."

Yukinoshita glared at Haruno and replied in a sharp, dismissive tone.

The things Yukino should do are most likely the agreement she made with her mother a few days ago.

When her mother asked her the question, she promised that she would answer it someday.

Nevertheless, Yukinoshita Haruno still appeared before her.

It's unclear whether her mother sent her older sister to monitor her because she didn't want to wait for Yukinoshita to speak first, or simply because she was worried her daughter would come home too late. The only person who understood Yukinoshita's mother's thoughts was Haruno.

Yang listened silently to what Yukino had to say.

The cheerful smile that had been on her face had vanished, leaving only a sharp gaze fixed intently on Xuexia. She silently shot out a cold stare, as if trying to see through every expression and movement beneath Xuexia, even her innermost thoughts.

Finally, she slightly raised the corners of her mouth.

"...Do you even have a self-respecting identity?"

"Varied……"

The sudden words left Yukinoshita bewildered. Before she could ask a question, Haruno interrupted her and continued speaking.

"You've only ever imitated my actions; what right do you have to voice your own thoughts?"

Despite her smile, her voice was colder than usual, and her gaze, directed at the snow-covered ground, was almost freezing.

Yukinoshita neither argued nor resisted, but simply stared blankly at Haruno. Seeing this, Haruno shrugged gently and sighed helplessly.

"You always have your own freedom. But those aren't your decisions."

This sentence sounds gentle, but it carries a hint of pity.

The next moment, Haruno shifted her gaze from Yukinoshita to Yuihama beside her and to me opposite her.

When our eyes met, Yang smiled gently.

"...Even now, you don't know what to do, right?"

Nobody knows who this question is actually being asked.

Not only was I rooted to the spot by the snow, but I was also frozen in place. Although I wanted to stop Haruno from continuing, I couldn't utter a sound. Because I didn't know how to handle the situation.

"Yukino, what exactly do you want to do?"

"...If you sisters are going to argue, could you please go somewhere else?"

In order to interrupt Haruno's questioning, I forced out these words.

Yukino Yukinoshita is bound to say something decisive. She'll reveal the truth. I can't let her continue. This isn't for Yukinoshita's sake, it's for mine.

Yang Nai seemed to have completely lost interest, looking at me with a bored expression. Her disdainful gaze seemed to say, "Is that all you can say?"

"Arguing? This doesn't even qualify as arguing. We've never argued before."

"No matter what, this is not something that should be said in this kind of place."

We exchanged cold stares. I desperately resisted the urge to look away.

"Um... Yukino and I are both thinking about it carefully."

Yui stepped forward, standing beside Yukino, and spoke forcefully. However, Haruno's gaze made her gradually shrink back, finally lowering her head. Haruno looked at Yui with a sorrowful yet gentle gaze.

"...Really? Then I'll listen to it slowly after you get back. Anyway, there's only one place you can go back to..."

After saying those words, Yang Nai turned and left, the sound of her heels stomping on the ground echoing again. As the sound faded into the distance, my tense shoulders slowly relaxed.

A magnificent sunset painted the clouds. After watching Yang leave, I finally let out a deep breath, feeling as if I hadn't breathed in a long time.

We remained rooted to the spot, unable to look at each other. Yukinoshita, head bowed, bit her lower lip and stood frozen in place, while Yuihama gazed at her sadly. In this situation, having uttered those words, I didn't know how to say goodbye; I could only look up at the sky, desperately trying to think.

"Um... by the way, would you like to come to my place?"

Therefore, when I heard her make the proposal with a forced smile, I couldn't find a reason to refuse.

× × ×

After leaving the school, we walked along the main road leading to the station for a while and came to an area full of high-rise buildings.

Yuihama's home is located there.

Since it's currently the busiest time of day for students leaving school and people getting off work, the streets are noisy everywhere. For those of us who are just walking silently, this noise is like a welcome rain from heaven.

Yukino and I only said "Excuse me" when we stepped into Yuigahama's house. It wasn't until we went into her room to rest for a while that we finally uttered a sound other than a sigh.

"Sorry, the room isn't very tidy..."

Yuihama sat down at the low table and pushed the cushions towards me and Yukinoshita.

"……Thanks."

After a brief thank you from Yukino, I took the cushion and sat down quietly beside her. I followed suit and sat cross-legged on the floor, facing them across the low table. Thanks to the pink short-pile rug, my feet were very warm.