My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As Expected

Page 418

The New Year is always like this; after seeing it so many times, I'm slowly starting to find it boring. Today's events make me want to go home and get a good night's sleep even more. Time flies! I wish this mundane life could continue like this next year. Anyway, there are only a few days left in the year, and I don't have many months left in my second year of high school to waste.

In this chaotic world, to live a secluded and tranquil life—I can't imagine a greater luxury. What's the point of being so obsessed with wealth and fame? Time won't speed up or slow down for you. If you really want to be remembered in history, why not have a wax figure made and properly enshrined in the Hall of Eternal Life? Wouldn't that be wonderful?

"To make a name for myself in history... Humph." I couldn't help but chuckle. A few customers nearby were suddenly startled, staring at me strangely. Hmm, I'd better sneak away to the other side. Magazines on the bookshelf, colorful candies, and instant noodles of various flavors rushed past my eyes, while the drinks cheered my arrival. Even though it clearly says "New Year Special!", the price hasn't changed at all, you swindler.

After much deliberation, I reached for a product labeled "Winter Special." There are many delicious foods, but few that are truly delicious under specific circumstances. I usually can't find them here, so I'll have to try them this time. Just wondering: have you ever tried eating Häagen-Dazs in winter? Many people think summer is the season for popsicles, but NO NO NO, winter is the season for ice cream! Snuggled up in a warm heater, enjoying ice cream—life is so pleasant. Should I buy another one for Komachi? Right now, she's probably lounging there, thinking about me bringing her a box of ice cream. Ah, speaking of winter ice cream, it has to be "Yukimi," right? To use a personification, it's like a fair-skinned, classically beautiful woman, her graceful figure walking through the snow. As a seasoned supermarket enthusiast in Chiba, this knowledge comes easily to me.

Okay, I bought it, time to go home!

Act Two

Because it's winter, the ice cream won't melt quickly. However, it's really too cold outside, so I quickened my pace.

I pushed open the door; it was so quiet I could only hear my own footsteps on the floor. My dad was obviously working overtime, and Mom said this morning she wouldn't be home tonight, so it was just Komachi alone. I went into the living room, and sure enough, Komachi was snuggled up in the kotatsu, playing with Ka-kun while watching a variety show on TV. I put the things I'd bought on the table and asked, "I'm home. Oh, I bought ice cream, want some?"

Komachi didn't turn around, offering only a muffled reply. "She'd usually rush over and snatch it from me already, what's wrong now?" A little confused, I sat down, straightened up, and took out my keys, phone, and wallet, scattering them on the table. Whew, that's a relief.

He took two boxes of ice cream out of the bag. "Here you go."

"Thanks, I'll eat it later." Komachi took one of the boxes, opened the refrigerator door, and stuffed it inside. Feeling down? I opened the lid and scooped out the ice cream bit by bit.

"elder brother."

"Ok?"

"Sit down." Komachi patted the floor next to her, gesturing for me.

"I'm sitting?" I looked down and glanced around—my legs were crossed and flat on the floor. Was she asking me to sit next to her?

"sit down."

Do I really want to sit next to you...? I feel like we're about to talk about something serious. I'd better finish eating quickly and listen.

He put the last bit into his mouth and then adopted a serious posture.

She coughed as she looked at me, her eyes squinting.

Please explain this to me.

"what?"

What does that mean? Why did I buy you ice cream? Because it's my brother's love, Komachi... No, Komachi is staring intently at me, it must be something else.

What is it?

I leaned forward slightly, wanting to hear what Komachi had to say.

Komachi shook her head and sighed softly.

"Just now... what happened with Senior Oremoto?"

"Huh? What? He's just a classmate from junior high..."

"Komachi knows that too."

"Then don't ask. What's wrong?" came the slightly annoyed reply.

Komachi looked at me with some dissatisfaction.

Let's say something.

"That's really all... really."

I'd say it gently. But that's probably a lie too. Could I tell Komachi I confessed my feelings to her and got rejected? I couldn't bring myself to say it, could I? As a man, these things always leave scars, but there's no need to expose them to my sister. She probably wouldn't be interested anyway; I certainly wouldn't want to hear it if it were me. If I had an older brother who cried and begged me every day about how he confessed his feelings and got rejected, I really wouldn't want to hear it. But if Komachi told me something like that one day, then all I could do was cry together and then go get revenge, no matter what…

Komachi moved closer, breaking the silence, her gaze seeming to see right through me:

"If he's just a junior high school classmate, what's he doing at our house?"

Komachi also knows that I've never had a good relationship with my junior high school classmates; we've never walked home together or anything like that.

"Rather than saying you came to our house, it's more like we bumped into each other on our way home, and then we asked someone to drop us off at our doorstep. We chatted at our doorstep and then you came back."

"So you're saying they just happened to come back together and chatted for a bit in front of the door?"

Well, that's how it is.

Komachi seemed somewhat satisfied with the answer, and straightened up to climb back to her original position.

"Hmph... Is that so? So you didn't even go inside the house."

"I would never invite anyone to my house," I retorted immediately. Wait, Yuihama seems to have been here before, no, that doesn't count, she was invited by Komachi. It has nothing to do with me. But Komachi is currently scanning me and the house with a look that seems to want to devour me, so I'd better say something.

"I was talking about that, Auntie..."

"Who's the aunt?! Komachi is just Komachi!"

"I'm talking about you, you... Why are you asking so many questions? How much do you like me? Are you my girlfriend who's trying to control me? Girls like that will be disliked."

Komachi was amused by me and said with a smile:

"I'm telling you, bro... Komachi is worried about you. If you're not popular, Komachi can always take care of you. But if you're too popular and it leads to a love triangle, then Komachi will be in trouble."

"It won't turn out like that..."

No, I don't have a girlfriend. What nonsense are you talking about?

Komachi, distressed, propped her head up with her hand: "If I get stabbed where I can't see, there's really nothing I can do."

She slowly shook her head, as if she had already foreseen a bad ending.

"No, there's no need to worry so much."

Whether Komachi saw it or not, she's beyond saving now that she's been stabbed...

"Anyway, you're worrying unnecessarily. Nothing happened between me and Orimoto. You're the one reacting so strongly. Did anything happen between you and Orimoto?" I changed the subject, noticing that Komachi's shoulders were trembling slightly.

Yeah, Komachi's reaction to Orimoto was really strange. I'm not exaggerating, Komachi has excellent communication skills; she handles conversations with Yui, Yukinoshita, and even Yukinoshita Haruno with ease. Last time we went to Chiba Village, as the only middle school student, she easily struck up a lively conversation with Hayama and the others. But… why was she so…unusual with Orimoto?

Is there some grudge, or...? But it's not good to ask rashly. Once words are spoken, they're like water spilled; any subsequent explanations or additions will only be a way to salvage the situation.

So he slowly asked, "Is it... that you're not good at dealing with that type?"

Komachi shook her head, then added, "I don't dislike Orimoto-senpai at all; in fact, I quite like that refreshing feeling..."

That's good. I thought it was something else entirely.

"But...the people around...that...feeling...not too good...right?" Komachi said, her head bowed, struggling to speak. I couldn't see her expression, but I felt a little relieved. Even these fragmented answers were enough to tell her what she wanted to say. She probably heard all the rumors about being dumped back then, and it must have bothered her. Hearing about her brother's dark past would inevitably leave some unpleasant memories. Although Komachi didn't say it explicitly, I already know everything about my brother, okay?

There are always some people who find amusement in mocking others, but it's not good if they also mock those involved.

"sorry……"

What should have been realized and spoken much sooner has been delayed until now. Therefore, this is not an apology, but rather closer to a vow—

"But don't worry. That kind of thing will never happen again. And you won't have any bad memories. Nothing like what happened in junior high will happen in high school."

She gently placed her hand on Komachi's head.

The past is the past; the present is what matters most. I can't let those around me suffer because of me anymore. Right now, I might not voice my thoughts or desires... but perhaps, given a little more time, as I mature, I will bravely face them. Even if it's sadness, even if it's pain, even if it's too late, I will definitely do it.

Komachi was lost in thought, and besides the hand above her head, there seemed to be a few question marks floating there. I shook my head indulgently, and she suddenly sighed as if she had figured it out: "Ah, I see, that's usually how you think, brother."

"Hmm~" Komachi removed my hand and stretched. She then waved a finger in front of me:

"Um, bro. It seems there's been a misunderstanding, so let me clarify. Komachi finds Orimoto-senpai's friends super annoying and hateful, but it's not because of you being treated like an idiot. In fact, being treated like an idiot is acceptable."

"Oh, oh..." Is that acceptable...?

Komachi continued, "Speaking of which, even if my brother doesn't do anything, he still often becomes the subject of gossip. In fact, Komachi is quite proactive in using him as a topic of conversation."

"Ah..." Being told that makes me feel a little hurt... I slumped my shoulders, staring blankly at the floor. Komachi, you're so cruel... I'm going to be angry with you, okay? I looked up at Komachi, sulking.

"Ah! So, even if you're treated like a fool, even if it's embarrassing, I'll still admit it with a smile, okay?"

"Because she's my little sister!" Komachi added softly, then lowered her head shyly, but still gave me a cute smile.

What? Her smile is way prettier than mine...

"I hope I won't be treated like an idiot or embarrassed anymore... Well, I understand, thanks."

A somewhat rude, yet childlike, response.

"Good that you understand. Just don't have any unnecessary thoughts like 'for Komachi'?"

Komachi, like an older sister, smiled and scolded me.

"I would never think that way."

Komachi turned around with a satisfied look on her face and ran away, shouting "Ice cream ice cream ice cream ice cream~"

The table shook slightly from the vibration; no, it was my phone ringing.

I peeked over and saw that the contact person displayed was "☆★Yuigahama Yui★☆".

I instinctively looked at Komachi, wondering if having her pick me up would be...

No, Komachi's words are still echoing in my mind:

"Don't hold onto unnecessary thoughts like 'for Komachi'?"

We cannot use Komachi as an excuse to run away, nor can we rely on Komachi all the time.

I went out of the living room and stomped my feet in the cold hallway to warm them up.

The phone was still ringing.

I sighed softly, as if to calm the vibration, and pressed the answer button.

I have no idea what Yuihama will say to me if she comes to see me... and what I should say in response.

However, thinking about it is useless. I knew from the very beginning that thinking about what to say and what to say was just empty talk.

The words you prepare all along are mostly careless lies.

"Oh, Xiao Qi? Do you have time now?"

The voice on the phone was familiar.

Therefore, I hope that one day I will be able to speak without any preparation, without any pretense or lies.

postscript

Good morning, everyone. Unfortunately, I'm still at work.

It's already this late? There's not even enough time to say hello? Time really flies...

Thus, the second part of the record came.

The title this time is "My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As Expected. n", which is the second volume of the "a" series, a limited edition bonus for the first press of the Blu-ray and DVD.

Following the previous "a" with "n", it becomes "an" (un, French for "one"), so will the next volume be "deux" ("two"), and the next volume after that "trois" ("three", by the way, this is a misspelling...)? ...Oops, I accidentally used my university-level French knowledge to show off some French humor.

By the way, French is so difficult to remember that I've had to repeat a course. Or rather, I don't really remember French at all anymore. The only thing I remember is "Je m'apelle Pierre" (My name is Piero). And even that's just from memory; I can't recall the exact spelling!

In any case, memorizing example texts, while not necessarily helpful for language application, is extremely useful, especially during class and exams. It's somewhat similar to memorizing formulas in arithmetic or mathematics.

Although this is just a personal observation, in my academic experience, most problems could be solved by memorization. Situations requiring originality or imagination were rare. Also, when asked if I had tried to develop these abilities during my student life, I would always tilt my head and try hard to search my memory.

However, when I first started working, I was often asked to "create projects that no one has ever thought of before." Looking back on my student life, I wondered what I had even learned. Incidentally, when I was asked to come up with projects that no one had thought of before, I sometimes received responses like, "There's no precedent for this, it's not feasible," or "I've never seen anything like this before, there's nothing we can do."... Why am I even working? Reflecting on my work experience, I wondered if people like me, who come from private liberal arts backgrounds, might take learning for granted, equating it with rote memorization, and thus develop the misconception that this repetitive process is learning and growth. Am I the only one like this?... Maybe I am.

That's me. During the job application preparation stage, I started with the mindset of "Haha, job hunting is easy. Just watch me remember my aspirations and motivations perfectly and then articulate them flawlessly!"

So, well, it was a series of rejections. While I easily passed the written test and SPI (written test + personality test), the interview was the only exception. This company was incredibly difficult to get past. Even if I barely passed the first interview, it wouldn't work in the second or third. Then I received rejection notices from over 50 companies, all wishing me a successful job search. By the way, the first company to reject me was Shogakukan, and I still hold a grudge.

One of the conclusions I came to during this long job search process was, "This preparation was completely useless," and I realized it too late! Another conclusion was, "At this rate, I'll be unemployed after graduation... Oh right, light novel writer! I should become a light novel writer!"

After realizing what had happened, I basically went ahead unprepared, weaving lies on the spot, and managed to find a job before graduation, while also becoming a light novel author! Then I even developed muscles and found a girlfriend. Wait, no, I didn't actually find a girlfriend.

Lying during an interview may not sound good, but the answer required isn't about fancy words; it's about the effort to organize your thoughts and find your own answer. That's how I see it now.

Discard your well-prepared, elegant theories and start empty-handed. There must be something you can grasp precisely because you have nothing to hold onto. So, what will you ultimately grasp?

With that feeling in mind, I delivered "My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As Expected."

So, what will the next volume be named? I guess everyone already has their own answer, right? But please keep your expectations in mind and wait for the next volume.

It's a really long story... There are five more volumes to go, and then the pace will gradually pick up. My lifespan is also at Mach speed!

Is it because I'm almost thirty? Lately, I feel like so much time is flying by. The TV anime will probably have ended by the time Blu-ray Volume 2 is released. Time really does fly.

It's been a season in the blink of an eye. Did everyone enjoy it to the fullest? I'm very happy to say that!

It's true, just thinking about happy things makes you feel happy, even though the reality of work makes you want to die. But when you ignore it, everyone is happy!

So, starting from here, let's take a few pages to review the TV anime and give a brief commentary on these two episodes!

So, this Blu-ray Volume 2 contains episodes 2 and 3. As a reader, a viewer, and incidentally, as the original author, I'll write a bit about the plot of these two episodes.