My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As Expected

Page 445

Yukino looked at me and simply nodded silently. Her lips seemed to twitch, but I couldn't hear her voice.

I don't know what she's saying. I also don't know who she's talking to.

However, I still mustered up my enthusiasm.

So, are we going to go on stage now...?

I stretched my shoulders and took a step to stretch my Achilles tendon.

Then I pushed my way forward, gradually closing the distance between myself and Ye Shan. Along the way, I kept apologizing to the classmates who complained about my pushing. I smiled sheepishly, silently apologizing to them. Slowly, I stood next to Ye Shan.

Hayama was chatting and laughing with the people next to him, but he still noticed my gaze and gave me a gentle smile as if asking what was wrong.

I shook my head at him and stared straight ahead.

The game is about to begin. You can tell without even looking at the clock in the park.

The noise from the boys behind us gradually subsided. The sporadic cheers from the girls also quieted down.

Everyone fell silent, as if waiting for this moment, and someone walked towards the white line on the ground.

"Okay, are you ready?"

As he spoke, it was Hiratsuka-sensei who raised the starting pistol into the air.

Why is it Ms. Hiratsuka...? Usually, it's the PE teacher who comes at times like this. Seriously—this girl is going to do something so conspicuous again. Or—does she just want to try firing the starting gun?

Ms. Hiratsuka held the starting pistol high, covering her ear with one hand. She placed her finger on the trigger, and the boys leaned forward, while the girls watched anxiously.

A few seconds later, Hiratsuka-sensei slowly opened her mouth.

"On your marks... get set..."

The next instant, a gunshot rang out as the trigger was pulled.

Then, as if we had been thrown out, we ran forward together.

First, run at a steady pace. The immediate goal is to keep up with Hayama.

However, many of the people around them immediately jumped into the fastest pace.

The reason for this was probably the constant flashes from camera lights nearby. Whether it was for graduation photos or something else, photographers were present at this marathon.

Countless fools sprint at full speed for those initial few dozen meters just to get a picture taken. Anyway, that's it, so they can say, "I was in first place the whole way!" Boys are such idiots.

In this case, many people put all their energy into the initial sprint stage and quickly run out of energy.

So the real race begins when we cross the park area and enter the sidewalk.

Quietly avoiding those teams that were sprinting ahead to compete for the top spot, I gradually closed the distance between myself and Hayama.

He mingled with the first group and caught up with them in a very short time.

A group of people were huddled together, just as expected.

Everyone continued to face forward, silently and expressionlessly.

These players are almost certain to finish in the top few places, so the early game won't disrupt their rhythm. However, there's one exception. Who is it?

That's me!

Hmm... isn't this question a bit too simple?

I've never been a very sociable person.

And this time, there was no difference among the best runners.

Of course, my goal is not to win the championship.

I never even considered running the whole course.

Therefore, you can do the exact opposite of what they do. You don't need to worry about stamina or anything like that.

"Ye Shan——"

I ran and called out to him. People around me looked at me in surprise, and even Ye Shan looked at me as if he was very surprised.

"How's that matter going?"

He ran up to Ye Shan and asked.

But Hayama didn't slow down at all, turning his gaze back to what was ahead:

"...Shall we talk about it later?"

"No, it has to be now. It's already starting to cause real damage; there's no time."

Was it because he was running and talking that his tone was a bit sharp?

This does not mean that I am influenced by rumors or anything.

It wasn't that I suffered any actual harm.

However, it's really uncomfortable to see the people around me being used as gossip and exploited behind my back.

To be honest, it's really annoying.

Did you hear the urgency in my voice? Hayama looked at me with a puzzled expression.

"...They're still at the conference."

"Yes. But it's alright, isn't it... if it's you?"

He gestured with his chin and quickened his pace.

But Hayama didn't follow.

"I don't think it's necessary to say this here now."

"Is he concerned about his surroundings?" Ye Shan whispered.

They were supposed to conserve their energy to win the championship, but they started chatting idly halfway through. It must have looked pretty strange.

Everyone else was awkwardly glancing at me and Ye Shan.

However, this is precisely the kind of scenario needed.

Because Hayama is someone who constantly attracts attention, his behavior is also based on these considerations.

Therefore, there are always some things that are hard to figure out.

When everyone is watching, many subjective opinions will form.

The fact that everyone is watching means that it is composed of many subjective opinions. The average or median value among countless subjective opinions constitutes "the Hayato Hayama that everyone hopes for and likes".

If this illusion is not broken, this idol cannot hit Yeshan's core.

then,

I held my breath and forced a smile.

"Didn't you say... how long are you going to look away?"

After saying that, Hayama looked at me again.

His expression was no longer as calm as before. He opened his eyes in surprise, clenched his teeth in regret, and looked as if he wanted to click his tongue in disbelief.

That's a nice expression, Hayama. Oh, right. That's exactly the kind of expression I wanted to see.

I smiled wryly, responding to his expression. Then, Ye Shan chuckled softly.

"...What a cheap provocation."

After saying that, he started to accelerate. He caught up quickly and then overtook me.

The gap between them and the leading group widened rapidly, and the others could only watch with their mouths open, without chasing after Ye Shan.

That's good. Now we just need to create the situation where Hayama and I are running together.

I stared at Hayama's retreating figure as he ran ahead.

The stage is already set up.

Now, it's time for our peace talks to begin.

Act Two

The wind blowing from the sea froze my cheeks. The intense heat emanating from my body clashed with the cold air, constantly stinging my skin.

Every time the sole of the shoe strikes the asphalt, the impact travels deep into the body.

The rumbling sound echoed continuously, making it difficult to distinguish whether it was the wind or a sound coming from the body. These sounds gradually blended together, turning into the hot breath exhaled from the mouth.

Panting heavily, I smelled the pungent scent of the sea.

The trees lining the coastal road must be sand-prevention forests. The starting point seemed to have mostly pine trees, but that scene has gradually disappeared. Now, most of the trees along the road have lost their branches and leaves, their skeletal appearance quite conspicuous.

Abandoning the mental process of thinking, I relentlessly took steps forward. Like a heart bound and constantly pumping blood, my breath and pace seemed to be racing to see who could move faster.

I kept running, my mind wandering as thoughts of other things appeared and disappeared.

Cycling to school is so great. Otherwise, without joining a sports club, I probably wouldn't be able to run. Speaking of long-distance running itself, it's not that I'm bad at it. Compared to other ball sports, I'm probably even better. After all, I can do it alone, relying on myself. I won't bother others, and I have a clear goal. And all I have to do is sit there, thinking about boring things, and mechanically swing my legs.

However, today's marathon is a little different.

It was much harder than usual.

Because the pace is faster than during class. Because the temperature has dropped more than usual, and it's windy on the road. Because I was making all sorts of plans last night, and I didn't get enough sleep.

There are many reasons for this.

However, the biggest reason is that Hayato Hayama is still ahead of me.

Hayama, as expected of someone accustomed to club activities, showed little fatigue and continued running smoothly forward. His upper body moved without unnecessary swaying, his lower body maintained a steady rhythm, and his form was remarkably refined. His victory last year was well-deserved.

On the other hand, I was already quite out of breath from running, completely disregarding my energy levels, but I managed to keep up with Hayama's pace.

Even though I've only reached the halfway point, my physical strength is already nearing its limit.

My side has been throbbing with pain since just now, and my feet are burning. My ears are also numb. To be honest, I'm at the point where I want to go home immediately. If I had just eaten, I definitely would have thrown up.

I've already made it this far by sheer willpower; if I don't take action soon, I probably won't be able to keep up.

We can't play any more tricks.

Breathless, he ran to Ye Shan's side and said:

"Hey, didn't you say you'd figure it out yourself? What are you planning to do?"

"...I'm planning to find an opportunity to explain briefly. However, this kind of problem can't be solved quickly. So I intend to gradually control the direction of the conversation."

Although my breathing was still a little unstable, it was much better than when I was panting.

"Ah, I see. But that would take too much time."

"Yes"

Ye Shan nodded thoughtfully. He had always been like this, and this was his habit in dealing with rumors.

However, this is only a temporary solution and not a cure.

"...Therefore, I have a suggestion."

Ye Shan tilted his head slightly, looking at me with a wary gaze.

"What you're saying only gives me a bad feeling..."

His joking words, coupled with Hayama's serious expression, made me laugh out loud involuntarily.

Hayama-kun, the perfect answer☆~, here's 80,000 points!

My mouth was so dry that I accidentally coughed while laughing. Once my breathing calmed down, I continued.

"How about you start dating Miura?"

After saying that, Ye Shan's expression changed. The previously playful atmosphere vanished, replaced by a clear anger in his eyes.

"I think Miura would be a very convenient person for you."

To be honest, I know Miura isn't a bad person, but as someone who has seen her straightforward side, it's a little heartbreaking to say this. I really recommend Miura.

So, the people who hear this are the same, right?

"That's a bit of a joke."

Without even looking at me, Ye Shan spoke in a voice filled with anxiety. His unusually imposing attitude made me involuntarily take a step back.

However, they persevered with sheer willpower.