My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As Expected

Page 446

"I only mentioned the most direct method. Other better methods are fine too. Or we could use a single color instead."

What kind of talk is that... I hate myself for it.

I'm not entirely unfamiliar with Isshiki Hachiman; that child sometimes reveals an astonishingly pure side, and other times a very mature one.

If Isshiki heard what I just said, would she be angry, or would she tell me to keep pushing things along?

I doubt it's the latter.

Although Isshiki enjoys bossing others around, she has a strong will deep down and feels she won't allow that to be distorted.

My thoughts were interrupted by a sharp voice.

"...Shut up for a moment."

This time, it was finally tinged with clear hostility, Hayama said.

"How could you just shut up like that... I'm not as nice as you think."

When was that time again? Someone somewhere said that, revealing a humble smile. Then, Hayama cast a bored look and chuckled through his nose:

"Are you kidding me? I've never thought of you as a good person."

The swinging motion slowed me down, but if I continued like this, the gap would widen, so I looked up and ahead.

"That annoying guy..."

He accidentally let it slip out. Hayama smiled with a hint of sarcasm.

"I don't want you to say that to me."

Honestly. I almost laughed. But at least we've elicited a reaction from Hayama that's different from usual. Now's the perfect time, isn't it?

I took another deep breath and said.

"To be honest, I can't think of any other way... so I want to hear what others have to say."

Despite the excruciating pain in his feet, he quickened his pace. Although his legs felt as heavy as if they were filled with iron, he used his willpower to push forward and took a few steps to cross Ye Mountain.

Then I turned to face him.

Hayama showed an unusually blank expression, momentarily stunned. But he quickly recovered and overtook me a few steps faster.

"...That's really unexpected. You actually said something like that."

Even Hayama's breathing became heavy. Was it because he was confused by what I said?

I could hear Lin Shan's dry laughter. He was probably dumbfounded, wasn't he?

Thanks to this, Lin Shan slowed down his running pace slightly. I managed to keep up with him.

Noticing that our steps were now synchronized, he glanced at me and began to speak again:

"But I'm sorry, I don't plan to cooperate with you. Didn't I say this concerns me? You don't need to worry about it."

"You can't say that. That rumor is really bothering us."

After saying that, Ye Shan squinted and looked at me asking for the reason.

"I'm annoyed by those irresponsible people who spout nonsense. And those self-righteous bunches who gather together are also annoying."

He finally managed to utter the words that had been stuck in his throat ever since that rumor surfaced. It was as if any reason, however small, could finally be uttered.

However, Hayama's probing gaze hadn't changed. Seeing that look, I was speechless for a moment.

However, if we remain silent and try to get away with it, we will end up like we did in the park before, without getting any answers.

"...And I can't take my eyes off it."

Although his voice was a little hoarse from thirst, he still managed to squeeze out the last sentence that had been accumulating in his heart.

"Yeah……"

Ye Shan shifted his gaze, looking ahead. A pained expression crossed his face. With that expression, he spoke.

"...However, I'm not mature enough to ignore what I said before...and we're not really in a cooperative relationship, are we?"

"Yes. Neither friends nor companions."

Hayama was absolutely right. There's no connection between me and Hayama; it's impossible to even define our relationship. Our thoughts, our hearts, our circumstances—everything is different.

However, similar situations also exist.

"However, we share common interests. Therefore, we can share the problems we are facing now."

They remained silent and didn't reply. However, I knew that this silence was urging me to continue.

"...So, well, you could call us colleagues."

When it came time to say it, he felt inexplicably ashamed, and his scalp tingled with sweat. Was Hayama feeling the same way? Hayama wiped his hair and looked towards the sea.

Then he read it in a low voice:

"I guess I still can't get along with people..."

"what?"

Not understanding what it meant, and just as I was about to ask back, I heard light footsteps behind me.

It seems we slowed down while we were talking, which is why the people behind us caught up.

I wonder what Hayama plans to do.

When looked at, he paid no attention to what was behind him, looking at his feet, and continued reciting:

"...Same as above, right?"

"Don't repeat it so seriously, it's so embarrassing, please stop..."

Hearing my own words from someone else always sends a chill down my spine. So I desperately tried to come up with an excuse, but Hayama's calm words drowned out my thoughts.

"I still hate you, just as I thought."

"oh oh……"

Hearing these abrupt words, completely unaddressed to me, I was at a loss for words. Although I'm not exactly the likable type, I'd never been told this so bluntly before. Hayama seemed completely unconcerned by my reaction, continuing to speak calmly, still facing forward and gazing into the distance.

"I really hate that I feel inferior to you. That's why I want to be your equal, that's why I want to elevate you, maybe that's all. I just want to confirm that I lost to you."

"……Is it."

I think it's the same for me. I wanted to portray Hayama as a special being, someone I could trust, so I told myself those lies. I wanted to believe that Hayama Hayato was an absolutely good person without a doubt.

Perhaps my meaningless response finally got through to him, because Hayama turned to me. Then he revealed an unprecedentedly refreshed expression and a provocative smile.

"I won't do what you say. Even if it doesn't end well, I'll stick to my way..."

He paused.

"Your approach to things and your perspective are both different..."

"Ah."

I nodded to him, and he nodded in response.

Partners, friends—Hayama and I will never cooperate until the very end. Even in terms of methods and viewpoints, we are completely opposite.

However, there's still something we can do together to address this urgent situation.

Seemingly having made a decision, he stretched to check the situation.

"So first, I need to win..."

"Are you sure? They're chasing us really closely."

My legs were completely full, and I couldn't go any further. I guess this is my limit? But Hayama seems alright.

"no problem."

He answered without turning his head. He stretched lightly, clenched his fist, and smiled faintly:

"No problem, I will win, because... this is me."

He won. He fulfilled everyone's expectations and continued to play the role of "everyone's Hayato Hayama" until the very end.

It's as if it really is true.

Wishing for everything, entrusting everything, accepting everything.

That's the complete opposite of me.

But perhaps that's why we have such different views on how to deal with interpersonal relationships?

One, or zero.

Hayama had always been the former, but I chose the latter.

But what about before that? What were we like then?

He quickened his pace, walked ahead of me, turned around, and gave me his refreshing smile.

"What are you going to do?"

There's really no need to ask; you'll see it sooner or later, and you'll understand once you do.

He didn't answer me, so I replied breathlessly:

"...Just keep moving forward."

Without regret, Hayama smiled:

"However... you'll probably be the one to set off first, right?"

A hint of loneliness appeared on his face as he ran forward without looking back.

They left me far behind.

I didn't have the energy to chase after him.

All I could do was watch him walk away.

An answer I cannot give. An incredible possibility seen in a dream.

He's nowhere to be seen.

Damn, isn't this super cool?

There's nothing to do but mechanically move forward. Winning or losing—when everything has come to this point, it becomes irrelevant.

I figured I had to keep going forward. That's what I was thinking as I ran, and then my right foot accidentally tripped over my left calf.

Unable to maintain my balance, I fell to the ground and lay there on my back, looking up at the sky.

"I still can't do what Hayama did."

The white breath I exhaled gradually disappeared into the clear winter blue sky.

Then, what Yui Yuigahama received was...

In the end, the marathon did not change its schedule because I lay on the ground, and it proceeded slowly.

Although I was rescued by Totsuka after lying down for a while, I felt bad for troubling him any further, so I let him go first, while I dragged my aching feet to the finish line by myself.

I mingled with the bottom-ranked group in the final stretch, and gave it my all as I crossed the finish line, thankfully not coming in last. As I crossed the finish line, I was practically saying something like, "I think I made it through without any problems..." Incidentally, the person who answered me that was Zaimokuza, who was running alongside me at the very end.

When I finally finished the run, my knees were shaking so badly they looked like I was laughing; it was practically niconico...

I checked my condition after I fell down, and I looked absolutely miserable.

My knees and shins are scraped, my athletic shorts are filthy, I have a cramp in my butt, and my side aches constantly. It's hard to find a spot on my body that isn't painful. I'm already a troublesome person, but I never imagined I could be in this much pain—it's quite an achievement (it hurts so much).

If I hadn't kept encouraging myself from the beginning of the journey, my life points would probably have been reduced to zero long ago.

Of course, nobody was waiting for me to cross the finish line.

It's more like the only person near the finish line who was really disappointing was the PE teacher; everyone else was in the park's plaza.

I walked over there and took a quick look; it seemed like an awards ceremony was in progress.

Marathon events don't usually have award ceremonies, but considering that Isshiki is in charge of organizing this event, it must have been an emergency plan by the student council. She seems more capable than I thought. What a terrifying person, Isshiki.

"Well then—the results of the competition have been announced. Now, let's invite the winner to give their acceptance speech—"

Isshiki, holding the microphone she'd brought from the student council, spoke happily. The vice president, constantly adjusting the speaker, looked somewhat dreamy.

I looked around and it seemed that most of the boys and girls, whether they were first or second graders, were gathered in this square. Yuihama, Miura, Ebina, and Tobetozuka were all here too.

As I was looking around, Isshiki called out the winner's name.