My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As Expected

Page 470

Touching it out of fun will cause it to melt away, and swatting it away as a prank will also make it disappear. But even if you pretend not to see it and ignore it, it will gradually disappear.

If the weather stays this cold, will things stay the same? I couldn't help but ponder this pointless question, then pretended to shiver, shook my head, and shook off the thought. The answer to this question was already proven by the snowman I made as a child.

Finally, I stood up and happened to see a vending machine in the corner of the park, which was mainly red and blue.

Before I walked toward the vending machine, I looked back at the two people.

"Would you like something to drink?"

They glanced at each other, then gently shook their heads. I nodded in understanding.

I walked up to the vending machine, took out some coins from my wallet, and shoved them into the coin slot with a clatter.

My usual coffee and two bottles of black tea fell into the hole. I squatted down, took out the drinks, and put them in my coat pocket.

The canned coffee I took out last was clearly very hot, but it was surprisingly cold to the touch. Holding it for too long would definitely burn me, so I gently tossed it a few times like throwing a beanbag, all the while trying to figure out why it was so cold.

Once my cold hands had gotten used to the temperature of the tin can, I finally solved my mystery.

The perceived temperature is just a string of numbers. If you don't give these numbers any meaning, they are just numbers.

I understand what meaningful warmth is. I didn't just understand it through words, but through my own experience; I realized that "temperature" and "warmth" are different concepts. However, I only discovered this recently, so there's nothing to be proud of.

Compared to the warmth that could be bought with a hundred-dollar coin before, the thirty-six-degree body temperature felt even hotter when we briefly touched through the fabric.

I savored the lingering warmth that had traveled from my thigh to my chest, and slowly walked back to the bench.

I vaguely sensed that I could no longer feel that heat, so I tried to delay my return as much as possible. Even so, I did not stop.

The seat I left vacant remained unfilled. This was especially true after I inadvertently became aware of the warmth I had felt earlier.

Illustration 005

In the end, I still don't understand how close we should get to be the right distance.

So, I slowly moved forward, thinking, "It's okay to get this close," and "I can get even closer."

Just like the passage of this year.

Approaching the other person, exploring the area that can be reached, and re-measuring the sense of distance.

When you know nothing, you stride forward without hesitation; once you become aware, you must immediately tiptoe. By the time you realize you understand nothing at all, your feet are already immobilized.

One step away. At least half a step away.

I stopped at this distance.

The streetlights, like spotlights, illuminated the bench and two figures, whose shadows, stretching out in all directions, were thin and somewhat blurry.

I stared blankly at the scene, saying nothing, and took the drinks out of my pocket. The two looked puzzled, but still thanked me and took the drinks. Careful not to touch their fingers, I handed them the drinks and put my hands back in my empty pockets.

At that moment, a rustling sound came from inside the pocket, like a packaging bag.

The smooth texture caught my attention. I glanced at the bag opening and saw that the cookies I had received earlier were still inside, untouched.

The number of cookies neither increased nor decreased. Patting the pocket wouldn't make it grow any more [Note 1: from the lyrics of the children's song "The Magical Pocket"].

Happiness doesn't come easily. Peter and Cheetah or Carrousel have all said this [Note 2: referring to Japanese entertainer Shinnosuke Ikehata, enka singer Kiyoko Suizenji, and entertainer Maki Carrousel, respectively].

The headache is that, although they don't increase, they can easily decrease or be lost.

I took out the cookie to check for any damage. Thankfully, it had pink shredded paper inside to prevent it from breaking, and the cookie was completely unharmed.

I breathed a sigh of relief and was about to put it back in my pocket when I suddenly heard a soft exhalation.

Snowfall's gaze lingered on the bag of biscuits.

"...So beautiful."

She spoke softly, her eyes filled with the ecstasy of a girl falling in love. Yuihama seemed startled by Yukinoshita's sudden words, but then immediately leaned forward excitedly.

"Ah, um! I spent a long time choosing this bag and the master!"

"Maste? What's that? Is it an Indian greeting?"

"That's namaste, right? Maste refers to washi tape."

Yukinoshita pressed her temples, looking helpless.

"You can't even greet someone properly, yet you know all sorts of random things."

"What nonsense are you talking about? A simple greeting can create a conversational atmosphere, isn't that great? Knowing how to greet someone is essential knowledge."

Upon hearing this, Yukinoshita showed a defeated expression.

"In your mind, greeting someone is also a form of conversation..."

"Yeah. So I try not to greet people."

"You're so bad at conversation! You really are a shut-in."

Yeah, yeah, I am an introverted guy. "A person's name reflects their character" is such a good saying. Speaking of which, I've actually gotten used to this nickname Yui gave me... Before, I would deliberately act cute, blush, look away, and mutter, "I don't know anyone with such an embarrassing name!" [Note]. Wait, I don't remember doing that. Because I gave up resisting from the start and accepted the nickname! [Note 3: From *Eromanga Sensei*, a recurring line spoken by the protagonist's sister, Sagiri, when someone mentions her pen name "Eromanga Sensei."]

Maste… short for Masking tape, right? I’ll remember that. I don’t know what that tape is for, though. But Ms. Yukinoshita, you seem surprisingly familiar with youth culture… I thought to myself, turning my gaze to her.

Yukinoshita probably guessed what I was thinking and chuckled softly.

"Masking tape was originally used to protect the seams when painting, but recently there are also many styles with exquisite patterns."

"Yes, yes, yes. A bunch of cute designs, super trendy! Perfect for wrapping things, or sticking them on your journal..."

Yuihama excitedly began her explanation. As I listened, I re-examined the packaging. Ah, I see, it is indeed exquisitely decorated.

The ribbon is a good size and is decorated with gold thread, while the tape is also printed with a dog paw print pattern. The overall appearance is quite cute and pleasing.

Yui noticed that I was staring at the packaging, and seemed to start to get restless, her gaze wandering.

"Taste, flavor... I'm not very confident... but I'm trying my best."

Finally, Yui looked straight at me and said it firmly. Seeing how serious she was, with no room for joking around, I gently stroked the bag of cookies in my hand.

"...Yes, I know."

I really think the cookies were a great success. Although I haven't eaten them yet and don't know how they taste, I can still tell that she, who isn't good at cooking, put her heart and soul into making them for the recipient.

Therefore, I tried my best to respond with sincere words that were neither too exaggerated nor lacking in genuine feeling. The sentence was ordinary, neither humorous nor interesting, but even so, she seemed to understand what I meant.

"Right? Because you mentioned it before. Like how hard you tried."

Yuihama puffed out her chest smugly and wagged her finger as she spoke.

"...You still remember?"

I never expected her memory to be so good... Well, of course I remember it myself too.

That statement wasn't a lie, and I still genuinely believe it to this day. However, having it said to my face is incredibly embarrassing. Just thinking about what I said makes me want to kill myself; that's the kind of person I am.

However, it seems I wasn't the only one who felt embarrassed.

"Yes, yes. It's not so much that I remember, but rather that I can't forget... because I was a little startled when I heard that sentence. Haha..."

Yui Hama gave a shy smile and awkwardly shifted her body. "You're making me feel weird too!" In the end, even I just laughed dryly, "Ahahaha..." Then, our eyes met, and Yui Hama instantly looked away.

"...No, but you've been doing that kind of thing ever since, I've gotten used to it!"

She added the last sentence jokingly, and Yukinoshita laughed out loud.

"Yes, eight or nine out of ten times it's below expectations."

"Yes, yes, yes."

Yuihama nodded in agreement. Hmm—I have some objections… I glanced at Yukinoshita in disapproval.

"...Wait, it can't be just me, right? Aren't you the same, classmate?"

"What a strange name..."

As expected, the classmate raised an eyebrow and glared at him sideways. Yui, standing to the side, lowered her eyebrows in annoyance and opened her mouth.

"Ah...like that time with animal therapy..."

"That's right, that's right, although I don't know if that's below or above expectations."

Yuihama scratched her cheek slightly, looking a little embarrassed, and I nodded in agreement. We weren't exactly close at the time, so I couldn't strongly refute her, but now, thinking back, I can't help but wonder, "What was she saying...?" Yuihama pondered, wondering if she felt the same way I did.

"Hmm... it's hard to say. At the time, I thought, 'This person is so smart,' but..."

Oh dear, a turning point has appeared. Since she said "however," what follows can only be negative. Yuihama also thinks she just wants to play with the cat...

Not saying it outright is also a form of gentleness. If I were to speak frankly, Yukino would probably launch into a barrage of rebuttals like a machine gun, so I silently kept this thought to myself.

However, Yuihama couldn't seem to hide it. Well, how could she possibly hide such a heart!

"No, however! Yukino is a bit naive!"

She may have originally intended to speak up for Yukinoshita, but Yukinoshita responded with only a cold gaze.

"Are you talking about yourself?"

"No, no! You see, when I played Monopoly before, I used my brain to think..."

Yuihama was speechless for a moment, but then quickly thought of an example to refute it. I also dredged up some hazy memories and recalled that dark game I played with the game club.

"I think you're just lucky..."

"It's okay, luck is also a part of ability! That day, that was my birthday, it's only natural that I was lucky, or rather, something good happened, I'm very happy..."

Yuihama was initially quite excited, but towards the end, she lowered her head slightly, her voice growing softer and softer. Her words were all mumbled together, completely inaudible; I really wanted to ask her to stop. Thinking about the gift I gave her back then, even I felt shy and lowered my head, okay? At that moment, Yukinoshita mumbled:

"Does birthday have anything to do with good luck...?"

"Yes, yes, yes! Winning is all that matters!"

Yukinoshita looked serious, tilting her head slightly; Yuihama puffed out her cheeks, grumbling sullenly. Seeing them like this, I couldn't help but laugh.

Yuihama is right. No matter what the process was, the result is a victory. So, that's good.

Both I and Yukinoshita have always found redemption in her positive and proactive attitude.

Yukinoshita probably understood this as well. She raised the corners of her mouth, brushed aside the hair that fell to her shoulder, and nodded in satisfaction.

"...Yes, that's right. Victory is a good thing."

"Here we go again, that stubborn, never-give-up attitude..."

I couldn't help but smile bitterly. Upon hearing this, Yukinoshita looked at me calmly.

"You seem to really enjoy losing."

"That's not quite right. I always intend to win."

The two people opposite didn't listen at all, and Yui even expressed her agreement:

"Like in tennis and judo..."

"...Should I say it was all for nothing?"

Yukino sighed, whether out of helplessness or exhaustion. This sentence makes me a little unhappy, and I must correct her here:

"No way! I didn't break any bones that time with judo, I just injured my back."

Yukinoshita didn't seem to approve of the joke, and this time it was her turn to look displeased.

"This is just a metaphor. Why are you interrupting? Besides, have you gone to the hospital for a checkup? If back pain becomes chronic, it's hard to treat and very troublesome to manage later." [Note 4: The Japanese for "to have worked so hard for nothing" is "骨骨り损" (guǔjǐsǔn), and the Japanese for "interrupting" is "话の腰を折る" (huà shì yāo wo zhéru), which literally translate to "breaking a bone" and "breaking a back," respectively.]

"So you're that worried about him? Well, actually, I'm a little worried too!"

Yukinoshita, on the surface, questioned me, but in reality, she turned the tables with a dry joke. Yuihama was a little startled, but immediately chimed in. Hmm—I really wish those precious suggestions and greetings had been given to me back then…

Well, since they're so concerned, I'll just report the truth...

"Yes, I went to an osteopathic clinic and even won the right to rest on the side during PE class by showing the receipt."

"Wow, how cunning! And I was so worried!"

Seeing my smug look, Yui Hama probably wanted to take back what she said earlier. But save it, you definitely weren't worried about anything back then. Yui Hama probably noticed my resentful look and quickly clapped her hands to change the subject.

"Actually, those kinds of roughhousing activities are quite fun. Everyone has a lot of fun playing together."

"……Yeah?"

I agree with the part about "playing around," but I have my doubts about whether everyone really had fun playing together. Yuihama puffed out her chest and answered confidently:

"Of course! Yumiko, Hina, Hayato, Aya, Komachi, didn't you all have a lot of fun? During the summer vacation before."

She shifted her gaze to the distance, and Yukinoshita nodded in agreement.

"When camping, it's always a lively time, regardless of whether you have fun or not... Did you miss anyone?"