My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As Expected

Page 476

Yang sighed impatiently.

"I see."

The phrase "staying up until dawn" is incredibly obscene. I thought "Live Until Dawn" [Note] was definitely an erotic program. So I also find "It's Dawn! Let's Go Traveling Together" [Note] a bit erotic. [Note 9: "Asama de Ima TV," a Japanese late-night live broadcast program. / Note 10: "Asama da! Ima desu Tabisarada," a Japanese travel program, translated as "Relaxing and Leisurely Travel."]

Speaking of which, I've accidentally learned something I didn't want to know again... Did Weekly Hachiman's "Hachiman Cannon" explode again? [Note] No, this time they're just setting off celebratory cannons, aren't they? We occasionally drop some cheerful gossip! There's no time for me to come up with these lame excuses that I don't even know who I'm telling them to. Thinking that Haruno's attitude tonight is due to drinking so much, I should actually be grateful, not upset. [Note 11: From the Japanese gossip magazine "Weekly Bunshun," a metaphor for a major scoop.]

If it were the usual Yang Nai, she would definitely have pursued the matter to the end, but now her expression was refreshed.

I kept observing her expression, so I lagged behind Haruno. Haruno, who was walking in front, stretched and yawned.

"But thankfully I came back early, so I was able to hear what Yukino had to say."

"..."

She breathed a sigh of relief, and I fell silent.

"Um?"

Yang turned to look at me, probably wondering why I was silent.

I gently shook my head to indicate that it was nothing.

"...No, it was just a bit of a surprise."

This time, she turned around and asked lightly:

"What's unexpected?"

"It's just... you listened carefully to what Yukinoshita was saying."

"Of course! I'm her older sister, you know."

Yang Nai gave a helpless smile. She had thought Yang Nai would walk backwards like this, but instead, Yang Nai turned around and walked forward again.

"If Komachi makes a request, you'll listen, right?"

"...Yes. Now that you put it that way, I understand."

If it were me and Komachi, it would definitely make sense. As long as it's Komachi's request, and it comes from the bottom of her heart, I would definitely agree unconditionally in a second.

Seeing Komachi's example left me speechless, and Haruno laughed.

"Right? Now that Yukino has made this choice, whether it's right or wrong, I will support her."

"Shouldn't we stop her if she makes the wrong choice?"

"That kid won't listen anyway. The point is, I don't care what happens. Whether things go smoothly or I'm forced to give up, it makes no difference..."

Yang murmured, "I can't see her face." I was a little concerned about her current expression, so I quickened my pace slightly.

However, the distance between us didn't decrease much; I could only catch a glimpse of her profile. A short while later, we stepped off the overpass spanning the road and entered the park path.

Orange streetlights lined up in a row on the withered yellow grass.

With each step, the streetlights cast warm glows and cold shadows on Yang Nai's fair cheeks. I still couldn't see her expression clearly, just like her somewhat contradictory and ambiguous words from before.

After crossing the lush grass and stepping onto the central path of the park, the view immediately opens up.

After arriving at the tree-lined path along the fountain, Yang slowed her pace slightly and looked up at the night sky. I looked up as well and saw a crescent moon hanging in the sky, with tall buildings standing side by side like twins, emitting a soft glow.

Yang lightly jumped up the steps and looked back at me.

"Humans grow up by experiencing many sacrifices."

"yes……"

The world shrinking must symbolize our own growth. Only by constantly eliminating options and cutting away possibilities can we carve out a clearer future.

I can understand that; Yukinoshita's choice probably falls into this category as well.

However, when Yang Nai said these words, her eyes seemed melancholy and sad, which bothered me. Perhaps it was because her tone made it sound like she was talking about someone else.

"...Have you ever experienced this?"

"Hehe, what do you think?"

She smiled.

"It has nothing to do with me. We're talking about Yukino right now... This is probably the first time that girl has spoken her mind. You should just watch over her and keep an eye on her."

This was like a subtle hint that I shouldn't intervene. The tone was very similar to when he described me as gentle on the phone before.

I have no objection to "respecting Yukino's opinion" in itself, and there's no need for me to offer my opinion on this matter. Therefore, I can nod and agree to Haruno's suggestion.

This is probably the mindset we expect—to be expected of. Since Yukinoshita Haruno has affirmed it, there's no need to nitpick.

"……Um."

Yang Nai was perhaps satisfied with my answer. She gently put her hands behind her back, puffed out her chest, and looked happy.

"Hehe, I'm playing the older sister again..."

"Don't you ever consider staying in the role of the older sister?"

"No way!"

I said it jokingly, and Yang Nai immediately replied. She turned her head and smiled at me.

"I'm different from you. You're always the 'older brother'."

"...Well, because I'm the older brother."

Stop talking nonsense. I've been a veteran of being the older brother since the moment Komachi was born. I don't need to pay special attention; I can always be in older brother mode. I'm very proud of that.

Yang stared intently into my eyes, then suddenly burst out laughing.

"Oh, I see. Having an older brother is great. I really want an older brother like that too!"

I don't know if Yang Nai was joking, but she giggled and, taking advantage of her drunkenness, put her arm around my shoulder. As her whole body leaned against me, the soft touch and fragrance captivated me.

"I'm saying... people don't like people who act crazy when they're drunk..."

"I'm not drunk. I'm not drunk."

I tried to gently push Yang Nai away, but she staggered, lingering and refusing to let go of me.

As we walked, the tree-lined path came to an end, and ahead lay the street leading to the station.

The shopping center is just two streets away. Although it was already closed, the path leading to the station plaza was still warmly lit. Yang was still with her arm around my shoulder, and I really didn't want to attract attention.

When we reached the fork in the road where the station was on the right and the convenience store was on the left, I finally managed to shake off Haruno and take a step away from her.

"Um... are you sure you'll be okay going back alone?"

"Oh, so gentle~ Not bad~ You really have a gentlemanly demeanor."

She slapped my shoulder hard, as if to say, "He's a gentleman friend who's good at treating women gently! [Note]"... Ugh, so annoying. I barely managed to control the twitching muscles in my face and put on an impatient expression. [Note 12: A line from the anime *Kemono Friends*.]

"I'm not a gentleman. I'm going straight home."

Yang Nai smiled happily again.

Don't worry.

The next second, her smile vanished, and her tone became extremely calm. A chilling glint flashed in her previously bewildered eyes.

"How could you possibly get drunk on that little bit of alcohol?"

Even if she said that, I still didn't know how much she had drunk. However, her voice was different from before; it neither trembled nor suddenly rose in pitch. I realized that this person was Yukinoshita Haruno, just like always.

Her voice was beautiful and alluring, as if it wanted to intoxicate the listener and then curse them to death, just like her usual appearance.

To avoid being attracted, I resumed my normal attitude, sighed, turned my head away, and jokingly teased the other person in a volume that didn't care whether they heard me.

"...I've heard that drunkards always say they're not drunk."

"I'm really not drunk...maybe I can't actually get drunk."

That soft murmur made me look back at Yang Nai. She was gazing into the distance.

Yang Nai's cheeks flushed slightly, but her eyes were as cold as ice; the corners of her mouth were raised, but she wasn't actually smiling.

"No matter how much I drink, I'm always quite calm behind the scenes. I can even see my own expression clearly. Even if I'm making a lot of noise and laughing, I always have a sense of detachment."

Even now, it's the same. There's a sense of distance in her words, as if she's talking about someone else. She's clearly talking about herself, yet her statements are remarkably objective, with the subjective elements vaguely defined. Therefore, this self-absorbed, rambling discourse seems to be a mixture of lies and truth.

She noticed me staring at her silently, stuck out her tongue to cover it up, and used this gesture to tell me that everything above was a joke.

"...So, I'll just drink until I throw up and then get drunk."

"This is the worst way to get drunk..."

"That's right."

I responded jokingly, and Yang Nai covered her mouth and chuckled softly before continuing to walk away. I watched Yang Nai walk halfway to the convenience store, when she suddenly turned back.

The smile she gave me revealed a hint of kindness and compassion. It was probably the gentlest smile I had ever seen.

"However, you're probably the same... Let me make a prediction for you. You won't get drunk."

"Please don't. I plan to become a high-class corporate slave who is reluctantly dragged into drinking, or a super stay-at-home dad who eats and drinks with his wife's money in broad daylight."

I responded with an unpleasant smug smile and words that were too sensational to be a farewell, and then took the same step.

Turning my head, I saw Yang Nai still standing there, watching me with an expression more innocent than usual. The distance between us was just right, about three steps apart, so I couldn't help but say a few words.

"...Also, I still think you're drunk."

She actually said those things, and even gave me a smile that seemed genuine. It was as if the real Yukinoshita Haruno had appeared before me; no matter how I looked at it, she was drunk.

Yang Nai was stunned for a moment.

"Is that so...? Okay, then I guess I was drunk."

She raised her hand to her mouth, covering the slightly upturned corners of her lips, and nodded frankly.

Yang waved goodbye, and I nodded in response before turning away.

That person was spouting the big lie that "alcohol is the lubricant for opening up," using alcohol as an excuse and putting on another mask.

In the end, she never revealed her true self, yet deliberately showed flaws. I still don't understand what the real her was like.

If we're talking about her contradictory demeanor or her cunning in dealing with people, she certainly seems like an adult. At least more mature than me. Because she has a way of pretending to forget what she ultimately failed to swallow.

As night deepens, the streets fall asleep in the quiet darkness. Only the dim lights of the large cherry blossom-shaped station and the taxi lights waiting for passengers remain conspicuous. Leaving the station, the hustle and bustle fades away.

In this tranquility, only one sentence kept echoing in my ears.

I can't get drunk.

I think this prediction is very accurate.

Volume 12 Interlude…

It's true that I like organizing things.

Although I'm not good at it at all.

However, I just like it.

I like to tidy up the things that are piled up all over the floor, messy, abandoned, and so chaotic they can't get any messier, one by one.

Because during the tidying process, you'll have a feeling that "this is good enough".

It was just the two of us at home. After discussing where to start, she said she needed to prepare empty cardboard boxes and garbage bags, so she left the room, and I stayed behind to wait for her.

I looked around the room. It was very tidy, with nothing superfluous and hardly anything that needed to be organized, unlike my own room.

Only the bedside in the corner of the room was particularly lively.

There were plush toys, cat merchandise, and other things that she probably liked and thought were important.

In this room with its monotonous colors and striking cool tones like blue, light blue, and silver, that corner is particularly soft and girly.

I found it very heartwarming and cute, and reached out to stroke the panda plush toy on it.

Then I noticed a plastic bag behind the doll, as if it were hidden there.

It was a flat, black, square-shaped bag that seemed a bit out of place in the cute space.

Plus, the bag looked somewhat familiar, so I couldn't resist reaching out my hand.

I opened the door a crack and peeked inside. There was a commemorative photo inside. I have the same photo. I got it when I went out with my family and rode that amusement park ride.

Even though I knew I shouldn't look at it, I still couldn't resist opening it.

The photo shows two familiar people.