My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As Expected

Page 481

Komachi touched the back of her neck and said jokingly. However, her cheeks were flushed red, so it was impossible to lie.

Silly girl, if you're shy, don't say it. You're making me feel embarrassed too. Also, if you're going to lie, lie properly. When you're trying to hide your shyness, hide it properly too. Your brother is an expert at this.

I decided to demonstrate for her myself, and began by saying:

"Your grades aren't high, and you're acting like you're about to get married. I absolutely won't allow you to get married. And... really, please—"

Before he could finish speaking, his voice caught in his throat.

I felt a lump in my throat, and my breathing became unusually heavy.

His previously rapid-fire speech suddenly became hoarse and could no longer continue, leaving only his uncontrollable breathing slowly escaping from his mouth.

A stinging sensation welled up in my burning eyes, and I blinked. The next moment, a clear tear rolled down my cheek.

"Strange...why are my eyes sweating...what's going on? Why is this happening?"

I reflexively looked up at the ceiling, gently biting my lip, letting out a trembling breath through the gap. Komachi opened her eyes wide in slight surprise, then chuckled softly.

"Brother, those are tears. It's like a robot experiencing emotions for the first time!"

"Master of covering up, tears... Master of covering up, feelings..."

"Why does it even mimic a robot's speech...?"

There's no way around it. If I didn't try to laugh it off, I really would have burst into tears.

I'm not sad or heartbroken, and my eyes don't hurt either; I'm just too happy.

At the same time, I also felt a sense of quiet relief.

This emotion was hard to put into words; I could only whimper like a disgruntled dog.

Seeing me with my head down, unable to speak, Komachi smiled helplessly, wiped her eyes lightly, then reached out and gently patted my head a few times, whispering:

"Komachi, go heat up the bathwater. Brother, you can go first."

Her voice seemed to tremble slightly. Komachi sniffed, silently got up, and quickly walked out of the living room without looking back.

Listening to her footsteps fading into the distance, I finally let out a sigh of relief. I couldn't utter a single normal word; instead, I could only let out sighs.

Just then, Xiaoxue, who had just crawled into the corner of the room, came back and rubbed her head against my back.

What a clever cat that can read people's expressions; I wonder who it takes after.

I picked up Xiaoxue and put her back on my lap.

"...Is this what they call growing up and becoming independent? Ms. Xiaoxue, what do you think? Isn't graduating a bit too soon?"

Xiaoxue didn't utter a sound, she just silently let me stroke her.

Instead, my nose twitched.

Volume 12, Chapter 4: To this day, he has never touched that key.

In February, the grass had not yet sprouted.

Although the signs of spring can be felt occasionally, temperatures often plummet, and only the seasons on the calendar are about to change. The trees, bare after winter, will likely have to wait a while before new buds sprout. The same is true for the riverside park and tree-lined paths; the scenery still retains a wintery feel.

In addition, the bike path I used to ride to school had a particularly strong winter feel due to the cold sea breeze.

The days off and Komachi's thanks made me relax a bit, but the cold air hitting my face brought me back to my senses. With the three-day exam break over, I deeply felt myself returning to daily life.

My body seems to have adapted fairly well. After all, I've been riding this route for almost two years, so even when I'm mindless, I naturally take the most appropriate action when I come to a turn or a traffic light.

Will I be able to ride to school with my eyes closed after another year? No, to be precise, "only one year left." Perhaps in the distant future, driven by nostalgia, I'll impulsively come back for a stroll. But for now, I only have one more year to call this road my "road to school."

No matter when, no matter what happens, no matter where you are, there are things that exist only in the present moment. Even the sun, rising in the east and setting in the west day after day, is no exception. If we divide sunrise into distinctions like "the first sunrise" or "the light of dawn" [Note 30], assigning them special meanings, then perpetuity ceases to exist. [Note 30: "The first sunrise" refers to the sunrise on New Year's Day; "the light of dawn" refers to the sunrise seen from a high mountain.]

This principle can perhaps also be applied to interpersonal relationships. My sibling relationship with Komachi is an unchanging fact. However, realizing that "we are no longer the people we were when we were children" might cause some changes in our relationship.

We'll become a slightly more mature brother and sister. After all, after fifteen years together, Komachi and I both understand that this won't bring about any major changes in us.

Komachi and I are family. That should be enough. I can only ask her to accept this fate and stay with me for the rest of her life. To stay with her brother for the rest of her life, living in hell.

—So, how long can anyone else stay with me?

As I was thinking, I had already ridden to the side gate of the school.

I slowed down gradually, weaved between pedestrians and bicycles, then turned the handlebars, slid into an empty bicycle slot, and pressed the brake. The bicycle creaked.

After locking my bicycle, I glanced up and noticed that there were more empty spaces than I had expected.

On my way to the school building entrance, I kept wondering, "Is the bicycle parking area really that big?"

On the first day of school after the long holiday, the students on the road were still a little excited, chatting happily as they walked, and their voices were louder than usual.

Thanks to them, my previous question has been answered.

It's currently a crucial time for senior high school students preparing for their major exams, and they can study at home. Most students are choosing not to come to school, which explains the empty bicycle parking area and the rather deserted first and second floors of the school building. Every classroom along the path from the main gate to the stairs is empty. Therefore, the sounds of other students chatting seem even louder.

The silence, coldness, and tranquility create unease, which is why the students talk so much.

Thinking about this, I couldn't help but feel a sense of loneliness in their noise.

However, climbing to the third floor where the second-grade classrooms were located, the noise began to warm up—or rather, it was incredibly noisy! I have no interest in how you spent this three-day holiday, so shut up! Also, stop sharing photos with each other on your phones! Didn't you already upload those photos to social media? Your friends have all seen them, reflexively liked them, and then forgot about them the next second. Ah, so you're showing them off now? Right! Hey, not bad! You're really well prepared! A flawless two-stage stance [Note 31: From the description of the "Flying Sky Sword Style" sword-drawing technique in the novel "The Legend of the Condor Heroes"]!

As I struggled to weave through the crowd of Instagrammers crammed into the hallway, I heard light footsteps behind me. I stepped aside to the right to let them pass, but they tapped me on the left shoulder.

"Good morning, Hachiman!"

I turned around and saw a face that outshone all the photos on my Instagram—Totsuka Saika wearing a trench coat over her school uniform.

"Good morning...good morning..."

I managed to squeeze out a sound, and Totsuka, probably pleased with his successful prank, grinned mischievously and asked me in a teasing tone, "Were you scared?" I could only hold my breath and nod repeatedly. Ugh! You prankster Totsuka! [Note 32: A parody of the manga "Teasing Master Takagi-san"]

No, I was genuinely startled. Why is this person so cute? Smiling while covering her mouth with the overly long sleeve of her trench coat—her femininity is off the charts! Hey, hey, hey, stop uploading pictures of trendy hooded jackets sold in Daikanyama or Nakameguro! Let's see what true femininity is! Ladies, please reflect on yourselves. Anyway, first, give this a crazy number of likes on my Instagram!

During the sixteen-press [Note] sequence, my heart rate returned to normal, my breathing calmed down, and I was able to observe Totsuka again. [Note 33: A parody of the famous Japanese gamer Takahashi Meijin. He was known for his extremely fast hand speed, capable of pressing sixteen buttons per second.]

Her slightly long, smooth, and silvery-white hair was a little messy. She slung her racket back on her shoulder with a nimble and deft movement, her smile bright and refreshing, her cheeks glowing with a healthy pink hue. Hmm, it seems she rushed over after her morning workout.

Totsuka exuded the refreshing citrus scent of a body spray. He probably thought that was proper etiquette. In that case, it was gentlemanly to inhale the fragrance deeply, store it in my chest, and send it to every corner of my body with my red blood cells. I took a deep breath and casually started the conversation as I exhaled.

"You must be tired from your morning exercise. You're amazing, especially considering how cold it is."

"Yeah. But I'm used to it."

Totsuka matched my pace, answering with a beaming smile. His tone carried more confidence than modesty.

"The new students will be coming in soon, so we need to do our best to impress them."

The way he clenched his fist to encourage himself was so adorable, reliable, pitiful, and endearing—it brought a smile to my face. Almost every other positive adjective could be used to describe it. As a result, my language skills instantly plummeted to zero, and all I could do was gaze at him with teary eyes. No words were needed… However, Totsuka probably thought it was strange that I wasn't speaking and was just staring at him. He tilted his head in confusion and looked up at me.

"How are you going to recruit new students?"

"what?"

Asked an unexpected question, and also because I was momentarily distracted, I made a startled sound. Totsuka seemed to realize that he hadn't explained himself clearly enough, and gestured to add to the explanation.

"The Service Club is a club, right? What will you do if no new students join?"

Although I had doubts about whether the Service Club was a club, I still thought about what Totsuka had said.

"I don't know... I'm just a handyman, how could I know? Besides, I don't even know how this club was founded... I was kidnapped, imprisoned, and then threatened into joining."

"Ahaha, I see..."

"So, there probably won't be any new people joining."

Upon hearing this, Totsuka, who had been wearing a wry smile, silently lowered his gaze.

"Is that so...that's a bit of a shame."

No new students are joining, which means the Service Club will soon disappear. I'm reminded of this obvious fact again. I take a step forward, walk to Totsuka, hide my expression, and then deliberately sigh wearily.

"I also think it's a pity... I really wish I could be a senior and tell the junior, 'You're not the only one who's exhausted; everyone has gone through this,' or 'If you can't even stay here, you won't be able to stay anywhere else'..."

"That senior is so annoying..."

I could sense a wry smile on Totsuka's face behind me.

"Ah, that's not what I meant! I meant the Service Club is a wonderful club, and I hope it continues..."

Totsuka caught up with me and walked beside me. His gaze, as he looked up at me, held a hint of worry.

"...Well, it depends on what the president and advisor decide. I'm just a general assistant, I don't have any decision-making power."

Therefore, I am telling the absolute truth.

Totsuka chuckled and said:

"That's the kind of way to put it, like an office worker."

His tone was somewhat joking. But perhaps that's the right way to put it.

My stance has always been this: when work comes to me in the form of assignments or consultations, it often involves problems, challenges, or difficulties, which I then address to the best of my ability. This has little to do with my personal will. Because it's work—I habitually say this.

Therefore, my response also contained a touch of self-torture.

"Right? I heard it's even harder after you enter the workforce. That's terrifying! I'd rather die than go out to work."

As we chatted, we arrived at the classroom, waved to each other gently, and walked to our seats.

Thanks to the heating, the classroom was warmer than the hallway, with a relaxed atmosphere permeating the room. Compared to those near the door who had to endure the cold wind seeping in through the cracks, the students by the window enjoyed the electric heaters, making most of them languid. Kawasaki Saki, sitting in the front row by the window, even propped her face up with her eyes closed, looking like she was dozing off.

As for the group of people in the back row by the window, they were as energetic as ever. The previous pastry-making activity had come to a successful conclusion, and they once again chatted idly about everything under the sun, centered around the Ministry of Revenue, having a great time.

Did that event also change their relationship? Miura Yumiko couldn't quite gauge the right distance, but she slowly drew closer; Ebina Hina maintained a proper distance from others while also making progress; as for Tobe Sho… it didn't matter. Anyway, he seemed happy at the time, and since it was Tobe, it didn't matter.

As for the person who praised the event for being well-organized—I accidentally glanced over there, and Yuihama, who was among them, noticed me.

She opened her mouth slightly and waved gently at me. This would make me very embarrassed, so please stop... But I couldn't ignore her, so I nodded in response.

The others also noticed Yuihama's gaze and looked over. Miura twirled her curly hair and looked back at his phone; Ebina mouthed "Oh~" to indicate that she had seen me, while Tobe and the others greeted me with breathing-like sounds like "Oh," "Hmm," and "Hi."

As for Hayato Hayama, he simply greeted me with a smile and a glance. I nodded in return and pulled out a chair to sit down.

I propped my cheeks up with my hands and closed my eyes.

Thinking about it carefully, things have really changed.

Although we don't greet each other verbally, we now nod when our eyes meet.

I tried asking myself, when did this start? The answer is actually quite simple, it started when I began to pay attention to them.

When I was first assigned to this class, I kept looking at Hayama and his group. However, at the time, I only saw them as part of the classroom decorations. Even so, I knew their names, their clubs and relationships, and I was aware of their existence.

However, I find it difficult to say that I understand them.

Even now, I still don't really understand it.

I don't know if it's because I'm thinking about these things, or because I'm not used to greeting them yet, but I feel quite awkward and restless.

Unable to concentrate, I simply stood up.

In times like these, you have to escape to the toilet. Escaping may be shameful, but it's useful. [Note: There was a popular comedy duo where one member was suspended for hit-and-run, but later returned as if nothing had happened, even using that incident as a perennial topic. [Note: Note 34: A parody of the Japanese drama "The Full-Time Wife Escapist," the original text being "逃げるは耻だが役に立つ" (Escape is shameful but useful). / Note 35: Refers to Yusuke Inoue, a member of the Japanese comedy duo "NON STYLE."]

I quickly left the classroom and went to the restroom. I figured I'd grab a drink while I was there… so I headed towards the vending machine. It was almost time for class, and while students were still hurrying to their classrooms, the hallway was much quieter than before.

Therefore, the footsteps behind me made me even more concerned. The other person walked at a leisurely pace, maintaining a distance that was neither too close nor too far from me.

I stopped in front of the vending machine, and the people behind me stopped a beat later.

I quickly bought my MAX coffee and then stepped aside. The person whose footsteps I heard leisurely walked up and pressed the button for black coffee.

I've heard about it.

The guy squatted down to take out a drink, and didn't look back at me as he spoke, as if he knew I would stay there.

In the past, I would probably have felt offended and started speaking rudely. But things are different now.

I know that Hayato Hayama's way of speaking is just annoying, so I'm only slightly annoyed.

Besides, I knew perfectly well that he came specifically to tell me something, so I was only slightly annoyed. Yeah, right! I'm super annoyed!

Seriously, what does this mean... This kind of testing attitude is just like her.

Well, manner of speaking and word choice can indeed be contagious. This shows how long their friendship has lasted.

Therefore, it was quite natural for Hayama to bring up this topic.

"You seem to be having a tough time. Have you felt any relief?"

Hayama, tossing his scalding hot coffee, finally turned around and continued, speaking with an air of knowing everything. I muttered to myself, "What do you know, Raiden… [Note]", deliberately tilting my head to feign confusion. [Note 36: A famous line from the manga *Sakigake!! Boys' Juku*.]

"Huh? What is it? Oh, my sister's exam?"