My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As Expected

Page 483

I've been called here—correction, I've been to this seat several times—but now it's a completely unfamiliar place.

The usually messy desk, piled high with documents, envelopes, coffee cans, and models, was spotless today. Only a black, thread-bound notebook and a ballpoint pen sat on it.

For a moment, I thought I had gone to the wrong seat. It wasn't until I saw the swivel chair that wasn't directly facing the table that I recognized Hiratsuka-sensei's style. However, she herself wasn't sitting in it.

"Oh, it's Hachiman. What's up?"

I looked around for a while, then suddenly heard my name called from not far away. Turning around, I saw Ms. Hiratsuka, a cigarette dangling from her lips, peeking out from the partitioned reception area. Ah, right, she uses that as a smoking area…

Ms. Hiratsuka beckoned me over, so I went to the meeting room. She had probably been doing some paperwork and was taking a short break. She was carrying an unopened can of coffee, probably to drink with her cigarettes. That can of coffee was, of course, MAX coffee, because it was a special kind of coffee.

"Um, I'll get the keys."

I sat down on the sofa and explained my purpose. Hiratsuka-sensei looked puzzled.

"Yukinoshita already took it..."

She exhaled a puff of smoke and flicked away the ash. The pungent smell of tar and the sense of having come all for nothing made me frown. Ms. Hiratsuka smiled helplessly.

"Shouldn't we at least confirm this first? Reporting, contacting, and discussing are very important."

"I don't know her phone number."

"...Yuigahama doesn't know either?"

"Ah—well..."

Faced with Hiratsuka-sensei's suspicious gaze, I laughed it off. "I just wanted to get the keys"—who could say something like that?

However, without me having to explain, Hiratsuka-sensei seemed to have noticed something, shrugged and smiled at me. That warm gaze made me feel strangely awkward, and I couldn't help but shift my body.

At that moment, the busy figures of other people in the office came into view.

Everyone seems very busy.

I took the opportunity to change the subject, and Hiratsuka-sensei squinted at me.

"Hmm? Oh, right, because the school year is almost over. It's always like this at the end of the semester."

I see. I thought it was because of the entrance exams that I was so busy, but it turns out that's not necessarily the case. Thinking about it carefully, there are actually various issues to deal with, such as graduation or the year of moving up to the next grade. Hiratsuka-sensei is in charge of our second year, so she probably won't have much interaction with the new students.

"Is every place this busy before the end of the semester or before settlement? I think my parents were like that before too."

"Although the settlement period varies from company to company, most are set for the end of March. As a result, we're working ourselves to death to meet that deadline... I just want to go home... To hell with settlements, end-of-term deadlines, and manuscript deadlines..."

Hiratsuka-sensei grumbled dejectedly.

"You seem to have a lot of free time," I thought to myself, silently watching her.

"Huh? I'm busy too? Really?"

She sensed my question, straightened her back, and puffed out her cheeks in a mock manner. But unfortunately, if she were a few years younger, I imagine she would have been quite cute… However, given Hiratsuka-sensei's age, it actually made her seem even cuter. In the end, she's still adorable!

"Now... consider this a rest, right? Relax a little. Understand?"

She repeatedly emphasized this, pressing the cigarette into the ashtray and extinguishing it along with my doubts. But if there's no flame, why worry about smoke, right?

"But I noticed the teacher's desk was very clean."

"Oh dear, when people get busy, they tend to tidy up and escape reality, haha~"

Hiratsuka-sensei scratched his head, trying to bluff his way out of it.

Okay, I understand how you feel… When people are too busy, their brains start to go haywire, and they might even start playing video games. Right? Well, there's nothing we can do about that. I really can't bear to blame the teacher; it's all the work's fault, work itself is evil. It's very important to have the spirit of hating your work but not hating the person.

I crossed my arms and nodded repeatedly, while Hiratsuka-sensei sighed softly.

"However, it's time to face work..."

This wasn't said to me; it sounded more like he was talking to himself. Hiratsuka-sensei's gaze shifted to the ashtray beside him. There was no fire or smoke in the ashtray, only the lingering smell of smoke.

Perhaps it was because I remembered my conversation with Yang Nai, but when I smelled the cigarette smoke that I thought I had grown accustomed to, I couldn't help but frown. The smell of cigarette smoke that night was just as heavy and unsettling as it was now. I silently stood up, trying to forget that smell.

"...I should go back now."

"Yeah, go ahead."

Hiratsuka-sensei followed behind and saw me off.

Just as I was about to leave the meeting room, she suddenly called out to me.

"Hikigaya."

"Um?"

I turned around and saw that Hiratsuka-sensei's mouth was slightly open, but she didn't say a word, she just stared at me.

Her gaze wasn't as sharp as usual, but it also lacked the gentle look she occasionally revealed.

I had never seen that look in her eyes before, so I was even more curious about what she was going to say after she uttered what sounded like a sigh. I tilted my head slightly, urging her to continue.

Finally, Hiratsuka-sensei closed his eyes, shook his head, and then raised the corners of his mouth, revealing a boyish smile.

"...It's alright. Here you go!"

She tossed me the can of coffee she was holding. I barely caught it, looked at Professor Hiratsuka, and wondered what she was up to.

She put her hand to her cheek, winking and sticking out her tongue in a cute way.

"Don't tell anyone I'm slacking off here!"

Ugh, what's with the cute act... I don't think it's very sweet. Wait, so this can of coffee is hush money? Oh well~ you don't need to give me anything special, anyway, I don't have anyone to tattle on...

In short, not to be outdone, I flashed a V-sign and replied, "Okay," [Note: This refers to Lala Manaka's signature gesture in the anime/manga series *Starlight Paradise*.]

Since someone helped open the office door, I don't need to rush back.

Yukino should be at the clubroom by now, and Yuihama should be inside too. I fiddled with the MAX coffee I'd just gotten, slowly walking towards the clubroom.

Not only was Yuihama nowhere to be seen at the entrance of the clubhouse, but the sounds of two people talking could be heard coming from inside. Thanks to them, the scene, which had seemed deserted not long ago, now seemed to have gained a bit of warmth.

The door, which had previously only made a clicking sound and couldn't be opened, now swung open with a push. The warm, heated space was filled with the aroma of black tea. Stepping inside, one saw Yukinoshita and Yui sitting in their usual window seat.

"Hi."

"Hello there."

After greeting them, I sat down in my own seat by the aisle. Yukinoshita, who was pouring freshly brewed black tea into a cup, looked up and smiled. However, she immediately lowered her head in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry, it seems we just missed each other... I should have contacted you first."

"Oh, it's okay."

I waved the coffee in my hand to indicate that I was just grabbing the keys while buying a drink, and Yukinoshita breathed a sigh of relief. Yui, on the other hand, was quite the opposite, puffing out her cheeks and muttering to herself unhappily.

That's why I told you to call first...

I couldn't help but smile bitterly.

"I don't remember you saying that..."

"You left before I could even say anything."

"So you're going to buy MAX coffee—oh, never mind. Sorry..."

Yui squinted at me, and I tried to explain while holding my coffee, but she seemed about to roll her eyes, so I had no choice but to apologize obediently.

"...It doesn't matter."

Yuihama sighed with a straight face, picked up her mug with both hands, and drank some black tea. Yukinoshita, who was watching from the side, chuckled softly, held a teapot, and looked at me.

"I've made some black tea... Would you like some?"

"Ah—yes. As the saying goes, dessert is in another stomach."

"Does coffee count too? Although it is definitely super sweet!"

Yuihama stared at MAX Coffee with a look that was half horrified. Of course it counts. This stuff is even sweeter than those low-sugar, low-fat desserts on the market…

In short, we'll drink MAX coffee when we're hungry. For now, let's have a cup of freshly brewed black tea and enjoy our after-school tea time [Note 40: the name of the band formed by the five main characters in the anime "K-ON!"].

"Here, please have some."

"Okay, thanks."

I took a sip of black tea, exhaled, and felt my stiff body gradually relax.

That's when I realized that I had been in a state of constant tension.

At the same time, I realized that I was relaxing.

Realizing this, the mouth that had been babbling incoherently just moments before was now completely silent, only able to exhale damp breath.

I used to not care about silence, but now I find the tense atmosphere terrifying.

I glanced at Yuihama beside me; she was watching the ripples in her teacup. Perhaps her feelings were similar to mine.

However, this is not the case beneath the snow.

Yui and I remained silent, while Yukinoshita, with a calm smile, began the conversation:

"Thank you all for your help a while ago..."

She placed her hands on her lap, bowed to us, and her movements were both fluid and beautiful.

Seeing her like this, I felt a little relieved. Although it was unfounded, I felt I had seen that beautiful posture with her straight back, her lovely whorl of hair, and her gentle smile before. After regaining that familiar feeling, I was able to speak in a softer tone than I had imagined.

"Did you move successfully?"

This morning, I already got the answer from Hayama, but I'll ask again. These things should be said by the person in question. Yukinoshita nodded in agreement.

"Yeah. After all, we didn't have that much stuff to call it moving... Yuihama-san also helped out."

Yukinoshita gazes tenderly at Yuihama, who waves to her chest.

"Oh, no! I wasn't much help. Haha..."

Yuihama, perhaps being modest, gave a slightly flustered, shy smile, scratching her head and turning away. However, Yukinoshita's gaze did not leave her for even a moment.

"You've really helped me a lot. Thank you..."

This smile was so serene, as if in a dream, giving one a refreshing feeling.

Yuihama, who had been being stared at, also glanced at Yukinoshita. The moment their eyes met, an expression that seemed to turn from tears to laughter appeared on her face. She nodded and exhaled a trembling breath.

Yukinoshita was probably a little embarrassed, and gave a shy smile.

"Would you like some tea and snacks?"

The office was a little warmer, filled with the sweet aroma of black tea. The setting sun began to shine in, seemingly coloring the air as well.

Suddenly, a knocking sound rang out, causing a ripple in the air of the office.

"Please come in."

Yukinoshita responded calmly, and the door slowly opened.

╳ ╳ ╳

The cold air blowing into the room was mixed with the warmth from the air conditioning, and the beam of light shining in from the window and through the crack in the door made the light seem like the embodiment of the wind.

There might be windows open in the corridor for ventilation. The office, with the heating on, was instantly filled with fresh air.

"Sorry to bother you~"

The one who summoned this gust of wind—Iroha Isshiki—stood smilingly by the door, showing no intention of coming in. Huh? Why aren't you coming in? It'll be cold if the door stays open… I gave Isshiki a reproachful look, and she put her index finger to her cheek, tilting her head as she said:

"Um... there's a computer here, right?"

"Yes, yes..."

Slightly puzzled, Yukinoshita answered the unexpected question. Isshiki then casually followed up with:

"Can you play DVDs?"

Completely puzzled, Yukinoshita simply pulled out her laptop from the drawer. But she didn't even need to take it out; she already knew the answer.

"That computer is an older model, so it can actually play the game."

"Oh~"

What's so admirable about that...?

"What do you need to do?"

"No, just checking."

"Oh... So, what are you planning to confirm...?"