My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As Expected

Page 484

Isshiki waved her hand, giving me a "nothing, nothing" look. After the above conversation, Isshiki finally decided to come in. She closed the door behind her and walked over, muttering to herself.

"You can check it online, but then you won't get a receipt. Don't those require a card payment?"

"I don't know the answer to that question..."

Yukinoshita answered with a puzzled look, and Yuihama and I were equally confused. What is this girl talking about...? I looked at Isshiki with a questioning gaze as he deftly turned on his computer.

"I rented a DVD, but the student council's computer is too new to watch."

Oh yeah... The computer is so new... It's good to be rich... Come to think of it, there are definitely more and more laptops without CD drives. While I was thinking, Isshiki took something out of her bag.

It was a square box about the size of a palm.

"……What's this?"

Yui carefully poked it with her finger. I was curious too. Could it be tofu? But there seemed to be a camera lens and a button on it, so it wasn't tofu...

Isshiki grabbed the box, plugged it in, and connected it to the computer. Yukino watched from the side, letting out a sigh of admiration.

"Oh...it's small, but it's a projector, isn't it?"

"Yes, yes, yes. Ah, I'll lower the curtain."

As he answered, Isshiki stood up and pulled down the projection screen hanging in the corner of the clubroom.

So, what will happen next? Isshiki pressed the button on the box, and the machine emitted a low hum. After a while, the computer screen appeared on the display screen.

Wow, that's so cool!

"The projection is very clear."

Yuihama stared in disbelief, while Yukinoshita crossed her arms and rested her chin on her hand. Isshiki wagged her finger at them, puffed out her chest triumphantly, and said:

"I heard that it can even project phone screens."

"Wow...but it must be very expensive, right?"

Yuihama was startled at first, then suddenly seemed to remember something, letting out a "hehehe" laugh, and jokingly asked. Isshiki waved his hand dismissively, replying with an air of dominance:

"It's not expensive at all! It's bought with student council funds, so it's practically free for me! And it's only available now!"

"Truly the worst sales talk show host ever..."

The most unbelievable advertising slogan in the world is "truly free." Whether it's a game that claims to be truly free or a DMV that boasts "you'll definitely make money in the long run," never believe it. I will absolutely not be fooled, and I will not spend a single penny! I will only use the gems given as a repair gift to draw cards—I swear to myself.

"What is this projector for?"

The protective transparent film on the projector body hadn't been removed yet, indicating it hadn't been purchased for long. In response to this question, Isshiki stared at the projector thoughtfully for a moment.

"New supplies... I guess."

Wait a minute, why did you answer with the tone of "Jumping power... yeah..." [Note]? Big brother Iroha, please show more confidence and properly explain the charm of the student council's new friend—the projector girl. [Note 41: The anime *Kemono Friends* intersperses interviews with animal keepers during commercial breaks; "Jumping power... yeah..." is one of the animal keeper "Big brother Shinsaki's" famous quotes.]

"That's not what I meant. I was asking why you brought the projector..."

Yukinoshita pressed her temples, looking like she had a headache. Yes, yes, I wanted to ask that too.

“Well…”

Isshiki twirled the DVD with her finger and inserted it into the CD player. Yuihama noticed what she was doing and immediately got up.

"A movie? A movie? Want to see a movie?"

She suddenly became excited, happily drew the curtains, and even turned off all the lights. I said, "You wouldn't watch a movie in the office no matter what..."

However, what was projected onto the screen was a scene I was very familiar with.

The Statue of Liberty, a roaring lion, words illuminated by spotlights, waves crashing against rocks... Wait, are we really going to see a movie?

Ignoring my bewildered expression, Ishiki moved her chair to a better viewing spot. Yui also moved the table with the snacks to the front, making sure everything was in order... Huh? Are we really going to watch a movie?

Having come this far, Yukinoshita probably felt she had no choice but to play along, so she started brewing a new cup of black tea... It seems she really is going to watch a movie.

╳ ╳ ╳

In the dimly lit classroom with the curtains drawn, only the soft glow of the projector on the screen illuminated the scene. If this were a more formal environment like a movie theater or screening room, I might be able to concentrate on the film and become immersed in the story.

However, we are in the office of the service society, which is our daily living space. To transform such a place into an unnatural space will always feel unnatural and make it impossible to calm down.

More importantly, the sound can only come from the computer's built-in speakers. To hear it more clearly, people will naturally gather around the computer, increasing population density.

This made me restless, and I unconsciously shifted my body, bumping into the person next to me with each movement. I could hear the rustling of uniforms, gasps of surprise when we touched each other, and whispers all around me.

My head was filled with these thoughts, and I remembered almost nothing about the movie.

Illustration 008

All I know is that this isn't a movie, but a foreign TV series, and I have a rough plot outline. It's a coming-of-age drama set in an American high school. In short, sports-themed shows are really scary, and the American class system seems quite strict—that's all I can come up with. To be honest, I couldn't keep watching beyond the halfway point; I started staring blankly at the screen, becoming a monk constantly battling my own anxieties.

Just as I was about to have an epiphany, the film finally ended. After the shorter-than-expected credits were finished, Isshiki finally turned off the projector.

"Phew—that's really interesting!"

Yuihama stood up and drew back the curtains; it was getting dark. As soon as the light came on, I could clearly see Yukinoshita with her eyes closed, nodding contentedly.

Everyone seemed quite content... Only I was distracted by other things, and my memory of the plot was hazy... At that moment, Isshiki, who looked particularly cheerful, hummed a song softly and began tidying up the equipment.

"Dancing Queen~ Hehehe~ Hehehe~"

She sang the song that played in the last scene I remember. However, she only hummed the second half, so she probably didn't remember the lyrics at all.

Although I was reluctant to interrupt her when she was in a good mood, I had to ask her a question. I spoke slowly as Isshiki paused her work:

"...I said, why are we watching a movie here?"

"That's not a movie, it's a TV series."

"Whatever..."

If it's just a bunch of Americans laughing and joking around, just categorize it as a Hollywood movie. Why make it so complicated? If someone suddenly starts dancing, then it's an Indian movie. That's just how movies are, okay?

Although this is an American TV series… I couldn’t help but sigh deeply, and asked in surprise:

"Senior, don't you like it?"

"It should be quite interesting if you look closely. But if you just glance at it, the cruel or heartbreaking parts leave a stronger impression on me..."

The scenes I glanced at randomly were all like this. More importantly, being surrounded by these people at close range in a confined space is truly unbearable...

"It's you guys who all like this type of work..."

"That's right. It's quite interesting, after all."

"Yes, that's right."

Isshiki answered in an extremely matter-of-fact tone, Yui Hama chimed in, and Yukinoshita nodded silently.

"Oh, really..."

I've also watched American TV series like "24" and "Prison Break," and I found them quite entertaining. However, the American TV series that I just watched occasionally featured very dark scenes, which made me feel exhausted.

"...Sigh, maybe that's what girls like."

I murmured to myself. Yuihama and Isshiki seemed to disagree with my comment, and their faces hardened.

"It's not just girls who watch it, boys watch it too..."

"Yeah. It's more reassuring to say that girls like works that are popular with girls. Conversely, girls who like 'Mad Max' or 'The Avengers' are definitely influenced by their boyfriends."

"Huh? Really?"

Isshiki seemed to have said something important, and I couldn't help but reflexively ask him a question. An annoyed smile appeared on Isshiki's face.

"Eight or nine out of ten."

"Hey, hey, hey, don't do that! Don't push guys who're overjoyed because they like the same movies down to hell... There are girls who like those kinds of movies sometimes too..."

My basis for saying this is Professor Hiratsuka. By the way, Professor Hiratsuka's favorite movies are *Out of the Earth*, *Battleship*, and *Pacific Rim*! When I first heard that, I almost became a fan of hers… but, using her as a basis is totally unreliable. I glanced at her, using my eyes to ask her what kind of movies girls generally like, and she replied with a smug smile:

"So, girls who like movies like 'Emily's Wonderland'—romantic, stylish, and trendy—are the best!"

This guy's so excited... Also, the movie you picked is really old... Okay, that movie is indeed very famous, and you can still see it through many channels now, so I guess I can understand...

"Really... By the way, what kind of movies do you like?"

Isshiki struck a cute pose, placing her hands on her cheeks and revealing a mischievous smile.

"The Wonderful World of Emily" ❤

"Too pretentious..."

"And it looks so fake..."

Also, this answer is way too artsy. Just as I was about to speak after Yuihama, Yukinoshita, who was drinking black tea next to me, closed her eyes and threw out a sentence:

"...It's undeniable that it's a good movie."

That was close! Luckily I didn't say it! Everyone has their own preferences, whether it's a movie or anything else, so we should show more respect and less criticism! Besides, nobody knows where the landmine is!

Unfortunately, there are people in this world who respect others in their hearts but still manage to step on landmines.

"Ah~ I feel like Yukinoshita-senpai would like that kind of person~"

"...I always feel there's a hint of malice in your statement."

Yukinoshita frowned and looked at me coldly. Isshiki shrank back in fright, hiding behind me like a small animal. Seeing her reaction, Yukinoshita pressed her temples and sighed helplessly.

"Back to the main point, why are we suddenly showing a video here?"

"Ah, yes, yes, that's it."

I've been wanting to ask this question for a while too, so I turned to look at Isshiki. She clapped her hands, as if she'd suddenly remembered something.

"This American TV series is just for reference. If I watch it in the student council office, wouldn't people think I'm just slacking off?"

"Is it okay to watch it here...?"

"If you want to watch it, go home and watch it."

"I specifically bought a projector, of course I want to try it out. Neither the student council office nor my home has a screen. Besides, I don't want to work after my shift ends."

I pointed out Isshiki's mistake to Yukino, but she just smiled and didn't think she was wrong at all. I think next time she'll probably use the money to buy the sound system too, and complete the whole set.

As I pondered this, Yuihama raised her hand and spoke:

"What do you mean by 'reference materials'? I thought it just meant watching videos normally..."

"Isn't there a graduation ceremony afterward? And after that, there's a thank-you reception, which the student council has to organize, so I used it as a reference."

"Oh, a gratitude gathering..."

I anticipated what Isshiki was about to say, so I took several steps back, chair and all, to express my strong determination that "I would rather die than help," and went into a state of alert. However, Isshiki didn't seem to be planning to ask us for help. He crossed his arms and began to think seriously with a solemn expression.

"...To be honest, a regular thank-you reception would be fine with just a few tables and people chatting. But considering it's my graduation, I think it's better to go for a lavish event... Ah! Of course, the graduates will be happy that way too."

Wow~ She didn't forget to add a final consideration for the graduates! Iroha has grown quite a bit—how could I think that? Her self-centeredness to this extent is actually quite admirable… Just then, a similar exclamation came from beside me. I looked over and saw Yukinoshita nodding knowingly.

"I see, that's why I chose movies and TV shows with prom scenes for reference."

"Wow, that's amazing—no wonder she's Yukinoshita-senpai!"

Ichiro clapped his hands incessantly, praising Yukinoshita enthusiastically.

"It's nothing special. I can roughly tell from what you're saying."

Although the statement sounded quite calm, Yukinoshita still puffed out her chest slightly with a hint of pride, her cheeks flushing slightly, feeling quite embarrassed by the compliment. This person is so naive…

Anyway, thanks to Yukinoshita guessing the correct answer, I also understood that Isshiki's intention was related to Prom... So, what exactly is Prom?

"Pro? What is that? Proactiv?"

Is it the one for treating acne? I wanted to know the meaning of that unfamiliar term, but unfortunately I asked the wrong person. Yuihama also asked me:

"Prom... Peach?"

"Hmm, Plum is a peach... You really like peaches..."

"Huh? Hmm. I like peaches~"

Yuihama flashed a bright smile; that reaction was really cute. Wait a minute, I want to know what Prom is.

So—tell me, Yukiki Encyclopedia! I looked at Yukiki, and she seemed to have been waiting for this opportunity, brushing her hair aside and smiling smugly.

"Plum is a type of plum. Although plums and peaches both belong to the order Rosales and family Rosaceae, they are not strictly speaking different species. Cherries are actually more closely related to it."

"That's not what I wanted to ask..."

"Huh? Huh? But plums are like peaches... plums are like peaches and cherries?"