My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As Expected

Page 495

Yise knocked on the door, opened it before anyone inside could respond, and strode in.

I hesitated for a moment, wondering whether I should go in with them.

Because the moment the door opened, I accidentally saw—

Hiratsuka-sensei and Yukinoshita sat on the sofa near the door with their backs to this side.

Yukino and their mother sat in the seats of honor.

Their presence and their visit cannot be simply dismissed as an "ominous premonition." This is not a premonition, but a certainty.

The mother and sister, with their composed or perhaps detached demeanor, focused their gaze on Yukinoshita. Whether it was just their imagination or not, Yukinoshita seemed to be slightly hunched over.

The mother, standing beneath the snow, looked at the open door and gazed at us.

Her gaze was gentle and smiling, as if drawing you into those deep, beautiful eyes. Even as I looked at the snow, the warmth in her eyes didn't change, sending a chill down my spine.

Isshiki bowed under her gaze.

"I apologize for keeping you waiting. The ball was a decision we made together. Therefore... please let us all participate in the discussion regarding whether or not the ball can be held."

She spoke firmly, or rather, roared, her voice, tone, and gaze revealing hostility. Isshiki made no attempt to conceal her anger, glaring at her mother beneath the snow.

The mother, standing beneath the snow, said with a wry smile:

"It's not really an exaggerated discussion. I'm just here to share my opinion."

Her tone was gentle, as if she were soothing a child, and then she smiled and invited us to sit down. Ms. Hiratsuka also looked over and nodded to indicate that we should do so.

There were two black leather sofas in the reception room. One was a three-seater sofa, and the other was an L-shaped sofa where Yukinoshita and Hiratsuka-sensei sat, separated by a low table. We naturally sat in the latter, thus creating a face-to-face situation with the Yukinoshita family.

"...Then, please give your opinion."

After we entered the reception room, we didn't look at Yukinoshita even once, and said in a tense voice.

Upon hearing this, Yukinoshita's mother gave a smile that resembled a bitter laugh. Meanwhile, Hinano, looking rather uninterested, stirred her coffee with a stirrer.

The room was completely silent, affected by the icy atmosphere emanating from the Yukinoshita family. Yukinoshita's mother seemed to notice as well, and her smile softened even more.

"Regarding the dances you're planning, some parents think they should be stopped. Several parents saw the photos online and came to me to discuss it. They seem worried that the event isn't proper enough, and also... not quite appropriate for high school students."

She carefully chose her words, and after speaking, she glanced at Yang Nai beside her. Yang Nai sighed impatiently.

"There are both positive and negative opinions among the graduates."

Haruno seemed to be adding to Yukinoshita's mother's explanation, which made me realize why she was there. It seems she was called in to help. However, a provocative smile appeared on Haruno's lips, and she added:

"...but there weren't many negative opinions."

"We cannot ignore opinions just because they are in the minority. Since some people dislike them, we should consider their feelings."

Yukino's mother immediately retorted to Haruno. Her tone was so serious it could be called advice, but it would be more accurate to call it a reprimand; her attitude was quite stern. Haruno, however, remained calm, pretending not to hear, and closed her eyes to drink her coffee.

Yukino watched the two talk coldly, her voice as icy as ice.

"...Why is it Mother who came?"

"I'm also a member of the parent-teacher association... and when someone who knows your father asks me for a favor, I can't just ignore it... you understand?"

Her mother smiled, spoke gently and patiently, as if comforting a child, a stark contrast to her earlier attitude towards Yang Nai.

Yukino clutched her skirt, lowered her head, and her mother spoke even more gently:

"Of course, I don't mind if the participants all behave appropriately."

Her warm smile, calm and gentle voice, and yielding remarks all conveyed politeness and sincerity, but the unspoken meaning was quite the opposite. Her next sentence immediately revealed this.

"However, based on our research on dances, it's true that problems such as drinking and inappropriate interactions between members of the opposite sex can occur. Therefore, some people believe that the current format is not suitable for hosting a gratitude party. Besides, if any problems arise, you can't be held responsible, can you?"

"So! If parents and the school supervise together, that kind of problem can be avoided... They already agreed to that..."

Yukino suddenly raised her voice excitedly, but as she spoke, her voice grew softer and softer, turning into a weak, defiant protest, like someone throwing a tantrum. Her last sentence was so quiet it was practically a soliloquy. Yukino gritted her teeth, staring at the corner of the floor.

"Regarding this, the parents' association also felt it was too hasty at the time. But when they agreed, they only looked at the written documents, right? In the end, they decided to wait until they actually saw it before making a judgment..."

"That's unreasonable. We discussed this with them beforehand precisely to avoid complaints after the parents' meeting. Isn't it the parents' responsibility to teach their children well and prevent them from causing trouble?"

Before Yukinoshita's mother could finish speaking, Isshiki interrupted and retorted. Her confrontational attitude made Yuihama's eyes widen.

"One color".

"……sorry."

After being warned by Hiratsuka-sensei, Isshiki realized she had gone too far and reluctantly apologized. However, her lips were still pouting, seemingly still quite unconvinced. Haruno, watching from the side, secretly turned her head away, trying not to laugh. Of course, she was the only one who could laugh in this situation.

Hiratsuka-sensei bowed her head to apologize for the student's rudeness, while Yukinoshita's mother shook her head slightly, indicating that she didn't mind.

"I think parents all have many thoughts. They don't intend to completely ban or restrict their children, but they are still somewhat worried. Especially now, social media is prone to controversy or being exposed and harmed, right? So they are more sensitive to high-profile activities."

As Yukinoshita's mother spoke, she looked at Isshiki with eyes that sparkled as if she were seeing something rare and precious.

"You're Isshiki, right? As you said, parents and schools really should teach children how to use the internet safely and how to deal with different situations. In fact, schools do teach these things, and recently corporate training programs have also incorporated this knowledge."

Her enthusiastic tone revealed her great joy. Her energetic manner when explaining or interpreting things was remarkably similar to Yukino's, making one smile involuntarily.

But when she suddenly stopped smiling, she immediately appeared as a completely different person.

"...But that's not enough. Even adults who have studied diligently and should have sufficient judgment can cause trouble or disputes."

So it goes without saying that children shouldn't participate. Therefore, the message is clear even without being explicitly stated.

In reality, the students who participated in the photography simply uploaded the photos online without thinking much about it, let alone considering it as a source of anxiety. Communication between parents and children on LINE is already commonplace, so it's not surprising at all that parents would look at their children's or other social media platforms.

Our students certainly didn't consider these issues. Therefore, this could be used against us by those who perceive the activity as flawed or radical.

"...If we're talking about possibilities, it would never end."

Yukinoshita probably thought the same thing, and said indignantly, "I completely agree. Taking all possible accidents into account and demanding the cancellation of the event at the slightest danger is utterly foolish. According to their logic, the food provided at the venue could cause food poisoning, so food safety issues could also be a reason for cancellation. No matter how many countermeasures are devised, no one can guarantee absolute safety."

Yukinoshita's mother should understand this as well.

"I think that since some people have negative opinions, there is no need to force the event to be held. Being talked about and criticized behind their backs is like throwing cold water on the graduates."

Therefore, this time she changed to appealing to emotions, lowering her eyebrows and speaking with a worried expression.

"While the gratitude reception is an event held for graduates, it is equally important for parents, teachers, and local residents... There haven't been any complaints about past gratitude receptions, have there?"

She turned to Haruno, who was standing to the side, for her opinion, but Haruno simply nodded indifferently.

Yukino was speechless. Seeing that her weakness had been exposed, my mouth began to taste bitter.

If the goal is to alleviate dissatisfaction with the thanksgiving party, then changing the method to a dance party might be more easily understood. However, since we started with the premise of holding a dance party, it will be difficult to use that reason.

At that moment, Isshiki leaned out.

"As for the opinions of graduates, we are also future graduates and have the right to express our opinions on the Thanksgiving Association."

This sophistry, which could even be described as brilliant, made me admire it. Beautiful, Isshiki. I stared at her admiringly, and she glanced back, a smug smile on her face. Isshiki seemed to gain confidence from this, and continued:

"In fact, students generally accept proms, and the online reviews are mostly positive..."

Unfortunately, she couldn't finish her sentence. Taking advantage of Isshiki's momentary pause to catch her breath, Yukinoshita's mother smiled and seized the opportunity to speak.

"That may be true online. However, it's also important to listen to opinions from behind the scenes. Those in positions of power, those who bear the trust of many, have this responsibility... You must also remember this."

Finally, she gave her two daughters some advice. Her volume and tone remained unchanged, only the warmth of her last sentence was noticeably different. Perhaps because of this, Yang scoffed, sighing listlessly, while Yukinoshita remained frozen in place.

Having witnessed these developments, I've had to change my opinion of Yukinoshita's mother. Haruno previously said she was more terrifying than herself, and now I've experienced it firsthand. This person is troublesome; there's no end in sight.

She is not someone you can argue with logically.

On the surface, he nodded with a gentle smile, as if he were listening to the other person, and seemed to be listening to their opinions and discussing with them.

However, that's not the case. It's a counter-attacking style where you listen with a smile first, then strike back when the opponent reveals a weakness. If her goal were to refute the opponent and force them to submit, that would be fine. But she doesn't care about that; she leads people step by step into the trap she set from the beginning.

She would absolutely not compromise on the final conclusion. To reach that conclusion, she might even feign sadness or invoke theories constructed with emotional bias.

Yukino's mother said that it wasn't as exaggerated as people were saying.

That's exactly right. She didn't even intend to discuss it. She made it clear from the beginning that there was absolutely no room for discussion.

There must be some contradiction or loophole in her words, but it's all hidden beneath her gentle smile and voice. No, even if you point out the loophole, the situation won't change. She'll probably just smile and say, "That's right," and then approach the issue from another angle, leading to the same conclusion.

In that case, letting her continue talking is definitely not the best course of action. The more that person talks, the fewer opportunities we'll have to exploit.

Isshiki also sensed the danger and stole a glance at me. I met her gaze, but could only offer a wry smile. If she had any expectations of me, I was truly sorry; my opponent was far too formidable. The most I could do was shift the focus.

"Hasn't the school already agreed? What are their thoughts on this?"

I looked at Hiratsuka-sensei, and everyone else turned to look too. Yuihama and Isshiki looked on with a hint of anticipation, Haruno watched with amusement, Yukinoshita waited for an answer with her eyes closed, and her mother gazed at the old man with a calm look.

Under the gazes of all directions, Hiratsuka-sensei slightly raised the corners of her mouth and said:

"Personally, I don't want to stop holding the dance immediately. Valuing student autonomy is a tradition of our school. Should we revise the shortcomings in the plan and continue to coordinate to gain the understanding and assistance of the parents? ... That's my opinion."

She truly is a reliable adult. Thank you for bringing an end to what was essentially a discussion.

Hiratsuka-sensei suggested discussing it another time, and Yukinoshita's mother seemed to have no objection, nodding slowly.

"What the teacher said makes a lot of sense. Well then, I'll come back another day. Would it be convenient to talk to the school afterwards?"

"I will discuss it with my superiors and arrange a date to contact you immediately."

After the transactional conversation ended, Yukinoshita's mother bowed.

"I'm sorry to have troubled you. Thank you for your help... Haruno, please say goodbye to everyone and go back."

"Ah, I'll finish my coffee before I leave."

Yang pointed at the coffee cup, smiling leisurely and waving. Yukinoshita's mother sighed helplessly.

"Really? Then I'll head back now."

She stood up. Despite sitting in the chair for so long, her kimono remained perfectly in place, and her posture was elegant and beautiful. Then, in a voice befitting her appearance, she called to her other daughter.

"Yukino."

Yukinoshita glanced at her only once. Seeing her reaction, Yukinoshita's mother said gently and slowly:

"I know you're working hard. But go home early. You don't need to push yourself."

"...Yes. I know."

Yukinoshita responded with that, then closed her eyes. Her mother gave a wry smile, then finally decided to leave and headed for the door. She nodded to us as well, and Ms. Hiratsuka rose to see us off.

After the two left the reception room and closed the door, we both sighed deeply.

Hiratsuka-sensei and Yukinoshita's mother were still exchanging pleasantries outside. To avoid being overheard, Haruno lowered her voice and said:

"Ugh—I'm exhausted. Being dragged into doing this kind of thing with her is really annoying..."

She drank the now-cold coffee, her brow furrowed, looking utterly disgusted. Yukinoshita, who hadn't drunk any coffee, also pursed her lips, her throat bobbing as if she wanted to swallow something. Even their expressions were remarkably similar.

Although, comparatively speaking, they should resemble their mothers more.

Yukino and Haruno both possess anomalies and distortions. These two traits can also be seen in their mother. Therefore, I can't help but want to know more.

"Excuse me... she just said she's a member of the parents' association, is she the president or something?"

"No, no, she's a director, a dubious honorary position. She's just a figurehead; her job is to write letters of authorization. However, because of my father's work, he has close ties with local people, and since both of his daughters attend this high school, someone asked her for help, and she took matters into her own hands."

I see. Only influential people in the local area encounter these kinds of situations. To give a more personal example, it's probably a senior executive at my dad's company. When a problem arises and I report it to him, he proactively suggests, "I'll also try to mediate," and excitedly goes to talk to the other party. No, Yukinoshita's mother was commissioned by a local figure, so the situation was a little different.

As I was thinking, Yang Nai's voice suddenly lowered.

"...So, this matter has almost nothing to do with that person's intentions. Since someone asked her to do it, she has to say a few words as a formality, right?"

Yang spoke with little interest, finally letting out a disdainful laugh.

I couldn't just laugh it off. Because I felt that someone's attitude was similar to that of Yukinoshita's mother, and it made me feel a little nauseous.

I let out my pent-up frustration with a sigh. Just then, Professor Hiratsuka opened the door to the reception room and returned inside.

"Ugh, this is giving me a headache."

She said this with a wry smile as soon as she came in, took out a glass ashtray from the cabinet in the corner, and lit a cigarette by the window.

Although smoking is generally prohibited on campus, this reception room seems to be an exception. Come to think of it, those who can enter this room are probably treated like VIPs, and people in this tier are likely some kind of smoker. Leading them to this unregulated special area demonstrates sincerity and respect.

In other words, Yukinoshita's mother was clearly treated as a VIP. This alone reveals the school's stance.

Yukinoshita, who participated in the entire meeting, should have felt it most clearly. She kept her back straight the whole time, but asked Hiratsuka-sensei in a melancholy and low voice.

"...How might the school respond?"

"It's hard to say. Actually, if it's just those photos on the internet, I... well, the higher-ups don't seem to think it's a big problem."

Ms. Hiratsuka, smoking a cigarette, smiled, trying to reassure Yukinoshita. However, she flicked the ash into the ashtray and calmly continued: