My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As Expected

Page 509

"I see?"

She answered verbally, but still looked completely bewildered. Well—after all, my question was full of questions…

How should I explain this…? Halfway through my thought, my gaze fell on Salia's menu. I flipped through the menu rapidly, finally opening the last page for desserts.

"...Sugar easily leads to weight gain, so it's best to eat less ice cream and desserts, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, why are you suddenly bringing this up..."

Yuihama shrank back again, turning her head to the side.

"But if there were a new option of ice cream with half the calories, wouldn't it feel less harmful to eat it?"

"Hmm, I can eat two..."

"No... never mind, that's the gist of it."

Yuihama's gaze was drawn to the photos on the menu, so I cleared my throat and got back to the point.

"Draft another prom plan to be used as a fallback, making the parents feel they have to choose between the two. Propose the scrapped plan and the scrapped proposal to help the real plan get approved."

Currently, the only option is whether or not to adopt the Plan A proposed by Yukinoshita and her team.

If we propose an alternative, option B, the selectors will feel they must choose between option A and option B. This eliminates the "not adopted" option.

"Ah... I see. The ball that Yukino and Iroha are going to hold is basically a half-calorie version."

Yui nodded repeatedly, but suddenly stopped and quickly raised her face.

"Oh, but the agreement was that we couldn't have a dance party, right? What if they say neither is allowed?"

“Well…”

After she said that, I slapped my forehead hard.

Yui Hama clearly pointed out the flaws in the plan. The fact that she managed to notice this shows that while Yui Hama may seem foolish, she possesses a certain intelligence. Even though she's a fool...

This method is best used when enticing hesitant individuals. Since the other person has already made a choice, simply asking them to choose between two options won't be very effective.

Therefore, a new premise must be added.

"...However, this part should be fine."

Yuihama tilted her head.

"The school doesn't want the dance to be canceled, otherwise they wouldn't have used the word 'self-discipline.' Moreover, the school has always respected students' autonomy and even regards this as part of the school's ethos."

"That's true... We've organized various events before..."

Yuihama's tone was somewhat doubtful, but she still spoke earnestly.

Judging things by school spirit is indeed unreliable, but Yuihama is right. We did do a lot, such as the Christmas activities. Since the school didn't call a halt, they clearly intend to let the students have some freedom. Plus, Ms. Hiratsuka said that the school didn't initially see the dance as a major problem.

"Logically speaking, the school also needs to save face. It wouldn't look good if word got out that they'd ruined the dance. So the school will likely choose a milder approach and side with us. We'll have to wait and see how Hiratsuka-sensei performs."

"Yes!"

Hearing me say that, Yui nodded, looking a little relieved.

In fact, Ms. Hiratsuka even earned us a promise of "self-discipline." Given this, as long as a choice is created, we should have a certain say and decision-making power when the school makes decisions and negotiates with parents. Thanks to her, we can be optimistic about the school's response.

The problem lies with the people I'm dealing with—the parents. Thinking about this makes me feel depressed, and I unconsciously bite my straw.

"And then there are the parents... or rather, those parents who have the loudest voices... If we show a willingness to back down, give them the choice, and create a situation where they make their own decisions, they will be satisfied and back off..."

Often, people who are argumentative, loud, and prone to complaining are more interested in winning arguments than in the content of their arguments. Therefore, as long as the other party feels, "It was my decision, it was my change, it was me who made them apologize," and vents their dissatisfaction, they are very likely to be satisfied.

But to be honest, I don't have concrete evidence.

This time it was my turn to tilt my head.

"...That's what I think, but I don't know how things will actually turn out."

I sighed, and my mother, standing beneath the snow, came to mind.

It wasn't the parents who questioned the dance who came to the school to protest, but Yukinoshita's mother. This gave me a glimmer of hope. She was merely relaying a message, and her statement could be interpreted as official jargon based on her status as a member of the parent-teacher association or the wife of a powerful local figure. At least, that's the impression she gave me at first.

However, as expected of Yukinoshita's mother, I was completely led by the nose during that conversation, which was practically a debate. Perhaps she was getting serious too.

That person probably really enjoys debating. When she launches a full-blown rebuttal, she seems quite happy to engage. No, rather than enjoying debating, it's more like she enjoys refuting and subduing her opponents.

If that's the case, I'm not sure if she'll obediently stop.

It seems I need to devise another strategy to deal with my mother... Ugh, I really don't want to get involved with that person. My mother is terrifying, I'm serious...

In any case, I can't think of anything more right now.

"Well, it only reveals the possibility that we insist on holding the ball, subtly forcing the other side to choose the side that is easier to control."

I spat out the straw, which had been bitten flat and crumpled, and came to a conclusion. Yuihama gave an admiring "Whoa~"

"That sounds amazing... You introverted guy, you should do that kind of job! Handling customer complaints or something! It's perfect for you!"

"I'd rather die than... that's not suitable for me, and I won't go to work."

She praised me with sparkling eyes, but I wasn't happy at all, and couldn't help but show a genuine look of disgust. However, Yuihama still had a smile on her face, and her smiling appearance seemed to indicate that she was somewhat pleased.

No, no, no, that's really not suitable. Besides, handling customer complaints this way as a company employee would definitely make things worse. It only barely worked this time because of the special environment of being at school and because I'm a student.

The correct way to handle customer complaints is without even asking questions.

That's right, just pass it all on to the people above! Or transfer it to the customer service center and let the professionals handle it.

"We haven't even started work yet. The real trouble is yet to come."

"What I mean is..."

I sighed deeply and said, Yuihama crossing her arms and leaning forward. I rested my chin on my clasped hands, striking the Gendo pose [Note 16: Gendo Ikari's signature pose in *Neon Genesis Evangelion*], and said in all seriousness:

"Plans for abandoning a child must be carefully drafted. And it must be very careful and feasible. Otherwise, it won't even have the chance to be included in the options."

"Oh, I see..."

Yui took a slight step back. I leaned out as if to catch up.

"In that case, we simply don't have enough time or manpower. By the way, we don't even have a basic budget."

"Instead, they want to ask us what we have..."

She stepped back further and said with a wry smile. I gave a flippant smile.

"The next product I'm going to introduce is here. It's something that's so idle it's practically unheard of, and it's willing to work without being paid... It's for our school's students. Now you can use it for free to your heart's content!"

"That's outrageous!"

Yui looked like she was about to cry, sobbing and covering her head.

Given the current situation, the situation cannot be reversed unless our school's professionals are overworked. This is the work system reform at Soubu High School, a highly specialized system [Note 17: A law passed in Japan at the end of May 2018. For professions requiring highly specialized knowledge and with an annual income exceeding 10.75 million yen, working hours and rest periods are not subject to the Labor Standards Act, and overtime pay is not required]...

Yui lowered her shoulders and looked up at me through the gap in her bangs.

"Is there anyone who would specifically help with a project that's guaranteed to fail?"

"That's what I'm saying..."

I looked up at the ceiling.

That's right. It would be fine if it were just for hosting an ideal ball. I don't think anyone would want to be a scapegoat, a "tea drinker" (a character in the manga *Dragon Ball* with lower fighting power compared to other characters), to give others experience points. Only an absolute idiot, an overly kind person, or an absolute weirdo would do something like that.

We had no choice but to abandon the direct approach to recruiting talent. This left us with limited options.

"Say some nice things to appease them, and you can find as many people as you can... As long as it doesn't cause any financial burden, and you apologize profusely in the end, there's always a way..."

If only kneeling could solve this. I crossed my arms and thought, hearing a suppressed sigh.

Looking down, I saw Yui Hama lightly biting her lower lip, her head bowed. Without needing to say it aloud, the meaning she wanted to convey was deeply felt by me.

I shouldn't say things like that just because they come to mind on a whim. I've made that mistake several times over.

I let out a long breath and reminded myself.

"...No, I'd better make things clear. Although I don't think I can get other people's understanding, I'll try to talk to someone I feel I can communicate with."

"Um."

Yui nodded slightly and returned the smile.

I must have gone down the wrong road.

Therefore, I hope that I will at least not make the wrong choice again.

We must find different approaches, instead of resorting to the easy and convenient methods we used before.

╳ ╳ ╳

After contacting people who might be willing to help, we spent some leisurely time in Saizeriya. Dusk was deepening outside the window, and although the rush hour to get home was still a long way off, there were more pedestrians in front of the station.

The person I contacted texted back saying they would come, so we waited at Saizeriya. During this time, Yui and I had a slightly early dinner.

Yuihama was wrestling with the pizza in front of her, making a terrifying sound every time she chopped. She seemed rather clumsy with the serrated, round pizza cutter; the knife clashed violently against the plate, producing a screeching, groaning sound.

Soon after, she finally finished cutting the pizza, breathed a sigh of relief, and handed me the crooked pizza on a plate.

"Here, take it."

"Okay, thanks."

I have no problem with the shape of the pizza. They specially shared some with me, so I have no right to complain. Saizeriya's pizza is delicious no matter how you eat it.

"Would you like some chili sauce?"

"Oh, yes, yes, yes. Thank you."

I picked up the chili sauce that Yuihama had placed in the middle of the table, dripped two or three drops on it, and then devoured the even more delicious pizza.

Halfway through the meal, the extra baked rice, pasta, and salad arrived, and I expect there will be meat dishes later. It feels like it's going to be a more luxurious dinner than I imagined. I need to tell Komachi I'm not coming home for dinner tonight…

As I was holding my phone, Yuihama across from me was using a fork and spoon as tongs, making a clicking sound.

"Would you like a salad?"

"Just a little. No tomatoes. Oh, you can have all the shrimp. I'm full after eating meat."

"Really? That's great! I'll eat the tomatoes too. Being a picky eater is bad for your health."

"No, no, no, tomatoes make me want to throw up. Aren't they all sticky? I really can't stand them."

"Hey—that's where the tomatoes taste good!"

Yuihama seemed quite adept at portioning salads, arranging it beautifully for me. I nodded my thanks to her, took the salad, and gratefully put it into my mouth.

Hmm... the sticky part of the tomato got onto the lettuce... I closed my eyes and swallowed it in one gulp, barely biting into it.

Phew, that eliminates the tomato component... I breathed a sigh of relief, opened my eyes, and saw Yui propping her cheek up, staring at me with delight.

"Like a little child."

She said it jokingly, revealing a mature smile. We were clearly the same age, but she looked at me with the eyes of an older sister, making my gaze wander.

With each glance, her radiant brown hair, sparkling with an angelic aura, her large, watery eyes, the lines of her collarbone, the fingertips tucking her hair behind her ear, the upturned corners of her mouth, her moist lips, her long eyelashes tracing soft curves, and her slightly flushed, soft-looking cheeks came into view—everything about her was so captivating.

"Many adults also dislike tomatoes..."

"Hiratsuka-sensei also hates tomatoes..." I muttered to myself, lowering my head. Was I shy or embarrassed...? Anyway, I couldn't look Yuihama in the eye.

I looked up with a "Sigh, is the heating in this store too strong?" attitude and sighed deeply.

Just then, a familiar, enormous figure walked towards us from afar, head held high and chest out.

A long coat, fingerless gloves, and glasses. This attire wasn't unusual for the season, but his peeking around the doorway made him seem quite suspicious. That suspicious appearance proved who he was—the self-proclaimed swordsman general, Yoshiteru Zaimokuza.

I gestured to the lumberjack, and he noticed me. His uneasy expression instantly transformed into a bright smile, and he waving as he lumbered over. What was this feeling of accidentally taming a wild bear...?

Turning my head, I saw Yuihama standing up with her things and walking to my seat.

"Um."

"what?"

She stood next to me, clutching her schoolbag, pouting in dissatisfaction, and said briefly:

"Sit over there."

"Ah, okay..."

I listened to her and moved inside, where Yui sat in the empty seat.

Why... do you hate it so much that Zaimokuza might sit next to you? Okay, I don't want Zaimokuza to sit next to me either, so I understand how you feel... Wait, aren't you sitting too close?! I'm super sensitive and super nervous!