My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As Expected

Page 547

I turned to look at the source of the sound and saw it was Yukinoshita. She was holding a black object made of cables, a microphone, and earphones connected together, which was a walkie-talkie.

"I'll use this to signal you later."

"Oh, I miss it so much."

I took the walkie-talkie and examined it carefully. This thing is used every time there's a school anniversary or other event. I unconsciously voiced my inner thoughts.

"..."

However, Yukinoshita didn't say anything more and turned away.

"...Give the other one to Isshiki-kun for me."

"Oh, okay."

This single sentence is insufficient to develop into a meaningful dialogue.

I wasn't thinking much during the meeting just now, and I was able to speak fluently. Now, however, the dimly lit side stage is shrouded in silence. If I had work to do, I wouldn't care about this silence, but now I have nothing to do, and I'm still holding the wired microphone in my hand.

"Oh—by the way. Does the microphone need a stand?"

Suddenly, I thought of something and asked her a question. Yukino turned around, her face showing confusion.

"Hmm...that's what I'm planning to do."

Upon hearing this, I grabbed the microphone stand that was deep inside the side table, took it to Yukinoshita, and set up the microphone.

"What about the height? Is this okay?"

I crouched down to adjust my height, and above me I heard a troubled sigh from beneath the snow.

"...Just right. But...I can handle this little thing myself."

She lowered her head and whispered, and I couldn't help but stop what I was doing. Even though it was meant to ease the awkward atmosphere, I had inadvertently meddled again. A feeling of self-loathing washed over me, and my mouth tasted bitter.

"...That's true. I'm sorry."

I put down the microphone stand, stood up, and took two steps back.

"No, there's no need to apologize..."

"Ah...is that so?"

In the dimly lit side platform, where the light couldn't reach, silent sighs seemed to solidify, making one afraid to even move.

Even though it hadn't been long, I felt like I was frozen for a long time. Yukinoshita seemed to sense the same awkwardness; after a while, she sighed softly and said with difficulty, "..."

"...If my attitude was unnatural, I apologize to you."

"Huh? Oh, no way. It seems normal..."

That unexpected remark left me momentarily speechless.

"I don't know how to face you."

This guy is really something... I thought he was going to say something in that heavy atmosphere, but it turned out to be this...

However, it does indeed suit her personality very well.

Yukinoshita wasn't good at reading the room; in fact, you could say she didn't know how. Or rather, she had never lived in an environment where she needed to read people's expressions.

In the nearly one year she's spent with me and Yui, she seems to have gradually learned this. I don't know if this is a good thing. Because someone like me, who's too attuned to the atmosphere and constantly trying to appear natural, sometimes ends up wasting my time.

In fact, even I don't quite understand what kind of response we should take.

The other person's expression was a mix of confusion and shyness, as if she might burst into tears at any moment. She kept adjusting her bangs and frequently combing her black hair over her shoulders, her gaze shifting restlessly. Seeing that, I simply couldn't think of how to respond.

"Is that so... Just take it easy, right...?"

After a long period of hesitation, what came out was a fragmented and incoherent answer.

"A calm mind...that makes sense."

Yukino nodded, as if trying to understand the sentence. I nodded silently in response. To outsiders, we probably looked like pigeons fighting over territory.

Yukino murmured to herself, "Keep calm, keep calm," probably trying to calm herself down. Seeing her like this, I calmed down first, and naturally raised the corners of my mouth, and my speech became fluent.

"You're so busy right now, you probably don't have much time to think about other things. You'll get back to normal soon. Although I'm not sure myself."

"Yes, that's true. Once things are settled, I should be able to act more naturally..."

We believe this is normal. That's why we try to act normal. Because we want to believe that this kind of relationship is not abnormal.

Perhaps because my tone had become more normal, Yukinoshita seemed to gradually regain her composure. She coughed lightly and changed the subject.

"I didn't mean anything by that... We're short-staffed, that's a fact. For that, I'm very grateful to you..."

"Yeah, I think I understand. I didn't think much of it... We were chatting, so I came over to help. I just couldn't stay out of it completely."

I smiled wryly and said that Yukinoshita shook her head, telling me not to worry about it.

"There's no other way. It's because Isshiki relies on you a lot too."

Then, she finally smiled. The tone, tinged with a hint of teasing, felt like something I hadn't heard in a long time. "I rely on you a lot"—what a clever way to put it. Is this some kind of politically correct trend these days?

"Isshiki has grown a lot too, so I won't have to do this kind of work anymore."

"Really? I don't think she'll let you off so easily."

"That's a terrifying statement. No way, it's horrifying..."

Once my mouth started moving, my stiff body relaxed as well. I responded casually while I did what I was doing. As I tidied the microphone cord to prevent it from getting tangled, I heard a slight vibration nearby.

"Excuse me."

Yukino took out her phone, stared at the screen, and then sighed wearily. The stage backlight illuminated her furrowed brow. Yukino maintained that expression and looked up at the small window of the control room. I followed her gaze; Isshiki was by the window, his hands clasped together, bowing his head in our direction.

"...What's wrong? Did something happen?"

"It's nothing."

After speaking, Yukino hurriedly walked out from the side platform. Had something gone wrong? A little worried, I followed her, peeking out from the side platform.

She was talking to Hiratsuka-sensei in the audience. Yukinoshita's mother and Haruno were also there.

Why is the teacher here...? More importantly, why are Yukinoshita's mother and Haruno also here...? As I was wondering, Hiratsuka-sensei met my eyes through Yukinoshita.

"Oh, Hachiman is here too. Sorry to bother you while you were getting ready."

"Ah, no..."

Hiratsuka-sensei waved to me. Yukinoshita's mother also noticed me, smiled, and imitated Hiratsuka-sensei's gentle wave.

"Hachiman, it's nice to see you again."

"Haha... Hello..."

If I could, I really wanted to say hello and leave the scene immediately.

Unfortunately, the other party clearly wanted to continue the conversation, beckoning me over, while Haruno, standing nearby, kept a close eye on me. It seemed there was no escaping it. Reluctantly, I dragged my heavy steps closer, and Yukinoshita's mother cheerfully began to speak.

"You'll be going to the dance? I look forward to seeing your amazing dance moves."

"Hahaha……"

I chuckled dryly as I answered, but Yang gave me a suspicious look and spoke with a half-smile.

"Oh? You're good at dancing?"

"Yes, she's really good at it. I even started dancing along."

Yukinoshita's mother joked, revealing an unexpectedly cute expression as she giggled.

"Oh..."

Yang Nai uttered a sound of admiration, but her gaze was as cold as ice. Just as I was captivated by her meaningful look, Yukino stepped in, blocking her view.

"You're here for an exploration, right? There's still a lot to do. Could you hurry up?"

"That's true."

Faced with her daughter's anxious sighs, the mother suppressed her smile and slowly surveyed the gymnasium.

Judging from their conversation, she's probably here to check if the dance maintains the integrity of high school students. I must have contacted Yukinoshita earlier to ask her to handle it. Yukinoshita is the person in charge of everything, so she's naturally the right choice.

"To prepare to this extent in such a short time is truly remarkable. Even drafting the scrapped proposal to buy more time was worthwhile."

My mother looked around from the wall to the ceiling, nodded, then met my gaze and stopped staring at me.

"Besides, after reading such a large-scale proposal, there's really nothing to complain about. Those who have objections will probably accept it... It's a very good plan."

"Uh, I didn't do it. These are all—"

"They're all your daughters—" Just as she was about to say it, Yang Nai behind her narrowed her eyes. Yang Nai didn't say a word, but her gaze seemed to be probing me.

Thanks to her, I didn't let anything slip.

I shouldn't have interrupted here. Deliberately and loudly claiming credit that wasn't mine is not only meaningless but also counterproductive.

I shut my mouth, while Yukinoshita's mother tilted her head, waiting for me to finish speaking.

I didn't answer, but instead looked down at the snow.

Even if it's just a few words, the one who should step forward isn't me, but Yukinoshita herself. After all, she's the kind of person who nitpicks and will eventually smash the egg. If I speak up for Yukinoshita carelessly, it might end up harming her.

At this moment, Hiratsuka-sensei probably understood the meaning behind the silence, or perhaps my gaze, and chuckled softly.

"All of this is thanks to the understanding and assistance of all the parents. Right, Executive Chairman?"

She patted Yukinoshita's back lightly, as if joking, and smiled at her. Yukinoshita was suddenly called out and was momentarily taken aback. But she quickly understood the serious tone of Hiratsuka-sensei's words and the intention behind the last sentence, and immediately came to her senses.

"Yes, yes. As the person in charge of this project, I would like to express my gratitude."

Yukino thanked her mother with a completely different level of respect than before, and gave her a beautiful bow.

"While there may be some imperfections, today is a day worth celebrating, so please bear with me. If any of you guests have any questions, I will be happy to answer them."

She slowly raised her head from under the snow, staring straight at her mother. Her movements and expressions conveyed a clear sense of distance and tension.

"Well, even though we're mother and daughter, we still need to maintain a dignified attitude. At least you're acting like a responsible person... Well then, I will carefully evaluate you as a member of the parent-teacher association."

Please feel free to judge.

Seeing her beloved daughter's resolute attitude, Yukinoshita's mother revealed a triumphant smile. She opened her fan to hide her distorted smile, and once again spoke softly in her melodious voice:

"May I ask a few questions right away? First, regarding the scheduled end time and what happens after the event..."

"Yes. Regarding security around the venue, right? We've prepared the materials there. Would you mind moving over there?"

Yukinoshita left with her mother and teacher Hiratsuka.

Finally, Yang Nai slowed her pace a few steps. As she passed me, she touched my shoulder and whispered in my ear:

"You held back... that's fine."

The gentle voice was so sweet it sent chills down my spine, accompanied by a profound sense of loneliness.

Yang left those words behind without waiting for my reply.

Left alone in the same spot, I sighed deeply in melancholy and looked up at the ceiling.

× × ×

In the past, I would definitely have tried to be clever and meddle in other people's business.

However, there is no longer any need for that. More accurately, it is not possible to do so. I finally understand that.

My abilities and the things I can do are very limited.

Given the current situation, there's only one thing I should do.

That's work.

After letting out a long sigh, I also headed back to the preparation room.

I knocked and pounded my way up the narrow stairs and opened the door.

"Thanks for your hard work--"

Yise was leaning back in her swivel chair, spinning around in circles, looking bored. I pulled out the chair next to me, sat down in front of the loudspeaker system, and handed her a set of walkie-talkies.

"Thank you for your hard work. Here, this is for you."

"Okay. Thank you—"

Ise moved her chair closer, took the walkie-talkie, and whispered something in my ear.

"Is everything alright? What did that old woman say?"