My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As Expected

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Although I managed to steer the conversation away from that topic in just a few words, I'm starting to think about it again. When did Yukino Yukinoshita start wearing her hair in twin tails become noticeably less frequent?

The most memorable moment was when I went to Makuhari Messe with Komachi to see the animals, we bumped into this guy, and it ended up being when we went to buy a birthday present for Yuihama.

Yukinoshita's hair was tied into two high ponytails, probably for a holiday look. Speaking of twin tails, it's that kind of hairstyle, the one Hiratsuka-sensei recreated.

The beautiful empress suddenly appeared relaxed, even exuding a childlike innocence... but that suited her exceptionally well.

However, the more I recall, the more I feel that the frequency with which Yukino tied her hair in pigtails decreased sharply from that day onwards. Perhaps we can assume that that day was the turning point.

What happened to this guy back then?

Did she combine the powerful wings of the eagles, hawks, and falcons she saw at the Tokyo Cat and Dog Show with her own twin tails?

No, if she were truly moved by this, she would probably just wear pigtails normally.

—Oh right, that was the day I first met Haruno.

Although this is a boring and foolish speculation, if part of the reason she grew her hair long is because of Haruno... being seen by her older sister with such a loose hairstyle in front of her classmates might have had some influence.

Therefore, she dared not tie her hair in pigtails, which she could only do when she was in a good mood, and unconsciously created pressure for herself... It's not impossible.

After a long period of contemplation, I glanced at Yukinoshita, and it seemed that she was looking over at the same time. Our eyes met unexpectedly.

Yukinoshita spoke awkwardly.

"Getting upset about something like this is really not like me—do you think so?"

"No way. Besides, no one can define what makes someone depressed as fitting into their personality. That kind of thing changes depending on the situation, and it's irresponsible."

In her consultation letter, Ebina also mentioned that "this is not in line with my personality." However, even the person in question may not understand what is in line with their own personality.

Besides, isn't it only true to yourself if you're not sad? If you even care about the act of being sad and try to suppress it, that's what causes stress.

Someone like me gets incredibly sad just seeing Pretty Cure crashing into a wall and crying.

"But I've also caused Yuihama a lot of trouble..."

Yukinoshita spoke in a weak voice.

This guy dedicated his time to solving the problems of many students, but when he needed help himself, he felt guilty for even the smallest thing.

She has a personality that makes her easily taken advantage of.

"Damaged hair, hair growing long, chatting... for Yuihama, these are just some of the topics she talks about with other girls during breaks. Chatting with club members during free time during club activities—it's hardly a problem."

It seems that Hiratsuka-sensei asked her to write the letter, so I won't directly tell her, "Writing a letter to ask this question is making a mountain out of a molehill." That person probably wants to ask the same question herself.

"...Is that so...However, it's true that chatting with me took up her time, so I want a conclusion. Otherwise, I'd feel really bad for her."

Beneath the snow, he pondered with a solemn expression.

Uh, who would draw conclusions from casual conversation... Although there are concerns about sexism in saying such things, it's usually a guy's idea, right?

I scratched my head... Hmm, will this hurt my scalp? Anyway, after scratching my head, I came up with the conclusion she wanted.

"If you feel you have more gray hair next time, just take it as your body sending out a distress signal, and relax like you did today, right?"

Unexpectedly, Yukinoshita nodded in agreement.

"...This is a very constructive suggestion for you. I will take it into consideration."

To have such a casual opinion called constructive is something I honestly don't know how to react to. I usually relax before my body sends out SOS signals.

You could even say I've always maintained a relaxed state.

In short, it can be considered resolved for now.

So, even though it's redundant, let's give the same reply to the inquiry letter.

The next day after school.

I arrived at the Service Society office as usual and noticed something unusual.

It's like having only a few white hairs among hundreds of thousands of black hairs.

If you don't notice it, it doesn't matter; but once you do, your attention will be immediately drawn to it.

That subtle anomaly—was Yukino Yukinoshita's twin tails.

A breeze blowing in from the corridor gently lifted two strands of black hair. So light was the weight of the tied-up hair imperceptible, as if it had been liberated from the constraints of gravity.

The scent of shampoo that wafted into my nostrils froze me in place.

Yukinoshita was simply sitting in her usual seat, reading a book as usual, and the scene was as beautiful as a painting.

"Can you close the door quickly?"

She coldly rebuked me, and I tried my best to remain calm, closing the door behind me. I couldn't let her find out that I had accidentally stared in a daze.

"...Yesterday, didn't Yuihama say she wanted to see me with this hairstyle? She even went out of her way to discuss it with me, and I felt it would be impolite to keep ignoring her request."

Yukino preemptively explained before I could even speak.

"Yeah?"

I gave a brief reply and sat down.

It's not that I'm indifferent to this; it's just that it took me a lot of effort to squeeze out these words.

This guy ties his hair into two buns, which shouldn't be unusual at all. Is it because it's rare?

"...Besides, changing your mindset is better for your hair than constantly worrying about it."

Her hair, beneath the snow, swayed as she shrugged.

"You actually still want to wear this hairstyle sometimes, right?"

Does a hairstyle sealed off due to impulsive actions need such an exaggerated excuse as "letting the hair breathe" to break the seal?

That's why the white-haired girl told her, "Hehehe, Yukino-chan, enduring is bad for your health—"

Well done, human body.

Yukinoshita placed the bookmark inside the paperback, closed the book, and cupped the right side of the ponytail in her hand.

"I wonder what Yuihama-san will say if she sees this."

She gave a mischievous smile.

Indeed, given how unwilling Yukinoshita was yesterday, it's bound to be an unexpected little prank.

However, you don't even need to guess what Yuihama will say.

"It suits you perfectly, doesn't it?"

"Then I'll reply to her with 'Thank you for the compliment.'"

Okay, go ahead and say it. In front of me.

The twin ponytails swayed quietly once more beneath the snow. Perhaps a breeze was blowing in through the gaps.

Or perhaps, the sound of the wind blowing through her hair... was a sigh I used to hide my shyness.

The protagonist of the 16-note comic "Skull 13".

Note 17 refers to Sasaki Sukesaburo and Atsumi Kakunosuke in "Mito Kōmon", both of whom were retainers serving Mito Mitsukuni.

The Japanese ghost story of 18 spirits named Akiku counting plates: "One plate... two plates..."

The phrase "19 notes" originates from the mobile game *Fate/Grand Order*. PU stands for Pick up, referring to an increased chance of drawing a specific character.

The female character in the game "Pure Love Notes" (20-note version).

Note 21: Female characters from "Marine Ship Nadeshiko".

The 22 references are from Hatsune Miku's song "Let You Be the Future".

Short Story Collection 1 Yukino Side Then, Yukino Yukinoshita (29) asks herself again

Author: Yu Shi You Shi

"I'll kill you all."

The man said on the other end of the phone.

"I'm going to kill you all. How dare you send those kinds of documents! My wife and kids found out. How are you going to compensate me? Huh? I'll kill you all, kill you all—"

I listened to the complaints coming through my headphones as I clicked the mouse. My eyes were glued to the cat videos displayed on the browser—a curated collection of various videos.

I'm so sorry.

As I let my eardrums be violated, I played with a cat in my mind. With just my voice, I could apologize to anyone however I wanted. This is the acting skill honed by a corporate slave to survive in this hell.

"Since you have not answered your phone by the due date, we have no choice but to send you a written document—"

"Still dare to argue! You filthy loan sharks!"

I'm so sorry.

Oh, it's a Munchkin cat.

Its name is suggestive, its legs are short, and its eyes are round. Sexual harassment is a crime, but its cuteness is also a crime.

"What Maru-Ryu Card Loan? I only applied because it had a bank's name on it, and I got scammed. It's just a predatory loan!"

I'm so sorry.

Oh, a Ragdoll cat! So fluffy. But it's too big to keep at home.

Such adorable creatures exist in this world. So it's okay if there are one or two dirty loan sharks. That balances things out.

After a short while, the man quieted down. He must have been tired of yelling. Anger, though intense, is fleeting; it's temporary. In that case, let him vent his frustrations.

It's my turn.

I closed the browser, said goodbye to the cat, and turned on the switch in my brain.

"So, sir/madam, when will you be able to make the repayment?"

I sensed that the man was afraid.

"this--"

"If you continue to be unable to make payments on time, we will have no choice but to suspend your card. Our company also shares customer credit information with other companies, so your other cards will likely also be suspended."

I felt him cover the microphone with his hand.

"Having several cards suspended at once must be frustrating, right? Some customers even go bankrupt because of it. Although it's beyond my authority to say this, I think this is a point of contention."

He took his hand off the microphone.

"...But I can't afford to pay such a large sum as 630,000 this month."

His tone suddenly softened.

I pressed my advantage and attacked.

"So, how about considering installment payments?"

"Huh? Is that okay?"

"Although it's different from the usual rules, the situation is special, so we can discuss it."

A long sigh came from the other end of the phone.

The rest was simple. I successfully negotiated the installment amount and term with him. The man listened to me obediently, and his initial fiery temper seemed to have vanished.

After hanging up the phone, I typed the report on my computer.

After briefly summarizing the events, I opened the "Recovery Probability" folder. I entered "Low Probability." That person will likely default on even the installment payments. A quick comparison with the data on my computer and my experience makes it clear. It's only a matter of time before he can't pay. Within three months, he'll be in a Japanese legal aid center or consumer protection center. Installment payments are merely postponing his inevitable demise.

I sighed.

I've worked at this customer service center for ten years. I've seen countless cases like this. But I still can't get used to it. This feeling of futility. It's like filling the emptiness of a hole I dug myself. How can I ever get used to it?

At that moment, I sensed the presence of other people behind me.

A strange woman looked down at me.

Smooth, black hair.

Her skin was very fair, her eyes very dark. Her slender figure was clad in a dark blue suit. Yes, clad. That word best describes her. Her gaze was sharp, her posture flawless. A rose with too many thorns. An ice rose.

"Seventy-three points."

She spoke calmly. In a workplace filled with ringing phones and customer service representatives, her voice stood out for some reason.

"While your calm tone was certainly persuasive, there were subtle oversights in your word choice. Considering you're a veteran with ten years of experience, this is hardly a satisfactory score. Also, browsing websites unrelated to work while handling customer complaints violates work rules."