My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As Expected

Page 606

Ye Shan knew every single vendor like the back of his hand.

"That restaurant's skewers are made with seafood delivered directly from the Kamo River, and they always sell yakisoba with Chiba specialties as toppings. They're all award-winning establishments from food festivals."

"I thought it would be like festival stalls... but it's so formal?"

"Because the competition in the food industry has been very fierce recently."

To clarify, "sports food" is short for "stadium food".

I approached the vendor to observe.

Wow! This is so cute.

Totsuka discovered the large pancake shaped like a dog's face, which had a half-smile, and couldn't help but scream.

Cute... isn't she...?

"Jeffie cakes are shaped like the Chiba team's mascot and are a very popular item. They come in three flavors: red bean, chocolate, and custard. They take a while to bake, so it's best to buy them now before there are too many people in line."

I didn't mind Hayama's long and tedious explanation, but it was perfectly neutralized by the dog-faced smile of the daipan-yaki.

"Hmm... there are three flavors. This is so annoying..."

Totsuka frowned and pondered for a moment, then turned to ask me:

"What flavor does Hachiman like? Chocolate? Custard?"

"You... Red Bean, right?"

I swallowed back the words "I like you!" and accidentally ordered the red bean flavor, which I didn't particularly like. I'll take it home to Komachi...

"Yayama, which stall did you recommend?"

"this."

Ye Shan took a huge food container out of his bag and tapped it to show me.

Uh, I don't understand what you're trying to say?

He walked briskly toward the vendor whose stall had a small mountain of sausages piled on the iron plate, asked the vendor to fill the entire food container, and then walked back to this side.

"If you bring your own food storage containers to that 'Xi Zuo' stall, the vendor will fill them to the brim for you. Isn't that great?"

Uh, this is way too full... It's packed so tightly, like the rice in a baseball club bento box... The little sausages look like grains of rice...

Totsuka, who had been squinting with joy after buying the large pancake with the smiley dog ​​design, immediately widened his eyes.

"Wow. That's why you told us to bring food containers."

"Totsuka remembered to bring a food container, right? Should we go buy some?"

"Yes, but I can't eat that much..."

"What about penguins?"

"Uh... um, I forgot to bring it."

"It doesn't matter if it's not a real food storage container. You see, some people use sandwich boxes instead."

"So skilled..."

Experienced fans went to the shopping center across the street to buy boxed snacks, filled the empty boxes with almost overflowing small sausages, and drizzled them with plenty of ketchup.

"But this is a rare opportunity, I want to choose this bright red Shengpu Dan Dan Noodles!"

I used this phrase to get rid of the persistent Ye Shan and went to queue up in front of the dan dan noodle stall.

Sungpo Dan Dan Noodles is also very popular with football fans, and you have to wait in line.

However, just smelling the unique aroma of chili oil that no other sesame oil-based dan dan noodles can provide... and the fragrance of the deep red broth that warms the bodies of the fishermen and fisherwomen working in the port city of Shengpu, the queuing time passes in the blink of an eye.

"Is this Katsuura Dan Dan Noodles...? It's like a jewel!"

The broth, brimming with chili peppers and chili oil, looks like a ruby ​​sparkling outdoors.

Let's start by tasting the soup...

I slowly sucked on the gemstone contained in the cheap plastic container.

"⁉ It's spicier than I expected... but it's delicious! ‼"

It's nothing like the mild spiciness of sesame oil-based spice blends. The uncompromising spiciness stings the tongue. The intense flavor explodes with a stimulating sensation!

I instantly became a prisoner of Shengpu Dan Dan Noodles, focusing intently on eating them. It was very spicy, so I couldn't finish it all in one go! But it was so delicious!

While I was engrossed in my dan dan noodles, the neighborhood suddenly became noisy.

"…………Um?"

Someone is giving a speech using a megaphone.

I looked toward the source of the sound and saw a long-haired middle-aged man... or rather, a man who had entered his early twilight years, standing on a stool with a megaphone in hand, giving a speech about today's match, saying things like "We absolutely cannot lose" and "Let's cheer him on with all our might."

There was also a man next to him who covered his face with a helmet and scarf and was dressed like a revolutionary.

In a venue that was basically like a festival, only one area had a particularly somber atmosphere. Was that the so-called fan riot?

"They are the core fans."

Hayama devoured the seemingly endless array of small sausages at an astonishing speed, and somehow found himself next to me, who was eating dan dan noodles.

"They're the people behind the goal who manage the cheering. They don't use violence... but I don't think they really like that kind of thing, do they?"

"Honestly, yes. It gives me a feeling of 'Wow, there are so many annoying people here...' And shouldn't we be able to support others without being forced to do it?"

"You're really blunt."

Ye Shan said with a wry smile.

"But if that's the case, aren't the activities of the Service Club pretty much the same?"

"no the same."

"What's different?"

"We were forced into this by Hiratsuka-sensei, but you did it willingly, right?"

"Heh. You...you really don't hold back when you talk."

Ye Shan had a smile on his face, but there was no smile in his eyes, making him a completely different person from before.

Totsuka keenly noticed this and pointed to a spot a little further away, asking:

"Ye, Ye-chan, I have a question for you! What are those people gathered over there doing?!"

"That's... waiting for the tour bus."

"Waiting for the tour bus?"

"They're going to welcome the tour bus the players will be in. They're also going to encourage the players and boost their morale before the match starts."

They actually went to this extent.

There seem to be terms like "out-waiting" and "in-waiting" in the idol industry (Note 4), but I've never heard of people cheering outside tour buses.

"Oh—did it work?"

I asked back with a hint of malice, but to my surprise, Hayama explained it to me in detail.

"Once you step onto the football field, the players' attention is completely focused on the ball, and they can't hear the cheers. However, when you're on the tour bus, you still have time to look outside, so some people feel that cheering from outside the bus is actually more effective."

"...You really think too much."

"Because fans can only use their brains to think. That's their hardship."

That statement made me think he was acting strangely.

Hayama himself plays soccer and is probably a pretty good player. Even if someone isn't at Hayama's level, anyone who has played soccer should logically use their own experience as an example. For instance, Hobe.

However, Hayama consistently spoke from an observer's perspective. His pronouncements were unusually noisy, yet they stemmed from an outsider's viewpoint. He remained steadfast.

It's just like... my position at school.

Soon after, the tour bus seemed to arrive, and the shouts of the gathered fan groups echoed like distant thunder.

"What are they shouting?"

Hayama looked into the distance and gave a brief answer to Totsuka's question.

"Win by All".

We passed through the entrance gates and stepped into the stadium, where it was another world.

"Whoa whoa……!"

I instinctively gasped in surprise.

A vibrant green stadium, and a blue ocean that looks closer than I imagined.

In addition, the stadium's bowl-shaped structure makes people feel that their location is unexpectedly high.

I felt the strong wind hitting my face and couldn't help but mutter:

"...Why is it so steep?"

"Hmm, hmm... it's... a little scary... huh?"

Totsuka whispered in my ear, then grabbed my sleeve with her tiny fingers and gave me an endearing smile.

"But with Hachiman by my side, I'm not afraid!"

...Isn't football amazing? Should we buy a season ticket?

Hayama saved us a three-person table and asked:

"So, what are your impressions of your first time at a stadium?"

"(Totsuka) is amazing. (Totsuka) is fantastic."

"Hearing you say that, it wasn't in vain that I invited you here."

Hayama looked very happy. That's great! Everyone is happy!

I sat down and looked around the stadium, and immediately noticed something unusual.

"Hey, Hayama. Why is there no one in the stands at the front..."

"Oh. Chiba set the prices for the front seats a bit high, so most people watch the game from the back stands. There aren't many people here today."

"Is that what you call 'young'...?"

The area behind us was almost completely packed, and audience members were still arriving. Will there be even more people, so I can be right next to Totsuka...? Awesome.

"Oh. Is that person from the Ministry of Revenue?"

I spotted a group of people in familiar uniforms in a corner of the stadium, and I recognized someone among them. They seemed to have spotted us too.

Tobe Sho. Like Hayama, he's a member of the soccer club and often hangs out with him.

"Hayato—! Hey—! Yay—!"

Hubu, who gave off a frivolous vibe, jumped up and down, shouting "Yay!" and waving in this direction. Hayama just smiled wryly and raised his hand in response.

Not only Kebu, but other members of the soccer club also waved or bowed to Hayama.

"That's our school's soccer club, right? Why are they on the field?"

Totsuka asked, and Hayama replied:

"Members of the county's soccer club take turns helping out during matches, like retrieving balls or carrying stretchers."

"Oh! That's great! I can participate in professional players' matches! I wish the tennis club had one too."

As expected of Totsuka, who is so fascinated by tennis that he goes to a tennis academy to play, he seems to really envy the opportunity to interact with professional players.

I raised my inner question:

Aren't you going to go find them?

"I experienced that in junior high school. Besides, it's best to experience this kind of thing when you're in the lower grades. Because standing on the same court as professional players can usually boost your enthusiasm for participating in club activities."

Hayama's answer was a perfect example of what you'd expect.

It was as if it had been planned in advance, without a single flaw that could be refuted. Although Ye Shan is usually a perfect person, for some reason, his lack of any opening today made me very concerned.

After the players finished practicing on the court, they began to hold various pre-match ceremonies.

Important figures from local self-governing organizations delivered speeches. Local specialties were donated.