My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As Expected

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"The mascot... will be renamed 'Snowy Hamman'."

"Not from Sheppyham... but from Sheppyham people?"

What is that? Next year's Super Sentai? Uh, I haven't been using "~person" in the title for any new works lately.

Yuihama guiltily wiped Yukihama's eyes with an eraser.

She glanced at my reaction while carefully wiping it clean and repainting the eyes herself.

"Add Hachiman"The man becomes a Snowy Beach person. That's how you'll have your elements.

The eyes she drew are exactly like Hachiman's. Those dead fish eyes she boasted about, claiming she'd memorized them and could easily draw them. Undoubtedly, they belong to Hachiman.

"I say, are my eyes the only thing that makes me up...?"

I stared at the Snowbyman again and was somewhat surprised to find that his appearance was unusually suitable.

Damn it, if someone has a beautiful face, does that mean they'll still look good even with dead eyes? That's so unfair!

"This is the Service Club's memory ... Its distinctive features are unforgettable!"

Looking at the picture in her hand, Yuihama smiled, revealing a variety of emotions.

It's as if it's cherishing memories of the past. It's as if it's entrusting memories of the future to someone else.

Yuihama looked over mischievously, held up a picture of Yuihama people to my face, and waved it around.

She peeked out from behind the paper, our eyes met, and then she pulled her face back behind the paper.

She's not hiding herself behind the mask of a mascot, but rather acting as an actress who breathes life into memories. As a girl who connects the hearts of the three members of the Service Club.

She greeted him with great energy.

"Hi!"

Note 17: Funashi's catchphrase is similar in pronunciation to "Nashi".

The Japanese word for "八幡" is "Hachiman".

Note 19: GAFA refers to Google, Apple, Facebook, and Amazon, while TIBA means Chiba.

Short Story Collection 3: Yui Side - I always felt that one day I would come to like that sweetness.

Author: Duhang

Recently, we added a dish to our dinner menu.

Yeah, it's dessert. Ah, young people these days always talk about desserts, right? Sorry, sorry. I don't really like sweets, and I'm not very knowledgeable about them.

Yes, lately dinners have often come with dessert.

No, I didn't get a promotion or a raise. In fact, considering the workload, I feel like my salary has even decreased. Is this what you call "low cost-performance"? These young people these days are really something. I, an older man, completely don't understand what everyone's thinking.

Oh, is that a compliment? Young people often use that phrase too. Do those kids think that when they're saying bad things about someone, all they need to do is add "that's a compliment"?

...Oh, no, I was really just praising you! I'm sorry! Don't be angry! I didn't mean anything by it! Don't angrily pound your keyboard! It's terrifying!

No, really not. Oh dear, back in our day we didn't really consider value for money. The previous generation experienced the bubble economy and felt like the company's money was their own, spending budgets recklessly...

I was thinking we'd be next, but then we were labeled as part of the Ice Age and the Lost Generation, and they implemented austerity measures and cut budgets, right? Forget about operating costs, we don't even have the money for upfront investment, and we're forced to work under extreme conditions…

So, young people these days are really capable. They're much smarter and less likely to waste money than we were; I deeply admire them. They won't buy cars or watches just to save face, and they probably won't buy houses now either. Renting seems to be the way to go, right?

Yeah, yeah. I know it's because young people don't have money.

I'm sorry the salary is so low! Although it's not my place to apologize for this, my company doesn't pay much even if you take away from those old guys. In fact, I don't earn much money either. Really, really.

Even though I'm the manager, this is that kind of nominal management position used to force you to work weekends and make you work overtime to your heart's content? It's incredibly unethical. A heartless company.

In short, our company's business situation isn't much better! While we're not going bankrupt... our performance hasn't improved for quite some time. This means we need to cut costs, so what you said was indeed true—I genuinely agree.

You young people are all very capable. You work very hard and think very carefully. Young people today have been living in a somewhat economically challenging era since the moment they were born.

That's why I don't understand.

How should I put it? Perhaps it's because the benchmark for wealth has changed.

I always felt that you were pursuing something different, not something that anyone could easily buy as long as they had money.

What exactly is it? ...Uh, I don't really know how to explain it...I just wanted to say something cool...Ah, wait, I know! It's that, time or something? You guys cherish your time, right? Although I don't really know either!

When we were young, we used Amex to buy Rolex watches, but nowadays, people value the intangible feeling of being priceless more than the tangible status.

Ah, does this line rhyme? It's rap, right? 4 rap to 8! By the way, rap is really popular now, isn't it? It's like urging someone to sing, right? Urging someone to sing. I know. It's very popular~ I know, I know. It's very well-received~

I might as well practice rapping! But rapping is so hard, I'm so frustrated!

...Uh, your reaction was quite indifferent, that's impressive.

Okay, you're right. Excuse me, let me repeat it.

"Only high school girls and older men pay attention to trends."

Although I know I'm an older man, it still hurts to be talked about like that by a young person...

...No, no, no, that's not it. I have a daughter, I was just wondering if this could be a topic I could talk to her about... I'm not an old man, just a dad...

My daughter? Oh, yes. She's seventeen this year. She'll be a senior in high school in April.

Maybe that's why... When I chat with my daughter, I always think, I don't understand what young people are thinking, it's because we older men are too negligent.

We are the ones who are older, yet we don't try to understand them.

Wouldn't my daughter hate me for adopting such a condescending attitude? So I think I have to gradually get closer to her. If I think about it that way, I won't want to criticize you young people.

Huh—? No, no, what great dad? Praising me won't do you any good, will it? Oh, on a side note, would you like some coffee? Would you like something sweet? Shall I get you something from my snack box?

No need? Oh, really... I'd rather go home sooner than eat snacks. I see. I understand. Me too. I also want to get home quickly for dinner...

—Well then, hurry up and finish your work and go back.

As I swayed along on the crowded train, I sent a short message on LINE: "I'm going home now~ Looking forward to dinner♪". Since the sentence was too short, I also added emoticons, stickers, and emojis.

I moved my shoulders, which were aching from working overtime, and put my phone away.

Oh dear, today is another long day.

After finishing overtime, I told my subordinates to go home, and walked through the vast underground hall of Tokyo Station...

When I arrived at the station closest to my home, it was already past nine o'clock in the evening.

This kind of life has lasted for a long time, so I don't feel any pain now. In fact, I've been quite enjoying this route home lately. Even the underground passage leading to the Keiyo Line platform, which is closer to Yurakucho than Tokyo Station, feels like a workout when you walk through it.

After all, there will be homemade desserts for dinner, so we can burn off some calories first.

That homemade dessert wasn't made every day; it depended on my mood, but it still felt like a reward, which made me start looking forward to dinner at home. No, I always look forward to it.

However, the mystery of why an extra dish was suddenly added to the dinner menu remains unsolved.

I can't think of any event that could be the catalyst. My position and salary haven't changed, and my funds haven't been touched. My annuity won't be available for a long time either.

We still have mortgages to pay on the house and the car, and now with the tax increase and economic downturn, I feel like we're even more short of money. Of course, my income is enough to support my family, so it's not a serious problem.

However, the sudden addition of a dish is indeed puzzling.

In summer, I can convince myself with reasons like, "There's a bumper harvest of vegetables like eggplants and cucumbers, so they're cheap." My wife will probably say with a gentle smile, "I saw so many were being sold, so I bought some to pickle! Oh, but we don't have time to eat them today, so I'll just pickle them overnight!" In autumn, she might say sweet potatoes are cheap, so she'll make sweet potato rice, and even serve a small plate of candied sweet potatoes... It wouldn't be surprising if this happened. In winter, she'll just pile a whole box of oranges aside and use them as a dessert.

However, handmade desserts only started appearing on the table in early spring. No, no, no, spring also has many seasonal ingredients, and my wife often goes to the supermarket to stock up on a lot of ingredients.

I'd be more accepting of desserts made with seasonal ingredients. Using ingredients I casually buy while grocery shopping is a perfectly natural reason.

But one evening in early spring, a peach tart appeared on the dinner table.

Strange, peaches are supposed to be in season in the summer...

I had this question at the time, but I hadn't had any handmade pastries in a long time, so I didn't think too much about it and enjoyed them immensely.

I remember we used to have apple pie on holidays when we were newlyweds, it makes me nostalgic... The compromise between my wife, who loves sweets more than me, and me, who doesn't particularly like sweets, was to have apple pie with rum...

As I pondered and reminisced, the tram arrived in the city where I lived.

I eagerly awaited dinner, then excitedly ran down the station stairs to my beloved home.

After passing through the lobby and getting off the elevator, I headed straight for my home!

"I'm back--"

Welcome back!

As I opened the door, the living room door in the hallway opened just in time, and my wife came out to greet me, carrying our beloved dog, Su Bing.

If I have to work overtime, it's really hard to have dinner with my family. This is probably true for families with teenage daughters who are worried about their weight.

As a result, only Crispy and I were eating at this time. I was enjoying the food my wife had prepared, while Crispy was eating its feed at my feet.

I savored the delicious food and happiness, clasped my hands together and said, "I'm full." The pastry seemed satisfied too, letting out a sigh of relief as it walked away to my wife, who was resting on the sofa. I watched it go, rubbing my belly.

Hmm, I'm about 80% full. I'm full enough, but I feel like something's missing.

Because I kept smelling a very pleasant fragrance. A sweet and fragrant scent, a smell that evokes a sense of nostalgia…

I looked toward the source of the aroma and saw my beloved daughter, wearing an apron, deep in thought in the kitchen, her face serious. Her light pinkish-brown hair was tied in a loose bun, swaying back and forth as she tilted her head.

Usually, as soon as I get home, she immediately locks herself in her room, but today she's struggling with something in the kitchen. Strange… that child doesn't usually cook…

"Yui, what are you doing?"

Yui ignored me and squatted down on the ground. Then she answered absentmindedly:

"Yeah, just... making something."

So cold. Such a cold attitude. I've gotten used to being treated like this because I have a female subordinate!

"You're making desserts, aren't you?"

Perhaps unable to bear seeing me talking to Yui like that, my wife continued, as if trying to give me a way out.

Oh, I see. Yui seems to be staring at the oven. She's making desserts... How rare. This is a rare opportunity, I must take a picture! I quickly got up, pointed the camera at the kitchen, intending to take a picture with my phone.

Smile, smile, come on, say "seven—". I was just about to speak.

“…………”

Yui's face was really sour; she was silently glaring at me. How scary… I put my phone on the ground, raised my hands, and sat back down at the table, dejected. Hmm, I'll take pictures next time… when Yui is in a better mood, hmm.

However, it's not common for Yui to cook herself. My wife is a great cook, is it because of her influence...? I guessed casually, then it dawned on me.

"Honey, what are those desserts you've been eating a lot lately...?"

"Ah, that? The taste has improved, right?"

Upon hearing his wife's words, Yui quickly stood up, peeked out from the kitchen, and silently observed my reaction. The implication was clear: those recent desserts were indeed made by Yui. My answer, of course, was only one.

"Delicious, so delicious, the wind is whispering to me (Note 20)..."

"Yui~ Did you hear that~ That's great!"

"Yeah. I mean, I'm not making this for Dad... I'm just practicing."

Yui turned her head away indifferently, but a satisfied smile was on her face.

"Really... It's Yui who's been making desserts for us."

I had never seen her cook before... My daughter has grown up without me even realizing it. I was so moved that I almost became Bing Shi from the ending of "Little Fox A Quan".

Ugh—! You have to tell me this first! My phone! Where did I put my phone?! Honey, have you seen my phone?! I need to take a picture of the dessert Yui made! Even though I already ate it!

However, the mystery surrounding the limited-edition spring peach tower incident has finally been solved.

"I see... Yui likes peaches."

"Huh, oh, um, I like it, why are you suddenly talking about this..."

"No, it's just that this early spring, I had a peach tart for dinner for the first time. I remembered that you made it too. Yui has loved peaches since she was little... I always peel iced peaches for you whenever she has a cold..."

"Hmm~ That's right~ Even after you recovered from your cold, you still clung to your parents for a while, always following us around at home~ Now you've grown so much~"

I gazed into the distance and sighed, and my wife played along, placing her hand near her eye and pretending to sob. To onlookers, it looked like a farcical comedy, and we were certainly just joking around, but actually, I was quite serious.

The reason peaches became a symbol of gentleness and love for Yui might be partly due to this memory. Hmm—or maybe it's just simple liking. But thinking about it this way makes Dad feel warmer!

However, having childhood memories dredged up and discussed without permission must be uncomfortable for the person involved. Yui fiddled with her bun, looking somewhat embarrassed.

"Was I really that prone to catching colds when I was little...?"

"I remember you often caught colds in the summer. There's a saying that stupid people don't catch colds, and my child is indeed very smart."

I gave her a thumbs up and flashed a mature and charming smile, but Yui looked at me coldly. Her gaze was so icy, I thought I was going to catch a cold... I shuddered, and I don't know if she caught my cold, but this time it was my wife who was laughing so hard she was shaking.