My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As Expected

Page 708

Even I usually get scared, and still do now. Sometimes when I look at her from the side, I think, "This girl is really bad." Like, Ms. Miura always gets made to cry.

I was nodding and saying, "Yes, yes, I understand~" when Komachi closed her eyes and tilted her head.

"Hmm... that's one of the reasons. Even Komachi usually finds her brother's scumbag remarks terrifying, but if the two of you get together, it might be terrifying in another sense..."

I joined in the deep thought of Komachi, resting my hand on my chin and adopting a serious expression.

"Oh, that's another meaning... Wait, does Komachi usually think I'm frighteningly cold?"

My serious face instantly fell apart.

Uh, wait a minute. Normally? Really? I thought we siblings had a pretty good relationship, could it be that I'm mistaken? If I kept asking, I'd probably get a pretty harsh answer, so I swallowed the words I was about to say.

Komachi nodded, having come to some conclusion.

"...Well, people around me will get used to it after a while, and those who can't will just disappear, so it's okay!"

"How terrifying..."

This joke is anything but funny... Although it sounds scary, Komachi's tone is quite serious. She wags her finger and enters lecturing mode.

"However, even if others are used to it, you can't bother them like that. Trash-nii-san never says anything on important matters, but he always talks on and on about unnecessary things. Komachi thinks that's part of the reason for this incident."

That sounded harsh, but there was nothing to refute it.

By now, my bad habits have been pointed out so many times that they are almost incurable. It feels like every time one is cured, a new problem arises. I'm afraid this style will accompany me for the rest of my life.

Because I already know how to deal with this bad habit.

If one sentence can't solve the problem, say everything. If even words can't be trusted, then add action. Collect them one by one, connect them, and finally weave them into an answer.

"...Well, we have to give it our all. Both words and actions are essential."

I murmured the answer etched in my heart. Even if the voice was soft, as long as only I could hear it, that was enough.

Komachi tilted her head as if asking a question in return. Seeing her expression, I smiled and replied.

"In short, I'll have to bring Toraya's red bean cakes and kneel down to apologize."

"I don't think it's necessary to go that far... but it would be better to show sincerity without being too obvious."

"Yes. Let's buy a box of specialty sweets from Chiba Holland House to take home..."

"Hmm? No, something doesn't seem right... Come to think of it, normally a high school student who brings a box of sweets as an apology would seem disgusting, right..."

I was startled. I was really startled. She was just tilting her head cutely with an "Huh—?" at the beginning of her sentence, but as soon as she got to the second half, Komachi's eyes narrowed and she started scolding me in a voice that sounded like she was about to vomit. Now she's looking at me with a surprised and disgusted expression.

No, I did have some considerations when I said that.

From an aesthetic standpoint, the pastry box is not only quite unique, but also, being a consumable item, it won't cause any problems afterward. While some people may not like sweets, generally speaking, if the pastry box is of a high quality enough to be a gift or treat, it will be accepted. Although it's a high-end product, it's still food, so the price won't be too high. In other words, it offers excellent value for money.

Moreover, whether in TV series or movies, pastry boxes are often used as a symbol of apology, thus the impression has become fixed.

In Japan's high-context society, confectionery boxes have been heavily parodied as an essential item for apologies. It has evolved to the point where simply having a confectionery box is equivalent to an apology, rendering the act of saying "sorry" unnecessary. Confectionery boxes exist in this way, transcending mere words.

I wanted to spout these lies to refute them, but it seems there's no need for that now.

It doesn't necessarily have to be a pastry box.

That was at best an opportunity. Or rather, a MacGuffin.

Note: MacGuffin can be understood as a prop or character that advances the plot; its specific nature is not important.

It's just the simplest and most easily understood symbol; in fact, it wouldn't matter whether it's a ring, a doll, or a bouquet of flowers.

"No, this is just a way of thanking someone for the hospitality. It's not strange to send it on behalf of a parent. Rather than using it as a return gift... it's more like an opportunity to have a conversation."

To be precise, it would be troublesome if I didn't prepare such an opportunity and excuse in advance, since I'm not good at seizing opportunities... It would feel strange to suddenly say "I'm really sorry about the other day".

Having a proper conversation without any preamble is something most people can do, but it's a bit of a challenge for me. Apologizing on the spot is definitely too difficult. Even ready-to-eat steak seems difficult to make. And isn't ready-to-eat dumplings the only thing that can be made successfully on the spot?

Note: Ready-to-eat steak, an affordable steakhouse in Japan. Ready-to-eat dango, a specialty snack from Kumamoto Prefecture. This is a play on the words "ready-to-eat" and "instant."

In short, although I want to master more sophisticated communication skills, I still lack that composure. I have to think things through carefully, prepare thoroughly, corner myself, cut off all escape routes, and follow this sequence before I can even get a word in edgewise. Frankly, I've been clumsy in everything I've done, which is truly shameful.

However, Komachi exclaimed "Ho-ho!" while clapping enthusiastically for me.

"Oh—, I see… This roundabout and troublesome method is just like what my brother would do. Very good… Komachi doesn't dislike it…"

"Really? Although I don't really think it's a compliment, thank you anyway."

Was that a compliment or an insult? It was all because of that half-baked praise; my smug expression froze halfway through. A moment later, Komachi suddenly stopped clapping, tilting her head in confusion.

"...But, in my memory, it's more appropriate for my parents to call and express their gratitude."

"That's true... but..."

When your own child is going to stay at someone else's house, it's normal to greet and thank the parents, right? It's the same in my family. When Komachi stays overnight at a friend's house, my mom calls to thank her, and vice versa. That's definitely the way it is.

But I'm not finished yet.

That might just be because Komachi is a daughter.

If you're going to host someone else's daughter, you'll naturally need to make the necessary preparations, right?

The house needs to be cleaned thoroughly, and dinner should be a little more substantial. To avoid incurring envy, one can't overdo it, but to avoid being looked down upon, one can't cut corners either. This meticulous approach is essential. My parents are the source of this knowledge.

In other words, my parents went to such great lengths for Komachi. To illustrate how much effort they put in, let me give you an example: when Komachi's friends came over to stay overnight, my dad would say something like, "It's nice to go out for a leisurely meal once in a while, isn't it? You can take the flowers and go now," and then subtly usher me out of the house—that's the level of care and effort they went to.

If their son has been to a nightclub, the parents will use the excuse that "all his friends are basically the same, they must all be bad kids" to completely ignore it.

We took showers at a public bathhouse with an entertainment center vibe, had rice with grilled meat on a hot plate for dinner, and then slept in the living room with the TV and games on.

Let them drink as much cola as they want, eat their fill of heavily salted and oily food, and then play until dawn—that would be perfect. If there were a Michelin Guide for men, they could easily get three stars.

Well, the consequence of getting too carried away at a guys' all-nighter is that you might need to be careful with furniture, walls, and sliding doors—things that are easily damaged. But then again, the walls and doors were already in a hopeless state when your son was around, so worrying about one or two minor damages now won't make a difference. By "son," I mean the guy who plays baseball at home and accidentally smashes a light fixture with his bat. Since the house was already full of scratches when your son was there, I recommend getting a cat. Anyway, once you see the dilapidated walls and other damage, you'll understand. And most importantly, cats are adorable.

In short, the costs of entertaining female friends and male friends are completely different. Therefore, it is essential for a daughter to express her gratitude when someone helps her.

Looking back and applying this to the current situation, I think my parents should still give the other party a heads-up!

...Thinking about all this nonsense, just as I was about to launch into an exceptionally heated debate.

"Okay, I understand, I understand. It's a little inconvenient to let my parents know about this."

Komachi patted my shoulder gently, as if to say, "Don't say anything, I understand," and a warm smile suddenly appeared on her face.

"Oh, oh... well, that's right..."

Actually, the reasons don't matter at all; it's just that it's really inconvenient for my parents to know about this kind of thing.

The typical reaction for us guys is when our mothers, with a radiant smile, say, "Now that you have a girlfriend, bring her home so Mom can take a look," and we can only manage a dry laugh. What? What does "take a look" mean...? What does it even mean? What do they want to see?

However, because I had experienced the pressure from my mother before, which was like that of a mother-in-law, I was determined not to let my parents be involved in this matter.

In other words, this is called self-reliance. It means not easily relying on one's parents' help, but seeking solutions to problems through one's own efforts. It can even be considered filial piety.

So, let me introduce my plan to become independent. I cleared my throat, pretending to be serious, and deftly tossed my hair back.

"Well, we'll just say we need to buy a pastry box as a return gift, and make up some details about the other thing, just to get the money from Dad. We'll make a killing, about ten thousand dollars, and we'll split the change."

Anyway, that office worker doesn't need to file tax returns. No matter what, he wouldn't say something like "Give me the receipt"... If he asks for change, I'll just make up a story like "Huh? I spent 50,000!" and get away with it.

Even relying on parents in times of hardship—that's a remarkable display of independence!

Note: In times of hardship, even parents are sometimes used – a Japanese proverb.

Seemingly because the plan was too perfect, Komachi Hikigaya, a suspect who was an accomplice (fraud), was also all smiles.

"Oh~! Not bad—! Intelligent criminal! Yo! Chiba's Moriarty!"

Note: Professor Moriarty in Sherlock Holmes

Unlike the half-hearted applause earlier, this time it was thunderous applause. Komachi had given me a nickname on her own initiative, like someone cheering loudly from the far end of a Kabuki performance. Lately, the chances of being praised seem to have decreased dramatically, so even being called a criminal doesn't make me happy.

"Haha, you can praise me a little more!"

"You lazy bum! You useless blues! You single-handedly cut the door, then hit two Dora tiles—you good-for-nothing! You even got all the Ryouki! Your parents who fired the shot are crying!"

"That's going too far, stop talking. How could you say such hurtful things to your brother?"

I was naturally criticized, which startled me... and I felt a little disappointed.

Thinking about this, I noticed that Komachi also looked listless for some reason.

"I already praised you... Komachi's score is really high..."

"Well, that's true... After all, it's a classic, classic style of play, and it was indeed a beautiful move..."

But judging from that, apart from "Men Duanping," none of the compliments are actually praise... Where did they learn all this knowledge? Mahjong Soul? Whatever, the people I know seem really good at mahjong... their voices sound amazing too...

Lost in our own thoughts and chatting about trivial matters, we walked out of the school gates.

Anyway, let's stop by the Dutch House on the way home.

"Um"

I stepped across the roller track at the school gate, then turned around and patted the back seat of my bicycle in front of Komachi. Komachi jumped up and sat on the back seat.

Komachi put her hand on my shoulder to indicate "ready, OK." Taking that signal, I pressed down on the pedal.

"Ah, wait a minute."

In that instant, Komachi grabbed my collar tightly. Although my throat was being choked and I couldn't breathe, I still turned my upper body around.

"What's the matter……"

As soon as I cast a resentful glance my way, I noticed that Komachi had also turned her head away for some reason.

"I feel like someone is calling me..."

As Komachi spoke, she looked around, but soon her gaze settled on the direction of the school building.

"Ah, it really is Yui-nee. Yui-nee! Oh—ee!"

Komachi waved her hand loudly, and I looked in the direction she was calling out. I saw Yuihama running towards me from a little distance away.

With light footsteps, Yui ran up to us, her shoulders heaving as she gasped for breath, and spoke rapidly in a rapid-fire manner.

"Xiao Qi, are you free later? You should be free, right? I understand."

"Wow, that was fast! Hihama-kun... wait a moment for my response..."

The speed at which the process went from asking a question to confirming it was at the level expected of an IT boss aspiring to be like Steve Jobs. This thought process of directly issuing pre-existing conclusions without considering the actual situation was something that I, as a long-time corporate slave and a representative on the scene, simply couldn't keep up with.

However, there are still people who can keep up with the pace and react accordingly.

That was the future executive candidate, the world's younger sister, Komachi Hikigaya. Komachi nimbly got out of the back seat, immediately showing an expression as if she had realized something, and nodded knowingly.

"Ah, Komachi has a few things she needs to buy later. I'll take my leave now."

Komachi formed a ninja hand seal like a ninja, then grabbed my sleeve and forcibly took the handlebars of the bicycle.

"Wait, I'm the one who has to choose the snack boxes."

"Don't worry about it! You idiot Hachiman! Don't worry, I know my brother's taste very well, leave this to Komachi♪"

Komachi launched into a long, rambling monologue, ending with a cute wink. With fluid, effortless movements, she snatched the bicycle from my hands and swiftly hopped onto the seat.

"Then Komachi will be going now!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Komachi saluted, slammed her foot on the pedal with great force, and sped away.

Wow, that was fast, Komachi… wait a little while for your brother's response. Are you sure it's okay…? Did you really remember about splitting the change…?

Leaving aside these untimely worries, my plans for later are practically a blank slate.

Now I do have some free time with Yuihama. It's impossible to say I suddenly have an emergency now.

So, what should I say? Not knowing what to say, I watched Komachi's figure disappear into the distance until she was no longer visible, and then finally muttered something under my breath.

"...Well, I guess I'm free now."

"Um"

Upon hearing my straightforward answer, Yuihama simply replied with affirmation.

In the natural atmosphere, as if drawn by her agreeing response, my next words blurted out.

"What are we doing? Going back?"

"I already said I'm not going back!"

Without realizing it, she blurted out a casual joke, which startled even me. Yui seemed to be the same, staring blankly with her mouth agape before letting out a soft chuckle.

I released the tension on my shoulders and relaxed them. I tilted my head and asked her, "What are we going to do?" Then Yui took a deep breath.

She calmed her erratic breathing, straightened her swaying bun, and carefully adjusted the backpack on her back. Then, she faced me, closing the distance by just one step.