My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As Expected

Page 746

I confirmed the relevant matters with each employee one by one and asked a few questions, which took up a lot of time.

When I left the tutoring center, the sun was almost setting.

Oh no, if I don't hurry, she'll have to wait too long...

We had different classes to try. Considering that we would be asking various questions about the tutoring center after class, our departure times wouldn't match. So, naturally, we agreed to meet somewhere... although the conversation at the time felt extremely awkward, like tentatively suggesting where to meet.

Anyway, we met at a coffee shop near the station.

I jogged towards my destination.

At dusk, the café will draw its blinds to block the setting sun, so that the interior cannot be seen from the outside.

But I had a feeling that she would be reading a book and waiting for me in the innermost seat.

As I expected, upon entering the store, I found Yukinoshita quietly flipping through paperback books in the innermost corner.

The indirect lighting, combined with the setting sun shining through the blinds, gave her figure a hazy, dreamlike quality, like a painting.

Yukino Yukinoshita, this girl, is as beautiful as a painting just by sitting there reading.

(Illustration 012)

I've seen similar scenes.

However, there is a huge difference.

A slight smile played on her lips as she swept her gentle gaze over the words.

The sense of distance that once worried people about whether stepping into that area would ruin the image is no longer there.

I quickly ordered a coffee at the counter and walked to the seat.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

I called out to her, and she immediately looked up from under the snow opposite me.

Then she revealed a gentle smile.

"No. I just arrived too."

As she spoke, Yukino gently closed the paperback and put it into her bag. Despite her words, the royal milk tea on the table had gone cold and the quantity had decreased significantly.

She noticed me looking at the cup, coughed lightly in an attempt to cover it up, picked up the teacup and took a sip.

"I'm running a little late for get out of class... are you too?"

"get out of class ended on time, but I have a lot of things I want to confirm, such as the learning environment and scholarships."

"Oh……"

Yukinoshita let out a satisfied sigh, then suddenly chuckled softly. The smile seemed rather amusing, but I couldn't quite place what was so funny about the conversation we'd just had.

"What?"

Yukinoshita gently shook her head, a cheerful smile still on her face.

"It's nothing. It's just that our conversation sounded like that of college students."

"Really? How is it similar?"

What are your impressions of universities? Is it because your role model is that older sister, and your views have become skewed? Did that person actually go to school?

I looked at her in surprise. She had her arms crossed and was looking to the upper left, deep in thought.

"Well... although this is just my imagination..."

She began with an opening remark, then, as if in a dream, spoke each word carefully:

"We'd meet up at the same place after class, it had that university vibe. We were taking different courses, and then we'd chat in the school cafeteria... that's roughly the feeling."

"Oh, I see..."

Now that she put it that way, it does seem to have that flavor.

In her imagination, we were no longer wearing uniforms, and our schedules were no longer assigned by others.

Wear your own clothes, take your own courses, and spend your free time in the cafeteria.

We'll probably have a conversation with an expression that's 80% more mature than it is now, and it'll definitely be no different from what we're having now.

I want to see that scene.

At the same time, I also think that day probably won't come.

"...If we went to the same university, maybe it would be possible. But I don't think there's any chance."

I gave a dry laugh, but Yukinoshita seemed rather unhappy.

"It's just imagination, so it's okay... Sometimes you can become a realist in trivial things."

You sometimes become a romantic in trivial ways… If I said that, she might pout even more. But whether I said it or not, Yukinoshita's lips remained pouting, refusing to look at me, as if she were throwing a tantrum.

"...And we're not even sure yet. Are there any overlaps between the schools we applied to?"

She said it softly, looking at me as if to confirm, "Is it right?"

Yukinoshita is applying to a national/public university's literature department, while I'm applying to a private university's literature department; our paths are slightly different.

Having given up on math and science from the very beginning, I won't be applying to national or public universities, but Yukino will probably apply to private universities as well. It's possible they'll both end up at the same university.

Unfortunately, it's only a possibility.

I would never apply to a national or public university, and Yukino wouldn't specifically choose a school to match my academic level, would she...? If she went that far, I'd be a little scared, not happy. In fact, I'd do everything in my power to stop her.

...But to be honest, she looked quite nice waiting for me at the buffet. I'm a little tempted today.

Therefore, a compromise solution must be adopted.

"Hmm... it doesn't really matter. Even if we go to different schools, we'll probably still arrange a time to meet."

I stroked my chin, pretending to think, to hide my face from the laughter that threatened to spill over. I held onto the hope that "no one can predict what will happen next year, but even so, we will definitely do it."

Yukino looked at me, seemingly trying to discern my true intentions. A moment later, her pouting lips suddenly broke into a smile.

"That's true... um."

The way she nodded had a more childlike quality than usual, giving a rather gentle impression.

However, she immediately flashed her usual competitive smile.

"Provided that you don't have to retake the exam."

"Could you please not state my biggest concern directly?"

This joke isn't funny at all... Okay, my parents' policy is "no retakes, go wherever you get accepted," so even if I wanted to retake it, I probably couldn't. In that case, I'd have to prepare for the exam super seriously. Waaaa... Japanese society, where failing once means you can't get back up, is terrifying...

I trembled with fear, and Yukinoshita shrugged helplessly.

"Look at you, how dare you even ask about scholarships?"

"Because that's an important source of income for me."

She nodded gently under the snow.

"You said that."

Some tutoring centers offer scholarships that reduce tuition fees for high-achieving students. Once I receive this scholarship, the difference between my tuition and the money my family gives me is mine. Thus, the alchemist of small sums of money is born.

Unfortunately, the difficulty level increases dramatically after entering the senior year of high school, and everyone else starts studying seriously, making it much harder to get a scholarship...

I groaned with a pained expression, and Yukinoshita asked worriedly:

"Are you that short of money?"

She lowered her brows, her eyes glistening with tears, as if she were about to pull out her wallet at any moment. Seeing her so uneasy, I felt like I had become a useless gigolo.

Hmm—surprisingly, nothing's wrong. No, not at all. It's not good to feel bad about it, and it's not good to spread it around.

I cleared my throat, quickly trying to hide my embarrassment.

"If I need money, I'll borrow from my parents, so don't worry. In the worst-case scenario, I can find a job. If it's just a one-day short-term job, I should be able to manage."

I made a casual joke, and Yukino sighed with a mixture of relief and helplessness, gently pressing her temples.

"Working is the worst option..."

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he raised his head.

"...Would you like to work at my house? I think the pay would be better than regular part-time jobs."

"Haha, absolutely not."

I heard that the Yukinoshita family runs a construction and civil engineering company, but even if she asked me to work there, I have no idea what I'd be doing. Ordinary manual labor? No, no, no, this is the Yukinoshita family. It's not so much that I don't know what I'd be doing, but rather that I don't know what they'd force me to do.

I'm not sure about their company's organizational structure, but I think the real boss is Xue Ma, right? That alone is enough to constitute harassment...

Furthermore, I honestly don't think Yukino's father would be very friendly towards me. Although I haven't met him yet, I'd probably reject any man who gets close to my adorable daughter. If I were Yukino's father, I'm confident I'd kill every boy who dared to approach her.

Therefore, I solemnly rejected her suggestion. Yukinoshita was not affected by this and rested her chin on her hand, seemingly lost in thought.

"Really... I was going to say the timing was perfect..."

What? What timing? I was a little scared and didn't dare to ask, so I decided to change the subject.

"I didn't have high hopes for scholarships, so it doesn't matter. The issue is the learning environment: location, facilities, support systems, and many other things..."

Hearing my rambling, Yukinoshita, who had been lost in thought, immediately turned to face me.

"Are you going to enroll in another tutoring center? Based on today's experience, I think it's pretty good..."

"No, I have no problem with this part. I just wanted to make a comparison. But to be honest, you can only judge a lecturer's ability after actually teaching for a year, so if you're going to compare, you should compare other parts."

She tilted her head under the snow.

"Other aspects, such as the size of the study room or the amount of materials?"

"Yes, that's included too..."

I spoke while thinking.

The size and number of seats in a study room are indeed very important. If you're ready to study but can't find a seat because it's too crowded, you'll feel demotivated for the rest of the day. Having reference books or past exam questions available for loan can be a huge help.

However, these are all concerns only for those who intend to attend tutoring classes diligently. Too far and you'll be too lazy to go, and it's best to avoid places with too many temptations, like amusement parks. Preparing for major exams ultimately comes down to how many "excuses for not studying" you can eliminate.

Therefore, we should choose a location where the power can be easily controlled.

From this perspective, that's naturally the priority.

"...Most importantly, there must be good restaurants nearby."

An ancient proverb says, "How can you fight a war when you're hungry?"

Delicious food can boost motivation. Conversely, unappetizing food can decrease motivation.

Yes, that's it... I concluded to myself, while Yukinoshita, who was listening nearby, sighed deeply.

"The cram school probably never imagined it would be chosen for that reason..."

"That's not right. Managing motivation is an important factor. For example, summer courses might have two or three classes a day, and students would be locked in study rooms, so they have to stay there all day, right? Of course, they have to eat nearby, but eating is not only about getting nutrition, but also about relaxing. It's best to choose places with good restaurants."

I tried to swallow back the sentence, "Good restaurants are saviors (because all they do is cook all day long)." Because talking nonsense would leave Yukino speechless.

I had just thought that when Yukinoshita seemed to fall silent!

"It's clearly fallacious reasoning, yet it's surprisingly persuasive; it's infuriating..."

Yukinoshita pressed her temples, seemingly in a bad headache from what I had done; her cheeks twitched, and she looked quite dumbfounded. But then she suddenly raised the corners of her mouth and let out a soft, silent sigh.

"...However, I haven't really considered that part."

"Right?"

The problem is that if you're choosing based on the type of restaurant, you can only go near a delicious ramen shop... If you're really greedy, a sauna nearby would be even better, but that's probably asking for too much. Then it'll be hard to tell whether you're going to study or to enjoy a sauna...

I made a wish that would never come true, and nodded as I sat across from you under the snow.

"So, which tutoring center should we look at next?"

"Huh? Are you going?"

I reflexively asked back, and Yukinoshita tilted her head slightly in surprise.

"Aren't you going?"

"Uh, I have to go..."

I was planning to check out other cram schools anyway... but Yukino doesn't need to, right? It's okay if we don't go together, right? No, that's not true. Didn't you really like the one we went to today?