My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As Expected

Page 757

In terms of interpersonal relationships, she sometimes has moments that are worse than mine!

Perhaps because I received approval, the gates of my memory slowly opened, and unpleasant memories surfaced one after another.

"And that good friend's group loves to force colleagues to interact with each other... They even held their own welcome party without asking them to."

I said wearily, and Yuihama pouted, looking at me with disapproval.

"Hey—that's great. It feels so comfortable."

"I'm saying, a sense of freedom and the ultimate clique are synonyms. Usually, newcomers are left out, and only the people in the clique have a good time."

At this point, I paused for a moment, cleared my throat two or three times, and began to explain slowly to her:

"Listen carefully, imagine... how painful it would be if, at a welcome party, a self-proclaimed hilarious senior college student asked you to 'tell something funny.' If you refuse, you'd be laughed at for being boring; if there's an awkward silence, you'd be called incredibly boring. Either way, you'd be doomed... and you still have to go to work the next day. It's like hell. Come on, imagine it..."

Like John Lennon at the Olympic opening ceremony, I kept repeating "imagination" [Note], and Yuihama's expression grew increasingly melancholy.

Note: John Lennon's song "Imagine" was played at the opening ceremony of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

"Waaah, I think I'm starting to not want to work anymore..."

Yuihama hunched over, exuding a heavy aura. "Hmm. It seems you understand, that's good."

Yuki patted her on the shoulder to encourage her.

"The way Hikigaya incites others to feel uneasy is almost a common tactic used by fraudsters, but I agree on the importance of prior investigation."

Yukinoshita nodded in understanding. "Oh dear, I think what you're saying is more like an empathy stemming from being on the fringes than agreement... oh well, anyway, we're talking about the same thing."

After listening to my and Yukinoshita's suggestions, Yuihama seemed to have some ideas as well, and she pondered and started thinking.

"Oh, I see—I'll try looking at some familiar shops nearby..."

I advise you not to.

"Huh—? Why?"

"If you disappear from a store you frequent, you can never go back there. For that reason, there are many stores I forbid myself from entering."

Vanishing without a trace is arguably the worst way to leave a job.

Needless to say, it will cause trouble for the store, and it will also be a headache for me. Besides what I just mentioned about not being allowed in the store, the piles of uniforms that have to be returned are also a big problem, squeezing into closet and wardrobe space. Lately, every time I open my closet, it's like being in "Sound! Uniform" [Note].

Note: This is a parody of the anime/manga series *Sound! Euphonium*. The Japanese pronunciation of "euphonium" is similar to "uniform."

Vanishing without a trace? Absolutely not. Paying cash on delivery and then returning the item? Absolutely not. At the very least, you have to pay for the shipping yourself!

When I mentioned this, Yukinoshita pressed her temples hard and sighed deeply.

"Hearing about your private life occasionally gives me a headache..."

"Ah, haha... I also think that autistic men can be incredibly autistic sometimes..."

She was really badly talked about. Yui, on the other hand, couldn't understand a word she was saying, yet her meaning was crystal clear. I think Yui's "Don't think! Just feel!" style is so typical of her.

Yukino is still Super Yukino.

Yukino lowered her gaze, bit her lower lip, and exhaled sadly.

"I deeply regret saying such things, but you really shouldn't be working..."

They've been abandoned...

I thought to myself, "The line between being recognized and being abandoned is very thin." Yuihama fiddled with the fork in her hand and gave me a reproachful look.

"If it were a job at a school, even though the autistic guy would complain a lot, he would still do it seriously..."

"what……"

Yui must have said it offhand, but I was speechless, which surprised even myself.

I repeatedly exhaled breaths, just to fill the silence, while trying to think of what to say.

"...Well, you can easily quit a job, but you can't just quit school. You still have to do what you're supposed to do."

They finally managed to find a seemingly reasonable reason and manage to say it.

Actually, there are probably other reasons.

But I have a feeling that it would be a grave mistake to say it aloud and define it in words.

I still can't find the words to accurately express that reason and emotion; once I give it meaning, it gradually becomes distorted.

Therefore, I gave a reason that I could understand, within the bounds of not lying. This answer was quite convincing.

So, why is Yui-hama looking at me with such disdain...?

"...Uh—I don't think you can just quit your job and not come to work."

She waved her hand, her tone somewhat helpless. Seeing this, Yukinoshita let out a sigh of relief, as if smiling.

"Leaving aside clubs, you're not the type of person I'd want to be colleagues with."

"Um, I'd like to return this sentence to you with a ribbon..."

Not only were ribbons tied, but they were also held in both hands.

Yukino is undoubtedly a talented person. She's impeccable as someone who handles things behind the scenes, possessing both planning and strategic skills. She can also make decisions depending on the situation. However, she's incredibly clumsy when it comes to interpersonal relationships…

If we worked together, she might verbally attack the self-important foreman (a freelancer who will eventually be promoted to a full-time position). Working in a place like that would definitely cause stomach aches.

My words had multiple meanings, and Yukinoshita seemed a little angry, turning her head to the side.

"The assumption of working together was never going to work... School rules prohibit working."

"No one will obediently follow this rule, right?"

In fact, I also ignored school rules and worked part-time, and most other students probably did the same.

Even if school rules prohibit working, and don't specify the punishment for being caught, the school won't specifically investigate. This means it's become an unwritten rule. A classic example of "if you don't consider it a problem, it's not a problem."

"Others' failure to follow school rules does not constitute a reason for you not to follow them either."

Yukinoshita bluntly stated her point. Why? Was it because the black tea she was drinking was Ceylon...? [Note]

Note: "正论" and "Ceylon" are pronounced the same in Japanese.

However, serious discussions are not meant to be listened to.

It's used for speaking.

So I decided to pretend I didn't hear it. If we weren't in the store, I would have whistled.

Surprisingly, Yui didn't ignore her reasoning; instead, she listened attentively to every word. She swallowed the rest of the cake and twirled her fork around.

"Oh, but as long as we get the school's permission, it should be fine, right?"

“…That’s right.”

Yukinoshita spoke somewhat hesitantly, probably because she hadn't expected Yuihama to respond so directly.

"However, well... Yuihama-san's reason for working part-time isn't clear enough, so it's difficult to use that to apply to the school. Besides, you're also involved in clubs, so it's unlikely that Hiratsuka-sensei, your advisor, will approve..."

Under the snow, she crossed her arms and rested her hands on her chin, listing various reasons as if she were racking her brains.

Her words and actions made me suddenly realize what was going on.

Yuihama seemed to have noticed as well. Seeing Yukinoshita like this, she couldn't help but sigh.

Then hugged the snow tightly.

"Don't worry, Yukino! Club activities are the most important thing! I won't hide my part-time job from you!"

"I didn't mean that..."

Yukinoshita blushed in Yui's arms, muttering softly, "You two have such a good relationship..."

However, I can somewhat understand Yukino's feelings. Although, strictly speaking, my thoughts are not the same as hers.

I wouldn't really want Yui to work either. The same goes for Yukinoshita.

Yukinoshita cherishes the time she spends with Yuihama, the time spent in that company office, which is why she opposes Yuihama going to work.

I feel about the same way.

However, there are decisive differences.

I guess I hate the fact that there are more things I don't know.

I myself think this is a bad habit. Knowing exactly what you're thinking is really disgusting.

The harmonious interaction between the two people in front of me was sweeter than the desserts on the table.

The coffee shop was warm and cozy. I sat on the sofa watching this scene, and suddenly a wave of sleepiness washed over me.

I gulped down the now-cold black coffee in one go as a small act of resistance.

In the third chapter of Yui's story, Yoshiki quietly inquired.

When we stepped out of the shop, the sun was already setting. We had unwittingly lingered too long, and the café had gone from afternoon tea time to dinner time.

The sky darkened, and the wind blowing towards the sea grew even colder.

We slowly walked towards the station, brushing past pedestrians hurrying home. Yuihama turned her head and stared blankly at the backs of those people, then suddenly spoke.

"The year is almost over!"

Walking beside her, Xue Shita seemed to have thought of something and said softly:

"Yes...it's about time to clean the house thoroughly."

"Ah, I can help today!"

Yuihama raised her hand energetically, and Yukinoshita responded with a smile.

"Really? Then I'll trouble you... The student affairs office also needs a little tidying up."

"really……"

I couldn't help but nod.

Christmas preparations kept us incredibly busy, so we didn't really do a proper spring cleaning. Not only that, but we also crammed a ton of stuff into the office. The student union office is currently at its most chaotic state.

"The first thing to do after the holiday is to clean up."

"Um."

Yuihama clenched her fist with great enthusiasm, while Yukinoshita, in contrast, remained calm and composed, as if she were talking about something trivial.

Upon reflection, Yuihama and I have never cleaned the clubroom. It's probably Yukinoshita who usually does it.

I'm sorry to have troubled you so much, thank you so much—I silently admired her. Soon after, we arrived at a crossroads very close to the park.

To the left is the road to the station, and to the right is the road leading to Yukinoshita's house. Yukinoshita points to the right.

"Let's go this way."

"Okay, I'll go back after I finish eating. Bye."

I replied, taking a step in the opposite direction from Yukinoshita and the others.

Then, I heard a shout of "Hey—" from behind. I turned around and saw Yui standing opposite me, waving vigorously.

"To the autistic man! Wishing you a happy new year—!"

"...Yeah, see you next year."

I slightly raised my hand and responded softly. Not wanting to say anything more, I immediately turned and quickly walked towards the station.

A biting wind brushed against my cheeks. I felt my ears turn red, and I wrapped my scarf around my face even more than usual.

× × ×

Ramen is served in another stomach.

I invented this phrase: even after eating so many sweets, I still finished all the ramen I had for dinner.

I'm waiting for the bus to go home at the bus stop.

There aren't many buses from the seaside resort to the place closest to my home, and if I miss one, I have to wait quite a while.

It's not that I can't walk home, but walking home dejectedly and watching the bus whiz by is really sad.

In Japan, a country known for its high concentration of corporate workers, even at the end of the year, many people still have to work, so you can see many tired corporate workers in front of train stations at night.

The same goes for this bus stop.

Thankfully, there were several people queuing in front of and behind me, perfectly blocking the wind. I stood there, not shivering from the cold.