My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As Expected

Page 795

I unlocked the bike and led the bike to Hayama's side. During this time, Hayama did nothing, as if he was waiting for me.

"...So, what do you plan to do?"

Ye Shan asked.

I was the one who said I needed to speak with him. Deciding on the future course of action is naturally my task.

"I want to talk to you..."

But this is something I can't let others hear. I don't want to attract attention. Besides, standing in the parking lot in the wind is really awkward. Is there anywhere we can sit down and talk? My house, or Hayama's house... I absolutely refuse...

"Let's go first and talk about it later."

"That's true, let's go..."

Ye Shan answered in this way and walked towards the school gate, while I followed behind on my bicycle.

The sound of two footsteps and the cold, rattling of rusty chains echoed through the quiet school building. The school, which was as noisy as a zoo during the day, was now eerily silent.

...How embarrassing.

We hadn't spoken a word, and then this scene appeared. This scene.

I was the one who approached him, but I rode my bicycle while Hayama walked. Wasn't that incredibly awkward? Uh oh, what should I do? Should I have led the bike and walked instead?

Or is it the usual practice to disband first and then meet at a designated location?

After thinking it over, I finally came up with a decent answer. I cleared my throat and called out to Ye Shan, who was walking ahead of me.

"...Ah—shall we come up?"

"what?"

Hayama turned around in surprise, looking completely bewildered. Was my voice drowned out by the wind...? Is this guy some kind of oblivious protagonist? Don't ask me back, I'm shy! Or is he using the advanced technique of pretending not to hear to refuse to ride with me? If I'm rejected, how could I possibly have the courage to ask again? Don't underestimate a girl's heart; it's very fragile.

After mentally ranting a long string of complaints, I sighed deeply, patted the bicycle rack, and asked the same question again... Hachiman! Do your best! Take courage!

"...So, I'm asking if you want to get on the bus."

"What? I thought I misheard."

Hayama gave a gentle smile.

"Then I will respectfully obey your command..."

"Um."

I got on my bicycle, and Hayama walked around behind me. The bicycle slowly sank, and I could feel him getting on. So, let's go!

Just as I was about to press the pedal, Hayama suddenly tapped my shoulder lightly. I reflexively flinched.

"Hey, what are you doing...?"

I turned around with a trembling heart. Ye Shan looked puzzled, glancing at his own hands and then at my shoulder.

"Oh, sorry. I was just adjusting my posture."

Hayama released my shoulder, shifted her weight back, and grabbed the edge of the rack. Yeah, well, that's how we always sit when riding together. When you're forward, you grab the rider's shoulders, waist, or the back of the seat. When you're back, it's like Hayama is doing now. By the way, Komachi is the former! She'll wrap her arms around my waist! So cute!

In short, that completes the preparations. I firmly planted my foot on the pedal and asked Ye Shan:

"Can we set off now?"

"Please go ahead."

He spoke lightly, and I pressed down on the pedals. The bicycle moved forward with my movements. However, perhaps because it was too heavy, the handlebars wouldn't obey me and veered to the side, the bicycle wobbling and weaving on the road.

Oh, oh... it's quite difficult to ride with a guy on board... I've only ever ridden with Komachi. Komachi is very light... Komachi is so cute...

In contrast, the man sitting in the back is not cute at all.

"Um...would you like me to ride?"

Turning his head, he saw Ye Shan with a wry smile on his face.

"No need, it's okay. I can manage."

I responded indifferently and continued pedaling. It's just that carrying one more person makes it hard to ride, and having someone help me is a bit embarrassing. Guys have their own sense of propriety!

I don't know if it was thanks to my restraint or because I got used to it after riding for a while, but the rest of the ride went relatively smoothly, and I was even able to gradually pick up the speed. The streets near the school are all reclaimed land, so the roads are straight and flat, making them perfect for cycling.

The wind was still biting cold, but it didn't bother me as I was moving around. I rode briskly along the road, and Hayama gently poked my back. "Don't poke me, okay? It'll give me goosebumps."

"...What?"

I was focused on riding my bike, so I didn't look back, but I heard Yeshan's voice behind me.

"Where are we going?"

His words reminded me that I hadn't decided on a destination yet. At this hour, there were very few places where I could easily find a seat and knew where to go.

"...Salia, please."

"You like Salia way too much."

Hayama asked, dumbfounded. "What's wrong? What's wrong with Salia?"

"What? Is that not allowed? I can buy you a coffee."

"Isn't Salia a beverage?"

I heard a breath that sounded like laughter. A little surprised. So he knew Salia was a beverage, huh?

...I see, this guy likes Salia too, right?

× × ×

I bought two cans of coffee from the vending machine next to the road.

Looking to the side, I saw a row of car taillights on the road. The orange lights and streetlights complemented each other beautifully, and even though it was already dark, it still felt very bright around me.

I took the hot tin can from the vending machine's dispenser, tossed it around in my hands, and returned to the park, which was a bit away from the road. The park felt particularly dark, probably because I had just seen a row of lights.

The darkness is illuminated by old streetlights. They occasionally chirp and their flickering white light shines on two benches placed together.

Hayato Hayama sat on one of the benches with his head held high.

Curious about what he was looking at, I followed his gaze. The only things that stood out were Saizeriya and the pedestrian bridge used to cross the street.

Amidst rows of residential houses, restaurants, and rental buildings, this park stands out as a blank space, existing quietly in the distance.

Therefore, cold winds often blow through it.

I actually wanted to go to Saizeriya, but I saw our school's students' bicycles parked in the Saizeriya parking lot. The bicycles they ride to school have different colored stickers assigned to them by grade level, and students have to stick them in a visible place, making them easy to recognize. The annoying thing was that the sticker I was using was the color we second-year students use.

What I'm going to talk to Hayama about is something I don't really want anyone to hear.

Salia was naturally ruled out, so we went to this nearby park. In such an open space, anyone who approached would be spotted immediately. I've heard that for a private conversation, it's best to choose a place with a wide view.

I approached the bench, and Hayama spotted me immediately. I warmed my hands with the canned coffee, pulled the tab, and took a sip.

Hayama held the coffee in his hand, and after a short while, he opened it and drank it just like me.

He sighed softly and asked me:

"...Is that the rumor you want to talk to me about?"

"That's right."

I gave a brief reply, and Hayama smiled wryly and said in a low voice:

"Really? I've said before that there's not much I can do."

He finished speaking and smiled slightly. The streetlights illuminated his remorseful expression, his eyebrows drooping.

I have a pretty good idea of ​​what Hayama will say. I don't intend to use that as a reason to blame him.

even so.

"Yes, I know. But the situation is different now."

I turned to him and he squinted in surprise, his gaze urging me to continue.

"Some people are quite troubled by it...and some are actually affected. You're probably in a similar situation, right? Could you help me resolve this?"

I looked to him for his opinion and bowed my head to ask him for a favor.

Ye Shan thought for a moment, then laughed out loud, saying in a teasing tone:

"Is this for Yui? Yukinoshita-san?... Or is it a 'boy from another school'?"

"Don't force me to say it's because you're so embarrassing."

I immediately made up a joke, and Hayama let out a hollow laugh and put the canned coffee on the bench.

"She probably just likes your sarcastic way of being sarcastic..."

This sounded like he was talking to himself. I couldn't see Hayama's expression sitting next to me; all I could see were his clenched fists.

He suddenly loosened his fist and took a sip of coffee.

"If you want to handle this, isn't there a simpler and more reliable way? Why bother asking me for help?"

"Some things seem simple, but are actually difficult. Have you heard of haiku? Haiku is profound precisely because it only has a few words."

"...The most troublesome thing about your nonsense is that it sounds like it makes sense."

I shrugged dramatically, and Hayama frowned. He sighed deeply, adjusted his posture, and turned to face me.

"If you want my help, at least explain to me why you're going to such lengths."

"Huh? Uh, didn't I already say? Some people are finding this very troublesome. If you want to handle this, the fastest way is for you, as the key person, to step in. I haven't thought of a specific method yet, but I need your voice, or rather, your influence. That's why I came to you for help."

I launched into a long explanation, adding a few more points to what I had just said.

In fact, whether you want to refute a rumor or cover it up with another, it requires widespread dissemination. To counteract a naturally occurring rumor, you need something much more impactful. Correcting fake news that people find amusing and spread everywhere is harder than climbing Mount Everest.

I quickly explained my reasons, but Hayama's attitude wasn't very enthusiastic. No, it would be more accurate to say he was passive. His narrowed eyes, like a crescent moon hanging high in the winter night sky, shone with a cold light, as if judging whether I was lying.

"No, you're just explaining the situation. What I want to know is your predicament... your reasons for being willing to bow down to me to deal with this problem."

"reason……"

I just finished a long speech, what else do you want me to say? Before I could finish speaking, Ye Shan gestured to stop me.

"That's just a rumor after all. Everyone's just having a good time right now, and the storm will eventually pass. The negative impact on me is only temporary. Besides, I don't think being confessed to is a negative thing... although that's just my personal opinion."

He deliberately added an extra sentence at the end, as if someone would suffer a loss because of being confessed to. I subconsciously turned my head and stared at a corner of the park.

"So, there's nothing I need to deal with."

The words, like gentle teachings, are still clearly audible in the wind.

The rustling of fallen leaves in the wind sounded like an unseen monster approaching, making me very uneasy. Because of this, my tone of voice became sharper in response.

What are you trying to say?

I couldn't help but click my tongue, switched to the other leg, shook my leg irritably, propped my chin on my knee, and glared at him sideways.

Ye Shan remained unmoved. He stared straight at me and slowly began to speak.

"It's just that you're treating this as a problem... no, it's that you want to treat this as a problem."

"ha……"

What is the significance of the words that come out of one's mouth?

Is it a mocking laugh at his foolishness, a question asking what nonsense he's spouting, or a bewildered sigh because he gets to the heart of the matter?

I didn't know how to continue the conversation, nor could I force a smile to hide my embarrassment. I couldn't make a sound, and could only move my mouth inexplicably. My lips were dry, and the corners of my mouth twitched.

Ah, I guessed right. I saw right through you.

Gossip about high school romances isn't unusual. There's no need to take it so seriously.

Knowing this, I still consider it a problem.

He fabricated a reason to get angry at a student's casual conversation. He distorted Miura Yumiko's sincere words telling us to handle things properly. He pretended not to see Ebina Hina's hesitant expression, even though he clearly noticed it. He feigned ignorance when faced with Hayama Hayato's question, dodging the issue. He interpreted Hiratsuka Shizuka's gentle admonition as having meanings that were advantageous to him. For his own sake, he ignored Isshiki Iroha's meaningful whispers.

I told myself this more earnestly than anyone else.

Treating this matter as a serious problem, playing word games with exaggerated vocabulary, distorting the meaning of words, and even disguising the inner monologues accumulated in one's heart. Just to cover up that one fact that is unfavorable to me, I eloquently spout illogical nonsense to get by.

At this moment, everything has been seen through.

I covered my mouth with my hand, which was twisted with shame, and uttered broken words in a trembling voice.

"That's a really jarring statement... Suppose, I mean suppose, suppose that's really the case, so what? What's the point of that question?"