My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As Expected

Page 527

"...Could you please help persuade 'them'?"

The mother in the snow tilted her head slightly, perhaps surprised by my comment. Her adorable gesture, so unusual for her age, made me laugh. Their reactions to unexpected remarks were so similar.

"Are there enough factors to convince them? Then it depends on who says it, and whether that can change the outcome?"

The important thing isn't "what is said," but "who says it." This saying is overused, but it's true. If Yukinoshita's mother had stepped in instead of me, I think even some of the so-called stubborn parents could have been persuaded. They only asked for her help because they knew Yukinoshita's mother was more capable than themselves.

In the end, the essence of this game is the struggle for the queen.

"...In fact, it's not convincing at all for someone as insignificant as me to speak."

I chuckled dryly and, in a helpless tone, called out "General" to the black-clad king I had never met before.

"No, that's not true. You did a great job in such a short time. It even makes me wonder who did it."

My mother, who seemed to genuinely admire me, smiled and said this, then tilted her head away.

"...Excuse me, I haven't asked your name yet?"

She lowered her brows in guilt.

Ms. Hiratsuka immediately grabbed my sleeve, trying to stop me. She must have understood that announcing my name in this setting would carry some kind of significance.

However, the moment I gleaned those words from my opponent, my task as a chess player was over. From then on, I only needed to fulfill my duty as a chess piece.

This chess piece is usually completely useless, a useless piece with nowhere to go.

However, under certain circumstances, it can even eat the queen.

"Hikigaya Hachiman."

Upon hearing my self-introduction, Hiratsuka-sensei sighed softly in despair and released my sleeve.

"Hikigaya..."

The mother beneath the snow put her hand to her mouth, muttering to herself, her gaze drifting downwards. A moment later, she suddenly looked up, as if she had remembered.

"Ah... so you are..."

I returned a polite smile. Although I couldn't do as well as Hayama and Haruno, I had done my best. Thanks to them, I caught a glimpse of Hiratsuka-sensei's astonished expression out of the corner of my eye.

Then comes the important part. Having given my name, my words and attitude cannot be flawed. Being too aggressive, too arrogant, or conversely, too subservient, might be seen as threatening her.

If she makes that assumption, it will truly become my fault, giving her an opportunity to take advantage. Therefore, I must show sincerity and tell her that I didn't mean it that way.

"I'm so sorry for causing you so much trouble that time. My parents handled everything for me, so I didn't get a chance to let you know."

I tried to maintain a calm tone, and my head shouldn't be bowed too low or too low. I reminded myself to be a pawn that only does what it's supposed to do, without letting any unnecessary emotions get in the way.

This is a diplomatic courtesy. Exaggerating it a bit is just right.

Perhaps my posture successfully conveyed my intentions, and the other party responded with the same attitude.

"I should be apologizing. I'm so sorry my family caused you trouble. How's your leg feeling afterwards? It must have been quite inconvenient. I'm really sorry."

My mother bowed her head deeply beneath the snow, while I deliberately tried to appear spirited.

"Thanks to you, I'm completely healed. I'm even stronger than before! You can see me dancing at the ball!"

I immediately performed a quick dance for her with my legs, my shoes making a clattering sound. My mother, standing under the snow, covered her mouth with her hand and chuckled, "Oh dear!"

"That's rude."

Ms. Hiratsuka patted my leg, and I stopped laughing. I felt disgusted by my own clownish behavior and desperately tried to suppress the deep sigh that almost escaped my lips.

The mother beneath the snow still wore a smile, her eyes narrowed, and she said softly:

"...You have guts."

Under her icy gaze, I felt as if my body began to freeze the moment she looked at me. Her eyes, which seemed to see through everything, even made me feel nauseous.

But then her gaze suddenly relaxed. Yukishima's mother opened her fan, covered her mouth, and gave me a gentle smile. That smile was so innocent and carefree that I had the illusion that this was her true nature.

"You're quite capable."

"I don't deserve it."

I pretended to brush my bangs aside and wipe the sweat from my forehead, trying to maintain my calm and collected image until the very end. My white shirt clung to my body because of the cold sweat, my throat was so dry that even breathing hurt.

To outsiders, this conversation was merely a self-introduction, a recollection of past events. The names and the content of the conversation themselves were meaningless.

Therefore, the listener can assign meaning to it.

The mother smiled for a while, then snapped her fan shut with a "click," extinguishing her smile.

"Well... I'll talk to the parents. If possible, I'd like the teacher to accompany them as well."

"As long as you provide the dates, I can adjust the itinerary."

I listened blankly as the two adults discussed official business, and a wave of fatigue washed over me. Perhaps my taut nerves had suddenly snapped; I instinctively looked up at the ceiling, sighed deeply, and stood there, lost in thought.

"Hachiman, can I do you a favor?"

"Yes, yes."

Suddenly called upon, I quickly straightened my back. They seemed to have talked a lot while I was distracted. Professor Hiratsuka finished tidying up the documents and prepared to leave. I glanced across the street; Yukinoshita's mother was also getting ready to go home.

"I have to go out for a while. Could you please tell Yukino that the ball should be held according to the revised plan? You can decide how to say it."

"Okay... I got it..."

Without fully understanding the situation, I answered, and Ms. Hiratsuka nodded, urging me to hurry with her eyes. Okay, I really should be quick. There's not much time left before the ball; I must convey the decision as soon as possible.

I got up from my seat, and my mother, sitting opposite me under the snow, smiled at me.

"See you next time, Hachiman."

"Hahaha... then I'll take my leave."

I gave a dry laugh and brushed it off, neither agreeing nor refusing, nodded in acknowledgment, and left the reception room.

If I could, I really wouldn't want to see her again...

╳ ╳ ╳

I walked quietly alone through the school buildings at dusk. Soon after, I arrived at the student council office.

I knocked on the door and, in the brief moment of waiting for a response, let out a long breath.

A short while later, the door opened silently, without even a sound of footsteps. The heating inside was on high, leaking out through the narrow crack in the door.

The person holding the doorknob was a bespectacled girl with pigtails; I vaguely remembered her as the Party Secretary. The Party Secretary's sister seemed to recognize me and said somewhat nervously, "Please come in..." before letting me in.

I nodded slightly and said thank you. As soon as I entered the room, I saw the vice president sitting at his desk, muttering, "Not enough time...not enough time..." and working while crying. Very well, very well, he'll have to endure more hardship.

I glanced around the room; Yukinoshita wasn't there. Isshiki was sitting at the table inside, eating snacks and staring blankly at me, her head tilted to the side.

"...I didn't ask you to come."

You can't come unless someone asks you to? Okay, that's true. Just as I was about to explain why I came, Isshiki clapped his hands.

"Oh, are you here to help? Do you want to be a slave, or free labor?"

Where did this theory of super-evolution come from? Your logic is jumping around too much. Iroha is still the same as ever, making me feel a bit powerless, and I slumped my shoulders.

"Look forward to next year. I'll introduce you to some promising newcomers then. By the way, what about Yukinoshita?"

I casually retorted to her usual rambling, then asked her a question. Isshiki tilted her head in puzzlement, glancing at the simple table that Yukinoshita was probably using.

"Oh right, she's not here."

Isshiki hesitated for a moment, seemingly only now noticing. Judging from her reaction, Yukinoshita must not have been gone long. Did she run away again because the heating was too strong? In any case, if Yukinoshita isn't here, there's no point in me staying.

"Never mind then. Goodbye."

"Ah, wait, what do you mean! You must have something to say!"

Isshiki called out to me as I turned to leave. Her words suddenly made me realize something. Even though Hiratsuka-sensei hadn't asked me, I should probably tell Isshiki too. I stopped and turned back.

"Oh—right. The ball has been decided to proceed according to your plan. It's definitely going to happen. Good luck!"

"Oh... what did you say?"

Her mouth gaped open, her upper body and head tilting to the side. It would be a hassle to explain if she asked me for details. I'd better slip away before Isshiki turns his head back.

╳ ╳ ╳

Although I hadn't decided where to go, my steps were unwavering, naturally leading me in a certain direction. I thought, she must be there.

The corridors of the special building were deserted. I've been walking this road to the office for almost a year now. I could probably walk it with my eyes closed by now.

Not long after, the door appeared in front of me. I stood in front of it, as if trying to trace its outline, and hooked my finger on the doorknob. The material was clearly the same as the other classrooms, but I couldn't forget its cold, hard feel.

I pulled hard, and the door slid open to the side with a "click".

What came into view was an ordinary, unremarkable classroom.

However, the reason this place seems unusual is probably because a young girl is inside it.

Under the setting sun, Xue Nai, letting the wind blow against her body, stood by the window gazing out.

The windows were wide open, and the curtains fluttered in the wind, as if ventilating a classroom that had been unused for quite some time.

The scene was so picturesque that it created the illusion that she would remain there even after the world ended.

Seeing this scene, my body and mind stopped.

I was stunned.

Upon noticing someone approaching, Yukinoshita turned around, her long, flowing hair flowing. Her eyes widened in surprise for a moment, but she quickly smiled.

"good afternoon."

"……oh."

After I answered, Yukinoshita closed the window, the curtains gently fell, and the sound disappeared from the office. The fiery red sunset filled the quiet space. The dazzling sunlight made me squint. Across from me, Yukinoshita, with her back to the window, brushed aside her glossy black hair.

"What brings you here?"

"It's nothing, I just have something at work to tell you."

"Really? I'm sorry to have troubled you to come all this way to see me. I'm sorry to have made you go through all that trouble."

"Don't worry about it, it's not a big deal."

I pulled out the chair closest to the door, sat down in my usual spot, and gestured for Yukino to sit down as well. Yukino seemed a little confused, so I waited for her silently. Finally, she sighed resignedly and sat down in the seat closest to the window.

"It's about the dance. Your amendments have passed smoothly. We'll try to persuade the opposing parents to accept it."

Logically, Yukinoshita should only be learning this news now, yet she showed no surprise whatsoever, not even raising an eyebrow, simply listening quietly. Although I was puzzled, I added at the end:

"So... I lost."

"Hmm...you won."

A short while later, she sighed deeply and said softly.

"...Why?"

"You've dragged me into this situation again. In essence, isn't it a victory for you?"

Her self-deprecating smile made me feel uneasy, so I voiced my lingering doubts.

"...Even so, you expected this, didn't you? Didn't you vaguely sense my methods? In that case, you still win."

Both Hayato Hayama and Haruno Yukinoshita saw through my intentions the moment they learned of the fake mai plan. As for Yukinoshita's mother, she almost used it to kill me. Given that, it's not surprising that Yukinoshita, who should possess equal intelligence, saw through my little trick.

In a way, the way Yukinoshita and Isshiki offered their opinions was somewhat similar to a flawed premise. The method of rejecting the unsuitable option among two choices to find the correct answer—this method actually became a clue for me when organizing my thoughts. My source of inspiration came from this, indicating that she was also capable of coming up with the same answer.

Hearing my question, Yukinoshita lowered her eyes and shook her head.

"That's not a reliable solution either. Because as long as the initial premise of 'opposition to the ball' remains, that line of reasoning doesn't hold... However, I think if it were you, you would always find a way to resolve it."

She didn't deny that she had anticipated it; all she could say was that Yukinoshita was truly remarkable. However, a shadow fell over her final smile. I wanted to deny it, and tried to force a smile by raising one corner of my mouth.

"Such a heavy trust...it scared me to death."

"I was surprised too. I just naturally assumed that."

Yukino gave me a shy, wry smile as I rambled on. This reaction, subtly revealing a girlishness befitting her age, almost made me gasp for breath. As I struggled with how to respond, Yukino said in a delicate, soft voice:

"I only have this kind of thought because I depend on you to this extent."

Regret and sorrow welled up in those eyes that were fixed on me. I couldn't bear to be looked at like that, so I looked away and quickly said:

"...Even so, it won't affect your victory. The condition for victory is that both sides use their own methods to make the ball a success, right? In the end, your plan and your approach will be adopted."

"...Okay, can I claim the win?"