My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As Expected

"Looks like someone accepted your suggestion this time, Zaimuzusa."

"What? You're making me sound like I'm worthless... Oh well, anyway, the two people I'm partnering with this time happen to be otaku. I haven't even said anything yet, and they've already happily decided to go to the publishing house for an internship. They must be into BL these days, right? Even someone like me is so powerless in the face of the power of love, so I'm just keeping quiet and not bothering them."

"Wouldn't it be better to become good friends with your own kind...?"

Yuihama spoke abruptly, without even glancing at the timber pedestal. However, I think that approach is unworkable. Because their interests are so similar, it's easy for them to clash, much like a religious war.

"But... it's just a workplace internship..."

Yuihama uttered that word again with a sigh, glancing at me repeatedly before quickly looking away. Her gaze shifted like a swimmer's, and when she finally spoke to me, her cheeks seemed a little red. Could she have caught a cold?

"...Autistic guy, where are you going for your internship?"

"My own home."

"Ah, that option is no longer available."

She waved her hand, telling me that I could no longer choose my own home.

It's not time to give up yet... Although that's what I think, I don't want to get beaten up by Hiratsuka-sensei again, so I've truly given up. And because I've given up, my turn is over.

"Hmm... well then, let the people in our group go wherever they want."

"What?! They've completely handed the decision over to someone else?"

"Oh dear, it's always been like this. I'm always put into a group at the last minute, so I never have a say."

"I see... Okay, sorry."

Yuihama is still the same as ever, hitting my sore spot with perfect accuracy... I dare say that when she plays Minesweeper, it will explode very quickly.

Speaking of which, in fact, groups of three are usually more terrifying than groups of two. If you're required to be in a group of two, both parties can accept their fate and silently endure the pressure; but in a group of three, you might encounter situations where two of them are very close and chat endlessly. In these situations, the feeling of being ostracized will reach its peak.

"So, you haven't decided where you want to do your internship yet...?"

Yuihama spoke softly, lost in thought.

"So, Yuigahama-san, have you decided where you're going?"

"Yes, I want to go to the nearest place."

"Your thoughts are similar to Hachiman's..."

"Hey, don't compare me to her! I chose my home because of noble ideals! And speaking of which, where are you planning to go? The police station? The courthouse? Or prison?"

"Neither is right... But I know exactly what you think of me now."

Under the snow, a cold smile played on her lips as she let out a soft "hehehe." Didn't I tell you? That kind of laughter is truly terrifying!

Actually, I only offered a few possible answers based on Yukino's intellectual side, but the results didn't seem to suit her taste. Strange, I didn't say she was cold, cruel, or sarcastic, so why did she let out that eerie laugh?

"As for me... I'll probably join a think tank or do research, so I'll choose from those options."

She only suggested a general direction, and may not have decided yet. But whichever it is, it's easy to associate it with her calm and serious personality.

Just then, someone tugged at the hem of my coat from behind. Who was it? Oh, it was Yuihama. I thought it was some little monster that would tug at people's sleeves.

Yuihama leaned closer, her lips almost touching my ear. It was such a waste that she smelled so good; her glossy hair brushed against my neck, giving me goosebumps.

This is the first time I've been this close to Yuihama. All the blood in my body is rushing to my heart. It's so annoying!

"An autistic man..."

Sweet breaths and soft whispers, as if afraid of being overheard, tickled my ears. We were now so close I could feel each other's breath and hear each other's heartbeats. Could it be… that rapid heartbeat…?

"What is 'ㄓˋ ㄎㄨˋ'? Is it a tank company?"

Her method of reading from the think tank was exactly the same as the old lady's.

It seems that my heart was beating so hard just now because of an irregular heartbeat.

"Yuihama-san..."

Yukinoshita sighed, looking as if she were surrendering, and pulled Yui away from me.

"What are so-called think tanks...?"

Yui listened attentively to Yukino's explanation, occasionally making "uh-huh" sounds. Gradually, they settled into lesson mode.

I glanced at the two of them out of the corner of my eye, then returned to my important task of reading shoujo manga.

Fifteen minutes had passed by the time Yukinoshita finally finished explaining what a think tank is and related knowledge.

The sun was almost below the horizon, and from the fourth-floor office, the shimmering sea was clearly visible. Looking down, you could see the baseball club preparing the field, the soccer club moving goals, and the track and field club tidying up the hurdles and mats.

The club activities were almost over. I glanced at the clock in the clubroom, and Yukinoshita closed her book at the same time. By the way, Zaimokuza gets startled by any movement Yukinoshita makes; she's such a coward.

I'm not sure when this habit started, but whenever Yukinoshita closes her book, it means the club activity is about to end. So Yuihama and I quickly pack our things and get ready to go home.

As a result, aside from the lumberjack we hope will never appear again, not a single person came to us for consultation today. I'll go grab a bowl of ramen before going home…

Speaking of dinner, "Houraiken" would be a good choice. Although it specializes in Niigata ramen, their clear, light broth is simply superb. It was recommended to me by Zaimokuza.

Oh no, my mouth is watering!

Just then, a light and rhythmic knocking sound came from outside the door.

"It's already so late..."

Thinking about how my happiest ramen time had been interrupted, I glared at the clock with displeasure.

I looked at Yukino and asked her what to do. If I were at home, I would definitely pretend no one was there.

"Please come in."

But Yukino didn't even glance at me and answered the door directly. Although it's true that people who come to your door really don't know how to read the room, Yukino is no less so, and might even be a step ahead in this regard.

"Excuse me."

Judging from the voice, the other person seemed quite relaxed.

Who on earth is it that's preventing me from having ramen...? I glared at the doorway with resentment, only to be surprised to find someone who isn't even allowed to be here.

× × ×

This guy is handsome. So handsome that if I don't use "handsome" to describe him, I really don't know what word to use.

His brown hair was probably slightly permed, and his eyes behind his stylish glasses were quite straightforward. When our eyes met, he naturally gave me a smile, which I reflexively returned with a flattering smile.

He's such a handsome guy that I instinctively admit defeat to.

"I'm so sorry to come to you at this hour. I have something I'd like to ask you for a favor."

He put his UMBRO sports backpack on the ground, asked, "Is it okay if I sit here?", and naturally pulled out the chair in front of Yukinoshita and sat down, his every move exuding style.

"I'm sorry~ The club has been so busy that I haven't been able to find the time, and we also have to suspend activities before the exams, so they insisted on finishing the training today. I'm really sorry."

People of importance are probably like that. If it were me, no one would stop me from going home; to be more precise, no one would even notice. That's why I'm suited to be a ninja!

However, although he said he was very busy with club activities, I couldn't smell any sweat on him; instead, he exuded a cool citrus scent.

Thank you for your self-introduction.

This handsome guy talked a lot, but Yukinoshita immediately poured cold water on him. I don't know if it's just my perception, but Yukinoshita seems particularly prickly these days.

"You must have come here for something, Hayato Hayama?"

However, Hayato Hayama did not lose his smile because of Yukinoshita's indifferent response.

"Yes, this is the Service Club, right? I heard from Hiratsuka-sensei that if you have any troubles, you can ask the Service Club for help, so I came here."

Whenever he speaks, a cool breeze inexplicably blows in from outside the window. Could this guy be the inheritor of the wind?

"I'm so sorry to be so late. If you all have other plans, I'm happy to come another time."

Upon hearing this, Yui Hama immediately flashed a polite smile that she hadn't seen in a long time. It seemed she hadn't yet shaken off her peculiar habits when dealing with the upper class.

"Oh, Hayato, you don't need to worry about us at all~ You're the future president of the soccer club, so it's understandable that you practice this late~"

However, only Yuihama would think that way. Yukinoshita now resembles a hedgehog, while Zaimokuza has a contorted expression and remains silent.

"No, that wouldn't be right with Zaimokuza-kun."

"Um, um... no, don't worry about me, because... um... I'm leaving now..."

However, as soon as Ye Shan said those words to him, his original hostility vanished instantly, and he even seemed to be the one who was in the wrong first.

"Cough cough cough! Hachiman, I'm off!"

He said those words and actually left the club office. Although he ran away with his tail between his legs, he seemed to have a smile on his face... But Zaimokuza, I completely understand how you feel.

It's a truly paradoxical thing. Those of us at the bottom of the campus hierarchy automatically give way to those at the top. If we bump into each other in the hallway, we'll definitely let them go first; and when we talk to them, we'll almost always stumble over our words. But if you ask us if our jealousy or resentment towards those people deepens, it doesn't really. In fact, we'd be quite happy if one day they remembered our names.

The mere fact that the high and mighty Hayama knows my name and recognizes me is enough for me to regain my dignity.

"Sorry, Penguin, for keeping this up so late."

"...No, it's alright."

Why did you only remember my name wrong?! My dignity is about to be lost again!

"Enough of that. Didn't you come here because you have something to do?"

I absolutely did not urge Hayama to get to the point because he got my name wrong... Really! Besides, I was curious to know what troubles Hayama might have. It's truly unbelievable that a man who sits so firmly at the top of the school hierarchy could have worries. Let me state upfront that I swear I have no despicable intentions whatsoever, nor do I plan to find any leverage over him or use that worry as leverage against him.

"Oh, speaking of this..."

Ye Shan took out his phone, quickly pressed a few keys to access his email inbox, and then showed me his phone screen.

Yukino and Yuihama also crowded around to get a closer look, so the three of us squeezed in front of the tiny screen. A fragrant aroma wafted over from the side, making it hard to know what to do.

After I gave them space, Yuihama immediately let out an "Ah..." sound.

"what happened?"

When I asked her that, she took out her phone and showed me the contents of the email. It turned out she had received the exact same email as Ye Shan.

Those were truly letters from unknown sources, and there was more than one. Every time Yuihama pressed the button, more similar messages appeared below, like hatred coalescing into a physical form.

Each letter is a slanderous and defamatory attack against a specific person, and they all come from different sending locations. It seems the sender is using a discarded email address.

"Tobe is a member of Inage's gang of bad boys, and he caused trouble for Nishitaka at the amusement park."

"Yamato is a scumbag who is cheating on his wife and children."

"In order to severely damage the opponent's school's ace, Ooka behaved violently during the practice match."

In short, the content was all the same, and its authenticity was unclear. Besides the largest number of discarded mailboxes, there were also some letters that appeared to have been forwarded by classmates.

"Hey, this thing..."

Yui nodded silently.

"Didn't I tell you before? This is the letter that's been passed around in the class..."

"A chain letter, right?"

Yukinoshita, who had remained silent all along, finally spoke.

As the name suggests, chain letters are passed around among people, as if they were all chained together. These letters usually end by asking "please pass them on to five other people," much like the "misfortune-bringing letters" that were popular in the past, which threatened people with "misfortune if you don't pass them on to five people within three days." Imagine that as a mobile email version of it, and you're pretty much right.

Ye Shan read the letter again, then gave a wry smile.

"After these things spread, the atmosphere in the class became very strange. And seeing my friend described like that made me very angry."

His expression at this moment was very similar to that of Yuihama earlier; both were on the verge of being overwhelmed by malicious letters from unknown sources.

The most terrifying thing in the world is malicious acts for which the true culprit cannot be found. If someone verbally abuses you to your face, you can take a few punches or retaliate with insults to vent your anger. Alternatively, you can keep your resentment inside and let that pressure sublimate into something else. Negative emotions contain enormous energy, so they can always be transformed into positive effects.

However, feelings of hatred, jealousy, and revenge must have an outlet; otherwise, they are nothing more than a chaotic jumble of emotions.

"I want to stop these letters from continuing to circulate, because they're really unpleasant to read."

After Ye Shan finished speaking, he immediately added:

"Ah, but I don't want to find out who did it; I just hope this matter can be resolved satisfactorily. Could I ask you for a favor?"

Here it is! This is his ultimate technique, "Saint's Domain".

Let me explain first. "Saint's Domain" is a special skill that real-world talents possess, and its biggest feature is that it can calm down a situation.

True "real-life enthusiasts" are different from those who are carefree, silly, and only know how to have fun (laughs). They genuinely live fulfilling real lives. Therefore, they not only don't look down on anyone, but they are also friendly to those who are constantly looked down upon. As for the standard for distinguishing between these two types of "real-life enthusiasts," it lies in "whether they are friendly to Hachiman Hikigaya." I genuinely think Hayama is a great guy because he takes the initiative to talk to me! Although he always calls me by the wrong name.

In short, "Saint's Domain" refers to a charismatic and kind person who naturally exudes a unique aura. To put it nicely, he's a gentle guy who knows how to read the room; in more common terms, he's a carefree and irresponsible person; to put it bluntly, he's a pathetic loser. However, I really think Hayama is a good person.

Before this person with special abilities could speak, Yukinoshita thought for a moment and then said:

"In other words, is it enough to just resolve this issue?"