A youth story of a passerby at the end of the world

"You'll do that, won't you?" Mai Sakurajima's voice was barely audible.

Uesugi Genshin sat opposite her, poured himself a glass, felt acid reflux in his stomach, but his face remained calm.

“I understand you a little better now,” Mai Sakurajima said after a slight hesitation.

"what?"

"Why is this happening?" Mai Sakurajima picked up her cup with both hands and took a sip, feeling a strange sensation in her throat as if something was pulling at it.

It's pungent and has a strong smoky flavor.

He leaned back, resting his head on the edge of the sofa, staring blankly at the ceiling.

"..."

The arched curves emphasize her slender yet curvaceous body; her breasts, though not large, are by no means small.

His upright face bore a somewhat bored expression, giving off a sense of mature weariness and sensuality.

"You'll be able to get a good night's sleep after you finish drinking this." After that, Uesugi Genshin didn't say anything else, just quietly stayed with her.

.......jpg

Chapter 148: A Distressed Subordinate

"It's morning." I was woken up again by a clear and crisp voice.

"Hmm...?" He mumbled indistinctly, still without opening his eyes, but his ears felt like they were being massaged, because it was such a gentle and beautiful voice.

"Ha... get up quickly." That's how much you drank last night.

"Please wake me up like this every morning."

"Isn't this what we do every day?" Yukino Yukinoshita rubbed her head, looking at the person lying there peacefully and motionless.

"Then please make me miso soup every morning."

"You should talk in your sleep." Yukino Yukinoshita drew back the curtains, letting the sunlight stream into the room.

"...What, is it morning already?" Uesugi Genshin finally opened his sleepy eyes. Although it wasn't bright, unlike the darkness of the night, the morning light outside the window was still particularly dazzling.

When the window was opened, a cool breeze blew in, causing him to pull his arm, which was outside the blanket, back under the covers.

"I've called you so many times already." Yukino Yukinoshita sighed helplessly, then closed the open window again. "What time did you go to sleep last night?"

"Hmm... before 12 o'clock." Uesugi Genshin reflected to himself.

“11:59, which is also called before 12 o’clock. Are you a child who can’t take care of himself? Still making excuses. No, even a child wouldn’t act like this.” Yukino Yukinoshita said, looking at Rumi Tsurumi standing at the door.

"Ah, Rumi." Uesugi Genshin turned to look at his younger sister at the door and smiled.

"I'm not a child." Tsurumi Rumi was annoyed by Yukinoshita's gaze and clearly disapproved; she was no longer a child.

"No, there are deep reasons for this." To avoid undermining his authority as the elder brother, he sat up abruptly and rummaged through the flattened hair at the back of his head.

Yukino Yukinoshita guessed he wouldn't have much time to make breakfast, "I'll bring you breakfast later."

Let Hayasaka make an extra portion when she cooks; it's her turn to cook today.

Since Shiroi-senpai left, breakfast has been prepared by the three of them, including Hiratsuka-sensei, in turns.

Among them, Hiratsuka Shizuka's breakfast was the most ordinary. Rather than saying that she can cook, it is commendable that she can cook. As a single woman, this should be a must, but in Hiratsuka Shizuka's case, the requirement becomes vague.

It's hard to imagine a tomboyish, violent female teacher getting married, having children, and then staying home to prepare breakfast for her husband and children.

"Thanks, I'll go take a shower first." Uesugi Genshin did not refuse.

-----------------

"what......"

Seeing Hachiman yawn widely, Uesugi Genshin realized that he was just like him.

Although Uesugi Genshin arrived last, he wasn't actually late. Time can always be found, as long as you make the most of it somewhere or run faster on the way.

Turning her head to look at Mai behind her, she was resting with her eyes closed, showing no signs of fatigue.

It seems like he spent too much time at his apartment in Yeshan yesterday. He should probably avoid gatherings for drinking in groups in the future.

"Minister!" Yoshiteru Zaimoku stepped forward, knelt down on the left side of the aisle, and bowed.

"What's wrong?" Uesugi Genshin asked casually.

He, Qin Ye, and Sagami took out the brushes, ink, and blank calligraphy templates they had prepared beforehand and placed them in front of Uesugi Genshin. "Please write a message, Minister."

He believes that ambitions and goals should be constantly mentioned and kept in mind to have a motivating effect. Just like the belief he silently recites every day: "Always on the battlefield, I am the sharpest blade!"

"..." Hachiman looked at the wooden stand in front of him, which seemed inexplicably dazzling.

After returning to his original position, Yoshiteru Zaimoto plopped down on the floor, crossed his arms majestically in front of his chest, and exuded confidence and a sense of superiority that seemed to come from nowhere. "I think we should let everyone know our ambitions."

"...Hmm." What are your aspirations?

Ah, let's go to Kyoto and then to Akihabara.

Uesugi Genshin recalled what he had said yesterday, and looking at the things that Zaimokuza and the others had carefully prepared from the calligraphy club, he felt a little annoyed.

If I had known better, I wouldn't have let them go to the calligraphy department to get things last time. Now that they've exposed their calligraphy skills, they're not going to find the original members of the calligraphy department; instead, they're making me write it myself.

None of these subordinates are easy to deal with.

"We will take Shangluo as our target!" Qin Ye said passionately, looking around at his surroundings.

"Go to Luoyang?" Hubu Xiang asked.

“Exactly!” Yi Hui, the woodworker, replied in a very traditional manner.

Sagami also said, "Our steps cannot be limited to the small town of Chiba."

"Oh, oh." The other members around him thought there was nothing wrong with what he said.

They truly believed that their current strength was far greater than before, with each of them having the blood of at least a dozen zombies on their hands, and the team leaders even more than dozens.

The confidence derived from these achievements fueled a sense of self-importance and pride among them.

"After we go to Kyoto, let us make a name for ourselves in Tokyo and let the world know the name of Soubu High School!" Yoshiteru Zaimokuza spread his palms and stretched them towards the sky.

"Oh!!!"

The noisy members became enthusiastic and started making a ruckus.

In short, wanting to be famous, wanting to be in the limelight, and wanting to get big benefits is perfectly acceptable. However, Hachiman did not join in their clamor, and Hayama on the other side was just chuckling.

"Minister!" "Minister!" "Minister!"

Wouldn't it be more fitting to say "the enemy is at Honnoji" at this moment?

"It seems everyone's fired up."

"minister!"

"..." What should I write? Not wanting to offend his subordinate, Uesugi Genshin picked up his brush and dipped it in ink.

"Write it! Write it!" Yoshiteru Takagi, head held high, stared intently at the calligraphy model. "Just as I thought! Unify the world by force!"

As the brush falls, the strokes flow like clouds and water, displaying a powerful and bold style, robust and steady, yet graceful and elegant.

Apart from a handful of people, most were unaware that their minister possessed the skill of calligraphy, and that he seemed quite skilled and impressive.

Everyone craned their necks, trying to see what was written on the calligraphy copybook.

Uesugi Genshin looked at Hayasaka Ai behind him, and she understood and stepped forward to unfold the calligraphy copybook.

"One Million, One Heart"

"With unity and concerted efforts, any powerful enemy or any difficult environment will surrender to us."

"Whether it's Shangluo or anything else, if I can rely on your strength, and we all work together, then we will have no rivals ahead."

“This is truly a million hearts united!” Uesugi Genshin stretched out his palm and patted the characters on the calligraphy copybook.

"Yes!!!" Everyone bowed their heads respectfully.

......

The wood pedestal was then hung on the wall behind Uesugi Genshin, and together with the "Wind, Forest, Fire, Mountain" and "Bishamonten" on the left and right, it became the unique symbol of the Executive Department.

Chapter 149: Longing for Friends

After the morning prayers at the dojo, Uesugi Genshin, having finished his meal, saw his younger sister sitting on a bench in the courtyard. "Oh~, what are you doing here?"

Tsurumi looked up at Uesugi Genshin and said respectfully to her brother, "Yukinoshita-nee asked me to wait for her downstairs so we can go eat together later."

After Uesugi Genshin sat down next to her, Tsurumi Rumi looked at Uesugi Genshin as if to ask, "Why are you here too?"

"I just finished eating," Uesugi Genshin explained, crossing his legs.

After hearing this, Tsurumi Rumi turned her head to the other side, "Those people..."

Upon hearing this, Uesugi Genshin turned his head to look, and indeed, several girls passing by in the distance kept glancing in their direction. "Ignore them."

Ever since he cut his hair short, people have been pointing and whispering about him whenever they pass by.

Just then, a few elementary school students came out of the cafeteria and were wandering around the campus. They were chatting and laughing, holding hands, and strolling around like friends.

Seeing his younger sister staring intently, Uesugi Genshin asked, "What's wrong? Are you envious?"

"..." Then she was glared at fiercely by Tsurumi Rumi. Was she implying that she had no friends? Her sulking posture looked no different from Yukinoshita's.

He laughed and said, "Only the weak like to huddle together, it doesn't matter."

This is the "truth" that Hachiman speaks of, and he feels it applies particularly well here.

"What kind of biased ideas are you instilling in Rumi?" Yukino Yukinoshita walked over from the side, seemingly having finished her business and about to take Rumi out for dinner.

Uesugi Genshin tilted his head forward, looking past his sister at Yukino, "I thought you would agree with me."

Tsurumi then squeezed closer to Uesugi Genshin, making room for Yukino Yukinoshita.

"Why would you think I would agree with you?" Yukino Yukinoshita said helplessly, then sat down on the other side of the bench, leaving Rumi Tsurumi sandwiched in the middle. It was indeed a bit cramped.

However, since it was April, there was still a warm feeling and two very different scents. The older brother had a very fresh scent after exercising, which was hard to describe, probably because he had taken a shower. The older sister, Yukinoshita, had a light and pleasant fragrance. Was it the shower gel, laundry detergent, or her own body odor?

"After all, you don't have many friends either, do you?" Uesugi Genshin retorted.

Rumi Tsurumi found it unbelievable, "Doesn't Yukinoshita-nee have any friends?"

After all, she was such a beautiful person, so she didn't think about it in that way at all.

"Yeah, she's just like you." Uesugi Genshin bluntly pointed out her shortcomings, saying that what happened to Yukinoshita was very similar to what happened to Rumi.

He still got glared at by Yukinoshita, and that look was exactly the same as the one Rumi had given him earlier.

"I don't recommend that you follow your brother's lead and believe that having one or two friends in life is enough. Besides, he doesn't really have many friends either."

"Huh?" Tsurumi Rumi widened her eyes dramatically. If her brother had very few friends, then what about those older sisters who went to her brother's apartment at night?

"It's not that exaggerated." Uesugi Gensuke turned his face away. "It's just that my standards for friends are a bit high. Otherwise, I could have as many as I wanted."

“That’s not what friends are.” Yukino Yukinoshita disagreed, and Hayama was particularly critical of her.

This is also what Hachiman often refers to as a fake. The circles in Japanese schools are quite peculiar. They are very typical of seeking common ground while avoiding differences, and there is usually a central figure. Everyone else has to "please" and flatter that person.

This is completely different from the "seeking common ground while rejecting differences" approach of Uesugi Genshin and Yukinoshita. The "seeking common ground while rejecting differences" approach in this circle is truly intolerant of any dissenting voices. Everyone must be a "normie" if they want to be a "normie." Even if you have otaku tendencies, you have to hide them well, otherwise isolation and rejection will inevitably arise.

False and superficial friendships are undoubtedly fake, while Uesugi Genshin and his ilk sought common ground despite differences based on personal identification and hoped to establish genuine friendships, naturally rejecting superficial friendships.

Hayama is indeed an outlier, but he can only be considered a reformist. He hopes to build a more inclusive circle where everyone is happy, but because of himself, he inevitably falls into the "norm-loving" category. Unfortunately, he doesn't have the power to change the overall environment.

“See?” Uesugi Genshin said to Rumi, pointing at Yukino Yukinoshita, as if to say, “Your Yukinoshita sister is just like that too.”

“You’re my sister, but we’re actually from the same generation, so there shouldn’t be any generation gap. If you can’t get along with people your own age, then go play with the older brothers and sisters.”

Uesugi Genshin put his arm around his sister's shoulder and said casually, "Remember those people who came to my apartment these past few days? They were all good people, no problem at all."

“Hmm.” Rumi Tsurumi nodded in agreement. She also felt that if she couldn’t play with children, she should play with adults instead. It wasn’t necessary to have friends of the same age.

“Speaking of Yukinoshita,” Uesugi Genshin suddenly remembered.

"what's up?"

"Did you go to see Komachi?"

"..." Yukino Yukinoshita immediately understood what Genshin Uesugi meant: when Saki Kawasaki was busy in the cooking club, Komachi would stay at the apartment to help take care of Kyoka.