My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, As I Expected: After Story ―And So, the Snow Falls Quietly― - Chained Scars

Several days had passed since that cursed meeting. The prom executive committee had ground to a complete halt. The budget, frozen by Haruno. The venue, with no prospects in sight. The teachers, fearing the pressure from the Yukinoshita family, refused to offer any cooperation. Isshiki Iroha went to the faculty room every single day, bowing her head over and over. But the situation hadn't improved by a single millimeter. After school, in the student council room. Outside the window, the cold February wind was raging. The clouds hung low and heavy, a gray sky that looked ready to start snowing at any moment. "...They all said no. Again." Iroha slumped over the desk. Her soft, flax-colored hair spread out carelessly. Her usual calculating smile was gone, and her voice was tinged with an exhaustion she couldn't hide. "Every facility said they're fully booked. Even Lumiere Chiba—the one remaining Saturday slot in March got taken by another group yesterday, they said..." I, Hikigaya Hachiman, leaned against the wall and watched her back. I couldn't say anything. There was no way I could. That cursed thought was surfacing in my head again. (*If I just did something—*) Self-sacrifice. My specialty. Forcing a solution by dragging someone down, or by getting hurt myself. But every time, what flashed through my mind was Yukinoshita Yukino's words. *'You, of all people... I don't want you to sacrifice even me.'* That day, her fingers, cold as ice, had touched my hand. Her blue eyes, for the first time, had been asking me for help. Not to do things my way, but to stand beside her and fight. (*But then, what the hell am I supposed to do?*) Irritation swirled blackly in my chest. This was the only weapon I had. "Senpai." Iroha lifted her head. Her large eyes were glistening, on the verge of tears. But she wouldn't cry. She would absolutely never cry in front of me. " ...I'll try a little harder. There has to be another way." She forced a smile onto her face. That smile was painful to look at. It was the same kind of smile as Yuigahama Yui's. "Don't push yourself." I said it while still looking out the window. "This isn't something you should have to carry on your shoulders. This was our problem from the start." "...Your problem, Senpai?" "It started when I chose Yukino." When I said that, Iroha fell silent for a moment. Then, she murmured in a small voice. " ...I just hate seeing you all falling apart." That was her true feeling. The words of just 'Isshiki Iroha,' with no calculations or tactics. I couldn't find an answer to that. A heavy silence blanketed the room. Only the second hand of the wall clock kept ticking, mechanical and lifeless. What broke that silence was a quiet, reserved knock. "Excuse me." The one who opened the door and entered was Shiromeguri Meguri-senpai. Her black hair, reaching down to her waist, swayed smoothly with her quiet movements. Her narrow, violet eyes held their usual intelligent and calm light, but there was an undeniable shade of fatigue in her expression. "Shiromeguri-senpai, how did it go?" Iroha asked, her voice a mix of hope and anxiety. Shiromeguri slowly shook her head. " ...I'm sorry. The situation was the same even with the alumni network I contacted. Every public hall is fully booked for March, and the private facilities... well, it seems the Yukinoshitas have already done their 'groundwork.'" Yukinoshita Haruno. Just that name sent a chill down my spine. That woman wasn't just staying one step ahead of us—she was blocking every escape route. Like a cat toying with its prey. " ...I wasn't able to be of any help." Shiromeguri hung her head deeply. Her slender shoulders trembled faintly. She, too, was facing this prom with extraordinary resolve. For her, having lost to Yukino in the student council president election, this prom was also a stage to face Yukino head-on. But she couldn't even step onto that stage. Her heart was likely filled with helplessness and a sense of inferiority toward Yukino. I understood that painfully well. "...It's not your fault, Meguri-senpai." Iroha shook her head firmly. "The one to blame is that person who keeps getting in our way. If only I had done my job properly...!" She bit her lip. For the first time, tears of frustration welled up in her eyes. The three of us were out of options. The air in the room was heavier and more stagnant than ever. —That was when it happened. The door to the student council room opened again. This time, without a knock, swinging open forcefully. " Yahoo! Looks like everyone's here!" Yuigahama Yui burst in with her usual bright smile. As if completely oblivious to the heavy atmosphere, she came into the room, her skirt hem fluttering. Her warm outfit—a muffler wrapped over a pink knit sweater—felt out of place in the chilled room. " Hey, hey, listen! A super cute variety goods shop opened at the Kaihin Makuhari mall! They apparently have tons of stuff we could use for prom decorations! Want to all go check it out?" Her eyes sparkled like a puppy's. But I could tell. That smile was just a little bit forced. "...Yui." " Hikki, you're coming too, right! Yukino's waiting in the classroom! You've gotta take a break sometimes, or good ideas won't come!" Without waiting for my reply, she took Iroha's and Shiromeguri's hands. "Iroha-chan, Meguri-senpai, just for a little bit! Okay? Please?" Her pushiness reminded me of the warm atmosphere of the old Service Club. Yukino complaining, Yui laughing, and me watching them while making snide remarks. Days that were never supposed to return. (*...You can still do things like this, huh?*) I felt a tight squeeze deep in my chest. ※ ※ ※ The shopping mall "Perie Kaihin Makuhari" was bustling with shoppers, even though it was a weekday afternoon. Somewhat exotic-sounding pop music played inside, and bright lights illuminated every corner of the floor. " Wow, amazing! Look at that, Yukino! That garland is so sparkly and pretty!" Yui stopped in front of the variety goods shop and let out a cheer. " ...You're right. The colors are elegant, too. I think it would suit the prom atmosphere." Yukino's expression softened slightly as she picked up an item. Yui watched her from behind, and for just a fleeting moment, her eyes held a look of sadness. I watched the two of them from a short distance away. Iroha and Shiromeguri were browsing a different section. A month ago, I couldn't have imagined the three former Service Club members coming shopping together. Even if Yui's behavior was just her forcing herself to be cheerful, it was a fact that this space was nostalgic and so gentle it made me want to cry. (*So this is your way of doing things, Yui.*) Even though you're hurt more than anyone, you worry about everyone else more than anyone, force a smile, and try to keep things moving. That's the kind of person you were, wasn't it? "Hikki, what do you think of this?" Yui came running over to me, holding a small flower-shaped candle. "Wouldn't it be cute on the tables?" "...Yeah. Not bad." "Right! Then let's buy these too! And this ribbon over here—!" She tossed item after item into the shopping basket. Her innocent demeanor made me feel just a little bit saved. (*Thank you, Yui.*) I murmured that in my heart. But that peace didn't last long. While Yui was heading to the register, Yukino quietly came and stood beside me. In her hand, she held a few chic black ribbons. " Hachiman. Which do you think is better—these, or the ones Yui-san was choosing earlier?" Saying that, she gently leaned closer to my arm. She brought her face near and whispered so only I could hear. Her long, black hair touched my shoulder. A faint, sweet scent of shampoo drifted from it. It was, unmistakably, the distance of lovers. "...Ah, I think the black ones will give the venue a tighter, more pulled-together look." I answered, hiding my agitation. " I see. Then let's go with these." Yukino let the corners of her mouth lift just a little. —That was the moment. *Crash.* From across the aisle, there was the sound of something falling. I turned around to see Yuigahama Yui standing frozen. At her feet, the shopping basket had fallen. The candles and ribbons she had picked out were scattered across the floor. "...Ah, s-sorry! My hand slipped!" Yui hurriedly crouched down and started gathering the scattered items. Her hands were trembling slightly. "Yui-san, are you alright?" When Yukino tried to rush over with a worried look, Yui waved her hand without looking up. " I-I'm fine! Totally fine! I-I'm just gonna go to the restroom for a sec!" Saying that, she fled into the crowd as if escaping. "...Yui." Yukino stared at her retreating figure, her face pale. The black ribbon clutched in her hand was now pitifully crumpled. I cursed my own stupidity. Yui had set this whole thing up out of concern for us. And yet, right in front of her, we had so insensitively flaunted our intimacy. I had definitely heard the sound of Yui's smiling mask peeling away in an instant. "I'll go after her." "...Yes." Yukino answered in a voice that was barely a whisper. ※ ※ ※ At the same time, in a café in front of Chiba Station. The shop, located under the monorail tracks, was strangely quiet just before the evening rush. By the window on the second floor, Yukinoshita Haruno was elegantly tilting a coffee cup. Outside the window, the gray, hazy cityscape of Chiba spread out. Sitting across from her was Hayama Hayato. He wasn't in his soccer club jersey, but a dark navy duffle coat. His usual refreshing smile was nowhere to be seen; he just stared down at the table with a thoroughly gloomy expression. " Hayato-kun, sorry for calling you out like this. Weren't you busy with practice?" Haruno wore a smile only on her lips. Her clear blue eyes fixed coldly on Hayato, like a snake appraising its prey. "...No. It's nothing." Hayato answered curtly. His heart wasn't here anymore. His head was filled with the image of Yui's face, on the verge of tears, that he had seen yesterday. " ...Yui-san has seemed like she's been having a really hard time lately. I saw her near school the other day, walking with her head down, all alone. It made my heart ache just watching her." At Haruno's words, Hayato's shoulders twitched. " With Hachiman-kun and Yukino-chan being so intimate, there's no place for her anywhere, is there? Neither of them seems to worry about her like they used to. She's not even in their line of sight anymore." Her words seeped into Hayato's heart like a drop of poison. "I think you, Hayato-kun, could understand Yui-san's pain. After all, you've watched her more closely than anyone, haven't you?" "...Please stop." Hayato's voice was strained. " I know what you're trying to say. I know you're trying to use me. But...!" " But? But what? Is anything I'm saying a lie? Is it wrong? You know better than anyone that she's suffering. Who's the one pretending not to see it? Hikigaya-kun? Or—isn't it you yourself?" Haruno's voice was quiet. And because of that, its blade was deep, gouging out the soft parts of Hayato's heart with precision. " Hachiman-kun only has eyes for Yukino-chan. Yui-san doesn't even register to him anymore. That's why Yui-san has no choice but to force herself to smile in front of those two. Even though she's already at her limit." In Hayato's mind, the image of Yui flashed back—after school today, sitting alone in an empty classroom with her head down. She understood better than anyone that she couldn't fit between those two. And yet, she still pushed herself, smiling, worrying about them. "Hachiman... Hikitani made Yui cry." Hayato's voice trembled with anger and jealousy. "I couldn't choose anyone. Because choosing someone means hurting someone else. But that guy... even knowing it would hurt Yui, he chose Yukinoshita-san! And yet, and yet why...!" He slammed his fist on the table. The cup

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Episode 3

Name: My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, As I Expected: After Story ―And So, the Snow Falls Quietly―
Author: Novelia

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