Uneasy daily life

"What do you know! It's because the minister has so many times maliciously imitated Komachi's voice!"

Hachiman Hikigaya cried out in anguish, "I feel like I've gotten sick, I have a serious illness! In the first few days after I came back, whenever I heard Komachi's voice, the captain's expression would subconsciously appear in my mind! It's terrifying, it's just too terrifying!"

Yukino Yukinoshita said dismissively, "It's precisely because of Hikigaya-kun's awkwardness that Haku-kun deliberately used Komachi's voice."

"Ha! Your situation isn't serious yet!" Hachiman Hikigaya sneered. "Once the captain uses the voices of Yukinoshita's family... every time you hear those voices, you'll subconsciously remember what the captain did, and your own deep-seated dark history..."

Yukino Yukinoshita remained silent, then sighed softly, "I deeply sympathize with this, but it shouldn't be that bad, at least not on my sister's side. Haku-kun promised not to impersonate my sister's voice."

Hachiman Hikigaya was taken aback and quickly asked, "How did your sister do that?!"

"Chasing after Haku in a fit of rage and attacking him?" Yukino Yukinoshita asked, somewhat puzzled. "I remember Haku's request was that my sister not be allowed to have any physical contact with him... Although I'm not quite sure why, Hikigaya-kun, you shouldn't even think about negotiating."

"I'll just get chased and attacked by the minister..."

Hachiman Hikigaya sighed, subconsciously pondering the situation. The condition was no casual physical contact… Why did he have to make such a condition with Yukino? It was a bit strange. Perhaps he could discuss it with Yukino; maybe they could find a way to check the department head?

"Snow……"

Yui Yuigahama suddenly said, "Speaking of Shiro, it's been almost a week, he should be back by now, right?"

Hachiman Hikigaya rubbed his forehead, trying to reassure himself, "It shouldn't be that soon, right? It's a movie shoot, it's normal for them to be filming until summer vacation and not be back yet. At most, they'll be back for one day during the next week's final exams..."

“It depends on the genre of the film.” Yukino Yukinoshita shook her head slightly. “It’s a low-budget art film, and the scenes are mostly in an abandoned school, so the filming won’t take long. Shiro-kun is only going to have a small supporting role. He’ll probably be back next week, or even sooner, around the weekend.”

Hachiman Hikigaya's eyes widened in astonishment. "My happy time is about to end?!"

"Pleasure always accompanies the passage of time." Yukino Yukinoshita lowered her head and flipped through the book, smiling faintly. "Hachiman-kun, you'd better get back to your normal routine."

Yui Yuigahama nodded and said, "Yeah, it feels like the school trip was over as soon as I came to my senses..."

"It didn't fly away at all!"

Hachiman Hikigaya donned a mask of pain and sighed, "I barely managed to shake off the gloom over Saturday and Sunday thanks to Komachi's healing. For the first few days after arriving at school, I always felt like the club president would be replaced at any moment. Today, I finally managed to completely relax, but it turns out the club president will most likely be returning to school next week..."

"Is your Haku-kun Syndrome that severe?" Yukino Yukinoshita asked suddenly while flipping through her book. "By the way, next week is the final exam for this semester."

Final exams... Ah! A showdown of final exam scores between the Aid Department and the Service Department!

Hachiman Hikigaya slowly opened his mouth wide, looking at Yui Yuigahama and Yukino Yukinoshita: "You guys... you probably didn't study, right?"

"Yuigahama, come to my house to study this weekend," Yukino Yukinoshita said with a smile. "As for Hikigaya-kun, good luck."

Hachiman Hikigaya turned into a gray stone statue.

Yui Yuigahama asked, "Why don't you come too, Hachiman?"

"No! I have to stay with Komachi! But... Ah! Komachi is still the most important!" Hachiman Hikigaya said, "In the end, it's a competition between the Aid Club and the Service Club. As long as someone comes to make a request today, I'll represent the Aid Club to complete the request. Even if I fail the test, it's not a problem!"

The activity room fell silent again.

It feels so strange. Why can Xiaoqi and Xiaoxue chat so smoothly and engagingly? I always feel awkward and have to force myself to join in... No, wait, isn't that right? Doesn't Xiaoxue like Xiaobai? Could I be wrong? No... the reason they can chat so well is mostly about Xiaobai, but Xiaobai is just a starting point...

Both of them knew something that I didn't, but I only had a vague understanding of it, and was completely an outsider trying to strike up a conversation.

Yui Yuigahama looked somewhat melancholy.

I'll be studying with Yuihama on Saturday, and I have tutoring classes and a job visit on the weekend. Shiro should be back next week... A sense of impatient anticipation welled up inside me, and I felt restless, wanting to do something, even if it seemed meaningless.

No, calm down. If I let my emotions get the better of me, Bai Jun will see right through me.

At that time, I had no choice but to confess, but I really couldn't predict how Bai Jun would respond.

We must win with a single, decisive blow.

Yukino Yukinoshita took a soft breath and continued to concentrate on her reading.

……

……

Yukino's appearance was somewhat... no, it should be said that the change was very abrupt and drastic.

No longer does she always wear a smile, able to get along with anyone, strike up a conversation on any topic, and never have an awkward silence. Now she's become quite different. It's as if she's used up all the energy she had for the next four years of university, cooling down and becoming indifferent. She rarely initiates conversations, and when someone tries to talk to her, it lacks the familiar warmth of the past; the conversation abruptly ends without her realizing it.

The other person even moved out of the dormitory and rented an apartment on campus. They carried a guitar to and from school every day, but refused all invitations from music clubs.

Such a drastic change even prompted the teachers to investigate and intervene. In the end, when they contacted the parents, they could only get the answer that everything was normal.

The sudden shattering and contrast of her perfect image led to gossip within the school about whether Yukino Yukinoshita was playing in a band.

"She received the same treatment as Yukino-chan in some strange place..."

Yukino Yukinoshita reminisced about the changes in her school days over the past few days. Her thoughts were brought back by the train's arrival at the station, and she stepped onto the train with her guitar on her back.

Did focusing on guitar practice help me break free from the habit of observing others' expressions and adjusting my relationships with them? I still don't quite understand.

Yukino Yukinoshita sat down in her seat, moved the guitar she was wearing from behind her to in front of her, glanced at the blonde girl in the seat next to her, and the blonde girl also looked up at her, then looked back out the window, as if she didn't want to talk.

Her eyes, with their bluish tint and deep-set appearance, remind me a bit of Mai Sakurajima.

They don't seem very old; they're probably high school students.

She seemed a little nervous and exhibited a slight aversion. This was probably not due to introverted personality, but rather because she was nervous and wanted to avoid unnecessary conversation.

Stop, don't make such subconscious guesses.

Yukino Yukinoshita let out a soft breath. She took out her phone, hesitated for a few seconds, and then put it away.

The tram started moving and headed forward.

Chapter Thirteen Mai: Is she a tsundere?

"Youthful spirit, show your youthful spirit! Don't smile so politely and maturely, widen your smile a bit more... Stop it! What are you grinning about? Show me that genuine youthful smile from the heart! Don't come across as mercenary, don't be pretentious, and have a little bit of unconscious reserve!"

The white figure paced back and forth, pointing and gesturing, muttering incessantly.

Mai Sakurajima: #!

"It's really hard for me to understand just by talking about it." Sakurajima Mai rubbed her face, which felt almost unrecognizable, and retorted coldly, "Hate-fan, why don't you demonstrate for me yourself? I want to see how you laugh!"

"You're such a blockhead—no, you're a blockhead! You even think rubbing sticks together to start a fire is too hot!"

As the arrogant reprimand from the white-clad figure began to grow exponentially on Sakurajima Mai's head, he took a large, spirited step and suddenly pulled on his own foot, accompanied by a loud "Aiya!" and swung it at Sakurajima Mai with bared teeth and claws.

Mai Sakurajima instinctively dodged to the side, watching the white figure fall to the ground with a thud.

She froze for a moment, suppressing a laugh as she prepared to ask a few words of concern, when Bai Ying did several push-ups with perfect form, even uttering in a serious voice: "One, two, three—up!"

Bai Ying pushed off the ground with both hands and stood up again. He patted the dirt off his hands and said with emotion, "Today's routine exercise really toughened me up. What's so surprising? People always have the urge to do push-ups sometimes."

"Pfft." Mai Sakurajima laughed and teased, "Yeah, everyone falls down sometimes..."

The white figure suddenly shouted, "Very good! That's the smile! Keep it up, keep it up! Huh? I told you to keep smiling, not to turn into a block of wood! You ironwood vase!"

Mai Sakurajima paused, immediately trying to recall the feeling she had when she laughed just now. Even though it had just happened, the more consciously she tried to remember, the more blurred the memory became. She suggested, "Black Fan, how about you do a few more push-ups?"

Bai Ying said with exasperation, "Are you Pigsy (Zhu Bajie)? You can't even taste the ginseng fruit?"

“Okay, I’m starting to get a feel for it…” Sakurajima Mai said with a smile, “but I still want to see the Black Fan’s heroic posture as he does push-ups.”

Bai Ying said with exasperation, "If you have the feeling, why aren't you taking pictures? Are you Pigsy? After eating one, do you have to eat several more?"

Today, I was still being mocked and criticized on set.

The hater is all smiles and laughter in the group, but he's actually a pretty good person. He can be a rational and calm hater, only targeting idol worship. He's fair in his words and actions, but prone to making mistakes in minor matters. In real life, however, he's always looking for faults in every way.

Mai Sakurajima stepped into the camera's field of view, adjusting her posture, feeling somewhat uneasy.

Hmm? This inconsistency between his words and actions... no, this similar yet opposite behavior online and in real life, could it be that the hater is actually a tsundere?

Is the hater a tsundere? Pfft.

"Great! That's the smile I'm looking for!"

Okita was extremely satisfied. What a beautiful and youthful smile, without any of that overly mature artificiality.

Tsk! Why can't I give more pointers? Bai Ying was not very satisfied with this, when suddenly a bottle of extra-strong canned black coffee was handed to her from the side.

Sakurajima's mother thanked her, saying, "Thank you for your guidance, screenwriter. Please accept this."

"It's alright, teaching people is quite a fun thing." Bai Ying took the coffee and smiled. "Being able to openly and honestly criticize others isn't something you can do all the time."

To be honest, you're bound to encounter all sorts of strange people in life. There are quite a few oddballs in the entertainment industry, but it's rare to find one who's this strange.

Sakurajima's mother remained calm and asked, "I overheard Mai calling the screenwriter a hater. Is there any reason for that?"

"Because I'm a hater of Mai Sakurajima."

"?" Sakurajima's mother was a little confused, raising her hand to press her forehead. "Anti-fan? Do you have any complaints about Mai?"

"At midday in the fields, an old farmer was sleeping on the harvested crops. A painter passing by was inspired and painted a picture titled 'Old Farmer's Harvest.' The painting became a huge hit, exhibited everywhere, and received countless praises. Some said it reflected the lives of people at the bottom of society, some said it highlighted the diligence and simplicity of the people, and some said it interpreted the meaning of life as labor. A reporter found the old farmer and interviewed him, asking him why he was sleeping on the crops."

"'Don't you sleep?' The old farmer was baffled by this question. The reporter asked him if he had any dreams. The old farmer replied, 'I can only sleep soundly if I don't dream.' The reporter then asked him about his plans for the future. The old farmer replied, 'I can make more money by selling the grain.' The reporter said that this wouldn't work; it had to embody the positive meaning of truth, goodness, and beauty. The old farmer asked, 'Sir reporter, are you alright?' The reporter said, 'That's how you make money.'"

"'Isn't this being a con artist?' The old farmer felt something was wrong. 'How can this be called a con? It's like two peas in a pod, it's consensual. You make money, they're satisfied, it's a win-win situation.' The reporter persuaded him like this, and the old farmer agreed."

"After an interview, the old farmer received a large sum of money. He no longer needed to sell grain, and he was still able to support his family, send his son and grandson to school, get married, and build a house. Life improved just like that."

The white figure paused slightly, looking at Sakurajima's mother: "Auntie, what do you think of this story?"

“Absurd, but true.” Sakurajima’s mother understood somewhat. “There’s a reason why celebrities and idols exist. I don’t know the reason, nor do I have the time or energy to investigate it.”

“Auntie is very down-to-earth, doing what she should do, that’s life.” Bai Ying took out her phone, which was beeping, from her bag. “The story continues, the old farmer was looking for a place to take a nap every day. He remembered what the reporter said, that he wanted to sleep meaningfully, to have sweet dreams, and to show truth, goodness and beauty. Even on his deathbed, he was thinking about how to take a successful nap—unfortunately, people have started praising eating lunch.”

Sakurajima's mother seemed lost in thought as the white figure left with her phone.

Haters... not haters of Mai, but rather those who are indifferent to idols or similar statuses? After all, if a true hater really disliked Mai, they wouldn't be so dedicated to guiding her acting—Mai doesn't dislike screenwriters that much, in other words, Mai is somewhat tired of being a celebrity idol?

Mai Sakurajima rushed over after finishing a shoot and asked directly, "Mom! What did that guy say to you?!"

“I told you a short story,” Sakurajima’s mother asked. “Mai, are you trying to transition from a celebrity to an actress? We’ve been arguing a lot lately, could this be the reason?”

"..."

Hater!

Mai Sakurajima sighed softly, "No. But right now I want to focus on filming and don't want to talk about these things."

Sakurajima's mother was even more puzzled, then nodded and said, "Alright, let's talk properly after the movie is finished."

Mom... I'm sorry.

I may feel resistant and powerless to communicating with you, and I just want to solve everything with practical actions.

Sakurajima Mai hesitated for a moment, then flew into a rage—you like to cause trouble and add pressure, huh? Today I'll teach you a lesson, you hater!

Unfortunately, after wandering around the set and asking the director and others, Mai Sakurajima was still unable to find Bai Ying.

Wasn't it supposed to be that the perpetrator would return to the crime scene? Where is he?!

……

Bai Ying sat on the bus heading to Shenshan City.

……

[Sakurajima Mai is the best: Where are you filming? How do you get to Jinde?!]

[Bai Liang Bai Ying: You're not on your way to the formation, are you?]

[Sakurajima Mai is the best: I'm on the train to Kamiyama City! You just wait! I'll make you pay!]

[Bai Liang Bai Ying: Laughs.]

[Sakurajima Mai is the best: What are you laughing at!]

[Bai Liang Bai Ying: There's only a bus stop from Shenshan City to Zhenchu, and the journey takes nearly two hours. Zhenchu ​​is a rural area; do you know what that means? Desolate, remote, sparsely populated, and with the police station far away—it's commonly known as a lawless zone.]

[Bai Liang Bai Ying: A young and delicate high school girl suddenly disappears and is sold by bad guys to a village deep in the mountains, where she becomes a breeding machine and a laborer.]

[Sakurajima Mai is the best: Don't try to scare me!]

[Bai Liang Bai Ying: If you're not afraid, then keep blocking me~]

[Sakurajima Mai is the best: I'll just call my sister!]

[Bai Liang Bai Ying: I bet you don't have Mai's private phone number.]

[Sakurajima Mai is the best: Nishina! Baka!]

[Bai Liang and Bai Ying: I want you to say, 'Please come and pick me up.']