Uneasy daily life

Page 243

If I can't dance, I'll...

"It's just a minor wound, it'll heal in a while." Yukino Yukinoshita picked up gauze to bandage it. "Haven't you learned any basic wound care?"

"Who would learn that?" Toyohama Kazuka said casually, relieved. "Anyway, it's not a big deal if I can't dance..."

It's not a big deal, is it? It seems like the argument between the other person and their family is more serious this time?

Yukino Yukinoshita spoke as if it were nothing out of the ordinary: "It's better to sit down and talk about it. Letting emotions and thoughts fester on their own might lead to misjudgments."

"What do you want to say?" Feng Bin and Hua frowned unhappily, but refrained from speaking out immediately.

“Have a heart-to-heart talk with your mother.” Yukino Yukinoshita said calmly as she tied the bandages around her neck. “Even mothers and daughters who have been together for over a decade may not truly understand each other. Just like my mother and I, we maintained a very cold relationship for a long time… You can try to understand your mother.”

"Ah."

Feng Bin and Hua pursed their lips, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, and uttered a muffled interjection.

“The call Bai Jun received was probably from your mother. Your mother found out you might be injured and called you immediately to confirm—she knows where you might go if you run away from home, and she's worried about your injuries.” Yukino Yukinoshita recounted what had just happened, then looked into Bai Jun's eyes and asked, “Don't you think that counts as her caring for you?”

"You're so annoying."

Toyohama Kazuka said impatiently, "It has nothing to do with Yukinoshita, you... Hmph!"

“I’m just stating the facts,” Yukino Yukinoshita continued. “If you’re simply led by your emotions, you’ll overlook a lot of things.”

Why do you have to bring this up? Don't you know how annoying I am?!

Kazuka Toyohama couldn't hold back her anger any longer: "Are you trying to start a fight with me?!"

Yukino Yukinoshita, without looking to the side, asked, "Won't you regret giving up something you've always believed in because of a conflict with your mother?"

In short, let's try to resolve the issue with Feng Bin and Hua, so she doesn't have to stay at Bai Jun's house tonight...

"puff--!"

The white figure sitting backwards in the chair laughed.

"Haku-kun, what's so funny?" Yukino Yukinoshita asked, glancing sideways.

“Ahem—indeed, we need to sit down and have a serious talk… Once, a brave woman who wished to remain anonymous thought this way.” Bai Ying’s voice suddenly changed, becoming slightly hoarse and raspy. He stood up, first on a chair, then jumped off, and said with a serious face, “She came to her mother and bravely said good morning.”

……

The girl, who could dress as a man or a woman, bowed her head in greeting and turned to leave.

No! I should try to understand my mother better and change this situation that's making me uncomfortable.

The girl mustered her courage, turned around and walked back to her mother, bravely asking, "Mother, have you... eaten?"

"How's your studies? Are you still not used to living alone? Do you want to move back home? Why aren't you saying anything?"

The question, which didn't seem like a problem, came crashing down on the girl, who hesitated and stammered... "My mother must be worried about me, right?"

No! I can't accept this kind of concern. I need to bravely express my thoughts and not respond with silence and ambiguity!

The girl kept repeating the thought in her mind, mustered her courage again, straightened her expression, and made "uh-huh," "oh," and "ah" sounds.

Barely managing to brush off her mother's question, the girl walked weakly to the door, then murmured with renewed vigor, "No, I can't let my fear of my mother control me, I need to..."

"I'm going shopping and thinking about happy things. As long as I don't think about these problems, they won't bother me anymore. Yay!"

As if saying this, "White Shadow Snow Run Run Limited Return," she reached out and opened the door.

"Your voice has been tamed by emotions."

The door slammed shut.

Yukino Yukinoshita was stunned for two seconds before she realized—Shiro-kun had just run away while acting!

Feng Bin and Hana squinted and hummed, "The heroine who doesn't want to reveal her name."

This sarcastic tone... truly shows how one's friends are influenced by one's surroundings.

Yukino Yukinoshita suppressed the subtle feelings in her heart and said calmly, "What Haku-kun said just now is indeed true. I used to be similar, just not as exaggerated—no matter how many times I repeat my thoughts, ideas and plans in my mind, no matter whether what I ponder is reasonable or not, when we are actually face to face, what I say becomes something else."

"Tsk, anyway, she doesn't like me, and I don't like her. We'll argue no matter what we say."

Feng Bin and Hua pouted, "Why are you suddenly telling me all this? I'm really annoyed right now, so please stop talking..."

“I wasn’t talking about your business, I was just talking about my own.”

I have a feeling that Bai Jun definitely won't just leave it alone. Besides, am I really inferior to Bai Jun? Can't I comfort Feng Bin and Hua, and can't I solve Feng Bin and Hua's problems?

Yukino Yukinoshita's thoughts raced as she spoke, "In my experience, my interactions with my mother are often 'irrational.' Perhaps it's because I was raised under her control from a young age. Before I even knew anything, I already knew about her authority... Being repeatedly rejected, scolded, and taught made my feelings an instinctive reaction. Every time I see my mother, I feel a bit timid, and a sense of weakness arises in my heart. But if I'm prepared, I completely change."

"I'm easily timid in front of my mother, and you... are you easily angered?"

It's uncertain whether it's Yukino Yukinoshita.

"Ha..." Feng Bin and Hua sighed, and asked rather strangely, "Does your mother often beat you?"

Yukino Yukinoshita shook her head: "No, why would you think that?"

"Then why are you timid?" Feng Binhe asked, puzzled. "She often scolds you?"

“No, not exactly.” Yukino Yukinoshita shook her head again. “My mother is the kind of person who can exert a heavy pressure on people even when she smiles.”

After thinking for a moment, Yukino Yukinoshita hesitated and said, "Perhaps it's also related to the fact that she often throws her father to the ground?"

"?"

Feng Bin and Hua were puzzled, and couldn't help but talk about their mothers, but subconsciously took a roundabout approach: "If your mother often compares you with others and talks about how others are in front of you, would you be angry?"

“This…” Yukino Yukinoshita pondered, “My mother always admired my older sister more. Although she never said it to me specifically, her thoughts and attitudes were very clear… Rather than being angry, I felt more resentment, longing for and dislike of my older sister.”

Sister... oh, that overly friendly sister under the heavy snow.

Toyohama and Hana understood this feeling perfectly. It was something you wanted to be recognized for, but it was taken away by someone you were close to. That complex mix of feelings—inferiority, longing, and disgust—was overwhelming. Hmm? I don't have a sister, so why do I understand this so well?

The doubt flashed through her mind, and Feng Binhe continued, "When your mother is often dissatisfied with you and thinks you're not doing well enough, do you get angry?"

Yukino Yukinoshita continued to think: "I can usually fulfill my mother's requests. Those requests are often just the basics she sets. Even if I complete them, my mother won't praise me. As for the goals I can't achieve, my mother will only pin her hopes on my older sister... I wouldn't say I'm angry, but I feel more resistant and powerless."

"Aren't you angry about this?"

Feng Bin and Hua asked incredulously, "Do you have that... kind of disease?"

“I think describing it as Stockholm syndrome is a bit of an overstatement,” Yukino Yukinoshita said, frowning. “Your mother still cares about you. Instead of speculating here, why not talk to her face to face? She’s probably worried about your injuries right now and won’t get angry easily. This is a good opportunity for a calm conversation.”

"Why are you meddling in other people's business? It's so annoying."

Feng Bin and Hua muttered their retorts.

Yukino Yukinoshita asked, "So? Do you want to make a call? I can help you today."

"I need your help," Feng Binhe said, but still took out his phone, his features unconsciously scrunching up. "I have a feeling I'm going to argue with her again..."

Sigh... Understanding a person is so complicated. Even though I explained it very clearly, Feng Bin still couldn't take action. It's probably just like what Bai Jun said: his voice has been tamed by his emotions. Years of contradictions and dissatisfaction have made Feng Bin subconsciously want to oppose whenever his mother is mentioned.

Just like my past self, I would instinctively feel timid when I mentioned my mother.

In math, a problem is either right or wrong; in human nature, it's either right or wrong.

If this knot cannot be untied, no matter what you do, right or wrong, you will be completely bound by it.

Yukino Yukinoshita sighed inwardly and reached out her hand.

"Let me make the call for you."

I can't let Fengbin and Hua stay at Baijun's house—it's too similar, it's just too similar to myself, whether it's their family situation or the Baijun factor, it's like another way of writing my own script.

But when it comes to solving problems... I'm not good at that, and I can't be sure if I've found the root cause. What if I make things worse?

[Under the Snow: Haku-kun, where are you?]

[Bai Liang Bai Ying: I'm on the train to Chiba, getting ready to go shopping with 9528.]

[Under the Snow: You mean Anshinin?]

[Bai Liang Bai Ying: I was talking about your sister.]

[Yukinoshita: ?]

[Bai Liang and Bai Ying: We're planning to visit your company after we've been browsing for a while, and maybe have a meal at the company cafeteria.]

[Yukinoshita: What did you two agree to do?]

[Bai Liang and Bai Ying: She's trying to steal your girlfriend! Brave warrior, can you tolerate this? Hurry up and give her a good beating!]

[Under the Snow: Sword.jpg!]

[Yukinoshita: Speak seriously!]

[Bai Liang Bai Ying: Oh right, I'm not your backyard~]

[Under the Snow: If the white fungus is in a corner, it must be a dark, narrow environment suitable for its growth.]

[Bai Liang Bai Ying: Strictly speaking, there was another person shopping. Can you guess who it was?]

Bai Jun and his sister... Oh right, wasn't the ending theme song in yesterday's movie composed by his sister and with lyrics by Bai Jun? Staying up late really messes things up; my mind is all foggy.

Yukino Yukinoshita started thinking about going shopping together—oh right, that phone call between Shiro-kun and her father that day…

[Under the Snow: Father? Haku-kun, what did you talk about with your father?]

[Bai Liang Bai Ying: Did the hero's IQ return after a nap? In short, I'll ask your dad for a favor, and then I'll do your dad a favor—a friendly and harmonious deal.]

My father's troubles probably stem from his relationship with my sister...

[Yukinoshita: What difficulties do you have that you need your father's help with? Haku-kun really doesn't like owing favors.]

[Bai Liang Bai Ying: Yes, to thank the uncle for his help, I found him a fair-skinned and beautiful female secretary.]

[Yukinoshita: ?]

What does my sister want to do? Reconcile with Father?

What is Bai Jun trying to do? Have his father die?

What is Father trying to do? Oh, probably to improve his relationship with my sister...

Yukino Yukinoshita couldn't sit still in any sense. She tried to contact Kazuka Toyohama's mother and arranged to meet at her company in Chiba Prefecture at noon. She then decisively dragged the hesitant Kazuka Toyohama, who looked annoyed and disgusted but was actually quite obedient, off to meet her.

"My foot is injured, it hurts, let's wait..."

"I can carry you."

"It's not that we can't leave."

The door closed again, and the room became quiet.

Does Kazuka no longer want to be an idol? Why would she even have such a thought...?

Mai Sakurajima pondered, vaguely guessing what was going on. She went into the kitchen, rummaged through the cupboard, and took out a tightly closed cardboard box.

Although she didn't know if these things would remind Kazuka of herself, giving up what she loved was a painful thing.

The pain is not in giving up, but in the gradual cooling down before choosing to give up.

……

I'm taking the day off!

No reason!

In a sense, you only need a reason to interrupt something important!

Is a mundane job worth more than spending time with family? Those who give up time with family for work are the ones who should be asking why!

it is good!

T-shirts, casual pants—dress younger!

I used shampoo three times to wash my hair, and I even took two showers!

In short, they're fully armed!

It was all thanks to the treacherous scoundrel who made the connection...