Uneasy daily life

"Hmph~ Hmph hmph hmph~ Hmph... Hmm?"

Komachi Hikigaya was changing her shoes when she suddenly noticed a pair of shoes on the shoe rack. She looked up and called out towards the living room, "Brother's back early?"

A hand is raised above the sofa in the living room.

"I came back ahead of schedule."

"Huh? Points deducted!"

Hikigaya Komachi put down her shoes, closed the door, and walked into the living room with an air of authority.

"Ah...why?"

"Just taking a paragraph from the question to answer is a completely lifeless and perfunctory response!" Komachi Hikigaya walked angrily to the side of the sofa, put her hands on her hips, and carried her schoolbag. "So points are deducted... Huh? What's wrong with my brother? He looks like a dried-out frog."

"You've made me very sad."

Lying on the sofa, Hachiman Hikigaya continued the conversation without any sign of sadness. Komachi Hikigaya peered around to observe—there was no cell phone, no game console, no books. Her older brother seemed to be simply lying on the sofa, his face clearly showing numbness, and not a single strange light would appear in his dead fish eyes.

But it's also very strange, in short, it's extremely strange.

If it were a foolish act, it would probably hide in the bedroom, and then, as it was about to fall asleep, it would hear howling and wailing coming from next door.

If it's because I'm sad... Hmm? I haven't said anything hurtful or offensive to him lately, have I?

If someone is spacing out, their dead fish eyes will probably become more lively, and they might even let out a silly chuckle as they immerse themselves in their own world due to all sorts of fantasies on their face.

"Hmm... what could it be?"

Komachi Hikigaya put down her schoolbag, sat on the sofa, looked at her older brother, frowned in deep thought, and muttered, "Why don't we ask Brother Bai..."

Hachiman Hikigaya remained completely unmoved.

Wow! Even Brother Bai isn't working anymore?!

"Brother, are you having any trouble?" Komachi Hikigaya asked worriedly.

Hachiman Hikigaya twitched, his eyes widening: "Who are you? Komachi can't possibly be this gentle—"

boom!

A chop to the neck of Hachiman Hikigaya interrupted his words.

"Is Trash-chan getting carried away?! I'm thinking about how to protect my sister's dignity!"

"What is my sister's dignity anyway..."

"Of course, it's about whether I can immediately sense what's on Trash Sauce Brother's mind!"

Hikigaya Komachi speaks righteously.

"...Komachi."

"Ok?"

Do you think I'm a successful, popular person?

"Hachiman Hikigaya asked with a melancholy expression."

Hikigaya Komachi remained silent, raised her hands, and formed them into knives.

"Wait!" Hachiman Hikigaya said immediately, "At least answer my question first..."

"If you use physics to deal with idiots, they won't think like idiots!"

Komachi's Two-Sword Style! Eighteen Slashes Against His Brother!

A few days later, at dinner time.

"I really think this is a very serious issue..."

Hachiman Hikigaya, holding his rice bowl, has been called a "real-life person" at school these past few days, which is not a pleasant experience.

This "Explosion! You social butterfly!" mantra is supposed to be my own, so why is it anyone else saying it to me?!

Presumably, once some new tricks emerge in a few days, the spotlight will fade and the discussion and hype will cool down.

Damn it, that's a dark history!

"Yes, yes, it's so serious that when my brother thinks about what happened later, he'll probably wail in his bed."

Komachi Hikigaya rolled her eyes, unfazed and in good spirits, and picked up the remote control to press some buttons on the TV.

Will it? Probably not.

Hachiman Hikigaya thought about the question for a moment, then noticed his sister changing the channel, so he temporarily put the matter aside: "Is there a TV series you'd like to watch lately?"

By the way, the TV series we've been watching at dinner lately is "Night Diner." Ignoring the plot, especially the parts about the minister, the cooking scenes are definitely very appetizing. But "Night Diner" isn't airing today...

"Well, Brother Bai said it's this channel."

Hachiman Hikigaya had a slight reaction—wait, isn't this the live interview program the director mentioned before?!

After a lackluster advertisement, a small stage appears on the screen, and the camera quickly zooms in on the conference table.

The girl with a rabbit hair clip in her hair was flipping through what looked like a script, commenting, "Is this all the questions they ask? They all seem like the same old, commonplace topics."

"Has Ms. Sakurajima ever worked as a talk show host?"

Director Mikawa asked.

"of course."

"Compared to acting, hosting interviews is probably much easier, right?"

“We have different preferences, but no matter what the job is, it’s not easy to do it well.” Mai Sakurajima seemed to have finished reading the script, and looked up at the time. “Why hasn’t that guest come back yet? It would be terrible if there was a live broadcast mishap.”

Director Mikawaki smiled and said, "Yes, yes."

Oh, so this is a tactic of secretly turning on a camera beforehand to film the guests' natural reactions before they prepare, in order to create a show effect?

No, given Sakurajima-senpai's position and perspective, she must have already noticed, right? And so she naturally went into work mode... Could this be a wicked scheme targeting the club president, trying to film his panicked state for amusement?!

Hachiman Hikigaya secretly gave the director a thumbs up, but after a moment's thought, he made fun of the praise.

The minister treats life like a stage play all the time; what's the point of this surprise attack? With cameras around, he'll only get more excited...

boom!

The door is opened.

Bai Ying strode in carrying a plastic bag. He found his seat, sat down, and placed the plastic bag on the table.

"Hey, isn't this our screenwriter Bai? You've finally arrived."

"Hmm?" Bai Ying asked in surprise, "Why is the single director not very friendly?"

Mikawaki: "The screenwriter, Bai, doesn't seem very friendly either."

Bai Ying was even more surprised: "Where did I act unfriendly? Tell me."

"I disdain it."

San Chuanmu snorted. It was all thanks to the screenwriter that he was nicknamed "Single Director" by the people in the industry, which was a disgrace.

For today's live interview, I've mobilized my connections, communicated internally and externally, and coordinated with everyone to set up this trap. I'm determined to make you look foolish during the interview, turn you into a laughingstock and a hot topic among netizens, and give you a series of shameful nicknames!

"Hey hater, what's that? It's all tied up."

Mai Sakurajima was curious about the plastic bag on the table.

"A secret weapon with endless mysteries, capable of arousing desire."

Bai Ying smiled deeply: "Don't rush, don't rush. I'll bring it out and give the audience a big surprise when the live stream starts!"

"Oh?"

Mai Sakurajima leaned closer to examine the bag. The plastic bag was pure white, and she couldn't see what was inside. She sniffed, "Sniff... I can't smell anything. This is sealed way too tightly."

"That's why it's called a secret weapon?" Bai Ying looked around. "Isn't screenwriter Uesugi here?"

"He said that older people aren't familiar with modern online social networking, so he wouldn't speak up without permission," San Chuanmu said, feigning curiosity. "Did Screenwriter Bai want to discuss his thoughts on the plot with him?"

"Hmph! How could I not avenge the unauthorized alteration of the script? I'm already prepared to critique his fourth episode, 'The Taste of Favorite,' starting with—"

Alright! From now on, you'll be seen as a disrespectful old man!

Mikawaki coughed and said, "Let's save the interesting content for the show. The live broadcast is about to begin!"

The staff member on the sidelines raised his hand to signal.

Mai Sakurajima sat up straight with a smile, while Mikawaki remained seated with impeccable posture. Suddenly, the white figure between them opened the plastic bag with lightning speed, took out plastic boxes one by one, placed them on the table, quickly opened the boxes, and then moved them around at high speed, placing some in front of Mai Sakurajima and others in front of Mikawaki.

barbecue?

Both of them were taken aback and asked in surprise.

Then it turns into an exclamation mark.

You went out to buy barbecue and brought it to the live stream?!

"Dear viewers, welcome to the show in this peaceful and beautiful night. To express our sincere hospitality, I have found the most wonderful visual experience for you!"

"Beef skewers are like slender young girls, full of passion, their texture revealing an irresistible, fragrant chewiness! Lamb skewers are like plump, lean meat that's firm yet not dry, slightly charred, with full, white fat glistening with a smoky yellow sheen! Saury is like a hidden gem, seemingly ordinary at first glance, but becoming more and more captivating with every bite! Pork cartilage is even more alluring, tempting with its color, and possessing a powerful flavor upon first taste; without a special tool, one cannot fully enjoy its beauty!"

"There are also various delicate and charming dishes such as dried tofu, rice cakes, and tofu, making it a veritable scroll of a hundred beauties! Each one has its own unique features, each has its own special flavor, and the aroma and calories are truly astonishing. The super-rich seasonings will bring endless surprises to the audience!"

Bai Ying enthusiastically introduced the scene in a loud voice.

As someone with extensive work experience and a wealth of knowledge about white shadows, Mai Sakurajima quickly realized: "Hey hater, the audience can't eat it through a screen, right?"

"But you can watch me eat."

Bai Ying picked up a skewer of tofu, took a bite, flicked her neck, and slurped it off. She chewed slowly, raised her eyebrows, and made a seductive nasal sound: "Hmm~ I'm sure the audience can feel my happiness—make sure the camera is focused and captures my micro-expressions."

"At this time of year, with this kind of food..." Mai Sakurajima said with a smile, "the audience's feelings are probably similar to mine."

Bai Ying gestured, "Director and Brave Plus, don't just stand there! Let's share a meal together; it'll show the crew's positive spirit of unity."

"No need, this is an interview program, don't insert irrelevant segments." Mikawaki just wanted to get to the point and thoroughly interrogate this guy, although he had a vague premonition that something was wrong.

“But we are ‘Night Food’,” Bai Ying declared emphatically. “The night is not yet over, but people are already heartbroken. Half the streetlights illuminate the wandering. I want to call out to two or three idle tourists, but I am left alone to fill my stomach.”

"I just got off work late at night and was wandering the streets when I saw a barbecue restaurant. I suddenly thought about having some barbecue and drinks with a few friends, but when I called them, they were all tied up with worldly affairs and couldn't come. In the end, I wanted to eat alone, but I found that loneliness filled my stomach. I wanted to eat something good, but I didn't have the mood..."

Bai Ying, overcome with emotion, couldn't help but shed a tear, looking heartbroken, and handed Sakurajima Mai a skewer of grilled lamb.

Mai Sakurajima rolled her eyes: "Although you're good at twisting logic, please consider the image of a girl."

"Alright! Time is limited, today's interview is about 'Night Food'!"

San Chuanmu cut straight to the point, asking with a smile that concealed a dagger: "When we were collecting questions before the show aired, one question came up very frequently—why did screenwriter Bai write 'The Taste of a Wanderer'?"

“Because I am a wanderer myself,” Bai Ying replied matter-of-factly. “I am an international student, and my hometown is not here. I have some feelings about the emotions of leaving home. When I was writing the script, I incorporated these emotions into it, and naturally, I wrote the flavor of a wanderer.”

"?"

Mikikawa felt like he'd messed up. Why was he suddenly selling a persona and appealing to nostalgia? Could it be that this guy had seen through his plan and was maliciously portraying himself as a victim, using the deceptive guise of a talented exile to escape this trap?!

Bai Ying took a bite of a beef skewer.

"Wandering far from home, with my family far away, in order to let the world feel my feelings and share my pain and sorrow, I have made some artistic amplifications to the script. In order to target specific points, I added the setting of a corporate slave to the character, vowing to pierce through the dusty hearts that are covered up day after day, so that everyone can feel the pain with me and experience the sorrow of a wanderer!"

"I only regret that the script was changed by a single director. All my sincerity was wasted in front of JK. How pathetic! Director, what made you like this? JK?"

Bai Ying took another bite in grief and indignation.

Mikawamu: "..."

Damn it! After this interview, I'm afraid I'll gain another title: 'Director JK'!

“First of all, I’m the director, not the screenwriter,” Mikawaki quickly said. “The plan to change the ending of your script was implemented by screenwriter Uesugi!”

……

"?"

As Taro Uesugi watched television, he had a premonition that his reputation was in jeopardy.

Chapter 100 I'm Good at Attacking Fans

"What was interesting during filming? Of course, it was when the screenwriter got stuck and couldn't come up with the next episode. Fortunately, Ms. Sakurajima lent a helping hand and brought in this white screenwriter, who delivered a truly unique episode for everyone."

"A writer's block is a common problem in the industry. Fortunately, the hater still had inspiration, so it didn't come to the point of delaying the broadcast."

"Indeed—on the other hand, screenwriter Bai calls himself a wanderer from a foreign land, but at such a young age, he doesn't seem to have any sense of alienation or sorrow from his hometown. It's really hard to believe that you have a homesick heart."