Uneasy daily life

"In the time that followed, she inevitably recalled the boy who changed her, the image of that boy who 'confessed his feelings out of nowhere and then couldn't continue being friends,' and she began to gradually change as well—her gentleness was magnified by him into a form of redemption, his inexplicable confession was filled with simple and passionate affection, and she felt resentment at being 'hurt' because of her unrestrained emotional outburst..."

"She remembered that boy—compared to other 'friends' who gradually lost contact after graduation and whose impressions even began to fade, that boy was firmly remembered by her. His image changed with her understanding of people and the world, thus generating a complex feeling as if they had been together for a long time."

"When they suddenly reunite, these emotions burst forth!"

"So this is fate! Two people who have changed each other and left their mark on each other's lives! What kind of story will you tell?"

"Oh—! The obscure and ever-changing emotions between people are the most fascinating characteristic of humankind! Changeable, leaping, illogical, beyond instinct, transcending time and space... The reason why humankind has art is precisely because humankind itself is dramatic enough!"

"This can also be a form of liking!"

Backstage, Bai Ying raised her hands like a preacher, explaining her understanding of drama, and received thoughtful, mixed feelings of agreement from the audience.

Only the people at the time were emotionally agitated.

"Let me go! I'm going to beat him to death!"

Kaori Orimoto completely lost control, looking extremely aggressive. As soon as the show ended, she went straight backstage, ready to fight Shirokage to the death—clearly, she wanted to die together with him.

"Calm down! Don't be impulsive!" Tamaki rushed to stop Orimoto Kaori. "It's just a stage play!"

"Yeah, yeah, it's artistic creation, a little exaggerated, besides..." Bai Ying shrugged, "Why are you so excited about this? Hmm? Could it be that this is really true?!"

Yu Sheng froze for a moment, her mind racing... Hiss! Could it be... that the loss is real...?

Kaori Orimoto seemed about to breathe fire: "There really isn't one!"

Bai Ying glanced at the doorway, then suddenly asked with a puzzled look, "Then why are you so excited?"

"?"

Kaori Orimoto froze for a few seconds, her eyes twitching and her expression contorted, feeling a sense of frustration as if she had so much to say but couldn't find the words to describe it!

I also noticed the looks on other people's faces backstage... those looks that said, 'The white figure is talking about you?'

He rushed to settle scores with Bai Ying, as if his impulsiveness had gotten him into trouble.

Ugh! What if rumors suddenly start spreading about 'Kaori Orimoto x Hachiman Hikigaya'?! It's like a replay of a confession from middle school!

Kaori Orimoto instantly deflated, racking her brains: "You said you wanted to use me as a source, but the performance was completely different!"

"It definitely can't be the same!" Bai Ying exclaimed in surprise. "If they were exactly the same, wouldn't I be leaking your privacy? You can't possibly have a habit of exposing yourself, right?"

A fine woven fabric lost at a loss, a second time feeling frustrated.

"Artistic creations often involve exaggerated descriptions. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental!"

Bai Ying clenched her fist and said with absolute certainty, "Only an idiot would take a fictional story seriously!"

Orimoto Kaori: "..."

Calm down, calm down. There are still people around. For now, let's just go along with what Bai Ying said and move on from this...

"Minister, please don't dabble in my embarrassing past."

A voice suddenly rang out, attracting the attention of those backstage.

The moment everyone turned their heads, Hachiman Hikigaya floated in like a ghost, his dead fish eyes staring at the white figure with bitter resentment.

"Calm down." The white-clad figure raised a hand and gestured for him to speak. "General, as long as you maintain a calm and detached mind, your past of confessing your feelings via email isn't such a big deal when you look at it calmly. It's just a sign of being emotionally rich during adolescence—many middle-aged and older people are emotionally depleted and can't even experience simple joys and sorrows..."

"Oh my god! President! I'm going to knock your teeth out today!"

Hachiman Hikigaya suddenly lunged at the white figure.

"Hehehehe—you think you can take me on?"

The white figure leaped and swooped, instantly swapping positions with Hachiman Hikigaya, before disappearing through the backstage entrance.

Hachiman Hikigaya pursued him fiercely.

There was an odd silence backstage for a while, then some hushed chatter broke out.

"A dark history... a popular guy confessing his love via email?"

"Hachiman is really... 6."

"It's a mystery why Yuihama likes Hikigaya-kun."

"Is it the dramatic thing Bai mentioned?"

Kaori Orimoto was somewhat confused when she suddenly sensed a change in the atmosphere.

I gradually learned to read the atmosphere after I was confessed to in junior high school.

...I was so frustrated at the time that I impulsively blurted it out to my friend.

Hmm? Could Hachiman be deliberately trying to get himself out of a tight spot?

……

"President, it's really kind of you to cooperate with me."

In a corner of the hallway, Hachiman Hikigaya made a subtle comment.

The plan went so smoothly, it's really...

"I saw you at the door, of course I want to find a way to help you." Bai Ying frowned slightly and said, "General, you should believe that I am a good person!"

Hachiman Hikigaya gave him a deadpan look: "Sorry, you're actually a good person—so, what exactly happened with the loss? Why did you tell me all those things from the past?"

"Of course it's for revenge!" Bai Ying described vividly, "Think about it carefully—you kindly befriend a reclusive guy, feel the relationship is just so-so, but he suddenly confesses his feelings to you via email, you're so distressed that you have to reply with a rejection, and in the end, it even spread throughout the whole class... My subordinate, you are truly guilty of a heinous crime."

Hachiman Hikigaya's expression was complicated. Looking back now, he realized his actions were indeed foolish, and he deserved to have a regrettable past. But back then...

"Back then... could it be that in a moment of impulse, I accidentally let it slip to someone that I had confessed to them?"

Hikigaya Hachiman suddenly realized what had happened when he recalled Orimoto Kaori's impulsive act of storming backstage and trying to challenge Shiro to a solo duel in front of everyone.

"Otherwise what?" Bai Ying shrugged. "Could it be that she's deliberately trying to make trouble for you, and that she's so disgusted by your confession that she's going to get the whole class to isolate you?"

Hachiman Hikigaya couldn't help but wonder, "Really? She should hate me, right? She's been making fun of me ever since we met by chance, especially since I did something stupid..."

"NONONO!"

Bai Ying raised her index finger and shook it: "She might feel embarrassed and confused after you confessed to her, and she might also feel uncomfortable because she has to reject you, but she won't hold a grudge—she's a naive girl who would want to be friends with you. What if everyone around is talking about this? What if she's surrounded by this atmosphere of gossip? The impact you've caused will be amplified, eventually making her start to care about and magnify your foolish behavior."

"Think of me once, write me down; think of me once, write me down; think of me once, write me down... Friends and family turning against each other is recorded in a single note."

Hachiman Hikigaya pondered for a moment, recalling many typical examples, such as Yuihama and Hayama: "...Even popular people can sometimes become victims of the atmosphere."

Well, whatever, let's just leave it at that.

While it can't be said that I helped someone who lost money, it was just my own unauthorized action, but at least it helped to resolve some of the past entanglements.

"Hey! You bastards, are you done chatting?"

Yukino Yukino peeked out from the stairwell and waved with a smile.

The white figure patted Hachiman Hikigaya on the shoulder and asked earnestly, "My lord, don't just look at how I used your dark history for material; you should also see how I'm trying to whitewash it—in other words, shouldn't you thank me?"

Hachiman Hikigaya bowed his head respectfully and thanked the master for his great favor: "Thank you, Chairman."

The white figure climbed the stairs in a few steps to find Yukinoshita.

To repay the president's kindness, let me add some drama to his performance!

Of course, it is very difficult to change the chairman's script by relying on one's own strength alone; it is necessary to unite all forces that can be united!

……

"Remember the timing? You must seize the opportunity, make a move at the crucial moment, achieve victory by surprise, and thus achieve the best results."

"Don't worry, I've got your back."

"Hehehe, this way we can get our revenge."

"Hmm—but what should we do afterward? Have you thought about it?"

"Afterwards? If we don't betray them, will we escape oppression? To obey or to rebel, we both die. Is death a good option?!"

"Very well! To die with you would be a joyous occasion!"

Bai Ying and Yukinoshita exchanged a knowing smile.

Hachiman Hikigaya, Angelina, and Houtarou Oreki exchanged a smile. Comrades!

When it comes time to settle scores later, let's just shift the blame to the other party! ×4!

Chapter 85 Gazing Afar

Sigh, Shiro-kun just can't seem to find a moment of peace. He's either on his way to something exciting or he's already in the middle of something exciting. Isn't he just causing trouble for Yuihama and Hikigaya-kun?

But thinking about it carefully, it's not really troublesome. This is the kind of trouble that Hikigaya-kun has to face anyway, since Orimoto Kaori is his first love. Yuihama will probably care a little bit, it just depends on how Hikigaya-kun handles it.

only……

Hopefully, Hikigaya-kun's overly kind nature won't complicate things further.

Speaking of first love, I'm reminded of Bai Jun's first love—of course, that was in his past life.

Actually, it wasn't a specific person, was it? It was just an idol sculpted from a classmate over time. Liking that shadow in one's heart seemed to offer solace in the name of love, even though in the end, it only made him more miserable.

To love someone means to marry someone you don't love.

Thinking about it this way, the song my sister wrote probably has some similar emotions, right?

While hosting the program, Yukino Yukinoshita started a thread to let her thoughts wander, and in the process, she confirmed something—she and Haku-kun's first love in their previous lives had almost no similarities.

There's a subtle feeling of being both happy and not so happy.

In the corner, two small black dogs were whispering to each other.

"If we're going to launch a surprise attack, having Yukino's cooperation would be ideal. Otherwise, if we mess things up, we might end up having to call in the parents..."

"It's alright, I'll bring Komachi with me then."

Are you sure you want to embarrass your own sister?

“Okay, I think we should just launch a surprise attack. Anyway, the chairman will definitely take the role. His aesthetic is that life is a performance in itself. Even if it doesn’t conform to his aesthetic, he will still complete the performance instead of letting it fall apart halfway through.”

"I think it would be better to try to persuade Yukinoshita."

"Give up. Yukino is a member of the Iron-Blooded Student Council President faction. How long ago was it that you said, 'I support Haku-kun becoming the student council president'? Have you forgotten?"

"Even so, Yukino must be a little dissatisfied with Shirayakage, right? Apart from Chitanda, Shirayakage always seems to find fault with others."

“Yukinoshita has always been quick to anger and quick to calm down, so the chairman can easily handle her. Not to mention that this is a live show, and if we suddenly asked to add scenes without the chairman's knowledge, she would have to refuse, and she would even report us to the chairman.”

"that's true……"

Ok?

Yukino Yukinoshita glanced around instinctively, but found nothing.

Why do I have this feeling that someone is talking about me behind my back?

It shouldn't be Bai Jun; he likes to talk to people face-to-face.

"Yukino-chan, are you ready? Our show is about to start."

Yukino Yukinoshita walked over with a smile, already carrying a fiery red guitar in her arms.

"anytime."

Yukino Yukinoshita paused slightly, then said softly, "Your sister's voice needs to be heard clearly by Shiro-kun..."

Yukinoshita blinked and coughed lightly: "Isn't it because Yukino-chan is too good at acting cute?"

"How could that be?" Yukino Yukinoshita sighed softly. "I just say what I think, and Haku-kun always makes me angry... Sister, you should take back this unfounded jealousy, whether real or not. You have the guts to say strange things in front of me, but not the guts to tell Haku-kun the truth. That's a problem, isn't it? You're not dating me. If you continue to be so awkward and strange, be careful not to fall into the trap Haku-kun has dug."

Yukinoshita Haruno smiled and said, "Yukino-chan, I'll pinch your cheek."

Yukino Yukinoshita glanced sideways and said, "Heh."

"Wow—! Yukino-chan isn't as cute and funny as she used to be! Since you've said that, Haruno won't care about your feelings. Just wait until you're gritting your teeth, regretting it, and crying your eyes out!"

"Oh."

Yukino Yukinoshita casually replied, then looked up and said, "It's about time; we should bring the piano and microphone up."

Taking advantage of the closing time after the previous show, the two sisters quickly moved the props from backstage to the stage and placed them there, inadvertently shocking the other people backstage with their arm strength.

Yukino Yukinoshita sat behind the piano, facing the curtain, her thoughts slowly drifting away.

Bai Jun's greatest wish for us is probably that we be healthy and free from illness and disaster.

Well, and then he's responsible for bringing out emotions like joy, anger, shame, anxiety, and annoyance?