My youth story cannot be a knight war

Yukinoshita Yukino, who was sitting on the chair next to him, spoke calmly, frowning slightly at Zaimokuza's not-so-false look of confusion.

Did he forget what happened?

"Before—ugh!"

As Zaimokuza followed his words and recalled what had happened before, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his head, and the line of memory was broken.

Before, I, I…that’s right!

Thinking of the last scene he saw before he passed out, Zaimokuza quickly let go of the quilt he was holding tightly and asked the people around him.

"Yeah, that's right! How's number 21? Did my future self win?"

"Your information is out of date. Your future self has fought No. 21 twice. You lost the first time, but won the second time. And this time you used a completely new form. I have to admit that your new power is super cool!"

Hiratsuka Shizuka patted Zaimokuza's shoulder comfortingly, and gave him a thumbs-up with a hearty smile while looking at his confused eyes.

"A real man! Cute big tits!"

Her movements and smile that were full of déjà vu made Zaimokuza's eyes twitch. He really didn't want to complain about her plagiarizing his student's future signature pose and lines. Instead, he was concerned about the information revealed in Hiratsuka Shizuka's words.

"Two battles? A new form? Was I unconscious for that long?"

"How long you were unconscious... well, we don't know."

Hikigaya shrugged and pointed at the phone screens where the video was still playing.

"After all, no one can tell the time now, not even with a watch."

Shizuka Hiratsuka raised her hand, and her sleeves slid down as she moved, revealing her fair and delicate arm. The watch she was wearing now displayed the same video screen as on the mobile phone screen.

"But according to our estimation, it shouldn't take too long. At most, it will be about forty minutes, less than the duration of a class. You can rest assured."

"Really? You don't even know how heavy you are. Carrying you here almost killed me, Hayato, and the penguin. We also had to disperse those classmates who came over to watch the fun and were curious about you. You should go lose weight quickly - no, forget it, just pretend I didn't say that. You're doing fine now..."

Tobe Sho complained while rubbing his sore shoulders, but halfway through his words he immediately remembered Zaimokuza's appearance after losing weight and his future relationship with Ebina Hina, and immediately changed his words, lowering his head in a low voice, looking dejected.

"?"

Zaimokuza looked at his depressed expression and tilted his head in confusion, this action was quite similar to the charm of "him" in the future.

"Well, the current Zaimokuza-san is actually quite nice, and while you were asleep, the future Zaimokuza-san revealed some very interesting information~"

Ebina Hina narrowed her eyes and said this, her eyes behind the glasses teasingly looking at Yuigahama Yui, whose face suddenly turned red because of her words. Even Hikigaya turned his head away because of these words, and a rare blush appeared on his face.

With the two people's different reactions and everyone's meaningful gazes, an ambiguous atmosphere quietly spread in the health room they occupied.

"???"

Did I really just sleep for one class period and not the whole day?

The atmosphere here at this moment was completely incomprehensible to Zaimokuza, but he inexplicably felt that he was redundant at the moment. He should not be here at this moment, but should be under the car.

but……

Every time when he tried to recall what happened before, his brain would always go blank, as if the road of memory had been broken in front of him, leaving only an abyss. Under the human instinct for survival, his brain was unwilling to move forward, so Zaimokuza was extremely confused.

What did I see before I passed out?

【Tokyo, Jonan University, Research Laboratory. 】

[Yukinoshita Yukino sat in her chair with her back to the setting sun outside the window, looking at the empty desks and chairs in the laboratory except for herself, and a hint of gray flashed across her clear eyes.]

[Ever since the day when the members of the investigation team screamed at the massacre of the unidentified life form No. 0 at the Kuroyama ruins, the number of people who frequently appear in this laboratory has never exceeded three, and this is even including Kousaka Kyousuke and Zaimokuza Yoshiki who often visit to investigate the unidentified life form.]

[Later, Totsuka Ayaka, an old high school classmate who was filled in by the school, was assigned to participate in the excavation investigation of the Kuroyama ruins, looking for other clues, so the only real permanent staff member in this laboratory is Yukinoshita Yukino. 】

[It is impossible to stay alone in an empty laboratory for a long time without feeling lonely. Humans are social animals.]

[But it is undeniable that having fewer people also has its advantages. For example, Yukinoshita Yukino has been staring at the framed photo in her hand for more than an hour. If it were Professor Natsume Kokichi who was still here, Yukinoshita would have been scolded by him for not doing her job properly.]

[Her fair fingers gently stroked the photo of the four members of the service department. The glass was also wiped by her until it sparkled. It was obvious that she took great care of it on a daily basis.]

[Those few people in my memory are all frozen in the most beautiful years of their lives by this thin photo, but in reality, which is only a stone's throw away from them, time has passed without stopping for thousands of reincarnations.]

[Every time she thought of this, Yukinoshita Yukino's bright eyes became slightly blurred. ]

[Those past laughter and smiles seem to still appear vividly before my eyes, but everyone has already walked their own paths in life and found their own answers. ]

[Time is really the most terrible force in this world. Its huge torrent can bury all the beauty, crush the former stubbornness and persistence, and wash away all the unbearable pain so that the parties can accept it calmly, and lead people to explore and open up a new path. ]

[Yukino Yukinoshita still remembers that when she was in high school, her teacher once assigned a composition in class. The title of the composition was "My future self is ___." ]

[That is more of a fill-in-the-blank question than an essay. ]

[What was her answer at that time? Yukinoshita Yukino had long forgotten that answer. ]

[Because humans only remember what they have accomplished, but not what they have never done. ]

[But Yukinoshita Yukino still clearly remembers how she pondered at the table in the bedroom of that apartment, trying hard to think of her own answer. Her seriousness is the reason why she can always be the first in everything in school. ]

[She still clearly remembers the first line she wrote on the manuscript paper at that time, and the words she read out along with the beautiful handwriting.]

[“In the future, I will become——”]

[Yukinoshita Yukino whispered this sentence. The stubborn girl who sat at the table thinking about the answer many years ago seemed to have traveled through time and space and possessed her at this moment, trying to speak out her answer with her mouth.]

[But every time after she said the word "for", Yukinoshita Yukino could no longer speak, which was a rare thing for her, whose memory was strong enough to remember the names of all her classmates in high school. ]

[Because she is no longer the same Yukinoshita Yukino. Even though her appearance is similar, the years that have been engraved on her body have transformed her into another person. Now she is just like the girl many years ago, with the empty name "Yukinoshita Yukino". But whether it is her thoughts, appearance, personality, way of dealing with things and skills, she has already become another similar but different person.]

[It is not true that every child will become the person he hates the most when he grows up. ]

[It should be said that every child will become the most unfamiliar person to himself after growing up. This is the correct answer. ]

[And in all these years, among the people I know, are there still people who are the same as they were back then? Are there still people who have always insisted on their dreams and walked on the path they chose back then? ]

[Yes, in Yukinoshita Yukino's memory and cognition, there is only one person who has done this, and only one person has remained the same from beginning to end. ]

[A familiar silly smile appeared in her mind, and Yukinoshita Yukino's originally expressionless mouth corners quietly raised a very faint arc. ]

[Beep, beep, beep—]

[The same boring cell phone ringtone as in high school sounded in the pocket of her skirt. Yukinoshita Yukino took out her cell phone and looked at the name "Yuigahama Yui" on the screen, her eyes slightly condensed. ]

【“…Yui.”】

[After a short silence, Yukinoshita Yukino answered the phone and put the phone to her ear and whispered. ]

【“Xiaoxue.”】

[Yuigahama Yui is sitting in an empty office. All her colleagues have gone home from work a while ago, and she is the only one in the school now.]

[“What’s wrong? You called me not long ago. Did something happen again?”]

[Yukinoshita Yukino gently placed the photo frame on the table and asked Yuigahama Yui on the other end of the phone. ]

[Yuigahama Yui also looked at the photo on the desk in front of her, hesitated for a moment, and said in a low voice. ]

[“Number 21 has appeared again, and Zaimokuza has also gone to fight… as Number 4.”]

【"……Yeah?"】

[After hearing this sentence from the other end of the phone after a while, Yuigahama Yui could no longer hold back the surging emotions in her heart, and spoke in a gentle voice with a louder voice.]

[“Xue! Aren’t you worried about Zaimokuza? He was badly injured in the battle with No. 21. You must have watched the news. Do you really think he can defeat the enemy this time? Last time—”]

[“I’m worried. Ever since the day I saw him put on that belt and transformed in front of me to protect me, I’ve been worried about him every day.”]

[Yukinoshita Yukino's voice was as calm as a quiet river flowing slowly in the forest, but it was this calm and indifferent voice that completely suppressed what Yuigahama Yui wanted to say. After a short silence, she continued.]

【"and you--"】

[“Have you tried to stop him? I did, but it didn’t work.”]

[Yukinoshita Yukino completely anticipated everything she was going to say next, and Yuigahama Yui was speechless and said with a helpless smile. ]

[“As expected…Xiaoxue, you are still as amazing as before. I can’t hide anything from you.”]

[“Rather, you are still the same as before, Yui. It is easy for people to read your mind, even though you are already a teacher.”]

[Yukinoshita Yukino turned her chair and looked up at the setting sun outside the window. ]

[“Not only did I try to stop Zaimokuza-san, I scolded him and even threatened him… but it was useless.”]

[“Since he has decided what to do, he will definitely move towards his goal. This has been the case since high school and has not changed at all.”]

[“But the strange thing is, unlike the doubt and disbelief I had in high school, I now want to believe him, to believe that Zaimokuza-san can really do what he says.”]

[“That is to protect everyone’s smile.”]

[“Yui, do you still remember when Zaimokuza-san first came to the Service Club with his novel?”]

[“…Of course I remember. How could I possibly forget?”]

[Thinking back to the memory of the first time I met Zaimokuza, he was still chubby at that time, not like he is now, when he walks on the street, nine out of ten girls passing by will turn their heads, and the remaining one has to maintain her modesty because she has a boyfriend.]

【Thinking of the scene where her female colleague's eyes widened when she saw the current Zaimokuza, Yuigahama Yui couldn't help but laugh softly. 】

[But she still clearly remembered the smile on Zaimokuza's face when they first met. It was exactly the same smile he had now, without any change, just like when they first met.]

[“I still remember how we evaluated his novel after reading it. Zaimokuza was so shocked that he almost shut himself down.”]

[“Indeed, the novels he wrote at that time were really unbearable to read… but perhaps they were even better than they are now.”]

[Speaking of this, Yukinoshita Yukino turned around and looked at the "gift" Zaimokuza had given her before. The pile of manuscripts was still pressing on the stone mask, and the black air emanating from it even pressed the mask underneath, which looked very evil, so that it seemed to be unable to breathe.]

[As if she had seen something dirty, Yukinoshita Yukino silently turned her head to look at the sunset outside the window and continued. ]

[“Yui, do you still remember how we evaluated each other at the beginning?”]

[“I’ve long forgotten it. After all, so many years have passed.”]

[“Really? But I still remember it. I’ve never forgotten it, so I also remember what happened afterwards.”]

[“That day, when we all thought that Zaimokuza would never be able to achieve his dream, someone encouraged him. It was that person’s encouragement that made him pursue his dream until now without giving up.”]

【"encourage……"】

[Long-lost memories were brought back by Yukinoshita Yukino's words, and Yuigahama Yui's expression suddenly froze. ]

[“What you said, is it…”]

[“Yeah, it’s just as you thought.”]

[Yukinoshita Yukino looked at the photo on the table. The dead fish eyes of Hikigaya Hachiman in the photo were exactly the same as she remembered, without any fading.]

[“When we all thought he couldn’t do it, it was Hikigaya who encouraged him and made Zaimokuza continue to pursue his dream.”]

[“Small business…”]

[Hearing this familiar name again, Yuigahama Yui couldn't help but put her palm on her heart, which was fuller than her friend's, and gently clenched her palm. ]

[“I’ve always thought that maybe at that time, Hikigaya-san had already seen something. After all, he has always been very good at seeing through people’s hearts and the nature of others.”]

[“When both of us denied Zaimokuza, Hikigaya might have seen some possibility in him, a possibility to achieve the dream he pursued, and saw his persistence and never giving up... and now, I understand his thoughts at that time a little bit.”]

【“——So, Yui.”】

[Speaking of this, Yukinoshita Yukino's voice became serious, with unquestionable trust and determination. ]

[“Please believe in Zaimokuza-san. Believe in the man I believe in now. Believe in the man Hikigaya-san believed in back then. Believe that Zaimokuza Yoshiki will definitely be able to fulfill his promise and protect everyone’s smiles.”]

【“——”】

[Yuigahama Yui doesn’t quite remember what Yukinoshita Yukino said afterwards. 】

[In the space that gradually became darker as the sun set, she put down her cell phone that had been disconnected, and stared blankly at the photo on the table in front of her, looking at the helpless Hikigaya Hachiman being hugged by Zaimokuza.]

[Yuigahama Yui looked at the familiar boy, and the emotions that had been buried in her heart for a long time gradually began to surge, with the same vivid colors as before, illuminating her memories. ]

[“Xiaoqi, at that time, you really had already…”]

[At this moment, the TV news channel that had been on nearby interrupted with an urgent news report, and the host's voice attracted Yui Higashihama's attention.]

【“——”】

[Listening to what the host said, Yuigahama Yui's pink eyes gradually widened. ]

[“Emergency news interruption. Unidentified life form No. 4 once again engaged in a fierce battle with No. 21 at the harbor near the Sumida River. Unlike the previous battle where it was completely crushed, this time No. 4 showed a new attitude and strength, and completely defeated No. 21 with an absolute advantage, winning the battle!”]

[“No. 4 has once again won the battle against its own kind. Why did it do this? Is it because—”]

[Yuigahama Yui stared at the news anchor's emotional report, and recalled what Yukinoshita Yukino said before, and what Zaimokuza said when he left.]

[——Please believe in Zaimokuza-san, believe in the him that I believe in now, believe in the him that Hikigaya-san believed in back then, believe that Zaimokuza Yoshiki will definitely be able to fulfill his promise and protect everyone's smiles. ]

【——Big husband! 】