Why does the Ruined King still fall in love?

"Then you have to work harder." Teacher Shizuka Hiratsuka then took out a pack of cigarettes, lit one, and spit out a perfectly formed ring. "Youth is the time to make mistakes."

"A mistake is a mistake. Youth is just an excuse. As long as you're rational—"

"Humans are not rational. It's a simple fact."

"We can be perfectly rational—"

"Humanity as a whole is irrational, Bikigu. We are stupid, and if there is no orderly storm and pressure, we will turn on each other. We kill each other. We bleed each other. What is all this for? Because we are in Fear, we're hating, or we don't understand. If we were rational beings, we wouldn't be fighting each other, we'd be living on nutritious porridge every day."

"...you have a point."

"Of course I know." Teacher Shizuka Hiratsuka sighed. "So, what was this big mistake?"

"I..." I paused, "I think I've broken up with someone."

"I see...then?"

"Now, things are different. They're different. Maybe I want something different, or maybe I want more of the same thing - but I can't stand how things are going."

"I still don't see a problem, Hikigu."

"What do you mean? The bridge is burned. It can never be crossed again."

Hiratsuka Shizu-sensei had a gentle and sincere smile on his face.She started humming: "No one knows who I really am..."

"It's old ED. You're really showing your age."

"Hey, life is like a boat."

"Do you really learn life lessons from cartoons?"

Shizuka Hiratsuka-sensei crossed her arms and smirked triumphantly.

She said: "When bridges fall, we don't leave their ashes as a monument to our failures, we pick up the pieces and look at what we did wrong. We learn from our mistakes. You're not a beast and you don't learn monster. You have hands, feet, and a heart in the right place."

I knew what she said was right, so I chose silence.

Chapter 120 Six Short Stories·Still Unable to Speak, Speak to Her

"What do you want me to do?" Finally, I said.

"I don't want you to do too much. Again, it doesn't matter what I want. Do what you want—that's how people should live. But you're going to have a hard time living alone, Hikigu. "

"I live alone most of the time."

"Could you repeat that?"

No.

Shizuka Hiratsuka knew my answer without listening to me.

"Fix the broken bridge, kid. Or rebuild it. The latter takes more work. The only thing that's late is forever. Or if the man has found a new woman with whom he's living with...  .”

"Why would I do that job that requires more effort?"

Shizuka Hiratsuka-sensei leaned forward and patted my head. "Because the eternal good and happiness in life don't come easily, fool."

"This is the second time in less than 24 hours someone has called me an idiot."

"That person is much smarter than me." Teacher Shizuka Hiratsuka stood up and stretched himself. "If you're going to do what I think you're going to do, she's already borrowed the key."

"Thanks. Oh, by the way...

"Um?"

"Pretending to be cool in front of the students, have you forgotten that you can't smoke in the classroom?"

"Naco! I completely forgot!"

When Shizuka Hiratsuka-sensei started to open all the windows, I shook my head and walked away.Honestly, I didn't maintain a middle ground when it came to this teacher.

I was just about to stride out the door when I heard it.

"Bikigu."

"What?" I stopped and turned around.Hiratsuka Shizu-sensei looked at me with a deep sadness lurking in her eyes.

"You can't save everyone at the same time."

On my way to the Ministry of Service, I suddenly felt someone bump my shoulder.

"senior......"

This sound sounds like a cat purring, but it has the aggressiveness of a wolf dog.

"what?"

"You are too despicable, senior..." Yi Shiroyu ran in front of me and started to walk back. "Is it wrong for a junior to visit her seniors?"

It's about as wrong as meeting a girl in a dungeon.

Seriously, are all the protagonists of harem anime these days so generic and stupid?

"Sorry, I'm very busy."

"Yes, yes," Isshiki sighed. "I'm also busy because I was asked to be student body president. But hey, at least I'm trying to keep up with the others."

shadow.Shadows are everywhere.

"Anyway, senior, where are you going?"

"The room of the Ministry of Service."

"Oh?" Isshiki raised his head. "Even though Yukinoshita-senpai is not around, are you still active?"

"Probably so."

"Oh..." Ishiki narrowed his eyes.Hey, hey, get your brains out of the ditch! So! Since I'm heading that way... "I'm going with you."

"no problem."

We walked in silence.Hiratsuka Shizu-sensei's words are still echoing in my mind. "You can't save everyone at the same time".The woman said something similar at the culture festival.What did she mean by that? Does she know something I don't?

But right now, the only person I want to save is myself.

"Senior, you look a little depressed."

"I?"

"Yeah, you look more disgusting than usual."

Should I worry that I've become numb to these insults?

"Well...something happened," I said casually. "And you?"

Isshiki blinked. "I?"

"Cupid's arrow..." I stopped.

"Yes......"

"Aren't you sad? Hayama was confessed by Yukinoshita..."

Isshiki tilted his head curiously. "I?"

"You look hurt, that's all..."

"Nep!" Isshiki jumped back suddenly, taking a defensive posture. "What are you doing? Are you stalking me? Are you waiting for your chance to confess? This is kind of creepy. I'm sorry, but I already have someone I like. He's smart and athletic, so you hurt His chance to go out with me now."

"Is it something to hurt someone with zero chance? Is my success rate negative?"

"Senior." Isshiki rubbed his forehead pretending to be troubled. "Please study your stats. There is no such thing as a negative percentage. I worry that you won't get into a good college, you won't get a good job. Without a decent job, how will you maintain my spending habits?"

"What am I? Your slave?"

Isshiki looked at me mischievously. "If you don't do what I say, you'll be worse off!"

This is not how you soften the minds of slavery!

"But." Isshiki said thoughtfully. "However, it's strange that Senior noticed such a thing."

"I'm also very perceptive."

"Uh uh..."

We are finally outside the serving department.

"Alright then." Isshiki said. "As much as I'd love to stay and chat, I have student body president official business to attend to!"

"Good luck."

Isshiki puffed up his cheeks, closing the distance between us. "Don't forget, senior, you were the one who asked me to shoulder this responsibility in the first place."

Blame it on me? I'm not the father.I am definitely not the father of the child!

"So...Senior...you'd better take responsibility when the time comes, okay?"

"wait wait wait- !"

So Isshiki then ran off to perform her duties.

"That girl. Honestly..."

Sighing, I turned around and found myself once again outside the Ministry of Service.

"All right......"

I opened the door quietly.

"Small business!?"

Yuigahama sat against the backdrop of the setting sun.Her eyes widened.

"Depend on......"

"En", Yubihama muttered.When she showed me her face again, there was a smile on her face. "Yahallo...?"

Air is still.To be honest, I don't think either of us knew what to say.I bow my head.There were still shards of melted chocolate on the ground.It was hard for me to do anything but grit my teeth.

"Ah!" Yuigahama noticed what I was looking at. "Sorry! I didn't clean properly...

"It's not your fault. After all, it's my fault."

"No, no!" Yuigahama shook his head. "It's me! I'm clumsy and the chocolate falls - and then..."

Lies are beautiful things.Accepting it as truth makes you ignorant.But it is in this ignorance that you are allowed to see things the way you wish.It is the desire for optimism and happiness that drives humans to accept these lies.Both Yuigahama Yui and Hikigaya Hachiman knew what happened yesterday, but Yuigahama Yui chose to believe the appearance.She chooses to believe because he chooses to hurt her.

"Well..." Yubihama said. "—maybe...can we forget what happened yesterday? I mean, it's kind of embarrassing now, you know?" She cast her gaze to the ground. "Sorry to put you in that situation..."

"No. I can't accept this kind of thing."

"W-what do you mean?"

"We can't pretend it never happened just because it happened. We..."

Lies just provide a temporary refuge, but that's the problem.They are only temporary.That's why...that's why people better believe the truth...believe...the real thing.

"...we should be more honest with each other."

"O-Okay." Yuigahama sounded sad. "I think...I think you're right, huh..."

"sorry."

"No, no." Yuigahama smiled. "It's like you said, isn't it?"

"......Yes."

The tension in the air begins to drop.The room in the service department began to warm up.

"You know..." I scratched the back of my head. "I still owe you a trip to the theme park."

Yuigahama's ears perked up.

"Yay! We should go together!"

"Everyone?"

"Yeah!" Yubihama nodded with a smile. "You, me, and Yukino?"

"...Yes. All of us."

One of the many regrets of human beings on their deathbeds is the wish to start over.It's like they want life to consist of multiple saves where they can access previous entries and start over.Maybe they can get it right this time.Maybe it's okay this time.Maybe.Maybe, if they were given another chance, their lives would be better.

I've had this idea in my head for quite some time.What would happen if I could do it all over again? Maybe I wouldn't be who I am now.I used to be happy to do that.Even now, thinking about it brings some relief, but...

but......