Yagyu IF Route: Perfect Partners, Zero-Point Lovers

01 ■ Do you want to be in a relationship right now?

Chaos and turmoil ensued.

I really can't think of a more suitable word to describe my current state.

What? A top student should be able to handle their junior year with ease and have a promising future?

Don't be ridiculous. The experimental data needed for the thesis proposal won't just fall from the sky, internship offers from big companies won't come knocking on your door, and professors won't add any more research positions just for me. Who says life is easy?

That's right. Three years ago, when I entered the University of Tokyo with the reputation of being the student council president of Rikkai University Affiliated High School and having won three consecutive national judo championships, the name Sanae Okada was practically being talked about by all the teachers as a model student. However, even with the help of a scholarship, I still failed to get into the highest-scoring science category 3. Although I eventually got into the science category 1 to study pharmacy because of my interest, it was enough to prove that it was basically impossible to maintain the glory of being an excellent student here.

Alright, the contents of the petri dish have died again.

I slapped my forehead, took off my white lab coat, threw it into the lab's laundry basket, and peeked out the window through the blinds. Autumn nights come so quickly, and I felt a little hungry.

That's settled then. I'll go back to my apartment tonight and discuss the experiment tomorrow.

"Okada, are you going back?" Niitsu Tomoya, a classmate, was wearing goggles and a mask, so his face was basically invisible.

"You keep fighting, I'll be a deserter for a day." I waved my hand, yawned, my vision was a little blurry, I blinked twice while staring at the experimental data on the computer, and then snapped the computer shut. I was too lazy to even think about whether I could finish this project on time. Later, when I thought back to my mindset at the time, I realized that I was definitely not cut out for further studies. It was really good that I didn't become a research student who became a professor.

Stepping out of the lab building and into the fresh air, I shivered. I tucked my hands into the sleeves of my hoodie and sighed, "Ah, it's so cold."

Since starting university, I've unconsciously developed a habit of talking to myself. I'm not exactly a loner, but I still haven't met many people. Maybe it's because I always have to go to my grandfather's judo practice on weekend get-togethers, or maybe it's because I don't really like joining in on fun activities. What does it feel like to have someone hold your hand? I sometimes look at other people and imagine it in my mind.

My classmates would chat for a long time about who was dating whom or what kind of people they met at the social gathering last night. What was I doing at that time?

Should I read the literature and conduct experiments, or should I read from Seicho Matsumoto to Seisho Chi? [1]

Anyway, I'm definitely outside of everyone else's world. I'm always a little lonely, but thankfully it's not too boring. After all, mystery novels are much more interesting than college romance.

As usual, I took a shower and lay down on my bed in my apartment. I had just picked up my Kindle and read two pages when I received a text message from Liu Sheng at 8 p.m.

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First Mate → Captain

I'm at the coffee shop near the entrance. Do you have time to meet up?

I stayed up all night doing experiments yesterday, maybe next time, I'm so tired.

Regarding internships, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

: ……I'll come down right now.

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Regarding this note, it was changed when I invited him to be my running mate before the student council election that year. It was because he casually said "Aye Captain"[2], and at the time I jokingly said that he was my first vice president. However, in terms of the result, there was no problem. In the end, I was elected and became the student council president, and he naturally became the vice president.

Enough of this digression. I grabbed the cardigan hanging on the back of the chair, put it over my pajamas, ignored my still-damp hair, and quickly ran downstairs.

Across the narrow street, through the dim yellow light, I saw the person sitting at the table by the window, holding a porcelain cup. Their short purple hair was shorter than before, and the collar of their shirt was as neat as ever. Perhaps because they were meeting an old classmate, they were wearing a casual beige knitted sweater over their gray flannel shirt, which was somewhat similar to the one I was wearing. Before opening the glass door, I tidied my hair slightly in the reflection, and then shook my head in a self-deprecating manner. I was already out in my pajamas, so why should I care about my appearance?

I pulled out the chair opposite him and sat down.

"I figured you were about to fall asleep, so I ordered you a hot cocoa." Liu Sheng slowly pushed another cup on the table toward me.

"Thank you." I couldn't help but yawn.

"I heard you haven't decided on an internship company yet?" Liu Sheng cut to the chase.

"Yes, I've considered university hospitals and several pharmaceutical groups, but it seems that's not what I really want to do." I picked up the stir bar and stirred the cocoa in the cup, looking down at the vortex as if I were looking at my own thoughts.

"Would you like to participate in this project?" He pulled a stack of documents from his bag. "I saw the paper you and your classmates published when I was abroad, and I think you would be interested."

As I opened the document, I hesitated. I knew that Yagyu was studying management abroad, and I could understand why he was paying attention to this industry, since he was, after all, the heir to the Yagyu Pharmaceutical Group. But the fact that he was even looking at my thesis made me realize that I had a reason to admire his good grades before.

"I remember your group didn't seem to have any plans to publicly recruit interns this year?" As I spoke, a strand of hair fell against the side of my face, so I raised my hand and combed it behind my ear.

"This is my company," Yagyu said calmly, as if it were something important. "It's not very well-known yet. If you don't want to, that's perfectly fine, because with your grades, Okada, you can definitely get an internship at a better place."

"I don't really care about internships or anything like that," I said, resting my chin on my hand as I looked outside and then back. "Anyway, when it comes to deciding on a job, it's all about starting over. But since you've started a company, should I call you President Yagyu?"

"If you want to call me that, you can come for your internship." Yagyu looked at me. "I'm honored to be called president by the respected Captain."

"I'm scared of you," I chuckled. "This time, I'm on your side, President."

Then he laughed, and I could see my own face reflected in his glasses, like seeing my eighteen-year-old self.

Later, when we happened to talk about that meeting, I said that I was very grateful to someone who pulled me out of a certain situation. During my student days, I could have clear goals and never experienced the confusion of what I wanted to do in the future. So when I was urged by those around me to turn a new page, I experienced for the first time the suffocating feeling of being trapped in confusion.

We hadn't seen each other for almost three years, and we chatted for a long time until the coffee shop owner apologized and told us that the shop was closing up, only then realizing it was already late at night.

He asked if I wanted to go to another restaurant for a drink, but I said I left my phone upstairs to charge and hadn't changed my clothes, so I decided not to go anywhere else.

When I brought it up, he chuckled and retorted, "I never thought I was the kind of friend you'd meet in your pajamas."

A sudden warmth crept up my cheeks. I frowned and pulled my sweater tighter, complaining with a hint of dissatisfaction, "I never thought I was the kind of friend you would just send a text message to someone's apartment and assume they'd actually come to call."

After I finished speaking, I took a few steps forward and came to the apartment building. I turned around and saw Liu Sheng standing at the entrance of the shop, which had already turned off the lights, waving at me. The flickering streetlights made him appear to be in and out of sight, sometimes near and sometimes far.

Do you think I look like this, Yagyu?

As if searching for something, I climbed onto the desk and rummaged through the cabinet above my head, pulling out a cardboard box labeled "High School." I lost my grip and fell, scattering photos and notebooks all over the floor. I knelt down and picked them up one by one. With a faint tinkling sound, something rolled out of a notebook. I used my phone's light to reach under the bed and pulled it out. I blew off the dust; it was a white button made of seashells.

"So this is where it is." I muttered to myself again.

At 5:30 a.m. the next morning, I woke up from my dream according to my biological clock of nearly fifteen years. My body was surprisingly heavy. The last thing I saw before I opened my eyes was me standing on the stage giving a campaign speech. After thanking everyone, I turned around and looked at Yagyu standing backstage clapping.

I haven't dreamed about the past for a long time. Before heading out for my morning run, I suddenly wondered if it would be better if someone ran with me.

→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→

In June of that year, Yagyu Hiroshi made up his mind to accept the appointment to manage an entire subsidiary. Immediately after graduation, he emptied the room he had lived in for three years, said goodbye only to his Indian roommate next door, and returned to Japan with his suitcase. The moment he stepped out of the airport, the sweltering and humid rainy season reminded him of the country he was in.

It was still early morning, and the trams wouldn't start running for quite some time. He hadn't informed his family beforehand. In the end, he took a taxi along the coastline he usually walked to school and enjoyed the sunrise for once. It looked like it was going to rain, as the clouds were very thick, swallowing up most of the sunlight. It wasn't too dazzling, but it still left traces of the morning glow. He gently patted the back of the driver's seat, handed over the fare, and then said, "Please pull over," before getting out of the car.

The wheels of the suitcase rolled on the ground, their sound mingling with the sea breeze in the quiet morning. Rikkai University was just up the hill a short distance ahead; the main gate wasn't visible from this vantage point, but the "Kakawa" sign was already in sight. The shop door was ajar, the exhaust fan was on, and sounds could be heard from the kitchen. This ramen shop had been here as long as Yagyu could remember; the owner, Teppei Okada, had inherited the shop from his father-in-law, Kotaro Kagawa, and it had been almost sixteen years since then.

Back in the day, after club activities, my tennis teammates and I would always go to this shop and order a bowl of their signature soy sauce ramen. The small shop was often packed with these sports club kids, making the cramped space very noisy.

Just as he stopped at the door, a middle-aged man with a dark blue headscarf was tiptoeing to unlock the door. When he peeked out, he saw Yagyu. He paused for a moment, then laughed heartily and said, "Ah, bespectacled guy, I remember you. You're Sanae's classmate. Oh my, it's been so long! You've all grown up."

"Good morning, Uncle. I am Yagyu Hiroshi." Yagyu seemed a little unaccustomed to this familiar enthusiasm. He nervously accepted the water glass from the bartender and sat down at the counter.

"You must not have eaten anything after such a long flight," Okada Teppei said, rolling up his sleeves and turning on the stove. "Come on, let me give you a welcome meal."

Perfectly pan-fried tamagoyaki, miso soup with small pieces of tofu, and steaming hot rice.

"Thank you," Yagyu said, flattered, as he picked up his chopsticks and clasped his hands together in a simple prayer gesture. "Then I'll begin."

"This is what Japanese people should eat for breakfast!" The owner was very cheerful and humorous.

While this is quite different from his daughter, the Sanae Okada in Yagyu's memory was upright and passionate, someone who was prone to taking things too seriously. She was strict with herself and others. In fact, when he thought about it, her smile was somewhat similar to his boss's.

Back home, he locked himself in his room, using jet lag as an excuse. To be honest, he wasn't ready for the barrage of questions from his grandparents and parents. The three years in Cambridge hadn't been easy. Because his sister always wanted to visit England, he hadn't been back to Japan during that time; it was always his family coming in groups. The house, unoccupied for so long, created a subtle sense of distance between him and the place. "So these things are here," he kept telling himself. "So these things are still here."

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|||Captain→First Mate

You're back in China? I can't believe my dad told me.

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I had just turned on my phone after plugging it in when a new message popped up. We chatted for a bit, then she said she had to go to the lab. We politely made an appointment to meet up sometime, but we didn't end up seeing each other until the end of summer. I didn't even remember her unless I reminded her. Managing a company isn't easy, and once when I was in Tokyo on business, I passed by Hongmen and thought I'd call her, but no one answered. By the time she replied, it was already evening.

It's not easy for old classmates to get together. If Niou hadn't suddenly decided to apply to Tohoku University and go to Sendai, at least he would have someone to have a beer with right now.

When I had the chance to go to Tokyo again, I had just been turned away by two research institutes that afternoon. Somehow, I ended up at her apartment building. We were just good friends from high school, and when I messaged her, I didn't expect her to come down. In the end, I used my internship as an excuse to coax her out.

Sanae Okada, who came downstairs in her pajamas with her hair still damp and a bit messy, was quite different from the person she remembered. She seemed to have lost half of her lively spirit when she first spoke, except for her eyes when she smiled at the end.

Fortunately, she hadn't changed, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

I turned on the hotel TV, and the program was discussing the topic, "Do you want to be in a relationship right now?"

The guests argued fiercely over this issue, their excitement unlike that of a late-night program. They frowned, sighed, turned off the TV, took off their glasses, and lay down, blurring the ceiling.

Last Christmas, I broke up with my date of about six months. There was no dramatic breakup; I simply nodded when he mentioned he didn't like me, and then cleanly ended the relationship. Westerners, on the other hand, seem to have a much clearer distinction when it comes to long-term relationships. Some are just casual acquaintances after one or two dates, while others, even after dating for months, don't consider each other lovers. Thinking about it this way, it seems that conservative East Asians always retain a certain sacred and inviolable longing for their first love.

Okada doesn't seem to be in a relationship. At least in the past few years, her social media posts haven't given the impression that she's with anyone. Compared to Niou and Marui, who have exceptionally rich social lives, she doesn't seem like a typical college student in the Reiwa era. Aside from posting some lab daily life updates, she mainly posts excerpts from novels. For the past week, she seems to be reading Chen Haoji's "The Net Insider".

Don't spoil it, my friend, he hasn't had time to watch it yet.

"Brother, do some tidying up in the attic this weekend. There are two cardboard boxes with your name on them." The next day at noon, as she sat cross-legged on the sofa playing on her phone, her younger sister said this to her.

"What are you planning to do with the attic this time?" Liu Sheng placed the car keys in the entryway.

"It's a secret, I'm not telling you." The younger sister made a face and then lowered her head.

Middle school students are really unlovable. Not only have they taken over my brother's study, but now they're not even leaving me any space in the attic. Liu Sheng thought he really should move out soon.

These things must have been placed here sometime in the past. Dust flew up when he moved them, making him sneeze several times. Liu Sheng tore open the box, bent down and looked inside. They were all old clothes. At the bottom were the tennis team uniforms, one from middle school and one from high school. Above them were several sets of school uniforms for different seasons. Several brand-name items that had been used were placed in the corner, and the white shirt on top was missing its second button.

Staring at the bare thread, Yagyu paused for a few seconds, then turned and opened another cardboard box. Inside were neatly arranged classroom notebooks labeled with various subjects, as well as the student council meeting minutes. He dusted off his hands, opened the notebook, and on each page, the attendees were listed as "President Sanae Okada, Vice President Hiroshi Yagyu." Looking at the words written on it, he realized that he had said those things back then, and he laughed out loud again.

The afternoon sun shone through the window in the attic roof, like a spotlight shining on people's heads. Was it the person in the memories who was shining, or the person in the memories who was shining?

As Liu Sheng carried the cardboard box into the room and sat down to rest, catching his breath, he suddenly wondered if she still had that button.

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1. Seicho Matsumoto and Seishu Chi are both Japanese mystery novelists.

2. Aye, Captain! (A common greeting among sailors)