Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy wa Machigatteiru Volume 1

Prologue

“Looking back on High School Life”

by Hachiman Hikigaya, section 2-F

Youth is but a lie — an evil.

Those enthralled by it are constantly deceiving both themselves and those around them. They immerse themselves within the crowd, and wallow in the affirmation of others. Even some fatal blunder, or such, could serve as proof of one’s youth — all etched on to a single page of one’s memories.

Some examples are in order.

The action of a youth involved in, say, shoplifting or mass rioting would be labeled as “youthful indiscretion."

After failing an examination, the youth will retort that, “school is simply a place for studying, and nothing more."

In the face of “youth,” they are able to distort any sense of commonly held beliefs or social norms. To them, lies, secrets, crimes, and even failures are simply the spice of “youth”. Any shortcomings or evils they do are labeled as mere exceptions. Meanwhile, as they lump all of their failures to a portion of their youth, they label all others committing the same as not a product of youth, but failure in itself.

Assuming such failure is proof of one’s youth, should that not make those who can’t make friends the very essence of youth, itself? All of them are full of double standards.

Therefore, this is all deception. Lies, deceit, secrecy, and fraud worthy of condemnation.

THEY are an evil.

Therefore, true justice lies, paradoxically, in those who shun upon “youth."

My conclusion is thus:

RIAJŪ, YOU SHOULD JUST EXPLODE.

 

Chapter 1

A vein pulsated alongside her brow as Shizuka Hiratsuka, our Japanese Language teacher, read my essay out loud to me. Listening thus, I began to have some apprehensions regarding my own writing prowess, as it was still lacking considerably. Even with the use of meticulously chosen vocabulary, it wasn’t what you could call scholarly. See past that and it sounded more like the witty thoughts of some obscure, penniless author. This boorish use of prose was, apparently, the reason why I was called to the faculty room.

But of course that’s not the reason why. I already know.

After she finished reading, she placed her hand to her forehead and let out a deep sigh.

“Tell me, Hikigaya. Do you recall what I said the topic for this essay was?”

“…Yes, the topic was Looking back on high school life.”

“Indeed, it was. So then why does this look like you’re writing a death threat? What are you, a terrorist? Or perhaps an idiot?”

Ms. Hiratsuka let out another sigh and scratched her head in frustration.

Now that I think about it, using the word Lady in Lady Teacher adds to the sex appeal, more so than Female Teacher.

As I grinned upon these musings, a roll of paper came down on my head.

“Pay attention!”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Your eyes are glazed over, like that of a rotting fish.”