Yukinoshita's Correction Method

The women's group started 30 minutes after the men's group, so during this time, many girls cheered for the boys.

Hayama Hayato stretched his body a couple of times, and immediately a group of girls nearby burst into cheers.

He waved in response, and the cheers erupted even louder.

Compared to the girls around her, Yumiko Miura seemed somewhat dejected, only glancing intentionally or unintentionally in Hayama Hayato's direction.

"Hayato Hayama- senpai--!" Iroha Isshiki shouted, putting her hand to her mouth, and tugged at Yumiko Miura's sleeve, "Senpai, come on too!"

Hayama Hayato responded with a wry smile and a wave.

Yumiko Miura hesitated for a long time before finally making up her mind. She took a deep breath and exhaled along with her voice, "Hayato... Hayato Hayama... Go for it!"

Her voice wasn't loud; it was almost drowned out by the cheers of the other girls.

But Hayato Hayama still silently raised his hand and gave her a calm smile.

Miura, captivated by his smile, slowly nodded.

Iroha Isshiki complicated expression, gently shook her head, and then shouted at Dong Yunshan with a big smile, "Go Yunshan -senpai--!"

"Go for it!" Yui Yuigahama waved enthusiastically as well.

"Come on!" The voices of Komachi Hikigaya and Saki Kawasaki followed closely.

Between them, Yukino looked at Dong Yunshan Yukino Yukinoshita said, "Yunshan..."

She had just opened her mouth when she realized her voice wasn't loud enough, so she took a deep breath and shouted at the top of her lungs, "Yunshan, Spruce!"

The crowd fell silent for a moment, then erupted into noise again.

Under the scrutiny of many complex gazes, Dong Yunshan waved in response, revealing a bright smile.

Tobe Kakeru silently withdrew his gaze and looked at Hina Ebina was standing next to Yumiko Miura.

Seeing that she was talking to Yumiko Miura, Tobe Kakeru sighed softly and turned his gaze forward.

"Is everyone ready?" Shizuka Hiratsuka stood in position, raised the signal gun into the air, pulled the trigger with one hand, and covered her ear with the other.

The boys leaned forward, while the girls watching from the sidelines held their breath and watched quietly.

"On your marks, get set—" Shizuka Hiratsuka excitedly pulled the trigger.

Bang!

The gun fired, and everyone rushed out of the starting line.

To be precise, most people rushed out.

Since it's an on-campus activity, there's no grand event, and rankings won't affect grades, so everyone's main focus is on participation.

Moreover, it's a marathon, so conserving energy is very important.

Therefore, a considerable number of people were very slow in the early stages.

But some people sprint at full speed from the very beginning.

As for the reason...

Dazzling lights flashed—those were the flashlights on both sides of the road.

To create graduation yearbooks and keep records of the event, staff members were assigned to take photos during the Marathon Competition.

If you start running a little faster, you'll be more noticeable.

But this was only the beginning. After running a short distance, many people exhausted their strength and their speed decreased sharply.

Hayama Hayato was last year's Marathon Competition champion; even older students lost to him.

While many others slowed down, he maintained a steady pace, leaving more and more people behind.

As long as this speed is maintained...

Hayama Hayato carefully adjusted his breathing, when suddenly he felt a strong gust of wind sweep past his side.

Dong Yunshan... Hayama Hayato stared at the receding figure ahead, gritted his teeth, and sped up to catch up.

At this time last year, Dong Yunshan was injured and hospitalized, so he did not participate.

This year marks his first time participating in Marathon Competition.

This match will still be quite challenging for him.

Adjust the speed according to Hayama Hayato's condition, giving him the illusion that he can catch up if he goes a little faster, and widen the distance between the team and the rest of the group as much as possible in the shortest amount of time...

It's really hard to strike the right balance.

Chapter 749 Daring to Change

So close, so very close

If only we could go a little faster, and hold on a little longer...

The opponent has slowed down; there's still a chance.

Hope is just around the corner, getting closer and closer!

So close that it's within reach.

Dong Yunshan tilted her head slightly, looking at Hayama Hayato had caught up. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel... I made a huge mistake." Hayama Hayato forced a smile, catching up with Dong Yunshan's slowed pace. "I shouldn't have disrupted my own rhythm by chasing after you."

Dong Yunshan chuckled, "But giving up directly is not something you can accept... right?"

Looking at Dong Yunshan's relaxed demeanor, Hayama Hayato became increasingly aware that his previous pursuit had been a mistake.

"I can tell the answer from your expression." Dong Yunshan's steps were light. "But that's not what I'm asking."

"Didn't we already discuss the group assignments?" Hayama Hayato shook his head. "Do you want me to respond in a more direct way?"

"What I want to ask is..." Dong Yunshan said calmly, "How does it feel to play the good guy?"

"What did you say?"

"Don't let my appearance fool you, I've been through a similar phase, when I was young and naive." A hint of melancholy flickered in Dong Yunshan's eyes. That was back in his school days in his previous life, when he "tried to be a good person, kind to others, always ready to help, enjoying the approval and needs of others—until that experience became torture."

"I remember, you had a Odd Jobs Agency)." Hayama Hayato exhaled a puff of white smoke. "Back in your first year of high school, you basically skipped classes and spent all your time helping others. So... are you still so immature?"

"That gets to the heart of the matter," Dong Yunshan chuckled. "During adolescence, what I wanted was acceptance and recognition from others. Playing the good guy was a social strategy to avoid conflict. Now, when I help others, I enjoy the satisfaction of seeing them bravely make changes like I have—either doing the same thing or driven by the same thoughts."

Hayama Hayato frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"You..." Dong Yunshan blinked, "I'm talking about your choice."

Hayama Hayato frowned even more deeply. "You have no idea about my choice."

Dong Yunshan gave a decisive answer, "You chose the Humanities Track."

Hayama Hayato's expression stiffened, and his tightly furrowed brows relaxed. "You don't actually think you can get my choice out of me like this, do you?"

"My initial assessment was based on your family background. Considering the necessity of maintaining family relationships, I thought you would choose Wen." Dong Yunshan paused, "But someone reminded me that even if one needs to inherit the family business, the heir themselves also have their own ideas."

Hayama Hayato silently looked at Dong Yunshan, waiting for him to continue.

"Thinking about it this way, doctors can also maintain family ties, and if it's your personal interest, the possibility of choosing the Science Track to become a doctor isn't small." Dong Yunshan tapped her temples lightly with two fingers together. "But when I take your own thoughts into consideration, I suddenly realize that you won't choose the Science Track."

"Why?" Hayama Hayato's tone was almost accusatory.

"Because you are Hayama Hayato."

"Is this your basis for judgment...?" Hayama Hayato smiled. "What do you know about me? Even if you do, how can you know I won't change?"

"[Hayato Hayama will definitely choose a method that won't hurt anyone... He will definitely meet everyone's expectations.]" Dong Yunshan tried to imitate Hina Ebina's tone at the time, "That's what Hina Ebina told me."

"I thought you were different from the others..." Hayama Hayato smiled weakly. "Because there are fewer people choosing the Science Track, if I choose the Science Track, I won't be able to meet everyone's expectations. In order to meet everyone's expectations, I will definitely choose the Humanities Track —that's what you think, right?"

"No," Dong Yunshan corrected, "That's what you think."

Hayama Hayato pondered these words for a moment before realizing, "Is this also part of your scheme to extract information?"

"That's my conclusion," Dong Yunshan reminded him. "I made it very clear from the beginning."

"At the beginning..." Hayama Hayato recalled the question Dong Yunshan had asked, "Was it to play the good guy...?"

"The good guy you're playing will make this choice." Dong Yunshan pointed at Hayama Hayato, her finger jabbing forward as if to pierce through some kind of disguise. "And you, the one playing the good guy, will also make this choice."

"[Either doing the same thing, or thinking the same thing.]" Hayama Hayato repeated what Dong Yunshan had just said, shaking his head slightly. "I don't feel any difference."

"People change, just like I used to play the good guy, and then I stopped." Dong Yunshan explained slowly, "I believe you've thought more than once about no longer playing the Hayama Hayato, who meets other people's expectations. This change may never happen, or it may happen in the next moment. As you said, I don't know when you will change, when you will decide to stop playing the role."

"Then why are you so sure?"

"Because playing the good guy is your way of dealing with your own needs, and when you feel that this method isn't working, you might switch to another one at any time." Dong Yunshan smoothed her hair with one hand, and feeling that the effect wasn't quite right, she smoothed it again with both hands. "But your needs aren't so easily changed, especially when the previous methods weren't working, this need will become even stronger."

"My..." Hayama Hayato's eyes flickered, "What do you need?"

"You want to avoid conflict, maintain a facade of harmony, and create a safe environment. Whether you play the good guy or stop playing the good guy, it's all based on this need." Dong Yunshan stared at Hayama Hayato. "That's you... Hayama Hayato. I discovered your true nature a long time ago. When the rumor-mongering text messages were flying everywhere, when you were playing tennis, when you were camping during summer vacation, when you were on school trips... You've always been like this. You've never thought about solving the problem; you just want to maintain a facade of harmony."

Hayama Hayato opened his mouth, then looked away as if trying to escape.

"This isn't an accusation. Maintaining superficial harmony is already difficult enough, and you don't have the energy to solve the problems. You simply prioritized maintaining harmony over solving the problems because superficial harmony satisfies your needs more than solving the problems," Dong Yunshan whispered. "Even if you stop playing the good guy and stop responding to everyone's expectations, you still won't choose the right path."

As the eldest son in the family, and driven by his pursuit of a harmonious environment, Hayama Hayato naturally had to inherit the family business.

Those who choose Humanities Track will become lawyers, and those who choose Science Track will become doctors.

"A lawyer's job is essentially to manage conflict rather than resolve it. It's about providing a legally sound solution that both parties can accept. You don't need to completely solve either party's fundamental problem." Dong Yunshan's voice was icy, like a sharp scalpel dissecting Hayama Hayato's disguise in the cold wind. "But a doctor deals with the irreconcilable problem itself. Illness doesn't disappear just because of superficial harmony. Without solving the problem, superficial harmony cannot be maintained."

"As expected, I shouldn't have disrupted my own rhythm to pursue you." Hayama Hayato met Dong Yunshan's gaze again, revealing a wry smile that was very similar to his usual one, yet subtly different. "And then, are you going to tell the person who commissioned you all this?"

"I thought your reaction would be more extreme." Dong Yunshan raised one eyebrow. "Although it's my analysis, it's still your privacy, and it's up to you to decide."

"Since it's your analysis, then it's no longer my privacy." Hayama Hayato looked up at the sky. "Besides... I can't even say these things myself."

It's not easy to face your own true inner needs.

Explaining these things to others is even more difficult.

Dong Yunshan: "Then I'll post it on the school bulletin board tomorrow."

"There's no need to be so inconsiderate..." Hayama Hayato staggered, barely managing to steady himself. "Everyone needs a good person like Hayato Hayama to meet their expectations, and even Hayato Hayama himself shouldn't shatter those expectations."

"Do you want to continue playing this role?"

"This was my own choice, and...didn't someone already see through my disguise? Yet they still slowed down and ran alongside me." Hayama Hayato's smile remained bitter, but the relief within it was even more pronounced. "At least in front of you, I don't need to pretend anymore."

Dong Yunshan warned, "You absolutely mustn't let Hina Ebina hear you say that."

"I agree with that." Hayama Hayato nodded vigorously, then sighed softly, "If... I mean if, someone could accept me as you do, then there's no need to keep it a secret from her."

Dong Yunshan reminded her again, "Hina Ebina can't hear this either."

Hayama Hayato: "... Absolutely not."

"Now that you've faced your true needs and thoughts, then..." Dong Yunshan blinked, "Do you need any help?"

"You've already helped me so much..." Hayama Hayato paused, "No, I hope you can help me again. If it were you, you should be able to..."

Dong Yunshan pulled away. "So you're really not pretending at all anymore, huh?"

"I've already said there's no need to pretend with you... We can't let Hina Ebina hear this." Hayama Hayato chuckled, his breathing becoming erratic. "The Most Important Thing, I'm curious, since my current situation is my own choice, how are you going to help me? I feel like you can do it, but I can't imagine how you'll do it."

"Of course, I'll lead by example." Dong Yunshan glanced at the time. "I'm forfeiting. You can run at your own pace."

Hayama Hayato couldn't hide his astonishment. "... Are you serious?"

"Facing your own needs and thoughts, acknowledging your own efforts and choices—that's the first lesson." Dong Yunshan waved two fingers. "Using your own will to break through predetermined paths and bravely make changes—that's the second lesson."

Seeing Dong Yunshan accelerate, Hayama Hayato hurriedly asked, "And then?"

"And then the third lesson..." Dong Yunshan, who had already run far away, turned around, took two steps back, waved, and shouted, "You'll experience it for yourself later!"

Watching Dong Yunshan run off into the distance, Hayama Hayato shook his head helplessly. "I still can't see through you..."

You shouldn't disrupt your own rhythm by chasing after the Dong Yunshan.

The closer he got to the finish line, the more regretful Hayama Hayato became.

The sounds of breathing and heartbeat grew louder and louder, pounding in my ears.

The muscle soreness turned into an unbearable burning sensation, and my leaden legs felt like they were hitting my internal organs.

The agonizing screams of organs being crushed exploded in the chest cavity, accompanied by breaths, cutting through the throat like knives, turning into white mist and gushing out of the mouth.

Because he had exhausted too much energy chasing the Dong Yunshan in the early stages, Hayama Hayato could no longer feel his limbs as he approached the finish line.