Yukinoshita’s Method of Correction [24]

All eyes were on Higashigumo Sugi.

“Why are you all looking at me?” Higashigumo put on an innocent face. “I have to criticize, right? How can I critique if I’m not looking?”

“And your sentences are way too long, with too many obscure words,” Yukinoshita Yukino shot him a sidelong glare. “Also, don’t hand out unfinished stories for feedback. Before you try showing off your writing, maybe brush up on the basics…”

Every word hit Zaimokuza Yoshiteru like an iceberg, leaving him groaning and trembling in his seat.

“Yukino-chan…” Yuigahama Yui, worried Zaimokuza might actually pass out from the criticism, timidly tried to interject.

“I’m not done,” Yukinoshita set the manuscript aside. “But if you want to say something, go ahead.”

“Eh? Me…? I have to say something too?” Yuigahama frantically picked up the manuscript, flipping through it with a rustle. “Um… well… er…”

Well, that made it clear to Higashigumo.

Yuigahama hadn’t just barely read a few pages—she hadn’t read any at all.

“I, uh… I think…” Yuigahama wilted under Zaimokuza’s pleading eyes, barely squeezing out a line, “you know so many complicated words!”

Pff! Zaimokuza looked as if he might cough up blood (not literally) and slid bonelessly to the floor.

He’d burned out completely, reduced to a pile of white ash.

“Huh?” Yuigahama looked bewildered. “Why? I was really trying to compliment him…”

“Light novels are meant to be easy reads, written in a casual style that’s clear and accessible for teens.” Higashigumo explained for Yuigahama’s sake. “If your wording is hard to understand, that’s basically the worst thing you can say about this genre.”

“That’s it! I knew you’d get me…” Zaimokuza struggled up, clinging to hope. “Higashigumo-kun, if it’s you, I know you can understand the world I’ve created—every last part of it!”

“I only read part of it,” Higashigumo shot him a ‘trust me on this’ look, “but I did some extra homework, so I think I figured it out.”

“Good man!” Zaimokuza tried to kip-up like a hero but flopped, looking like a Magikarp using Splash. “At last, someone gets my vision!”

“I saw it all, remembered it all,” Higashigumo thumped his chest, then pulled a notebook from his bag, “and even wrote it down.”

Yuigahama: “Huh?”

“The school setting is from Full Metal Panic! The villain organization is based on Overlord. The monster designs are borrowed from Sword Art Online. The power system comes from A Certain Magical Index. The romance between the leads is straight out of Imouto Life. The family drama is almost identical to Book Girl. The supporting male character is lifted from The Case Files of Jeweler Richard…” Higashigumo closed his notebook. “I don’t think I missed anything.”

“Aaaaahhhhh!!!” Zaimokuza clutched his head and rolled around on the floor in despair.

Splash, splash, splash, splash, splash~

Yuigahama hid behind Yukinoshita. “I feel like you’ve done more damage than both of us put together.”

“Wait, I thought you didn’t read light novels?” Yukinoshita began to question, then answered herself. “You have a friend?”

“He works in a doujinshi circle—he’s an expert in this stuff. I asked for his advice,” Higashigumo stroked his chin, thinking. “He even gave me a heartfelt suggestion for the author.”

“A professional’s advice? That sounds serious!” Yuigahama, worried for Zaimokuza’s wellbeing, pressed, “What was it?”

Higashigumo: “Find yourself a writing class.”

“Gyaaaaaaaaaah—!” Zaimokuza let out a horrifying wail and stopped flopping around.

“Oh no!” Yuigahama jumped, startled. “He’s not breathing!”

“You went to all this trouble,” Yukinoshita noticed the ever-brighter smile on Higashigumo’s face, “just to see him this crushed?”

Higashigumo shook his head. “Of course not.”

Yukinoshita was surprised. “No?”

“Nope.” Higashigumo nodded. “All I did was make a phone call. Didn’t take much effort.”

“In any case…” Yukinoshita massaged her temples in resignation, “this request is officially resolved.”

“Eh?” Yuigahama looked unconvinced. “That counts as finishing the request?”

“If he can survive this much of a beating, he’s ready to handle online criticism.” Yukinoshita lightly tapped the manuscript. “Now that is truly teaching a man to fish.”

“So you stayed up all night just to deliver the ultimate critical blow?” Higashigumo recalled their earlier argument. “It wasn’t about helping him find every flaw, but about toughening his spirit for criticism?”

“Your sense for the heart of things is improving,” Yukinoshita covered a little yawn with her hand. “You’re not all the way there yet, but it’s progress.”

“Wait.” Something clicked for Higashigumo, the memories of all their recent bickering flashing through his mind. “So all those things you said were actually…”

“When I reject your approach, you’re forced to think about what really matters. When you push back, that’s when your thoughts are sharpest. Do that often enough, and before you act, you’ll already be considering what matters—and you’ll be ready to argue back.” Yukinoshita, unusually, let a faint smile show. “Seems this method of ‘correction’ is working on you. You’re still a beat slow, but at least you’re getting there.”

“You…” Higashigumo opened his mouth, searching for words. “I…”

“Go on. Argue with me. Use your rebuttal to show how much you agree.” Yukinoshita laced her hands behind her back, tilting forward without a hint of defense, her adorable face lifted and her eyes curving into bright crescent moons. “Like I said before—success isn’t determined by outward appearance. And now, the results speak for themselves.”

Her messy black hair hung down, casting soft shadows across Higashigumo’s face.

How did things suddenly get so serious?

Yuigahama glanced back and forth, not daring to make a sound.

“Hah…” Higashigumo covered his face with his hand and burst out laughing. “Hahahaha!”

All this time, Higashigumo had looked down at Yukinoshita from the high ground of adulthood.

He’d seen her stubbornness as childish obstinance, her sharp tongue as childish rebellion, her goals as childish dreams…

But he’d forgotten his own words.

‘When I see the mountains, I find them beautiful. Surely, when the mountains see me, they must feel the same.’

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This is a fan translation of 雪之下的矫正方式 by 微凉温热 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!