Chapter 7 - JK idol is interested in Culture Festival
Culture Festival.
It's an annual celebration for the students held at the end of May in this school. Well, it's a fun event for the popular students, but for an introvert like me who isn't part of any clubs, it's just a boring day. However, since being absent is considered truancy, I have no choice but to participate.
So, my plan for the day was to laze around in a seat in the air-conditioned drama stage area.
But last weekend, that plan was ruined because I had promised to go around the culture festival with a certain JK idol... or so it should have been.
"Ah, Romeo. Why you..."
I fell fast asleep in the drama stage area.
+×+×+×+
Last night, Sakurazaki informed me via email that she couldn't go to the culture festival. She said her preparations for the performance were very busy, so there was nothing she could do. She had actually been looking forward to today. Since last week, I've been receiving daily emails from Sakurazaki about the culture festival. She knows everything, from the food she wants to try to the performances of each group.
I started feeling sleepy due to the Romeo and Juliet performance filled with guys in front of me. I squinted my eyes.
As I was lost in my drowsiness, Romeo and Juliet ended, and preparations for the next drama began.
"For the next drama, we have Renkawa Miyu-chan performing."
"Renkawa-san? Oh, isn't she the local idol who appeared on the local TV news?"
"Yes, that's right. She's a student at this school, my daughter told me."
The neighbors next to me were talking about something, but they immediately fell silent as the stage turned dark.
"I am a star. A star that fell from the sky."
The next performance was "The Girl Who Became a Star" by the drama club.
I hadn't heard of this story before. Is it an original work?
The main actress in the center of the stage... Wait a minute, have I seen her somewhere before?
Her big eyes and small face.
The girl had adorable twin-tail hair and prominent fangs.
Moreover, her costume was very revealing, emphasizing her captivating breasts.
It seems she's a member of the drama club.
Seeing her made me uncomfortable, so I quickly left that place.
Outside felt stuffy due to the crowd.
Anyway, I started walking, looking for another place where I could rest. Suddenly, my phone vibrated.
An email... from Sakurazaki, perhaps?
"I might finish my work earlier, so maybe I can come later in the afternoon!"
... Is that so.
I imagined Sakurazaki's smile in my head.
Alright, I'll patiently wait.
But before that...
I visited the place mentioned in the email Sakurazaki sent me earlier.
+×+×+×+
By the way, I completely forgot that there was an option to go to my own classroom.
Most of the students probably went to the stalls or the live music booth outside, so in the classroom, there were only a few strange students like me who were reading or studying.
I easily blended in with them without arousing any suspicion and leaned on the desk to sleep.
I had informed Sakurazaki via email that "I'm in the classroom," so I'll sleep until she arrives.
However, as I tried to sleep, there was a jolt behind my head.
"Ouch!"
"Hey, what are you sleeping for?"
"...Oh, Nanamizawa. Don't disturb people who are trying to sleep."
Nanamizawa woke me up with a chop from behind.
"Hey, have you looked around? Well, you're the always low-energy Kou."
Nanamizawa noticed what I bought before coming to class.
"This... this is lunch, so—"
"Wait, didn't you buy bread for lunch at the cafeteria before morning homeroom? What happened to that?"
"Oh, that... I already ate it."
"Hmm, that's strange."
I couldn't disclose about Sakurazaki, even if my mouth was split open.
Then, Nanamizawa brought a chair from another desk and sat next to me.
"You should be hanging out with the volleyball club member, right?"
"Everyone said they would go around with their lover during the afternoon."
"Oh, I see."
"Your reaction annoys me."
Nanamizawa raised a fist towards me.
"Sorry. So, release that fist."
"Hmph!"
Damn, I'm annoyed by her always ready-to-use violence attitude.
"Aah, I'm bored now."
"Why not study?"
"Huh, this far?"
"There's nothing else you can do, right?"
"Well, maybe that's true."
Nanamizawa messed up my desk and took out a textbook.
"Alright, then I—"
"Don't sleep!"
Nanamizawa held my shoulder as I tried to bury my face on the desk.
"Didn't you say that if there really is nothing to do, just study."
"...Huh, fine, I get it."
The two of us sat near the window, studying amidst the bustling culture festival outside.
+×+×+×+
The sun sets, coloring the classroom with a red hue.
The culture festival has come to an end.
In the end, Sakurazaki didn't come.
"I have a club activity after this."
"Oh, good luck then."
Nanamizawa, who had been studying with me, picked up her sports bag and stood up.
"Oh, Kou."
"Hm, what is it?"
"Um... because there's a tournament on Saturday... I mean..."
"Yes?"
"I want you to come... watch, that is..."
Ah, that's what she meant.
"Oh, I understand. I'll come to watch."
"T-Thank you. I'll do my best."
Nanamizawa quickly left the classroom.
Alright.
I opened the email on my phone to check if there were any new messages.
No new messages...
The culture festival has ended, and the previous hustle and bustle has been replaced by the calls of club activities.
I wait in the classroom alone, waiting for her arrival.
Then, I hear footsteps from the quiet corridor.
The sliding door opens abruptly, and a girl stares at me with wide eyes.
"S-Sorry! Himahara-kun! I, um, I'm late! I just arrived now."
Gasping for breath, fixing her messy side-tail hair, Sakurazaki approaches me.
"I'm really sorry!"
"Here, take this."
"Eh?"
"Not that I understand what you're apologizing for, but if this is what Sakurazaki is talking about, everything is here."
I hand Sakurazaki a bag filled with food from the food stalls.
"Eh, did you buy this for me?"
"You wanted to eat this, right?"
"............"
Tears well up in Sakura's eyes.
"H-Hey, don't cry."
"B-But... I thought Himahara-kun was mad at me! I couldn't be with you, and I felt so sad!"
"Are you crying or talking? Choose one, I don't understand what you're saying."
Sakurazaki cries like a little girl, her usual idol aura completely gone.
Confusion and relief, it seems she still can't sort out her thoughts.
"H-Hey, Himahara-kun. Want to go to the rooftop?"
+×+×+×+
"There's no one else here, so it's safe, right?"
Indeed, there's no one else on the rooftop.
The two of us sit on the steps in front of the wire fence.
"Well, what should we eat first?"
"It's already cold, so it's better if you warm it up when you get home and eat it yourself."
"But both of us... you want to eat, right?"
Well, it's probably better than receiving individual food reports via email.
"Aah, Himahara-kun."
When Sakurazaki opens the Tupperware containing takoyaki, she hands it to me.
"It's embarrassing. I can eat it myself."
I use another toothpick to eat the takoyaki.
"Mmm. Well, it really tastes like you, Himahara-kun."
This takoyaki is cold.
"Himahara-kun, I'm really sorry. I made you wait in the end."
"I don't care. Stop apologizing."
"But..."
I place my hand on top of Sakurazaki's head.
"Instead... thank you for your hard work."
"... Tsk."
"Hey, again. You're crying again."
"Damn..."
Anyway, this is troublesome.
