[ With this we are happy to mark the ending of the Sakura Festival– ]
The announcement signaling the end of the Sakura Festival, the culmination of the Student Council led by Hiiragi Akane and the Executive Committee under the leadership of Momiji Shiraishi, echoed throughout the school.
There were no disappointed voices, just the cheers of the students reaching the rooftop.
They, too, must have felt sad, but were overcome with joy at the fact that they had made it to the end of the festival.
I watched the end of the Sakura Festival as the sun began to set behind the mountains.
As each of the classes’ stalls dealt with their last customers one after another, the general public proceeded through the main gate to the outskirts of the city.
Those heading to the shopping district, those going to the Kikyo Jogakuin side, and others boarded buses.
For his last task, Hino-kun was guiding the students toward the buses.
Koizumi was standing alongside Miura as they thanked the visitors from the main gate.
Although not visible from the rooftop, Shiraishi must have been giving some kind of greeting or thank-you speech, as I heard loud applause from the direction of the Executive Committee’s tent.
She must have been recognized as an outstanding person among the students, both in name and in reality, after her first big performance.
Momiji Shiraishi, the road towards President …if there is such a thing, she has successfully completed her first step.
President and I were looking at such a scene in the school after we finished our last patrol.
President’s expression was calm, and she looked somewhat sad that the last cultural festival was over.
A quiet moment passed, and before we could exchange words with each other, the high-pitched sound of the rooftop door opening echoed from behind us.
“You two are early.”
“I wonder if they’ve been skipping work?”
As promised, Shizuku and Kirasaka both finished their roles and strode to the rooftop.
In their hands hung a bag, which contained several bottles of drinks.
Normally the rooftop is not open to the public, but today there are a few benches set up to accommodate the large number of students who might use the rooftop.
After putting the drinks she had brought on the bench, Shizuku walked over to where President and I were standing.
“There are so many people here, it’s hard to believe it’s the courtyard.”
“Because of the lighting, the courtyard is the only place where it’s safe after dark.”
I looked at the place and replied back to Shizuku’s mutterings.
The actual schoolyard would be more spacious, but unfortunately, the lighting is inadequate.
The courtyard is a little smaller, but it’s easier to prepare for the event there.
Next to Shizuku, Kirasaka also rests her hand on the railing and looks at the students below her.
I think I sense coldness in her eyes, but I’m sure it’s …just my imagination.
It seemed like some villain thinking ‘They are just trash’ kind of thing.
In the center of the courtyard, there were many long desks arranged in a row, and on the desks were leftover items from the festival, placed in a messy manner.
It was not something special, but the students were satisfied with the products they had made themselves.
The final performance of the festival, the evening celebration, is about to begin.
It is a festival for students to enjoy after their hard work.
There will be a raffle, a small performance, and the announcement of the Miss & Mr. Sakuranoaka.
The bouquet Koizumi had prepared for President will also be presented here.
“Sounds like fun…”
Shizuku said to the students chatting in the courtyard.
Her eyes had a gentle light in them, but she seemed to be somewhat of a stranger to them.
“Senpai!”
As the four of us stood in a row, watching the event come to an end without conversation, we heard a voice calling someone from below.
In a short time, we all naturally turned our attention to the owner of the voice, a voice we were beginning to become accustomed to.
Below us, Shiraishi, Koizumi and Miura, as well as Hino-kun, were waving their hands and looking toward us.
Behind them were the student council of Kikyo Jogakuin, as well as my sister.
Released from the pressure of management, which they should have felt until now, they were happily blending into the circle of students with overflowing smiles on their faces.
Even Hino-kun, who is a member of this group, would’ve been feeling a little uncomfortable in this cozy atmosphere, he did not look as nervous as he usually does.
“I’ve been called down, do you want to go downstairs too?”
“I’m fine here…”
I answered President’s question without shifting my gaze.
I waved at Shiraishi appropriately and she nodded her head in satisfaction. I wonder what she misunderstood.
…Are you thinking that I’ll come later?
I’m not going, though.
Getting into that circle is easy.
Just take a step forward, step into the circle, phase into the conversation and smile at them.
Many students do that.
They are many times better at human interaction than I am, and they develop the ability to cooperate, which is essential nowadays.
And as far as I know, Yuuto is the ideal image of perfection.
He is a monster in terms of relationships.
So, watch him, learn from him, and step into it yourself.
This feeling of emptiness that lingers in my chest may disappear if I get involved with them.
…It would, but my body denies the thoughts that come to my mind.
When I do that, there is a part of me that cries out that I don’t need the kinds of companionship to which I need to change my feelings falsely.
Then, I should just not think about it.
If I don’t think about it and just go about my life as I have in the past, Shinra Minato will be able to go about its daily life as usual.
It would be easy, I wouldn’t belong anywhere, and I wouldn’t be dyed by anything.
However, as I gazed at the scene below me and saw the girls standing side by side next to me, I clutched my handrail tighter.
The choice to remain the same meant that I would respond to nothing, not even to them.
I will continue to look at them as if they were ornaments from a distance, drawing the line that I am not worthy and cannot stand in the same place as them.
That’s fine.
That is how Shinra Minato has lived his life.
No, he had no other choice.
He did not want to be involved, he did not think they loved him, and even if they did, he avoided them because it was too much for him and it would be troublesome.
I am sure that the feelings that are boiling up inside me are not love or anything of the sort.
But I was developing a vague feeling that I had to change…
Why are the students so gloriously happy even in the midst of seemingly hopeless relationships?
Are they seeing a more colorful world than the monochrome one that spreads across me?
They are enjoying the present moment, and even if it is only a momentary association in a long life, they are living it to the fullest.
Something might change.
Being involved in the cultural festival, a big stage for students, may bring about a change in their state of mind.
It might even bring about feelings that they have never felt before.
I went into the festival with faint hopes.
But as you can see, the results were not what I expected.
After all, since there was no change in myself, there was no way that a change in the environment could drastically change anything.
“I wonder if it would be right for me to go downstairs and join that circle now…?”
Also, would it be better to exchange words with the students and deepen our friendship?
The three of them listened to the words I muttered.
I said this to Shizuku.
I don’t understand her best just because we have known each other since childhood.
It was because we happened to spend more time together than others, and therefore we have different amounts of personal information.
If we spent a similar number of hours together, most of them would be able to understand her to the same degree as I do.
Kirasaka said that she showed a deep interest in Shinra Minato because he did not treat her any differently.
But that’s because when we met in person, I drew a boundary because she is a person who lives in a different world than I do.
President said that the student council needed me because I am a person who can judge things from an objective point of view.
It’s because I have no unnecessary feeling of value, because I’m not in touch with the emotions that people have always had.
It’s not that I’m great in any way.
A person without individuality cannot replace a person with individuality.
On the contrary, a person with personality can replace a person without personality.
No, to be precise, a person with individuality has the charm to take the place of a person without individuality.
There is nothing to get off my chest, I am too ordinary.
And yet, I am afraid of losing something of mine.
There is plenty to lose if I stick to my existing way of doing things.
Even if it is not the right choice, I am trying to choose stagnation.
If I don’t give an answer, the relationship between Kanazaki Shizuku, my childhood friend will continue.
If I remain as I am, I will be recognized by Kirasaka Rei as a person who is different from others.
If I do not harbor unnecessary feelings, I will not lose the sense of value valued by the President.
Because I was narrow-minded, I was able to create the relationship we have today.
I was never bothered by changes.
As I was thinking these thoughts in my mind, which I would never be ashamed to express out loud, what came back to me from the girls was a surprising response.
“Fufu …that’s impossible.”
“Impossible.”
“Impossible.”
The three of them looked at each other and said, with a chuckle that was almost a wry smile, I wonder what they were talking about.
