Monthly Archives: December 2022

CH#221

#221

I’ve just met Kirasaka Rei’s father, Kirasaka Reiya, once.
He is a leading figure in the Japanese business world who controls one of Japan’s largest companies, the Kirasaka Group.

At first glance, he looks slender and thin, but from close up he exudes a sense of authority.
His eyes are sharper than Kirasaka’s, but each part of his face has a well-defined appearance.
His hair was also short and well-groomed, and his fringes were raised in an all-back style.

It is unclear exactly what kind of story he heard from his daughter that made him interested, but last time this person took time out of his busy schedule to come all the way to the hotel.

The visit must have been made at short notice, since the hotel staff appeared to be in a hurry.

Like his daughter, this man is quite free-spirited.

But the atmosphere and appearance tell you that the person in front of me is a much more important person than I had previously imagined.

The eyes that are turned on me do not give away any of their emotions.
He surely didn’t call you here to play house.

 

“I met you before this summer, and I’m glad to see that you’re still the same.”

 

“…I’m fit despite my appearance.”

 

Crossing his legs and clasping his hands together, director, Kirasaka Reiya, muttered.

Thinking that the person in front of me in my mind is Kirasaka’s father, the director of a company, and the sponsor of this school festival, it makes me think excessively.

 

So, scraping off the unnecessary thoughts. I don’t think the words were appropriate, but I returned them without making poor attempts to mend them.

Kirasaka is there with her usual grin, and president smiles bitterly.
I wonder if I look like a lad with an irreverent attitude to the people around me.

 

Unfortunately, I haven’t developed the communication skills to be able to switch aspects depending on the person I’m facing.

However, perhaps this attitude made the person in front of me like me, because I could see a faint smile on his lips.

 

“Take care of yourself. I don’t mean in a healthy way, but in a spiritual sense.”

 

He tapped his own chest with his fingertips and said.
As if he knew it all, as if he was enlightened.

I’m sure I’ve changed more than a little since we last met… and those feelings swirl inside me, but his words continue before I can get to them.

 

“Over the years, I’ve come into contact with all kinds of people, regardless of national borders, and I know that people who have changed naturally change their eyes, but your eyes haven’t changed at all.”

 

“Eyes, is it…?”

 

By chance, a mirror mounted on the wall was next to me, so I checked to see what was up with them.

They are black, pale and cloudy.

 

They are not as clear-eyed as Shizuku, Kirasaka or President.

The next time I have an opportunity to meet this person, I’m going to go and get colored lenses.

 

It already seems interesting.

There is even a possibility that I might say something like “This is the secret technique handed down in the Shinra family” with those contacts.

 

However, it is also true that the words he spoke felt something close to a weight that could not be denied.

The results that this person has produced so far tell more than anything else that he has an extraordinary eye for observation.

 

I, on the other hand, haven’t done anything that I can use in opposition.

Even so, there is a difference in the impression you can give the other person compared to being silent and not being able to say anything or talking back.

 

This time, I don’t want to create a situation where I’m spoiled like a child because I’ve been summoned to be a part of cultural festival meetings.

 

“It’s not that a change always leads to growth either, …it could also be a regression.”

 

A cryptic reply, and Kirasaka, sitting next to her father, let out a giggle.

It wasn’t a comment that I went for as a gag or something.

As he gave me a slightly chilly look, President, who was sitting next to me, lightly tapped me on the head.

A small, eerie sound echoed through the room.

 

“Uncle, I’m sorry …Shinra, be a little more careful with what you say.”

 

“Akane is as uptight as ever …and there’s no one here but me now, so it’s nothing to worry about.”

 

I reluctantly bowed my head without resistance as President lightly grabbed my head and lowered my head.

However, the other party didn’t seem to care a single bit, not even a bit.

 

I don’t need to ask that the sigh that escaped slightly from next to me was out of relief and dismay.

When I lifted my head and exchanged glances with the director again, there was no gentle smile on my face.

 

The quality of his gaze was radically different from before.

Everyone in the room, not just me, had a hunch that what he was going to say to me was the essence of this request.

 

“Exactly, that’s why I said, ‘I’m glad to see you’re still the same.” …I didn’t want to see you change drastically.”

 

Quite a personal opinion, expressed in front of everyone in the room.
Be assured that his boldness has been passed on to his daughter.

But this may be the first time someone has told me that they wish things would stay the same.

Invariably, people around you want change.

 

If you are a person who stands at the top of a company, you are probably even more sensitive to change and wish for it.

But Kirasaka’s father responded to my thoughts with some words of his own.

 

“Why do I care about you so much? It’s not just because my daughter likes you?”

 

“…”

 

“Of course, it was my daughter who led me to you. But you are different in some ways from those around you.”

 

The three of us listened quietly to the director as he continued.
I am interested to see what will be said next, since I am at least aware that I am not a special person.

 

“Being a student is the only phase in life where people mix in with people of the same age, where there is no hierarchy of titles and where, living in groups, human nature is easily imbued with the surroundings.”

 

The eyes that were turned towards me sank darkly, as if shadows had been cast over them.

It is not only students who are colored in groups, it is the same for working people.

 

In order to adapt to the environment in which they find themselves, people spend their time dyeing themselves in more or less the same colors.

Many of our judgements of right and wrong are diluted by the unconscious idea that the people around us are doing the same.

 

Hence, tremendous differences arise in the world.

If you live in a favorable environment, you take it for granted.

If you’re in a bad environment, it’s only natural.

 

They deny their own ideas that this is the norm and gradually become infected.

 

“Junior high school can be considered an extension of primary schools, unless there are family circumstances or of one’s own volition. When it comes to university, the age range is much wider …which is why I’m focusing on you, a high school student.”

 

The director’s expression was serious and his back was straightened as he said this, crossing his legs again.

He is not angry with me, but with a single word, I feel as if I am being made to rethink my actions and behavior.

 

“I understand my daughter’s talents better than anyone else, and the same goes for Akane beside you. I hear there are two other students Rei told me about who have similar talents and abilities.”

 

At her father’s comment, the daughter next to her frowned as if it were unnecessary.

Surprisingly, Kirasaka mentioned the topics of Shizuku and Yuuto.

 

To be honest, there are many aspects of Yuuto that Kirasaka herself is not sure if she approves of, but when it comes to Shizuku, Kirasaka probably has a certain appreciation for her.

It is a virtue of Kirasaka not to compare their disagreements with each other and their evaluations.

 

“…A childhood friend and a friend from junior high school.”

 

I returned my averted gaze and answered the president’s question.

Hearing my words and nodding, the conversation returned to the continuation.

 

“People are attracted to and admire talented people. When there are a few of them around, they inevitably have a profound influence on those around them and change them. …But you remain the same.”

 

When he finally catches his breath, the president leans his body back against the sofa.

He looks at me with a sighing breath.

 

Interestingly, they looked at me as if they were looking at something strange.

It is a fundamentally different gaze from the one that was directed at me when I was with Shizuku and the others.

 

I don’t know why, but I felt very uncomfortable.

It’s a feeling that goes deep inside me, that I’m being taken deeper into myself.

 

“Some people go on trying to get closer to the person they admire …while others choose to give up.”

 

These words were spilling out of my mouth.

In the course of my life, I have been reminded of this cruel reality many times.

And I have seen more than a few people who gave up because they thought it was impossible for them, even though they admired them.

 

The reality is that because there are so many talented people close by, you are forced to confront this reality whether you want to or not.

 

“So, which would you have chosen?”

 

The president asked after hearing my words.　
The answer did not immediately come to mind.

No. Did I even make a choice before that?

I wonder if I chose to give up because I wanted to be like Shizuku and Kirasaka and the others because I couldn’t be like them.

 

In the first place, I have never taken action to become like them.

The choice to give up itself may not exist for me.

 

“I heard that the reason Akane invited you to join the student council was because you can judge things from a third-party point of view. …That’s an odd thing to say, you are probably the most qualified person for the role at Sakuranaoka Academy.”

 

 

The director’s words became smaller and smaller.

I understood the words that followed, without being said.

 

I turned over, keeping your mouth shut and closed your eyes.

I am confronted with a reality that I have been turning my eyes away from until now.

 

Why have I lived my life perceiving a difference between me and the people around me?

Why can’t I understand the feelings that the people around me should know?

That was now about to be told in words.

 

“Minato-kun, in your eyes, in your heart, let alone Rei and the others, do you not even see yourself?”

 

A comment that could have been reiterated.

However, the mouth that would normally move so eloquently was unable to utter a word, only remained stifled in silence.

<TL> : A bit late but Merry Christmas! 🎄

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CH#220

#220

 

From the vehicle that took me away from the after-school preparation activities, I looked at the unfamiliar cityscape, which was different from what I’m used to seeing.

 

I had heard that Kirasaka’s house was in the opposite direction to mine.

But I never had the chance to go there, and it was also her villa that I visited as a part-timer during the summer holidays, not her actual home.

 

Even that villa was as luxurious as I expected it to be, so secretly I’m wondering what kind of a mansion her house would be.

I peeked at President and Kirasaka, who were accompanying me, looked calm as usual.

 

President has been familiar with Kirasaka’s place for a long time, so it is only natural that she is not nervous.

Away from the Sakuranaoka Academy, surprisingly, the car stopped when we had proceeded close to the mountains.

 

A wooden gate surrounded by a fine stone wall fence appeared there, a short distance from the residential area, blocking the car’s way.

 

“Miss, I’ll put the car around the back, this way.”

 

“Thank you, Grandpa.”

 

After Kirasaka had a short conversation with the driver, Kuroi-san, I got out of the car as if urged to do so and just stood in front of the gate in a daze.

 

“…”

 

It’s huge.

Yes, the gate alone is probably more than the width of a car, and the length is well over two meters.

It may be my own assumption, but it is surprising because I had the image that rich people’s houses tended to be luxurious, Western-style buildings.

 

The three of us got out of the vehicle and the limousine we were riding in went on its way somewhere.

Kirasaka walks up to the gate, knocks lightly a few times and the gate slowly opens with a heavy thud.

 

“Welcome home, miss.”

“I’m home, is father in his study?”

 

After asking the woman at the other end of the gate, Kirasaka goes on ahead.

President was also walking behind her, but did not seem to be wondering anything.

 

Am I the only one confused by this situation?

First of all, what about the gate, and what about the women waiting at the end of the opening?

A maid, a housekeeper?

 

Besides, I look at the garden past the gate, and it is huge.

Beautifully landscaped garden plants and a large pond.

 

The side of the cobbled path I am now walking on was strewn with white pebbles, creating a white scene.

A picturesque mansion is just ahead of my gaze, making it clear what the owner of this house likes to do.

 

Continuing along the cobblestones, my gaze shifts to the side just before the front door.

 

There is a trench-like depression from where bonsai trees are neatly lined up, perhaps a hobby of Kirasaka’s father, and water flows through it as if it were a replica of a river.

 

The house is full of things that would be strange to find in an ordinary home, and to be honest, I’m a little taken aback, but because it’s Kirasaka’s house, I somehow managed to endure it without reacting in an over-dramatic way.

 

No, normally when you see a house like this, you want to say something out loud.

 

With Kirasaka leading the way, we stop in front of the entrance and she opens the heavy front door.

The wide-open front door welcomes us, and at the end of it is Kuroi-san, who was driving the car just a few minutes ago.

 

“I have already reported to Master that you have arrived, miss.”

 

“Right, then Grandpa can go back.”

 

When Kirasaka tells him briefly, Kuroi-san gives a small bow and leaves the scene.

Fearfully, I stepped through the front door onto the floor of the Kirasaka household and proceeded down the old-fashioned corridor.

 

After advancing down the long corridor, Kirasaka stops in front of a door at the innermost part of the mansion and knocks on the door of the room.

 

“It’s Rei.”

 

There is no response to this call from inside.

Kirasaka puts her hand on the door and opens it without any sign of hesitation.

 

“President, I beg your pardon then!”

 

A middle-aged man in an expensive-looking suit bowed deeply as we entered the room.

He left the room at the same time as the time we entered.

 

His expression and the sound of his voice showed that he was in a hurry.

…I’m still wondering why I’ve been called here.

 

Inwardly, I couldn’t stop sweating, an uncomfortable feeling.

Watching the backs of the man who had left, and standing alone at the entrance, the two people ahead of me went inside the room without paying attention to him.

 

“Father, I’ve brought them both here.”

 

“Welcome back Rei, sorry for asking so suddenly.”

 

After the exchange of conversation between father and daughter, his gaze turns towards us.

President bowed her head in a familiar manner shortly after.

 

“Long time no see, Oji-sama*.”
 <TL : *Uncle>

“Akane has also become a beautiful woman in the time since I last saw her.”

“Thank you very much.”

The two, who had known each other for a long time, exchanged compliments.

Then Kirasaka’s father’s gaze turned to me.

I gulped and looked into his eyes.

 

“We haven’t seen each other since your work experience, Shinra Minato-kun.”

 

“…Thank you for your help on that occasion.”

 

Kirasaka Reiya.

Kirasaka Rei’s father and the president of one of Japan’s largest companies.

A figure who seemed strangely at home in such a secluded country town was standing in front of me with a scowling smile on his face.

 

I entered the room as prompted and sat down on the guest’s sofa.
President, too, could sense a slight stiffness in the expression on his face.

 

It’s only natural since we don’t know the reason for being summoned to this room.

The room is called a study, and the walls are lined with various books.
The amount of books is so great that counting them can become a chore.

In such a room, Kirasaka Reiya was sitting on an expensive-looking chair, sorting out the paperwork at hand.

 

“A joint cultural festival with the Kikyo Girls’ Academy is an interesting experiment.”

 

Said the father as Kirasaka served drinks to me and President, and sat himself down opposite me.

I turned my gaze to Kirasaka to see if he had received information from her daughter, but she shook her head and denied my expectations.

 

“Did you know?”

 

“The shopping district is also involved, so naturally…”

 

In response to the President’s question, Kirasaka Reiya gave a short answer.

I remember overhearing that this person was contributing to the shopping district, or something like that.

 

If you become as big a figure as this person, your information network is immeasurable.

I guess information comes in even if you don’t want it to.

 

“I’ve heard and grasped a little about the joint overview from my daughter. I think Akane thought about it at one point, but I called her in with a suggestion about securing the means of transport.”

 

President’s expression changes at that comment.

Certainly, the only side that has not secured a means of transport at the scene is the Sakuranaoka Academy, and the other side was asked if it could not be secured prior to the event.

 

However, they came to the view that it would be difficult to do so due to budgetary problems, but if they say they have called that matter, that means there is a possibility to prepare for it.

As a student council, we don’t want to miss this opportunity.

 

“However, there is someone I would like to have a word with, not to say a condition, and that’s why I asked Rei to invite you.”

 

The eyes that should have been looking down to his hands for work are raised and are directed at me.

The reason why hasn’t he just invited the President?

 

The reason is that it’s the continuation of the work experience.

In a situation where President and Kirasaka are quietly looking on, I quietly exhale.

Unlike before, my nervousness jumps because I know that this person is much bigger than I imagined.

As if enjoying this state of mind and all of my gestures, Kirasaka Reiya stands up and sits down next to her daughter.

 

…I sighed inwardly, thinking that I had been spotted by a troublesome family, with both parents and children being fond of unusual people.

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CH#219

#219

Two days passed by fruitlessly.
Today, not only the atmosphere of the school, but also in terms of appearance, it can be seen that the cultural festival is just around the corner.

 

The joint cultural festival with Kikyo Jogakuin was decided to be held after all.

After all, it seems that the deciding factor was the sharing of the grounds and future joint volunteer and community activities that Sera also mentioned, which were attractive to the school.

 

None of the student council members complained, as it was something we had already prepared for when we were informed by Sudo-sensei.

 

The day after the official decision was made, an announcement was made to the students via the notice board.

Many students were puzzled, but this soon turned into a buzz.

Students like things to be lively.
They are all happy and carefree at the same time.

The students had no way of knowing the circumstances that led up to the decision, so I couldn’t complain and just sigh.

The days passed by gradually, and preparations for the festival were steadily made, with Shiraishi taking the lead.

 

The final decisions were made on each year group’s presentation, and the budget was adjusted accordingly.

This was mainly done by Kirasaka and Miura, not by the Executive Committee.

 

The two of them produced a budget so brilliant that the teachers could not complain about the allocation of the amount of money after that.

 

The next problem, again, was the friction between the students.

There was a lot of complaining about where to set up shop, about the different performances, about the budget, etc… The list goes on and on, but there was a lot of it.

 

People like me would think, ‘Shut up, you didn’t do anything in particular, so shut up and comply’, but Yuuto and Shizuku went around to persuade those students one by one.

 

As for the location, they also worked together to find a suitable location and solved the problem of stalls being covered in a fair manner.

The budget was not even a problem, to be honest.
After all, it was Kirasaka Rei who came up with it.

 

There were certainly students who visited the executive committee to ask for a little more money.

But the moment she stood up, saying who was in charge, they hung their heads and ran away.

 

Well, it’s terrifying…
Even I’m confident that if she stood up and stared at me with that icy stare, I’d run away nine times out of ten.

I was still behind the scenes, giving support where needed where it was lacking.
Miscellaneous work, manual labor, accompanying the President, that sort of things.

I was given a certain amount of appropriate work so I didn’t exactly have nothing to do.

 

The teachers also helped out a bit, with subjects that were running a little ahead of schedule making some headroom for the festival preparations.

 

The school’s interior, which changed from day to day, again reminded me that the festival was fast approaching.

As I walk down the corridor alone after class to go to an after-school activity, I feel a couple of vibrations in my pocket.

 

I pulled out my phone and saw that I had a call from Kaede.

This was also later in the day, but it seems that Kikyo Girl’s Academy has also decided to use the city hall for performances and choruses as a result of the discussions.

 

Permission was also granted for the Student Council to set up a stall.

The general framework of the festival was completed in such a manner that it matched both our and their requests.

 

The Shinra siblings are acting as a bridge between the two schools and are in contact with each other.

Today, too, an email from Kaede described the progress of the preparations at Kikyo Girls’ Academy.

 

[ No issues, the stall will be crepes! ]

 

After checking this short text, I put it away in my pocket again.

“…Crepes, right.”

 

I muttered as I walked alone down the corridor.

It has been decided that only one competition will take place at this year’s festival.

 

It was decided to implement a system whereby the student councils of both schools would be voted on their satisfaction with the stalls, in other words, which was the tastiest.

 

The conditions for stalls are limited to food, but nothing that uses raw ingredients is allowed.

The decision was made because the final deadline for the stalls expires today.

 

Of course, we, the Student Council of Sakuranaoka Academy, have also decided to open a stall.

The other party has also been informed, so Sera and the others must have decided on crepes out of a sense of rivalry.

It was only two days ago that our stall was decided.

 

 

 

“We’re going to have pancakes, what do you think?”

 

The proposal was written on the whiteboard with a small, cute illustration, which was unlike President, and everyone just sat silent for a moment.

 

It was not that we were against it, but that we were surprised that President had come up with such a cute little illustration.

On the other hand, I might know the reason behind President’s idea.

 

I remember when I went out to eat after school with the President, Shizuku and Kirasaka…

The idea came from there, or so said the President, with a lively expression of confidence.

 

“I think it’s good from a cost standpoint.”

 

“Yeah, I think it’s a good idea too, and it seems unlikely that it’ll be a miss since a lot of girls will be coming to the school jointly.”

 

When Miura and Koizumi agreed, their gaze turned to Hino-kun.

He quickly places the tray in his hand on the desk before answering in a flustered manner.

 

“I think it’s good!”

 

“…”

 

I swear, this guy didn’t even think about it.
Although it felt amazing to see his spinal reflex kick in as he answered.

President finally turned her gaze to the seat I was sitting in.
Next to me, there is also Shizuku.

She has joined the student council, albeit tentatively, after approaching President herself the other day.

“I’ll follow President’s decision.”

 

“Yes, we leave it to you.”

 

The other day, she personally approached President to join the student council, although only provisionally.

If that’s the plan President has decided on, it would be best to go with it.
After making sure everyone had agreed, President mutters as if recalling.

 

“The pancakes were delicious that day. I’d love to go back again.”

 

For some reason, I felt awkward as she looked at me.
Is she asking for my reaction?

But it is also possible that she is talking to herself… but Shizuku next to her is emitting some kind of aura towards the President, so those words must surely be directed at me.

 

“..Shall we all go together to confirm our target taste?”

 

I said, gently raising my hand discreetly.
…This kind of thing isn’t a joke.

This casual gesture of asking people out for a quick meal thing is just something that is reserved for the main character.

President’s mouth was a little wrinkled at the words I suggested, and not in a sarcastic manner…

 

…Where is Kirasaka-san, who she enjoys making fun of?

Or rather, I feel like she’ll get angry if I don’t call her here too.

 

“Great, let’s go!”

 

Koizumi stands up and nods happily.

Miura and Hino-kun also have no particular plans, and Shizuku naturally comes along too, so this is how the student council members decided to go to the pancake shop we visited last time and decided on our theme.

 

As I proceeded down the corridor after school and opened the door to the audiovisual room that served as the committee’s base, I recalled the events of a few days ago, when we had decided on such a process.

 

Is it really a coincidence that the genres of our stalls were similar?Nevertheless, if it’s a competition, let’s say it’s good, because the similar content makes it clear who wins and who loses.

 

“Good work…”

 

In the audiovisual room, where only one person joined in a little late, students were hurriedly coming and going again today.

The door, which opens incessantly, seemed like it would be more efficient if it were fixed open.

 

When I entered the room, I was greeted by the members of the student council, Shizuku and Kirasaka.

While each person replied to my greeting, only Kirasaka stepped forward as if she had been waiting for me.

 

She walked up to me and held out the screen of the smartphone she had taken out.

What appears on the screen is a short message screen that seems a little outdated.

There was no subject line, just a message from someone called ‘Father’.

 

“What’s this…?”

 

“Here, take a look at the content.”

 

I stared at the phone, which was held further out in front of me, and saw…

 

[ Bring Akane and Shinra-kun. ]

 

…What’s this?
Kirasaka speaks in an indifferent manner to me whose brain has completely stopped working.

 

“I’ll have you meet my father.”

 

Sorry, I didn’t quite get that.
The kind of reply that is often returned by an apple-branded phone played in my brain.

 

<TL> : Exams finally got over! 

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CH#218

#218

<TL> : Chapter’s a bit smaller.

It was after the sun went down when we arrived in front of the gate carved with Kikyo.
Two shadows were lined up, waiting for us to arrive.

One of them ran towards me after watching us arrive.

“Nii-san!”

I accepted the lovely figure of my younger sister who embraced me without losing momentum, and lightly patted her head.

 

“Sorry… I had you wait here until this late.”

“No, I’m fine. Sera-senpai also said it was fine.”

Kaede said this with her gaze directed backwards, beckoning her President to say something.

I moved Kaede next to me, who was in my arms, then bowed to her first.

 

“Thank you for waiting…”

 

“I had some remaining work at the student council, so please don’t mind me. So, what can I do for you?”

 

It is late and Sera tells us with a look that seems to say that there is no need for unnecessary talk.

I would appreciate it, too, that I don’t have to have extra conversation.

I took a look at Shizuku and Kirasaka, who accompanied me, and after confirming that they had nothing to say, I opened my mouth.

 

“This is a message from Hiiragi Akane. The competition for the sales between the two schools will be arranged so that there is no money involved. And there will be no immediate talks, including tomorrow, and we will keep in touch while concentrating on preparations for events at both schools…”

 

“…I see, understood.”

 

“Contact will be made through the school. If you need anything personally, please speak to my sister.”

 

I lightly pat Kaede on her head who was standing next to me, and she nodded in response.

That’s all I’ve been told by President.

 

The rest is if there is anything else from the other party, but Sera doesn’t say anything in particular either.

There was a slight silence, and then, unable to bear the awkward atmosphere, I said first.

 

“Well then, …We’ll get going.”

 

 

It was dark, and it was strange to stand there for long time where it was even difficult to see other people’s faces without streetlight.

The situation with a boy surrounded by many female students was making matters worse.

As I was about to start walking back towards home to leave as soon as possible, Sera muttered something.

 

“Hiiragi-san isn’t coming, is she?”

 

“…”

 

Did Sera secretly hope that President would also come with us?

The words that were muttered stopped me from moving.

 

…Is it just me who thinks that she is so obsessed with President that she has formed a grudge against her?

People’s values are not something I, as a stranger, can judge, but I can at least speculate based on President’s past words and actions.

So I decided to tell Sera clearly at this point.

 

“I think our President …doesn’t like stubborn people.”

 

If people around me want perfection, I will try to be perfect.
But what I want is someone who doesn’t seek perfection.

I think she said something like that before.

After telling her this, Sera smiled and returned to the school building without saying a word.

I will now have to talk to Kaede about the joint and report back to President.

 

And with the presence of Shizuku and Kirasaka together like this, it’s obvious that they will stop by my house on their way home.

The quiet, peaceful place would become a little more lively.
I let out an involuntary sigh as I brooded over the busy days ahead.

 

“Shall we go home…?”

 

The person with whom we were conversing was no longer in sight, so I turned to the three of them in front of the quiet main gate and announced to them.

With Kaede in the center, Kirasaka on the right and Shizuku on the left, they were walking hand in hand like sisters.

 

Looking at their backs, I suddenly thought that I would see this scene at the cultural festival as well.

Despite the melancholy, I don’t feel bad that my sister is having fun.

 

Exhaling another breath, I thought, I’ll have to do my best for my little sister.

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CH#217

#217

Outside the window, girls dressed in sailor uniforms different from those of Sakuranaoka Academy were boarding their buses.
After watching the last one of them get on, Hiiragi Akane turned around and opened her mouth.

“Shinra, it’s not like you to compete in a stall sales, is it?”

The expression on her face seemed to be mixed with doubt.
It was obvious that this would happen if someone made a reckless agreement in front of me without any prior explanation.

The only thing that seems to be swirling among the student council members, including the president, is pure doubt, not blame.

 

“If I had explained it to President beforehand, she would have settled the case with …some other compromise.”

 

President will make the right choice so that the students can enjoy the festival in a just, fair and non-discriminatory manner.

 

Competitions and betting will never come out of her mouth.
But President’s usual right choice is not the fundamental solution in this case.

 

That student called Sera will continue to be obsessed with winning against Hiiragi Akane after this.
I only had an unreasoned confidence in me.

She knows.
The heart of a person who desperately reaches for the back that cannot be caught up with effort

Even then, she kept on struggling and became distorted.
She is working to satisfy her personal greed at an event that is supposed to be enjoyed and built up by everyone in the same school.

 

From the perspective of the students around her, she may look different.

Does she appear to be a good student council president who is working energetically for a joint event between the two schools, which has never happened before?

 

However, that’s all she looked like to me.
If I deny Sera’s words, then I betray her efforts.

Mercilessly, without any warning, with just the results you are devastated by your lack of ability.

Talented people would hate this kind of thinking.
They are also striving. They say that it is the result of hard work.

There is probably no doubt about it.

The quantity and quality of effort is required for those with less talent to surpass the results that even talented people have achieved through hard work.

 

The world is not equal …it is brutally unequal.

But that’s the reality.

 

“Did the two of you know that Shinra was going to take some action…?”

 

President’s gaze is directed at Shizuku and Kirasaka, who were standing next to me.

Shizuku replied apologetically to those eyes that were mixed with exasperation.

 

“I’m sorry, I just didn’t stop to think that Minato-kun had his own ideas.”

 

“…Rei too?”

 

“I just wanted to watch what was going to happen.”

 

When asked, Kirasaka gives an answer that was typical of her.

Even President, who has known Kirasaka for a long time, chuckles when she hears Kirasaka’s one-liner and makes no further mention of it.

 

In a room where everyone was quiet, I exchanged glances with President again.　

 

“Sera… Sera-Hikari… that’s the other school’s President’s name…”

 

I said that while moving around the room, and taking out the materials that Kirasaka had collected from my bag.

The name Sera Hikari is listed under President’s name on the ranking list in the documents.

 

Placing it on the desk, everyone looked down at the contents of the documents.

 

“I didn’t know she was Hikari, since she only gave her surname…”

 

President nodded and said.

Looking back, I wonder if Sera had deliberately introduced herself using only her surname when she came to Sakuranaoka Academy, and was looking for the President’s reaction…

It is meaningless to speculate about the past when it has passed.

“It seems that she admired and has continued to challenge you for a long time.”

 

As far as Kirasaka’s data is concerned, she has challenged the same mock exam at least ten times and lost.

I do not blame President, and only state the facts I know from the data and Sera’s words.

President’s expression changed to one of surprise for a moment after hearing my words, and then she laughed again.

 

“It’s …something to be held in high expectation.”

 

From her point of view, she might be trying to say that she is not a person to be admired.

However, it is also true that there are people who actually admired this person and wished to surpass her.

President’s mouth never uttered a word to deny Sera’s feelings, and the point of contention turned to the words I had proposed to Sera.

 

 

“And so the next stage of the game is the cultural festival… which is not a very admirable thing…”

 

“…”

 

This was the first time President had a strong gaze towards me.
Why is it so scary when some elder sister figure gets angry…?

Are you my Onee-san? …I’m getting convinced of it

 

That said, I honestly haven’t prepared an excuse that would be enough to make the senpai standing in front of me nod.

I was going to push through with momentum on the spot but now…

 

I thought about asking for some help from Hino-kun, but the tall red-haired boy in the corner of my sight started shrinking more and more.

I can see that he is not good with disputes.

Even with those looks he’s like this. …Is this what you call gap moe?

 

“What’s the point of having a match and all?”

 

“If I may say so… it would motivate the students if the sales from all the stalls were to be announced and awards given.”

 

“It’s an event where money is involved …and we don’t want to create a sense of competition, which could inadvertently stimulate the students and cause sterile problems.”

 

If this were a university, for example, it would be a different story.

University students have a stronger social consciousness than high school students.　

 

The only career path left for them is to become a member of society.

They are at an age where they have to become adults whether they want to or not.

 

But we are still high school students.

From an adult’s point of view, we are still like children, and even President would not want to carelessly touch money-related matters.

The denial, which I could easily imagine, caused a moment of hesitation in me.

 

What I am trying to do is wrong and President is right.

Those words flashed through my mind.

 

“It’s the first time we’ve held a joint event, and not many would behave strangely.”

 

Still, I think with all my thought processes in full operation, uttering the words that came to my mind immediately.

No excuses will work with this person.

 

If I lie, she will see right through me.

Even if I throw some emotional words at her, I don’t think the calm President would be swayed by those emotions.

 

“…Haa”

 

Exhale and shrug off unnecessary thoughts.
Don’t think too deeply or too hard. …After all, I’m just a mob-like student.

I don’t have the energy or the driving force to motivate everyone.
That’s why I must think this through.

 

I say what I have to say, even if it is difficult to say, calmly and without being carried away.

I will do what I think is right, even if it results in people not liking it.

 

 

“…The joint proposal may be for the convenience of the adults. But that troublesome student council president called Sera or something like that is showing a stubborn attitude because of her unintended connection with President.”

 

I muttered this in a small, quiet voice.

President also shook her shoulders slightly and replied in a lower tone than usual.

 

“I am sorry, but there are limits to my contacts and abilities. I can’t afford to deal with one-sided competitiveness.”

 

…It’s a fair point.

What President is saying is absolutely right.

 

But there is one thing that all the students here have in common.

The students are all feeling a sense of urgency to start preparing for the Sakura Festival without having to spend time on this kind of discussion.

 

At this stage, the work of the student council is significantly behind the original schedule.

Since the first day, the student council has only minimally participated in the Sakura Festival committee.

 

No matter how much effort Shiraishi and Yuuto put in at the heart of the committee, the absence of the student council in the minds of the students could lead to a sense of distrust.

 

“It’s the fault of the other party who proposed the sudden collaboration, it’s the fault of our faculty for being slow to make a decision, and it’s a waste of time for us to be meeting in an ambiguous situation too.”

 

“…”

 

Maybe they won the election against Yuuto and were trying to act like adults.

They probably assumed that if they acted from behind the scenes, the problem would be solved.

 

That was the result of a combination of coincidence and luck.

If there are so many talented students around, it is more like a high school student to push through simply with childish ideas.

 

Childishness is also a privilege that is only allowed now.
It’s the ‘it’s great to be young’ thing.

 

“We’re going to cooperate, we’re going to compete, and we’re going to end the festival with a success. …Even if they’re that greedy, you can handle it, can’t you?”

 

In the end, you end up leaving it to others.

I can’t be the hero.

 

There are many people around who could be protagonists.

So I should be the one to support them.

 

With these thoughts in mind, without the slightest hint of a dignified remark, and even when I make a remark that I think is rather bad for humanity, I still stand tall.

 

“Haa…”

 

President puts her hand on her forehead and lets out a loud sigh.

I’m really sorry.

 

It’s a waste of time, so I’m telling you to hurry up and end the meeting and make the cultural festival a success. That’s a sigh, isn’t it?

 

In the silence, with the jittery eyes directed at her from Miura and Hino-kun piercing her side, President raises her right arm and points at me.

 

“The condition of the game is not just money, go and make Sera agree to it.”

 

“…Yesh.”

 

After President’s words, I turned on my heel.
I felt Shizuku and Kirasaka walking behind me as I silently left the room.
As I was leaving the student guidance office, President said.

 

“From tomorrow onwards, we will use the phone for communication and concentrate on our own preparations for a while. Tell them to contact me when they decide what they want to put up at the stall.”

 

I turned to see President standing there, not with the tense expression she had on her face earlier, but her normal face.

She nods and replies with a gentle smile and a sly glance at her poorly made-up younger brother.

 

“Well, I’m off then.”

 

The other party had already left the bus for the high school.

Making it a top priority to contact Kaede and have her wait for her President, I left Sakuranaoka Academy.

<TL> : Hello again, sorry for the late update, I had  have my finals going on for this semester, it got postponed because of a stupid cyclone. I was going to start translating again regularly from tmr onwards but maybe not.
I’ll try to do it as soon as possible tho, for now here enjoy this.
P.S. My brain wasn’t working much while doing this so don’t mind this horrible editing.
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