Baton pass
After the celebration, there is usually an uneasy silence that follows.
A period of time when the heightened emotions drop all at once and the students face their schoolwork.
While this routine continued for a few days, many students gathered in the audio-visual room after the school.
In terms of numbers, there were about 40 people.
They were the members of the festival committee.
The school festival was able to end without a hitch, and today was the closing and income reporting meeting.
President and Shiraishi were sitting on the podium in the audiovisual room with their chairs in a line, and in front of them, Miura, who was the head of the accounting department, was presenting the total income and expenditure.
“–The above is the income and expenditure report for this year’s festival.”
“Thank you for your hard work, this concludes the activities of the Sakura Festival Executive Committee, and although it may be a small gathering, I hope you all enjoy yourselves.”
Miura bowed and returned to her seat from the podium, then President stood in front and announced the end of the meeting.
Drinks, snacks, and appetizers were lined up on a table set up temporarily.
The students, who had lined up by grade and class, were free to stand and pour drinks for each other.
After making sure that everyone had their refreshments, Shiraishi, on behalf of all the students, shouted loudly.
“Thank you for your hard work, Cheers!”
Shiraishi called out, and the students said ‘Cheers’, and then the party began.
“…Phew.”
Shiraishi sat at the end of the audio-visual room with a drink in her hand, looking around the room and exhaling.
Shiraishi was surrounded by students of the same grade, and President was getting words of appreciation from all sides for having completed her final role in the event, regardless of grade.
The students who take on the executive committee are, for the most part, the heart and soul of the class.
Conversation never ceases.
In fact, the conversation was so lively that it even became noisy.
Even though they are not singing a song, the audiovisual room is so noisy that the buzz leaks out the door.
Naturally, there is no way to fit in with the atmosphere in the room, and the only way to stay there without quietly leaving this place is at the edge of the classroom, isn’t it?
I know, walls are my friends.
We’re buddies, aren’t we?
Why are there countless holes in the walls of soundproof rooms, whether they are music rooms or audiovisual rooms, or how many holes are there in one wall…?
No, doubt that there isn’t anything for me to do right now.
But this festival is the last event in which we will be mainly active as a student council.
The rest will be seasonal events, Christmas and normal activities.
Hiiragi Akane’s student council has now come to an end.
Although we have known each other for a short time, it’s still very emotional to stay still the very end.
While I was thinking about this, Shizuku and Kirazaka walked up to me.
They had brought a drink and some food with them and put them on a nearby desk.
“You’ve barely eaten anything, haven’t you?”
“I got you something you might like before it runs out.”
On a paper plate, they lay out kaarage, fries, and other things of my liking.
I made sure they pulled up a chair and sat down, and then I sat down near them.
“I’m not good at eating …in places like this.”
I don’t know how much to take, if it’s just the boys, but when the girls are there too, even though I know they won’t be looking at me, I still have to be modest.
They don’t seem to be aware of the cold stares they are getting from those around them, like Hino, Hino, and Hino, who was gobbling up the food with a voracious appetite.
I feel like it fits him better character-wise, so if he is accepted here, he will probably make friends soon.
Or rather, his position in the class may change as a result of this cultural festival.
As I was making the senior move of watching over the junior with kind eyes, Kirasaka was giving me a cold stare.
“I wonder you were that honest with your own appetite instead of glaring at your junior.”
“I’ve been watching over him …you can see it in these innocent eyes.”
“They’re just cloudy and murky.”
…I’m sorry that they’re cloudy and murky.
I thought they were as clear as fresh fish, but it seems they were leftovers from the sale.
Shizuku burst out laughing at Kirasaka’s words.
What’s the matter? I think you guys have been getting along well lately.
It would be bad not to touch it after having it brought to me, so I picked up a piece of karaage and threw it in my mouth.
Yeah, it’s normal.
It tastes 24 times more delicious when Kaede cooks it at home.
The two of them picked up their chopsticks and started eating, following me.
Suddenly, I looked at the mass of students gathered in one corner of the classroom.
In the center was Yuuto.
The majority of the students were girls, but boys were also near him, engaged in conversation with the female students.
Not that I had any business with him, but our gazes met as I watched him from a distance.
Surrounding students also noticed Yuuto’s gaze on us and raised their hands as if they sensed something.
“Kanazaki-san! Come over here.”
“If you don’t mind, Kirasaka-san, why don’t you come too?”
A male student approached Shizuku and a female student approached Kirasaka.
They must have thought that Yuuto was directing his gaze at them.
The surrounding students also call out to them, as if in sync with each other.
The two looked at each other and then turned to me.
“…Why don’t you just go?”
There is no need to ask for my opinion.
You’ve been called, so there’s nothing wrong with going.
Or rather, it would be more problematic for me to go, since I was not invited.
“Why are you here?” They’ll just look at me like that.
It’s very uncomfortable and I won’t be able to stand it.
I don’t have anything to talk about, and I don’t feel the need to.
But they responded differently than I expected.
“We’re good here.”
“If you need something just go there.”
The crowded, bustling room turned quiet with their comments.
The two who are the center of the school, not just the class, are sitting near the edge of the classroom, which is bizarre to the people around them.
They probably did not imagine that they would be rejected when they invited them.
While the eyes of the students are focused on us, Yuuto smiles bitterly and President puts her hand on her forehead and lets out a sigh.
No, it’s not my fault, okay?
It’s the two girls in front of me who are completely at fault.
President also said a few words to Shiraishi and the others, then walked up to us with a drink in her hand.
“May I join you?”
“Rei, lying is just a convenience, right?”
Yuuto asked and the President told Kirasaka in a soothing manner.
The scene like an older sister scolding her younger sister while smiling, but the fearlessness of Kirasaka who can phase through President’s words with a clear face is amazing too.
Shizuku, too, made no pretense of refusing Yuto’s offer and gave me a look.
“If it’s okay with you two, I don’t mind.”
“…”
Who does the word ‘the two’ refer to?
It’s me and Yuuto.
The relationship was ambiguous, which is probably why Shizuku was so attentive.
“There’s no particular reason for me to say no…”
“I see…”
What could have been said honestly, in a childish, far-fetched way, Shizuku responded with a smile.
Yuuto sits next to me and President sits next to Kirasaka.
The five of us are sitting in a circle, not quite chatting, but talking appropriately.
The people around us were also paying attention to the scene, but they were gradually returning their attention to their conversations.
With the all-star lineup of Sakuranaoka Academy completely out of place, after a while of listening to President and Yuuto’s conversation while putting on a show of good humor, all eyes naturally turned to the student council gathered at the front of the classroom.
“It’s a sad thing when it’s over, isn’t it?”
President said with sad eyes as if she had lost something.
She had served as president for about three years since the first year.
It was unprecedented and will probably never be repeated in the future.
I wondered if someone who had accomplished so much as her, I am assured that they would also have such sad eyes.
As I caught a glimpse of this unexpected side of her, she let out a sigh and turned the conversation away from the subject.
“I’m sure you guys have a school trip coming up, so I’d love to hear about your memories of it.”
“I hope it will be memorable.”
It would be good if it is, but in a good way, not in a bad manner.
It will be a big event that would remain vivid in your memories, and you could be injured for the rest of your life.
“Of course, I want to listen to it at the cafe together.”
“No.”
“No.”
She was going to continue to tease both Shizuku and Kirasaka until the very end.
President said a few extra words and then sat up.
“I think it’s time for me to give this to you.”
President said as she removed the armband marked ‘president’ from her arm.
There were no words that came to mind as to what to say.
“Thank you for your hard work…”
I don’t know about President’s hardships, and I won’t pretend to understand them, but the words just spilled out from my mouth.
That’s what are honest feelings.
However, I wonder if those words left a good impression on President, as her expression looked slightly happy and her steps seemed light.
There are those who are told they do not need to change, and those who must change.
In various situations, change is certainly occurring.
However, perhaps it is because this is the first time in my life that I have belonged to a group, but there is a part of me that wants to remain the same as a student council member, and to be in an unchanging environment.
I was thinking about this as I burnt the image of the woman who handed over the armband to the student council for the last time amidst the loud applause.
BrutalBot Tl 