V1: NOVEMBER 3âNOVEMBER 5 A LONER WONâT EVEN REMEMBER THE SCHOOL FESTIVAL, ISNâT IT? â PARTÂ 1
The calendar had turned to November, but Sandaiâs everyday remained the same.
It went like this: still not able to find a good pick despite actively looking for a part-time job while attracting attention at school.
Speaking of something that could be called a change⌠Shino had started making lunch for him, and it should be just about that.
Sandai would now eat lunch together with Shino after they had completely stopped hiding their relationship, but this had led to Shino making lunch for him now.
Seeing the teacher going outside after the bell signaling the end of morning classes echoed, Sandai yawned and turned around to find his girlfriend sitting behind him fishing through her bag and pulling out two flashily decorated lunch boxes.
âItâs lunchtime~.â
âLunchtime it is.â
When he opened the lid of the lunch box wondering what todayâs lunch would be, a crazy big pink-colored heart appeared.
âI tried making a heart out of pink fish floss~.â
âOoh!â
âSo I was making it with that, trying to express my feelings, and actually the heart is almost sticking out⌠âCause my âloveâ is too big to completely fit in something like a container.â
âIâll take it all in even if itâs sticking out.â
Although their sense was slightly numb, it was an exchange not at all embarrassing for those two. But it was only the case for the two of them, so the surrounding classmates who were being shown that turned bright red in the face and were hanging their heads down in unison.
And they, boys and girls of the age liking to gossip, went quiet now that those two were actually flirting in front of them.
âDonât just say nothing, someone go stop them. My heart is being destroyed.â
âYour heart can just go broken for all I care.â
âStill, those two, theyâre really unbelievable, huh.â
âSo Yuizaki-sanâs good at cooking. I didnât know.â
âUh-huh.â
To begin with, Shino was good at cooking and confectionery making, so there was absolutely no shortcoming in the taste of the lunch she made.
However, Shino was not at all satisfied with the status quo as she had been eyeing Sandaiâs nonchalant reactions during meals and fine-tuning everyday.
Shino should know that Sandai was a man who wouldnât make any complaint even if it was unsavory, but she wouldnât get spoiled by that and allow any compromise.
Sandai didnât say that it would be fine for her not to try so hard; after all, it would do no good to throw cold water on the person in questionâs enthusiasm, and she would probably find a way to cut corners just right in her own way before long.
Besides, Sandai believed such words like âitâs better like this and like that,â if going too far, would simply be imposing oneâs own sense of values.
Sandai knew full well of such a very important thing that everyone would tend to overlook: âdonât do to others what you donât want done to you.â
As a result of being a loner who had continued to keep his distance from others, he was able to see parts that would be too close to see.
A loner is status that tends to be taken negatively in general, but it is curious that it also has such a charm the regular people wouldnât have.
Perhaps, that could be âThe Fox and the Grapes.â
Many people feel that they donât know how to deal with a loner, that they donât know what a loner is thinking, but not getting closer ends up making it like a discrimination, so they decide that âa loner is a no-good existenceâ and secure the justification to stay away.
It is an awful thing, but on the flip side, it is also a special fruit that only those who have approached unafraid, only those who have given their best to extend their handsâfor example, only a girl like Shinoâwill be able to obtain it.
The person in question didnât seem to be aware, howeverâŚ
2
Although the same for any school, the number of lessons in the afternoon were fewer than the one in the morning, and it was the same for the school Sandai and Shino were attending.
After lunch, the after school would come soon.
And so, with todayâs school life over, they left the classroom together. However, suddenly, a male student with glasses and hair parted to one side stood in the way with his arms wide open.
This male student should be the class president. It was a face that even Sandai got a recollection of at least.
âHold your horses.â
Neither Sandai nor Shino could remember having done anything to earn a warning, so they quickly went to walk past the class president like nothing happened.
And then, âIâm saying hold your horses!â The class president once again stood in their way, exhibiting an attitude of not letting them through at any cost. Just what could he possibly want? Sandai sighed, and Shino shrugged her shoulders.
ââŚJust what do you want?â
âWeâve got no business with you, Prez.â
âI know you guys have no business with me. Thatâs not what I meant, I have business with you guys. âŚI have heard of your relationship. You two are dating, right? Love birds, right? Iâm not going to ask such a thing like âHow in the world could that happen even though there doesnât seem to be a point of contact anywhere?â because privacy should be protected, and Iâm not trying to get in your way either. No, I mean, look around you!.â
When they looked around as told, it was brimming with lots of students making sign boards and decorations.
âYou get it, donât you!? Itâs the school festival! Donât try not participating at all! Weâve got only a week left here!â
It was certainly the time for the school festival. School events were alien for Sandai, so he had completely forgotten it.
As a side note, not only Sandai who had the school festival slipped from his mind, but apparently Shino as well, and her eyes were swimming around.
âI-I was so busy with my part-time job that I didnât have the time to participate, and so like, thatâs why I forgot it? Isnât it pointless to remember every single event you might not participate in? I mean, Iâve also got work today.â
âIâm basically a gloomy loner⌠In other words, asocial? So because itâs like that, from the start I was seeing the school festival as an event to ignore. Not remembering it gotta be the so-called act of God.â
âYuizaki-kunâs reason is still okay, but concerning you, Fujiwara-kun, just where in the world would you find an asocial loner who makes a beautiful girl as his girlfrie⌠No, Iâd just let that sink in. I understand you guys have your reasons. But however, nevertheless, I want you to participate to the extent you can. You guys probably donât even know what our classâ program is seeing the two of you are like this, but we have decided to run a cafe.â
The class president kneeled on the floor and fluidly prostrated himself.
It was such a beautiful motion that one might be convinced that it was a part of some kind of a religious ritual, and it even got a strange sublimeness to it.
âItâs not compulsory, and I know itâs sudden for you guys, so itâs fine for you to leave for today. âŚThe preparations for the school festival would go on smoothly even if weâre short about two people, but itâs not going to make such a memory of how weâve all worked hard together, right? As the class president, I want to make sure that it will remain in everyoneâs memories by having everyone participate. It is a once-a-year event in our only three years of high school life. You might be thinking that we have one last time left next year since we are in our second year, but that is wrong. âŚIt will turn hectic because of the college entrance exam next year, and there will be people putting on the final push as well. Thatâs why this year is essentially the last school festival where it is possible for everyone to participate.â
Sandai and Shino looked at each other. They were trying to just somehow avoid this, but with such passionate feelings demonstrated head-on in a prostrating position, they would completely be the bad guys if they ignored it.
âIâm begging you! Iâm begging youuuâŚ!!â
Being shouted at by the class president as if it was the last push, they folded up; they nodded, hanging down their heads.
âOooh⌠My ardent passion must have reached you!â
Seemingly overcome with emotion, the class president stood up and tried to hug Sandai while crying.
The next momentâ
Shino instantly narrowed her eyes, and landed a front kick to the rushing class presidentâs stomach. Perhaps hitting a bad spot, the class president fell to his knees and bent forward.
âO-OwwâŚâ
âDonât go trying to hug someoneâs boyfriend. I wonât allow it even if itâs a man.â
âI-I was just so happy, soâŚâ
âI say donât. If you try it again, Iâll trample you on the most important part of a man.â
ââŚI-I understand. Itâs my bad. I wonât do it again. S-So please donât say scary things like that. Your eyes are looking serious there, Yuizaki-kun. You should joke in moderaâ
ââIâm being serious, though? No way Iâm joking around.â
ââŚâ
The class president went silent, overpowered by Shinoâs matter-of-factly remark.
The reason Shinoâs anger had manifested in a violent direction should probably be because of the class presidentâs action that would involve Sandai, and because she was bad with men, making it two unreserved bullseyes, but⌠Sandai felt like he had ended up seeing a staggering side of her.
âHe said itâs fine for us to leave today, so câmon letâs go. Letâs ask around if anyone wants help with the school festival tomorrow. Iâve got work off tomorrow, so itâs also just right for me. âŚWait, youâre making a weird face there, whatâs wrong?â
âIt-Itâs nothing. Donât worry about it.â
âYouâre weird. Whatâs wrong, really?â
Since Sandai, no matter what, couldnât say that he got scared, he decided to dodge it .
âY-⌠You called me weird, but to begin with Iâve always just been weird since Iâm going out with you, Shino. At any rate, I started thinking only about you, and thatâs my top priority, just anyone will agree to that that Iâm a man whoâs becoming weird.â
He felt it was slightly too blatant, but thanks to also mixing in what he truly thought, Shino genuinely took it without even noticing. Her cheeks turned vermillion, and she suddenly looked away.
âItâs not weird thinking about your girlfriend⌠Thatâs just obvious.â
âIs that soâŚ? Wait, why youâre not saying it while looking over here? Are you getting bashful?â
âIâm not bashful or anything.â
âThen why youâre not turning your face over here?â
âItâs nothing really. Donât worry about it really.â
When Shino looked at Sandai with only her reproachful eyes moving, she immediately returned her gaze back.
Suddenly a wind came in through the window.
The wind blew through Shinoâs hair, and the tip of her fluttering hair tickled Sandaiâs nose.
âAa⌠achooo!â He sneezed, and a snot also oozed out along with it. âCrap⌠Youâve got anything to wipe with?â Sandai asked, and Shino took out a handkerchief from her bag.
ââŚYouâre just so hopeless,â she said and began to gently wipe Sandaiâs upper-lip.
âI-I can do it myself.â
âItâs fine, itâs fine. âŚYouâre just like a baby, with a snot. A big baby. Fufu.â
Feeling a kind of never-before-felt embarrassment from being treated on the same level as an infant, Sandai got bright red up to his ears, only for Shino to smile seemingly amused by that.
Seeing that innocent smile of hers, Sandai felt sorry for having felt fear for Shino a moment ago. When Shino had let the class president eat her front kick, she had merely been in a battle ready state, and her natural state in normal times was this one.