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V1: NOVEMBER 3–NOVEMBER 5 A LONER WON’T EVEN REMEMBER THE SCHOOL FESTIVAL, ISN’T IT? – PART 1
The calendar had turned to November, but Sandai’s 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.
“It’s lunchtime~.”
“Lunchtime it is.”
When he opened the lid of the lunch box wondering what today’s lunch would be, a crazy big pink-colored heart appeared.
“I tried making a heart out of pink fish floss~.”
“Ooh!”
“So I was making it with that, trying to express my feelings, and actually the heart is almost sticking out… ‘Cause my ‘love’ is too big to completely fit in something like a container.”
“I’ll take it all in even if it’s sticking out.”
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.
“Don’t just say nothing, someone go stop them. My heart is being destroyed.”
“Your heart can just go broken for all I care.”
“Still, those two, they’re really unbelievable, huh.”
“So Yuizaki-san’s good at cooking. I didn’t know.”
“Uh-huh.”
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 Sandai’s nonchalant reactions during meals and fine-tuning everyday.
Shino should know that Sandai was a man who wouldn’t make any complaint even if it was unsavory, but she wouldn’t get spoiled by that and allow any compromise.
Sandai didn’t 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 question’s 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 ‘it’s better like this and like that,’ if going too far, would simply be imposing one’s own sense of values.
Sandai knew full well of such a very important thing that everyone would tend to overlook: ‘don’t do to others what you don’t want done to you.’
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 wouldn’t have.
Perhaps, that could be ‘The Fox and the Grapes.’
Many people feel that they don’t know how to deal with a loner, that they don’t know what a loner is thinking, but not getting closer ends up making it like a discrimination, so they decide that ‘a loner is a no-good existence’ 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 hands—for example, only a girl like Shino—will be able to obtain it.
The person in question didn’t seem to be aware, however…
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 today’s 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.
“Hold your horses.”
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, “I’m saying hold your horses!” 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.
“…Just what do you want?”
“We’ve got no business with you, Prez.”
“I know you guys have no business with me. That’s not what I meant, I have business with you guys. …I have heard of your relationship. You two are dating, right? Love birds, right? I’m not going to ask such a thing like ‘How in the world could that happen even though there doesn’t seem to be a point of contact anywhere?’ because privacy should be protected, and I’m not trying to get in your way either. No, I mean, look around you!.”
When they looked around as told, it was brimming with lots of students making sign boards and decorations.
“You get it, don’t you!? It’s the school festival! Don’t try not participating at all! We’ve got only a week left here!”
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.
“I-I was so busy with my part-time job that I didn’t have the time to participate, and so like, that’s why I forgot it? Isn’t it pointless to remember every single event you might not participate in? I mean, I’ve also got work today.”
“I’m basically a gloomy loner… In other words, asocial? So because it’s 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.”
“Yuizaki-kun’s 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, I’d 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 don’t even know what our class’ program is seeing the two of you are like this, but we have decided to run a cafe.”
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.
“It’s not compulsory, and I know it’s sudden for you guys, so it’s fine for you to leave for today. …The preparations for the school festival would go on smoothly even if we’re short about two people, but it’s not going to make such a memory of how we’ve all worked hard together, right? As the class president, I want to make sure that it will remain in everyone’s 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. …It will turn hectic because of the college entrance exam next year, and there will be people putting on the final push as well. That’s why this year is essentially the last school festival where it is possible for everyone to participate.”
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.
“I’m begging you! I’m begging youuu…!!”
Being shouted at by the class president as if it was the last push, they folded up; they nodded, hanging down their heads.
“Oooh… My ardent passion must have reached you!”
Seemingly overcome with emotion, the class president stood up and tried to hug Sandai while crying.
The next moment—
Shino instantly narrowed her eyes, and landed a front kick to the rushing class president’s stomach. Perhaps hitting a bad spot, the class president fell to his knees and bent forward.
“O-Oww…”
“Don’t go trying to hug someone’s boyfriend. I won’t allow it even if it’s a man.”
“I-I was just so happy, so…”
“I say don’t. If you try it again, I’ll trample you on the most important part of a man.”
“…I-I understand. It’s my bad. I won’t do it again. S-So please don’t say scary things like that. Your eyes are looking serious there, Yuizaki-kun. You should joke in modera—
“—I’m being serious, though? No way I’m joking around.”
“…”
The class president went silent, overpowered by Shino’s matter-of-factly remark.
The reason Shino’s anger had manifested in a violent direction should probably be because of the class president’s 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.
“He said it’s fine for us to leave today, so c’mon let’s go. Let’s ask around if anyone wants help with the school festival tomorrow. I’ve got work off tomorrow, so it’s also just right for me. …Wait, you’re making a weird face there, what’s wrong?”
“It-It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.”
“You’re weird. What’s wrong, really?”
Since Sandai, no matter what, couldn’t say that he got scared, he decided to dodge it .
“Y-… You called me weird, but to begin with I’ve always just been weird since I’m going out with you, Shino. At any rate, I started thinking only about you, and that’s my top priority, just anyone will agree to that that I’m a man who’s becoming weird.”
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.
“It’s not weird thinking about your girlfriend… That’s just obvious.”
“Is that so…? Wait, why you’re not saying it while looking over here? Are you getting bashful?”
“I’m not bashful or anything.”
“Then why you’re not turning your face over here?”
“It’s nothing really. Don’t worry about it really.”
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 Shino’s hair, and the tip of her fluttering hair tickled Sandai’s nose.
“Aa… achooo!” He sneezed, and a snot also oozed out along with it. “Crap… You’ve got anything to wipe with?” Sandai asked, and Shino took out a handkerchief from her bag.
“…You’re just so hopeless,” she said and began to gently wipe Sandai’s upper-lip.
“I-I can do it myself.”
“It’s fine, it’s fine. …You’re just like a baby, with a snot. A big baby. Fufu.”
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.
There was not even a need to be afraid.