Chapter 72

Chapter 72

Translator: mii

Editor: Ryunakama

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After the cultural festival was over, one night passed.

Even though I said the festival was over, it wasn’t like we would have any closing party or something like that. That was the case for the student council, and it should be the same for the art club.

Well, so, after I went around the school building with Kouhai-chan yesterday, we went home immediately. It was rare for us to go home together, so it felt quite fresh.

It seemed like she has to work today to pay for her rest yesterday.

Well, the school itself was closed. However, there was「Cultural Festival Clean-up Day」on the schedule today. We have to remove all of the decorations in the classroom and return them to normal, and carry the desks and chairs all over and line them up as they were.

The student council work started at 11 o’clock, because they were mostly simple work. Anyway, we could even finish this just right after the cultural festival was over. I carried the desk with that kind of thought.

「President, that will be the last.」

Right. The classroom returned to its original form in less than an hour, and I just needed to put the desk I carried into the proper location, and we would be done.

By the way, the unsold items were packed in cardboard boxes and got thrown into the warehouse. I wonder if they would sell it again next year if there was enough space? Student council bazaar sure is convenient.

「Okay.」

「Well then, everyone, our cultural festival clean-up will be over with this. You can breakup now. Thank you for the hard work.」

Most of student council members gave a sloppy response to that and went out of the classroom. I went with the flow.

Hmm, what should I do now? Since I only came to school just for this, I felt a little downhearted.

After thinking for a while, I decided to go to the art club. It’s not like I have another intention.

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Even after the school festival was over, the art club meeting was at 10 AM. Our time didn’t match again.

We took down the decorations, removed the pictures hung on the wall, and restored the desks and chairs in the classroom today. To put it simply, we had to return it to being a regular classroom.

「Yoneyama-san.」

「Yes?」

A senpai from the art club beckoned to me.

He was looking at my pufferfish illustration that leaned against the wall.

「Regarding this picture, do you want to leave it to the art club, or do you want to take it home with you? It’s up to Yoneyama-san.」

Ah, that?

I thought it would just be thrown away.

「You don’t have to decide now, just take your time at home. But can you tell me what you will do with it later on?」

「Ah, I understand.」

Although I replied so, the illustration was quite bulky and heavy, because they were panelled properly.

When I thought that taking it home alone would be hard, the door opened.

「Good afternoon. Is Yoneyama…」

「Senpai!」

Senpai who had a sullen face as usual was standing there, peeking inside.

「Senpai, what is it?」

「Well, I was free―I mean, I became free. Everyone, thank you for taking care of my kouhai.」

Everyone in the art club made a surprised face to that.

There was only one person who answered that with a “No problem”, Idezuka-senpai.

「I’m really curious about what kind of relationship both of you have~」

Idezuka-senpai grinned at senpai, agitating him with the tone I usually used.

「There’s none. She’s just my kouhai.」

「Just be honest already.」

Seriously, or so Idezuka-senpai sighed, as he turned his face towards me.

「Nn, then, Yoneyama-chan. You can go home now. The work is already finished anyway.」

He even winked to me sloppily. I wonder what he was telling senpai to do before?

Well, let’s just take his offer for granted.

「Is it fine? Thank you very much!」

「Oi you, wait.」

I won’t wait. Rather, there was something that senpai had to carry.

「Then, senpai, can you carry this for me?」

I handed a big flat plastic bag to him.

「What is this?」

「My illustration.」

「No way, you should carry it.」

「It’s heavy.」

「This is something you made yourself, right? Give it a little love.」

Nn.

「I understand. I’ll carry half of it.」

「Half?」

「Like this.」

Senpai and I lined up side by side, both of us carried the left and right ends.

Actually, it was not that heavy. I wonder what was the meaning of doing this?

「We won’t be able to pass the door.」

「Then, senpai, please carry it when passing through doors.」

「Oi, you should be the one carrying it, you know!」

We decided to leave the classroom for now, since we couldn’t help but arguing.

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We walked along the hallway while holding the plastic bag with panels like a shield. There was no other people, so it should be safe, right? But I’m afraid to accidentally crash into something.

Speaking of which, it’s almost time for lunch.

「Kouhai-chan, did you have your lunch already?」

「Not yet.」

「You didn’t bring any bentou?」

「No, since I didn’t know when it will end.」

「How about having a meal somewhere?」

「Let’s go?」

I invited her unconsciously, but I rarely did this before.

We entered an appropriate family restaurant and finally let go of the heavy picture.

「Senpai, this is my『today’s question』, though.」

Kouhan started talking when I was gulping my cool drinks.

「What?」

「Senpai, do you want my drawing?」

I didn’t see much of it two days ago, so of course I would like to see it.

「What do you mean?」

「I’ll give it to senpai.」

Hmmm…

「But of course, I’ll give it if senpai properly tells me that you want it♪」

I didn’t have any hobby of sticking anime tapestry in front of my desk though. But since it was a drawing, I should be able to display it in my room.

「Then, I want it.」

「Then, I’ll give it to you.」

In the end, after leaving the family restaurant, I took the drawing home.

＊　＊　＊

Inside the returning train, senpai turned his head towards me.

「Hey, can I ask my『today’s question』now?」

「Sure.」

「Why do you give this drawing to me?」

He lifted the big bag and asked me.

As I thought, I couldn’t just say that I gave him for the sake of it. What spilled out from my mouth was only these words.

「I want senpai to take a closer look at it.」