CH 223

A week has passed since the conversation with the director Kirasaka Reiya has passed.

With the joint project confirmed, a means of transport was established to connect the Town Hall in the shopping district that was to be used by Kikyo Jogakuin, and Sakuranaoka Gakuen.

The two schools’ student councils’ performances were also confirmed, and the problematic parts of the event were all in sight.

As a result, Shiraishi, who no longer had any immediate cause to worry about, showed her skills to the fullest despite being a freshman, and brought together the executive committees from the other grades.

She exchanged words with all the students, grasped the problems, and put the right person in the right place in charge of the problem.

At first glance, it might seem that Shiraishi herself does nothing, but she has the knowledge and judgement to fix problems at her first event, and also has the courage not to be intimidated by her seniors, which is quite impressive.

In general, the head of organization management is mainly responsible for establishing and managing the chain of command, so it is no surprise that she herself does not have much to do…

Besides, she had Yuuto who was also well-liked and helped her mediated between the students whenever there was trouble.

His existence was unparalleled within the school caste because, although not amicable, he would always find a compromise, convince and reconcile them.

Shizuku and Kirasaka were both involved in work similar to that of the student council.

Kirasaka, together with Miura, worked in accounting, extracting budgets and changing the distribution of budgets according to class performances.

President said that Miura was originally good at this kind of work, but with the addition of Kirasaka, it has improved further.

Quite as expected, since she is sitting at the top of her grade in the regular examinations.

Shizuku was initially entrusted with the responsibility of dealing with the students, similar to Yuuto, but she herself approached and joined the student council, albeit on a temporary basis.

So the three of us – President, me and Shizuku – were mainly involved in activities outside the student body.

In other words, we were mainly dealing with visitors.

Since the cultural festival was to be jointly held, more and more people from the shopping district, students from Kikyo Jogakuin and other private businesses who had heard rumors came to the school.

There was a limit to how much the staff could handle, so the student council would first ask about the business and then assign it to the teacher in charge.

It was also troublesome, and it was very noticeable that there were people who put forward proposals that were highly personal and uncoordinated, which could be said to be greedy because of the profit …money matters.

It is impossible to fulfil everything, and it is a student festival.

The students are supposed to be the main actors, so they are the ones who are asked to listen to their requests, but this is the response.

This was the reason that the President was negative about the festival, and I have recently begun to wonder if this is what she had already been anticipating.

However, since I’m working with the student council of Kikyo Girl’s Academy through my sister Kaede, Shizuku helps me share a lot of the workload.

She was still talking to someone from the Ladies’ Association or whatever they call it, who came to the school beside me.

Today’s visitors to the school were the last in Shizuku’s charge, and she let out a big breath and stretched out.

“We had a decent number of people today.”

President, next to me, also chuckled and told her that she was a little tired.

“I don’t think that’s the expression on the face of someone who handled twice as many people as I did.”

I’d be at the level where I’d completely collapse on my desk.

President’s communication skills and ability to deal with the situation are unfathomable, as she could say that with a nonchalant expression on her face.

“…Well, the festival is just a little over a week away, and we are entering the final stages.”

She looks at the calendar meant for visitors and tells me.

The calendar has a large circle on the 20th of October.

That is the day of the festival.

It is now Thursday the 10th.

After tomorrow’s Friday, there will be a day off in between, and finally the next Sunday will be the day of the festival.

“It’s been smooth since we finished talking to the girls’ school, which was a big problem.”

The girl on the other side of the room, who was dealing with a lady, smiled and called out to me.

I noticed that the lady was gone and her work for the day seemed to be finished.

“Well, it’s not so much that it’s over, it’s more that… Kaede seems to be holding back.”

With a wry smile on my face, I recall the conversation I had with Kaede the other day.

I gathered Shizuku, who was concerned about the sudden summon I received, and my sister Kaede, and explained the situation to them. 

A conversation between me and the company’s director about renting a bus for the school festival.

I told the story as it was, including the reason why I was called.

The conversation, which should have been conducted in a friendly manner as the topic was light and good, turned serious as soon as my personal issues were included.

…Sorry.

I’m sorry for being a troublesome person, but if I could be reborn, I want to be a cat.

I want to be a domesticated cat and spend my time lazying around, eating food and taking naps.

A dog should also be fine…

It was Kaede who voiced out at such a time.

“I will take care of the problems on our school’s side!”

Kaede, who has been gradually approaching adulthood of late, spears her words with pride.

I don’t know what kind of problems will arise if she says she is willing to take on the burden.

Besides, as an older brother, I feel intimidated by giving my little sister a hard time.

“Essentially, I’ll handle any questions, requests, etc. that are thrown at my brother by our student council. Because we are a family, it is easy for us to share information, so there is no need for me to call you every step of the way.”

Seeing her smiling at me and saying that there was no need to worry, I suppressed any objections that might otherwise have spilled out.

It is true that sharing information over the phone alone could lead to misconceptions.

And Kaede, a student at the other high school, would be a good fit.

Sera also had a certain opinion of Kaede, so she would not refuse this proposal.

Rather, she would see it as an opportunity to obtain information on us.

It would even be easier if Kaede herself decide on a role before she’s thrown into the situation in an ambiguous position.

The fact that I, the elder brother, did not say anything led them all to accept my sister’s proposal.

As a result, Kaede, who knew the situation on both sides, solved unnecessary information and suggestions at her own level and we only received reports after the matter was over.

She is excellent, even though she is my sister.

It feels like Onii-chan’s nose is going to break because of being too high.

(BbX: There’s a saying that, being proud = high nose)

In a classroom dyed in the colors of sunset, I heard the sounds of Shizuku and the President organizing the documents at hand, and I returned to awareness from the past that I was reminiscing about.

I too was feeling slightly impatient as I tidied up my own surroundings.

“Minato-kun, is something wrong?”

Shizuku asked, noticing my hand that had stopped.

When I noticed the innocent eyes that were turned on me, I looked away as if I was running away.

“No…”

Despite my hand moving again in a deceptive manner, only one question seemed to have stagnated in my brain.

There is still no image of myself in my eyes.

I don’t expect to be able to see myself immediately because I have been pointed out that I have not been able to see myself for more than ten years.

But I am not so insensitive that I feel nothing for the situation where time is just passing by.

“Do you care what the director said to you?”

“…”

As if she knows what I’m thinking, Shizuku guessed.

President also does not stop moving her hands either, but just turns her gaze towards me.

Long-standing relationships do not let little changes go unnoticed.

In this case, what I feared more than anything else was what would happen to Shizuku.

I still haven’t responded to her words.

It wasn’t because there was someone else I liked, or because I couldn’t go out with her, but because I turned her down.

I didn’t understand the feeling of liking another person.

I really wondered how it was different from the feelings of love I have for my family.

Even now, I still don’t have a clear answer.

But Shizuku also told me that it was a kind of Kejime(a clear distinction).

I said that I myself will change from now on, but it is an undeniable fact that I have felt a sense of guilt towards Shizuku ever since that day.

Later I was even confronted with the fact that I didn’t even understand myself, let alone my love life.

I wonder how Shizuku felt at the moment when I told her the words as they were.

“It’s rare for Minato-kun to be disturbed by someone else’s words.”

She said that with a smile.

She looked at me while covering her mouth with her small, snow-white hands.

However, if you look closely, she is grinning rather than smiling.

Her eyes were like a mother watching her son change, and the corners of her mouth were raised in an annoyed expression.

“The Shinra Minato I know well would say, ‘That’s just one person’s opinion, not the right one’.”

Her expression was almost teasing alongside that smirk.

However, her eyes were absolutely serious.

The smile gradually turned serious, and then the tone of her voice gradually became quieter.

Her well-groomed appearance, combined with the sunset, gave Shizuku a fragile yet fantastical atmosphere.

“If you are feeling guilty about my confession, don’t worry about it… because I will wait until Minato-kun gives a satisfactory answer.”

Looking at Shizuku’s expression when she turned her face to the side and stared at me, it looked like she was saying that from the bottom of her heart without any lies.

But it was short-lived, and the corners of her mouth turned up as if she’d had a nasty idea inspired by someone somewhere.

“But if Minato-kun feels some sort of attraction towards me, I’d be happy to have you join me at the cultural festival.”

The smirk on her face soon turns into an angelic, radiant smile.　

The atmosphere she wore seemed to indicate that she genuinely wanted to enjoy the festival.

…The festival is already just around the corner.

I can’t let my problems interfere with student council activities.

Erasing the problems from her mind, the problems that had occupied her for several days, she shifted her attention to the issues at hand and to dealing with the people around her.

“…Time will be short because of the student council work.”

“Yes! I don’t mind that.”

A wry smile overflows as Shizuku returned it with a radiant smile that made me want to look away.

This smile has saved me countless times.

…I’ll buy her something to eat.

With these thoughts in mind, the three of us walk towards the audio-visual room after school.

There are 10 days left until the festival.

There is no time to waste.

Why is it that I started walking in such a cool way, but as the noise grew louder and louder, I could not help but sigh?