CH 228

Even though I have the title of a Student Council member, I still am a student of Sakuranaoka Academy.

So, for the first 30 minutes or so after the opening ceremony, I was in the atmosphere of the event.

After moderately digesting the food items offered in the name of commodity check, I emerged from the student council’s tent.

I walked up to the outdoor stage, which was still unoccupied after being used for the opening ceremony, and saw that several students were carrying equipment and other items.

“Let’s get started then.”

President took the lead, turned around, and announced.

Now comes the rushed part of the day.

The student council tent will be left to Shizuku and Kirasaka, while the rest of us get down to business as a student council.

There is work that needs to be done before Kaede and the other students from Kikyo Jogakuin join us.

The committee is currently going around the school to see if there are any problems with the preparations for the opening of the event.

The student council handles dealing with problems that cannot be handled by the average student, although it’s not like the problems would be solved on the spot.

President has an intercom attached to her ear, and students are in contact with her.

On the executive committee member’s side, Shiraishi would be wearing the same one as a representative.

In these days of the rapid popularization of smart phones, it may seem old-fashioned as a means of communication, but I heard that this was the best way to get in touch quickly.

Just don’t tell anyone I wanted to try one myself.

The other goal is to keep an eye on the entire event schedule behind the stage, which is now standing nearby, and to make sure that the final program proceeds without a hitch.

The executive committee is the main body that manages this festival.

Therefore, Shiraishi is still in charge of the general work, but the student council is the one who gives detailed instructions and makes corrections.

They are asked to proceed roughly and make detailed corrections.

This is the method of managing this festival, which Shiraishi and President discussed and decided on together.

At first I thought that the opposite role might be better, but when I thought about it, the small size and small scale of the student council as a student council is more appropriate in terms of the role of correction.

And we are currently in the process of making that correction.

After Miura heard President’s call, she walked up to the student closest to the stage and the first to use the stage.

Koizumi then began the final meeting with the student who would be the host of the stage.

I, along with Hino-kun, will be doing the simple work of carrying the appropriate equipment to the indicated locations.

Let me tell you, simple hard work is surprisingly useful.

As a must-know information for modest boys, it may become a necessary skill for future male students, so much so that it may be included in future textbooks.

Maybe it’s not really that necessary, because driving might be the number one.

Yeah, I’m on a roll today.

After carrying the large piece of sound equipment that the Music Club will be using for the concert, I looked down at the students from the top of the stage.

Mysteriously, the phrase of looking down on others becomes true if one’s a giant.

The crowds are like those at a summer festival, and I thought to myself,

I hate crowds.

The noise and clamor reaches deep into my ears, and a sense of fatigue envelops my entire body.

Even though I am not doing anything out of the ordinary, the atmosphere of the place makes me mentally tired.

The different routine is not a routine that I have been accustomed to, so I cannot adapt to it.

There may be such things as pleasant exhaustion and joyful fatigue.

But in the end, it is a feeling that can only be experienced by those who have enjoyed the moment deep down in their hearts.

Even now, in front of my eyes, students are repeatedly running and walking in all directions.

Some are carrying their belongings that will probably be used in the class performance, others are shopping, and still others are enjoying the festival without worrying about anything.

Not a single one of them looks or acts the same.

They all have different values and behaviors, and then each finds enjoyment in their own way.

This is what makes everyone different and everyone good, I understand.

Because I have no classes, too, so I feel like I’m getting something out of it.

From the stage, I could see the specially designed main gate as a whole, albeit from a distance.

The students of the organizing committee were handing out guide maps of the school to the people who were constantly passing through the gate.

Naturally, Shiraishi was among them.

Occasionally, a student acting as a messenger would talk to Shiraishi, and each time she would convey instructions with a thoughtful expression on her face.

Every time she is troubled by a thought, she is probably holding her hand against her chest onto the notepad in the breast pocket.

It is the lifeline of her actions, and most importantly, her brain.

I see her working hard in the corner of my eyesight, and move my hand, which had involuntarily stopped, as well.

The students, seeing that the stage program will soon begin, are even more lively.

In the midst of it all, Miura heard something from a student waiting by the side of the stage and rushed over to us.

“The Light music club, the students attending the lunchtime performance have asked us to wait about ten minutes for the program to begin due to a class performance.”

Comparing the time schedule in her hand with the current time on her wrist, President and Miura looked at each other with bitter expressions.

I also heard the distant sound. I involuntarily looked at the clock on the school building to check the time.

The current time is just before 10:30.

The first group will proceed at exactly 30 minutes, but the students of the light music club, who were to advance from there and take place before noon, declared themselves late.

Some students were bold.

I can’t blame that student in general because of his/her role in the class, but let’s be on time, please.

Because I’m in trouble …management delay = means I’ll be late getting home.

Really, I’d appreciate it if they’d stop this.

“So, I will give priority to the performance of the dance club after group one.”

Miura’s words were followed by a compromising proposal.

Following these words, a settlement was proposed.

“I’ll have them help me with the drum roll at the pageant, and before that, I’ll put the performance in.”

Miura then bowed and left to tell the students who were waiting aside what she had just said.

Next, Koizumi told President about the requirements of the matter.

“The handicraft club is preparing a surprise for the advisor’s birthday, and they have asked us to invite the teacher on stage.”

“Why are you going making this a surprise even for us, the management? …We’ll try to make some time by shaving a minute off each of the first half of the interval.”

Placing her hand on her forehead, she let out a sigh.

Really, these guys are on an up-to-the-minute schedule, so I’d like them to say something congratulatory.

Koizumi must have been asked to approach the President because of his kind nature.

Hino-kun made a small comment about his feelings as the two of them were busily running around among the students.　

“Senpai, isn’t it better for us to help them…”

Hino-kun is such a kind man despite his red hair, large build, and fish eyes that give him the appearance of a complete delinquent.

But now that kindness must be put aside.

If you can afford to worry about such things, then carry even one thing quickly, …and think about the fact that the work is being carried out in parts of so you won’t stumble over it.

If you compare us to the human body, President is the brain, Hino-kun and I are the arms, and Miura and Koizumi are the legs.

All of us are sharing the necessary work, which makes it possible for us to carry out our tasks efficiently.

To stop the work here would be to put off the entire process.

Don’t think, but feel, as if you were a cog in a society in which you will be placed in the future.

I’m a cog, I’ll never work, I’ll never get paid enough …and I’ll eventually give up…

Anyway, we just have to do our work as arms.

By thinking this way, I can remove unnecessary thoughts from my brain and only move my body.

Koizumi told the student who was the moderator what President had just instructed him to do, and then approached me standing in the opposite direction.

Pretending to be working nearby so as not to arouse President’s suspicion, he whispered into my ear.

“Shinra-kun, I was also preparing to present a bouquet of flowers to the President at the closing ceremony…”

“…”

…I guess the president’s words resonated with me as well.  

<BBX: Koizumi prez here, I’m ‘p’ for Koizui and ‘P’ for Akane, incase y’all haven’t yet noticed>

Even if he couldn’t tell President himself, he must have felt guilty for keeping it a secret from us, too, Koizumi said, looking apologetic.

I think he was probably worried about President’s ability to gather information and didn’t tell us about it either.

It was a good decision.

But…

Let’s not do more surprises…

“Yeah……”

I let out a sigh and a wry smile, and told Koizumi, who blushed.

< +1 Love rival(?) >

“Well then, everyone, I’d like to start the program for the open-air stage!”

After a few moments of preparation and correction, the first performance began outdoors.

A female student utters a loud voice with a so-called moe voice that seems to have a star at the end of the word.

Then, the brass band in the back played the school song, signaling the start of the performance with a fanfare.

As I watch this scene from the side, President puts her hand on the intercom near her ear.

Without saying anything, she put her fingertips to her chin and pretended to think.

Koizumi and the others looked at her to see what was going on when she turned her body towards me.

Shinra, I need you to go to the committee members’ tent.

“Are we short-staffed?”

When I asked this, President shook her head.

She let out a breath of exasperation and then uttered the words that have become customary for this type of event: “Claims.

“It’s a complaint.

“…”

That’s right.

I had a feeling that was the case.

I expected that President would have a tough time leaving this place and that it would be unsuitable for the gentle Koizumi and Hino-kun at the time I was invited.

“Excuse me, please.”

“No, …you chose the right person for the job.”

I still am President’s assistant.

I can’t refuse a request from her.

When I lightly returned the words to President who had a bitter smile and an apologetically dark expression on her face, I turned my body in the opposite direction of the stage.

If the complainer were to be a scary person, I would definitely call Hino-kun, I thought to myself as I headed toward the target tent with heavy steps.