CH 240

<BbX> : Posted 2 chaps today, don’t forget to read the last one.

“…”

In my life as Shinra Minato-kun, I have confidence that this was the most serious I’ve been in my life, but to have a bitter smile on faces is a reaction that goes beyond anything I could have imagined.

However, the three of them spoke in denial at the same time.

“You are unsuitable for the very thing called getting used to.”

“Yeah, …isn’t that too straight?'”

“Just accept it since it’s a fact.”

I gave a half-eyed glare to the senior who told me her direct opinion just because she was one year older than me, but was told shortly from the other side that it was true.

And when even Shizuku nodded her head to that, there was no longer any element of denial.

I didn’t get the majority vote.

“Minato-kun is mistaken about one thing.”

I looked at Shizuku, who held up her index finger and spoke eloquently.

I want to reassure you that it’s not just one mistake.

I am confident that I have been wrong most of my life.

“Minato-kun, I know you are trying to change or do something for us, but it is a needless concern.”

Shizuku says with a smile on her lips.

Opening her small mouth, dumbfounded by the words she was told to me, she continued.

“We need to change for Minato-kun, not the other way around. …We are here because we were attracted to the original Minato-kun.”

“Kanazaki probably called you here to show you that she’s going to change, right?

President speaks with dismay, as if to say, ‘What’s the matter with you now?’

Putting the hand that was on the railing to near her mouth and shining her chestnut-colored hair, President asked Shizuku with a glance.

But before Shizuku’s voice could be heard, the voices of the students standing on the stage in the courtyard reverberated through the school’s loudspeakers.

[ Now then, I would like to announce this year’s winners of Mr. & Miss Sakuranaoka! ]

When the host student announced this loudly, the cheers of the students rose to a climax.

Most of the students knew who was going to be chosen, but they all waited for the name to be called.

With a deliberate gesture, the host opens the tally sheet in his hand and takes a deep breath.

“This year’s winners are …Ogiwara Yuuto-san and Kanazaki Shizuku-san, the first two-time consecutive winners for both men and women in the history of our school!”

The names of the two winners were announced in the courtyard, where cheers and applause spread throughout the school and the excitement was so great that it was sure to reach the neighboring houses.

Yuuto was surrounded by students around the center of the courtyard, making a lot of noise.

The female students were excited as if their favorite had been chosen.

The boys reacted similarly, but more calmly than the girls.

Yuuto was led up to the stage by the host, but Miss. Sakuranaoka was now on the rooftop.

What is she going to do now? What a meaningful look, but she just smiled.

“Kanazaki-san? Kanzaki Shizuku-san? Please come to the stage!”

The host said as he looked around, probably expecting Shizuku to be surrounded by students somewhere in the courtyard.

But Shizuku was not there.

She’s here on the rooftop.

“I’ve been thinking about it since I talked to Minato-kun earlier …what I need to do or change to make Minato-kun turn towards me.”

She places her hands on the railing and her words continued to quietly trudge along as she gazes at the scene below.

Her expression was natural, as if she had come up with an answer.

The voices of the students still calling out for Shizuku continued, but the rooftop seemed to be a different world altogether.

Everyone is just listening to Shizuku’s voice.

The wind on the rooftop was chilly and brushed Shizuku’s long black hair.

White breath rose out from her mouth, which combined with the setting sun made her look fragile.

Next to her, Kirasaka was also staring at Shizuku with sinking eyes, one hand holding back her hair and the other holding up the skirt of her school uniform so that it would not be disheveled.

Shizuku’s words took my breath away.

I wondered what motivated her so strongly.

What is the difference between my way of thinking and hers?

Perhaps we differ in some fundamental way.

I wanted to ask her that question because of the current situation.

“Why are you so obsessed with me?”

I asked the question in a short, straightforward manner.

I wondered if she had a big reason for it, or if it was just a simple one.

What came back was a single sentence.

“Because we are childhood friends.”

The gentle tone of her voice and the expression on her face made it impossible for me to ask her any further questions.

It was as if she was directing such pure emotion directly at me.

“Even if Minato-kun denies it, you are the one and only for me. No matter what anyone says, you are special to me.”

As she spoke this, she moved to a bench where she could not see the courtyard.

She turned away from the podium she was supposed to be on.

“The trigger was just a trivial matter, and so is the evaluation from those around me.”

She pulls out a cup of tea from her bag and boldly announces it with a Kirasaka-like downcast look.

However, the tense expression on her face only lasts for a moment and soon changes to her usual cheerful smile.

The way she changed her expression, I think I caught a glimpse of her true nature.

It is true that women are scary when they are angry …so let’s be careful.

“I’m now relieved of my duties, and if I’m going back to being a schoolgirl, I can devote more time to my colorful love life.”

The lack of Shizuku’s appearance caused a bit of confusion, but Yuuto must have thought of an appropriate excuse, and President looked at the students as the situation calmed down and said.

Persident’s words were met with a cold stare from Kirasaka, who seemed to be enjoying the reaction and smiled scornfully at President.

Normally, this would have led to a petty argument, but since on the courtyard stage, they proceeded with the next program…

[ Now then, I have a gift for Shiraishi-san, the head of the executive committee, and Hiiragi-senpai, the student council president, who have succeeded in having the largest number of visitors, total sales, and the first joint event at this year’s festival! Please both of you come to the podium! ]

When the host announced this, President turned towards the gate saying, ‘Oh! I’m being called?’ and left the rooftop quickly.

The way she left, it seems that this person is also skilled at avoiding trouble without hesitation.

Downstairs, too, Shiraishi was being pushed onto the stage by the student council members.

Looks like she wasn’t informed of this, so it must have been a surprise for her.

She, too, was flustered, bowing and shrugging as she proceeded.

After smiling at her posture, which was inappropriate for what she was being praised for, I sat down on a bench on the rooftop.

I would never see such a scene again.

I sat on the edge of the bench, with Shizuku sitting in the middle and Kirazaka on the opposite side.

I heard a second buzz from below, probably because President had appeared in the courtyard.

As I looked up at the sky, which was beginning to darken, thinking of the scene, Kirasaka muttered in a small voice.

“Did you have a good time at the festival?”

“It was normal…”

I somehow knew that those words were directed at me, not Shizuku.

So, I gave a short reply back.

Then, this time Shizuku spoke up.

“But the preparation was difficult, wasn’t it?”

“…It’s not like that, since the executive committee had a lot harder time than us.”

The white sigh that escaped from my mouth soon faded away as my words were drowned out by the cheers from the courtyard.

The conversation itself is meaningless.

It’s just that the girls and I are merely taking a break until we can get our minds settled.

At last year’s festival, Yuuto was standing next to me.

I would have been irritated by his grinning face after winning various awards, such as Mr. Sakuranagaoka and Matching Couple, but now I don’t see him.

Naturally, I thought at the time that this year would be no different, but reality is different.

After the cultural festival, the last school event of the year is finally the school trip.

After returning from the trip, the students will quickly get back into the busy routine of the end of the year and the beginning of the new year, and a short while after the new year begins, President will graduate.

The turbulent year is coming to an end.

No one knows how the story will end.

Still, we must continue making choices in our life so that when we look back on our past, we don’t have any regrets.

<BbX> : So that marks the ending of the Sakura Festival Arc!! 

I’m trying to be ‘productive’ so I won’t be going anywhere this time. kek