Episode 310: A Moment at the Cafe

「Now then, what should I get?」

Natsumi-senpai started scanning the menu immediately, looking all excited. I wondered what someone who made a hobby of visiting cafes would think of a school festival stand, but she probably wouldn’t say anything too unreasonable.

Meanwhile, Yuji was just waiting for some reason while watching Natsumi-senpai with an amused expression.

I wish they’d just look at it together.

「Have you decided, Todo-san?」

「Hmm, I think I’ll go with the milk tea. How about you, Yokogawa-kun?」

「Let’s see… I’ll have…」

In contrast to Yuji and his partner, Hayato and Todo-san were looking at a single menu together and discussing their choices. They’d always been close, but now that Hayato had become a bit more proactive, you could see the change in their distance.

It felt like Todo-san was actually accepting it too. Maybe Hayato wasn’t the only one who’d changed?

「Hmm… what should I do? Have you decided, Hanako-san?」

「Iced coffee.」

「And you, Nishikawa-san?」

「I’ll have the Darjeeling.」

Since there weren’t many options to begin with, the orders were decided pretty quickly. For the record, Sara-san and I had picked ours ages ago.

「Master, Young Lady, have you decided on your orders?」

The maid came over to take our order at just the right time. It was the duo from Natsumi-senpai’s fan club. Instead of stopping at the front of the table, they moved to the back seats for some reason, positioning themselves closer to Natsumi-senpai. Not that I minded.

「Oh, those look good on you.」

「Ah, thank you so much!」

「We’re so happy!」

The two of them looked at each other happily after being praised by Natsumi-senpai, then struck a pose while lifting the hems of their skirts slightly. It was that specific gesture maids in anime and manga do when giving a formal greeting.

I doubt they just thought of that on the spot. They’d probably planned it from the start.

「I’ll have a Wiener coffee.」

「Understood!」

Once Natsumi-senpai gave her order, it triggered a chain reaction down the line from Yuji to Hayato. By the time Hanako-san ordered her iced coffee, only Sara-san and I were left.

「I’ll have a hot Earl Grey, please.」

「Understood. And for Takanashi-kun…」

「Kazunari-san will have an iced tea. No milk, please, and bring two gum syrups with it.」

「Eh? Ah, yes. U-Understood!」

The two maids looked a bit surprised when Sara-san gave my order. I didn’t think I’d asked for anything weird.

For the record, asking for two syrups wasn’t because I had a massive sweet tooth.

Depending on the shop, the iced tea could have a really strong, unique kick to it. It was just a matter of personal preference.

「Please wait just a moment!」

After confirming our orders one last time, the two bowed and headed back toward the curtain. Looking past them, I could see my classmates peeking out from behind the curtain that partitioned off the kitchen, watching us with curiosity. Were those guys actually working?

Then again, I’m probably not in a position to talk since I’m fully enjoying the festival myself. No, wait, this is technically a Student Council patrol. We’re here to inspect if the class is running the cafe properly. Yeah.

Who am I even making excuses to?

「Um, Satsukawa-senpai?」

Tachikawa-san looked over and tilted her head curiously.

The two girls from before were the same, but had something happened during that exchange?

「Did Takanashi-kun mention what he wanted to order?」

「Kazunari-san has been really into iced tea lately.」

To be accurate, Sara-san is a total tea person and we usually have it at home, so I just ended up getting hooked on it too.

「Haa… you guys are a complete married couple.」

「Wait, how’d you jump to that?」

I couldn’t help but quip at Tachikawa-san’s mutterings, which sounded a bit exasperated. It’s fine to call us lovers or a couple since it’s the truth, but why did she say that just now?

「I mean, being totally fine ordering without even asking him is just too much of a connection. It’s like you know his tastes perfectly.」

「Ah…」

「Fufu… when you live together, you learn those things naturally.」

「Um, that’s exactly why I’m calling you a married couple…」

「Tachikawa-san, it’s useless to try and point things like that out to these two.」

「You’re right about that.」

Crap, I did it out of habit again.

Since I’ve been ordering the same thing lately, Sara-san just ordered for me like she usually does. I’d gotten so used to it that I didn’t even feel like anything was weird. Habit is a scary thing.

「Excuse me, Satsukawa-senpai. Do you have a moment?」

Right in the middle of our talk, a voice came from behind. I turned around to see our class rep. She wasn’t wearing a maid outfit.

Wait, when did she get there?

「Yes, what is it?」

「Um, would you like to try some food as well? It’s a bit of a thank-you for the cooking class, or rather, a tasting…」

「A tasting… I was actually curious about how it turned out.」

Since she’d held the cooking class, it was only natural for Sara-san to be curious about the quality.

Sara-san glanced at me as if to check something, likely because of the space in my stomach. Especially since I’d eaten way too much at lunch.

「If you split the plates, we can eat some too!」

「I want to eat too!」

「Is that okay, Class Rep?」

Even though I appreciated Natsumi-senpai and the others stepping in to help, it was still extra work for the kitchen, so I had to confirm.

「It’s fine. I’ll split a few plates for you. For the menu…」

「I want to eat the Neapolitan!」

「Haa… alright, that’ll be it then.」

The Class Rep gave a wry smile at Sara-san’s sigh-mixed order.

In the end, the whole「tasting for Sara-san」thing had flown out the window.

And now I had one more thing to thank everyone for.

「Man, I’m more tired than I thought I’d be.」

「You’re right, we haven’t had a single break since lunch.」

「But I haven’t had this much fun in forever!!」

「Yeah! And we still have tomorrow!」

「By the way, Kazunari, have you decided on the whole schedule for tomorrow?」

「Yeah. Tomorrow morning we’re cheering for those two, then lunch and some free time before the Miss Contest. Then the last stage in the gym, I guess?」

I’m actually interested in the humanities club exhibits too, but cheering for Hayato and Natsumi-senpai at tennis is the top priority. And the Miss Contest goes without saying.

So the schedule for tomorrow is basically set in stone.

「To be honest, I’m not really looking forward to the Miss Contest.」

「The former President and the other members took over the work for us, so you’ve just gotta put up with it for their sake too.」

「I know.」

Sara-san looked reluctant, but she didn’t seem like she was planning to cancel her participation.

Honestly, I still have feelings about not wanting Sara-san to be in a Miss Contest either, but.

This time, it’s for our future.

「Come to think of it, Nishikawa-san is incredibly popular too.」

「No, that’s not true.」

「If we’re just talking about raw popularity with the guys, Eririn wasn’t losing to Sara at all. It’s just that Sara stood out in other ways too. Eririn was more plain.」

「Plain… well, it’s true I thought playing in the dirt with the gardening club was fun. But I don’t really care about superficial popularity, so it doesn’t matter to me.」

「Looking back, I consider the fact that I intentionally made myself stand out to be part of my dark history, even if it was calculating. But since I feel it was necessary to be with Kazunari-san, I don’t regret it.」

The dark history Sara-san mentioned.

She’d intentionally made her abilities known to force others to accept her way of life, which was to keep people at a distance.

As a result, she gained the reputation of being「lonely,」 but she also ended up in an idol-like position as the「Goddess.」Ironically, that only drew the admiration of the very boys she wanted nothing to do with.

「…You’re right, superficial stuff isn’t happy at all.」

Even the usually cheerful Tachikawa-san turned gloomy when the topic came up.

To us, superficial and shallow people are something to be disgusted by. For Tachikawa-san especially, it was practically a trauma.

「By the way, I never asked before, but why did you transfer, Nishikawa-san?」

Todo-san probably wanted to change the subject, but I was interested too. I’d never asked Nishikawa-san about it, and I was curious why she’d leave this school.

「Ah, that. It was to coincide with the opening of a new school funded by the Nishikawa Group. It was originally a school that had been consolidated due to a decreasing student body, but…」

「Eri is the daughter of the Nishikawa Group’s chairman, after all. It sounds bad, but she’s basically a figurehead. If a school has such an important person attending…」

「I see… by having a high-profile person there to raise the school’s prestige, they can appeal to their connection with the Nishikawa Group and aim to increase the number of future applicants.」

「「「…………」」」

「What?」

Wow, she just said it so bluntly.

Hanako-san is as quick-witted as ever to reach that conclusion instantly from Sara-san’s words. But it definitely made sense when you put it like that.

「Yes, Hanako-san is right. Plus, while the handover isn’t finished yet for various reasons, I’ll be the Student Council President there soon too.」

「I figured that would happen. It’s only natural.」

「I guess. Anyway, that’s why I ended up transferring. Honestly, the relationships there are a bit boring, but I’m happy now that I can be with all of you. I really have to thank Takanashi-san again.」

「No, I…」

「Fufu, that’s just how I personally feel.」

Nishikawa-san gave a somewhat mischievous smile as she said that. I’m happy she’s acting more casual with me, but now there’s another person who enjoys my reactions… hmm.

「…I’ve been a bit curious, but you’ve become quite informal with Kazunari-san, Eri.」

「Oh, I thought so too. Eririn never used to show that kind of expression to boys, did she?」

「Ah… well.」

Nishikawa-san looked a bit troubled. I need her to handle this well or I’ll be the one in trouble.

The trigger for us getting closer was the ring purchase, but if she explained that honestly, the whole ring secret would come out. I need her to dodge it at least until tomorrow. Good luck, Nishikawa-san.

「I-I mean, as Sara’s fiancé, I’m going to be dealing with him a lot in both my public and private life, right? So it’s better if our friendship is on good terms, isn’t it?」

「I suppose so. Well, if Eri is being friendly for that reason, I have nothing to say.」

「It’s not just someone else’s problem for you either, Sara.」

「I know. But the main focus is Kazunari-san.」

The conversation was a bit meaningful, but it looked like Sara-san was satisfied with that explanation.

Of course, it’s common knowledge that the Saba and Nishikawa families have corporate ties, so business interactions are a possibility. But I wondered if the chairman’s daughter and I would actually have that many chances to interact for work.

Well, since I don’t even have a job yet, it’s probably way too early to think about that.

「…Um, is this a complicated topic?」

「…Not really. It’s just that Kazunari being on friendly terms with Nishikawa-san in private will be useful in the future.」

「…Um, it’s just a good thing for friends to get along, right?」

「…You can stick with that for now. Kazunari needs someone to back him up from a different angle than the wife. After all, as his Big sister, I…」

「…Hanako-san?」

「Sorry for the wait!」

Just as the talk reached a break, a butler and a maid brought our drinks on trays. They were different people than before, so I guess they were working in shifts.

They were clearly dying of curiosity about our group, but they didn’t seem like they were going to make a scene.

「Please, enjoy!」

Alright, time for a drink and a breather.

「By the way, didn’t you have your tarot read earlier too, Yokogawa-kun?」

「Yeah, I was a bit interested, so I had it done personally. It was just a simple one-card draw, though.」

From the sounds of it, Hayato had his fortune told while Sara-san and I were doing ours.

To be honest, if we had time, I’d have loved to ask Kishiyama-san to do everyone’s.

「Hmm. Is it something you can tell us the result of?」

「I don’t mind. It was the Wheel of Fortune, I think.」

「That sounds meaningful. What does it mean?」

「She told me it meant a change in situation, an arrival of chance… and to trust in bonds.」

「…That definitely sounds meaningful.」

Yuji, who knew the situation, and of course I as well, couldn’t help but give a wry smile at that meaningful card.

If it wasn’t a bad sign, then in the end, it was an order for Hayato to「act.」

「Hmm… I see…」

Natsumi-senpai gave a similar meaningful smile while looking at Hayato.

Is she already on to everything?

「Yokogawa-san… I don’t intend to say everything, but if you anticipate any trouble, choosing to ask for help is also important. I don’t like to say it, but for better or worse, we have people here with influence in this school. There is a high chance anything can be handled.」

「…Satsukawa-senpai.」

Sara-san made a meaningful comment too.

But both Hayato and I understood exactly what those words meant. Since Sara-san has dealt with similar troubles herself, there’s no way she wouldn’t understand Hayato’s situation. And I’m sure Hayato felt the same way.

「Yokogawa-san is Kazunari-san’s best friend, after all. Hanako-san as well…」

「I know. Regardless of Pretty Boy himself, I’ll help since he’s Kazunari’s best friend.」

「Haa… you guys are really thorough. You could just say you’ll help normally. Well, as long as you’re helping in the end, I guess it’s fine.」

「That is only natural. My criterion for judgment is Kazunari-san.」

「Me too.」

Sara-san and Hanako-san acted as if it were nothing, despite Natsumi-senpai’s exasperation.

I was just happy that those two were willing to help Hayato, regardless of the reason. Honestly, they’re both much more reliable than I am.

「Well, I’ll probably be useful too, so I’m in.」

Judging by that comment, there’s no doubt Natsumi-senpai has a full grasp on the situation too. If that’s the case, since she has so many female fans, Natsumi-senpai might be the most reliable one of all. This cooperation is powerful.

「I’m from a different school so I won’t be of much use, but I’ll cheer you on!」

「Right. If anything happens, please consult us anytime.」

「Me too. Good luck, Hayato.」

「Thank you… everyone.」

Hayato bowed happily, then looked me in the eye and gave a small nod. My position is the same as Todo-san’s is to Hayato. That’s why I, and Sara-san too, can fully understand Hayato’s fears and the situations he anticipates.

This is a tough problem that needs everyone’s help, but that’s exactly why I know we can handle it if we work together. I truly believe that.

「Yokogawa-kun, I’ll definitely help too, so please talk to me if you’re in trouble!」

「Eh… y-yeah, I’ll count on you then.」

「Yeah!」

Everyone broke into a smile at Todo-san’s cute victory pose and smile.

She probably doesn’t understand the situation yet, but to protect that innocent smile… we definitely will.

「Yeah, this is way better than I expected!」

「You’re right. I don’t think this is the kind of pasta usually served at a school festival stand.」

「Ah, thank you!」

The Class Rep looked relieved to hear those reviews from two people who clearly knew what they were talking about.

I knew that ever since Sara-san’s cooking class, the main cooking group, including the Class Rep, had been practicing on their own.

「Indeed. It seems you have strictly followed the instructions from the cooking class, so tomorrow should be fine too. You did well.」

「Sa-Satsukawa-senpai!」

Since everyone in class, including the Class Rep, thinks Sara-san is strict, being praised like that must have been incredibly moving. Anyway, all’s well that ends well.

「Here, Kazunari-san… say ahhh.」

Chomp… Munch, munch…

Yeah, this would definitely be fine served in a normal restaurant. But for my personal taste…

「…Damn it.」

「…She’s just naturally flirting again.」

「…Why are they doing an ‘ahhh’ in the middle of this?」

「…Takanashi is just accepting it like it’s normal… ahhh, I’m so jealous.」

「Takanashi-kun, how is it?」

「Yeah, I think it’s delicious too.」

「Really? But…」

The Class Rep leaned in to look at my face, looking like she was concerned about something.

Is something wrong?

「Class Rep doesn’t need to worry. Kazunari eats three meals a day made only by the wife, so his palate is just refined.」

「Three meals… wife? You mean, Satsukawa-senpai… right?」

「Yes. He was probably just unconsciously thinking about how it differs from his personal taste.」

Sh-She’s sharp. As expected of Hanako-san.

「Indeed. For Kazunari-san’s taste, the boiling time should be about fifteen seconds shorter. For the seasoning, you should reduce the tomato ketchup slightly and add a bit of fresh cream and sweetness…」

「Sara, she isn’t asking for Takanashi-kun’s specific taste right now.」

「Ah, right. I accidentally…」

Sara-san gave a wry smile and took another bite of the pasta. I can’t believe she could instantly come up with a clear vision of how to shift the shop’s flavor to my personal preference. As always, Sara-san’s cooking skills are bottomless.

「Haa… that’s amazing.」

「I have been cooking since I was a child, so this much is…」

「No, I don’t mean that. Well, I do, but the fact that you know Takanashi-kun’s tastes that accurately…」

「Fufu… I research every day to make meals that Kazunari-san likes, you see.」

Sara-san didn’t look smug, but she said it with pride and acted like it was no big deal.

I’m so grateful I can’t thank her enough every day.

「T-Takanashi-kun is lucky. To have Satsukawa-senpai do all that for him…」

「This is something I want to do for him, so it’s no trouble at all. Here, Kazunari-san… say ahhh.」

Chomp… Munch, munch…

Really. I’m not joking either, I truly believe I can’t thank Sara-san enough. That’s why I want to do everything I can for her in return.

「「「 …Gaaah!!!! 」」」

「…The boys are too loud. Don’t interrupt them flirting!」

「…Haa, Satsukawa-senpai’s smile is just too wonderful.」

「…The Class Rep is looking a bit stiff.」

「…Well, she’s having it done right in front of her…」

「Class Rep, those two are always like this, so you lose if you let it bother you.」

「I-I see. This is quite a sight, though. Especially since it’s that Satsukawa-senpai…」

The Class Rep was staring in daze with wide eyes, but of course Sara-san didn’t care at all. And as for me, since I’ve decided to accept her anytime, I no longer have any hesitation about accepting an「ahhh」in public!

None at all!

I’m not embarrassed!!

「Oh, he’s just owning it now.」

「Oh, has Eririn finally learned to ‘read’ Takanashi-kun too?」

「If you’re saying that, it means you know too, don’t you Natsumi?」

「Um, like I said, I’d really like you to stop analyzing me.」

It’s a problem because they don’t just analyze, they actually hit the mark. Sara-san, Hanako-san, Mayumi-san… there are quite a few people like that now.

「Kazunari, don’t worry about that now. Here, say ahhh…」

Chomp… Munch, munch…

「「「 WHAAA!? 」」」

「…Hieee, Hanasaki-san did it too!」

「…Uhyohyohyo, a rom-com! I can smell it!」

「…I never get tired of watching those three.」

「…Damn it, Hanasaki-san too…」

「…Why? Why is it always Takanashi…」

「Kazunari-san, do not move, okay?」

Sara-san took a paper napkin from the table and started wiping my mouth. I felt like a bit of food got on me when Hanako-san fed me. I guess I was right.

「There, that’s better.」

「Thank you, Sara-san.」

「You’re welcome. Now, this is the last one. Here, say ahhh…」

Chomp… Munch, munch…

I finished the last bite on the plate, and the tasting was officially over. Once again, my stomach was at its limit.

But I wouldn’t be a man if I didn’t work hard to finish when someone fed me with such a happy look on their face.

「All of it… by ‘ahhh’…」

The Class Rep muttered that as she watched me finish.

You didn’t have to say it so meaningfully, but yes, every single bite was an「ahhh.」

Got a problem with that!?

「Now then, since Takanashi-kun is finished, shall we move on?」

「Right, our time is limited.」

「We don’t have much time left either~」

Everyone was being so heartless, giving me cold reviews even though they knew I was struggling. Yuji and Hayato were giving me sympathetic looks but they weren’t backing me up…

You guys are mean.

Of course, Sara-san wasn’t about to allow such heartlessness. We took a short break before starting to move.

I wanted to rest a bit longer, but our time was pressing so I just had to push through.

When it came time to pay, I barely managed to stop Nishikawa-san from naturally trying to pay for everything and made us split the bill.

It’s just not good if we don’t keep these things proper.

「If you insist, maybe for a dinner somewhere later.」

「Fine, fine, I hear you.」

I had my doubts about Natsumi-senpai saying that so casually, but Nishikawa-san accepting it so easily was… well.

I might need to have a heart-to-heart with them sometime. As the unofficial leader.

「The iced coffee is two hundred yen.」

「Here.」

Hanako-san took two hundred yen from her cute「clasp」coin purse and placed it on the tray.

Since it’s a school festival stand, the prices are very reasonable, which is great for high schoolers.

A real maid cafe would probably be way more expensive. Probably.

「Please put Kazunari-san’s and mine together.」

Sara-san told the maid at the register while taking out her wallet.

Hearing that, the maids and butlers waiting by the exit started making a scene.

「Wait, Takanashi-kun, making Satsukawa-senpai pay isn’t very manly.」

「She’s right. At the very least you should split it, right?」

「Takanashi, aren’t you ashamed?」

「After all that big talk you gave us…」

「Wait, hang on.」

This was a complete misunderstanding. And the problem was, since this was part of our daily life, I hadn’t thought at all about how it looked to others.

I should have taken the money from Sara-san before we went to the register…

「Everyone, are you under some kind of misunderstanding? Kazunari-san is not failing to pay, you know.」

Sara-san was clearly displeased that I was being blamed. Her tone turned a bit harsh, and everyone’s expressions stiffened when they heard it.

And I had an intensely bad feeling.

「I’m the one in charge of Kazunari-san’s living expenses. Naturally, the payment for this comes from that, so it’s not as if Kazunari-san is not paying.」

「「「 …Pardon?? 」」」

And my bad feeling turned into reality. Just as everyone’s「they did it again」reaction said it all, my classmates (it’s a pain to call them maids now) stood there with their mouths open in daze.

「Li… li-li-living expenses?」

「Satsukawa-senpai is… living expenses!?」

「That means, that means they’re already…」

「Whoa… they’re completely a married couple then…」

「A-Are high schoolers really going that far?」

This is a familiar pattern by now, so I’m not surprised. Yeah.

But here goes another piece of our private life, spreading around. I guess it’s too late now, anyway.