Episode 292: School Festival, Commences

By the time we reached the headquarters tent set up near the school gate, a fair number of people were already gathered, including teachers and members of the newspaper club.

But more than that…

More than that… what!?

「Whoa, w-what is with that line!?」

「…It’s more than I heard.」

「…Whoa, this is clearly way more than last year.」

「…No way. This is totally unexpected right from the start.」

I was honestly surprised too, and it was only natural for everyone else to cry out in shock.

As for what that line was… well, the front of it was right at the gate, so there was no need to even think about it.

Naturally, that was the queue for people waiting to enter the school festival.

But… the sheer number of people!!

I’d heard there would be a bit of a line, but this wasn’t just a「bit」anymore.

「Uesaka-san, this is…」

「Hmm, this is my third year doing this, and it’s clearly way more today. It’s true the numbers have been growing every year, and last year was definitely up from the year before. But this…」

I couldn’t compare it since I’d never seen last year’s entry line, but it was definitely more than we’d anticipated.

And today was only Saturday. The main day for guests was supposed to be Sunday. That meant tomorrow would be even more crowded.

「T-Takanashi-kun, this is…」

「Wait…」

I felt it too, and everyone else seemed a bit flustered. Still, there wasn’t much time to hesitate. Sara-san wasn’t here, so I had to step up!

「The crowd is definitely huge, but our job doesn’t change. So let’s stay calm. Also, if this many people surge in at once, there’s a high chance of trouble near the entrance. So… right, let’s regulate the entry a bit.」

Besides the gate, there were several sculptures made by the art club displayed in front of the main entrance. If a massive wave of people rushed in, the entrance area could get congested and lead to dangerous situations. That spot was already marked as a point of concern for patrols, so we couldn’t be too careful.

「Y-You’re right.」

「Let’s line up all the spare traffic cones and bars so the line doesn’t widen out!」

「Um, we’ll help too!」

「We don’t have much time, so let’s just get it done all at once.」

「Thank you, we’re counting on you.」

The newspaper club members who were listening nearby joined in, so we all split up to create a proper walkway. We forcibly narrowed the path from the gate using traffic cones and set up tables on both sides where the newspaper club could give directions and hand out the school papers. That should slow the entry pace at least a little.

After that, we’d narrow the entrance area slightly as well. Once the queue settled down, we could just clear everything out. Oh, we also needed to station people for crowd control…

It might have been an exaggeration, but it was better to nip any potential trouble in the bud early.

「You were surprisingly calm, Takanashi-kun.」

「Yeah. I was planning to back you up if you got stuck.」

「No, if I was troubled by something like this, I wouldn’t be able to look Sara-san in the eye.」

I acted humble, saying it was no big deal.

In reality, I only noticed it because I’d been checking the points of concern near the headquarters tent on our way here. My calm movements were just the result of all the mental preparation I’d been doing since this morning.

And then… there was Sara-san.

「When the person in command is calm, the people carrying out the orders can move calmly too. You did a great job this time, Takanashi-kun. It looks like we won’t even need to step in.」

「So, Uesaka-kun, are you just going to retire like this? I’m helping until the very end, though.」

「Agreed. I mean, things got way more fun as soon as Takanashi-kun joined the student council.」

To be honest, we’d be grateful if the seniors stayed until we got a bit more used to things. I personally still had a lot to learn from Uesaka-san.

But I knew that was just being selfish, so I wasn’t going to beg for it.

It was just a wish.

「No, I’m having fun too, so I’d like to help until the very last second. Besides, when I pushed for Satsukawa-san to be President, I made it a condition that I’d help until the end.」

I’d forgotten about that, but I did remember him saying something about an exchange of conditions.

Well, if that was the case, I was purely grateful.

「That was cool, Takanashi-kun. If Satsukawa-senpai had been here, she would’ve praised you!」

「No, if Sara-san had been here, she would’ve given the orders before I could even move.」

I think I could’ve taken the same actions whether she was there or not, but I still felt that Sara-san would have moved faster.

「Even if that’s true, it was Kazunari who actually moved just now. So you don’t need to be humble. Right now, your Big sister will praise you instead of the Wife.」

Saying that, Hanako-san gave my sleeve a few little tugs.

Wait, if she stroked my head in a place like this, the teachers would see, and we were in full view of the people lining up outside…

「Muu.」

Since I didn’t lower my head, Hanako-san stood on her tiptoes and reached out her arm, trying to forcefully stroke my head anyway.

It was quite a contrast between the people around us watching the scene with confusion and the student council members who knew what it meant and were smirking.

Feedback whine

Just as that heartwarming(?) exchange was happening, a high-pitched sound suddenly rang out from the school speakers.

「Ah, ah… test, test… mic test!!」

Following that was a familiar, breezy, high-tension(?) voice.

The lunchtime broadcasts usually aren’t played through the outdoor speakers, so we, being near the edge of the grounds, rarely got a chance to hear them.

So it had been a while…

「Okay, sorry to keep you all waiting. We’re going all out today! Broadcast Club presents! The School Festival Pre-Opening Special Edition! And your host is, of course, me! The idol of the broadcast club, everyone’s ‘Minamin’!!!」

「「「「MI-NA-MIN!!!」」」」

「「「………」」」

Man, the difference in the atmosphere, or rather the difference in tension… just look at how the mood around me dropped.

The「intense」cheers of the guys echoing from inside the school were invading this area in an unpleasant way.

That was because the stiff, annoyed faces of the teachers were casting a subtle vibe over the place.

「Ah, Fukazawa-san is the same as ever.」

「But for a school festival, isn’t it fine?」

「Well, Fukazawa-san usually acts pretty serious when she needs t…」

「HEY! Don’t call me Fukazawa!!!」

「「「!?」」」

How did she know!?

Fukazawa-san’s perfectly timed shout made everyone here flinch. Then the seniors all started checking under the chairs and tables at once.

No way, there’s no way she’s actually here… probably.

「Fukazawa-san, if you aren’t going to take this seriously, I shall proceed on my own?」

「Wait!? I told you, I’m not Fukazawa… and you’re talking too soon!」

The conversation leaking from the speakers was clearly becoming a bit of a mess. Of course, that second voice belonged to the person I love most, someone I could never mistake.

「Then please proceed quickly. I want to see Kazu… soon…」

「DAAAAAH!!! You can’t say that here!!!!」

Man… this is a total disaster.

I mean, Sara-san definitely just tried to say my name.

「Fukazawa-san, for a lady to shout like that is…」

「MI. NA. MIN!!!」

「Minamin-san, then.」

「I told you it’s Minamin!」

Click!!

The broadcast suddenly cut out with the sound of a microphone being switched off.

A silence settled over the school that made you wonder where all that noise from a moment ago had gone.

For the record, Sara-san didn’t mean any harm, and she certainly wasn’t doing it on purpose. It was just the natural Sara-san… her cute, airheaded side showing through.

So, as expected, Sara-san is cute.

Feedback whine

The sound of the microphone being switched back on returned.

「M-My apologies. Resuming the broadcast now. Haa… I guess everyone listening already figured it out. There’s no point in being mysterious anymore, and I’m probably going to get scolded for various reasons anyway, so I’ll just get to the point. Since this is the School Festival Pre-Opening Special, we have a very special guest with us! D-d-d-d-da-jun!! Rumor has it she’s softened up a bit and become more approachable lately, but she’s still the super heroine constantly breaking her own record for rejections. And she’s gotten even more calculating since becoming Student Council President! Yes, as you all know, our school’s pride, the lonely goddess, Satsukawa Sara-san!!!」

「Um… Fukazawa-san, being called that is a bit…」

「…Listen, Satsukawa-san… I’m trying to get the energy up here, so responding so literally is just brutal… and it’s Minamin!」

The comedy-skit-like exchange coming from the speakers caused laughter to erupt all over the school. Even the guests waiting at the gate were laughing.

「Pff-kuku… that’s so like Satsukawa-san.」

「Man, I never thought I’d see the day I’d hear Satsukawa-san doing a comedy routine.」

「She usually hides it, but she’s actually pretty airheaded, isn’t she?」

That’s how it might look, but from my perspective, it’s a bit different.

It’s just that Sara-san is so serious that she responds to jokes literally, which results in her looking that way.

Well, if you call that airheaded, I guess that’s that.

「I am sorry, my apologies. But we are out of time, so I shall continue. Hello, everyone. I am the Student Council President, Satsukawa Sara.」

「「「OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!!!」」」

A「shout」filled with some kind of dark, creepy energy that far surpassed the reaction to Fukazawa-san’s self-introduction earlier…

It felt like the whole school was shaking from a literal ground tremor.

Yeah… that’s creepy.

「In less than five minutes, the first day of the School Festival will officially begin. For this day, all of you have…」

「Satsukawa-san really has changed, hasn’t she?」

「Yeah, this is night and day compared to her speech at last year’s student assembly.」

「Her voice is clearly different. There’s emotion in it, a kind of warmth.」

「Man, girls really do change. Right… Takanashi-kun?」

「No… well.」

The girls all turned their smirking, teasing gazes on me at once, enjoying my reaction.

As for the indescribable glares from the guys…

「What? If you have something to say to Kazunari, I’ll listen.」

「「It’s nothing at all.」」

They were sent flying in a different direction in an instant.

My Big sister’s voice, which usually sounds blunt, could also be said to have emotion in it in a way.

Except… it was wrapped in a deathly chill.

「Whether this school festival is a success or a failure depends on the actions and mindset of each and every one of you. Please ensure you do not get carried away by the atmosphere and cross the line…」

The speech continued, and before I knew it, I and everyone around me were captivated by Sara-san’s voice coming through the speakers.

The content itself wasn’t particularly unusual, just confirming the mindset that should be natural. Yet, I couldn’t look away… or rather, couldn’t stop listening. It wasn’t just because she was talking, but because there was something about her that made the listener want to actually pay attention.

So this was… the result of the charisma Sara-san possessed, I guess.

「That is all from me… and from the student council. Thank you for your attention. Now then, shall we end the formalities there? Everyone, let’s enjoy these next two days to the fullest. I too am looking forward to seeing your festivities.」

Clap

Clap clap clap

CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP!!!!!!!!!

From inside the school, from outside, from around me, from places I couldn’t see…

It felt like every single person who had heard Sara-san’s speech was giving her a standing ovation.

A massive wave of applause and cheers rose up all at once, enveloping the entire school.

The sight made my body shiver with emotion… I…

…Sara-san.

「Okaaaaay, here comes the countdown!!!!」

「「「 OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! 」」」

It wasn’t just the guys who responded to Fuk… Minamin’s call. The girls, the teachers, and even the guests outside the gate… and us too!

There was no way we weren’t participating in something this fun!!

「Ten! Nine! Eight! Seven! Six! Five!」

「「「 Four! Three! Two! One… 」」」

「「「 ZEROOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! 」」」

「The School Festival is now officially OPEN!!!!!」

Amidst a thunderous explosion of applause and intense cheering echoing through the entire school…

Just like that, our school festival had begun!!

「Fufu… you worked hard, Kazunari-san…」

「No, well, Sara-san…」

Stroke, stroke…

Sara-san stroked my head over and over with a gentle smile.

I was happy. Of course I was happy, but…

「…W-W-What… is that…」

「…Wait… for real… I thought it was a rumor…」

「…C-Can we write an article about this right now…?」

「…Ugh, God is dead…」

I-In front of all these people…

I was tucked away a bit, and everyone was forming a human wall(?), so it was probably hard to see, but if someone looked closely, they could probably tell what was happening.

By the way, as for why this was happening so suddenly… it was, of course, the reward from earlier.

「That was sudden, wasn’t it!?」

「Who was it that gave the report to Satsukawa-san in a place like this!?」

「Uuu… I-I am so sorry~~!!」

「I’m glad Shift B made it in time…」

Was Shift B referring to this human wall!?

Wait, are there other shifts!?

But it was true that the second Sara-san showed signs of wanting to stroke my head, I was pushed into a chair, and immediately after, a human wall lined up facing the guests.

Though… this was in full view from behind…

The newspaper club guys had been hanging their heads and muttering something for a while now.

And Todo-san had been apologizing so much it was almost pitiful. Apparently, she was the one who reported that earlier「emotion(?)」to Sara-san.

Wait, I shouldn’t be taking it this easy. I had to get to work for real.

「Sara-san, thank you. Let’s leave it at that for now.」

「Yes. I shall give you more pets later, okay?」

「…You’re still going to do it?」

「…It’s just an excuse to flirt.」

「…These two really are dangerous when you let your guard down.」

「…Takanashi-kun is surprisingly fine with flirting in public, too.」

No, it’s not that I’m fine with it…

It was just a matter of weighing my embarrassment against Sara-san’s happiness in doting on me, and the latter won.

「Wife, it’s about time… wait, what are you doing?」

When Hanako-san and the others returned from checking the entry line, they saw us and gave us dead-eyed stares. Sara-san, who was just about to stop anyway, obediently let go. She immediately looked toward the gate and gave everyone a look.

「The entry seems to have settled down, so let’s lift the restrictions. From here on, please split up into your assigned roles as planned. Head to your posts and begin the patrol duties.」

「「「 Okay! 」」」

To think she could judge the situation and fire off orders to everyone instantly after being in that state just a second ago… as expected of Sara-san.

Everyone immediately split into pairs and began confirming their actions with each other.

By the way, for a little while now, I was supposed to stay at this tent with Uesaka-san and handle guest inquiries.

Alright… the student council is officially in action!