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Maka-sensei’s Blue Past
The Seikadai Highschool Division’s culture festival has an added after-festival happening at night. Apparently, this after-festival is an actual program part of the festival itself. I feel like I went there after cleaning up before. Apparently, the announcement of the ‘Best 5’ showcases and exhibits of the culture festival is the main event of such an after-festival.
Also, the results of the Miss-Con will be announced there as well, if I remember correctly. Last year, Jinsho Karen, the new student council president, showed an overwhelming victory. I think second place was Nui…but my memories are a bit hazy there. That reminds me, I think the fifth place was a certain blonde-haired friend of mine…
“Enriiii! Can I ask you something?”
“Waaah! Y-You surprised me! That surprised the feathers off me.”
“Surprised the feathers off you, first time I heard that in real time. Anyway, are you alone right now, Enri?”
For the fact the student council is always busy, it’s rare to see fifth place all alone here.
“If you’re asking about Miharu-san, then she’s currently with the festival committee. She should be coming back soon, I believe.”
“Really…It would have been better if Miharu was here as well, but I guess you’ll do.”
“I will do!? Do you not have any respect towards the student council president!?”
“Hmm…You’re more of a friend than the student council president. It’s rare for a man like me to keep a friend ever since grade school, you know.”
Apparently that was the same case with Nui, but I had no idea. She didn’t stick out at all. Oh oops, I’m dissing Nui again.
“Anyway, there’s something I’d like you to show me, Enri.”
“S-Show you? What exactly!?”
“It can only be yours, Enri! Sorry about this, but even if you don’t want to show it, I’ll forcefully make you open up!”
“Make me open up? What exactly!?”
“Of course, I’m talking about that.” I pointed at Enri.
“T-That…What are you thinking! W-We are merely friends!” Emi started blushing furiously, and covered her chest with both her arms.
“We can’t stay as normal friends any longer…Now that it has come to this.”
“T-This won’t do! I am the student council, my duty to watch over all the students of this school! I have inherited President Jinsho Karen’s will!”
“I heard from that former president, you know. Records of the previous after-festivals are on the PC used primarily by the council president.”
“Again, my small chest isn’t that interest—Records of the previous after-festivals?”
“That’s right, Karen-senpai told me that we have digital data of the last five years here.”
“…Um, Makoto-san? Did I never tell you to be more clear about what you are referring to?” Enri said with a grin.
However, I feel like I saw some dark aura howling behind her back.
“Well, fine…Records of the after-festivals, right? Makoto-san, you weren’t involved in the after-festival, right?”
“There’s some personal connection I have…To be straight, I want to look into the Firestorm.”
“The Firestorm? Are you talking about that campfire-esque event? Where do they burn up a lot of wood?”
“Indeed, the event where they burn up a lot of wood.”
“Can you not copy me, Makoto-san?”
Leaving aside my small joke, I heard of that name before, but never actually saw it in reality. I wonder what’s like to actually be at a large campfire.
“So you say, but where did that come from…”
“I asked Maka-sensei about the Firestorm. Then she told me that the student council should have the past records. This Firestorm tradition started at the after-festival seven years ago.”
“Yes, but that has been abolished, has it not? What a short life.”
“According to Karen-senpai, you should have access to the PC. I want to check about the Firestorm four years ago.”
“…What? I was involved in the culture festival last year, but I have not heard about this.”
Since Eri was involved in finances last year, she apparently knows more than the average student.
“Wait a moment. Um…after-festival…” She booted up the laptop located on the desk. “Ah, I found it. There was a part of the program called ‘Firestorm’. Oh my, this costs quite a lot, actually.”
“I see you have a good idea for the financial stuff. I don’t need any intel on that, do you have other data? What about any people responsible from the student side, or permission from the officials?”
“…Responsibility was…Oh, with the vice-principal. Why? There’s also the fact that she often visits a cat-ear cafe. So many mysteries.”
That’s because she’s a cat fanatic. Though I can’t tell her.
“If we were to use fire of such a size, then we would need permission from outsiders as well…But, there’s no details written in here. Four years ago, they should have already started doing it digitally, but maybe some papers are left.”
“The student council sure keeps things vague…”
Makes sense the storage room was such a mess. But, after being helped by Maka-sensei, Karen-senpai, and Enri, I can’t just stop here.
“Can’t help it. Let’s look through the storage room, Enri.”
“Me!? You’re telling me to jump into that chaos!?”
“With the light of the student council president, let us banish this looming darkness!”
“My hair doesn’t have that power! Can you stop with the weird fantasies, Makoto-san!?”
From the sounds of it, this dear Student Council President-sama dislikes going into that storage room.
“Alright then…I’ll do it myself.”
“W-Wait a moment! These documents are very important, so I cannot leave this to an outsider! Makoto-san, look away for a moment!”
I did as I was told, and turned backwards. Why do these situations keep happening as of late?
“Okay, you can turn back now. Let us go.”
“…You went so far as to change?”
When I turned around, Enri had put on a pink half-sleeved polo shirt, and a white tennis skirt. Did she really change in the same room with a boy? Either she has great trust in me, or just doesn’t see me as a man. It’s probably the latter.
“It is my tennis wear, but I don’t mind if it gets dirty. Now, let us go, Makoto-san!”
“Are we going to the battlefield or something?”
Although probably subconsciously, Enri was holding my hand. I mean, friends would be holding hands, right. More importantly, I need to find something worthwhile in there.
“Cough, cough…So much dust in the small time I haven’t been in here…”
Damn it, I took off my blazer, but maybe I should have changed myself. I guess that’s what you get from always keeping this door closed.
“But, why the Firestorm? I doubt it would be easy to get permission for such a thing nowadays.”
“That’s probably one of the reasons why it was abolished.”
I guess the past culture festivals were much smaller than now. And, I figure the school itself had enough. Back then, I heard the teachers were still smoking.
“I probably would have been beaten by the teachers back then.”
“Huh, were you hit by teachers before!? Tell me, we cannot keep quiet about this!”
“No no no, I’m talking about the school in the past! Back when corporal punishment was still a thing, right?”
“Ahh…Don’t say such misleading things.” Enri glared at me.
I was hit by a teacher before, though not from this school.
“Seikadai has always been a school harboring financially blessed students, so any sort of violence would not have gone under the radar. So maybe students like you were never hit after all?”
“Students like me…But yeah, I wish they’d at least keep the good things.”
“Are you talking about the Firestorm? Well, I’m sure students would be happy, so maybe we can still make it in time?”
“I don’t want to burn the school down, though we might have some firewood here. If we hurry, we might be able to make it.”
“You’re going to strangle yourself…You’re busy enough already, judging from that face of yours.”
It pains me to say it, but this dear student council president is speaking the truth. Normally I would be busy with my role as Saiderella, but I keep adding more and more work like that.
“With what goal are you working this time?”
“…I feel like people get the wrong idea about my character as of late.”
Saigi Makoto is a kind, and absolutely average boy, who can only be a bit rebellious towards teachers.
“A long, long time ago, there was a diligent student council member working their hardest every day.”
“Huh? Where did that come from?” Enri gave me a confused look.
“This person worked earnestly, and had one work that they really looked forward to—the culture festival. They saw the highschool division’s culture festival when they were still in middle school, and were moved by the Firestorm. And then, they decided to help with the Firestorm one day.”
“That is something decided in the class itself, so there won’t be any election. Would have to join the committee.”
“Yeah, I heard about that.”
This diligent student council member thought of joining the committee, but apparently they thought the chances at the student council were higher.
“However, the Firestorm was cancelled that year. The neighbourhood seemingly had problems with the large fire on the sports grounds, putting in complaints.”
“They can’t be blamed for that, this school is in the centre of the town. We always get complaints about the noise, or that some dangerous men can just freely visit this school which is originally aimed at sheltered ladies.”
“It’s only two days, why’s there a need to complain that much?”
Then again, that’s probably just the selfish thought of an adolescent boy, huh.
“That diligent student council member talked to the school, but that was rejected still.”
—Why did I never try harder back then…
I remembered Shiya-chan’s saddened face, as she told me about her past regrets. Recently, I haven’t been able to see Shiya-chan’s laughter at all, it felt like she went back to her past self. To me, she looked like someone who’d get bullied, but I guess she was working hard at school.
“I haven’t heard her name yet, but…Are you trying to bring back the Firestorm for her sake?”
“Not at all.”
“Then why would you tell me about that!?” Enri retorted, covered with dust.
“That was just the trigger. Hey, Enri, don’t you want to hold a Firestorm?”
“…I never did a campfire before either, but isn’t it just a large fire? What’s so exciting about it?”
“Humans get excited when looking at fire. You should try it as well, Enri. You burn up wood in the center of the sports grounds, play music, and dance around it—What do you think?”
“…Sounds exciting?”
“Sure does, right. It’ll definitely be a blast!”
“So if I brought back the Firestorm, then the name of Shinbou Enri wouldn’t only be left in the personal records, but also in the memories of the students?”
“Great idea, but how about putting fire to a tennis ball, and light the entire school on fire? As the tennis ace, that should be doable, correct?”
“…Who do you think you’re talking to? I am Shinbou Enri, you know?”
“Sorry, that was rude of me. You even won against Maka-sensei during the exhibition match.”
“That’s right! My serve will get through a hole the size of a needle!” Enri picked up a nearby fly swatter, and swung it like a tennis racket.
She completely forgot about all the documents around us, hitting them at full force.
“Wah!”
“M-Makoto-san!”
The tower, winning against me in size, collapsed. Huh, is this some kind of deja-vu? I feel like something similar happened before…I heard the sound of the documents falling, as my field of view was covered—Or so I thought.
“O-Ouch…Enri, be more careful, will you.”
“I-I’m sorry…I got too excited. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, thanks. What about—Well, seems like you’re just fine as well.”
I fell to the floor, with Enri leaning on me. When Enri protected me, her polo shirt opened up, and I could see a great bit inside her tennis skirt.
“…I saw the exact same scenery before with the previous student council president.”
“Just what did you do to President Jinsho?”
I could see the bra inside her shirt, but Enri didn’t bother at all.
“Enri, I know I’m not the one to say this, but are you okay showing yourself like this?”
“Hmpf, there’s no boy who would feel happy at seeing my small chest.”
Oh my, it appears as if our dear student council president has a complex about her chest. To think she would be this calm revealing herself in front of a boy who isn’t even her boyfriend.
“Just to let you know, I’m not showing this to everyone. We’ve known each other for years, so why would I feel embarrassed now!”
“I still think it’s weird.”
Also, how long is she going to stay on top of me? I can see some pink panties beneath her tennis skirt now. But, if I were to point that out, even Enri would—
“Ah!?”
“Kya, w-what is it! You shouldn’t get excited at my underwear like this!”
“That’s not it…Move aside for a second!” I moved away from Enri, and stood up. “That’s it! I saw this before!”
“So you’re saying that my underwear is that boorish to look at…That really hurt my pride. But anyway, what were you talking about?”
“This cardboard box…I was curious about it, but totally forgot.”
“You tend to forget things quite easily, do you not. Also, have you forgotten in what situation you are right now? We are searching for information on the Firestorm.”
“Ah, that’s right…But, wait a second.”
Written on the cardboard box was ‘XXth Student Council’. Is this possibly…
“Enri, I might have been searching for the wrong thing.”
“What are you talking about…?”
I still haven’t sorted out things inside of me. I was trying to find documents for when the Firestorm was actually held. But, my goal is the revival of the Firestorm. If so, then I should be ignoring documents when the Firestorm was held…and rather for the plan when it was first executed.
At the backside of the Seikadai Highschool Division’s parking lot was an old school building. It was a wooden two-floor building, with barely any students even knowing about it. Of course, entering was strictly forbidden, but when we asked Renku Hiyori-sensei for permission under the pretense that we wanted to use something from here, she gave us a flat OK.
This is the following day after the incident with Enri—Excuse me, after searching through the storehouse. After finishing my practice for the play, I came to the old school building alone.
“Ahh, that was heavy…”
I entered a classroom on the first floor, and carefully put down the cardboard box I took with me. Since there might be broken objects inside, I had to be very careful. Of course, this was the cardboard box with ‘XXth Student Council’ written on it.
“Looking closer, it sure is carefully closed-off…”
Many other cardboard boxes in there were opened just fine…This however was closed off with duct tape, giving off severe ‘Those who dare to open me will befall death’, vibes. Is there some pharaoh sleeping inside there?
“This persistence…Guess I don’t even need to think about who did this.”
Maka-sensei tried erasing all her traces at the tennis club, as well as her entire existence at this school. Was it to protect her image as the Unobtainable Flower? I guess this is what it means to be a one-person brand.
“Well, I went all the way out here to look at it, so I’m not going back now.” I pulled off the duct tape.
Once I find what I’m looking for, the other things in there will go back to sleep again after all. It took me a bit, but I succeeded in freeing the box.
“H-Hm…”
However, just when I was about to cross the line, I hesitated. I don’t really like digging through someone else’s past…Then again, I did that with SID…
“No, these are public documents, there’s no secrets in Seikadai’s student council!”
“So indecisive! I don’t remember raising Mako to such a person.”
“Ehh!?”
Suddenly, arms wrapped around me, opening the box in my stead. There’s only one person who would talk about raising me like that.
“S-Shiya-chan, why are you here?”
“I knew you’d be working behind the scenes again. I might have said something unnecessary, but I want to help you if you’re going to bring back the Firestorm!”
“I know I’m not the person to talk, but could you all stop looking into what I’m doing?”
“Just let me see what’s inside! Wah, it’s full to the brim!” Shiya-chan threw out the contents of the box onto the ground.
Documents and files, old pens and notes, shirts with ‘Student council’ written on it (The heck is this?), and countless USBs. From what I can see, these are pretty old all-together.
“I guess all the documents from the student councils of that age used similar storing methods, huh.”
“Sadly, as the former vice president, I cannot disagree…So Mako, what are you looking for?”
“If you don’t know that, then calm down, will you. I mean, I don’t really know myself, just records of past after-festivals. Paper files, digital data, I don’t know. The laptop inside the student council room didn’t have any information on the after-festival seven years ago.”
“Hmmm…Shouldn’t they have been using a PC back then?”
“I asked Hiyori-sensei, but apparently they only started using PCs to save data during your generation, Shiya-chan. In the back, they preserved everything on papers.”
“Huh…What a time to be alive.”
“You sound like some boomer…” I said, and looked through the files. “Well, I don’t care if it’s data or written on paper. Not to mention that the PCs back then might not have been working correctly, so I’d rather have it written properly on paper.”
“How straightforward, Mako. But, there’s a lot of files here. Wah, the writing is so methodical! Why in English…”
“Oh, I never explained it to you. During this time, Maka-sensei was the student council president.”
“Ehhh! T-These are Maka-sama’s handwritten documents!? I-Is this going to be fine!? They should be made a national treasure! They’re not even comparable to Fujiwara no Sai’s writings!”
“Whose?”
Some famous writer? I mean, her writing is definitely good-looking, but that’s only so that people won’t find out how clumsy she is. I’d feel bad for this Sai-san being compared to her.
“Eh? Wait a second. So the Firestorm tradition started under Maka-sama’s reign as the student council president?”
“That’s what she’s saying. Also, when did Maka-sensei turn into a Queen?”
The first time the Firestorm was held was at the after-festival seven years ago. It was right when Maka-sensei was the student council president. So, she should be deeply involved with the creation of the event…
“So then, isn’t it much faster to ask Maka-sama how she got permission?”
“That’s my last resort. I want to first attempt this with my own measures. That’s what Maka-sensei did as well.”
But, since we have a precedent, we have it much easier. Besides the special theater, Maka-sensei isn’t planning on getting involved with this culture festival. I know she might help out if I asked her, but…She’s leaving this to our own accord, so I want to solve this with my own strength.
“……”
“Hm? What’s wrong, Shiya-chan?”
She was staring at me for some reason.
“Mako, your face looks like a child’s, but you can be quite manly at times.”
“I can’t tell if you’re ridiculing me, or making fun of me…Let’s just keep looking.”
“No need to be embarrassed~”
Damn it, now she went into cheesy Onee-chan mode. Better focus on work before she goes overboard.
“There’s more files than I thought. This will take some time.”
“We don’t have to read all of them, right~ We just have to look for the ones related to the culture festival.”
“Then, we have to take out all of them.” I moved my hands through the mass of objects, and started organizing the files.
It’s been merely seven years, yet it looks so old. To me, seven years feels incredibly long, but the same might not be the case for others.
“Hm? Shiya-chan, something fell out of those files?”
I saw a piece of paper fall to the ground.
“Ah, it’s not a piece of paper…It’s…a picture?” I picked it up, and took a glance at it.
A picture, huh. It’s rare to see an actual printed one like this. Makes me feel old, even though I’m clearly not.
“What, is this a picture from Maka-sama during highschool!? Show me, show me!” Shiya-chan pressed her body on me, looking over my shoulder.
Dear lady, you’re an adult now, so would it hurt you to show some restraint?
“Hmm…Maka-sensei from back then, huh. She’s different from the time at the exhibition match, alright.”
“Waaaaaaah, she’s, like, super cute! If such a beauty of a JK existed, I’d definitely go down the Yuri path!”
There she goes. She’s one dangerous fanatic. Also, when you mention Yuri, I can’t help but think about that last ‘education’, so can you not? Anyway, the picture showed four girls, probably inside the student council office. Standing in the center of the picture was JK Maka-chan, her hair semi-long, surrounded by fellow JKs. They must have been the student council members when she was the president. Not to mention that they’re all cute…Was this some secret yuri student council…? Wait, I’m being influenced by Shiya-chan!
“Oh? Is she the advisor of the student council? I don’t remember that teacher.”
“Eh? Ah, you’re right.”
Maka-chan and the yuri student council members completely took all of my attention, I didn’t even see her, but there’s actually one more person to be seen in the picture. She stood a bit further away from the other girls, wearing a suit.
“…Doesn’t she look like Maka-sama?”
“…A bit, yeah.”
I couldn’t agree more with Shiya-chan’s assumption. No, not just a bit. She looks almost identical. Long, brown hair, together with a navy blue suit, and a short skirt. She was a beauty, and held a slender yet well proportioned style. It looks like she’s cosplaying Maka-sensei. Or, is it the other way around? And, although they look almost the same, there’s one big difference between the two. It’s like they possess a completely different aurea. She showed a gentle smile, making me think that she was a kind person. However—
“It looks like she’s about to disappear…”
“………”
Seems like Shiya-chan agrees with me again. Just by looking at her in the picture, I could tell how much of a fleeting aura she possessed.
“—It’s Fuuka Shiki-sensei.”
“Wah!?”
“M-Maka-sama!?”
We’ve been sitting on the ground all this time, only for our heads to shoot up simultaneously. What entered our sight were beautiful legs covered by tights—Maka-sensei’s legs.
“She was the advisor of the student council at the time, and her primary subject was English, just like mine. She was 24 back then, same as I am right now. Is there something else you’d like to ask?”
“….Um, was she just as much of a great teacher as you, Maka-sensei?”
“No, not really. She often messed up during class and exams, and when I asked her to check some documents for the student council, she lost them somewhere or gave them to someone else.”
“T-That sounds quite troublesome…But, she seems like a gentle person.”
“She might, yes. In reality, she was a demon. She would correct all the delinquents at school with her own fist, using violence quite often.”
“Ehhhhh…”
She’d use violence against students with that kind face?
“Thanks to that, all the repulsive students who’d be punished severely were like small kittens in front of Fuuka-sensei.”
“What wonderful animalistic training…”
I glanced at the Onee-san sitting next to me, who stared up at Maka-sensei. In a certain way, she received training from Maka-sensei as well.
“She wasn’t excellent at her work, but she was good at guidance, as you might figure. Whenever she saw something bad, she’d use her iron fist to make the students reflect on it, and correct them so that they could all have fun.”
“Q-Quite the aggressive character, I see…”
“But, everyone liked Fuuka-sensei nonetheless. She really was a weird person.” Maka-sensei had a gaze like she was looking far into the past.
Ah, so she’s something like Maka-sensei’s mentor she mentioned before…? Which means that…
“It’s nice dwelling in memories, but we have more pressing matters. Saigi-kun, you deceived Hiyori-sensei and took the key for the former school building, right?”
“That makes me sound like a bad person, you know…”
I just chose a place where I would be safe from Maka-sensei when I unraveled her past, that’s all…And, it sounds pretty awful, yeah.
“You can look through this just fine with the permission of the student council, so no more secrecy, okay. Still, this picture sure brings back memories.” Maka-sensei took the picture from my hand. “I completely forgot about this tone. I don’t even remember the names of the girls on there.”
“Make sure to remember the names of the people around you, okay!?”
“There’s no need for Maka-sama to remember the names of peasants.”
“Alright you fanatic, will you keep quiet for a moment?”
“I was joking. I still meet them from time to time.”
“I see, while everyone has been growing old, Maka-sama kept her shine and radiance!”
“Shiya-chan, I’ll give you as many pictures of Maka-sensei as you want, so will you keep quiet for a second!”
“Seriously!? Is this possibly the first time you were ever of help for me, Mako?”
“You sell out your homeroom teacher quite easily, don’t you. Though, if it’s just pictures, then I don’t mind.”
See, this is exactly why I wanted to open up this cardboard box myself, in solitude. I wanted to enjoy unravelling her past all alone, damn it.
“Saigi-kun, Keimi-san, are you really planning on bringing back the Firestorm?”
“That’s right, I’ve been working hard all this time so that everyone can have fun. If I avoid it any longer, then I probably won’t get a second chance.”
Phew, she sure got serious quickly.
“That’s right. I won’t help you, but I won’t stand in your way either. The Firestorm is an idea that came from Fuuka-sensei, and she forced me to put it to action. For crying out loud, that person…”
“She really is completely different from what she looks like in the picture…”
“They were all deceived by her, that’s all.”
I feel like I wouldn’t survive if I went to school back then.
“I wouldn’t mind being deceived by Maka-sama over and over…!”
There goes the fanatic again.
“Well, just try your best. If you really can’t get it to work, then come to me. I’ll give you some advice at least. Keimi-san, you’re a university student, so I have high hopes in you.”
“Yes!”
“Great response, Shiya-chan.”
You do know that she’s basicallying saying ‘I will only help Saigi-kun’, right? Well, I guess that’s to be expected when you become a university student.
“I feel like leaving early today, and go for a drive with my fiat later.”
“Ugh.”
That is one way to exit the scene, Maka-sensei. Right, she got that from her mentor as well…
“For now, let’s continue looking for the files. We should find something about Maka-sensei’s plan here.”
“So I just have to search for Maka-sama’s scent here, right!”
“……”
Are you a dog now? I thought I was working hard to remove her regrets, honestly. If I give her Maka-sensei, won’t she just forget about past trauma anyway?
In the end, we successfully managed to find documents related to the Firestorm plan. There, we found details as to how Maka-sensei managed to bring the Firestorm to life. From the discussions she had with the teachers, as well as their replies, to the various negotiations with neighbourhood organizations, even the budget for fire extinguishers and anything needed to remove a fire, everything was in there. Apparently, the greatest work came from the student council.
“Aren’t we going to succeed if we just go along the plan…?”
That plan was indeed too perfect. It’s honestly scary to think that JK Maka-chan came up with all of this. I swiftly closed the files, as I’d just feel more terrified the more I looked at them.
“Sai-kun! If you’re going to read, then at least read the script!” Nui’s loud voice resounded inside the classroom.
This was the following day after the secret meeting at the former school building. Today, we were practicing the play. The culture festival was practically right around the corner, so we had to get the play practiced to a pitch. Man, I really am busy, huh.
“I know all my lines by now. It’s not that many to begin with.”
“Seriously!? Saiderella has the most lines though…!”
Well, I’ve been reading the script on my phone when I had the time, and it’d be weird if I didn’t have them down yet.
“What about you then, Nui? You got them down?”
“Well~ I’ve been a bit busy as of late. Not to mention that I’m more of the action type voice actress than just reciting stuff.”
“You’re not a voice actress, you’re a gravure idol.”
Wouldn’t it be bad if you couldn’t remember your lines during a TV drama?
“Tenka-san, can’t you adjust Nui’s lines a bit?”
“……” Sitting in the corner of the room, hugging her knees, Tenka-san slowly lifted her head. “Just as I expected, made her lines simpler, reflected. Can’t be shortening it more, she has the braincells of a whore.”
“I was dissed with a rhyme!?”
Seems like Tenka-san has her own load to share into this mess. Even now, she’s furiously tapping on the keyboard of her smartphone.
“Don’t worry, I’m the type who really shines during the main event. Even if I blow through my lines, I’ll make up with ad-lib!”
“What about me though…?”
She’s the Prince to my Saiderella after all.
“If anything, my ad-lib would make it even better!”
“Picking a fight with me? You’re saying that my manuscript is worse than your adlib, really?”
“You don’t need to rhyme everything! But, that’s not it! Your manuscript is the best in the entire world! With this, we’ll be the winners of the culture festival for sure!”
“Hard to believe, I’m not that naive.”
“You’re not Sai-kun, so you don’t need to be that doubtful, Ten-chan. But anyway, we have to continue, I want to get one clean run through.”
“Yeah, that’d be great.”
So far, we have failed to get everyone together even once.
“That old woman of a magician hasn’t shown up at all either. Maybe we should all storm the staff room!”
“Hey now, you’ll be banned from your job at that rate! Also, she’s not some old woman, but an older sister!”
As expected, Nui earned herself a harsh glare from Tenka-san. It might not look like it, but she’s quite the siscon after all.
“…That reminds me, Tenka-san?”
“What?”
“Do you know Fuuka Shiki-sensei?”
“…!” Tenka-san fell backwards.
W-What? Was me asking that so much of a shock?
“W-Where did you hear that name? I had finally forgotten about it, the flame…!”
“Hey now, no need to be that shocked! I was just wondering if you ever met her before?”
“………” She just shook her head. “Never met her. But, I know her. She’s the person who changed Onee-chan’s life—”
“Her life?”
Of course, it’s not a rare thing for a mentor to change the pupil’s life. But, to think Tenka-san would be this shaken just from hearing the name. I guess that Fuuka Shiki had a greater influence on Maka-sensei than I previously assumed.
“Hey, you two over there. We’ll restart the practice. Also, we don’t have any time for a break, so let’s get this party going!”
“Y-Yeah, sorry, Nui.”
Have to focus on the culture festival at hand just now. Practicing the script, helping the student council, and finding out about the Firestorm, there’s more than enough to do. Still, Fuuka Shiki, huh…I saw her only in the picture, and yet I can’t forget about her. Just how big of an influence did that person have on Maka-sensei.
“Damn it…This is pretty tough.”
“I totally forgot…”
At night, two corpses could be found lying in the Saigi Household’s living room. Both Shiya-chan and I had brought the plan and financial ideas of the Firestorm to the committee, but it was rejected flat-out. Even though the vice principal would be the last to give out permission, we didn’t even make it that far.
The plan was perfect, but apparently they didn’t like the sound of the ‘Firestorm’.
“The people at university are much more carefree. Last year during the school festival, they created a guillotine and showed mannequins being beheaded.”
“That’s a bit too carefree…”
I’d wish they’d get scolded for that.
“Still, that was exhausting. Why won’t anything ever go my way in this world?” Shiya-chan let out a sigh.
“How self-centered. Then again, I’m working for your sake here.”
“I didn’t expect for Enri-chan to be so on board. Wanting to make history by creating a ‘Legendary Culture Festival’, huh.”
“Legendary…Enri really wants to stand out.”
She already stands out plenty with her hair and cute face. Is she never satisfied?
“I asked a few from my class, and they’re all down for a Firestorm. Dancing around a raging fire sounds pretty cool after all.”
“There’s a few people like that even on the composed and elite Seikadai, huh. Maybe even more, since I doubt that your friends are special.”
I nodded towards her words. I guess the school feels the same way towards this.
‘Firestorm? A big fire on the sports grounds? It’s hard to pull off? What, you’re gonna chicken out?’
Ah, I can see Tenka-san’s voice inside my head…She sure is calm…I guess Nui would be going crazy.
“It’s turned into quite the rumour in Miharu’s class as well. They talk about that Saigi-senpai plotting something again.”
“Why does that make me sound like some convict? I feel like people have started to get the wrong idea about my character.”
Miharu had joined in on our conversation, rolling over on her favorite sofa. However, she was actually working on her laptop.
“There’s a lot of people who want to do this Firestorm. There’s comments on the blackboard of the student council’s website…Wait, this blackboard is so 2000s! Did a boomer make this!?”
“It’s rare for you to scream like that, Miharu.”
But, that’s true, I didn’t even look at the blackboard yet. Seikadai’s Highschool Division has its own website, but it’s fairly amateurly-made.
“While Miharu is vice student council president, she will completely remake the site…And while she’s at it, she might as well use President Enri-chan’s blonde hair and presence to make a Yotsube channel. And then she’ll use the earnings to buy all the sweets.”
“Hey now, your personal desires are leaking . But, don’t you need permission from the students to film stuff like that?”
“Permission? Who needs that. We’re the student council, we decide.”
“What kind of tyranny is that…”
I think the entire school might have dodged a bullet by not making Miharu the president.
“Miharu-oneechan became a proper human being! Amazing!”
“Kuu, you can’t take Miharu as an example, okay?”
That’s right, not only Shiya-chan, but Shinju Muku—Kuu was also present. She had her navy blue hair tied up into a bun on the side of her head, wearing the sailor uniform from Seikadai’s grade school division. Indeed, she’s a fifth-year in grade school, and the world’s cutest young girl. She had her knees on her favorite pink bath towel, looking as cute as ever. However…
“Kuu, you look pretty tired.”
To me it looks like her cute hair is a bit more roughened up than usual.
“Ahaha…Well, some stuff happened lately, and since that’s done, I decided to run away from home for a while.”
“Run away from home for a while…”
She said it like she went on a trip to the convenience store…
“That’s why I came here to Sensei’s house in order to be healed. Ahh, Kagome-chan is so cute.” Kuu gleefully caressed our white cat Kagome.
Kagome seemingly enjoyed that, as she didn’t resist. Kuu really never missed out on a chance to come see Kagome, huh. There was a time when I got scolded by Kouko-sensei, her mother.
“Kagome-chan likes being spoilt after all. I want to get a cat tower—and then a castle.”
“I feel like she’s living more luxuriously than me.”
Miharu’s already putting a lot of money into taking care of Kagome-chan.
“Well, if you’re tired, then go relax. Grade school students shouldn’t be forcing themselves too much.”
This isn’t because I’m treating her as a child, but rather because her body isn’t grown fully yet, so I don’t want her to stress herself.
“…You really are kind towards people younger than you, Mako. Towards both that girl and Haru. Yet you’re also into older girls, and even get played along with by Manasshi. How wide is your strike zone? Tokyo Dome?”
“I’m only into flawless beauties!”
“You’re admitting some crazy stuff there…”
Ah, that retort was unnecessary, I guess. That makes it seem like I only care about the outer appearance.
“How could this happen…I knew you were into people your age, but to think you even felt desires towards Nui-oneechan and Ten-oneechan…This is not good…”
“Kuu, you’re being influenced too easily by all the older ladies around you.”
If possible, I want her to stay as the honest and cute Kuu.
“R-Right back at you, I heard that you were trying really hard of late, you might just die from overworking yourself!”
“All good, still alive.”
“That’s why, I will do my best to heal Sensei today! It’ll be a double younger girl combo with Miharu-oneechan!”
“Miharu was wrapped in it?!”
“Haaa, I don’t really care. I’ll just stay over at Mako’s place tonight. It’s like my second home anyways.”
“I don’t mind…”
Shiya-chan even lives in the same flat, so she might as well go home. But, I guess I’ll be forced to sleep on the sofa tonight.
“Also, what exactly are you planning on doing, Kuu?”
“I might not be good at it, but I will try my best!”
“Hm?”
Since Kuu is bad at it…Maybe what I think it is?”
The apartments in this flat are aimed at families. Ours isn’t the same, and offers enough space for a married couple and one or two children to live in. Though, there seems to be exceptions like the apartment next to ours. But, leaving that exception aside, since it’s aimed at families, the bath is fairly large. You could easily fit an adolescent boy and two girls in here. Naturally, we already tested that.
“Ah, Sensei, you can’t move like that. I can’t properly wash you like this.”
“Looking at you like this, your back is pretty large, Onii-chan. You’re a boy after all~”
More accurately, a small high school boy, a small high school girl, and a smaller grade school girl easily fit in here. I was forced to sit on the plastic chair, with Miharu at my back, Kuu at my side. Each of them held sponges, scrubbing my body.
Just what is this situation? I mean, I have my important part covered by a towel. But, both Kuu and Miharu are completely naked. Miharu is my blood-related little sister, and Kuu is a young girl. Seeing them naked is no problem.
“But, being washed from both sides is just not very comfortable…”
“If anything, you were washing us. As much as you wanted.”
“My entire body was washed from head to toe, mercilessly…”
“No no no, Miharu can’t be bothered to wash herself, and you hate taking baths, so I had to shower the both of you.”
Weren’t girls the type to like long showers and baths?
“However, we have grown ourselves, so we will be repaying you.”
“Even if you did grow up, washing a boy like this is a bit too early, don’t you think…”
“Miharu wants to wash Kagome-chan, so she’s training on Onii-chan now.”
“Don’t use your older brother as practice material. Also, why am I suddenly below Kagome now…”
Kagome-chan’s family as well, but I kind of feel sad now.
“Your skin is so smooth, Sensei! You got such slender arms and hips as well, you’re like a girl.”
“Sorry, that is one topic I don’t really want to dive in right now.”
“Nui-oneesan is super happy. She found a new charm of yours, and is talking about it each day, especially over LINE.”
“Listen, Kuu, you can’t get influenced by the other girls of SID, okay.”
Nui is not only busy with her work and the play, but also by tainting Kuu?
“Nui-oneesan is amazing. She already progressed her Saiko-chan plan and made you into Saiderella. I thought she wasn’t an enemy, but I might have to rethink that.”
“Nui…”
Anyway, I had my body washed by them, and hopped into the hot water. Since they had done the deal beforehand, Miharu and Kuu joined me.
“H-Hey now, isn’t this a bit too narrow?”
“It’s fine, it’s fine. Onii-chan, make some more room.”
“Ahaha, I couldn’t take a bath with Sensei at the hot spring before, so this is great redemption.”
I was surrounded. At my back I had miharu, and Kuu was sitting on my lap. I don’t know what to feel about this situation. To me, it’s completely normal, but others might disagree.
“Leaving aside Miharu, in a year or two, I won’t be able to take a bath with you anymore, Kuu.”
“I’ll be a middleschool girl, so I’ll still be safe, right?”
“Miharu is a JK after all. She’ll keep taking baths with Onii-chan forever.”
“…I don’t mind, but I feel like you two are growing up the wrong way.”
Then again, Kouko-sensei is the one responsible for Kuu’s growth.
“By the way, Onii-chan, have you still not grasped the weaknesses of the committee and the vice principal?”
“I wasn’t trying to come up with a plan like that!?”
Though I do know about the vice principal’s weakness, I can’t use that against her right now!
“If you wish for it enough, then the Firestorm will surely happen!”
“……”
Ahh, she’s so pure…If only things were that simple in this world…Sadly, nothing will be granted by just wishing. Our school isn’t kind enough to just accept that.
“…No, wait a second.”
“What is it, Sensei? Would you like to compare Miharu-oneechan’s and my breasts? You know, I will be shaking her off soon.”
“Wha…! Y-You’re right…! Kuu-chan, your breasts grew so much…! You’re only in 5th grade! At this rate, you’ll reach Nui-chansenpai!”
“Hehe, that confirms it. My breasts are reaching B-cups soon!”
“Impossible…Miharu only had to put on bras after reaching up to middle school…!”
“Wait wait wait, enough talk about that!”
I felt Miharu and Kuu press her breasts together behind me. But, I’m not interested in that at all.
“So you came up with another strategy of your scheming?”
“Don’t call it scheming, Miharu. If anything, I threw that away.”
I remembered the words Maka-sensei told me at the former school building. The origin of the Firestorm, Fuuka Shiki-sensei, was not talented at all. She was the type of person to just act according to what would be fun and entertaining.
“…Hey, Kuu, do you think it’s important to wish with all your might?”
“Of course? I love people who try their best.”
“I see…”
“Sensei did so much for me, who couldn’t go to school. That’s why Kuu loves you!” She showed a bright smile.
Fuuka-sensei, huh…I still don’t know her too well, but I guess I should learn a thing or two from her. I know it sounds questionable to think I came up with this while taking a bath with my little sister and a little girl.
“Alright!”
“You did it, Mako!”
I left the third conference room with Shiya-chan, and shared a high-five. Honestly, that night we laid on the floor like corpses feels like a lie. Inside the meeting room we just left, we just came to a conclusion with the committee president of the culture festival committee.
“Phew…it wasn’t that hard of a battle after all.”
“Mako…I feel like you’re going to dirty your hands in some shady business soon…”
“I haven’t committed any crime yet.”
As for our first obstacle, we showed the committee a survey of the entire student body, and got permission for the Firestorm. Honestly, it feels like we got permission to ask the school for permission. Because without the OK from the committee, it wouldn’t even be part of the program.
“Seems like proper signed surveys of the students are much more effective than anonymously.”
“If 70% of the student body ask for it, then even the committee can’t ignore it. We even put financial needs and all that on there.”
With that, even the president of the committee couldn’t object. I guess we didn’t need the irresponsible anonymous comments after all. In this world ruled by privacy, those who offer to name themselves hold true value.
“Then again, I didn’t think I’d get this many comments…Haru sure is amazing. I’m getting scared of her.”
“Miharu still got some tricks up her sleeve, alright…”
It’s thanks to Miharu that we managed to get so many comments. Since Miharu was working on the new website, we asked her to put in a form where people could put in comments. She spread the link to this form via LINE, and this scored us countless numbers of comments.
‘Let’s all make the Firestorm real! Dance around the scorching fire! The URL is right here!’ is how Nui spread it like a wildfire as well. She might not have many friends, but she has a lot of people in her friends list, maybe even more than Karen-senpai. Apparently, she made a Yotsube channel as well recently, and is asking for more subscribers. Should I maybe sub as well?
“If we had used actual papers, we would have never gotten that many. I guess it was a great thing that people could comment with their smartphones as well.”
“Yeah, that’s why more people participated.”
If it was me, I wouldn’t bother with some written survey. Since I can do it quickly on my phone, I might reconsider.
“If we had Karen-senpai do some work, we might have even gotten 90%. She sure can be obstinate at times, that girl.”
“Yeah, Karen-chan is too serious for her own good. Then again, I can’t help but admire you trying to mercilessly use a Senpai of yours, Mako.”
“I was running out of time, so I had to resort to whatever method possible.”
That is technically the case every single time, but I’ll just ignore that for now. At the very least, I wasn’t working in the shadows this time.
“Well, we did it without relying on some greater force, I’ll call it a success. We’ll keep going with this momentum.”
“You’re going there right now…? Visit the vice principal, I mean.”
Shiya-chan should know the vice principal here. She’s been working here for years and years now after all.
“I’m really not good at dealing with her…I mean, I know that she’s not scary, but we bumped against each other a lot when I was in the student council.”
“Bumped…I feel like vice principals rarely get in contact with their students, but she even knew my full name.”
“Well duh, you’re pretty famous after all.”
I wonder…I don’t think I stand out too much, especially with my looks.
“Mako, I’m not too scared of the vice principal, but will we, me as an outsider, and you as someone who isn’t part of the committee or student council, really get through to her?”
“You’re not wrong…Maybe we should call Miharu. The vice principal should have no complaints if the vice student council president is with us.”
“There’s no need for that.”
“…Eh?”
The second I wanted to send a message to Miharu via LINE, Maka-sensei appeared in front of me.
“Saigi-kun, why are you taking such a fighting pose?”
“Ah, just reflectively…”
Probably because of the periodic ‘education’, I just naturally grew wary of her when she’s around, which is why I go onto the defense.
“There’s many things I’d like to comment here, but the teachers know that you’re working as staff of the culture festival. They started thinking that you might have started to grow a heart as well.”
“Seriously, just what do the teachers think of me…?”
“They think that you’ve gotten more diligent as of late. It’s the result of my ‘education’, I see.”
I figure that they’d break out in a panic if they knew the details of your ‘education’ as well.
“That being the case, everything is okay. If anything, they might be more open to accepting the idea since you’re the one who brought it up. Of course, as the vice advisor of the student council, I will be coming with you.”
“Sounds about right.”
That saves me the time from explaining everything to Miharu.
“Huh, you sure grew a lot, Mako. Onee-san will praise you.”
“Wah!”
Shiya-chan suddenly reached out for my head, roughly rubbing it. I don’t exactly hate being treated like a child, but there’s a cold assassin right next to us, glaring at you.
“Anyway, I’ll be leaving that to you then. With Maka-sama, there’s nothing for me to worry about, and I might just be in the way anyway.”
“…Are you sure, Shiya-chan?”
I figure that in order to erase her regrets, it might be better for her to be involved in the planning until the bitter end.
“It’s fine~ In the end, you’ll be enjoying it the most, so you’re fine with being the hard-working ones.”
“…Alright.”
I’m pretty sure she wants to help out until the very end. But, I guess she’s just being considerate again.
“Then, Maka-sensei, if you would.”
“Yes. I already have an appointment with the vice principal.”
How convenient…So she already figured out that I received permission from the committee. I guess there’s no need for the OPS anymore. But, that means—it’s time for the last boss.
For a long time, the staff room was pretty much like the enemy hideout for me. I was only called here to be reprimanded for my rebellious behaviour. Yet, today I made my way here out of my own accord, what an odd feeling.
“Saigi-kun, you’re tensing up. Relax a bit.”
“I don’t think any student could relax coming to the staff room. Leaving aside Nui, that is.”
I feel like Nui’s that much of an airhead, she doesn’t understand the idea of pressure and anxiety. Maybe I should have brought her with me after all. It’d be better to calm down the place, surely. But, it was too late, and I could only follow Maka-sensei, inside the room. Desks were lined up to my left and right, and in the back—like it was the seat of the king—was the desk of the vice principal.
“I’m sorry, but do you have a moment, Vice Principal? It’s about the case I previously mentioned.”
“Ah, Fujiki-sensei. Saigi-kun as well, it’s been a while. I heard you managed to get into the top 50 during the last mid-term exams. You’ve been working hard, I see.”
“T-Thank you very much.”
Does she have all the grades of every single student marked down or something? Or, is she just looking over mine in particular because I’m a problem child? I feel like, knowing her, it might very well be the former…
“M-Maka-sensei, the vice principal just praised me…Is this some sort of trap?”
“When you make it into the top 50, it makes sense for you to be praised. Are you that alienated to being praised?”
Maka-sensei and I whispered to each other. I know it might seem like nothing great, but to me it’s on the level of the Big Bang.
“Ah, I’m sorry. You were here because of the culture festival—or rather, the after-festival, correct. The Firestorm, was it…I did look over the outline.” The vice principal operated the laptop on her desk.
We barely got permission from the committee, and she already read it. Fast work as always. Also, it’s quite funny that the vice principal has cat stickers all over her laptop.
“This plan is the exact same which had previously been created by Fujiki-san and Fuuka-sensei, right.”
“Eh!?” I subconsciously let out a scream.
She figured it out already?
“The fine details and construction are different, but the general contents are the exact same. Isn’t this the same technique a student uses when copying someone else’s homework?”
“I-I can see your teacher’s experience after working for 40 years…”
“It’s only been 30! Saigi-kun, there are jokes you can say, and jokes you should not.”
I was scolded after all. Even Maka-sensei was giving me a glare.
“I’m sorry…Just, writing the plan from zero was too complicated…”
“I am not blaming you. Most of the plans coming from students are mere copy-paste as well.”
That’s a veteran (with roughly 30 years on her back) for you, she says the straight facts, no brushing around it.
“We don’t expect that much from a student’s plan to begin with. However, it is also a fact that we cannot accept every single plan.”
“Ugh…But, there’s the survey we did.”
“I received information about that from the committee. I can tell the passion and desires from the students, but I don’t necessarily regard it as that important. I do feel bad about it, but these comment forms have been filled out online, so they’re not too enough to fully convince the school.”
“F-Figures…”
Damn it, I knew that she’d put up more of a fight than the committee. Maybe I should have come here with her weakness in my hand…Oh no, the Black Saigi-kun inside of me is showing his face.
“Since it wasn’t that important, you never thought of doing a survey either, right Fujiki-sensei?”
“Yes, I figure that rather the student’s opinions, the signs of the guardians and parents would be more important, but we didn’t have time to gather them back then.”
“I see…That makes sense. The guardians and parents are our sponsors, so winning them over is much more useful…I will keep that in mind, Maka-sensei.”
“Um, Fujiki-sensei, you are imbuing Saigi-kun with some rather problematic knowledge.”
“I am happy to see my own students grow, see. In his case, I figure he would come up with it without my input.”
“That makes sense. From the gradeschool division to the highschool division, all the teachers of Seikadai have suffered from his quick wits.”
“………”
Wow, I just got dissed from a teacher, right in front of me. What if I just end up becoming a shut-in? Huh?
“Well, enough about that. The school has previously given permission to this plan, as it holds everything necessary.”
“So the fact that it was cancelled before is the big problem, right.” Maka-sensei asked with a serious tone.
As expected, she’s in her Unobtainable Flower Mode, or maybe even just Teacher Mode.
“That’s right. If this was a camping site in the middle of the mountains, things would be different.The location is in the center of the town, on the school’s sports grounds…It makes sense for people to be against that, don’t you agree?” The vice principal looked over at me.
Of course, the ones asking for permission are the students themselves, and Maka-sensei is just a guard of sorts.
“That being the case, the chances of an accident happening, and creating trouble as well as damages outside the school is practically zero.”
“I am well aware of that. That being said, in the event that an accident does happen, the ones who have to take responsibility aren’t you students, but the school.”
That’s right. It’s easy for us students to talk about risks since we don’t have to worry about them. The students only have merits from this Firestorm.
“However, that is the same situation from when the Firestorm was held for the first time, correct?”
“Indeed, but we have received complaints since. At the same time, there were plenty of problems when it first received permission.”
This time, the vice principal looked at Maka-sensei.
“As far as I remember, the plan was going through fairly smoothly…”
“Those memories are not wrong in any way, Fujiki-sensei. If anything, a lot of teachers were for this Firestorm. Really, teachers aren’t supposed to enjoy it.” The vice principal showed a wry smile.
Seems like her work is pretty exhausting, huh.
“Well, it was probably thanks to Fuuka-sensei. She wasn’t exactly the greatest teacher to have, but the people around her were swallowed up in her pace. Even I did.”
“…That’s the kind of person she was, yes.”
Both the vice principal and Maka-sensei had a distant gaze in their eyes.
“Whenever I see that red fiat in the parking lot, I start feeling restless. It makes me think that Fuuka-sensei has returned. Knowing her, it wouldn’t even be weird if she came home just now…”
I don’t know if it’s just my imagination, but it almost looks like the vice principal’s eyes started to get teary. I guess that red fiat really was given to Maka-sensei.
“That reminds me, Saigi-kun resembles Fuuka-sensei in a way. Even though you’re not relia—the straightforward type, people start working for your sake.”
“Not really, I just get wrapped up in everything.”
I feel like she was about to diss me there, but I chose to ignore it.
“That reminds me, is it just you today, Saigi-kun?”
“Ah, maybe I should have come with someone from the committee or student council? I will call them right away.”
Miharu, or Enri?
“Calling a woman over this easily…” I heard Maka-sensei’s howling next to me.
By the way, the committee president is quite the beauty herself.
“No, I am talking about Keimi-san.”
“Eh, Shiya—Excuse me, Keimi-san? Do you know her, Vice Principal?”
“I remember the students who even acted as vice student council presidents. I’ve been seeing her on school grounds a lot as of late. Almost every day, to be exact. Did she…well…go through this so-called high school debut?”
“That is correct.” I firmly nodded.
I mean, the person herself already admitted to it, so it’s fine.
“Is that so…She seemed quite calm and collected with her braids before, but because of her flashy appearance, I was forced to look twice.”
“Even I, as her childhood friend, almost didn’t recognize her.”
“Huh, so you were childhood friends with Keimi-san. You seem quite close with that young girl who likes cats a bit too much as well, just how many girls do you have around you?”
“……”
Weird, we were supposed to be talking about the after-festival, so why did this turn into some interrogation? On a side note, since the vice principal often visits the same cat cafe, she knows what Kuu looks like. And, that girlfriend teacher of mine just glared at me like she was some gang boss. I feel like she has some complaints about my strike zone.
“I still remember how sad she was that she failed to push through the greatest event of the after-festival.”
“Shiya-chan was…?”
Shiya-chan might look like some flashy gal, and was always some kind of terroriser towards me, but deep down, she’s diligent. Even though the failure of the Firestorm back then wasn’t even her own fault, she apparently was pretty hurt about it.
“U-Um, Vice Principal!”
“Eh?”
Just when I remembered the black-haired Shiya-chan, that person’s voice reached my ears. I don’t know since when, but Shiya-chan suddenly stood behind me and Maka-sensei.
“………”
Maka-sensei didn’t even say anything, just moving aside to make room for Shiya-chan to pass through.
“Alumnus Keimi! It’s been a while, Vice Principal!”
“You shouldn’t scream like this, Keimi-san. I still remember you.”
Hearing the vice principal’s words, Shiya-chan started blushing.
“I-I apologize. But, I couldn’t sit around after all. Sorry, Mako, Maka-sa—No, Fujiki-sensei.”
“That’s just fine. You are a staff of this festival after all.”
“That’s right. We requested help from the university students, so there is no problem with you being here, Keimi-san.” The vice principal nodded.
“T-Then, let me say this. I was a coward, and couldn’t even complain when I was told that the Firestorm was cancelled. Because of us, the future generations couldn’t enjoy such a great event, and we stole this important and joyful time from our juniors.” Shiya-chan looked at me. “I couldn’t fight back against the teachers like Mako—No, Saigi-kun does right now, and just did as I was told. I shouldn’t have stepped back this easily.”
“Well, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t end up like Saigi-kun…”
“Back then, I wanted to become like Mako! But, because I was always acting diligent, and naive, that was impossible!”
Hey now, are you dissing me? But, to think that Shiya-chan wanted to become like me…
“All the surveys brought together by Saigi-kun and the others show that the students want to try it. Otherwise they’d regret it even years later, just like me.”
“This isn’t something for you to brood over, Keimi-san. You have already graduated.”
“B-But…! I can’t just act like I don’t know anything! If we need more of a detailed plan, then I will help out!” Shiya-chan slammed her hands on the desk of the vice principal.
“………” The vice principal stared back at Shiya-chan. “There are no problems with the plan itself. Everything needed is written down there, and we even have countermeasures against the people with their possible complaints. It is very well done for the fact that it came from the students.”
“U-Um…Vice Principal?” Shiya-chan blinked in confusion, and then looked at me.
Don’t ask me, I don’t know myself.
“Keimi-san, I remember how earnestly you were working as the vice student council president. I could tell quite easily that what’s inside of you hasn’t changed much, even after your high school debut.”
“Eh? Um, I’m sorry…?”
“You’ve become a university student, so styling yourself up a bit is only natural. Once you step out into society, you will be bound down by its rules after all. Your hard work at school was not for nothing. I know that putting my trust in you will not come back to bite me.” The vice principal said, and turned the screen of the laptop towards us. “I put in points of revision in your plan. After you fixed them, come back to me. Getting the equipment and everything will be getting close, so you can start on ahead. Just make sure that the documents are here in time.”
“Eh…? Vice Principal…does that mean…”
“You’ll give the OK?”
Following Shiya-chan, I gave a dumbfounded reaction.
“If it doesn’t sound that way, then the both of you need some further education, it seems. Need to polish your comprehensive faculty.” The vice principal said with a grin.
I’m sorry, I already have my hands full with someone else’s ‘education’.
“T-Thank you very much, Vice Principal! Come on, you as well Mako!”
“Y-Yeah. Thank you very much!”
“I don’t need any thanks. I just accepted the papers.”
Oh my, is the vice principal quite possibly a tsundere? Of course, I wouldn’t dare break apart this conversation because of my stupid ideas. Just, it seems like Shiya-chan’s earnest work back when she was a student actually paid out for us. Normally, this world makes fun of those who work hard, but I guess it pays them back at times as well.
“Mako, let’s go revise the documents right now! We’ll do it during the day—No, in one hour!”
“Y-Yeah, the schedule is getting awfully tight, after all.”
Shiya-chan asked the vice principal to send her the revised plan, and left the staff room. I honestly didn’t expect to make it past the vice principal this quickly. Well, everything else just went so smoothly, I’m a bit shocked that we got this far. Slightly doubtful, I glanced over at Maka-sensei.
“Fujiki-sensei, it appears as if he already figured it out. I heard he was quite doubtful, but it appears that deceiving him won’t be that easy.”
“Vice Principal, you shouldn’t be calling it ‘deceive’ in front of him…” Maka-sensei glared at the vice principal.
Ahh, I knew it…
“Maka-sensei, were you working behind the scenes?”
“I am the vice advisor of the student council, so of course it is my duty to help out any plans that the student council is trying to push. The advisor of sports clubs tries to get together practice matches with strong schools, and I help my club in a similar way.”
“Well…if you say so?”
It appears as if Maka-sensei had been working herself while we were struggling to get a plan together. With only students and graduates, it would surely prove difficult to deal with the complaints of outsiders. With the help of a teacher—someone related to the school, that problem can be dealt with as well.
“Thank you very much, Maka-sensei.”
“I-I don’t need any thanks. I just did my job.”
You’re a tsundere as well? And, you say that, but your eyes are clearly saying ‘Praise me more, praise me more’. I can even see a tail wagging behind you. I can’t do it here, but once we’re in the clear, I’ll have to praise my girlfriend teacher a lot. Seriously, who am I even? I’ll have to think about that later.
But for now, I’ll have to focus on the culture festival. I’m not really the type to charge straight ahead, but I guess I was influenced by the people around me. Before that, I’ll have to thank Fuuka Shiki-sensei. One day, I want to find out more about you.
CClaw Translations 