Chapter 20 - The school festival begins. (Part 1)
Late September, on a Saturday.
The forecast said there was a slightly high chance of rain, but for now, the weather was holding up as we rolled into the afternoon.
"Step right up~! A real escape game for couples only~! Don't miss it!"
"The live performance starts at 2 PM~! Join us at the main gym~!"
Yep, today was a special weekend day, the day of my school festival.
Everywhere you looked, different classes, clubs, and even volunteer groups were putting on performances, hosting activities, and showcasing creative ideas in classrooms, on outdoor stages, and throughout the school grounds. The air buzzed with excitement, laughter, cheers, and even the occasional scream.
As for me, Shirasaka Hikari, I'm not exactly the type to be into intense extracurriculars like joining a band or theater troupe. But today, I was fully participating in my one and only affiliation: Class 2-C's project.
"W-Welcome home, M-Master..."
"Uh... yeah..."
Yep. Our project? A maid café -- one of those things that started trending in Akihabara about twenty years ago and has since firmly cemented itself in otaku culture.
This idea caused a huge debate in our class. There were heated arguments between guys and girls, introverts and extroverts. But ultimately, the plan won out, thanks to its tried-and-true popularity at school festivals, the girls wanting to wear cute uniforms, and the boys... well, wanting to see them in cute uniforms.
Unfortunately... I was against the idea, I even voted "no" in class, yet, here I am, wearing a frilly maid outfit and working the floor.
And to make things worse, my very first customer was...
"You actually came, Ta~kun..."
"Well, didn't you invite me?"
"I didn't tell you come to my class, though...!"
Of course, it's none other than him, the guy I handed my spare invitation to.
This is the same guy who texted me Sorry, overslept. when I was free all morning, only to show up the second my shift started in the afternoon. What kind of sick joke is this?
And, as if that weren't enough, the harassment didn't stop with just him...
"Oh, is that the famous Ta~kun?"
"Wait, Harucchi, I can't see! Move over!"
"Seriously? Flaunting your boyfriend at the school festival? Read the room, Hikari!"
"...You're one to talk!"
From the backstage area, two completely tactless pests shamelessly pass judgment loud enough for me to hear every word.
But now's not the time to let embarrassment or confusion take over.
That's right -- work is work!
I guide him to a window seat, lay out the napkin and utensils.
And then, I flash my brightest smile.
"Your order is the iced coffee set, right? Please, enjoy yourself~!"
...And the second I finish, I make a full 180, and sprint away to the backstage area.
"H-Haru! What do I do? He totally saw me in this embarrassing outfit!"
"What do you do?! You freakin' traitor!"
I grab my friend Haru by the collar -- she's the only one hanging around back here -- and shake her with all my might.
But even seeing me in full panic mode, she just shrugs me off with an even sulkier attitude than usual.
"What's your deal!? You've been pestering me since forever to confess, and now you're acting like this?"
"Listen here. I'm not the kind of saint who can sit back with a smile while my friend cozies up to some guy right in front of me, okay? I liked it better when you'd just flail around like always, freak out, and totally blow your chances!"
Wow. Just... woooow. I've been counting on her, but what a jerk she is.
Maybe it's time to reevaluate this friendship?
"But like, if he's going out of his way to come see you at the school festival all alone, this is basically a done deal. You don't even need to ask for an answer."
"R-Really...? You think so, right?"
Well, okay, I'll admit it -- Haru does have her moments of clarity and solid judgment.
"...Anyway, shouldn't you get back to your boyfriend instead of leaving him hanging?"
"Oh shoot, I totally forgot! Haru, one iced coffee, please!"
"Sure thing~... Oh, but before that, you might wanna take care of that first."
"That?"
Haru points through the curtain gap toward his table by the window...
"Oooh, so you're Hikarin's...?"
"H-Huh...?"
"Mmm-hmm, I see, I see. So this is her type, huh?"
"U-Um, and you are...?"
"Oh, don't mind me. I'm kinda like Hikari's best friend... or maybe her poison tester? Something like that~."
"Sorry for the wait~, here's your iced coffee~! Let's go, Yuki!"
Before I even realize it, Yuki is sitting across from him like a customer, in full interrogation mode. I grab her by the scruff of the neck and drag her back to the backstage area.
"What are you doing, Yuki!?"
"Hmm, well, I mean... yeah, he's normal, like you said, but not bad at all. More like, totally acceptable. Maybe even above average?"
"That's not what I asked!"
Okay, but thanks for the compliment!
Still, no more snooping. I won't allow it!
"You two are seriously the worst. Stop getting in the way! You're completely useless when it actually counts!"
"Well, you see..."
"It's not so much about being useless as it is not wanting to be used, y'know?"
"Aaaahhh! Where's Aya-chan when I need her the most!?"
"Now that you mention it, she was just here."
"She's always pretending to be helpful, but somehow she sneaks off when it matters most. Classic Aya-chan."
This is exactly why all four of us were put on the same shift -- to handle unexpected situations like this. But here we are: two are useless, one has vanished...
Once again, I can feel it -- just as Haru predicted, I'm going to flail around and mess everything up.
"So, anyway, what's the plan? Like, what's your game today?"
"Uh, um, after my shift ends, I'll change, meet up with him, and then we'll check out the festival together..."
"And the big love declaration moment?"
"At the dance party during the after-festival event..."
"Yeah, that's the obvious choice."
"It's totally set up for those scenes, right?"
The dance party in the gym after the festival ends...
It's technically supposed to be just for students after the invited guests leave, but nobody follows that rule because, well, student convenience.
"So, Hikari. Have you asked him yet? To the after-party?"
"Um, I was thinking I'd first, you know, negotiate with him to wait until my shift ends..."
"You haven't even done that yet?"
Yeah, as usual, my grand plan exists only inside my head.
To actually pull it off, I'll need more negotiation skills, better coordination, and -- most of all -- way more courage than I normally have.
"But you know, Hikari, looks like he's already left."
"...What?"
Before I even had the chance to psych myself up to scale this insurmountable hurdle...
The foundation of all my hopes was swept away in an instant.
............
............
The seat by the window was empty. At some point, he'd quietly left.
Leaving behind an empty glass of iced coffee, an opened syrup cup.
And a napkin.
"Not even ten minutes passed..."
"Well, being stared at like that probably made him uncomfortable, don't you think?"
"Whose fault is that, huh?"
No, it's not their fault.
It's mine.
He came. He actually came.
And yet, just like always, I got too nervous to face him properly, left him alone, and spent all my time talking with my friends instead...
"Why don't you just message him, for now?"
"I can't. My phone's in my locker while I'm on shift."
"Ugh..."
It's always like this in the end...
It doesn't matter if it's a big event or the perfect chance.
I mean, it's not like I have to wait for a special occasion to confess.
But I convince myself it has to be during a big moment. And then, when that chance slips away, there's always a tiny part of me that feels relieved.
At this rate, I'll never...
"Huh?"
"What's up, Haru~chi?"
"This napkin... there's something written on it."
"Wha...?"
But then...
There, on the back of the napkin left at his table...
"To Hikari: Message me when your shift ends. I'll wait."
"...!"
"...Ooooh."
"...Yayyy!"
The ink was a little smudged from, making it hard to read.
But there was no way I could misunderstand what he was trying to say.
............
............
I'm Shirasaka Hikari, sixteen years old......
......and today's the day I'm gonna tell him how I feel.
No matter what happens.
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