Episode 27 – After The Festival

In front of the swimming pool, which is closed during the festival. This is the perfect place to meet up with someone.

“Seita kun !”

When Yua recognized me, she jumped up and raised her hand.

And then she hugged me like she was going to tackle me.

“Uguhh !?”

The unexpected shock pushed all the air out of my lungs at once, making my vision to flicked.

After being hugged so tightly that it hurt for a while, Yua let go of my body and for some reason said with a face that looked like she was about to cry.

“Seita kun…..!”

“W-what……?”

“You did your best……!”

And, as if she was overwhelmed by emotions, her face crumpled. There’s something shining in the corner of her eyes.

Yua was happy. That alone made me feel that everything had paid off. I felt from the bottom of my heart that it was a good thing I did it.

“You did a great job enduring the tension. I was impressed !”

“I’ve heard something about that before.”

“That quiet Seita kun is on the stage in a cultural festival…… You’ve become a great person…… without me knowing it….”

“Are you some kind of a teacher?”

“What kind of reward do you want?”

–Reward, huh….

TI was satisfied with just a word of appreciation., so I don’t have any idea at all.

Yua shyly fidgeted her fingers.

“Anything’s fine. No one’s looking after all….”

“‘Anything’?”

“Eh?”

“Are you sure I can ask for anything?”

I looked into Yua’s face. She backed away and rested her back against the wall, as if she had been pressured.

“Y-yeah.”

Her eyes are straight, a little frightened, but also seems like she was expecting something.

I felt a pleasant sensation inside of my body. Maybe there was still a little bit of the “Hayato” inside me that was making me act so boldly.

“Then.”

“……”

“Let’s go around the festival together.”

“……..Eh?”

Yua was dumbfounded.

“Festival……?”

“Yup.”

“That’s all?”

“That’s all.”

“With such a carnivorous face, your request is rather cute.”

She stared at me intently.

It can’t be helped. No matter how much Hayato is inside, it’s still me in the end.

“But is that okay? The other can see, you know?”

“No one will see it anyway.”

I knew it, I’m still getting worked up. The only thing I’m concerned about is whether or not there will be any strange rumors about Yua.

“If anyone says anything, you can just explain that you guided the poor, lonely senior to the school. It’s more than half true.”

“Hmm~……. Well, if it’s okay with you,m Seita kun. Then, let’s go !”

Saying that, she crossed her arms with mine.

“Well, let’s not get attached to each other.”

“Jeez ! Are you a carnivore or a herbivore? Which is it?”

Yua sulking.

As we wandered around, discussing where to visit, I heard a heavy bass sound coming from outside.

“What is it?”

“Oh yeah, it’s the band.”

Yua’s eyes lit up.

“The light music club should be playing on the outdoor stage.”

“They’re ‘playing’?”

What kind of professional expression is that?

“I wonder what they’re performing. Let’s go !”

She grabbed my hand and started to run.  She looked like an kid in edo era who couldn’t stand still when she heard the sound of taiko drums.

As we ran out the front door, the sound became louder and clearer. We ran toward the sound.

The open-air stage was set up on the embankment in front of the ground. Compared to the stages used by professional artists for their concerts, it was one – maybe four or five times smaller, but it had a decent roof and was quite splendid.

The band members on stage were wearing black shirts with the same design. The audience of about fifty people was also there, not a big crowd, but a decent one. We were among them.

The vocalist announced the name of the next song. The audience in front of us cheered loudly. They seemed to be quite popular.

the drummer counting with the hi-hats. The bass echoes throughout the ground. The guitar sound is ear-splitting. The vocalist’s voice is as high as a little boy.

What an intense rock. I think it’s a genre called alternative rock.

“Kyaaa ! !”

A higher-pitched voice came out. But it wasn’t coming from the fans in front of them, but from right next to me – in other words, from Yua.

“Hyaa ! !”

She was enjoying the music with her whole body, making strange noises, jumping up and down, and headbanging violently.

–Amazing…….

I’ve never been to a live concert because I’m too scared. According to what I’ve heard, the excited audience jumps and bumps into each other. It’s a culture I can’t keep up with.

However, when I see people who are truly enjoying themselves, it makes me feel happy too.

The fans in front of me cheered and did the same thing as Yua. Soon the audience, who had been quietly watching the performance, began to sway and clap their hands. The light music club’s performance became even more energetic.

The heat generated by Yua’s performance spread to the entire venue.

“Haha.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. I wasn’t making fun of her. It was so amazing that it made me laugh. Ah, I knew I couldn’t compete with her.

The light music club’s performance ended, and we left the venue.

“No–.”

Yua, who had been looking satisfied, suddenly turned red in the cheeks and covered her face with her hands.

“Maybe it looked a little forced……”

“Forced, what do you mean?”

“It was amazing, wasn’t it, Light Music Club?”

“You’re right.”

I’m an amateur at this kind of thing, but I think it was pretty good.

“But the audience was too quiet. That’s why I’ve got to liven things up.”

“What’s with that sense of duty?”

“Music is supposed to be fun and to be enjoyed with an empty-head. But everyone was so stiff that I thought someone had to take the lead and be an idiot.”

[But it doesn’t have to be you, Yua.]

I was about to say that, but stopped. The first thing that I wanted to say was that it doesn’t have to be Yua.

“Even you regret that too, right?”

“Of course. –Always.”

Yua is the same as me. The loneliness that I’ve been feeling lately is quickly disappearing.

I felt a gaze from Yua, she seemed to be staring at me.

“What?”

“N-no.”

She quickly turned her face away. And then she said in a whisper.

“…..I’m going to regret it again.”

About what? Just as I was about to ask her that.

“E-even so !”

I was interrupted by a sudden voice.

“The performance was great. Seita kun’s voice was really easy to hear.”

–But the lines were all over the place….

Even if I think about it now, I’ll break into a cold sweat.

“The last confession in particular was very emotional. I thought ‘Hm? Is this a twist where Haruka and Hayato get together?'”

“That was……”

“It’s okay for you to tell me that kind of confession, you know?”

With that, she smiled mischievously.

[I’m confessing my feelings to you.]

I swallowed the words that were about to rise to my throat.

“What’s wrong?”

Yua looked at me suspiciously as I suddenly fell silent.

“N-no……. More importantly, I wonder if there are any bread roll left. Can I get some for takeout?”

“Thank you for your purchase ! Can I eat with you?”

“Don’t suddenly change to some kind of hamburger store clerk.”

“Fufu.”

I managed to cover it up. It’s not something that should be said at this moment.

That is right. That is true. I believe so.

However,

–I’m going to regret it……

That’s what I thought.