Volume 2 - CH 15

After the turbulent cultural festival preparations, the festival will finally be held tomorrow. We managed to finish all the preparations the evening before because of our three-year experience, but looking at the school building from the schoolyard, there were still many classes with their lights on.

“Whew! Finally, the preparations are over.”

“I know this happens every year, but it was really tiring. By the way, the quality of the costumes was really good!

“I thought so too! I didn’t know Miyama-san could make clothes like that.”

“Right? I mainly sewed according to the pattern, and Sayuki-chan did the designing. But thanks to that, I got to know Sayuki-chan well, and in my opinion, it was a lot of fun.”

Sayuki Mitani.

This girl is one of the three people who were good friends with Hazuki.

The reason for our breakup is probably not detailed, so I’m sure she had her own thoughts about me and Kanade. But I am glad that I became good friends with Kanade because of the preparation for the festival. I want Kanade to always have a smile on her face.

“I’ve got to work on the ‘Satoru-kun, confess your feelings at the school festival’ plan!”

“Ah, yes, that’s right. Let’s make a good decision at this time when Tanuki-san isn’t around.”

“Uuu… What we have are our best friends…”

Tanuki-san had been coming home late due to her recent preparations for the school festival, so she had gone home ahead of us. We decided to go to a family restaurant to plan a strategy to increase the probability of success of Satoru’s confession.

Kanade and I are sure that his confession will be successful, so today we are going to make Satoru’s love story a side dish and have a lot of fun.

———

“I think the best time to confess would be around the campfire after the party, don’t you think?”

“That would certainly be the best time to confess your feelings.”

“But the problem is that many people are likely to confess their feelings at that time, so the location will be important.”

We arrived at the family restaurant, and as soon as we were seated, we discussed how the confession would be made. But the conversation was mainly between me and Kanade.

“Hey, aren’t you two having fun without me?”

Satoru, who was getting drinks for us at the drink bar, gave me a reproachful look. Incidentally, I didn’t make Satoru a passerby at the drink bar, but rather he said to me, “I’m the one who asked for it today, so I’ll get it for you!” So, I asked him to get it for me.

“No, it’s not like that. Right, Yuu-kun?”

“Oh, yeah? I’m looking forward to your confession finally getting serious… no, we’re seriously talking about it to make it a success.”

“Yuuri… you already said you’re looking forward to it…”

“Hmm? Was it? That doesn’t matter, let’s decide what to do!”

Satoru is giving me the jittery stare, but I’m not at all interested in a guy’s jittery stare, so I seriously wish he would stop. Seeing our exchange, Kanade says, “You are such good friends,” and smiles.

———

Satoru’s confession plan was to call Tanuki-san to the classroom at the time the campfire was lit and Satoru would confess his feelings to her. From the classroom, Satoru could see the campfire and there was a good chance that no one would be there.

“I’m looking forward to the festival. It would be great if those two became lovers!”

After we left Satoru, we went to Hanasaki Park.

It was the first time I had been to this park since Yoshi-chan’s confession.

“They are perfect for each other. By the way, do you know how Tanuki-san feels about Satoru? I think he’s got a pretty good chance of getting a hit.”

“Umm. She hasn’t clearly said she likes him, but I’m sure she is aware of him. I don’t know if Kozue-chan herself is aware of it, but she is always following Satoru with her eyes. But my concern is that we are almost close to the entrance exam. But the four of us usually have study sessions together, and we all want to go to the same university. I think we’ll probably be fine.”

Yes. As Kanade said, the four of us are studying hard to go to the same university. It all started when the four of us were studying together during summer vacation and Kanade said, “It would be great if the four of us, who were in the same class all through high school, went to college together.” From then on, the four of us became not just friends, but comrades who aspire to go to the same university.

“You know, the four of us have a very good relationship right now.”

Kanade muttered as she looked up into the pitch-black sky.

She was probably thinking of the former group of four, not just the current relationship at face value.

“I never thought we would end up going to the same place for college. It would be really great if we continued on to graduate together.”

“Haha, that would be really great! But, it might be difficult to be in the same place until you are working. But it would be nice if we could keep the same relationship even after we grow up.”

It is quite common for people to grow apart from their old friends as they go to college and develop new friendships. However, Kanade knew that, and she still dared to say that she wanted to stay with the four of us as we are now. Perhaps Kanade is even more afraid of the breakdown of our relationship than I am.

I wonder how long Kanade will continue to have the same relationship with me.

How long will I continue to cling to Kanade’s goodwill?

I have to change too.

I can’t just keep being spoiled by Kanade.

If I keep on being ambiguous, Kanade will get fed up with me and her heart will leave me this time.

I don’t want that to happen.

I don’t want to let go of Kanade.

This is completely my ego. It’s nothing but ego. But this is how I really feel.

I love Kanade Miyama.