Chapter 70

Translator: mii

Editor: Ryunakama

# # #

Friday

The student council’s school festival bazaar preparation was finished.

In the first place, we didn’t really have to prepare many things for the bazaar. Line up the desks, put out the chairs, create a space for the customers to pay (it seems like there would be shifts, and we finished assembling it properly), and discuss whether we can really sell the items our parents provided… That’s all.

Since I finished this early, I was going to go home immediately. But then, I stopped for a moment, thinking how about I went to see the art club, where Kouhai-chan was.

Turning back to the school building, I suddenly noticed a serious problem.

Yes.

I didn’t know where the classroom used by the art club was.

I also didn’t have the vitality to look around for it.

I went out from the school filled with festive air, and started walking towards the station.

* * *

The night passed, and the morning came.

On November 25th, the cultural festival began.

The art club I belonged to (even though I didn’t go to the club activities at all…) would exhibit works made by the members.

To be honest, it would be unpopular. The showy, liveliness, and the brightness were lacking. There was not much conversation there as well. People would just take a quick look, and it would be over. We should even be happy just by having people coming to the classroom.

In the first place, there were many places where there were only a few people in the cultural department. Of course, art club was no exception. We had a shortage of manpower. That’s why, I was also assigned to keep a watch on the exhibition classroom, even though I was just a ghost member.

In the morning of the first day of the school festival, I would stay in the classroom with Idezuka-senpai (I finally remembered his name) from 9 o’clock until past noon.

In the end, I came to the school at the same time as yesterday. Of course, not together with senpai. He said he was coming to school after noon before. It couldn’t be helped.

「Good morning.」

When I entered the classroom adorned with the various things we set-up yesterday such as my illustrations, oil paintings, sculptures and so on, Idezuka-senpai already came.

「Ah, Yoneyama-chan. You came.」

「Please take care of me.」

「Well, we didn’t have a lot of people coming last year, so let’s take it easy.」

「Ah, yes.」

I checked with Idezuka-senpai about what to do.

Basically, we were going to watch over the exhibits. If there were people who were interested in the painting, we could talk to them while watching the situation.

「It’s 9 AM. Starting from now, the cultural festival officially starts.」

The cultural festival started with the school broadcast.

* * *

There were visitors coming in to take a peek, but they leave immediately after a quick glance.

「Uhm…」

One hour had already passed since we started.

I was only doing the club activities sloppily, but it was kind of lonely looking at how the works of other people in the art club were just given a quick glance.

「Well, that’s how it will be.」

There was senpai’s sarcastic voice, which laced with a little irony.

「You don’t have to say that, senpai.」

Eh, huh?

「Nn? Senpai? Why are you here?!」

Senpai was standing in front of me who was sitting in the corner of the classroom.

I panicked a little bit, so I tried to calm myself.

Cough.

「『Today’s question.』Senpai, why did you come to this place?」

# # #

When I thought she was daydreaming, I talked to her, but then she glared at me as if questioning me.

Rather, she even asked me the question already. Can’t I just do it for fun?

…Well, fine.

「After this, we will start the bazaar. I come a little early, and took a peek here.」

I also wanted to see Kouhai-chan’s drawings as well, though.

「Just that?」

Uwuwu.

Since we promised not to lie, I wouldn’t be able to deceive her.

「I also want to see just how does Kouhai-chan’s drawing look.」

「What’s with that arrogant attitude?」

「You’re from the art club, right?」

「I’m a ghost member, though.」

「It’s not something you should be proud of…」

Well, what’s good is that my question has passed away.

「Then, which one is Kouhai-chan’s drawing?」

「You should know just by looking, right? Here it is.」

There was a illustration near Kouhai-chan’s seat.

The surroundings were just oil paintings and watercolors, and this one was the only digital illustration.

It was a picture of a lake.

There were two pufferfish swimming in the southern sea where many corals grew. I wonder why it was pufferfish. No, it was because I said it before, though. But there should be lots of other beautiful fish, such as butterflyfish.

One of the pufferfish was pure white, and the other was a little yellowish.

Which one is which? When that kind of thought came to my mind, I retorted to myself, what the heck am I even thinking.

「Senpai, uh…」

Kouhai-chan got up from her chair, the sound reverberating through the room.

* * *

「Please don’t look at it that much.」

「Ha?」

「It’s embarrassing.」

I never knew that having someone staring at the drawing I drew would be this embarrassing.

Until now, I only published what I drew online, so I never knew.

「But you draw it to show it to other people, right? Isn’t this fine?」

「Thank you very much. You can go home now.」

I pushed senpai’s back out of the classroom.

I felt like he was protesting, but I decided not to mind it.

Idezuka-senpai called out to me when I returned to my original position.

His words resonated in the classroom with no visitors.

「I think that’s how it is to have other people look at our product.」

Is that so?

I wonder.

When I was mulling over it, my shift was over. With this, I didn’t have anything else to do, eh. I’m sure I wouldn’t come to the art club until next year’s cultural festival season.

Now then. Since I was free, let’s go to where senpai was.

Looking at the classroom with guides on where the student council bazaar was, it was on the top floor of the school building.

Why was it at the place where only a few people would come?

When I opened the door, senpai was sitting right next to the door.

「Why do you come here now?『Today’s question.』」

He suddenly questioned me, making me a little troubled on how to answer this.

But there was basically no choice but to answer with the truth.

「It’s because senpai is here.」

「Oi, what is the meaning of that?」

「I came to see if something interesting happens.」

「There’s nothing…」

Since this was a bazaar, there were naturally some products to sell.

When I looked around, er, how should I say it.

「It’s just full of junk.」

「It seemed like the neighbors came all the way this morning and bought everything valuable.」

「I see.」

Then, there wouldn’t be that much people in this classroom anymore.

Meaning, I could talk to senpai as much as I want.