Chapter 70Kōetsu's Princes
"What's wrong, Sajou, you look tired?"
"...Uh."
While waiting for the next step. I was not a man of emotions, but I was in a state of sadness, having been shown a piece of my youth at a very close range. The nutritional jelly in my one hand barely felt cold or hot. If Shinomiya-senpai hadn't returned a moment ago, I might have thrown this nutritional jelly on the ground without being noticed.
"Oh... it's already noon. We've crossed paths a few times, but there aren't any middle school students anymore, huh?"
I didn't see anyone, maybe they were out to lunch. I haven't eaten lunch myself, either... ...but I already have this and I have no appetite, so it doesn't matter.
"Oh, more and more of them are gathering in the gymnasium. After a while, we'll play the video for about 45 minutes, then Yuuki and I will make a speech in front of them and... ...Well, then we'll start cleaning up."
Looking at her appearance, it didn't seem like something Shinomiya-senpai could tell me easily. It was true that it was indeed tough work, but even so, Shinomiya-senpai shrank back and still felt very uncomfortable.
"You don't need to look so sorry."
"No, I already heard from Yuri. I've made you very depressed."
Who was Yuri? Was she not the senpai in charge of the transportation team?
"Me...— most importantly, don't you think you're underestimating the male members here? We're stronger than you think, you know?"
I realized it, but I didn't want to make eye contact unreasonably. But I could easily recover my physical strength after the break and I would be motivated again by the time we started the transfer task. It's not like it's cool to desperately do it in front of girls, even if they're my senpai-s.
"...I see. Then, I'll rely on you until this afternoon."
"Yeah — No, wait."
Phew, Shinomiya-senpai made a cool decision. Just as I was about to send her off when she passed by me thinking that she was as cool as ever, she placed her palm on my hair as if she was stroking it.
No, seriously?
Wait, wait, wait, eh, what's going on here? Why are you rubbing me so gently? Even though she rubbed me, Senpai is the type of person who would do everything... ...it's not like that. No, no, no... ...Eh?
"Hey, Senpai, what are you doing all of a sudden? Please stop."
"Fufu, it's not bad to make someone other than Yuyu occasionally."
"No, no, look around you. There're a lot of noises around here. Senpai? Look around you, immediately, right now."
"I already know."
Did she realize it? Right, Inatomi-senpai and Mita-senpai have indeed told me a lot about it. I'm glad you're willing to take your hands off me. My stock, which was on the rise, must have plummeted. It's not something her fans want to see their idol Rin-sama caressing the head of a sweaty guy. So please don't push yourself too hard...
"--I envy Kaede."
...Therefore, seriously?
♦
The impact of that one word she said as if she was trying to make the environment around us listen to it was huge. The senpai-s who had been treating me harshly suddenly started treating me as if I were a tumor as if they were examining me. Could it be that they were targeting me...? On the contrary, I feel scared.
And I kept my head tilted for a while. I finally understood how exactly Shinomiya-senpai treated me.
"Come to think of it... ...don't you want to go to the conference room next door when you have free time? There are your classmates too, you should greet them nicely."
"Sajou-kun, do you want to eat pudding?"
"You haven't had lunch yet, right? Do you want to eat a hamburger? I'm on a diet right now."
"..."
You guys were just the same.
Am I your little brother... or your little cousin? Whatever it is, this is not how high school girls treat a high school boy from another family. I'd be happy if one of you put on a more embarrassed face, but... one second Mita-senpai? Don't just casually hand me the chopsticks you used to eat your lunch.
"The conference room seems to be fine. There seems to be another atmosphere there."
"Ah... ...Right. They are handsome and beautiful."
"You want to go there, right? You want to go there, right? Please eat this hamburger yourself."
So fat, and getting fatter. Getting fatter and more desperate with how lighthearted you feel while taking care of Inatomi-senpai. I also don't want to peek into the conference room because it could kill my mentality, so I don't want to go there either.
After waiting for the main group to finish their break, the students involved gathered in the gymnasium. To give them a welcome, the students were placed on both sides of the gymnasium. After it was over, we were going to remove the pipes and everything else to be moved, so I just waited.
I sat on the front left of the gymnasium with the members of the Disciplinary Committee and examined the faces of the assembled middle school students. Gakuran*, sailor, blazer, gakuran... from here it was hard to tell which middle school they were from. From a distance, their uniforms were not very distinctive.
(TL Note: Typical Japanese school uniform for boys.)
The middle school students seemed to be watching the faces of the students of this high school. Come to think of it, the group guiding them are all handsome and beautiful, so it must be natural for ordinary boys to notice their appearances. They probably thought that there was a face check like a female announcer.
A senpai who seemed to be a member of the Broadcasting Committee acted as an MC, and a 45-minute video introducing our high school was shown for the first time. We, the current students, spent time in our new positions, smiling at the middle students who watched the video.
After the video was over, Yuuki-senpai, also known as the Student Council President, came up to the podium. If you look carefully, you will see the Student Council members lined up on the opposite side of the podium. Hey, Big Sis, why are you yawning? Stop yawning, Big Sis.
'Dear middle school students, welcome to Kōetsu High School. I am the Student Council President, Yuuki Hayato...'
The appearance of that tall and handsome guy with his gorgeous eyebrows set the hall on fire. I could see the female senpai-s in front and behind me in awe. I wonder what he feels every day. I want to have that kind of face and height just once.
Yuuki-senpai's closing greeting and salutation were met with loud applause, and the middle school teachers who had been standing nearby jumped out to calm everyone down. It would be interesting if they shouted encores here, I thought as I watched the scene.
Next, our President of the Disciplinary Committee, Shinomiya-senpai, took the podium... — I just said "our", didn't I? Come to think of it, I'm someone else... Unlike Yuuki-senpai, the place became silent as if time had stopped. I'm sure all of you ordinary guys don't have lives anymore. Me? I've been on the verge of death since the beginning of today.
'─ ─ We, as members of the Disciplinary Committee, will guarantee a peaceful school life for everyone. I look forward to the day when you guys, middle school students gathered here can attend Kōetsu High School.'
You don't need to use your honorifics because they are kouhai-s. There was no noise, but some admiring voices were saying 'Cool...'. For girls, it's easier to become more visible, so they can't wait for her fanbase to grow. She's more dignified when she's in public and she strokes my hair. Won't I get stabbed at night? I hope she doesn't melt my head...
The meeting ended with the main group of students, and the two princes of this high school, showing their full dedication. After that, the senpai-s who attended school were released to go home, and the middle school students used their free time to visit various club activities. When I was in middle school, we didn't have anything like this.
♦
After the middle school students left the hall, I returned to the duty of transporting and cleaning up the pipes and other equipment. The main group of students selected to guide the trial school visit was just regular students, so they were released. The members of the Cultural Festival Executive Committee seemed to be returning to their original duties from now on. From a distance, I saw Natsukawa and Sasaki walking side by side.
Also, I thought it was going to be another tough work, but they said that even though only the prepositioned equipment was heavy and could be taken care of today, the rest could be done later on. But I finished it quickly and completed the help requested by Big Sis.
"—You, did you do a good job?"
The School Visit Trial Organizing Committee was disbanded for a while, the conference room became empty and I rested at the Discipline Committee Headquarters again. Then the Student Council Vice President came and thanked me. I wondered, would it be okay if I responded to her question?
"I've done well enough to earn the rewards."
"...I see. Good job."
"Oh? Aren't you going to see Shinomiya-senpai?"
"No, I'm not."
Big Sis uttered words of gratitude and was careless in her duties as if it was someone else's business. When I asked her if she wanted to meet Shinomiya-senpai, she answered in a very flat tone. She didn't actively approach Senpai herself... ...Is it possible that Big Sis doesn't care about her as I do?
"You, don't you want to meet her in the next room?"
"No, there's no need. It seems like it will be difficult."
If I go to meet those who are resting, I could die, so I won't do that. So that's it, huh? Behind the dry words, there was this kind of complicated situation. I don't know if there are many things I should do with Big Sis.
"Difficult...? All they have to do at the Cultural Festival Executive Committee for this summer is just fill out a lot of forms. There must be a lot of free time."
"Oh, is that so?"
"That's right. You should at least say a few words to her."
Big Sis left with some disturbing words. Big Sis disliked Shinomiya-senpai, but... ...now that I think about it, she sent me here to return the favor. I don't understand Big Sis anymore.
"Sajou-kun, you are the Student Council Vice President's little bro, huh...?"
"Eh, is there something strange about Big Sis?"
"It's not that she's weird, ...I mean, is she cooler than the dignified President Shinomiya... ...Um, or do you have the image that she has high fighting skills?"
"Fighting skills?"
A female senpai said that to me, and when I asked her about it, she gave a surprising answer. And also, don't be scared so in an obvious way. However, I must agree with her about Big Sis' fighting ability. At least I never thought that Big Sis was cool in her everyday clothes at home... ...she just looked like an old lady.
Author's Note: That's a good assumption.
TL: Reeze27
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
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