Chapter 75The Goddess Has a Premonition
"My name is Sasaki Takaaki, and I will be your guide. I look forward to working with you today."
"Likewise, I'm Natsukawa Aika. I look forward to working with you."
We had the middle school students line up in front of the entrance holding signs with the name of their middle school. Many of them were less than a year away from me. There were only six boys from that middle school, but it was quite a large number of boys for me to handle in a more senpai-like manner, so I was a bit overwhelmed.
I thought it would be a good time for me and Sasaki-kun to appeal. Since the tour route had already been determined, so we walked slowly and explained the school's traditions, classrooms, and facilities. I continued the tour with a bit of exaggeration, emphasizing the fact that this high school had developed in a different way from middle school.
"Here, here, you're Natsukawa-san, right? Which middle school did you go to?"
"Eh?"
In the middle of the tour, a boy with waxed hair approached me with a question. I subconsciously felt intimidated by his attitude, which I didn't think was appropriate for a senpai.
"Okay, please don't ask irrelevant questions."
"Ah...?"
"Um..."
Sasaki-kun interrupted the boy who approached me and me. You can see that Sasaki was annoyed by his wayward behavior. Behind him, the other middle school students were too helpless and confused to do anything.
I must show some attitude as a senpai. What will Shinomiya-senpai do? What will Kei do...? ...What will Wataru do?
As I thought about such things, I realized that the people who came to my mind were people who carried out their duties with selfless sincerity.
"This high school doesn't need students like you."
"Eh?"
"I told you this high school doesn't want you. Didn't you listen to me?"
Like the salesmen and the customer, they probably thought we didn't have much to say. From Kōetsu High School's perspectives, they did want to increase the number of new applicants as much as possible.
But still, it is a popular high school. It's an exaggeration, but it's close to residential areas, tuition fees are low, and it's a preparatory high school so it can be used for university entrance exams. Now that I think about it, I'm starting to think that we don't need to go to the trouble of making a detailed explanation of our high school like this to attract applicants.
Hence, I don't think this kind of boy should be treated with an inferiority complex.
"Regardless of this boy..., we'll give you a good tour. Come on, follow us."
I emphasized his bad attitude so as not to damage the reputation of the middle school itself, and we continued the tour. I pushed the back of Sasaki-kun, who looked somewhat surprised and continued as if nothing had happened. In this kind of situation, it's the one who gets angry who loses. I was scared, but Sasaki-kun was also there. Let's do our best right now.
As I looked back while pretending to be stern, that boy followed behind me awkwardly and quietly.
"...Natsukawa, you can also say that kind of thing, huh?"
"I'm used to doing that kind of thing to another boy."
"..."
I said that on the spur of the moment. I didn't say who it was, but he'll probably understand. Wataru, I think he's been talking to Sasaki-kun since the beginning of the first semester. More than that, reluctantly, I admit that the conversation between me and Wataru seems to have become rather special.
...I wonder what Wataru is doing now, huh?
"Um! This school uniform is cute, isn't it?!"
"Yeah, that's right. That's one of the reasons why I go to school here."
We continued the tour while making small talk in the "right" way.
Some of the information about this high school that I had read from the material made me interested and was easy to remember. Thanks to this, I was able to smoothly explain a classroom that I had never been to before and it went smoothly.
"We've finished the school tour. Does anyone have any questions?"
"Yeah—."
I was 50/50, ...but Sasaki-kun only got questions from girls, which made me smile wryly. No matter what, it's because he's so handsome. Maybe the younger boys had questions they wanted to ask too. Maybe they didn't open their mouths because they were a bit jealous of Sasaki-kun.
After answering a few questions, we had lunch. Whether they brought lunch or not, we led them to the cafeteria, which was reserved especially for this day, and had them sit on the designated seats.
"After this, there will be a video presentation at the gymnasium at 1 pm. Therefore, everyone is expected to eat lunch before that and proceed to that activity, so please be careful."
"That's all the guidance we can give you today. After that, you can visit the club activities. You are free to go home, so you can wander around as much as you like."
"Yeah! Roger that!"
Our duty was over here. We returned to the Conference Room for the School Visit Trial Committee, had lunch, and went to the gymnasium 45 minutes after the video presentations for the middle school students began. It was indeed a fairly short task in time, but I felt quite mentally exhausted.
"It's hard to deal with middle schoolers, huh?"
"Is that so...? ...I think Sasaki-kun is popular among middle schoolers."
"No, yeah... ...that's why boys get annoyed with me..."
"Oh... ...yeah, I guess so."
The boys who acted as guides were all handsome, including the senpai-s, and it might be a bit sad for middle school boys who wanted to make themselves look cooler. But, if they acted like that, I wouldn't have a good impression of them.
When we returned to the Conference Room, almost ten senpai-s had already returned. I was relieved to know that we weren't the only ones who finished the tour in record time.
I glanced at the seats where the Disciplinary Committee members were sitting, but it seemed that none of them had returned. The seats were piled high at the end of the room as if someone had organized it. Perhaps they weren't coming back...?
"So, Natsukawa, where are we having lunch together?"
"Eh-?"
Were we going to have lunch together? It was a mere question, but it was probably reasonable considering the current situation. Normally, Sasaki-kun and I would have our lunch if we didn't have lunch together. I realized that we're not the only ones in that kind of situation. Wataru... ...I wonder if he'll come back?
Sasaki-kun seems to have brought his lunchbox like me. Once he unwrapped it, Sasaki-kun looked a bit awkward. As he turned his back to me and seemed to be doing something to his lunch with the chopsticks he took out.
"No, it's not my handmade..."
"Oh, I see."
When I looked at the slightly mixed rice, I found it was covered with pink-colored batter scattered on top. In addition, a long and thin omelet shaped like a letter was crumbled on top. This... ...might seem cute at first.
"Hmm, unfortunately."
"I-It's embarrassing, please understand."
Sasaki-kun's embarrassed expression was new to me. I've always pictured him as a cool guy who can handle anything without a hitch, and this is probably the first time I've seen him upset like this. I'm sure he's like this at home too...
I also spread out my lunchbox and ate it. The two of us have had lunch together like this several times since summer vacation, but Sasaki-kun always has something new to tell me. I may not be a talkative person, so I appreciate it when he talks to me like this.
But I don't think he needs to force himself on me... ...Sometimes, I feel like he's trying too hard to keep the conversation going. He doesn't need to care so much, I don't mind, anyway...
"..."
I looked at the entrance to the Conference Room. Even though I had been here for a long time, there was no sign of Wataru or the Disciplinary Committee members coming back. Perhaps they were resting somewhere else?
In the end, Wataru did not return after lunch was over.
♦
The senpai member of the Disciplinary Committee called us to move to the gymnasium. Inside the gymnasium, the visiting middle school students were sitting in rows based on their middle school. As we were guided to the front on the left, I realized that the Disciplinary Committee members were in front of us.
—Oh, Wataru...
There are only three people in front of us. There was a familiar figure there. Wataru was watching the video that was playing in front of him and seemed to be looking at the middle school students from time to time. I rarely see his emotionless face like that, so it was rather refreshing.
...Eh?
I realized this as I observed Wataru from a distance. There aren't many male members of the Disciplinary Committee...? Except for the big-bodied Senpai next to him, I don't see any other boys. If you look closely, you can see that they're surrounded by girls. I don't think so, but I almost suspect that Wataru joined the Disciplinary Committee with ulterior motives.
After the video finished playing, the Student Council President, Yuuki-senpai, accompanied by Wataru's big sister, went up to the podium and started his speech. In an instant, there was an uproar among the middle school students. It couldn't be helped, because Yuuki-senpai, the Student Council President, was so shiny that he outshone even Sasaki-kun. I've seen him several times since I entered this high school, but I seem to doubt that he exists in the real world. I don't know how Wataru's big sister could exist next to a guy like him. If it were me, I'd probably faint.
After that, Shinomiya-senpai stood up from the front of the row where we were sitting and went up to the podium. She stood proudly while swinging her long black hair in pigtails and flooded the place with the words "Cool!" which made me think that he was talking about the opposite of Yuuki-senpai's, and in the end, she left her words that seemed to embrace everyone in the hall as she gracefully left the podium.
...C-Cool...
Without realizing it, I found myself praying with my arms crossed over my chest. No wonder she has so many fans. I can understand why that Kei is one of her fans. It was completely unconscious. I wish I could be that confident. I may not be as strong as Kei, but I admire her a lot.
It seemed that they were stunned for a moment. When I came to my senses, I was observing the middle school students leaving the hall while walking along with their surroundings. There was still a nagging feeling in my heart. I felt a bit confused, but as one of the Disciplinary Committee member senpai-s clapped their hands, I regained my sense of reality.
"Alright! You can all get out of here!"
"Y-Yeah!"
Before we knew it, our job was over. The Disciplinary Committee had to clean up the place afterward. I wondered if we should help too, but no one called out to us. I guess it's okay since they have enough people.
"...Hmm."
Wataru... was there. He was lifting large equipment on the stage with the other Disciplinary Committee member Senpai. He was working hard, in no mood to talk to anyone. Watching him work earnestly, I thought he looked cool for a moment.
"Natsukawa, let's go."
"Eh? Y-Yeah..."
When I looked back, I found that there was a senpai from the group that guided us, and kindly offered to help clean up. I was just about to say, "In that case, I'll do it too," when Sasaki-kun called out to me. While most of the students turned back to the school building, I, a first-year student, did not dare to come forward to call out his name.
"Oh..."
In the end, as I saw Wataru before my eyes for the last time, I was filled with indescribable feelings. After all, although we hadn't seen each other for a long time, we hadn't exchanged a single word. Could it be that... ...this was my last chance to see him?
I left the gymnasium with a slight sense of loneliness in my heart.
TL: Reeze27
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
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