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Chapter 18 Part 4: The Culture Festival
Posted on June 22, 2022by ynlucca
Translated and Edited by: ynlucca.
Common Honorifics:
-san: A polite suffix, but not excessively formal.
-kun: A common suffix among friends and younger people.
-chan: A common suffix among people you’re close with, mostly used for feminine nicknames and girls, since it’s cutesy and childlike.
The band performance of the student council, which featured Yuki, ended with great success. You could see such triumph in the overflowing number of students at the gymnasium.
Yuki returned backstage while being blasted by thunderous cheers, then the council members took the stage and began addressing the audience. Since Rikka, a member of the student council, gave us permission to visit the waiting room backstage, Akina and I visited Yuki.
Walking inside, we saw her sweating bullets after the performance. She smiled gleefully while talking to the members of the council. Back at the stage, the black dress she wore was a delight to look at, but seeing her up close really hammered one fact into my mind: she was simply beautiful.
That frilly black dress not only accentuated her pearly skin but also emphasized her body line. Her back was completely exposed, and her bosom was supply held up by her dress.
The angel standing before us wore such a daring and overwhelming outfit, it was only natural she’d ensnare the eyes of countless people up on the stage.
When Yuki’s eyes met mine, she rushed toward me with a grin on her face.
“Haru-kun! Akina-san! I’m so glad you came!”
“Yuki, you were incredible. I was awestruck by your performance.” I praised her.
“I got to see it too. It was even better than the rehearsal.” Akina added.
“I was super nervous, but thanks to you two and the audience, I was able to finish the song. Thank you very much!” She beamed a smile.
Her hard work was etched into my eyes, and that image would never leave me. The way she gave her all prepping for this festival and performing live on stage was a sight to behold.
An overwhelming desire to praise her filled my chest to the brim. Her hard work, her struggles, her success, everything. I was willing to do anything I could for her.
We could hear some members of the council playing on stage, and we kept talking while listening to the harmonious melodies played on stage once more.
“Yuki, what are your plans for the rest of the day?” I ask her.
“After all performers finish, the council president is scheduled to give the closing speech on stage. The performers will then take the stage again, so I’ll be waiting here.”
“And I have to return the instruments and equipment I borrowed by the end of the day, and also finish cleaning up asap. After that, I think we’re all gonna have a congratulatory party.” Akina also had things to do.
“G–Got it. So it’s one more day of coming back home late…”
Since she has to stay in the waiting room, enjoying the festival with her would be impossible. I hoped I could have a fun time with her while enjoying our first high school festival. However, I knew it would be difficult in the first place, I truly knew…
But I still couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed and sad over it.
“President, do we still have some time until the closing speech?” Yuki asked the council president, and she nodded.
“Well, considering the time of each performance, it’ll still be a while until then.”
“Is it fine if I step out for a little bit, then…?”
“Do you need something?”
“Yes. I have something I was looking forward to all day, and I’d like to do it while I can.”
“Yeah, it’s fine then. I’ll send you a message when it’s time, so be sure to come back.”
“Thank you!” Yuki bowed to the president, then grabbed my hand. “Haru-kun, follow me! I want you to come with me.”
“Is that okay? Even if I do—”
“You have to be there. C’mon!” She lead me along, her hand in mine, and we left the waiting room together.
We walk through the excited students watching the rest of the performances, though not many of them noticed she came out. It was partly due to the sheer darkness of the place and the fact they were laser-focused on the stage. Sneakily, we both walk away from there.
After we stepped out of the gym, Yuki smiled tenderly at me.
“Haru-kun, we can’t play for too long, but let’s enjoy the festival together.”
“Yuki… So is the thing you wanted to do…?”
“Yeah, it was walking around with you. I was wondering if I could somehow do it after my performance, so I’m glad the president allowed it.”
“I see, so I wasn’t the only one.”
We both wanted to enjoy the festival together, and it wasn’t my sole wish to do so. Yuki also felt the same. Knowing that, an overpowering bliss filled every crevice in my chest.
“The students should all be at the concert right now, so there aren’t many people lined up at the stalls. Let’s go around as many places as we can, Yuki.”
“Yeah! Let’s make lots of memories, Haru-kun!”
The diva who shone so brightly for every student at that stage smiled, now shimmering only for me.