"Now then, what should I get?"
Natsumi-senpai began scanning the menu with visible excitement. Since her hobby was visiting cafes, I wondered what kind of impression a mere school festival stall would make on her... though I knew better than to expect her to be overly critical in a setting like this.
Meanwhile, Yuji was watching Natsumi-senpai with an amused expression, seemingly on standby for some reason. He could have just looked at the menu with her.
"Have you decided, Todo-san?"
"Hmm, I think I'll go with the milk tea. How about you, Yokokawa-kun?"
"Let's see... I'll have..."
In contrast to Yuji and Natsumi-senpai, Hayato and Todo-san were huddled together, consulting over a single menu. They had always been on good terms, but ever since Hayato started being more proactive, a clear shift in their dynamic had emerged.
It felt like Todo-san was actually accepting it... so perhaps it wasn't just Hayato who had changed?
"Hmm... what to do... Hanako-san, have you decided?"
"Iced coffee."
"And you, Nishikawa-san?"
"I'll have the Darjeeling."
Since the options were limited to begin with, the orders were decided in quick succession. By the way, Sara-san and I had made up our minds long ago.
"Master, My Lady, have you decided on your orders?"
A maid arrived to take our order at just the right time. It was the duo from the Natsumi-senpai Fan Club. Instead of stopping at the edge of the table, they somehow positioned themselves deep in the seating area... right next to Natsumi-senpai. Not that I particularly minded.
"Oh, those look good on you."
"A-Ah, thank you very much!"
"We're so happy!"
The two of them exchanged delighted looks after being praised by Natsumi-senpai, then struck a pose by slightly lifting the hems of their skirts—that specific bow maids do in anime or manga. They probably hadn't come up with that on the spot; it was likely planned from the start.
"I'll have a Vienna coffee."
"Understood!"
Natsumi-senpai gave her order first, which prompted the others—Yuji, Hayato, and the rest—to follow suit in order of their seating. By the time Hanako-san ordered her iced coffee, only Sara-san and I were left.
"I'll have a hot Earl Grey, please."
"Understood. And for Takanashi-kun..."
"For Kazunari-san, an iced tea, please. He doesn't need milk, but please provide two gum syrups."
"Eh? Ah, yes. U-Understood!"
When Sara-san gave them my order, the two of them looked slightly surprised. I didn't recall making a particularly strange request...
By the way, the reason I wanted two gum syrups wasn't that I had a sweet tooth. Depending on the shop, iced tea can sometimes have a very distinct, bitter aftertaste... so it was more of a personal preference.
"Please wait just a moment."
After re-confirming our orders, the two of them bowed and headed back toward the curtain. As I watched them go, I could see my classmates peeking out from behind the curtain that partitioned the kitchen, watching us with great interest. Were those guys actually doing their jobs?
Wait, maybe I wasn't the one to talk since I was fully enjoying the school festival... No, no, our presence here was part of our patrol duties. We were here to inspect whether the class was properly running the cafe... yeah.
Who was I even making excuses to?
"Um, Satsukawa-senpai?"
"Yes?"
Tachikawa-san, who had suddenly looked over, tilted her head curiously. The two from earlier were the same, but had something happened during that exchange?
"Did Takanashi-kun ever say what he was going to order?"
"Kazunari-san has been quite into iced tea lately."
To be precise, it was just that Sara-san is a tea lover and we often have it at home, so I ended up getting hooked on it too.
"Sigh... You two are already a complete married couple."
"Hey, how did you reach that conclusion?"
I couldn't help but retort at Tachikawa-san's mutter, which was laced with a bit of exasperation. Even if being called a married couple is practically the truth at this point, how did it follow from that sequence of events?
"No, I mean, you're so connected that she can order for you without even asking. She knows your preferences perfectly."
"Ah..."
"Fufu... when you live together, you come to know that much."
"Um, that's exactly why I'm calling you a married couple..."
"Tachikawa-san, it's useless to try and point things out to these two."
"I see how it is..."
Damn it, I did it again out of habit. Since I've been ordering the same thing lately, Sara-san just ordered for me as she usually does... I've become so accustomed to it that I didn't feel anything was out of the ordinary. Habit is a scary thing.
"Excuse me, Satsukawa-senpai. May I have a moment?"
Just as that conversation was ending, a voice called out from behind us. When I turned to check, it was our Class Representative. He wasn't wearing a maid outfit, by the way. Or rather, when did he get here?
"Yes, what is it?"
"Well, if you'd like, would you care for some food as well? Think of it as a thank-you for the cooking class, or perhaps a tasting..."
"A tasting... indeed, I was curious about how it turned out."
Since she had held the cooking class herself, it was only natural for Sara-san to be concerned about the results. The reason Sara-san sent a questioning glance my way was likely a matter of stomach capacity. Especially since I had eaten way too much at lunch...
"If you split the portions, we can eat some too, you know?"
"I want to eat too!"
"Class Rep, is that okay?"
While the backup from Natsumi-senpai and the others was appreciated, it was true that it would be extra work for the cooking staff... so I checked just in case.
"It's fine. I'll split some onto plates then. For the menu..."
"I want the Neapolitan!"
"Sigh... Very well, then that."
The Class Representative let out a wry smile at Sara-san's somewhat weary order. In the end, the original purpose of a "tasting for Sara-san" had flown out the window. And with this, I had yet another thing to thank everyone for.
"Man, that was more exhausting than I expected."
"True, we haven't had a break at all since noon."
"But it's been so long since I've had this much fun!!"
"Yeah! And we still have tomorrow..."
"By the way, Kazunari, is the schedule for tomorrow all set?"
"Yeah. Tomorrow morning we'll cheer for those two, then have lunch and hang out for a bit before the Miss Contest... then the Last Stage in the gymnasium... I guess?"
I was actually interested in the humanities club exhibits too, but cheering for Hayato and Natsumi-senpai's tennis matches was the top priority. And the Miss Contest went without saying. With that, tomorrow's schedule was pretty much set in stone.
"To be honest, the Miss Contest is the one thing I'm not looking forward to."
"Since the Former President and the other officers are taking over the work, we just have to endure it for their sake."
"I know that."
Sara-san looked reluctant, but for now, she didn't seem to have any intention of canceling her participation. And to be honest, I still felt like I didn't want to see Sara-san in something like a Miss Contest... but still, this time, it was for the sake of the future.
"Speaking of which, Nishikawa-san is also very popular."
"No, that's not..."
"In terms of pure popularity with the boys, Eririn was just as high up as Sara. But in Sara's case, she stood out for various other reasons too. Eririn was more low-key."
"Low-key... well, I suppose it's true that I found playing in the dirt with the Gardening Club to be fun. But I don't care about superficial popularity at all; it doesn't make me happy."
"Now that I think about it, it was a dark history for me to intentionally make myself stand out just to get my own way. However, if I consider that it was necessary to be united with Kazunari-san, I have no regrets."
Sara-san's "dark history"... in order to force others to accept her desire to keep people at a distance, she had intentionally made her own capabilities known. As a result, it created the perception of her being "aloof," but at the same time, it gave birth to an idol-like status as a "Goddess." Ironically, that ended up drawing the admiration of the very boys she wanted nothing to do with.
"...That's true, superficial stuff isn't rewarding."
Even Tachikawa-san, who usually acted cheerful, took on a shadowed expression when this topic came up. To us, superficial, flighty people were objects of disgust... especially for Tachikawa-san, they were the source of what could be called trauma.
"By the way, I've never asked before, but why did you transfer schools, Nishikawa-san?"
Todo-san probably asked to change the subject, but I was interested too. I had never asked Nishikawa-san that before, and I was certainly curious why she had gone out of her way to leave her previous school.
"Ah, that's... well, it was to coincide with the opening of a new school funded by the Nishikawa Group. Originally, it was a school that had been consolidated due to a decreasing student population."
"Eri is the daughter of the Nishikawa Group's chairman, after all. To put it bluntly, she's like an advertising tower. If a school is known to be attended by such an important person..."
"I see... by raising the school's prestige through the students attending it, and appealing to the fact that there's a pipeline to the Nishikawa Group, they're aiming to increase the number of applicants in the future... I assume."
"..."
"What?"
Man, she just said it so casually. To reach that conclusion instantly from Sara-san's words—Hanako-san's mind was as sharp as ever. But hearing it that way, it certainly made sense.
"Yes, it's just as Hanako-san says. Besides, although the handover hasn't finished yet due to various reasons, I'm slated to become the next Student Council President soon..."
"I figured it would turn out that way. It's only natural."
"Pretty much. Anyway, that's why I ended up transferring. Honestly, human relationships became boring, but I'm happy to be able to spend time like this with all of you. I'm truly grateful to Takanashi-san once again."
"No, I didn't really..."
"Fufu, this is just how I feel personally."
Saying that, Nishikawa-san showed a somewhat mischievous smile. I was happy that she had become more casual with me than before, but it also meant another person had appeared who enjoyed watching my reactions.
"...I've been a little curious, but Eri, haven't you become quite informal with Kazunari-san?"
"Ah, I thought so too. Eririn, you've never shown that kind of expression to a boy before, have you?"
"Er... well..."
Nishikawa-san looked slightly troubled. I really needed her to handle this well, or I'd be in trouble too. The catalyst for our closeness was likely the whole business with buying the ring, so if she explained it honestly, the ring talk would come out. I wanted her to somehow fudge it, at least until we got through tomorrow. Good luck, Nishikawa-san.
"L-Look, since he's Sara's fiancé, I'll be associating with him for a long time both professionally and personally, right? In that case, it's better if our friendship is on good terms, don't you think?"
"That's true. Well, if Eri is being friendly with that much thought behind it, I don't have anything in particular to say."
"Sara, it's not just someone else's problem, you know?"
"I'm aware. However, the primary focus is Kazunari-san."
It was a bit of a cryptic conversation, but Sara-san seemed to accept it for now. Of course, the fact that Sawa and Nishikawa have inter-company relations is public knowledge, so professional interaction was a possibility. But honestly, I wondered if there would really be that many opportunities for me to interact with the chairman's daughter on a professional level. Well, considering I haven't even started working yet, thinking about that was probably premature.
"...U-Um, is this a difficult conversation?"
"...Not really. It's a conversation about how Kazunari and Nishikawa-san being friendly in private will be useful in the future."
"...Erm, normally, friends being on good terms is just a good thing, right?"
"...For now, that understanding is fine. ...Kazunari needs someone to follow up with him from a different angle than his wife... as I thought, as his older sister, I must..."
"...Hanako-san?"
"Sorry to keep you waiting!"
Just as the conversation hit a lull, a butler and a maid arrived with drinks on trays. Since the staff was different from before, it seemed they were rotating duties. It was obvious from their expressions that they were intensely curious about our group, but they didn't seem inclined to make a scene.
"Please, enjoy!"
Now then, let's take a breather with our drinks...
"Speaking of which, Yokokawa-kun, you had your tarot read earlier too, didn't you?"
"Yeah, I was a bit curious, so I had it done privately. It was just a simple one-card draw, though."
Judging from the conversation, it seemed Hayato had his fortune told while Sara-san and I were having ours done. Honestly, if we'd had time, I would have loved to ask Kishiyama-san to do everyone's.
"Hmm... is the result something we can hear?"
"I don't mind. I believe it was... the Wheel of Fortune?"
"That's quite meaningful. What does it mean?"
"I was told it meant a change in situation, the arrival of opportunity... and to believe in fate."
"...That certainly is meaningful."
Yuji, who knew the situation, and I, of course, couldn't help but let out wry smiles at that significant card. But if it wasn't a bad meaning, then ultimately it was probably an instruction for Hayato to "make a move."
"Hmm... I see..."
Natsumi-senpai gave a similarly meaningful smile as she watched Hayato. Was it possible she had already figured everything out?
"Yokokawa-san... I don't intend to say everything, but if you anticipate any trouble, the choice to ask for help is an important one. I don't like saying this much, but since we have people here who have influence in this school—for better or worse—there's every possibility that we can manage somehow."
"...Satsukawa-senpai."
And then, Sara-san let out a meaningful statement of her own. However, those words were well understood by both me and Hayato. Since Sara-san dealt with similar struggles herself, there was no way she didn't understand Hayato's situation... and conversely, the same was true for Hayato.
"Yokokawa-san is Kazunari-san's best friend, after all. Hanako-san, you too..."
"I know. Setting aside the handsome guy himself, if he's Kazunari's best friend, I'll cooperate."
"Sigh... You guys are really thorough. You could just say you'll help normally... well, as long as you're cooperating in the end, I guess it's fine."
"That is only natural. My criterion for judgment is Kazunari-san."
"Me too."
To Natsumi-senpai, who was radiating exasperation, Sara-san and Hanako-san acted with their usual nonchalance. But as for me, regardless of their reasons, I was happy that Sara-san and Hanako-san were willing to help Hayato. Honestly, those two are much more reliable than I am.
"Well, I'll probably be of use too, so I'll help out."
Judging from this comment, it was safe to assume Natsumi-senpai also fully understood the situation. But if that was the case, Natsumi-senpai might be the most dependable ally since she has so many female fans. This cooperation is quite powerful.
"Since I'm at a different school, I probably won't be of much use... but I'll cheer you on!"
"That's right. If anything happens, please feel free to consult us at any time."
"Me too. Good luck, Hayato."
"Thank you... everyone."
Hayato bowed happily, then finally looked into my eyes and gave a small nod. My position was the same as Todo-san's in relation to Hayato... which is why I—and Sara-san—could fully understand both Hayato's fears and the situations he anticipated. This was a difficult problem that required everyone's help, but that's precisely why I believed we could definitely handle it if everyone worked together. I truly felt that way.
"Yokokawa-kun, I'll definitely help too, so please talk to me if you're in trouble!"
"Eh... T-That's right, I'll count on you then."
"Yeah!"
As Todo-san smiled and gave a cute little fist pump, everyone couldn't help but break into smiles. She probably didn't understand the situation yet, but to protect that innocent smile... we definitely would.
"Yeah, it's much better than I expected!"
"Indeed, I don't think this is the kind of pasta usually served at a school festival stall."
"T-Thank you very much."
Hearing the impressions from those two, who clearly radiated an aura of superiority, the Class Representative looked relieved. Since Sara-san's cooking class, I knew that the main cooking group, including the Class Representative, had been practicing repeatedly on their own.
"Yes. It seems you've followed my instructions from the cooking class faithfully, so you should be fine tomorrow as well. You've worked hard."
"Sa-Satsukawa-senpai...!"
Since everyone in the class, including the Class Representative, thought Sara-san was strict... being praised like that must have made him especially emotional. At any rate, that was great.
"Here, Kazunari-san... Aaa-n."
Chomp...
Chew, chew...
Yeah, certainly, if this were served in a normal restaurant, it wouldn't feel out of place at all. However, as for my personal preference...
"...D-Damn it all..."
"...Flirting so naturally..."
"...Why is she doing the 'aaa-n' right now...?"
"...Takanashi is accepting it like it's the most natural thing in the world... Ahhh, I'm so jealous..."
"Takanashi-kun, how is it?"
"Yeah, I think it's delicious too."
"Is that so? But..."
As if noticing something, the Class Representative peeked at my face. Is something wrong?
"Class Rep, you don't need to worry. Kazunari eats only his wife's food for three meals a day, so his palate is just refined."
"Three meals... wife? You mean, Satsukawa-senpai... right?"
"Yes. He probably just unconsciously compared it to his own personal preference."
Sharp... as expected of Hanako-san.
"I see... For Kazunari-san's preference, you should have boiled it about fifteen seconds less. For the seasoning, reduce the ketchup a bit, and add a little heavy cream and sweetness..."
"Sara, we're not asking for Takanashi-kun's preferences right now."
"That's right. I accidentally..."
Sara-san gave a wry smile and took another bite of pasta. To think she could easily come up with a clear vision of how to shift the shop's seasoning toward my preferences... as always, Sara-san's cooking skills were unfathomable.
"Sigh... That's amazing."
"I've been cooking since I was little, so this much is..."
"No, not just that... well, that too, but to think you know Takanashi-kun's preferences so accurately..."
"Fufu... I research every day to make dishes that Kazunari-san likes, after all."
It wasn't quite a smug look, but Sara-san said it as if it were nothing, with a proud smile. I was so grateful that I could never repay her.
"T-Takanashi-kun is lucky. To have Satsukawa-senpai go that far for him..."
"This is something I want to do for him, so it's no trouble at all. Here, Kazunari-san... Aaa-n."
Chomp...
Chew, chew...
Really... I wasn't joking at all when I said I was truly grateful to Sara-san. That's why I wanted to do everything in my power for her as well.
"Guaaaaaaah!!"
"Boys, you're noisy. Don't get in the way of their flirting!"
"Sigh, Satsukawa-senpai's smile is too wonderful."
"The Class Rep's face is twitching a little."
"Well, it is happening right in front of him..."
"Class Rep, these two are always like this, so if you let it get to you, you've already lost."
"I-I see... This is an incredible sight... and with Satsukawa-senpai, of all people..."
The Class Representative was staring at us in blank amazement, his eyes wide... but of course, Sara-san was someone who didn't care at all. And for me, since I had decided to always accept her feelings, I no longer felt any hesitation in accepting an "aaa-n" in front of people!
I didn't! I wasn't embarrassed!!
"Oh, he's totally given up on being shy..."
"Oh, has Eririn finally learned to 'read' Takanashi-kun too?"
"Since you're saying that, you already knew too, right, Natsumi?"
"Um, could you please stop analyzing me..."
It wasn't just that they were analyzing me; they were accurately calling me out. That made Sara-san, Hanako-san, Mayumi-san... wait, there were quite a few of them.
"Kazunari, don't worry about that now. Here, aaa-n..."
Chomp...
Chew, chew...
"Whaaaaa?!"
"Hieee, even Hanasaki-san is doing it now!"
"Uh-hyoh-hyoh, it's a rom-com! I smell it!"
"I never get tired of watching those three..."
"Dammit, even Hanasaki-san...!"
"Why, why is it always Takanashi?!"
"Kazunari-san, please don't move..."
Sara-san picked up a paper napkin from the table and began wiping my mouth. I felt like a bit had stuck when Hanako-san fed me... as I thought.
"There, that's better."
"Thank you, Sara-san."
"Don't mention it. Now, this is the last bit... here, aaa-n..."
Chomp...
Chew, chew...
I finished the final bite left on the plate, and with that, the tasting was over. And once again, my stomach was at its limit. I mean, if someone looked that happy while giving you an "aaa-n," you're not a man if you don't do your best to eat it.
"The whole thing... with 'aaa-n'..."
The Class Representative, who had been watching me eat in a daze, muttered softly. You didn't have to say it so solemnly; yes, it was all "aaa-n." You got a problem with that?!
"Well, now that Takanashi-kun has finished eating, let's head to the next place."
"True, time is limited."
"We don't have much time left anyway~"
Despite knowing I was struggling, they offered heartless opinions in a detached tone. Yuji and Hayato were looking at me with sympathetic eyes, but they didn't follow up. You're all so cruel.
Of course, Sara-san wasn't about to allow such heartlessness... so we decided to take a short break before moving on. I actually wanted to rest a bit longer, but since time was pressing, I had to push myself a little.
When it came time for the bill, I managed to stop Nishikawa-san, who naturally tried to pay for everything, and we split it. It's not good if we don't keep these things clear.
"If you insist, then at some other dinner."
"Yes, yes, I understand."
I thought Natsumi-senpai was something else for saying that so casually, but Nishikawa-san was also quite something for accepting it so easily. I might need to have a heart-to-heart talk with them sometime. As the unofficial leader.
"The iced coffee is 200 yen."
"Here..."
Hanako-san took 200 yen out of a cute clasp-style coin purse and placed it on the tray. Since it was a school festival stall, the prices were very reasonable, which was helpful for high schoolers. It would probably be much more expensive at a real maid cafe.
"Please put Kazunari-san's and my check together."
Sara-san said this to the maid in charge of the checkout while taking out her wallet. Hearing that, even the maids and butlers acting as send-off staff started making a commotion.
"Wait, Takanashi-kun, letting Satsukawa-senpai pay is not very manly."
"Yeah, at the very least you should split it, right?"
"Takanashi, aren't you ashamed of yourself?"
"After talking so big to us..."
"W-Wait a minute."
I was being completely misunderstood. And the problem was, since this is our daily routine, I hadn't given any thought at all to how it looked to those around us. I should have taken the money from Sara-san before the checkout.
"Everyone, are you misunderstanding something? It's not that Kazunari-san isn't paying."
Because I was being blamed, a clear sense of displeasure radiated from Sara-san. Her tone took on a bit of sharpness, and everyone's expressions froze upon hearing it. And I had an intense bad feeling.
"I am in charge of managing Kazunari-san's living expenses. Since the payment here naturally comes from that, it's not as if Kazunari-san isn't paying, is it?"
"Eh??"
And my bad feeling became a reality, just as expected. As if everyone's "She did it again..." reaction told the whole story, my classmates stood there with their mouths hanging open, uniformly stunned.
"Li... l-l-living expenses?"
"Satsukawa-senpai is... living expenses?!"
"That means, that means already..."
"Whoa... that's totally a married couple then..."
"High schoolers go that far...?"
Since this was the usual pattern, I wasn't surprised. But just like that, another piece of our private lives had spread... well, it was too late now anyway.