“All the paperwork—it’s finally finished!!”
“All right!!”
Kimura-senpai, the Vice Chairperson, let out a joyful shout. In response, the other seniors threw their arms into the air, yelling so loud they nearly toppled their desks. If there had been any documents left in front of them, they likely would have sent them flying.
Hasegawa-senpai, the Class Rep, was in tears. Looking back, she had been immersed in her work every single day, looking as if she were driven by some desperate obsession. Perhaps because I had been watching her this whole time, seeing her finally let her emotions out like that nearly made me cry too. After our long struggle against that mountain of tasks, reaching the finish line a little early had left me skeptical, wondering if there really was nothing left to do. But seeing everyone rejoice like this made it sink in—we had actually seen it through.
“We did it, Natsukawa!”
“...Yeah!”
Sasaki-kun held his palm out toward me. He must have been truly happy; contrary to his usual serious self, he wore a purely innocent smile. Behind him, I saw Inoue-senpai and Ogawa-senpai clasping hands and celebrating, which made me smile as well. I gave Sasaki-kun a high-five in return.
I looked around the room. There had been moments where things felt uncertain, but now that we were here, not a single seat was empty. It felt like everyone had started looking forward, especially after the way the committee was run began to change. For the third-years, this was their final Cultural Festival—unlike the rest of us, their perspective on it was different. I don't think they had any reason not to give it their all.
“...Ah, Wata...ru?”
While I was observing the room, I noticed Ishiguro-senpai, the Student Council Assistant, and Wataru passing inconspicuously through the back of the classroom. I expected them to be celebrating with everyone else, but they both simply looked relieved. With laptops tucked under their arms, they slipped out of the room.
There’s still more to do...
During the trial enrollment over summer vacation, I had caught a glimpse of Wataru’s face when he was working seriously. Through this recent ordeal, I realized that was his “Work Mode.” He seemed to have been operating in that state almost constantly over the past few weeks. He had always been someone who stood out, but in these final stages, it was undoubtedly Wataru who had taken the lead on meetings and handled all the questions, pulling the first-years along with him. Even though he had the title of Student Council Assistant, he wasn’t actually a Student Council Officer or an official member of the Cultural Festival Executive Committee...
I looked at the third-years once more.
They all had a reason. Even when the end wasn’t in sight, I don't think the option of neglecting the work in front of them ever crossed their minds. I could even feel a strong desire from some of the second-years not to let a fun festival go to waste.
Then... what about me?
I have my pride, my "sense of responsibility." I don’t like the idea of throwing away something I’ve been entrusted with. No matter how difficult the task, I learned from my family’s hardships back in middle school that if I just keep working single-mindedly at what’s in front of me, I’ll eventually be rewarded. I learned it... or so I thought.
I had been so anxious.
Some of the upperclassmen had quit. From my perspective as a first-year, it was as if I’d been given the same chance to run away. Even if I had, Hasegawa-senpai and the others probably wouldn’t have complained. Still, the only reason I was able to keep my pride and stay was because I wasn't alone. Unlike "back then," this time there were others in the same position even when things got tough. Using them as my support, I managed to at least keep up.
But why... how can he be the one leading the way?
At first, I thought he was doing it for his sister. A crisis for the committee was a crisis for the Student Council. If things went wrong, we might be the ones the students whispered about, but the school administration would hold the Student Council responsible. They would have been severely reprimanded for not noticing the situation sooner. I thought he was working so hard, even sliding into the role of Student Council Assistant, just to prevent his sister from being put in that position.
“—No, that's not it. It's not for the Student Council or Nee-chan.”
Wataru had said it clearly.
In that case, why? The Wataru I know usually thinks things like the committee are a huge hassle. What reason could he possibly have to go out of his way to help them by assisting the Student Council...?
Could it be... that he doesn't have one?
It wasn't an impossible thought. While he looks annoyed by things that don't interest him, he’s also the type to just go with the flow. Even if it wasn't for his sister, there was a chance he was just doing it because someone in the Student Council told him to. If he was just doing it because he could, without any deeper motive, I suppose I could understand that.
But that would be... far too incredible.
Could he really do all that without trying that hard? Did he do it just because he could? We, the committee members, had reached a point where we were completely lost. I could see from the pale faces of the seniors that they felt there was no turning back, that their only option was to keep pushing forward with their current methods until they collapsed. That problem shouldn't have been settled so easily. There is no way he didn't put in an immense amount of effort. There had to have been a process—investigating the cause, searching for a way to break through.
Did he just... work hard?
I can’t do that. I couldn't do that. I needed a reason. Back in middle school, if I hadn’t worked hard, my family would have fallen apart. I could have just acted like a child; my kind father and mother would have surely smiled and forgiven me. But behind those smiles, I could see them wearing thin. If I had stayed spoiled, there wouldn't have been a bright future waiting for us. That was why I could do it. To protect the parents who loved me and the sister I adored, I could endure anything.
If it weren’t for that... I would have broken.
If my father hadn't been so exhausted, I couldn't have stood those days buried in my books. If my mother hadn't been out working part-time, I never would have thought to take over the housework, nor would I have been able to. If Airi could have stayed happy and smiling without me doing a thing, I would have spent more time playing with my friends. I know I never could have kept going out of pure goodwill, seeking nothing in return.
—Wait... what if that very way of thinking... is wrong?
I’m confident in my studies. I became good at sports by playing with the energetic Airi every day. I learned how to fix clothes. I learned how to cook. If I were suddenly told to make dinner tonight, I could. But those things were—
“............”
What else can I actually do?
Has anything I’ve cultivated up until now actually been useful? Had I just been hiding behind my status as a first-year? Had I been assuming that even if I didn't work hard, someone—some senior—would step up and find a solution? Was there even one thing from my past efforts and experiences that I was able to use here in the committee?
Maybe... maybe I was just a useless person who provoked the seniors and made everything worse. Even though Wataru is doing something so amazing.
“—...tsukawa. Hey, Natsukawa...?”
“Eh...!? W-What is it, Sasaki-kun?”
“What do you mean 'what is it'... They said we’re dismissed for the day.”
“Oh... I see.”
When I looked up, everyone was packing their laptops and putting their pens away. The world had moved on while I was lost in my thoughts. Naturally, when I looked around, Wataru was already gone.
“Um... hey, Natsukawa.”
“...? What’s wrong?”
“Well, if you have time... I was wondering if you’d like to come see the soccer club this time for real? They’re still practicing.”
“Oh, but...—”
"This time for real"—he was probably talking about right after the trial enrollment during summer vacation. He had invited me back then, too. I had time now, since I had planned to stay until the absolute last minute for committee work anyway. But—
I saw the two seniors behind Sasaki-kun. Even though they had returned to the committee, I hadn’t spoken a word to Inoue-senpai or Ogawa-senpai since that incident. There was a good chance they still saw me as an "annoying first-year." I felt like I would only ruin the mood if I went with him.
“Senpai—is it okay if I bring Natsukawa along to the club?”
“Eh—”
Maybe I was the one who was easily swayed.