Chapter 18 Part 1: The Culture Festival

Posted on June 11, 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.

Finally, the day of the festival has arrived.

In contrast to the usual stillness of every other day, the school was decorated with all sorts of beautiful ornaments.
Many tents were set up in the yard, and numerous stalls were run by classes and clubs alike.

Looking around, I saw countless students frolicking everywhere.
Girls walked while holding sweets, chatting, and laughing all the way.
I could even see some boys crossdressing in fancy dresses, as well as parents and visitors from other schools.
Truly, a special atmosphere that only happened during these sorts of events.

My class had successfully finished setting up its balloon art exhibit, so people were free to walk around the festival.
Yuki had left home early in the morning to finish preparations, and sent me a message that said, “I’ll be participating in the council’s project this afternoon, so please come and see it.”

Needless to say, I will.
While the details of what this project even is are shrouded in mystery, I still cannot afford to miss all of her work.

During the morning, Akina and I planned to go around the festival together and have a lot of fun.
Her work was finished just the day before, so she was currently free.

I knew that if I was alone walking around, I’d just feel bored and unimpressed, so I was very grateful that she’d come with me to the festival.
I mean, it’s depressing to be alone, really.

After meeting up, she and I took out the festival guidebook that was handed to us at the entrance.

“Hm, where do you wanna go, Akina?”

“Well, the waffles in class 5 are a must, so we should go there.
After that, pancakes made by the ballet club sound good… Oh, and I heard there’s a place in one of the second-grade classes that do takoyaki¹.”

“Akina, you have one hell of an appetite.”

“Then what do you suggest? It wouldn’t be bad if we both went to the haunted house to get screamed at, I guess…”

“I don’t get scared very easily.
I’m confident I won’t scream, even if I go to one.”

“I mean, the seniors are giving their all into their haunted house, even calling it ‘The Senior Slaughterhouse’.
Are you confident even against them?”

“Nah, I’ll be fine.
It’ll be just another student dressed up as a ghost.
No problem.”

“Huh, that’s reassuring.
Then, shall we go?”

“Mhm, let’s go.”

“Oh, but first, let’s get the waffles.
I’ve been looking forward to them for a while.”

She marked that spot with a ballpoint pen, and we both started moving.
Akina had said the waffles were a must, but it seems this corner was incredibly popular, indeed.
The aroma of freshly-baked sweets wafted through the air, attracting customers like bees to a perfumed rose.

“They’re balling over here…”

“Yeah, seems they are cooperating with a popular local pastry shop.
They said they’re gonna bring a taste of that popular place here, so I was excited to try it.
How about buying one for Shirahato-san and gifting it to her after the festival?”

“That’s a nice idea.
She was busy with the council’s projects, so she doesn’t have time to walk around like us.”

“Mhm! Let’s get in line then.”

Then we got in line and waited for what felt like ten minutes.
Finally, it was our turn to order, and we successfully bought three waffles.
Yuki’s was put in a clear travel container, which I carefully stored in my bag.

“So, next stop is the haunted house—Woah, Akina, you’re eating already.”

“This is the only day we can eat wherever we want.
If they gave me that opportunity, I will use that opportunity.”

Akina’s eyes sparkled, and she gleefully munched on her waffle.
Walking next to such a cute glutton, I also grabbed mine and began to taste it.
It was so fluffy and sweet.

Normally, I’d be scolded for eating wherever, but just for today, I was able to munch on something while walking around.

Then, we both headed together to Class 3-5, where the haunted house was being held.