30 - When you tell your friends about someone you like, they usually tell someone else (Patreon)

RAW

Preparations for the cultural festival were well underway.

Tadashi's command was much more accurate than I expected, and Nakatani-san's support was also excellent. Thanks to that, our class was able to prepare smoothly without any quarrel.

“How much is left in the budget?”
“There’s no problem If we keep this up. There’s no need to worry.”

The cultural festival leader and vice-leader are having such a conversation.

This cafe is supposed to be a restaurant, so depending on the sales, there is a possibility that we can earn more than the original amount.
If that happens, they said they would hold an after-party or something like that... but from the look of it, it seems we’re going hold it unless something goes horribly wrong.

“The outfits are about to be finished, so those of you in charge of customer service, gather around.”

The people who were sewing are doing a final check.

In the end, we came up with a somewhat unusual concept: [a calm cafe located a little far from the city center].
I've walked a lot for Hiuri’s sake, so I have a vague idea of it, but I wonder if this concept is shared by the entire class?

“Nakano, let's go shopping.”
“Ah, got it.”

I will do my part properly.

There are a few days left until the cultural festival.

...

Lunch break on a certain day.
I was meeting with Hiuri.

“Um, Hiuri, what's wrong?”

The place I was brought to was an unpopular chemistry classroom. Since it's lunch break, the teacher isn't here either, so it's just me and Hiuri here.

“Hmm, I wonder what it is.” (Hiuri)
“Eh?”

When she brought me here, she looked serious, and maybe that's why we didn't get stopped by the people around us...
As soon as we arrived here, Hiuri instantly returned to her usual expression, and she seemed to be somewhat bewildered by herself.

“I thought I had to tell you something, but... I forgot it on the way here.”

I think that sudden obsession was probably caused by Hiuri in the dream... but I don't know what Hiuri in the dream wanted her real life self to do.

“Hmm... Kazuki-kun, do you know something?”
“Eh... I don't know. To begin with, I didn’t see you this morning either.”

Perhaps because some classes prepare for the cultural festival in the morning as well, there are a lot of students who are busy right after they arrive at school these days.
Because Tadashi is so motivated, my class is one of the classes that advance our preparation in the morning, so I'm not often in the classroom.

“That’s true... I wonder what it is.”

Both Hiuri and I are bewildered. If the person who brought me here herself is bewildered, there is no way the conversation can progress.

And there, in the hallway where no one is supposed to pass, there's a figure.

“Hiu and boyfriend-kun, yahhoo—”
“Rinrin?”
“Hayashi-san. Why are you here?”

The one who appeared was Hiuri's friend Hayashi Rin from the next class.
To think she’d come here, people don't usually come here unless it's for a chemistry experiment, so it's weird that she’s here on lunch break...

“Hiu you know, you're leaving so suddenly after all. I'm obviously curious!”

Apparently, she was following Hiuri.
If it was the usual Hiuri, she would probably have noticed that Hayashi-san was following her, but did that mean she was that serious? She already forgot her goal though.

“Hiu, are you chickening out even though you've come this far?”
“It’s not like I’m chickening out... I just don't know why I came here.”

Indeed, from the outside, this situation where we are facing each other without saying anything may seem like she’s getting cold feet.

“Nn—? I was sure you were going to invite boyfriend-kun to the cultural festival date, but was I wrong?”
“Da-!? What are you talking about? That's... Nn—...”

When Hayashi-san said that, Hiuri strongly denied it at first, but gradually, toward the end, her voice became quieter and quieter.
Could it be, did she really come here to invite me?

“...Nakano-kun, would you like to go around the cultural festival with me?”
“Eh? Y-yes!”

And she suddenly told me that.
　I ended up responding reflexively. Well, even if I respond calmly, I’d accept the invitation though, so there's nothing wrong with that.

“Also, Rinrin, this is a secret, okay.”
“Nn—, I think it would be more fun if I talk about it though.”
“In the first place, I came here to be alone with Nakano-kun, so if Rinrin is here, there’s no point isn’t it?”
“It's your fault for coming over here in such an obvious way!”

...

“So, in the end, I was able to successfully invite Kazuki-kun to the cultural festival in real life.”
“So It's this Hiuri's fault after all.”

That's what Hiuri in the dream world said to me.

“Actually, I was planning on being a little smoother than that, but... then, I forgot. You know how you try to remember your dream, but then you gradually forget about it? That happened."
“Well, it's a dream after all.”

To begin with, dream Hiuri's thought guidance is not that strong.
This time it went as far as taking me out, but it seems she couldn't guide herself any further.

“Are? Could it be, this is what you were trying to say recently?”
“Yes. After all, isn’t it better to invite you in real life? Just like the last time at the sports festival, if I make myself be conscious of being with Kazuki-kun, we could go around together, but I really wanted to make a promise, you know.”

...I feel like the relationship between me and Hiuri has changed little by little since the events started in the second semester.
Perhaps the thought guidance is also stronger than before.

“I'm fully motivated to be your girlfriend even in real life after all.”
“Me too. That's what I want.”

――――

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