31 - It's hard being popular (Patreon)

RAW

The day before the cultural festival.

Today, the entire day's schedule is devoted to preparations for the cultural festival. It’s not only because there is a lot of preparation for the actual cultural festival, but also because the teachers think that the students won’t be able to concentrate on their class on the day before the school festival.

“Small props team, check all the equipment.”
“Please perform one final check on the outfits.”

We were doing a final check on the place where we were planning to run a cafe.

“The materials will arrive tomorrow. Our drinks will also arrive then, so the one in charge of it should make sure to receive them.”

According to the weather forecast, tomorrow's weather will be sunny all day. It will be a clear day without any clouds. Although the heat will ease to some extent as the day progresses, it still feels like lingering summer heat, and there is still moisture left in the air.
If we don't stay hydrated and take proper breaks, we may end up getting sick during the actual day.
Considering these circumstances, we decided to use the small amount of money we had left over for drinks. Although we could have just prepared our own water bottles or something, we decided to buy one after Tadashi said ‘This is a rare opportunity, let’s buy some’.

“Nakano, do we have enough plates?”
“Yeah. We have everything we bought. I've peeled off the stickers and stuff, so we can use it right away tomorrow.”

I perform final checks while cooperating with others of the same small props team.
At worst, if one plate or other item is missing, it doesn't matter, but if there aren't enough cooking utensils or other necessary items, we’ll be in trouble, so I prioritize checking them.

“We’re going to bring the frying pan from the cooking room on the actual day, right?”
“Yeah. The ones in the cooking room are supposed to be delivered on the actual day.”

We are preparing them here now, but we plan to return anything that can be moved inside the school building for a time. From a security perspective, we judged it would be safer to leave them inside the school building.
For things that are difficult to move, we leave them as is on the assumption that we'll notice it right away if it's gone, and that it would be difficult to take it in the first place. If someone took it... it might be worthy of praise in a way.

“Kazuki, how are the small props?”
“It’s okay, I guess. Or rather, you should ask the group leader, not me.”

I am not the leader, just a normal small props member. I couldn’t be the leader because I might be in the cooking group on the day of the event. Well, I wasn't intending to be one.

“The leader of the small props group is somewhere else on another business.”
“That’s fine, but... small props are fine.”
“Understood. Motoyasu—! What about the big props—!?”
“There’s no problem!”

Kanda-kun, who was a little far away, replied loudly. He is the leader of the big props group.
The big props group is a team that handles large-sized equipment including fire instruments and tents. The items they’re handling are a bit too big to be called props.
Therefore, they were preparing at a bit of a distance.

“Yeah, this is perfect. Nakatani-san, how is your side?”
“We’re fine too.”

On the opposite side of Nakatani-san, a girl wearing a maid uniform and a boy wearing a suit were doing a final check.
For some reason or other, before we knew it, the costumes had become a maid's uniform and a butler's uniform. But, the butler's uniform just looks like a suit at a glance.

Also, it seems that the sewing team got serious and made more costumes than we needed. So, it seems that the leftover clothes will be made available for the people who come to wear them.
Because of this sudden turn of events, the big props team apparently had to prepare a changing room in a hurry.

Even though they made that many costumes, it seems like they didn't spend that much money. Somehow, I feel like there are craftsmen in the sewing team.

“Yup, it looks like we're ready. Bring the small props to the classroom.”
“Ye—s.”

...

“Did everything go well with Hiuri’s place?”
“Yes. But, it seems I'll be busy that day.”
“Huh? Is that so?”

In the dream, we were doing our final information exchange about the cultural festival.

Today, Hiuri is drinking M's trademark fast food restaurant shake.

“I know saying it myself is a bit meh, but I'm pretty well known, right?”
“Yeah. You’ve been confessed to by people of all grades after all.”
“Because of that, I ended up being the one to attract customers...”

The program of Hiuri's class is a game room with prizes.
That alone was enough to attract small children, but Hiuri's help was probably needed to expand the customer base.

“You'll probably hear the same story from me in real life tomorrow...”
“That’s true. But, well, it’s not like you'll get no break, so call me when that happens. As long as I'm not part of the cooking team, I'll be pretty flexible.”

Or rather, for some reason, Tadashi told me that I would be free to take a break. When I asked Nakatani-san’s opinion, she said it was fine.
Somehow, Tadashi enjoys watching me and Hiuri at every event.

“I'm sorry even though I’m the one who invited you...”
“Honestly, I knew this was going to happen because it's Hiuri. Hiuri is cute after all.”
“...Thank you. But I might not be too happy about that right now.”

Well, I guess so. Because of that face, it seems like she’ll be busy after all.
What's more, although Hiuri treats men who confess to her coldly, she responds cheerfully to people she's meeting for the first time or to people she's on good terms with. It's only natural that people who know about it would think she’s perfect for attracting customers.

I feel bad for Hiuri, but even if we were in the same class, I think Hiuri would still be the one who attracts customers. Or rather, I think it would happen in any class.

“I guess that means you're popular.”
“Really...”

Hiuri looks a little tired.
It seems that she doesn't like enticing customers too much, so I'll have to show my appreciation to her in the dream when tomorrow is over.

“I don't know much about it, but are there no boys that are popular like Hiuri?”
“I heard there is one in the class one year above us. They say he got a lot of chocolates for Valentine's Day.”

As I thought, there is one among the boys too. That kind of person...

I don't know who it is, but I show my appreciation to the senpai who was probably made to attract customers along with Hiuri.

――――

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