Chapter 469: Chapter 462: Post-Night Festival (Part 2)
"Shirakawa, are you in trouble?"
"No, just some small matters."
The girl responded with an "oh," seeming a bit shy as she said, "If I can, I’d be happy to help you, Shirakawa..."
"When that time really comes, you might actually have to help save me." Shirakawa Sawahei recalled Tachibana China’s cold and ruthless demeanor and chuckled, "Depends on whether you’re willing or not."
"Of course I’m willing," Tachibana Tomoku nodded earnestly, "Shirakawa has always helped me a lot, I can’t repay you enough."
"Is that so? Why don’t I remember doing anything?"
Her cheeks reddened slightly, she turned her head and said in a trembling voice, "There was, indeed..."
There really was because you are the redemption I most long for.
However, this sentence only appeared in her mind and immediately turned her into Steam Girl. Fortunately, the firelight somewhat concealed it, so it wasn’t too obvious. She lightly touched her warm cheeks with her cool fingertips to calm her shy expression and settle herself a bit.
Shirakawa Sawahei was looking at the three figures of Tsukimi and Ise Yu from afar and didn’t notice the girl’s small actions beside him. A thought crossed his mind and he seemed to see Hayakawa Kashi’s figure standing alone on the opposite side, watching her silly sister with an unknown expression.
He recalled Little Arrogant going missing for an entire afternoon earlier, and his curiosity was piqued though he didn’t move his feet. The girl also followed his gaze to see Hayakawa Kashi and suddenly spoke.
"Shirakawa, I want to find the club leaders... can I?"
"Hmm...? Of course, you can..."
As he watched her walk towards Tsukimi and the others, Shirakawa Sawahei paused, then circled around the bonfire to arrive at Little Arrogant’s side.
The Evil Little Arrogant gave him a curious glance.
"How could you bear to come over?"
"..."
"There’s no one over there now." Shirakawa Sawahei replied concisely, not lingering on the odd question, and asked, "You seemed to not be around this afternoon?"
"Yeah, I went out for a while on some business."
"Oh."
"Aren’t you going to ask me what business?"
"If you don’t want to tell, it’s useless even if I ask."
Shirakawa Sawahei chuckled softly, finally understanding a bit of what it felt like to be stumped by this phrase when dealing with Little Arrogant initially.
Miss Kaori rolled her eyes at him with exasperation, seemingly thinking he was childish. She casually retorted, "I went to see my grandpa, he wants to meet you."
Shirakawa Sawahei’s expression froze, and he looked around.
"Stop looking, I stopped him."
A certain guilty old player breathed a sigh of relief, suddenly feeling that Little Arrogant Study Girl’s knife skills weren’t so scary after all.
If she could block her grandfather, that showed Miss Kaori seemed to like him quite a bit, at least she wasn’t slicing him up as well.
"Grandpa... ahem... came for what?"
"You ask the obvious?"
"No, it’s a desperate struggle."
"You are indeed very straightforward."
Shirakawa Sawahei shrugged helplessly, "Can you talk to grandpa first? About Kashi’s matter... I can explain."
"How do you plan to explain?"
Shirakawa Sawahei thought about it, finding no way out, and sighed, "Hayakawa, others may not know, but you should understand me."
"Hmm? Go on."
Miss Kaori turned her face, the firelight reflected in her eyes, she smiled with interest, making a listening gesture.
"I never actively plotted against Kashi, you must know that clearly."
"So, you mean Shirakawa is innocent, and the main cause was my sister holding your chin down and kissing you, leaving you unable to move, right?"
"I didn’t say that, but if that’s how you understand it, I can’t do anything."
Little Arrogant sneered, "If that’s so, if I hold Shirakawa’s chin now, you can’t resist, right?"
"Although it sounds strange, it depends on what Hayakawa uses to press it."
"Shirakawa, has anyone ever told you that you aren’t afraid of death?"
"No, you can be the first to say that."
"Forget it, leave it to my grandfather." Evil Little Arrogant squinted, saying casually, "I persuaded him down, but he’s waiting outside. You’ll probably meet him after the forest school ends."
"???"
Shirakawa Sawahei thought calmly and asked, "Is there a way to delay the forest school?"
"There is."
"What?"
"Blow up this place, cause an avalanche. Maybe it’ll last a lifetime."
Shirakawa Sawahei: ?
Do you think you’re funny? Hmm? Your level 4 knife is just to stand aside and speak sarcastically when I face difficult problems, right?
"Please offer a practical suggestion, Dora Xiazh."
"There is." Little Arrogant looked at him, "You can pretend to be sick. The kind where you’re paralyzed and can’t talk."
"..."
He thought Little Arrogant was secretly cursing him, but had no proof.
"Never mind, since Miss Kaori doesn’t want to help me, I have no choice but to face the storm alone... Will your grandfather slash people? I heard from your dad that he said before being chased by your grandfather he was running as he was being chased by a knife..."
Hayakawa Kashi raised her eyebrow, "You say I’m not helping you?"
"Otherwise?"
Little Arrogant’s expression stiffened, her face emotionless as she said "oh."
"Then Shirakawa, just face the storm alone."
Shirakawa Sawahei found it funny, he reached out to pull Miss Kaori who was about to turn and leave, saying, "Though I said that, I still feel more at ease with Hayakawa’s help... Can you tell me what your grandfather is like?"
"You can ask Kashi."
"..."
"Then about why it’s your grandfather who came..."
"You can ask him yourself when you meet."
"..."
"Miss Hayakawa, you’re not usually so childish. Tantrums aren’t really suitable for you. Clearly, the gracious Hayakawa Kashi is the cutest."
Miss Kaori’s expression tightened, saying expressionlessly, "I’m not throwing a tantrum."
"Alright, sure, I understand."
"..."
Shirakawa Sawahei, remembering grudges +1+1+1+1...
While the two were entangled, the after-night festival broadcast announcement sounded, signifying the end of the grand event. Unknowingly, the students of Akihisa High School had passed their last grand activity of their second year and started to gradually feel the pressures of senior year.
The countdown echoed with the broadcast through the cold air as the youths around the bonfire stopped their merry steps and began counting down with the broadcast. The girls from the Calligraphy Club also began to look around for where Shirakawa Sawahei was located.
[Ten, nine...]
"It’s over? The after-night festival..."
Evil Little Arrogant saw the situation and suddenly stopped struggling, turning her head and said, "Shirakawa?"
"Hmm?"
[Eight, seven...]
"Do you know the legend of our school’s after-night festival?" Evil Little Arrogant’s eyes were dark and deep, carrying a bit of a playful smile.
"The curse of yandere tormenting each other? Why?"
"If you keep holding my hand, the curse will soon take effect."
[Six, five...]
Shirakawa Sawahei blinked, looked at the Little Arrogant’s wrist he was holding, and chuckled lightly, "Is Miss Kaori scared?"
The girl shook her head, "I don’t believe in curses. And I don’t believe my fate will be controlled by anything other than myself."
[Three, two...]
"I don’t believe either... so?"
She gently withdrew her hand and instead placed her palm in his, her face calmly facing the dazzling bonfire.
"So..."
"Shall we prove together that this is just a silly curse?"
"..."
"Sure."
[One!]
Fireworks soared, brilliantly colorful, drawing everyone’s eyes upward towards the spectacular scene, seemingly oblivious to the surprising events below.
The after-night festival belonging to this cohort of Akihisa High School concluded with an appropriate posture and ceremony, bidding farewell to them all.