[Sad News] Living Together with the Unattainable Beauty—Her Overwhelming Affection Is Way Too Calculated - 42-43

Chapter 42: The Cultural Festival and Your Smile

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The day of the cultural festival arrived. The school was wrapped in that excited, festival-like energy from the morning. Our Class 1-3’s “Magical ♡ Maid Café,” which we had prepared with everything we had, became such a hit that a line stretched out into the hallway as soon as we opened.

“Welcome, Goshujin-sama, Ojousama ♡”

I wore the special maid outfit the girls and I had stayed up nights to make for this day — frills and lace in abundance — and greeted the stream of customers with a perfect smile. A white headband sat on my head. 

The hem of my skirt was daringly just above the knees, right at the edge of the school rules. I had really wanted to wear that cat tail from that day too, but I restrained myself. That was my secret just for Gen-chan.

“Whoa—! Fujigaya-san in a maid outfit is literally an angel!”

“Can I take a picture!? I’ll pay a thousand yen per shot!”

The boys’ enthusiastic shouts. The girls’ admiring gazes. I was used to standing in front of people from modeling work. Being the center of attention didn’t faze me. But today I wasn’t just the model “KANOKO.”

I was the special me, just for this day, doing it all so Gen-chan would think I was the cutest. Knowing he was watching made all the effort worth it. Even while I worked as a hall attendant taking orders and bringing food, my eyes kept searching for the one boy in the kitchen area set up in the corner of the classroom.

There he was. Gen-chan. He wore the male version of the butler outfit we’d designed (also handmade by the girls) and, with awkward movements, made drinks and washed towering piles of dishes. Mixed in with the other boys, sweat gleamed on his brow as he worked hard.

That serious look—one I didn’t normally get to see—was unbearably endearing. If it had been allowed, I would have gone to him and hugged him then and there. His eyes met mine.

He froze for a moment at the sight of me in my maid outfit. From afar I could clearly see his face flush bright red like a boiled octopus, and then, flustered, he quickly turned his face away.

Yes! Yes yes yes!!

I made a big victory fist in my heart.

How was it, Gen-chan? Wasn’t I cute today? I’d worked so hard for you. That obvious reaction alone kept me smiling all day.

I was on top form that day. I put my heart into serving each customer. I drew cute hearts on omelet rice with ketchup.

“May it taste delicious—moe moe kyun ♡”

A slightly embarrassing chant, but only for today it felt special, because Gen-chan was watching from the corner of the kitchen. Now and then I stole glances at the kitchen.

Gen-chan did peek at me. Whenever our eyes met he immediately looked away. That innocent reaction thrilled me to no end. Each time I felt his gaze, my energy seemed to overflow.

Then I noticed Tanaka-san at the classroom entrance. She wore the yellow armband of the cultural festival committee and looked like she had come to deliver a message. But overwhelmed by how packed the classroom was, she fidgeted at the entrance and couldn’t bring herself to come inside.

She looked back and forth between Gen-chan working in the kitchen and me, glowing and surrounded by smiles in the hall (If I may say so myself), and then pursed her lips tightly and lowered her gaze, as if admitting defeat.

That look of conceded defeat gave me a tiny thrill of satisfaction. I knew it was mean, but I couldn’t help it. Sorry, Tanaka-san. But this was reality. Right now, the one he was looking at was me. This was where he belonged. This was our sacred territory — a place you could never trespass.

“Miyazuka-kuuun! Can you come over here for a second, please?”

I called to him with an intentionally loud, sweet voice.

“Y-yes! I’m coming!”

He hurried over to me, flustered.

“Sorry, can you take these plates to that table over there? My hands are full.”

“O—okay! Leave it to me!”

He took the plates from me; our fingertips brushed for the briefest moment. His face went red again.

Being able to see that fresh reaction up close was my greatest happiness. Amid the festival chaos, it felt like there were only the two of us in the world — a strange, sparkling sensation that wrapped around me.

I wished this moment would last forever. I watched his slightly broader, more capable back go off into the bustle and, from the bottom of my heart, I wished this moment would never end.

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Chapter 43: The Dance of the After-Festival

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The first day of the school festival ended in the blink of an eye. Our “Magical♡Maid Café” had been a far greater success than anyone had expected, and the class afterparty rode that excitement and was wildly lively.

And at night, the closing event of the festival—the night festival—was about to begin on the field. In the center a campfire had been built so tall it made you look up; it crackled and spat sparks as it burned, scorching the night sky with its blaze. A great many students had formed a huge ring around that burning flame.

Popular J-POP blared from the speakers. Everyone looked happy. Everyone glittered as if mourning the end of the festival while celebrating today’s success. I couldn’t join that ring of light.

I stood alone, leaning my back against the cold wall of the school building a little ways off, and I watched that overwhelmingly dazzling scene with a dull stare. Preparing for the festival had been fun.

The exhilaration of creating something together with the class. The ticklish, fulfilling feeling of being needed by someone. But this after-festival—an event of bright, social kids, by bright, social kids, for bright, social kids—was far too dazzling for me. I felt completely out of place.

“…Miyazuka-kun, so you’re here.”

Suddenly, a gentle voice rolled like a bell from behind me. When I turned around, Fujigaya-san was standing there. She was still wearing that devastatingly attractive maid outfit. Apparently she hadn’t had time to change for the night festival. Bathed in the red flicker of the campfire, she looked even more fantastical and unreal than she had in the classroom that day.

“W-what’s wrong, Fujigaya-san? Aren’t you with everyone? Aren’t you supposed to be with them?”

“Don’t say ‘what’s wrong.’ I was looking for you.”

She puffed her cheeks out a little, looking cute, and then slipped in beside me. A soft, sweet scent rode the night breeze and tickled my nostrils.

“Hey, Miyazuka-kun. Won’t you—dance a folk dance with me?”

She said that and gently extended that white, slender hand toward me. At that moment the speakers began to play a cheerful folk-dance melody. Students began to take each other’s hands and dance, laughing and squealing with delight.

I wanted to take that small hand. I wanted to dance with her. From the very bottom of my heart, that was what I felt. But my body wouldn’t move, as if heavy leaden shackles had been fastened to my feet.

“…No, I’m… I’m fine.”

What escaped my mouth was such a pathetic, shamefully pathetic refusal.

“I’ve never really danced before… I’m bad at it… And crowds make me… A little…”

Excuses spilled out one after another.

“I see…”

She smiled softly, looking a little lonely, as if to say sorry for troubling me. Then she slowly lowered the hand she had offered, without strength. That momentary sad expression stabbed deep, deep into my chest.

No. I really want to dance… With you. But I’m scared… Of the way people will look at me… That a loser like me would stand beside you…That someone unworthy of standing beside you would take your beautiful hand.

Those cries from my heart died in my throat without becoming sound.

“All right, I’ll go over to Ami and the others for a bit.”

She said that and turned her back to me. The back view of that maid outfit looked strangely small and lonely.

Don’t go. Stay here.

But I couldn’t say such convenient things. She vanished as if sucked into the ring of dancing light. I could only stand there, frozen.

Self-loathing and regret. Those two dark, heavy emotions began to take hold of my heart. And then I saw it. A boy approached Fujigaya-san, who had been standing there awkwardly by herself.

It was Ryou Yamada. He smiled refreshingly and spoke to Fujigaya-san, and then, as naturally as breathing, he took her hand.

Fujigaya-san looked momentarily taken aback, but in the end she followed his confident lead and began to dance. The two of them stepped in time, laughing together.

That scene burned into my eyes and would not leave. The campfire crackled and popped as it burned. It sounded, somehow, like the sound of my heart being scorched.

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