When I Brought The Lost Little Girl To Her House, The One Who Came Out Of The Front Door Was The Most Beautiful Girl In The Grade. - Chapter 47

The cultural festival begins today. The atmosphere at home isn’t much different from usual. However, Yumi seems busier than me with makeup, hair, and everything else.

It’s not like Yumi and I have become distant. Even this morning, she talked to me about dramas and idols, but since I’m not well-versed in idols, I just casually listened.

After breakfast, I change into my school uniform and head to school. Along the way, it sinks in that today is the first day of the cultural festival.

Even though it’s the same route as usual, it feels slightly fresh, and somehow, it feels a bit longer.

When I arrive at school and enter the classroom, everyone is double-checking everything.

“Kuroda! Are you all set for Cinderella?”

“Well, I managed with the lines…”

“Alright then! No problems, huh!”

That’s right, as long as I manage the lines… I hope they won’t critique the acting.

However, even though I hope that, I do want to entertain the people who came.

Strangely, I don’t feel nervous.

“Hey, everyone! Our play is towards the end, so let’s have lunch and meet up before 2 PM?”

Mimura is conveying this to the whole class. The overall director, Mimura, is quite capable. Oh, he’s also the prince in the play.

“Kuroda! Let’s check out the other performances together!”

“Huh? I was actually thinking of reviewing my lines…”

“Idiot! This is the only time we can see other classes’ performances!”

“But there’s still tomorrow…”

Enough with the back and forth! He drags me along forcefully, and I end up going around the cultural festival with Kuroda.

“Hey, where’s Souta?”

“The executive committee has reception duty on a rotating basis, so he can’t come in the morning. He’ll be here in about 30 minutes.”

“I see…”

It would have been nice to go around with Souta too, but if he’s on the executive committee, it can’t be helped.

Dealing with Mimura alone is a bit physically demanding, so I end up laughing.

“Let’s do that one!” “Hey, that’s amazing!” Mimura seems to be enjoying himself so much that I think he’s forgotten he’s playing the prince.

“Hey, you remember your lines, right?”

“I remember them… Let’s make it the best performance.”

“Yeah, for sure.”

Mimura was surprised by my response. Usually, I’d say something like, “Well, I’ll do my best,” acknowledging the possibility of failure, but this time I said “for sure” without any reservations.

“Hey, Kuroda, you look cool today.”

Huh? Is he teasing me or something? I narrow my eyes at him, and Mimura says, “I mean it sincerely.”

Why is he suddenly saying this? I feel embarrassed and scratch my cheek.

“Thank you.”

I say a word of thanks to Mimura.

***

I got separated from Mimura. We were together until a moment ago, but after being jostled in the crowd, he wasn’t by my side anymore.

It’s embarrassing to get lost at this age. I was making fun of Mimura a little for getting lost, but when I think about it, from his perspective, am I the one who’s lost?

Well, I sent a message to Mimura, so it should be fine.

“Yuusei!”

I heard my name called from behind. When I turn around, I see Yumi enjoying the festival atmosphere.

She’s holding fried chicken, yakisoba, strawberry candy, and a balloon. She’s also wearing a free headband that you get after finishing at the reception.

“How much are you enjoying this…”

“It’s great, you know! The word ‘festival’ is in ‘cultural festival,’ right? If it’s a festival, you have to enjoy it to the fullest, or you’ll miss out!”

“Well, that’s true, but… don’t go overboard.”

Upon hearing that, Yumi makes an OK sign with her finger and says, “Okay, okay.” I’m a bit worried if she’ll be okay, but no matter what, I trust Yumi. I know she won’t do anything sketchy.

“Our play is towards the end.”

“Really?! What’s that about? Are you trying to get your big sister to come? Is that it? That’s gotta be it!”

Saying that, Yumi sticks close to me. I wish she wouldn’t do that in front of so many people.

A lot of people around us are looking this way, too.

“What the heck are you doing?”

“Now, now, where should I go next?”

Yumi seemed completely unconcerned about the people around us. Actually, she probably isn’t concerned at all.

For now, I have decided to forget about the play and enjoy this cultural festival.

To start with, I go around trying different juices and snacks. It’s a bit sad to be alone in a place like this.

I decided to visit the haunted house that Ayano’s class is running.

However, there’s quite a line, and it doesn’t seem like you’ll be able to get in right away.

As I join the back of the line, I feel a tap on my shoulder.

There’s Yumi again. I send her a look that asks, “What are you doing?” but she just smiles back at me.

“Looks like we’ve met again.”

Could it be fate? She was saying something like that, so I firmly denied it.

“Oh! Right! Let’s go in together!”

“Huh…”

“What’s wrong? You’re saying you don’t want to?”

It’s not like I wouldn’t go with her if it were some other place, but Ayano is here, and I’d prefer not to go with Yumi if possible.

As I hesitate to answer, Yumi seems to have noticed something and leans in with a grin on her face.

“Hey, Yuusei? Did you visit somewhere around here before?”

“I was going around trying different foods.”

“I see.”

“What, what’s with that…”

Yumi nods in agreement, humming. It feels like she’s toying with my answer, making me feel irritated and uncomfortable.

“Do you have a crush in this class?”

She asks this, and I involuntarily tense up. Why is she so perceptive?

Just being siblings doesn’t explain how well she understands me. I won’t let her off the hook so easily.

“W-Well…”

“Oh, how honest. I thought you’d deny it.”

“Ugh, seriously…”

“Why, though?” Yumi pretends to cry with a fake sob. But of course, that’s not where she stops.

“So, who is it? Oh, that girl at the reception desk with the cat costume? Wait, hold on, is she busty?”

She’s saying all this while laughing and mentioning how high schoolers these days are wild. But once she brings it up, it gets me curious, and I can’t help but look, being a guy after all.

“W-Well, it might be.”

“Alright, alright, got it. I’ll come back later, so you go alone.”

“Y-Yeah.”

“Hey, don’t get so startled that you wet yourself or anything, okay?”

“I-I won’t!”

Honestly, she’s even more exhausting than Mimura. She’s like a machine gun with her words. Even the way she teases me at the end is so typical of Yumi.

I’m almost up next.

Ayano is excited about the haunted house as well, just like me.