When I read the heart of the never-smiling princess, for some reason she had already fallen head over heels in love for me. - v1 Chapter 29

Chapter 29 : The Fleeing Princess

A well lit, bright and sunny Sunday in June.

Tents were set up in the largest park in the area, with a crowd of adults and students gathered in front.

Today was the day for a volunteer community cleanup event. The plan involved picking up the PET bottles and cigarette butts while circling the park again and again as it’s first stage, after which we had to head out of the ground, following the designated routes, and clean as well before returning. That was how the event’s structure was planned.

The student council of Oomine North High School participated in this cleanup volunteer activity every year as part of community engagement. This year, however, we were tasked with an additional role beyond just volunteering.

Along with our student council members, equipped with work gloves and trash bags, there were also Grade school kids with the same gear, chatting and goofing around.

“Alright then, everyone, let’s do our work without causing trouble for the high schoolers. Make sure to clean every nook and cranny, okay?”

The lively female addressing the kids seems like their Grade school teacher. If I remember correctly, they are supposed to be fifth graders, but for an extracurricular activity held on a weekend, their energy was way off the charts right from the start.

“Ah… you kids too, don’t trouble too.”

Meanwhile, our advisor, Fuyuko sensei, looked even more unhealthy than usual, her face was beyond pale, with an ashen shade. The early morning and muggy heat had already pushed her to her limit.

As the Grade school teacher and Fuyuko sensei retreated to the tent, Minami-san spoke to the gathered kids in a clear, commanding voice.

“Well then, let’s get started now shall we. Follow us, please.”

With Minami-san leading, the Grade schoolers also began walking in a disorderly line. As if she was like a chaperone, well that was exactly what her role was.

Today’s student council work included help with cleaning, and interacting with the Grade schoolers, who were participating here as part of extracurricular social studies classes. The Grade school had requested our help with their goal of “exploring the local environment and making new discoveries by interacting with unfamiliar people.” an initiative to have their students understand more about the society, and Fuyuko sensei had approved it.

An adult could’ve been the chaperone, but since the cleanup volunteers were mostly elderly, therefore, as it was deemed difficult for them to manage free-spirited kids, the responsibility fell onto us.

Just as expected, the kids—especially the boys—clustered together, and chatted instead of picking up trash.

Minami-san and Saeki reacted to that immediately.

“Come now you all, you can always play afterwards.”

“That’s right~ If you don’t listen to your Onee-sans, your teacher will get mad, you know~?”

“Ugh, here come the old hags acting like parents.” “If you want our help, you should ask more politely.”

“…K–Kids these days sure have sharp tongues heh~.”

Saeki tried to laugh it off, but her lips twitched, and a vein pulsed at her temple. She was clearly trying her level best to hold back, I decided to give her a yoshi~yoshi~ pat on the head in my mind.

“Uwaa, seriously get to work, you brat!”

And just then, Jiro suddenly shouted and charged forward.

Seeing which, the previously loafing kids turned, startled, and panicked at the sight of Jiro barreling toward them like a bear.

“Whoa, some huge guy’s coming!”

The boys scattered away at his sight. It seemed Jiro was doing that on purpose, as if herding them. The dispersed group returned to their trash-picking route, where Saeki promptly gave a stern warning.

“Haha, they’re just like a shepherd and his loyal dog.”

While walking at the rear, I snapped photos of the scene with the camera hanging from my neck. After all, this event is planned to be posted for the school newsletter.

As I looked for the other student council members, I saw Hoshino was talking to a girl who was diligently picking up trash—a kind gesture typical of her. Jiro was calling out and chatting with those boys who couldn’t blend into any group, and Saeki was also having fun chatting with some Grade school girls. It was a really heartwarming sight.

(Wait, come to think of it, I am missing someone?)

I could’ve sworn she was leading the group, but I couldn’t spot her now at all.

I peered through the camera’s telephoto lens to search.

Just when, Minami-san’s giant face filled the complete viewfinder.

“DOaahh!”

I recoiled instinctively. While trying to calm my pounding chest, I found Minami-san standing right in front of me.

“What’s wrong?”

“…Your face was so close that it got me startled.”

“I properly have two eyes, one nose, and one mouth, I think.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Then was my face too unbearable to look at?”

“As I said, that’s not it! If anything, I could stare at your face forev—”

I clamped my mouth shut. I’d almost said something risky in the heat of retorting.

Her wide, curious eyes was locked onto mine, which just led my embarrassment surged. I deliberately coughed and continued.

“As I saw through the lens, your face looked way huge, that it took my by surprise.”

“So that’s what it is. I’m glad.”

Was she saying that seriously or joking? As usual, I couldn’t tell. If I could read her mind, maybe I’d know, but we were over 30 centimeters apart, so my ability wasn’t active.

“By the way, is your photography going well?”

“Yeah, it’s fine. I’m getting good shots.”

I raised the camera slightly to emphasize.

And then, Minami-san glanced around, as if looking-finding someone, before turning back to me again.

“Very well. Please focus on being a photographer today just like this. We’ll handle the interactions with the Grade schoolers.”

“I appreciate about your concern, but I can at least—”

“No.”

Here we go again, this overprotective princess.

“But if that were the case, you won’t get photos of me put in, you know? The point and association of this event was around interacting with the kids, so I need to be in, talking, to get my shots in the file too..”

“That part of it is… extremely, terribly disappointing and unfortunate, but the four of us will have to suffice for it.”

She emphasized that quite a lot huh. Are you saying, it’s a necessary decision, you had to arrive at while holding yourself back a lot?

Sure, this is different from the greeting campaign. They’ll probably have to manage without me after all.

Still, it somehow feels off for Minami-san, who was so insistent on including all five of my photos in that newspaper article, to give up like this.

“Welp, catch you later.”

“Ah, please wait a little.”

I stopped her reflexively. As I was lost in thought, I got a little slow to notice, but right now, in all luck, —nobody else was around. If it is this moment, it’s way easy to bring that up.

“Minami-san, can you spare some time afterward?”

She seemed to flinch, or was it just my imagination.

“The event ends at noon, right? I’d like to talk, just the two of us after that.”

Uwaa, my face feels like it’ll start spewing fire.

But if I don’t take the initiative into my own hands like this, I wouldn’t be able to get things moving forward.

If I can somehow get her alone with me, it’ll all go my way without fail. I’ve spent sleepless nights simulating how many ways I could lead her interrogation.

If I am one-on-one with her, I’m confident I can get the truth out of her.

“Just… the two of us?”

Minami-san murmured softly in reaction, she was completely frozen in place still facing away. She wasn’t blinking. Wait, probably she isn’t even breathing?

“Umm, Minami-san?”

As I called out to her, “—Nkuuuu!” A strange noise, like a small animal growling/snarling, came out from inside of her lips.

She had started making weird sounds with a straight face—what the heck is this, that’s hella scary!

“Swo.”

“Swo?”

“Shwori. I. huav. goth. thingz. tsu. du.”

(“GOMEN, NASAI. YOJI, GA, ARIMASU.”)

For some reason, she answered in broken Japanese and sprinted back to the group.

Her attitude was way too unnatural.

(She ran off…? She definitely ran away right now, didn’t she?)

Without a doubt, or so I think. She rejected my invitation and bolted.

But really what was there to flee away from? I didn’t say anything weird at all.

There’s only one explanation.

She must have read my thoughts.

She understood what I was planning, and refused me in a panic?