Chapter 64
School Festival, Day 2 (Part 3)
“Eh… you want me to appear in the play?”
After Seiya was taken away by the Harlems, I received a call from first-year students Sera-san and Urabara-san. They summoned me to talk about something: they wanted me to appear in the play because they were changing the script at the last minute.
“There’s no way I can be in it! I can’t speak well, and I’m terrible at acting!”
“It’s okay, senpai. I just want you to switch places with me for the climax—just the very last scene.”
“Why… again…?”
“I can’t be in that spot. When Tsukiyo says ‘Turn around,’ you just need to turn and stand there. Tsukiyo will be surprised, but if she whispers ‘Just like we practiced,’ it’ll be fine.”
Wait… you didn’t tell Tsukiyo!? If I mess this up at the end, won’t the whole play be ruined…?
Urabara-san blew my worries away with her voice.
“I slightly changed the script yesterday so it’s the most exciting that way. Tsukiyo will hold your hand… and then the curtain falls.”
Since Urabara-san from the literature club wrote the script for this production, I figured I could trust her. They made me hide near the set in traveler’s clothes until the very last moment, keeping this completely secret. Honestly, I was secretly happy because it meant I got to watch the play up close. Tsukiyo, dressed as the Moon Princess, looked way too cute, and Seiya and Ten, dressed as princes, were as cool as ever. This is the perk of the role.
The final climax scene arrived. I switched places with Sera-san at the right moment and stood in front of Tsukiyo. Since I was facing away from her, she hadn’t noticed.
“It is all right, traveler… Turn around and receive my feelings!”
I turned. My traveler’s hat was deep enough that no one else could tell it was me. The only person who could tell was Tsukiyo, standing right in front of me.
“Eh… wha… why…?”
Tsukiyo realized that the person in front of her wasn’t Sera-san but me. She’s good at improvising, but even Tsukiyo looked confused. I whispered the line I had been told by Sera-san, softly so only Tsukiyo could hear it.
“Just like we practiced.”
Tsukiyo tightened her expression and slowly approached. If she held my hand, the curtain would fall and it would be over. Honestly, I wasn’t sure why I even had to appear in this scene… but there must have been a reason.
Her costume, a kind of simplified jūnihitoe, was astonishingly well-made, far beyond what a student could usually produce. The school’s Home Economics club had apparently won awards for their clothing creations. The outfit fit her perfectly, and I really wanted to take pictures afterward.
Tsukiyo reached me, dressed as the Moon Princess.
“I… love you from the bottom of my heart.”
Her dual-colored eyes were so gentle, and her chestnut hair swayed lightly. Hearing “I love you” with such a soft smile—even knowing it was acting—made my heart skip.
I was supposed to just let her hold my hand, so I extended it. But Tsukiyo ignored my hand and grabbed both my shoulders instead… her adorable little face, more charming than anyone else in the audience, leaned toward me.
Uh… Tsukiyo, what are you planning to do…? My eyes closed, my cheeks heated, and she whispered so close that I could feel her breath.
“Just like we practiced…”
“Eh?”
This time there was no mistake. Tsukiyo’s soft lips touched my cheek. The first… no, the second time I felt this sensation sent a shock through my brain.
The curtain fell. Tsukiyo, still holding my shoulders, blushed and looked down awkwardly. A kiss on the cheek… was that really “just like we practiced”?
“Whoa!”
Someone pulled me from behind, yanking off my traveler’s costume. It was Sera-san.
“Good job, senpai! Stay inside the set; it’ll be troublesome if people notice.”
Still dazed from the kiss, I was shoved into the set. Soon, the actors appeared and lined up. The curtain opened… and they thanked the cheering audience.
Sera-san, playing the traveler, had removed her hat. I see… maybe she decided it would be awkward if the person kissed was a boy. Smart decision… but then, why did I even appear in the play!?
Outside, only people I knew had gathered.
Tsukiyo, still in her Moon Princess dress, sat with her hands covering her face, groaning.
“I didn’t expect the Sun to get involved.”
“I’m just glad it was only us backstage at that moment.”
Fortunately, the kiss scene was only witnessed by Seiya and Ten, who were the lead actors backstage. No one from Tsukiyo’s class even knew I was there.
“Well, I made sure no one would come near,” she said.
So that scene had been Sera-san’s idea.
“What were you planning if it went wrong?”
“Doesn’t matter—it turned out fine anyway.”
She’s so casual! Well… with how it went, failure wasn’t really an option.
“I agreed to a kiss scene because Umi-chan was the traveler… so why did it switch to Taiyo-san!?”
Tsukiyo turned red and looked back at me, clearly embarrassed, but her reaction was adorable.
“Did you dislike it?”
“Th-That…”
Sera-san’s teasing made her blush again and cover her face.
“But the play went well. Thank you, Seiya-san and Yamada-senpai.”
Urabara-san, overseeing everything, thanked me, the guest, and Seiya, the prince.
“That was unexpectedly fun. You write a good story, Kinori.”
“Hehe, thank you…”
“Gah… still, Seiya-senpai has the edge…”
Hey, wait! Tsukiyo, the Moon Princess, was replaced in praise by Urabara-san. Urabara-san, blushing from the compliment, while Ten, in his prince costume, looked jealous. The play really had been excellent.
Cheers rose from the playground. Maybe the campfire had started. The school festival was over. Alright, everyone, let’s go!
