When Ayane and Arashi reached home, Ayane's phone buzzed. She picked it up and saw a message from Mizuki. Reading it carefully, she saw that Mizuki was asking everyone to come to her house after school starting tomorrow. The message said they should all try to improve whatever they had made so far, so that their team could have a better chance of winning the festival.
Ayane paused for a moment, thinking about the message, then turned to Arashi. "Arashi," she said, her voice a little hesitant, "I got a message from Mizuki. She says that starting tomorrow, after school, I should come over to her house. She wants me and others to work together and make what we've made even better… so that we can win at the festival."
Arashi nodded casually. "Okay," he said, and began walking toward his room as if the message didn't really bother him.
But just as he was about to go inside, a thought struck him. He stopped, turned back toward Ayane, and said, "Ayane…"
"Yes?" she replied, noticing the sudden seriousness in his voice.
"Ren… he's waiting for your answer," Arashi said quietly. Then, without waiting for a response, he went back to his room, leaving Ayane standing there.
For a moment, Ayane just stood frozen, staring at him as he disappeared behind his door. She thought, Ren… waiting for my answer? She couldn't immediately remember what he meant. She stayed there, lost in her thoughts, trying to remember what answer he could be waiting for.
A few moments passed, and then it hit her. Her eyes widened slightly as realization dawned on her. "Oh… okay… I understand now," she murmured to herself, a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks. But even after remembering, her mind kept turning in circles. But… how do I answer him? she thought anxiously. Should I say yes or no? I don't even know what the right choice is…
Her heart felt heavy with indecision. Every time she tried to picture herself saying yes, a thousand questions popped into her mind. What if I regret it? What if it changes everything? And every time she thought of saying no, she felt a strange pang of hesitation.
Finally, taking a deep breath, she whispered softly to herself, "No… not yet. I think I need a little more time before making any move." She clenched her fists lightly, as if bracing herself, and decided that whatever happened, she wouldn't rush into a decision. Not yet. She needed time—time to think, to understand her feelings, and to figure out the right step before taking it.
After that, not much happened for a few days. Arashi had completely abandoned preparations for the festival and spent his days playing games and watching anime, while everyone else was busy with their festival work. Time passed like this, and soon Sunday arrived—the day before the festival was set to begin on Monday.
As usual, Ayane returned home from Mizuki's house, but today she had a bag in her hand. Inside it was everything they had made to sell at the festival, brought along so Arashi could test them.
When Arashi saw everything, he said, "Alright, should I taste them?"
Ayane nodded. "Yes, go ahead. Don't worry, it's not as bad as before. We've made a lot of improvements. Previously, there were some issues because apart from Mizuki, nobody really knew how to make anything properly."
"Okay, then I'll try," Arashi said.
As soon as he took the first bite of a sandwich, he closed his eyes and chewed nervously—but the moment he tasted it, he was delighted. Looking at Ayane, he exclaimed, "WOW! This is amazing! You all have really improved. It tastes incredible!" He ate the entire sandwich.
Next, he tried the lemonade and cupcakes. Both were equally delicious, and he couldn't hide his surprise. "I can't believe you guys made this! From my side, it's a 10 out of 10—everything!"
Ayane let out a long sigh of relief. "Thank goodness it turned out well," she said. "Now we just have to pray that we win."
After a while, Ayane asked, "Arashi, how's your preparation going?"
Arashi replied, "There's still time. I only played a little yesterday, and I haven't prepared anything else yet."
Ayane's eyes widened. "Arashi… the festival is tomorrow."
"What?!" he exclaimed.
"Yes, the festival is tomorrow," she confirmed.
Arashi's face fell. "But… I thought it was next week! Oh no… I need to get ready quickly."
He hurried to his laptop and spent some time watching a few matches and learning a few chess openings. Time passed quickly, and before he realized it, he had fallen asleep.
The next morning, he woke up to a knock on his door. It was Ayane. He rubbed his eyes and got up, and when he stepped outside, he found Ayane fully ready.
"What are you doing? Get ready, or we'll be late!" she said.
Arashi glanced at the clock and froze. His eyes widened. "Oh no… I overslept!"
"Come on, hurry up and get ready!" Ayane urged.
Arashi quickly got ready and asked, "Have you had breakfast?"
"Yes," Ayane replied, "I even made some for you."
Arashi shook his head. "There's no time for breakfast now. I can't eat. Let's go!"
With that, the two of them ran to school, racing against the clock.
As soon as Ayane and Arashi ran toward school, they noticed a stream of students moving quickly in the same direction. Curiosity mixed with urgency as they realized everyone was heading toward the assembly hall.
"We need to hurry," Ayane said, grabbing Arashi's sleeve. "If we don't, we'll be late!"
They dashed across the school grounds, their bags bouncing against their backs. When they reached their classroom, they quickly dropped their bags inside, making sure nothing was forgotten, and then ran toward the assembly hall. The excitement in the air was contagious; the sound of footsteps, laughter, and chatter filled the corridors.
Upon entering the hall, they saw the lines forming—boys on one side, girls on the other. Arashi joined the line with his classmates, trying to look composed, though his mind was still buzzing from oversleeping. Ayane fell in line with the girls, adjusting her bag nervously and glancing around to see familiar faces, all buzzing with anticipation for the festival.
Teachers began walking in front of the lines, their presence commanding attention. They spoke firmly but with smiles, giving reminders on how to behave during the festival. "Remember to respect your classmates, help each other out, and most importantly—enjoy yourselves!" one teacher said, making a sweeping gesture toward the hall, emphasizing the energy and excitement in the room.
Ayane listened carefully, nodding to herself. She felt a mixture of excitement and nervousness. Today is the day we finally see if all our hard work will pay off, she thought. Beside her, Arashi shuffled slightly in line, trying to focus despite the lingering panic from this morning's rush.
Soon after, a hush fell over the hall as the principal appeared at the front, his presence commanding silence and attention. He smiled at the students, his eyes scanning the eager faces before him. "Good morning, everyone," he began, his voice carrying easily across the hall. "The festival you've been preparing for is finally here. I hope you've all put your best efforts into it, and I want you to remember—it's not just about winning, but about enjoying the experience, learning, and having fun with your classmates."
He paused, letting his words sink in. The hall was filled with a mix of excitement and anticipation; some students whispered anxiously to each other, while others fidgeted in line, eager for the event to begin.
Finally, the principal raised his hands slightly, signaling the beginning of the festival. "Now, on behalf of the school, I wish all of you the very best of luck! Let's see which class will come out on top this year!"
A wave of cheers and claps erupted from the students, the energy in the hall reaching its peak. Ayane's heart raced with excitement and hope, while Arashi felt a mix of adrenaline and nervousness flood through him. The festival had officially begun.