Chapter 51

Parsed with an automated reader. The content accuracy is not guranteed.

This is the end of the arc: Last fall, Satou-san. The next arc is a mini arc called: Extras part 2. There is a total 5 chapters in that arc. Enjoy the chapter!

Title: Satou-san in November.

Satou-san looked into my phone and said,

“The pictures look great.”(S)

Then she looks at me and smiles reservedly.

“Yamaguchi-kun’s in the picture, too. ….Don’t you want to see it?”(S)

“I don’t want to see it.”(Y)

I answered immediately. Apparently the picture taken by a student in my class shows me and Satou-san standing side by side in our play outfits. Who would want to see me dressed as a rat? If Satou-san wasn’t in the picture, I would delete it immediately.

I wanted a picture with just Satou-san in it. The impromptu photo session was over without even being allowed to say so, and both of us had already finished changing. Satou-san had completely removed her makeup and returned to her school uniform. Only the hair tucked behind her head held the remnants of her ladyship. Sitting next to her, I noticed the unraveled hair at the nape of her neck. Of course, I was also in my uniform and had removed the makeup from my beard. Right now, Satou-san and I are taking advantage of the little free time we have and having a late lunch. The school festival is coming to an end, and all of the booths are in short supply, so we barely manage to get a cold takoyaki and a warm ramune. The unpopular fire escape was a convenient place for us to be alone. The empty classroom that had been set aside as a resting place was filled with students and guests. I preferred to be alone with Satou-san, so I went out of my way to find a quiet place, and this is where I finally found it. We sat in a row on the top shelf and drank ramune and snacked on takoyaki. My throat was dry and my stomach was starving, so I didn’t care how warm or cold it was.

“I think it looks great.”(S)

She turned off the screen and handed me the phone. Thanks to that, I didn’t have to look at the picture.

“It was really cool to play the mouse.”(S)

“…I’m happy thank you.”(Y)

The compliment itself was still not pleasant, no matter what. I put my cell phone in my pocket. Then I turned my attention to Satou-san. After removing her makeup and taking off her dress, Satou-san looks the same as usual. Only her hair still looks like a lady’s – it will probably go back into a single, colorless knot tomorrow. I had a mixed feeling of sadness and relief.

“You, Satou-san, are the one who looks good in that hairstyle too.”(Y)

As if after all this time, I praise her. The feelings that had settled in my mind spilled out in feverish words. I’m sure Satou-san would be happy to hear that, but I wanted to say something else. I wanted to express my honest feelings, which I couldn’t say now. The fire escape is quiet, and even the smallest voice can be heard. Maybe it’s hard to be honest in a place like this.

“Thank you. But I can’t do this hairstyle on my own.”(S)

Satou-san laughs as she touches her frayed hair.

“I think it would be good to have them teachyou. I think it’s good to do it like that sometimes.”(Y)

“Yeah, right. I hope to learn it before I graduate.”(S)

She speaks the words casually. I begin to notice the chill of the fire escape and the color of the sun shining through the window.

The school festival is almost over, and November is almost over. The months ahead are December, January and February. There’s almost nothing left in March. This school festival will be the last proper school event we will participate in. The next school event is the graduation ceremony. After that, there really won’t be anything left. I will only be in the same class with Satou-san for a few more days. How long will I be able to stay with her? Winter break is coming up. I don’t have many days of school after New Year’s. I have a college entrance exam coming up. I don’t have much time left.

“The last school festival.”(S)

As if she read my innermost thoughts, she said with a pout. I look at her and see her clutching a bottle of ramune.

“At the end of the day I had a lot of fun. I had a surprisingly good time. This year’s school festival was the most memorable one of the three years, I think.”(S)

I looked down at her sitting next to me and I breathed softly. Then I told her,

“It’s going to be a cultural festival that I will never forget in many ways. I never thought at my age I’d have to play a mouse.”(Y)

“Yeah. I don’t think I’ll ever forget it either.”(S)

Satou-san looked up and nodded.

“I’m glad I was able to help Yamaguchi transform himself. I’m glad we were able to pull off the white horse’s head.”(S)

I recall an incident during the show. It was Sato-san who handed me the horse’s headdress. I was happy to see her as I rolled in, and she called out to me.

“I was surprised to see you backstage.”(Y)

“The prop person was busy, so they asked me to do it right before the show. You were more nervous than I was, but Yamaguchi-kun accepted my help, so I didn’t mess anything up.”(S)

I don’t feel bad about it now. They misunderstood me and Satou-san in a way, so I guess that’s what they mean by filling in the outer moat.

“It’s because of Yamaguchi-kun.”(S)

Suddenly, her voice interrupted my thoughts. Satou-san, sitting next to me, was looking at me. Her smile was gentle and serene.

“The reason I enjoyed the last school festival was because of you, Yamaguchi-kun. Thank you so much.’”(S)

“Well no, I didn’t do anything.”(Y)

I panicked. In fact, I didn’t even remember doing anything for Satou-san, or even if I did, I couldn’t remember it, it wouldn’t be a big deal anyway. Satou-san has a personality that likes to thank others for things that don’t matter, so it’s hard for her to be thanked. You don’t know how to react and you want to panic. If I said the same thing, I’m sure you would get upset.

“Hey, Yamaguchi-kun.”(S)

She continued in her usual tone, despite my motion. At that moment, I thought she seemed to hesitate just a little bit, but maybe it was just my imagination.

“I need to ask you one thing. Will you do me a favor?”(S)

A thoughtful question and a straight look. Despite the fact that she has already removed her makeup, my voice immediately rose to the top as she stared at me.

“Hey, it depends on what it is…”(Y)

So Satou-san continued with a smile.

“You know. I want to talk to you about that picture you just took.”(S)

“Photo?”(Y)

I mean, what was it? Oh, yeah, it’s the picture that got taken just now. That picture of me and Satou-san side by side. Is it that one?

“Could you send that picture to me as well?”(S)

“Yeah… no problem.”(Y)

I didn’t think Satou-san would want it. She looked at me, more than a little startled, and she scowled.

“It’s a nice souvenir, isn’t it?”(S)

“Well, you know. That might be true.”(Y)

I pull my chin back in a jerkily and then add.

“But that’s because I’m in the picture too. It would have been better to have had Sato-san take the picture by herself, with her outfit like that.”(Y)

No matter how you look at it, a rat in tights is superfluous. As I was thinking this, Satou-san shook her head.

“No. I liked the one with Yamaguchi-kun in it.”(S)

“What?”(Y)

“To tell you the truth, I wanted a picture of Yamaguchi-kun alone. I’m still embarrassed to look at my own photos, even if I’m dressed for the play.”(S)

Satou-san said very naturally, in a tone of voice that didn’t seem to matter. Those natural words swept away everything from my mind. There was nothing left, and I became completely blank. The sound of a busy heart stirs up a strange anticipation.

What does that word mean, what does it mean now? Can I read too much into it? No, but it’s Satou-san. Maybe it doesn’t have any deep meaning. But you’re leading me on. It’s almost too much of a suggestion. If it were any other girl, She would have said this at the time of confession. But since the other girl is Sato-san, I don’t know how to react. Satou-san is slow, and on top of that, she’s not very tactful. That’s why she can say that when it’s just the two of us, knowing how I feel. I’m sure I’m right. If it were just a lack of tact, I wouldn’t be much different from the current me, but…

When I couldn’t even make a sound, I silently opened my cell phone. I transferred the saved image of the rat and the beautiful lady to Satou-san’s cell phone. I did that task in a matter-of-fact way.

“I sent it to you.”(Y)

When I told her after everything was over, Satou-san laughed next to me.

“Thank you so much. I’ll treasure it.”(S)

I want to read deeper. But I can’t. Once again, Satou-san is a speculative person. After that, I couldn’t ask her anything, couldn’t say anything, so I just kept my mouth shut. I didn’t say a word until my free time was over.

Both Satou-san in November and me in November were the same as ever.

Notes:

I liked this arc but at the same time I didn’t. I liked how we saw Satou’s insecurities and how the rest of the class interacts with the main characters. However as the last line stated their relationship has not progressed significantly. I would be fine if it was even a cliffhanger where the relationship was about to develop but we are still at the same place as the beginning of the arc.

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