Amagi Brilliant Park - Volume 8 - Chapter SS1

Amagi High School Culture Festival! 

Oh, hi there! I’m Bando Biino, a new part-timer at AmaBri, and also a member of their idol unit(?) Task Force ABC! I’m here, and I don’t care what you think about it! 
Sorry! Sorry! (Nah, I’m not sorry at all! I’m doing this!) Speaking of which, that name of mine! I know it’s pretty weird, so you can call me Bean! And if that’s too hard, you can call me B! 
So anyway! What do you guys think of when you think of autumn?! Eating? Reading?! I’m not a big reader, so for me, it’s about eating! And boy, have I been packing it in lately: chicken, ham, lamb steak, roast pork, and more! One great thing about all that meat is that it’s low in calories! 
The thing is, our family moved recently! We’re now in a high-rise apartment, on the top floor, next to the Tama River! Thanks to all those nice AmaBri folks working together to get rid of my curse, my father got off his deathbed and went back to work, and things are going great so far! We’re way better off now, money-wise! Even my mom, who divorced my dad before, came back! And my step-brother recovered from his mental illness and now he’s studying abroad in America! I miss him, but I’m still okay! 
Though actually, for some reason, I’m still getting hurt and bleeding as much as ever... I guess that was just my lot in life before the curse hit! But I don’t mind! I heal as fast as a cheerleader in a certain American TV show! I don’t scar, either! Thank you, God! 
At any rate, I’m pretty happy with my life. And since things are getting so much better, I’m eating out with the family all the time, and I’ve put on an incredible three kilograms! If this keeps up, it might foul up my Task Force ABC work! And that’s why I’m now on a diet! I guess that was a big conversational detour! I was just explaining why I was talking about low calorie meals! Isn’t lamb great?! 
Ah, um... what was I talking about again? That’s right! I’m not really the brainy type, so for me, fall is about less reading, more eating! 
That’s right, we were talking about fall! Because there’s one other thing fall is about, right? Culture festivals! My high school’s culture festival is in November, but Amagi High School holds their culture festival (school festival? Whichever!) at the end of September. 
Amagi High School! It’s a prep school! It’s also where my friend from work, Chujo Shiina, goes! Shiina-chan’s amazing! She’s so smart! And inspiring! 
Also! Also! It’s where Sento Isuzu-san goes. Amazing! 
Also! Also! Naturally... inevitably? It’s where our boss, the super handsome Kanie Seiya, goes! Amazing! Just amazing! 
Anyway, that’s the Amagi High School that’s currently holding its culture festival! Shiina-chan invited me, Biino, to come and see! And on top of that... well. Our general manager and princess of a magical realm, Latifah Fleuranza, also asked if she could come along. So um, well... 
See, the Amagi High School culture festival is on a weekend, and it’s September, so the weather’s still pretty warm, right? That means AmaBri is supposed to be putting 100% towards serving our guests on the weekends. It means Moffle-san and Macaron-san and Tiramii-san and the rest of the star cast have to be in the park, no questions asked! 
Task Force ABC is also very in-demand, but our customers tend to come around later in the day, so we’ll be fine as long as we aren’t out too long. And since Shiina-chan and Isuzu-san had to help their classes... well, somehow, someone decided that I would be the best person to escort Latifah-sama to the Amagi High School culture festival! It’s such an honor! 
“Biino, I’m counting on you to keep Latifah safe,” Moffle-san told me. “I’d like to go with you, but I can’t be away from the park on a weekend, fumo. Isuzu can probably handle it, but if an enemy does mount an attack, you’ll make sure you serve as a shield, won’t you?” 
What? I’d thought, beginning to panic. Enemy? Shield? 
“Latifah is the princess of Maple Land, fumo,” Moffle went on. “Terrorists could attack her at any moment. You’re hardy and you recover quickly, so you probably won’t die, fumo.” 
“Of course!” I told him. “I’ll give it everything I’ve got!” 
“Maple Land will also give you a Pappara Heart for getting injured in the line of duty,” he promised. 
“Really?! I can’t wait!” 
“You’re such an optimist, Biino... I think you’ll do great things some day, fumo.” 
“Yes!!” I cheered. “Thank you for the compliment!” 
...So anyway, skipping to the morning of the big day! I came all the way to Maple Castle to find Latifah-sama already dressed, so I guess I kept her waiting... She was in an Amagi High School uniform! For the culture festival? Why?! 
“You see... I have dearly longed to attend a school in the mortal realm. And as this seemed a perfect opportunity, I thought... I might also try the uniform,” Latifah-sama said, downcast and blushing. “Of course, ah... such an act might constitute impersonating a student, and thus be forbidden, but... the others agreed that on a culture festival day, it just might be allowable...” 
Of course! I thought. That makes perfect sense! I hunch over in admiration! You’ve got my total support, then! Maybe I should’ve worn an Amagi High School uniform, too! 
Latifah-sama was blind, so she couldn’t see the uniform in the mirror. But! Me and some others checked it over for her! I mean, it was just adjusting the angle of the tie and the wave of her hair and stuff, but still! 
While we were messing around, Isuzu-san came by, also dressed in her school uniform. “I’m sorry for the delay,” she said. “Shall we?” 
“Okay!” I agreed. Then me, Latifah-sama, and Isuzu-san all went out in a taxi. A taxi to school?! Such luxury! 
Isuzu-san didn’t even bother to hide her musket. (It was a short-barreled carbine type with a Picatinny rail, laser sight and regular sight attached, along with a 40mm grenade launcher. Not sure that still qualifies as a musket, but okay!!) Inside the taxi, she remained alert to our surroundings at all times. Fortunately, we suffered no enemy(?) attacks, and eventually arrived at Amagi High School! 
Isuzu-san had signed up to work her class’s exhibit the whole day on Sunday, so she didn’t have to do anything at all today. That meant she’d be with Latifah-sama all day, which meant I probably wouldn’t get my chance to be a meat shield. Too bad! 
The Amagi High School culture festival was open for business! It was cool, too! Even the gate looked amazing! So big! So beautiful! I’d heard that their culture festival planning committee worked tirelessly to create it! A ‘wow’ escaped my lips, and Latifah-sama, who probably couldn’t see the gate, said, with a sigh, “Is it wonderful?” 
“Yes,” I told her, “it’s wonderful!” 
“I see... I just knew that it would be...” Latifah-sama smiled brilliantly. Such a beautiful smile! It made all my troubles just float away! 
Sniffle, I thought. Latifah-sama is such a good person. I, Biino, shall dedicate my life to the princess, as well! Also, the culture festival allowed Isuzu-san to carry her musket in plain sight and stick close to Latifah-sama’s “five;” in other words, behind her and to the right! The passersby didn’t even notice! 
First, we went around the stalls in the courtyard area! Yakisoba, okonomiyaki, hot dogs, cotton candy! Yes, it was almost all food! So many good things made of sugar and fat! I’m on a diet, but today is a cheat day! It was all super good! Latifah-sama loved it, too! She ate and ate! Ate and ate! Put on weight! Put on weight! (That’s what my grandmother in the country used to say to me!) 
By the way, I found Munakata Toji-kun working at the takoyaki stall! He’s the manager of the Whip Antiques shop in Etceteland! Huh? He’s not the manager, you say? Oh, I forgot! Toji-kun also goes to Amagi High School. Who knew? Maybe he’s actually really smart! 
“Hey, Toji-kun!” I said. 
“Hey, Bando,” he replied. “You came by, huh?” 
“I’m a chaperon! See? Ta-daa! Make way for the princess!” Toji-kun was very surprised to see Latifah-sama there! 
“Good day to you, Munakata-sama,” Latifah-sama said gracefully. 
“Huh?! The princess?!” he gasped. “You sure you should be here?” 
“Yes!” she declared. “I have absconded from the castle, just for today!” 
“Absconded?” he repeated after her. Then Toji-kun’s eyes fell on Isuzu-san, who was standing right behind Latifah-sama, eyes scanning the surroundings. She was ready to kill anyone who tried to lay a hand on Latifah-sama! So, so cool! 
“...Well, okay,” he said, all hesitant-like. “You want some takoyaki, Your Highness? It’s on the house.” 
“It is?! That’s awesome!” 
“Uh, I didn’t mean you, Bando... You have to pay,” he clarified. 
“Aw, too bad!” 
“Ah, Munakata-sama... as indebted as I am to your kindness, I cannot allow you to make exceptions for me...” the princess protested. 
“Don’t be like that,” Toji-kun told her. “I think I owe you, given all the trouble Nyathan is always causing.” 
“Trouble? Not at all...” 
“C’mon, it’s my treat.” He paid 300 yen of his own into the register and held out a six-pack of takoyaki. 
“Well, ah... I am honored by your kindness.” Latifah-sama gratefully accepted the gift. Incidentally, I paid my own 300 yen! “And if I might ask, is Kyoko-san with you today? I had heard that you were schoolmates...” 
“We are,” he told her. “She’s in the shop. ...the one in the park, that is.” 
“Ahh,” said Latifah-sama. 
“We’ve been really busy with all the new customers lately,” he said. “We might need to work out proper shifts soon...” Just then, Toji-kun took out his smartphone. It was vibrating! Vibrating! He looked at the message and plunged into despair! 
“Ah, those idiots!” he cursed. 
“Whatever is the matter?” Latifah-sama asked in concern. 
“They knocked over some stuff in the warehouse and buried Nyathan and Rabius,” he replied. “Darn it...” 
“Gracious...” 
“I could probably let it go if it was just Nyathan, but this isn’t good,” he sighed. “I’d better look in on them.” 
“D-Do take care...” Latifah-sama told him. 
“Sure thing. Anyway, take it easy and have fun!” Toji-kun took off his apron, told his classmate “fill in, okay?” and then left. Bad day for Toji-kun, I guess, but the takoyaki was tasty!

Even I was feeling full after all that, so we decided to put an end to the eating (finally), and headed into the school building. 
“By the way, Isuzu-san?” I asked innocently. 
“Yes?” 
“You got all quiet in front of Toji-kun. What was that all about?” 
“Did I? That wasn’t my intention at all...” she protested. “You may simply have imagined it.” 
“Toji-kun didn’t talk much to you either, right?” I said next. 
“Yes, now that you mention it... I wonder why.” 
“You think he likes you?!” 
“Certainly not,” she said stiffly. “I barely know him.” That was one fast denial! Hmm! I guess there’s no spark there after all? I thought it would be funny if Isuzu-san ended up in Toji-kun’s whole harem situation, but I guess it was off the table! Too bad! 
Anyway, moving on! Inside the school, it seemed to be mostly literature-club-type stuff. I was worried Latifah-sama might not be able to enjoy them, but... 
“I wish to see everything! I will enjoy the atmosphere alone!” she insisted. 

The literature club exhibits! They honestly weren’t that popular! It was kind of a wasteland! So we got a whole lot of lectures from bored club members with nothing better to do. We even got an hour-long explanation from the biology club folks over the reproductive cycle and mating rituals of the sloth! Latifah-sama seemed to listen with delight. 
Of course, it was all way over my head! And Isuzu-san was standing watch, so she probably wasn’t listening at all! People started really crowding around when they caught sight of the beautiful and exotic Latifah-sama, so that was probably really stressful for Isuzu-san! 
We spent a lot of time in the biology club, and I was hungry again by the end of it! Wouldn’t you be?! 
“You’ve seemed overly preoccupied with eating today,” Isuzu-san said. 
“I fear I would struggle to take another bite...” Latifah winced, too. 
Should I endure? Yes, endure! We looked around the in-school exhibits and came to the one for class 1-1. They were holding a flea market! Class 1-1 is also my comrade and super-duper best friend Shiina-chan’s class! So we really had to stop by! 
In a corner of the yard, there were all kinds of things lined up. I searched, and I found her! She was in front of a second-hand CD stall! “Shiina-chan!” I cheered. 
“Wah?! Siino-ban?!” She was stunned! Stunned! It was adorable! 
“We came to hang!” I told her. “Also, look at this! Make waaaay for the princess!” 
“L-Latifah-sama?!” Shiina-chan stuttered. “A-Are you bore you should see here?” 
“Hello there, Shiina-san,” Latifah-sama greeted her. “I have absconded from the castle, especially for today!” 
“A-A-Absconded... um, Isuzu-san?” Shiina said. 
“Yes?” 
“You’re m-m-maring see! D-Don’t goint your pun at me!” She opened with a complaint for the still deeply cautious Isuzu-san. 
“I’m sorry,” Isuzu-san apologized. “I’m quite tense today.” 
“I... I see...” 
“What are you selling, Shiina-san?” Latifah-sama asked, and Shiina-chan straightened up immediately. 
“Ma’am! I’m s-selling used CDs. The whole class brought CDs they don’t want from home...” There were all kinds, too! Hit songs from yesteryear, enka, jazz, movie soundtracks, kids’ tunes, anisong, all kinds of things! A real motherlode! 
“As long as I am here, I simply must buy something,” Latifah-sama decided. “Might I ask for your recommendation?” Latifah-sama couldn’t see the jackets, so she couldn’t really browse. Still, she asked in such an elegant way! Wonderful! Brilliant! 
“Huh? Y-You want me to choose?” Shiina-san stammered. 
“Certainly,” Latifah-sama told her. “If it would not be too much trouble...” 
“I will! I’ll choose! Um, um... umm...!” Shiina-chan was thinking hard! Thinking hard! Thinking hard! Then, she chose! “H-How about this one?!” The CD she held out was called “Topknot Heaven TV Historical Epic Collection.” 
I read the title out loud, and Latifah tilted her head. “Topknot... Heaven?” she questioned. 
“Th-The title is weird, but it’s full of great songs!” Shiina-san explained. “‘Ah, Life is Sorrow’ and stuff... oh, that’s from Mito Komon. And Kogarashi Monjiro, and Zenigata Heiji, and Lone Wolf and Cub! Oh, I know! Kami-sama, too!” 
“Kami-sama?” the princess questioned. 
“From The Unfettered Shogun! And Oedo Untouchables and ?oka Echizen and Three For the Kill!” Shiina-san went on enthusiastically. “I really recommend them!” 
“Th-Thank you very much,” Latifah-sama said, taken aback. “I shall listen to them upon my return.” 
“Oh, and also... this! The BGM album for Combat Mecha Xabungle! It has the opening and ending by Kushida Akira-sama, of course! Oh, not the two songs by MIO, those are in volume two and I don’t have that one here,” Shiina-san chatted on, warming up to her subject. “Oh, but it has the subtitle theme! It really gives you that feeling like, ‘I will risk my life to live!’ and ‘Xabungle is mine, now’ and stuff when you hear it! It’s great!” 
“I-I shall take that one as well,” Latifah-sama agreed graciously. “How much will this—” 
“Oh, and that’s not all! This one! A Doobie Brothers album! It’s The Captain and Me, so it has that really famous song, ‘Long Train Runnin’! Oh, oh! And this album, ‘Nature of a Sista’! It’s rap, but it’s good, and it’s performed by the lady Latifah-sama was named a—” 
“Chujo-san, please calm down,” Isuzu-san said, and Shiina-chan locked up in fright. 
“S-Sorry...” she whimpered. 
“You have no need to apologize. I was merely overwhelmed by your passion and knowledge.” Latifah-sama smiled brightly. 
“It really is amazing! I only have my own CDs! And I never have a chance to listen to them!” I chimed in. My father’d had a lot of CDs, of course, but he’d sold them all during our period of poverty, after the curse struck! He’d sold his player, too, of course! And now that our lives have gotten better, we just hook up a smartphone to wireless speakers when we want to listen to music. That’s why there are hardly any CDs at all in the Biino household! 
“W-Well, I have a lot of my father’s CDs...” Shiina-chan explained weakly. “He’d buy a lot of used CDs, and he had eclectic tastes... so there’s no consistency in genre. Sorry.” 
“No, I find it a wonderful hobby,” Latifah-sama denied. “I would be delighted to hear more of it later.” 
“O-Okay! Well... which one will you buy, then?” 
“I shall take the four recommended.” 
“What?! Th-Thank you! It’s 150 yen apiece, so 600 yen!” Shiina-chan bowed stiffly, and placed the four requested CDs into the bag. 
Good for you, Shiina-chan! I thought, and I called out “Good luck!” as we went on our way. 
As we left, I noticed a classmate had started talking to Shiina-chan. Shiina-chan was answering her like a normal person. It sounded like the classmate was saying ‘Nice job!’ and Shiina-chan was just wincing as if to say ‘No, I need to try to sell more...’ Interesting! Shiina-chan had had a lot of trouble in the past, but she seemed to be fitting in pretty well now! Of course, one little interaction didn’t tell the whole story. It’s just a thought that the scene inspired in my mind!

We looked around a lot of other places after that. It was past lunchtime now, so even more people were showing up. The place was just bustling! On the way, we passed by where the theater club was carrying some big props around. I had a little trouble when some plywood fell over and hit me right on the top of the head, but otherwise, I was just fine! It broke the skin, but that happens a lot, so no problem! 
“That reminds me. What’s going on in Kanie-san’s class? They’re doing a cafe, right?” I asked, after the bleeding stopped. 
Isuzu-san’s face took on a strange cast. “Actually... Seiya-kun asked us not to come,” she said. 
“Not to come?” I questioned. “Why?” 
“He didn’t say, though I believe I can guess... regardless, his words were, ‘You can come to the culture festival, but don’t come to my class.’” 
Latifah-sama looked really sad about this. She probably really wanted to go to the cafe where Seiya-san was being a waiter. 
“Is that all right, Latifah-sama?” Isuzu asked. 
“Yes,” she said. “If Kanie-sama insists, then we must not go against his wishes. Regrettable though it may be...” 
“Let’s go!” I exclaimed. 
“Ah?” Latifah-sama and Isuzu-san both looked stunned. 
“Just forget what he said!” I told them. “He’s probably just shy! He doesn’t want his suuuuuper cool awesome manager self to be seen working a day job! That’s what I think! Am I right or what?!” 
“But...” 
“Let’s go!” I insisted. “The whole ‘don’t come’ thing was probably just posing! Come on! Come on!” At times like these, you had to take initiative! I took Latifah-sama’s hand and strode forward! We were on our way to class 2-4! 
“Ah, Biino-san...” she said. 
“Don’t worry, don’t worry! If he makes it a whole thing, you can throw me under the bus!” I suggested. “I don’t mind a bit!” 
Isuzu-san followed, looking a bit lost. She wasn’t trying to stop me, though, and that meant it was okay to go! Let’s roll! 
There it is! Class 2-4! They were doing a cafe! Kind of cliché, really! “Hello!” I said. Then I entered the classroom, bringing Latifah-sama along. 
There he was! Kanie-san! He was dressed as a waiter with a bow tie! So cool! He was taking orders from some other customers (girls from other schools)! They were falling all over him! 
“Kanie-san! We decided to drop by!” 
“Um...” Kanie-san was at a loss for words. I guess he was surprised! But he went right back to his customer service smile, as he turned to address the guests. “...I beg your pardon. That was a cafe latte, a chai tea latte, and a chocolate gateau?” he asked. He seemed really at home there! Had he done work like this in the past? 
Another waitress came to meet us. “Welcome,” she said. “Table for three?” 
She was a short girl in glasses. Her name tag read “Mikasa.” She looked at Latifah-sama with just a little bit of suspicion... Since she was wearing the school uniform, she was probably trying to remember if she’d seen her at school before. I mean, she’s the kind of person you’d remember! I think a lot of people had been looking at her that way today! Mikasa-san guided us to a four-person table by the window. Latifah-sama and Isuzu-san both looked very nervous. 
“Come on, it’s fine! It’s just a normal cafe, see?” I thought maybe there would be some kind of punchline reveal, like that it was going to be a cross-dressing cafe! But it wasn’t! 
“O-Of course...” Latifah-sama agreed. 
“Kanie-san looks very handsome!” I exclaimed. “Clothes make the man, right? Isn’t that the saying?” 
“Let us forget him and look at the menu,” Isuzu-san said, and did just that. There were about... twenty kinds of drinks? It was a lot, anyway. They must have worked really hard! 
“Your Highness,” she said. “Would you care for some tea?” 
“Certainly,” Latifah-sama agreed. 
“They seem to have chamomile, chai latte, and Darjeeling...” Isuzu-chan told her, reading off the list. 
“Darjeeling, if you please.” 
“Bando-san,” she said next, “what about you?” 
“Hmm... I think I’ll have a cafe latte. And a slice of cheesecake!” I held up my hand, and Kanie-san came over. 
He looked pretty upset. “I told you not to come...” That was the first thing he said! What a mean jerk! 
Latifah-sama looked very apologetic. “Kanie-sama, you must forgive me. I simply... wanted to come, so very much...” 
“Fine, it’s fine,” he sighed reluctantly. “Biino dragged you along, right?” 
“Brilliant deduction!” I agreed cheerily. “But it’s no big deal, right?” 
“Wrong,” he told me flatly. 
“Don’t be like that!” I protested. “It’s not like we’re gonna make any trouble!” 
“Er... Kanie-sama... Perhaps we should go...” Latifah-sama looked awkward and started to stand up, but Kanie-san quickly stopped her. 
“Ah, it’s... it’s fine. You haven’t done anything wrong, Latifah.” 
“But...” 
“Don’t worry about it,” he told her. “I’m complaining to Isuzu.” 
“Of course,” Isuzu agreed sourly. “I don’t expect any special consideration.” 
“Hmph,” said Kanie-san. “Just have your drinks and get out.” 
Then, remembering his job for the day, he continued. “So, what did you want?” 
Isuzu-san put in their order, and Kanie-san sulkily wrote it down. ...Huh? That conversation before... There was something off about it. What did Kanie-san just call Isuzu-san? 

After finishing their order, Kanie-san whispered “You look good” to Latifah-sama. He was probably talking about her uniform, but it was enough to turn Latifah-sama red as a beet. She looked like she might melt, actually! Isuzu-san was just looking out the window, as though she hadn’t heard. 
Hmm... What’s all this now?! Had I stumbled into an extremely delicate situation?! I wasn’t sure! Was it okay for me to be here?! But I wanted my cheesecake, so I boldly remained! I mean, hunger is a motivator, right? Come to me, cheesecake... 
Just then, I heard a voice from the kitchen in the back. Kanie-san read out our order, I guess to the person in charge of making the drinks. 
No reply came. 
Kanie-san read out the order again. 
“Huh? Sorry, I wasn’t listening,” the person in the kitchen said. 
Kanie-san read it out one more time, patiently. 
“I get it already. Just try to speak more clearly next time, okay? I couldn’t hear you.” 
“Sorry,” Kanie-san apologized politely. 
“Also, stop flirting with the customers,” said the voice in the back. “It’s annoying.” 
“Right...” 
That was the end of the conversation. Stuff like that usually goes over my head, but even I could read the mood there. Latifah-sama was looking pretty upset, too. She was blind, after all—if I could hear the exchange, it was probably plain as day to her! Isuzu-san also looked sad about it, but she’d probably figured this would happen, because she didn’t look too surprised, either. If we were doing manga thought balloons, hers would probably have read, “I thought so...” 
While we were waiting for our drinks to come out, we saw a couple of scenes play out that were pretty similar to that one. It was actually pretty obvious, now that I was looking for it; Kanie-san was being cold-shouldered, ignored, and snarked at by everyone. 
Even the waitress, Mikasa, was doing it. She kept shooting little snide comments at him. I couldn’t quite make them out from where I was sitting, but judging from their expressions, they were probably all nasty. 
Speaking of which... the mood in the cafe was totally in the pits now. Even the girls from the other school, who had been smiling minutes ago while they ordered from Kanie-san, had gone pretty quiet. They just sipped their tea silently, and then shared a look as if to say, “let’s go.” 
It was obvious. Definitely plain to see. Even though it was just a part-time job, I was really working hard at AmaBri, and working there had taught me how easily customers picked up on a negative atmosphere. Any time me, Eiko-san, or Shiina-chan were having personal problems, the audience seemed to enjoy our performances less. The people at the old folks’ homes and daycare centers would still clap and cheer for us... but it felt like they were forcing it a little bit. 
That happened at Elementario’s shows, too. When Muse-san and Salama-san were fighting, you could hear just a little less enthusiasm in their audiences’ cheers (I watch them from the back row a lot, actually! It’s very educational! I don’t think they realize it, though!) 
The class’s cafe was pretty well put together. They’d worked hard on the menus, and they’d made pretty good decorations for the limited time they’d had. (Of course, if they’d had more time, they probably could have made them even better...). You wouldn’t notice the invisible pressure on Kanie-san if you weren’t paying close attention... but you could still tell. 
I wonder what the heck happened! Obviously, I didn’t have any knowledge of the situation. Latifah-sama probably didn’t, either, but Isuzu-san seemed to have a pretty good idea. 
Now I knew why Kanie-san had told us not to come. He was a smart person, so he’d probably known that this would happen from the start. 
Latifah-sama and Isuzu-san were both silent. Was it because I wasn’t talking? It kind of looked like they were in pain. After a little while, Kanie-san brought the tea and snacks. I finally got my cheesecake, but I couldn’t enjoy it a bit. 
“Ah, well... I guess you saw me at my lowest, eh?” Kanie-san said, with a pained smile. “I just have to put up with it for two days. Then I can get back to work, so don’t worry.” 
“Kanie-sama...” Latifah-sama said. Her voice was choked with tears. “Is this because of Shibuya? Because of Shibuya, you had to cancel all your plans here? And then the people in your class...” 
“Ahh, I don’t care what these losers think,” Kanie-san scoffed. “Forget ’em.” 
“But...!” 
“Listen, Latifah. I don’t care about this play-acting nonsense, and getting wrapped up in some school drama would be a lot more annoying,” Seiya said flatly. “So I’ve decided to allot just a few days of my precious time here—but I knew you’d worry, which is why I told you not to come. That’s all it is.” His voice was quiet, but forceful. He’d also raised his voice just enough to make sure everyone heard him say “play-acting nonsense.” Very bold! But kind of rude... 
“But... really...” she said. 
“Just accept it already,” he told her. “I’m serious, okay?” 
Latifah was trembling. The others could see it, too. It was like she was ashamed by her own lack of similar commitment. I didn’t really get it, but in that moment, Kanie-san looked kind, and fierce, and somehow very... very strong and cool. Oh, wow. I might be falling for him, too. Forgive me, my brother in another country! 
It was the face of a man about to fight! It was 500 times cooler than Tiramii-san when he pressed the trigger for the explosives on that evil spirit! (Of course, that was pretty cool too!) What the heck! I wished I could take a picture and show it to everyone in the cast! Everyone! Everyone! There’s a real hottie here! Look! Look! I’d say. But I knew that if I took out my smartphone and got a picture, he’d get mad, so I didn’t. 
“I will save you,” Kanie-san said. “But for today, just enjoy yourself. In two days, the real fight begins.” 
“All right. Please... forgive me...” Latifah-sama was working hard to hold in her tears. Isuzu-san’s eyes were getting a little puffy, too. She was looking out the window, pretending not to notice, but it was totally obvious anyway. 
The people in the cafe didn’t seem to know what to do about the impressive mood between the blind blonde and the handsome boy. But, hmm... as an ordinary person myself, I could imagine what they were feeling. 
They probably found it extraordinary. I couldn’t hear the conversations around me, but the mood seemed to have changed to “I don’t know what’s going on, but there are clearly some big stakes there.” It wasn’t quite the same as when you see a couple fighting in a restaurant, though... 
It was there for that Mikasa-san girl, and the guy in the kitchen area, who’d sneaked out to catch a glimpse. Everyone in the whole room was looking at those two. Their gazes weren’t scornful, either. 
Isuzu-san and Latifah-sama didn’t seem to notice the change, but I did. We forced ourselves to look cheerful as we drank our tea. Then we paid the bill on the way out. 
Mikasa-san, who was handling the register, handed Latifah-sama her change. “Thank you for coming,” she said in a businesslike tone. 
But Latifah-sama suddenly took Mikasa-san’s hands and said, “No, it is I who must thank you.” 
“Huh?” Mikasa-san was stunned. 
“Kanie-sama devotes himself to my cause, day in and day out...” Latifah-sama went on. “I worry so about the trouble it must bring to those of class 2-4...” 
“Ah...” Mikasa was caught off-guard by this earnest admission. 
“Kanie-sama is a terribly faithful person,” Latifah-sama went on. “If he has caused you any trouble, it is surely my own fault, so do not blame Kanie-sama, I beg of you...” 
“U-Um...” 
“I beg of you. I will do whatever is required...” 
“Um, please...” Mikasa begged back. “You don’t have to grovel...” 
“Forgive me. I only insist that you not blame Kanie-sama.” 
“C-Cut it out...” 
“Forgive me,” Latifah-sama cried again. “I do not know what else I can do...” 
“Hey, Kanie-kun?!” Mikasa said nervously. “Do something about this girl!” Latifah-sama remained on all fours, begging forgiveness of Mikasa-san, until Kanie-san realized what was happening and came running.

Oh, boy! That was a pretty awkward scene, but we managed to enjoy the rest of the culture festival, which was uneventful. 
I didn’t go in the next day, and I was busy with school and work for a while after. That’s why I didn’t have many chances to talk to Kanie-san, Isuzu-san, or Latifah-sama, and didn’t get to hear what happened after that. Even during our Task Force ABC pitch meetings, where I saw Kanie-san or Isuzu-san, I didn’t have the courage to ask what happened after that day at the culture festival. 
It was Shiina-chan who finally revealed it to me! She was my good friend, after all, so during a break in a lesson, I asked her for the low-down on how Kanie-san was doing. This is what Shiina-chan said: “Did... did that happen? I went to the culture festival the second day, and I peeked in on Kanie-senpai’s cafe...” 
“What happened?” I asked. 
“Things seemed pretty comfortable?” she guessed. 
“Was Kanie-san there?” 
“He was,” she confirmed. “He was just working like normal. Um... how to put it. The waitress who looked like the manager, Misasa-san?” 
“Mikasa-san?” I corrected. 
“Yes, her! Mikasa-san. She was really nice to Kanie-senpai!” 
“What?” 
“She was kind of acting like she was worried he’d push himself too hard...” Shiina-san went on. 
“Hmm...” 
“The others were the same way. They were all ‘take a break, Kanie’ and such.” 
“Hmm, hmm, hmm...” 
“Kanie-senpai himself seemed kind of flustered about it,” she finished. 
“Oh-ho...” I said. What a surprising revelation! I’m not very smart, so I spent a lot of time thinking about it after I went to bed that night. Could it be... could it be? 
After Latifah-sama’s rather humiliating (sorry) display, everyone in his class realized “Kanie-kun has some kind of circumstances because of this girl”? Of course, I can’t be sure! Even I can tell that Latifah-sama is an extremely glamorous girl who can handle herself very well despite her blindness... but at the same time, I have to admit... in a place like that, a person like her, doing something like that... it would probably have a lot of impact. In other words, it was a lot more effective than a normal person, like me, trying to make a groveling request. Well, I guess ‘effective’ isn’t the nicest word for it... 
Anyway, even if they didn’t figure it out immediately, I wonder if everyone in class was processing it, like at the very least it was like, “Huh? What’s going on?” They say that a person’s mood can change overnight. And that night, maybe the people in the class shared info over LINE and such, and more nice stories about Kanie-san came out... it could happen, right? Of course, I don’t think Latifah-sama planned it that way at the time. I think she was just expressing how she really felt! Sincerity can move heaven and earth. Isn’t that a saying? I’m not actually sure! But if that’s how it went down... 
Hmm, sorry! I think I’m just getting lost in a fantasy! But if I’m right, then I think Latifah-sama really has something special! 
Sincerity can move heaven and earth. I think it really is possible. I think I saw something truly wondrous go down that day. 
That’s one extra reason I’m glad I went to the culture festival! I want to use sincerity in my current job to move heaven and earth too! 
Anyway, thanks for joining me today! 
(The End)