The Culture Festival Ends

"thank you for attending everyone, the culture festival is over"

as we heard the announcement everyone in my class started the cleaning, everyone but Makoto

"you look exhausted, maybe you should go home"

I forced him to participate with another class so I don't blame him for being like this

"how was it?"

"what?"

"the kiss"

he got angry quickly and yelled at me

"it's all your fault!"

"fault? you should thank me!"

I didn't expect Hiragi-senpai to go this far when I prepared for it, all I planned was the confession.

"you should've taken the kiss since you were the one who asked to help the senpais"

"?"

"what?"

I think there's a huge misunderstanding here.

"why did Hiragi-senpai kiss you?"

"h-huh? it's a part of the script so it was inevitable"

"..."

"why are you looking at me like that? I'm the one who's supposed to be angry!"

Hiragi-senpai made it really obvious so he can understand, but this man is dodging the confession completely, how much should I say

"do you think Hiragi-senpai would have kissed anyone in that situation?"

he answered me after ten seconds of silence

"she'll say something like "it's just two lips touching what's so exciting about it?""

"you ba-"

"Aru!"

I heard someone calling me, Kiriyama holding a knife with a smile was getting closer and closer to me

"H-Hi"

"can we have a talk? it won't take long"

"yeah sure...but can you drop the knife first?"

"hmm? why should I?"

"of course...then let me ask you, what are you going to do with it"

"it depends on your answer"

"..."

she's definitely smiling but her eyes aren't, I can't see any light in them

"what are you doing? let's go"

she won't go as far as stabbing someone right? right???

I followed after her until we reached an empty hallway

"good, nobody can hear you here"

yeah..she lost her mind completely

"I'll hear your excuses first, Cheater-kun"

"I don't remember having a girlfriend to cheat on"

"*sigh* I'm just kidding, but you helped the senpai right?"

"I didn't expect her to go wild, I just gave her the chance"

I feel bad for the student who was supposed to play the knight but I'm sure he couldn't do as good as I did so I teleported him away

"I know she's your friend , I can't blame you for helping her...but isn't it game over for me?"

she fell on the ground while resting her back on the wall behind her, this is the first time I've ever seen Kiriyama making this expression, it's not about being sad..she looked dead inside

"look at her, she far superior, I can't compete at all whenever it's beauty, intelligence or even running"

when Makoto rejected her she still had hope, but now she can't see a reality where she wins, if it was Chi-senpai or Suzuki she won't feel this bad but because she already feel inferior to Hiragi-senpai the hit is stronger, it's a complete defeat

but that's not true, Makoto didn't acknowledge the confession yet, and even if he does she still can do something

"you still have a weapon that's only available to you right?"

"what?"

I gave her my hand so she can stand up

"you're the one who knows him the most, the time you spent with him since you were a child isn't something anyone else can get"

"he had another girl friend when we were kids though..."

she's missing the point, I held her hand and forced her to stand

"where is she now? where's all the friends he had? you know everything about him right? his type his favorite food, I won't be surprised if you knew how many hair he has!"

"113567"

"I won't ask you about how you know it, put you understand it now right?"

"..."

in the end it's her decision to give up or continue, I will accept her decision but only if she made it after thinking about it rationally

"I see..thank you Aru"

she smiled again, as I thought the Kiriyama Naru I know won't accept defeat this easily.

"by the way Aru.."

"hmm?"

"do you have anyone you like?"

"did you fall in love with me after helping you or something?"

of course she isn't I'm just kidding, even if she liked me after Makoto's rejection I will only be a replacement so I won't accept it

"you know...I'm always getting help from you so I thought I would help you too..."

oh, that's kinda right, it would be better if we both help each others instead of someone doing all the support

"unfortunately all the girls I know are trouble and I would like to avoid it if possible"

though I won't reject it if they're the ones to confess, I don't like to close my options

"is that so? make sure to tell me when you need any help I'll come running!"

she went back to her class jumping like a little girl, she switched personas quickly

"are you going to go away without talking?"

I noticed since a while now but there's someone eavesdropping on our conversation

"Ah, I thought I was hiding well"

"Shiori?"

the festival is already over so the guests should be going back now

"I was worried about Na-chan so I came here to check her condition"

that's right, since Makoto and Kiriyama hang out a lot Shiori should now her very well

"when I saw the kiss I thought about resetting but you handled the situation well"

"reset? like heating her until she loses her memories?'

"anyway, how long do you intend to do this?"

maybe because I was thinking about the question right now, I understand her question even without her specifying the topic

"in a situation like this, hoping for everyone's happiness is naive. they will get hurt more if you keep helping everyone"

I wish everyone around me can be happy, but sometimes someone's happiness stand in the way of other's happiness

"are you by any chance trying to help Kiriyama?"

"yes indeed, I always try to help her sleep together with Oni-chan but something ruin it everytime"

sleep together? I hope she mean just sleeping..the little girl smiled deviously as she crossed her fingers together, she definitely meant the other meaning

"I thought you were a brocon all this time, but you want him to be with Kiriyama"

"I can't marry Oni-chan no matter how hard I try even though we are not blood related"

I thought not being related by blood is only thing stopping her but he doesn't look at her this way, ans a confession will ruin their family

"but why Kiriyama exactly?"

"I am confident in Na-chan's ability to make Oni-chan happy"

I didn't expect such a wholesome response from her

"and she's going to make many children, isn't that perfect?Ill eat everyone of them"

yeah, Shiori don't tall much when peow are around her, but when she's alone she won't stop

"anyway, I think you should really chose one to cheer for, it will be a lot easier for you too"

"I'll think about it"

if everyone can't be happy maybe everyone should be hurt? why am I getting involved so much anyway?

after saying goodbye to Shiori I walked back to the classroom I slacked off too much, I didn't talk to Hiragi-senpai at all after what happened.

in the classroom the atmosphere is tense, Emma, Suzuki and Makoto are having trouble to talk to each other normally

"I wish Hiragi-senpai is ready to take responsibility"

the culture festival ended but the consequences of what happened today will take much more time to disappear.