For Some Reason Watanabe-san, the School’s Madonna, Ask Me About My Schedule Every Week

“We’ll go shopping then, so get a spot !”

After a ten-minute walk, we arrived at the site of the fireworks festival.

This is a city-run waterfront park with spacious lawns, benches, and clean restrooms, making it a relatively comfortable place to watch the fireworks.

The fireworks were scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m., and as of about an hour ago, blue sheets were being spread out and the space was filling up fast.

So we decided to split up into two groups, one to get a spot and the other to buy things…….

“Unexpected. I thought Aikawa was going to prepare the food.”

Ishikawa san said to me.

“Why…..?”

I asked her why she thought so.

“Because the food prepared by Aikawa is definitely better than that from a food stall !”

Aizawa said something like that.

Certainly, I would have thought of that under normal circumstances. It would give me an excuse to fish without hesitation, and I would be more than happy to have the fish I caught taste so good.

However, Sawaguchi san was supposed to be in charge of this operation.

She had said, [If you two take the place while we secure the food, it will create a good atmosphere.]

“Ah ! Oh no ! There’s that !”

Sawaguchi san suddenly shouted out.

“Perhaps you didn’t notice, Maho san?”

Watanabe san stares at Sawaguchi san.

“You said it ! I missed one of Aikawacchi’s home-cooked meals !”

She sounds disappointed. I don’t feel bad that she craves it so much, but……

“Well, if you didn’t bother to prepare it, then you must bi itching to do something, right?”

“That’s rude, there is no day during the summer vacation when I can’t bring home a fish.”

I retorted, annoyed by Aizawa.

“Hee, you can catch that many fish?　Fishing sounds fun.”

Ishikawa san seemed interested and picked up the conversation.

“More importantly, let’s go shopping first.”

Sawaguchi san rushed us, seeing how crowded the stalls were. As the instigator, it may be that she wants Aizawa and Ishikawa san to be alone as soon as possible.

“Then, Aizawa, please look after our luggage.”

I left my bag and followed her.

Sawaguchi san was in the lead, followed by Watanabe san.

She grabbed my clothes and turned around, wondering what was going on.

She looked around to make sure neither Aizawa nor Ishikawa san nor Sawaguchi san were looking at us, then pulled her face close to mine and whispered.

“Please take me fishing again.”

So we exchanged secret promises and she chased Sawaguchi san.

Is this the same promise as the last one, or is it something else?

I kept thinking about it and wondering.

“Then, cheers !”

We bought some food from a food stall and laid out our dishes in the middle of a blue sheet.

The three of us had bought a lot of food, and the portions were quite large.

With Sawaguchi as the lead, each of us raised the plastic bottle in our hand and bumped it.

I felt as if I was standing on the side of the top caste, but I still felt uncomfortable with the behavior, or perhaps I did not feel fitting in somehow.

So, each of us did as we pleased with the food, and conversation bloomed.

“But back when we first entered the school, I never thought I’d end up in this kind of relationship with Aikawa.”

Aizawa spoke to me.

“I certainly didn’t imagine it at all before I entered the school.”

I never imagined that I would be a member of a mixed gender group and come to a fireworks festival during the summer vacation. The fact that all the members of the group are top caste and even the school’s Madonna, it is impossible to predict.

“All of this is thanks to Aikawa’s fishing.”

It was Aizawa who approached me for my food when I first entered the school. Would we have become friends if I hadn’t been fishing?

“Then, wouldn’t it have been the fish that mattered, not me?”

I asked, catching the tail end of Aizawa’s words,

“I told you before, didn’t I? You’re a much more interesting guy than I thought. I don’t hang out with guys unless I like them.”

To my question, he says, [Fishing is just an excuse, right?]

This is the sly part of this man. He is friendly, good-looking, and naturally chooses words that make people happy.

I think it is because Aizawa is this kind of man that we became friends.

“Right, Aikawacchi is interesting !”

Sawaguchi san joins our conversation.

“When Sawaguchi san says that, I can’t help but feel like I’m being teased…”

She inserts a joke whenever there is a chance, so I can’t take it honestly.

“Even so, I miss Aikawacchi’s home cooking.”

Sawaguchi san makes such a remark as she puts the food in her hands.

I open my bag and take out an insulated bag from inside. Inside are five wrapped round things with refrigerant inside.

“Aikawa kun, what are those?”

Watanabe san, who was talking with Ishikawa san, looked at me and tilted her head.

“These are mackerel sandwiches made with mackerel I caught yesterday.”

I had kept it in my bag until now, because I knew that if I let them know it was there first, they might reduce the number of things needed to buy it.

Now would be a good time to bring it out.

“Great job, Aikawa ! You did it !”

“I hate you ! You !”

Sawaguchi san poked me with her elbow.

“Here, Ishikawa san.”

“Thank you.”

I handed it to her, and Ishikawa san thanked me shortly. Her cheeks are relaxed and she looks happy, so if she enjoys it, I don’t feel bad about it.

Watanabe san accepted it with a smile, and we ate our mackerel sandwiches in silence while everyone around us chatted happily.

“Mmmmm, dewicious.”

Sawaguchi san put her hand on her cheek and made a blissful expression on her face.

“It’s quite thick. I’m not a big fan of mackerel sushi, but maybe this one doesn’t have a fishy smell because it’s fried in oil, so maybe it tastes good.”

Ishikawa san gave it high marks. It is true that mackerel must be cured immediately after being caught, otherwise it loses its freshness and becomes smelly. I will keep in mind that she is not a fan of mackerel.

“Yup, tasty as usual !”

Aizawa gave a thumbs-up as usual and went back to eating.

The problem is Watanabe san.

We had talked about “fried food” in the courtyard before. At that time, Sawaguchi san and Ishikawa san refused to eat, so I thought Watanabe san was also refraining, but it is possible that she really did not want to eat it.

As I watched her, she moved her little mouth to eat her mackerel sandwich. When her eyes met mine, she looked away.

“Aikawacchi, don’t look too closely when a girl is eating !”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

I was rude, if you think about it. I was worried about the evaluation, so I kept looking at Watanabe san, but it must be hard to eat with people watching you.

“No….. It’s okay.”

In her exchange with Sawaguchi san, she hurriedly denied that she didn’t mind.

“I also like the food you make…..Aikawa-kun,”

Watanabe san’s assessment almost made my cheeks relax. I’m happy to be told by others that my food tastes good.

“Hm, is it time?”

Aizawa looked around. The visitors who had been talking happily earlier were now looking at the coast without making a sound. This is where the fireworks are supposed to be launched.

We noticed that it was almost time for the fireworks festival to start. We too fell silent and stared at the sky.

The lights around us were turned off, and everyone gasped.

——! Dong ! Crackle-crackle-crackle……–

Fireworks shot up into the night sky.

They are closer and bigger than I had expected. I had never been to such a venue before, so I had only watched from afar during my elementary and middle school years.

With my classmates looking forward to the fireworks display, I had never shown much interest in them and had no intention of actively participating in the event.

This time, too, if Sawaguchi san had not invited me on the pretext of bringing Aizawa and Ishikawa san together, I probably would not have visited the event in this way.

The crowd cheered each time a firework went off.

There must be many visitors here, but they are all absorbed in the fireworks.

Fireworks of various colors were shooting up, fascinating us.

I was shaken by the emotion of being here and being able to watch the fireworks.

Why are they so beautiful?

We share the same things and experience the same emotions. I had a similar experience the other day.

(Come to think of it……)

I was suddenly concerned about Aizawa and Ishikawa san’s situation and looked down at them. I wondered if they were in a good mood to watch the fireworks…….

As I looked down, I suddenly realized that someone was watching me.

Aizawa and Ishikawa san are in front of me, watching the fireworks. To my left is Sawaguchi san and to my right is Watanabe san…….

The lights of the fireworks are reflected in their crystal-like eyes. Her white skin is bathed in light and dyed various colors. I feel her fingertips touching mine from a while ago.

Is she aware of it or not?

I freeze, unable to move a single fingertip.

She looks away from me and goes back to watching the fireworks.

Then I just look up and listen to the fireworks and their sound in the sky, unable to think straight until the fireworks show is over.