108. Then, the School Festival of Resolve. (12)

October 30, Friday.
The eve of the school festival.
Golden sunset light, tinged with a hint of autumn, bathed the entire school.
The young man stood on the rooftop, situated in a place where the sunlight could not reach. The sunset’s glow cast a golden, bashful hue across the profile of the girl standing before him, seemingly encouraging her to take a step closer to him.

"Senior, I like you. Please go out with me."

Facing this underclassman with a ponytail, the young man only knew her name. She was a cheerful and diligent girl who got along well with other classmates on the committee.
But that was all. Beyond that, he knew nothing about her.
And she, too, surely knew nothing of the real him.
Naturally, the young man could not reciprocate her feelings.
Even so, he did not put on the cold, intimidating expression he once would have.
Facing someone who was willing to like him, wanting to get close to him, and wanting to understand him, he wanted to be gentler and more honest.
He chose neither to ignore nor to escape, nor to deceive with a clumsy lie.
Undeniably, there are times when a lie is more moving than the truth.
But if she were to find out that he had rejected her with a lie, it would certainly anger her.
In that case, he had no choice but to speak his true feelings.
Trying to recall his past self, he wondered how the Tsukigami Yue of back then would have answered a girl’s confession.

"I'm sorry, but there is already someone I like."

...
...

After spending a long while alone on the rooftop, Tsukigami Yue returned downstairs to the meeting room. The underclassman who had confessed to him seemed to have already returned to work; at least on the surface, there was nothing amiss. Perhaps she was a girl adept at hiding her true thoughts.

"Tsukigami-kun, where did you go just now? I said I needed you to stamp some papers when I was in the classroom."

Sakurakoji Sakura stood with her hands on her hips, expressing her dissatisfaction at not being able to find him earlier.
He had intentionally timed his descent to avoid being seen, so no one connected him to that underclassman.

"Sorry, I had something to take care of."

Sakurakoji Sakura looked at him with a glimmer of suspicion, but eventually gave up on pressing him further. This, perhaps, could be considered the unique gentleness of Sakurakoji Sakura.
Although it was the eve of the school festival, most of the work was already finished. Tsukigami Yue’s biggest remaining task was to ensure the success of tomorrow's performance.

After a brief meeting, Tsukigami Yue announced that they were dismissed. Tomorrow was the festival; if they didn't get enough rest tonight, they wouldn't be able to enjoy it tomorrow.
Afterward, Tsukigami Yue returned to the classroom with Sakurakoji Sakura. By now, the Class 2-A classroom had been completely transformed. The desks and chairs were neatly stacked at the back, and in the center were several round tables covered with tablecloths to host guests.
Colorful streamers hung from the ceiling, door frames, and windowsills. In the corner, a space was partitioned off by a curtain, on which was written "Changing Room (Girls Only)."
As soon as they returned, Sakurakoji Sakura threw herself into the group of girls to help finish the final tasks.
Having nothing to do, Tsukigami Yue sat at his desk and drew.
The promotional posters he was responsible for were already finished, so he was just sketching to pass the time.

"Why don't we try asking Tsukigami-kun? Since the committee work is done, he might agree."

His ears twitched as he heard his own name. When a girl walked over, he put down his stylus.

"Um, Tsukigami-kun..."

The young man looked at her. She wanted him to draw some patterns on the blackboard to match the atmosphere of the cosplay cafe.
Without much hesitation, Tsukigami Yue nodded. "Sure."
When asked what to draw, the girls were unsure. After consulting the boys, the suggestions were mostly scantily clad female anime characters, which drew unanimous opposition from the girls.
In the end, Tsukigami Yue drew "Kessoku Band" on the blackboard.
As for why it was Kessoku Band...
It was because there were only four colors of chalk in the classroom.

...
...

School ended.
Arriving at Jiyugaoka, Tsukigami Yue and Sakurakoji Sakura walked through the alleyway together. It was the end of October; night fell quickly, and the darkness was much heavier than in summer.
Sakurakoji Sakura walked quietly beside him, glancing at him from time to time.

"Hey, Yue."
"Hmm?"
"Did you get confessed to by a cute girl today?"

Tsukigami Yue was slightly taken aback and couldn't help but ask, "You saw?"
"Not exactly saw, just guessed."
"Guessed?"

"That girl usually likes to peek at you, but today she looked quiet and dejected. Plus, you glanced at her once or twice during the meeting. Usually, you wouldn't pay any attention to the girls in the meeting room."
"What a brilliant deduction. Since when did you become so smart?"
"I'm quite dull. I can't do anything but watch you, which is why I know everything about you."

He almost forgot; that was the kind of girl Sakurakoji Sakura was.

"Did you turn her down properly?" she asked softly.
"Yes."
"If you are truly determined to turn over a new leaf, I wouldn't actually stop you from being with a cute, kind girl, Yue."

Tsukigami Yue suddenly stopped walking.
The girl took two or three steps forward, then turned back to look at him with a smile.

"I have actually thought about it before—that the person walking beside you doesn't necessarily have to be me.
"Because you were always like that, I couldn't let you go and stayed where I was to wait for you. But things are different now."
"Have I made you wait too long..."

Seeing his dejected expression, Sakurakoji Sakura was momentarily speechless. She feigned anger and said, "Yue, you idiot. Is that how you see me?
"Forget three years; even if it were five or ten, I would keep waiting. But the 'you' of now doesn't need me to wait anymore, does he? I even have to run forward with all my might."

The young man looked at his childhood friend with a bewildered expression. Suddenly, she felt somewhat unfamiliar to him—in a good way.

"Why?"
"Because you want to chase after that person, don't you?
"In order not to be left far behind, I have to run forward too. One day, I’ll run ahead of you and let you see my back as well."

The moonlight cast charming light and shadows on the girl's face. Her voice was confident and resolute. The young man stood quietly, then slowly stepped forward.
Sakurakoji Sakura met his gaze calmly. Seeing him raise his arms, she did not dodge, allowing the young man to pull her into his embrace.

"I... I want Sakura to stay by my side always."
"Is that because you like me, or because you're afraid?"
"...I suppose, a little of both."