113. Then, the Cultural Festival They Finally Resolved to Hold. (The End)

"I hereby announce that the 54th Kamizakura High School Cultural Festival has officially come to a successful conclusion."

"Thank you all for your hard work!"

Jinguji Tsukasa bowed on stage. A round of applause erupted from the audience—the most enthusiastic he had heard since enrolling. It was a scene the Jinguji Tsukasa of two months ago could never have imagined.

Retreating backstage, he waited for the students to clear out. The members of the Cultural Festival Committee tidied the auditorium, restoring it to its original state, and stopped by one by one to bid him farewell.

"We're heading off now."

"Vice President, bye-bye!"

"Yes, goodbye everyone."

Once the others had left, Jinguji stood in the empty auditorium. He looked up at the stage where he had stood moments ago, feeling as though the long, grueling days of the festival had passed in a heartbeat.

He had spent every day dealing with committee affairs, with almost no time to wander about, let alone enjoy himself. If asked whether he had felt happy, "passable" would be the most generous rating he could give. After all, he had been coerced into this by Hoshinomori Hoshino.

Yet, incredibly, the boy who once claimed to loathe group activities found himself firmly rooted at the heart of one.

Leaving the auditorium, he headed toward the old school building. On the connecting corridor between the old and new buildings, many students were gathered near the courtyard, dismantling the open-air stalls. It reminded Jinguji of the summer festival after the fireworks had faded.

He watched for a moment, then ascended to the fourth floor of the old building in silence and pushed open the doors to the student council room at the very end of the hall. Because of the festival, he hadn't been here for a while, and the sight stirred a faint sense of nostalgia.

Inside the room, a girl was already waiting, standing quietly by the kettle as it emitted a low, bubbling sound. She turned toward the door and offered the boy a gentle smile.

"Just in time. The tea is ready."

Jinguji said nothing, walking over to sit on the sofa, waiting silently for her to pour the tea.

Sitting across from him, they both sipped their black tea. Hoshinomori blew softly on her cup, the reddish-brown liquid rippling in circles until it finally returned to stillness. "The deadline," she said quietly, "has arrived."

Jinguji drank his tea without a word, offering a simple grunt of acknowledgment.

"I never imagined two months could pass so quickly."

"...Indeed."

"So? Has Jinguji-kun's mind changed?"

Jinguji set down his cup and met her gaze—cunning yet tinged with a subtle gravity. He felt quite helpless.

"President, is teasing me really that much fun?"

"Oh? Do I sound like I'm teasing you?"

Jinguji sighed long and hard.

"In any case, thank you for your hard work during the festival."

"Since you know how hard I worked, President, you really shouldn't have ordered me around like that."

"I hope you understand my motives for pushing you. I felt like a mother eagle pushing her child off a cliff after breaking its wings, *sob sob*," she said, putting on a dramatic act.

"That sounds nice on paper," Jinguji replied, his expression unchanging.

"Anyway, moving on—what about our wager?"

"What was that?" Jinguji feigned ignorance.

Hoshinomori immediately looked displeased. "I hate boys who lie and play dumb."

"In any case, I never thought I could be liked by the President."

"Ho-ho! If that's your attitude, I might have to say something to junior student Sakurakoji to ruin your relationship."

"..."

Seeing the complex expression on his face, the girl burst into laughter. "I'm joking. I wouldn't do anything that mean."

"But seriously, do you still want to quit the student council? If that's still your intention, I'm out of ways to stop you."

The boy drank his tea in silence.

"If I quit the student council, would I still be able to come here for tea?"

Hoshinomori understood his implication immediately and beamed. "Certainly not."

"That would be a real shame."

"Who's to say otherwise? Good luck with the election."

"I'll do my best."

And so, they set the topic aside, both understanding the unspoken truth.

It was November now. The biting autumn wind rattled the windowpanes. The room was cold, and the steaming black tea was the only source of warmth. Jinguji had grown accustomed to the flavor; combined with the familiar scent of the council room, the peaceful atmosphere helped both his body and mind relax.

The Jinguji Tsukasa who had once boasted that he would quit the student council after the festival had vanished into thin air. Perhaps this was a form of corruption.

The wager between Jinguji and Hoshinomori had been whether or not he would still want to remain in the student council after the festival. It was clear that the outcome was a total victory for Hoshinomori.

As the loser, the price Jinguji had to pay was to run in the upcoming student council president election.

Seeing his cup was empty, Hoshinomori refilled it.

"It's not expensive tea. It's a gift from the principal to the student council. I hear his family makes tea. Even if it's not pricey, it's good quality. He brings it every year, so we're never short on leaves."

"It's a tradition passed down in the student council. You must remember that."

"And the milk tea that Yomiya-san always drinks—I've written down how to make it in a notebook. It's in my desk drawer."

"Actually, I've been secretly reducing the amount of milk I add. Perhaps one day, she'll be able to drink pure black tea without it."

"Jinguji-kun and Yomiya-san get along very well. I trust you two will continue to get along in the future. I truly believe she can be a great help to you."

"Why does this sound like a series finale?"

"Well, once you're officially the student council president, there won't be much of a role left for me."

"Am I that sure to be elected? Isn't that a bit hasty? I'm sure there are others in school better suited for the position."

"It's fine. No matter who the opponent is, Jinguji-kun will surely win the election."

Jinguji didn't know where her confidence came from.

"Otherwise, Yomiya could be president, and I could be the secretary."

"If you're willing to deal with all those clubs, I have no objections," Hoshinomori said with a smile.

The boy thought about the secretary's workload and promptly abandoned the idea.

"Jinguji-kun, let me ask you one more time. Have you found it yet?"

The boy looked into Hoshinomori's serene eyes. He opened his mouth, then slowly closed it again.

After a long silence.

"I don't know how to describe it."

"Oh?"

"Even now, I don't know what it is I truly want in my heart. But I feel as though I must move forward, that I must do something."

"For now, I want to set a goal for myself while exploring along the way. Perhaps, by doing so, I'll find what I really want to do."

Hoshinomori nodded in realization. "That sounds like a scumbag who keeps one foot in the bowl while eyeing the pot. How like you, Jinguji-kun—even regarding your dreams, you're so ambiguous. It fits the impression others have of you perfectly."

Jinguji sighed faintly. "Could you offer a little more encouragement?"

"I suppose so. After all, I am a beautiful and kind-hearted senior, a role model for a cute junior."

"Then..."

"Jinguji-kun, we may be parting ways, but I believe that one day, your dreams will connect us again."

"When that time comes, I will tell you how I feel at this very moment."