The sports festival jointly held by the two schools had been in preparation for two weeks in advance by the student councils and support members from both sides.
However, once the event actually began, it only lasted two days.
The festive and energetic mood made time fly by almost unnoticed for the students, and before they knew it, it was over.
In the blink of an eye, the closing ceremony had begun.
Inside the indoor gymnasium at Minejo University, a temporary banner was hung.
The directors and principals from both schools went on stage to officially conclude the joint event with their speeches.
Anyone who's experienced similar events knows this part is always long and dull.
But since it's a moment for upper management to assert their presence, there's no avoiding it.
Chisato and the other organizing staff stood off to the side of the stage, head slightly bowed, hand covering his mouth as he gave a small yawn.
It wasn't a yawn of exhaustion—but of comfort.
He had been living quite the relaxed life these past two days.
He hadn't signed up for any competitions, nor did he have to run around like the rest of the event committee helping others and staying selfless.
Instead, he'd spent his time in a warm, cozy broadcast room chatting with a junior who clearly understood personal boundaries.
Said junior had a soft and soothing voice, a pretty face, and occasionally did some cute things like tugging at her sleeves or lightly swinging her legs.
Their conversations never felt awkward, and through them, he even learned about the everyday lives of high school girls.
Add in a warm drink steaming in his hands, some light snacks to nibble on, and a workload that only required him to talk a bit—it was calm and blissful.
In contrast, another member of the organizing staff—Yukino—was standing slightly ahead and to the left of him.
She quietly covered her mouth with a small sigh that clearly stemmed from genuine fatigue.
Chisato could see her clean-cut profile. Probably from lack of energy, she'd lost that sharp edge she usually carried—like a chill wind off the Siberian plains.
Now she just looked drained, like someone stumbling out of an all-nighter at an internet café, squinting at the sky.
The stage lights were bright. And perhaps from her fatigue, she couldn't deal with the intensity as usual, keeping her eyes half-closed the whole time.
If dark circles had shown up around her eyes, she might've looked just like a panda—her favorite animal.
Chisato kept an eye on her, concerned not with that passing, poorly-timed thought, but rather the way Yukino's eyes drooped shut only to snap open, her chin bobbing up and down.
He wondered if she'd even be able to stay awake through the rest of the speech, which was as hypnotic as it was boring. She looked like she could fall asleep any second.
He couldn't really help her in this situation.
Fortunately, Yui was standing right next to her.
She seemed to notice her friend's state and gently held Yukino's hand, giving it a small shake to keep her awake, signaling that the end was near.
Two beautiful girls holding hands was already a heartwarming sight. In Chisato's eyes, it was like a pure white lily blooming above their heads.
He suddenly understood how a rabid fujoshi he'd met at Sobu High once stared unrestrained at him and Fukube just for walking together.
Thankfully, after the long-winded school official, the rest of the speakers were brief and to the point.
At last, the closing ceremony came to an end with the two principals shaking hands and smiling.
Chisato guessed that after such a successful collaboration, the two schools would likely continue working together next year.
After all, this whole initiative had been led by President Shiromeguri Meguri.
As he applauded along with the crowd, he looked toward her—and sure enough, Shiromeguri Meguri wore an expression of pure happiness.
For the final stretch of her term as student council president, being able to fulfill her dream and bring everyone such a memorable, groundbreaking event must have been incredibly satisfying.
With this, the request she had made to the Service Club was probably now considered complete.
Feeling genuine happiness for her, Chisato glanced once more at Yukino.
Her expression was similar to Meguri's, only more subtle and restrained.
Maybe it was the thunderous applause inside the gym that shook off her drowsiness for a moment.
Her awareness seemed to rise again, and suddenly, as if sensing something, she turned her head to glance behind her—and locked eyes with Chisato.
Neither looked away. After a brief moment of silent eye contact, they both smiled slightly, almost in sync.
And so, the sports festival officially came to an end.
But…
That was only for most people.
The closing ceremony had wrapped up around 4 PM. With winter shortening the days, the sky outside the gym was already beginning to darken.
This should've been the time to head home, following the natural rhythm of the setting sun.
But of course, it wasn't that easy.
As students exited the building in small groups, the aftermath was like a beach after the tide recedes.
Scattered folding chairs and all kinds of trash covered the yellow wooden floor—stuff that definitely didn't belong there.
The school officials who attended the closing ceremony thanked the event committee members sincerely and offered glowing praise… then left without a second glance.
The microphones, sound system, banners—all of it still stood on stage, and they'd need to be taken down exactly the way they'd been put up.
After all, they were using someone else's gymnasium. They couldn't just leave irresponsibly. The place had to be cleaned and returned to its original state.
It was a basic matter of decency.
Left behind, the young teacher Hiratsuka Shizuka sighed deeply, standing on stage and staring out at the post-ceremony chaos with a helpless expression.
She should've seen this coming. Knowing how those damn balding guys operated, of course she'd be the one left behind to clean up.
Too bad she had a matchmaking party tonight—guess that was off.
She silently stepped into a corner and pulled out her phone, intending to inform her friend about the situation before getting to work.
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