Chapter 8
Gooood morning~ ♪
(It’s a liiittle early for the meeting time, so I’m probably the first one here.)
Ah, Nii~chan. Good morning ♪
Fufu, you’re really early~ But now that I think about it, you’re usually the first one to arrive to a meeting.
Yep, I’m an early riser~ I can never get back to sleep if I wake up, so I end up just going to the meeting place early instead.
Wait, that’s not the point. Hajime-chin, what’re you doing making lanterns so early in the morning? And it’s so dainty, too. It must have taken you a long time to make.
Actually, it didn’t take as long as it seems. I just finished making it, so would you like to see if it works?
Ohh, it’s so pretty. Yep yep, we can definitely use this for the stage.
I’m so glad~ I’m sure it’ll make the stage look so pretty.
Definitely. Thanks to Keito-chin, we were able to decide on a stage design with magical-looking lighting.
We have to make the lantern props ourselves due to budget constraints, but if they’re gonna look like this it’ll be great.
…Wait, huh? Looking more closely, there’s a lot more lanterns than just this one.
We hadn’t even made half this much yesterday. Hajime-chin, did you make all of these by yourself…?
Umm, it wasn’t just me. My little sister and brother helped me out.
Because you know, the vice president told us there’s not a lot of time before Summer Night Festival, right?
So I took them home and started making them on my own.
Then my little sister and brother came by… and they saw me making a lantern, thought it looked fun, and started helping.
…I see. I didn’t really want you to work on these at home, but. I’m glad you had fun with it.
But don’t do it again. Making the lanterns isn’t just your job, Hajime-chin. We’re all supposed to work on them, except for Anzu and Kuro-chin, since they’re in charge of costumes.
We may not have much time before the live, but we do have a lot of manpower.
So let’s finish all the lanterns today, and we can start practicing for the live tomorrow on.
Pardon me!
Ah, it seems ye two members of Ra*bits have already gathered.
It would be inexcusable that I keep my senpai waiting, and so I arriv/’ed early… Well then, I shall come to school e’en earlier on the morrow!
Ahaha, sorry for making you fuss over us.
Mm, Keito-chin and the others still aren’t here. It’d be a waste to not do anything, so do you wanna make some more lanterns?
Yea. Then Nito-dono, what willst thou have me do?
All right. I’ll work on putting the lanterns together, so can you and Hajime-chin make the cutout decorations for them?
That I shall! Shino, I’ll be in thy care.
Eek—? Y–yes, let’s do our best…!
Umm, you okay? Lookie, Souma-chin isn’t scary at all~ ♪
Ahaha, you’re fumbling your words just like me.
Sorry~ I thought if I raised the corners of your mouth like this, Hajime-chin wouldn’t be so scared anymore.
Ah, he truly is frighten’d… If I do give thee this much fright, then I shall construct the lanterns, and thou canst work with Nito-dono to make the cutouts.
N–no! I’m not scared at all! I’m fine, really!
(Hmmm… Though Shino may speak thus, he doth tremble like a small animal. He must fear me after all.)
(However. Should I press this issue further, I will merely make him uncomfortable. Then I shall respect Shino’s opinion here.)
Very well, I concede. The two of us will make quick work of it.
Yes—! I–I’ll do my best!
(I–is he okay…? I’m a little worried. I guess I’ll just watch over them while we work.)
Umm, I drew a rough sketch on this paper, so let’s cut it out.
Let’s. This precision knife ought work nicely. Then, snip, snip~
Wow, Kanzaki-senpai, your cuts are so clean. And you’re so much faster than I am~
Fufu. I am quite accustomed to bladed tools. …Hm, this sketch is that of a morning glory, yes? Thou art quite skilled at drawing, Shino.
Thank you. My little brother is doing a research project on morning glories, so when I saw it, I drew some too.
Hohoh, thou hast a little brother as well, Shino?
You too? Ehehe, what a coincidence~ ♪
(Oh… They’re getting along better than I thought. Well now that I think about it, they’re not exactly the kinds of people who’d let any tension just sit.)
(They’ll be fine. I don’t need to worry about them anymore. Aaaaall right, I’ll focus on my own work~!)
……~ ♪
(So Shino doth hum when he is in good spirits. It seems he enjoyeth making the lanterns.)
(…Mayhap ‘twas only mine imagination that he seemed unwell the other day. Lo, his smile is brilliant as the sun.)
……
(Marry! I took my eyes from him for but a moment, and his face has fallen with sorrow!)
(Was it not mine imagination that he seem’d unhappy?)
(Why, then, doth he look so sad? I cannot cheer him up if I know not the reason!)
(…Nay. E’en were I to know, would mine encouragement truly serve to raise Shino’s spirits?)
(Though we spake as normal before, Shino doth still fear me. Though this feeling doth instill no pride in me, I must not turn a blind eye to it.)
(Since I have noticed it, surely Nito-dono hath noticed as well. He will be able to uncover Shino’s worries and lift his spirits.)
(‘Tis my duty now to endeavor in my work. I shall finish most of the lanterns before Hasumi-dono and the others arrive!)