Chapter 9

Early morning, the next day

Souma: Fufu. Another clear, blue day.

(‘Tis still early in the morn, so the temperature is not too hot. Perfect weather for practice swings... ♪)

Hajime: ......

Souma: (Hm? Is that Shino I see walking before me?)

(Our distance is too great to call to him. I could shout, but as that could frighten Shino, ‘tis not a good idea.)

(I will catch up to him soon enough, and I shall greet him then.)

(Though. What business has Shino to come to school this early?)

(Our practice between Ra*bits and Akatsuki is after noon. Perhaps he cometh for club activities, or something of that nature?)

(But he appeareth somewhat unsteady on his feet. I worry that he may stagger into the roadway.)

(So that he might not collapse, I shall quietly watch over him from behind.)

Several minutes later

Hajime: All right, let’s keep going...

Souma: (This is...? Mm, I have confirmed from the placard that this is the practice room.)

(Were Akatsuki and Ra*bits meant to meet so early? ...Nay, I confirmed the time several times over with Hasumi-dono yesterday. ‘Tis later in the day.)

(Is he come early for independent training, as I myself did? Shino, th’art an admirable youth ♪)

Hajime: I have to get more done before everyone else gets here.

Souma: (Oh? Is he unaware that I am here? Although, I suppose that I announced myself not upon mine entrance.)

(Still, the sound of the door opening and closing should have alerted him.)

(Hum. He said he needed to get more done. However, we ought have finished yesterday all of the lanterns that were needed...)

Shino.

Hajime: Gyaaaaaaah?!

Souma: O me, I have frightened thee. Forgive me. But woundest me, reacting as thou hadst seen a ghost.

Hajime: Augh—I’m sorry! You just came right up behind me and spoke and it scared me...

Umm, Kanzaki-senpai. You’re pretty early today~

But we’re not supposed to meet until the afternoon, so there won’t be anyone else here if you come this early, you know?

Souma: Fufu. That you say; however, thou art also here.

Shino, I apologize if I am mistaken here, but art thou come to school early to make more lanterns?

We finished the lantern construction yesterday. So why is it that makest them still?

Hajime: Um... when I got here, I just happened to find a lantern I was already working on.

I thought if I left it like this, it’d be thrown out, so... I couldn’t stand to leave it unfinished.

When I finish it, I’m going to do some independent training... so if you’re not busy then, Kanzaki-senpai, it’d be a big help if you could watch me practice ♪

Souma: But of course. However... why doth a good child such as thee try to deceive me with lies?

Hajime: L–lies...? I’m not lying! I really was just trying to finish this lantern I was working on...!

Souma: Mm. It doth seem my phrasing was too harsh. I apologize, Shino.

It is possible that dost tell the truth. But thou work’st on this lantern e’en after it hath been completed, dost thou not?

...I had no intent to eavesdrop, but I overheard thee nonetheless.

I heard thee say that thou must make more lanterns.

If thou enjoyest making lanterns, then all is well.

If there are many a lantern, then surely the stage will be bright. And I do not believe that will catch Hasumi-dono’s ire.

However, I believe not that thou enjoyest thyself.

The phrase “have to” is born from a sense of obligation. What drives thee to such an extent?

Hajime: Nothing’s driving me. I just want to make the glow of the lanterns stronger than the fireflies.

Souma: Fireflies...? Why mention the fireflies?

Now that thou say’st it, though, when we went to the riverside for our inspection, thou didst raise thy voice to demand that we not treat fireflies as objects. Dost thou have some sort of attachment to fireflies?

Be at ease, I shall not force thee. Thou and I are not close friends, and one cannot speak of one’s own past with ease.

Nevertheless. Shouldst thou view the situation from another point of view, it is precisely because we are not close that thou canst divulge stories of the past which thou wouldst not want thy close friends to know.

Willst thou reveal a small part of thine heart to me? I fancy myself able to share the burdens of mine underclassmen.

Hajime: Kanzaki-senpai...

Thank you. I got so worked up that I ended up denying it, but you were right, Kanzaki-senpai. I was lying.

Others might think, “What’s the big deal?” But please hear me out.

It was before my brother and sister were born. Back when I was really young.

proofing: Verdantgrove