Omae o Otaku ni Shiteyaru kara, Ore o Riajuu ni Shitekure!:Volume 7 Chapter 6

Me and Hasegawa sent off Mr. Yamamoto to the entrance.

"Well, Midori ... I will contact you again."

In the words of Ms. Yamamoto, Hasegawa silently nodded.

"... Onii-san ......"

Hasegawa called Mr. Yamamoto with a nervous look.

"... ...you coming to the cultural festival ... really, I was happy ..."

"Midori ... ...."

Mr. Yamamoto was happy when he looked at Hasegawa.

Hasegawa was able to talk to him at last, it was really good ... ... I thought from my heart.

"Kashiwada-kun ... ... how can I thank you for today, thank you so much ..."

Mr. Yamamoto thanked me.

"No, thank you for visiting us ......"

I and Hasegawa sent off Mr. Yamamoto who went home.

Hasegawa was looking at Mr. Yamamoto's back ... ... with very gentle eyes.

When we got back to the gym, the cleanup after the play was over.

"I did not participate in tidying up ... ... I did bad things ..."

Hasegawa unhappily muttered while looking at the stage in the gymnasium where everyone has disappeared together with the props used in the play; the place was cleaned up well.

"Originally, we neither helped set up the props so it seemed that they finished cleaning up without having to wait for us." We did not help in the preparation so I think that we weren’t needed for the cleanup.

We decided to return to the classroom for now.

"Let's hurry."

Hasegawa says to me as if nothing had happened.

"Oh, OK."

Although I was a little confused about the change in Hasegawa, I returned to the classroom quickly with her.

At the moment we entered the classroom, I felt like we got some attention from the class. Koigasaki also looked at Hasegawa for a moment when we arrived in the classroom.

Our class, having finished the play and tidied up, about half of our classmates are eating in the classroom. The other half went to their club activities and other things.

The props used in the play were gathered at the end of the classroom. By the way, we were told that in the later camp fire, the small burnable props will be burned. I'm sure that they are keeping the items to be burned in one place.

"You ... you and Hasegawa went missing!"

When I returned to my seat, Kiritani cried.

"Oh ... no ... ...."

I do not know what to answer, I don’t want to get caught.

"It was rumored in class, something about the two leading characters! ......"

"Are you serious……!?"

So that’s why the moment I came back to the classroom with Hasegawa, we got a lot of attention?

"What, did you finally tell her!?"

"Chi, what!"

"Why ... I thought you would ask during the late night festival"

"What ... What ?!"

I have doubts about Kiritani's remarks.

"... .... You know, during the school's late night festival, it’s confession time for a lot of students; it's not officially so, but the students are doing it on their own ... every year It seems to be a tradition. "

"There is such a thing ... ... I did not know ..."

Confession time at the late night festival ... ... there was such a youthful event in our high school.

"I thought that for the late night festival there is only folk dancing around the campfire ..."

The main part of the late night festival is folk dance and camp fire. Folk dance is a standard one where men and women dance in turns with other men and women. I saw situations where boys call out to the girls they want to dance together in a romantic atmosphere... like in a GALGE.

"After the folk dance, the campfire begins and it will be a free time, and that’s the time for someone who wants to confess to search for their partner and tells her."

"Well, seriously ......"

Wow ... ... How does he know of such an event?

There are other students around, so it is perfectly a spectacle.

To confess while being enthralled at the atmosphere of the late night cultural festival.... only a courageous bastard will actually do it. I definitely will not imitate that.

"it’s time to move to the schoolyard soon, please prepare the materials to be burned."

At the teacher 's words, the students brought as much materials as they can carry and begin moving to the schoolyard. "OK! I will change clothes first."

I was talking to Kiritani while removing my makeup and the Snow White costume; it was nearly time to start the late night festival.

"You should stay as you are, everyone seems to want to attend the festival at the cultural festival later."

"No, no no ... ... I do not want to dance the folk dance with the girls in this costume ..."

I may be targeted because of that ....

I asked Kiritani to go to the schoolyard first then I changed to my uniform in the classroom when nobody was left.

After having finished changing clothes, I washed my face and removed my makeup before I went out to the schoolyard, and the students were throwing in the props used at the cultural festival to the turret assembled at the center of the schoolyard. When all the material was thrown in, the students surrounded the tower and made a big double loop. The girls are inside the loop and the boys are outside; the boys move around. I hurriedly searched for the place where my class was, and I went into my own place in the ring.

As the sky is still bright, the tower will not be ignited. It is supposed to be ignited after dancing for about an hour and after the sun sets.

Soon the music started and the folk dance began.

I practiced the folk dance a couple of times, but it is not something I'm used to doing with girls. We talked with our partners while dancing.

"You changed your clothes, Kashiwada .... It would have been fun if you stayed in that costume."

"... .... ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ 0”

A girl who was dancing with me spoke to me and I reply while being embarrassed. I was surprised because it was a girl who hardly talked to me before.

... If I haven’t done the play, I would not have been able to speak to the girls. Thanks to doing the protagonist in the play (and moreover in a dress), it was easy for me to speak to men and women more than before ... ... I feel it. It seemed worthwhile to do Snow White in the cultural festival. ... Well, it's only during the cultural festival, so it will be over soon ...

Eventually ... ....

"Ah……"

"Oh ... ...."

It became my turn to dance with Koigasaki.

For me, Koigasaki is the only girl in class who I can talk with easily ... ... but why … why is it somewhat embarrassing for us to hold hands and dance?

"............ How was it? Did it work? What happened ..."

Suddenly, I was questioned by Koigasaki. Of course the question is about ... the matter between Hasegawa and Yamamoto that I consulted with her yesterday.

"Oh .... It went well ..."

It worked ... I think that it was a good result.

I just brought together two people, I didn’t do anything else ....

"... ... Well you well, I will hear it in detail next time ...."

"Oh, how about you ... ...."

…and Suzuki? I was about to ask ... ... the music changed and it was time to change partners. Oh, I could not hear about the progress between Suzuki and Koigasaki ....

After a while passed ... ....

"Ah……"

"... well ...."

Finally, it was Hasegawa’s turn to be my partner. She also changed from the Prince costume to her uniform. She says hello to me gently.

While puzzled, I hold the hands of Hasegawa.

The moment I touched the hands of Hasegawa, my heart started beating wildly. I held Hasegawa’s hands earlier, but I was desperate at that time and I didn’t think about it. It was different then.

"............"

There were lots of things I wanted to say, but I was nervous.

"Kashiwada Kun ..."

"Eh……!?"

Hasegawa talked first, I was surprised.

"A little while ago ............ I showed an embarrassing side of me ... I'm sorry."

"No, no, such a thing ..."

Looking at Hasegawa, she was a little red in the face. She is trying not to look at my face.

I guess ... she’s embarrassed because I saw her crying ....

Because she looks calm all the time ...... I thought she was embarrassed as I saw her in such a state.

Then the dance time with Hasegawa ended. We were silent.

I wanted to dance with Hasegawa more ... ....

No, more than that ... I regret that due to my nervousness, I could not say anything fancy.

Eventually the folk dance was over. The sun is just setting.

Finally, in order to start the campfire, the oar in the schoolyard was ignited. This campfire seems to be the main event of the late night festival. A fireball suspended on a pulley comes flying above the wire drawn from the rooftop to the turret. Arriving at the tower, it raises the sound and flares up vigorously. The students surrounding the tower gave were deeply moved.

Under the completely darkened sky, the flames are gaining momentum and burning red. The students broke up moved to different places where they can watch the bonfire together. People who want to leave are allowed to go home.

..... Suddenly, I remembered the words of Kiritani.

Right now ... is this the event called "confession time"?

"Kashiwada - What will you do now?"

Kiritani, who is near me, starts to tease me.

"I ... I won’t tell you!"

But I thought of something.

If I do not confess to Hasegawa ... ... others might confess to Hasegawa instead!

Even though Hasegawa has many fans, when she played the role of the Prince in our play at the cultural festival, she stood out and I predict that her fans have increased.

Okay, what if Hasegawa were to be confessed to by others .... I don’t want to think about it.

"... Ah, Kashiwada, where are you going?"

When I tried got up to move from the place, Kiritani asked me.

'I … I'm going to look for someone!'

"Ohhh... do your best!"

Kiritani sent me out with a grin.

This guy absolutely misunderstood that I will confess to Hasegawa ... .... Even though I just want to find her and keep an eye on her, so that Hasegawa will not be confessed to by other men.

Hasegawa is in the same class so she should be nearby, but I can’t find her easily. Damn, she may have already been called by another boys and may have been brought to some place for a confession ....

"Ah, Kashiwada!"

While I was searching for Hasegawa and running around, I came across an unexpected character.

"Sakurai-san ... ...."

It seems that she was also walking with a quick pace.

... ... Maybe, she is also looking for someone? Is she also searching for her crush to confess to?

"...Oh Kashiwada ... ... I'm out of breath … Are you looking for someone ...?

Sakurai asked me as if she was a little upset.

"Oh ......! Ah ... ... Yeah, well ... ...."

"... Oh, that's right ... ... ... but please do your best!"

She gave a cheery smile to my words.

"Oh ... ... Thank you!"

I was worried about Sakurai's intention to confess to someone she like, but I do not have much time to talk, so I thanked her and tried to leave quickly.

…when...

"... she is near the football goal ......"

"……eh?"

A small voice from Sakurai reached my ear.

I was surprised and look around and looked at her.

"... Good luck ... ...."

She ... ... smiles while encouraging me again.

But ... what is on her mind?

The smile she has... ... it seemed like a very sad smile ......

I ran towards the football goal.

............ Are you there, Sakurai, my crush?

Why? Even though Sakurai and Hasegawa were not even acquainted until yesterday ....

Does she truly know who I am looking for? I half trusted her, but in order to ascertain that, I had to go to the soccer goal. ...... The sad smile that she showed in the end ...... it stuck to me and won’t leave.

Why ... why was she looking like that ...?

"... ...!"

I found a soccer goal in the front ...... I voice out my surprise.

There ... ... Really, there was a Hasegawa ... ....

Sakurai - san ... really I knew I was looking for my crush, Hasegawa. She knew that I was looking to confess to Hasegawa during this confession time and gave me the location of Hasegawa.

How did she ...? Did Koigasaki tell her ...? No, I am certain she absolutely will not tell just anybody. So then, how ...?

...... No, more than that, the situation in front of me is more important!

Because ... ... Hasegawa who standing beside the soccer goal is ... with a group of boys.

"Hasegawa!"

While I called her name, I ran to Hasegawa.

"... ... Kashiwada-kun?"

Hasegawa is surprised to see me.

"...... Chi ......"

The boys looked at me and clicked their tongues.

"Well ... I do not know if you can see the situation? Now I am talking with Hasegawa, can you leave us alone?"

The boys told me off.

Perhaps ... ... did you just confess ...?

Wow, I completely interfered ... .... no wonder he is frustrated with me.

However ...

"My bad but ... well ... I have something urgent to tell Hasegawa! I'm sorry, but ... can you leave us!?" With a shivering voice, I asked the boys.

I know I am disturbing them with my self-centered request.

But ...... I can’t concede here. I can’t let Hasegawa be taken by another man. Even if I would have to be the lowest of the low!

"Haa......!! What are you saying ......"

A boy who did not know me was surprised and gave me an angry look.

"...... Chi ...... ah ok, we’ll leave you alone."

After that, the students turned their backs to us and left the place.

To the unknown student: I am sorry to interrupt your confession ... but I won’t give up. Please understand my love ...

"Well, Kashiwada-kun ...... You ran so much just to see me ... what was that urgent thing you wanted to tell me?" Hasegawa looks at me with an anxious face.

"Ah ... um ... ...."

She is patiently waiting for my answer. Even though I said "urgent"before, of course it was not true for Hasegawa’s case. I just used it to mislead the other students. Suddenly,

In my eyes ... I saw a familiar figure.

In front of us, several meters away.

Many students are lighted by the light coming from the campfire ... ....

I could see Koigasaki is with Suzuki.

It seems that they are talking about something ... ... Of course, I can’t hear anything as we are far apart. Is Koigasaki confessing ...?

She took this great opportunity to confess.

Koigasaki and Suzuki’s figures are shrinking in the distance, looks like they are going to the sound stage section where they performed on and where they spoke about Otaku topics ... this is confession time. I think the setting and timing is very well done.

Besides, it's like a youthful romantic situation straight out of a manga: a girl confessing in a campfire setting... I think that Koigasaki really loves him.

After all, she will finally confess to Suzuki ... ...

"...... Kun? Kashiwada-kun?"

"…………eh!?"

Called by Hasegawa, I am surprised.

Yappari ...... I was totally distracted by the figures of Koigasaki and Suzuki, I forgot my situation ......

"Oops, I was distracted ..."

What am I thinking?! She is doing his best for him, isn’t it nice? Why be upset with this? The situation in front of me is more important now.

I diverted my eyes from Koigasaki and Suzuki and I draw out the full power of my brain.

At the late night festival ... Koigasaki is confessing .... Now, I am with Hasegawa ... ... I will forget ... ....

"But ... I was just fine .... I also had a story I want to tell Kashiwada ...... I was just looking for you ... Before that I told the boy that I'm sorry but ... "

"eh……!?"

I was shocked by Hasegawa's remarks.

Hasegawa, to me, a story ...!

At this campfire 's confession time ...!

I do not expect it even though I do like that ... is Hasegawa trying to confess me ... Wow!

"Well ... ... What about Kashiwada's story ...?"

"Well, no ... ... Hasegawa's story is better!"

I said to her.

"Oh ... but ... yours was urgent, right?"

"No, I'm OK! I want to hear the story of Hasegawa first!"

I thought that my way of deceiving is too bad. It is likely that Hasegawa is suspicious ... ....

"Ok ... .... If so ... ... then let me talk ahead."

Hasegawa seems to be convinced for a moment while making it strange, and starts talking.

"Kashiwada-kun ... .... Thank you so much for today."

Hasegawa said to me with a calm tone.

"Huh……?"

"You called my older brother to the cultural festival ... and then you took me to my brother ... ...."

"Oh, well ... that ... ...."

While being slightly disappointed in the fact that it was not a confession ... ... she was happy with her thank you.

Until a while ago, I was surprised at her usual attitude, I did not mind ......

"I can’t thank you enough ... I do not know .... I do not understand ... I have misunderstood because of the weakness of my own heart. Since I do not want to hurt, I can’t contact my older brother ... ... Today Kashiwada sets up a place for me to talk with my older brother, I was able to talk with my older brother for the first time in a few years ... ... I was really happy. "

"Hasegawa……"

"At first ... ... I was a nuisance and have a bad attitude ... I really apologize, but Kashiwada brought me to my brother, He did not give up on me ...... "

She seriously watches me while filled with gratitude.

"We greatly appreciate you Kashiwada ... my brother and his sister consider you as ... an important friend."

"............"

I got teary because of her words.

...... I can never accept her thanks.

Rather, it was just a rash action on my part that made me do it. I did it on my own will. Because I want to do it, I just did it.

Nevertheless ... she looks at my eyes now with sincere thanks.

Is there such a thing that makes me so glad ...?

"Well, Kashiwada-kun ... ...?"

Hasegawa said with a strained voice as I was stiffening on the spot with my eyes full of tears.

"Ah ... I'm sorry, I got soooo ... no ... I did not think that I was appreciated so much ... I am glad ...."

Hasegawa floated a soft smile on my words.

"............ So, Kashiwada's story ... What is it?

"eh……!?"

But at the next moment, I was greatly upset by the words of Hasegawa.

Oh, I completely forgot ....

"Er, um ... ..."

What should I do ...... I forgot what I was going to talk about ... what a predicament ...... I desperately run my brain at full power.

...... Wait a moment ... ... Now it is confession time ... ....

Even more, I feel that this is my opportunity ....

……No no! Take it slowly! I decided that in my mind and calmed myself!

"Kashiwada-kun ... ...?"

Hasegawa tilts her head curiously to me who is silent.

...................

That's it………….

Now, it is "confession time" ....

I ... There is another thing I have to tell Hasegawa ... ....

Besides my love ...... There is something that I am hiding from her ... ....

To keep a secretly from my crush .... In truth I was disgusted. I feel like I'm not showing my real self ...

Hasegawa is thanking to me now, but if I say the truth ... what will happen? Will she still give a gentle smile to me just like before? Would it be possible that our relationship will be broken even though she just acknowledged me as a "friend"? Honestly, I feel scared.

And yet ... I want Hasegawa to recognize my true self ... ....

"... I'm sorry, I hid it until now .... Hasegawa, there are things I want to say ..."

"Huh……?"

Hasegawa is a little surprised and looks up at my face.

I took a light breath and settled my determination.

"Just like Yamamoto-san ... I am an Otaku...."

To my words, Hasegawa was surprised with his eyes wide open.

For a while, she stared at my face.

Her silence was painful. I wait for her answer.

"…………Is that so."

Eventually, Hasegawa gave a short reply with no expression.

Her reaction ...... I got a fear anxiety.

Even after she reconciled with her older brother ... ... she still hates Otaku. Even though she used to love otaku culture in the past, given the various painful events that took place because of her involvement with otaku culture, her hate is natural. They had been tormenting her for a long time.

Previously she said "I am not good with Otakus." Even if she has reconciled with her older brother, that feeling may not change. If so ......

The relationship I built up with her can collapse easily .... It is not strange.

Hasegawa's reaction ... ... I was very afraid.

I can’t look at her face.

Eventually Hasegawa started speaking slowly.

"...... I loved otaku culture before. When I was an elementary school student I loved otaku culture. Then I had an event where I felt I was betrayed by my older brother. At that time, I thought could not forgive my brother, but now, I think that I understand that was not is not about my brother betraying me."

...... Hasegawa probably refer to the "event where I felt betrayed" where she found Yamamoto's doujinshi. She was shocked then, but now I don’t think she cares about that event too much ......

"So, I realized that the real cause I hated Otakus is not that ... because I was an Otaku, I got my older brother involved and as a result my older brother went that path. It was because I was convinced that my life had gone insane because of this ... I ran away hating otaku culture ... I think the bad thing is net games and geek culture itself ... ... "

She felt great responsibility and at the same time she had been driven by remorse of self-esteem, as she was the one who introduced Otaku culture to her older brother.

"So ... ... to my older brother,"Otaku hobbies by itself is not bad, it is a wonderful culture".... Somehow, when my own brother affirmed my Otaku hobbies, I felt like I was saved ...... I was saved ... Actually, I knew ... Otaku Hobby itself is not evil."

She looked a bit like a refreshing look.

"So ... ... From now on I will not deny people who are Otakus, I will stop denying them because of my selfish reasons." She declared herself without any hesitation.

That is, that is ... ... Because she ceased to dislike Otakus, she doesn’t mind being an Otaku ... Is it okay for me to think that it her the answer?

"First ... An Otaku is just one of those people's hobbies, so it's stupid of me to change my feelings for that person just because of that. I wonder ... .... "

Today's, my crush tells me a lot about her honest feelings more that she let on. I was glad for that.

"So ... ...."

Hasegawa looked straight at my eyes while looking a bit shy.

"Whether you’re an Otaku or not, Kashiwada is an important person to me; strong and trustworthy ... an irreplaceable and valued person ... ... nothing has changed."

She said clearly, with a gentle smile.

── "An important irreplaceable person".

She certainly said so. She has told me so.

How happy I am for her words now.

If I could hear such words from her ... I think there is nothing wrong with what I have done so far.

She was smiling the most while I was looking at her.

I want to keep seeing this smile forever. I want to protect her happiness, this smile.

From all the painful and sad events that hit her ... ... I want to protect her.

"Kashiwada ... ... you ...?"

"Hasegawa ... ...."

I saw her eyes straight, thinking of silent me as a kyoton.

I do not know the technique of suppressing this emotion overflowing in myself now ....

The feeling of thinking that I love her is overflowing and it seemed to explode.

"I ……"

I moved my trembling lips ... ... I uttered the words.

"The matter about Hasegawa ...................."

"…………Huh?"

She opened her eyes wide open to my words.

"That ... ... not just as a classmate or as a friend … as a single person, as a woman ... ... I like the Hasegawa ... ...."

All the time I spent with Hasegawa until now has run around my brain like a gigantic lantern.

On the day of the entrance ceremony, from that day on when I was strongly attracted to her beauty and kindness, my heart to Hasegawa has steadily expanded.

Even though at first I can only help you while hiding behind the scenes, I have been able to exchange words with you little by little ....

Now she told me ...that I am "an important, irreplaceable person".

That was a great pleasure for me.I had not thought of anything of such as a future.

I can no longer hold down my feelings.

"Kashiwada-kun ..."

She stared at me with a surprised expression.

The white hair of Hasegawa was shining red and glittering in the dark, receiving the color of the swaying flames from the campfire.

While looking at her face, I thought that Hasegawa is the most beautiful girl in the world.

          Continues to Volume 8

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