Chapter 57: Hamburgers and Yakisoba
Day 1, 12:55.
After watching the beauty contest preliminary PR, I head back to my class, 1-4.
How's the mock store hamburger shop doing?
...!
It's packed with customers!
Class girl: "One Big Nagase Burger set!"
※Even though it's just a double burger with a sliced tomato added for an extra 100 yen, these are selling like hotcakes because of the bonus handshake that comes with it.
But didn't they change it to a wink because disinfecting hands after every handshake was rough on them...?
Nagase: "..."
Snap.
Nagase-san closes both eyes with an expressionless face I've never seen before.
That... isn't a wink at all...
Boy: "It's Nagase-san's double wink!"
Double wink...
And looking at the sign, the price is 200 yen more than the double burger!
This class raised the price and started cutting corners!
I change back into my cooking uniform and rejoin the cooking team,
And when I try to tell Nagase-san from the sales team that this is a bit much,
My friend Hiroshi closes his eyes and shakes his head,
Koji is staring off into the distance...?
I kind of get it.
It must have been really tough, huh?
I'll be gentle with her,
"Nagase-san, good work. I'm making hamburgers, want to eat one?"
Nagase-san abandons her usual brightness, her dark pupils devoid of any highlight,
Nagase: "No more. I'm done with hamburgers! Are everyone just after hamburgers and me?! Just quietly buy the regular hamburger, have exact change, and don't talk to me—!"
Kousuke: "...I bought some takoyaki and okonomiyaki from a stall earlier, want some?"
Nagase-san must have been hungry; she thanks me and starts munching away.
She's really out of it, huh? So I asked her best friend, the class rep, to take her for a lunch break.
Nagase-san reluctantly goes along with her friend.
Nagase: "No! I want to go with Kousuke-kun—!"
Poor thing... she's regressed to a childlike state...
Since I'm also on the organizing committee, I'll take responsibility while Nagase-san is away!
Around 2:30, Nagase-san comes back.
She's completely recovered.
Back to her usual sparkling, cheerful, and outgoing expression!
The usual Nagase Aya, captivating the boys with her healthy, sexy vibe—first button of her uniform undone, long legs on display in a slightly careless way that draws everyone's attention.
Nagase: "Hehe, Kousuke-kun! Sorry for the wait, let's do our best together again!"
"...I'm going to eat lunch now."
Nagase: "Huh? What? No way! We've barely interacted at all today!"
I don't need to interact with her...
I've got Yukari-san, after all...
I finish my shift and decide to have a late lunch.
☆ ☆ ☆
Since I missed the lunch hour, I was looking forward to the school cafeteria's special lunch event, but I guess it's postponed to tomorrow?
Well, there are plenty of mock stores and stalls to eat at, so I'll just buy something.
?: "Yakisoba..."
What should I get? I already gave away the takoyaki and okonomiyaki I bought earlier.
?: "...Yakisoba is tasty, you know?"
Ah! I heard the third-year classroom is selling kebabs!
I've never tried them before...
?: "Ko-su-ke-ku-n! Do-n't-ig-no-re-me—!"
Eek!!
There stood Airi-senpai, looking completely different.
Wearing a tacky red happi coat with "basukebu" written in hiragana on the collar.
Managing a yakisoba stall in a twisted headband and gym shorts, the goddess of the basketball club...
Airi: "Sob, sob, sob, in the end, everyone forgot and no one came to help... I've been cooking yakisoba nonstop since morning..."
Even while shedding a few tears, Airi-senpai keeps cooking yakisoba.
The yakisoba sells as soon as it's cooked.
...Isn't this making a huge profit for the club budget?
Airi-senpai, crying softly, is honestly adorable, and I can't understand why none of the basketball club members have come to help.
...Speaking of which, did they even check the shift schedule...?
Apparently, Airi-senpai had printed out the shift schedule.
Airi: "...The teacher said they'd distribute it!"
"Senpai, isn't it probably just sitting in the clubroom...?"
Airi: "Huh? I've been left here since morning for such a reason?! I'm all sticky, shiny, and smelly!"
I stare intently at Airi-senpai...
Strangely, since the day I kissed Yukari-san, my fear of women has lessened a bit, and I'm not as scared anymore.
Airi: "What's wrong, Kousuke-kun?"
Airi-senpai fidgets a little.
But as the yakisoba finishes cooking... it sounds like a pun.
The yakisoba sells like hotcakes as soon as it's cooked.
She's been cooking yakisoba for everyone since morning, just to earn money for the club budget, right?
Her hair might be sticky, but her face is shiny and beautiful.
And when I get closer, the delicious smell of yakisoba hits my empty stomach,
"Senpai... the yakisoba smells so good..."
Airi-senpai panics, fixing her hair and adjusting her clothes for some reason, but then she calms down with a composed expression,
Airi: "Kousuke-kun? After the culture festival, let's work on physical training, okay? Let's train your weak endurance and jumping ability. Go beyond your limits like Yukari-chan, alright?"
The goddess of our club was in a bad mood.
Did you know? This beautiful lady with a shiny face smelling of yakisoba was last year's Miss First-Year, Tendou Airi.
I help out at the yakisoba stall as much as time allows.
By the way, the maid cafés in Class 5 and Class 6 are apparently packed with customers and in complete chaos!
Our Class 4 hamburger shop is so busy that I didn't even notice!
Is it thanks to Yukari-san and Satsuki's ability to draw in crowds?
There was a rumor that Nagase-san might participate too, but,
She declined because she's too busy.
The student council's clerical work must be hectic too, right?
And so, helping out alternately at the class hamburger shop and the club yakisoba stall, the first day of the culture festival comes to an end.
It was a fun but busy day.
Tomorrow is finally the beauty contest main event.
At 12:00, just like today, in the courtyard event venue.
After the date outfit check, there's the final appeal in uniform, followed by tallying and the announcement.
And with that, the culture festival moves into its second day.