NOVEL NEXT Chapter 65
The school after a long time. Kako-chan in low spirits.
An unexpected turn of events.
What on earth did Kako-chan feel sorry for Yamamoto about now?
…I had one idea in mind.
“Is this about the school festival three years ago?”
At my words, Kako-chan’s eyes widened.
“Oh, was I wrong?”
“No, you’re right.”
Kako-chan seemed to have understood.
“So that’s it. You like Yamamoto-kun, don’t you?”
…What?
“I’m not in love!!!”
Well, sure…
I mean, Kako-chan.
…I do like him.
How much exactly? Well, I can’t sleep well lately unless I’m holding his pillow.
There’s no need to say it directly, right?
“Ahaha. Sorry, sorry. It’s just a little funny to think of Meg, who had such fiery eyes in high school, falling in love.”
“Did, did you hear what I said?”
“Of course. You’re still not honest, are you?”
I glared at Kako-chan as hard as I could, but as she’s older, my glaring never worked on her.
“Meg. Can you tell me first? How much did you investigate the cultural festival three years ago?”
After a while, Kako-chan asked me with a serious face.
I gathered my thoughts and told Kako-chan everything I knew.
The post-festival event at the school festival three years ago was canceled due to Yamamoto.
The reason for the cancellation is rumored to be Yamamoto’s revenge on the festival committee.
And because of those factors, Yamamoto was disliked by his classmates.
“But the whole story is strange to begin with. The work of the festival committee is not based on individual discretion. Even if Yamamoto was the one who ordered the wood, it shouldn’t be his fault if there was a shortfall in the order, right? …I shouldn’t be the one to say this, as I blamed him at the time, but everything is strange.”
“…That’s right. You’ve investigated well, Meg. The circumstances at the time are mostly as you say. And what you might want to know is… the situation during the festival preparation period, Yamamoto-kun’s situation, and so on?”
“You’re making things easier for me, Kako-chan.”
Kako-chan smiled happily. Then she looked up at the sky for a while. Probably trying to figure out where to start from.
“Well, let’s make one thing clear above all else.”
After a while, Kako-chan said.
“Meg. You’re right. It wasn’t Yamamoto-kun’s fault.”
…At Kako-chan’s words, I felt immensely relieved.
I felt so relieved that I almost collapsed from the sofa.
“…You’ve really researched a lot.”
“I just asked one of the festival committee members at the time.”
“Even so. Normally, you wouldn’t think to go that far… Is this the power of love?”
“St-stop it! That’s embarrassing!”
Watching me get genuinely embarrassed, Kako-chan smiled. I don’t think she meant to tease me. It was just too cute not to grin… Is that what she might say?
“Let’s get back to the point… But, when it comes to that story, I have to apologize to you too. I’m sorry. After all, it was a mistake on the school’s part.”
“The school’s?”
“Didn’t you say it? A mistake that occurs in an organization cannot be attributed to the responsibility at the individual level. The person in charge’s mistake is the chairman’s mistake. And the chairman’s mistake is the teacher in charge of the festival committee’s mistake. The mistake of the teacher in charge of the festival committee is the school’s mistake.”
…So, in other words, is Kako-chan now apologizing to me on behalf of the school?
“…It’s hard for me to accept your apology. Because back then, I blamed Yamamoto too.”
“…Yes.”
In this case, the only one who has the right to receive an apology from someone else is probably Yamamoto, who took on the role of being disliked by everyone by apologizing first.
“So what happened, exactly?”
“…Well, mostly as you imagined, Meg. The festival committee that year was particularly lacking in student motivation. There could be several reasons. The third-year student who was nominated as the festival committee chairman was particularly unenthusiastic in the face of impending exams. The teacher in charge of the festival committee was Sakigawa-sensei, who was clueless. Typically, the festival committee role is dumped onto the youngest teacher.”
“Sakigawa-sensei was a young teacher who also taught history classes. I remember him always teaching in a languid manner.”
Kako-chan expressed it quite gently, but I understood.
In essence, all the members of the festival committee got arrogant, seeing Sakigawa-sensei’s lack of enthusiasm.
Naturally, morale would only drop if the teacher who is supposed to inspire them is not motivated.
“Because of him, Yamamoto…”
“That’s not it, Meg.”
“Why not?”
“…We have no right to blame Sakigawa-sensei either. We’re just as guilty, leaving him with a major role alone, without any support, and letting it fade away.”
“…That’s not fair.”
“But isn’t that how it ends up being? An organization’s work becomes robust because everyone is looking in the same direction and working together. Neither the leader nor the workers are motivated. All they do is avoid responsibility and make excuses. There’s no way that could work well.”
I remained silent.
“And we who stood by and watched this also have no right to blame. Because if we knew from the sidelines that it was going to fail, all we had to do was raise our voices. Saying, ‘This won’t work,’ or ‘This will fail.’ We should have instilled a sense of urgency and made everyone unite and work hard.”
What Kako-chan said was right. I thought so, and remained silent.
“…At that time in the school, there was only one person who was genuinely trying to make the cultural festival a success. Only one person.”
…That’s why it didn’t go well.
Kako-chan’s voice sounded a bit lonely.
That one and only person.
I had a hunch.
That person is probably…
Not the principal.
Not the chairman of the festival committee.
Not Sakigawa-sensei, nor Kako-chan, nor me.
…That person is probably…
“That was Yamamoto-kun.”
Maeda had said.
If you occasionally went to the festival committee’s work, Yamamoto was getting on the committee chairman’s case.
This is not usually possible.
A first-year student challenging an upperclassman.
As Maeda said, he must have been showered with undeserved criticism for not being able to read the room, confronting those who were having fun among themselves with the reality.
But still, Yamamoto…
At that time.
In this school, he was the only one…
Only Yamamoto was truly committed to making the festival a success.
“That’s very much like Yamamoto.”
I gave a bitter smile. If I didn’t at least do that, I felt like I would be crushed by guilt.