The café decided to close at the end of tea time.
Originally, it wasn’t set up to be a full-fledged café. The noble kids didn’t really need the money, and it was such a pity to not enjoy the cultural festival properly.
There was a method of alternating shifts, but anyway, the number of guests would drop significantly after tea time. The number of guests that came into the academy was limited, and those who came once weren’t likely to stop by again multiple times.
Moreover, the academy’s festival didn’t just end with the academy itself.
Even though the new year was still a day away, the atmosphere outside the academy was already filled with year-end celebration vibes. Having dressed differently than usual, I understood the desire to roam around with friends and enjoy the atmosphere to the fullest.
And to be honest, I felt the same way.
“It looks like the B-class kids are putting on a play.”
Alice said while looking over the guide she had prepared in advance.
Usually so high and mighty like a Gryphon, she actually seemed pretty excited. I’ve spent my childhood with friends and, being an old enough guy, I wasn’t as thrilled as Alice, who spent her childhood without friends.
Seeing Alice so happy warmed my heart a bit. At least her teenage years would be shining, I thought.
“Didn’t Jake go to help the C-class?”
Alice nodded as if that was the case, not seeing my expression because she was absorbed in the guide. Charlotte and I exchanged glances, but we just laughed it off. I didn’t want to provoke Alice’s pride and see her sulk throughout the festival.
Just like that, Jake was supposed to assist in the C-class activities. There were boys in the C-class too, but it seemed like it was better for the play if Jake was the main character.
What was it about, exactly? Was it a steamy affair with the Gold Sun as a character? For sure, a noble with the looks of the Gold Sun would fit right in if it was an NTR (netorare) scenario among commoners.
Was this story acceptable by today’s standards?
“The play itself isn’t that long. About 30 minutes? Before going outside, it should be fine to catch it once, don’t you think?”
Alice looked up from the guide and said to us.
No, to be precise, it was three of us. Charlotte and I had stopped Mia, who was trying to dash off to the dorm right after finishing her work.
“I think it’ll be fine since it’s right nearby.”
“We should definitely watch since it’s our friends’ play.”
“I… I just want to take a bit of a break…”
Sadly, Mia’s brave statement was not accepted.
By the way, Claire decided to join us after finishing her work. At first, Leo was supposed to gather with us, but after seeing Sophia subtly lingering around him while working at the café, he seemed to change his mind.
I think he thought, ‘I shouldn’t interfere with my brother’s love life,’ but why was he so proactive about interfering when he misunderstood that I liked Leo?
“We still have a bit of time, but since there’s nothing else to do, let’s go ahead and wait.”
We nodded at Charlotte’s words.
*
The reason they took another guy from a different class as the protagonist was clear as soon as you saw the casting.
The heroine was Roti.
Moreover, the genre was romance.
Looking at it this way, I thought the C-class kids probably didn’t invite anyone else; Jake likely had insisted he’d do it.
And…
“…It is a play, but is that really okay?”
Alice, with slightly flushed cheeks, said seriously.
“If it’s according to Velbur standards, it shouldn’t be impossible. It’s just a bit concerning that the actor is a noble…”
And Charlotte also had a slight blush on her cheeks.
“That’s impressive, you two…”
Mia looked a bit dazed.
The play was a romance story between two people in a love that was hard to realize. In simple terms, it was like a Romeo and Juliet story.
With the time shortened to 30 minutes, the story was quite rapidly developed, and from the middle, the villains dropped out so easily that I wondered if there was any point in them showing up.
But, there was definitely one passionate kiss scene.
It was an intense one.
Even if there was a kiss scene, it was likely Jake’s desire that prompted it.
In fact, after that, Roti couldn’t deliver her lines properly. It was obvious to anyone that her flustered state wasn’t acting but genuine.
By the way, the story was written by Lily Baker, and it seems she was the one who subtly called for Jake as well.
The actual writer was left speechless by the sight.
“Is Roti going to be okay…?”
Mia asked cautiously. Up until Roti was pulled off the stage by Jake after the play ended, she had seemed a bit lost, so it was natural for her to be worried.
But I wasn’t too worried.
Both of them had been getting really close recently, it was clear. In fact, Jake was almost always in Roti’s class during break times, hard to spot his face otherwise.
During the unexpected long holiday, they both would have gone to and returned from Lindbergh territory together.
That implies…
“…”
Ah, but I genuinely wanted both of them to be happy. I really did. I even tried to give them a nudge now and then to help them get together.
However, I never wished for them to be that happy.
It’s just that I didn’t have anyone to go out with now—
—No, right, that’s it. It’s the jealousy of a solo person burning because he has no partner. So what?
The two of them would probably be somewhere whispering sweet nothings to each other. They might even be quarreling cutely about what happened earlier, just like a couple.
“… I guess the two of them will handle things just fine, so let’s go elsewhere. We might get caught again by Miss Baker’s father if we stay here.”
“Oh, right.”
Alice snapped back to her senses at my words.
“Let’s switch places and think about it. I mean, it’s not that I dislike that person, but I don’t want to talk about work on a day off.”
It seemed she couldn’t bear to speak ill of a classmate’s father to his face, so Alice said that.
*
When I was a child, I would get excited as New Year approached.
Growing older and becoming an adult was enjoyable, and the thought of being one step closer to freedom from studies was also nice.
I liked the feeling of spending another year and welcoming a new one. I enjoyed meeting friends during the holidays packed at the year-end and aimlessly wandering outside during break.
I wondered when I stopped liking those things so much.
Maybe it was when I started working.
Even with no exams or being crushed by studies, there were no vacations.
Since my work hours differed from my friends, I had to coordinate the schedule well in advance to meet them.
Working late every night without a long break made any idle time precious, and if I had free time, I’d just stay home to recover my energy.
As those same days continued consecutively, even when the date changed, I didn’t feel any different. I wondered how it might have been if I had forced myself out.
“Do you remember?”
“What memory are you talking about?”
“Ever since you came, you’ve invited me to spend the first day together every year.”
“Did I?”
Hearing Alice’s words, Charlotte reacted with surprise.
“It wasn’t anything special. We hadn’t been together that long; you just occasionally came to my room for tea, or vice versa.”
Indeed, that did happen.
At least I attended school, and there wasn’t even such a thing in this world.
Alice was always alone in her room.
It was only natural that she’d compare me to her daily grind of work.
But, since my imagination was too lacking to do anything, all I did was visit her once at the end of the year and once at the start of the year to say hello and share a cup of tea.
“…”
Neither Alice nor I felt particularly thankful for that act. In fact, if I were to trace back, Alice in her younger days seemed to be very wary of me.
“Just, I thought of it for no reason. Tomorrow is the last day, but I might forget again when it actually comes.”
“If that’s the case—”
After pondering briefly upon hearing that story, I said, “Then this year, let’s have a little gathering among friends.”
“Eh?”
Seeing Alice blink, I shrugged.
“Well, since we’ll end up at the academy that day anyway. I think spending the last day of the year with friends wouldn’t be bad.”
“That’s true…”
Alice glanced at Charlotte and Mia.
Neither of them seemed to have any objections. Even Mia nodded her head!
“Then shall we go with that?”
“Let’s do it that way.”
After responding to Alice, I quietly gazed at the street in front of me.
Everyone was laughing joyously. As if they wanted to forget all their hardships and troubles, at least for today.
Someone must have brought a stereo and played some carols, for the sounds added to the street’s bustling atmosphere.
Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t have liked this much noise either.
Was it because I wasn’t alone in this chaos?
Just walking around without any specific actions or words like this—
Honestly, it was quite enjoyable.
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