I think I did a pretty good job of making such an extended prediction of what he’d say, if I do say so myself. Maybe it’s because we’ve been friends for so long, or maybe it’s because the part of me that’s an introvert slipped out... Anyway, if this were the normal Ura, I think he would definitely curse the school festival. However, as for today’s Ura:
“The school festival must be nice for people who are all like ‘Let’s join in!’ and ‘Let’s have fun!’ I bet they don’t have much of a sense of responsibility. I’m the one who has to lead them, flatter them, appease them, organize them, and somehow whip them into shape. Being in charge is such a pain in the ass! I’m so busy. I’ve got another meeting today after this, so I don’t have time to take it easy and eat lunch.”
Both Kana and I were speechless, but Ura didn’t notice. He simply got his stuff together and stood up from his seat. “All right, I’m going. Well, it’s just final adjustments that they probably don’t really need me for, but our class has a lot of unreliable types in it. They begged me to come. Seriously, it’s such a pain in the ass.”
“...”
“Hmm? What are you guys staring at me for?”
“No, it’s just... I thought you looked like you were really enjoying yourself,” I said.
“What?!” Ura’s face turned bright red. “J-Just what part of me looks like I’m enjoying myself?! Screw you!”
“No, you look like you’re having fun. Like, a lot of fun...”
“D-Don’t get me wrong! I don’t care about this school festival, and I don’t feel attached to my class! It’s just... I just kind of have an interest in this profit-driven corporate activity! I just find it rewarding to use my authority to utilize those useless background characters to make a profit!” Ura shouted like he was spitting out his words. Then, with a red face, he left like he was running away. After he ran away, I could hear the voice of a girl from outside the classroom.
“Oh, Urano.” I couldn’t see her, but the voice probably belonged to Ibusuki. It sounded like she ran into Ura just as he left the classroom.
“Oh, it’s you.”
“What’s with the attitude? And after I came all this way to come get you...”
“I didn’t ask you to.”
“Well, pardon me. I was just worried that you’d run away again.”
“...The only time I ran away was when you had that crappy suggestion of making me introduce myself in front of the entire class.”
“I-I said I’m sorry about that. I regret what I did.”
“Bah. Let’s hurry up and go.”
“Hey, hold up. You walk too fast.”
“We won’t have any time if we don’t hurry up. If we don’t decide on the goods for the whole class today, then we won’t make it in time for the festival.”
“I know, I know.”
“These types of goods are very important. There are some people who criticize them by calling them a scam or saying that making someone buy something in a situation where they can’t resist is a way of using hypnosis to do business. However, when you consider the overall performance...” Ura’s and Ibusuki’s voices echoed in the hallway, becoming smaller and smaller. As the class representatives, they were probably headed to a meeting for the school festival.
“...Well, that’s a shocker,” Kana said after a brief pause, a lingering look of surprise on his face. “I didn’t think Ura would be so excited about the festival.”
“...Yeah.”
Urano Izumi was an introvert among introverts; the reason he was in such an out-of-character position as his class’s representative seemed to have been because Ibusuki invited him to do it. Apparently, after being chosen first as the class’s female representative, she nominated Ura. At first, Ura seemed like he would stop coming to school out of despair and humiliation, but two weeks had passed since he was appointed to his mismatched position, and he’d been performing as the class representative with a lot of enthusiasm right before my very eyes. He said that it’s a pain in the ass, but he looks like he’s really content.
“There have been a lot of group meetings for the class representatives, but he’s fitting in,” Kana, who was also a class representative, explained. “He only cowered next to me during the very first meeting, and now he’s actually sitting in the front and giving his opinions.” Kana seemed impressed.
“At one point, I was wondering what was going to happen, but it looks like it worked out.” I let out a sigh of relief.
Two weeks ago, I was so busy with my family and love troubles that I really couldn’t give much attention to Ura. I felt bad about it, but it looks like my worries were for nothing, and he didn’t need my help in the first place.
Oh man... No wonder Ibusuki calls me overprotective...
“It’s like he’s back to being the old Ura,” Kana said with a distant look in his eyes.
“It is,” I said with a nod. It did remind me of the old Ura. He was a lively and spirited boy who was overflowing with the kind of leadership that made him the center of attention in his class. “I thought that he’d changed a lot...but I guess, deep down, he didn’t change as much as I’d thought.”
“He didn’t. The part of him that still pushes himself too hard in front of the girl he likes really hasn’t changed.” The words Kana spoke through his thin smile were a little stinging. However, I think that sting wasn’t aimed outwards, but inwards. His self-mocking and self-deprecating words were meant for his own past, not someone else’s.
I suddenly remembered the three—no, the four—of us in middle school. At the time, Ura definitely overworked himself and pushed himself too hard.