*I’d like to thank that person . . .*
The Ar-kata for the Adsiard’s closing ceremony started off with the handsome Shiranui’s vocals and the F-minor chords I strummed on my guitar. The other day, I went into hysteria mode again in the underground warehouse—in front of Aria and Shirayuki, no less—and I wasn’t overly concerned with the quality of the sounds I was producing.
Man … that was torture … What was I thinking? “Don’t go disappearing on me like that again ... Shirayuki.” Didn’t I say something rather outrageous to Aria too? Something about doing this or that for the rest of my life. Just trying to remember makes me want to curl up and die. Though I didn’t have any other choice under the circumstances, an even bigger problem was that Aria and Shirayuki witnessed me doing all sort of things like seeing through Joan’s disguise, rambling on about strategies that came to mind, and even catching a sword with my bare hand … It wasn’t pretty, but I went and made myself useful. I had provided Aria and Shirayuki with more grounds to overestimate my actual abilities. I really didn’t want to remember how the two of them kept raving about me afterwards, saying things like “You can do it if you try” or “Kin-chan you really are amazing.” I had a feeling that I would be relied upon to handle all sorts of troublesome things in the near future. It was more than a feeling; I was positive of it. And there would be more troublesome things involving gunfights.
*Who gave off that flash . . .*
And what’s wrong with this school? Stop pinching pennies and hire a real band for crying out loud.
Although it was a bit too late at this point, I started taking out my frustration on Butei High with such thoughts as I played the Danelectro DC 59 on ground number two, the venue for this performance. I was getting rather accustomed to the guitar in spite of myself.
Damn, this is fine weather.
*Who gave off that flash that went bangbabangbabang?*
At the same time as the tempo started to increase, the girls marched in from the left and right sides of the stage in their cheerleader uniforms with pom-poms in their hands and smiles on their faces. “T-This really is a bit too …”
Looking towards the voice out of the corner of my eye, I also saw Shirayuki, who was fidgeting on the stage wing.
“Oh, for heaven’s sake! What are you talking about after having come all the way out here? Go on! Get out there!” yelled Aria, kicking Shirayuki onto the stage—right into the dead center.
Completely red in the face, Shirayuki raised a pom-pom, and by her side was Aria. As it turned out, Aria, the most athletic out of all the girls, and Shirayuki, who was selected last minute to perform due to Aria’s strong recommendation, were the two main cheerleaders leading the routine. The preparatory committee had secretly hoped Shirayuki would participate in the cheerleading so it didn’t take very long for arrangements to be made. I was a little concerned about how well she would do after making such a sudden appearance on stage, but she proved to be every bit a stellar cheerleader as she is a student. Shirayuki was animatedly demonstrating a perfect cheer routine. She must have been embarrassed appearing in front of everyone in that costume because the expression on her face was still a little strained. But Aria kept a stern eye on her so Shirayuki would just have to chalk it up to bad luck and accept her fate. Aria is like an electromagnet powered by a nuclear reactor; once attached to you, would never let go.
*Even if we’re right in froooooont of our enemies, we never run and hide!*
For Shirayuki, this was the first time she mustered the courage to appear in front of others ever since that battle ended. Shirayuki had not only left school grounds with me, but she also violated the restrictions placed upon her by using techniques that were forbidden by the Hotogis. However, because Aria convincingly protested against the seriousness of the violations and the insignificance of the specific number of times the violations were committed, the Hotogis eventually gave in and granted Shirayuki permission to participate in the cheerleading. There was also the matter of Shirayuki successfully defeating Durandal that probably helped persuade them. I conceded to that as well.
Well ... what you’re doing is little more than a cheer routine. But I can tell, Shirayuki. You’re no longer a “caged bird.” You’re still all a shudder and haven’t ventured out very far, but you're a magnificent bird soaring with your own wings—a ... uh, that’s right. A crane. You’ve become a red-crowned crane.
I was occupying myself with all these thoughts because I didn't want to think about how I went into hysteria mode the other day, but it was also to keep me from paying attention to Shirayuki, whose uniform was tightly hugging on to the shapely curves of her body. Nevertheless, spinning and jumping hither and thither while unable to completely hide her embarrassment, Shirayuki ... was swinging her twin mountains all over the place.
N-Not good. I’m gonna get hysterical.
But what was I to do? There was a giant audience in front of me, and I couldn’t very well just hang my head down like I did during practice. This called for emergency evasive maneuvers. I switched my gaze to Aria, who was next to Shirayuki.
... Thank god.