Second Serenade: Chapter 09

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The school festival was held over the third Saturday and Sunday of October, a two-day event. Since Aketo's class had already finished filming and editing their project back in August, they weren't scrambling like the other classes. All they had to do the day before the festival was hang blackout curtains in their classroom and arrange the seating.

On his way to the faculty office to pick up those curtains during lunch break, Aketo ran into Otomo-san. He hadn't seen her since that day at the café, aside from a brief phone call, during which he'd assured her that, as far as he could tell, Sunahara still had no particular feelings for her.

Otomo-san pulled him aside into a quiet corner of the hallway and whispered, "It'll probably be harder to talk after the festival, so... I'm planning to confess to him today. I’ve decided to just go for it, even if it doesn’t work out. And if I get turned down, I expect you to comfort me."

She tried to make it sound lighthearted, but her eyes weren't smiling. She was serious. The plan he’d set in motion had finally reached this stage. It was a little behind schedule, but still unfolding as planned. And yet, Aketo felt no satisfaction.

"...Good luck," was all he could manage.

◇:-:◆:-:◇

Sunahara wasn't in the faculty office. With no other option, Aketo asked his homeroom teacher for the storage room key instead. The teacher opened the key cabinet, peered inside, then frowned.

"It's not here. Someone must've taken it already. Try checking the storage room itself."

The storage room was tucked away at the far end of the first floor's west wing. Its door was slightly ajar, and Aketo could hear the faint rustle of movement inside.

"Hello? Anyone in here?"

Peering into the dimly lit room, he caught a whiff of stale, musty air. The six-mat space was lined floor to ceiling with shelves, every inch of which was crammed with a bewildering assortment of junk. Sunahara was halfway up a ladder against one of the shelves, pulling down the blackout curtains. Kakegawa stood below him, ready to take the bundle.

"You're late, Aketo. You said you were getting the curtains, so I came to help, but you were nowhere to be found," Kakegawa called out.

"Oh, sorry. I got caught up talking to someone," Aketo replied, making a quick excuse as he stepped inside. Dust motes swirled in the thin shafts of sunlight slanting through the narrow window.

"Six curtains, right?" Sunahara called down from the ladder.

Kakegawa took the first three from him and headed out of the room without another word. Sunahara passed the remaining three to Aketo before carefully descending the ladder. He glanced at Aketo, who had yet to move.

"Need anything else?"

Aketo quickly shook his head. "No, I'm good."

With a casual "Alright then," Sunahara turned to leave, the storage room key still dangling from one hand.

Just as he reached the doorway, Aketo tossed the curtains at his feet, stepped around him, and closed the door firmly behind them. Sunahara raised an eyebrow, startled.

"What the hell? We're in school..." he muttered, but his tone held no real protest.

Aketo reached up, gently tilting Sunahara's chin, and their lips met. His heart raced as he felt Sunahara's lashes flutter shut, his breath hitching ever so slightly.

Mm... Mm...

The small, muffled sounds slipping from Sunahara's nose sent a delicious shiver down Aketo's spine. In the dim light, he could just make out the redness in Sunahara's ears. He nipped gently at them, feeling the slight, involuntary shudder that ran through Sunahara's body.

Ever since they'd come back from Tsujiyura, they'd kissed countless times. If they were alone, it felt natural, almost expected. With each kiss, the same thought circled Aketo's mind—What's next? What would happen if I reached for him, if I asked for more? Would he refuse? Somehow, he doubted it.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed down the hall, drawing closer. They sprang apart instinctively, standing motionless as the rapid, light footsteps pattered past the door. When the sound faded, they exchanged a quick, nervous glance, then broke into quiet, shared laughter.

The day of the festival, Aketo's class's film drew such a large crowd that the classroom ran out of chairs, forcing some students to stand. The short film was only about forty-five minutes long, which meant they could fit in about five screenings a day. The class had split into five rotating groups to handle the ticketing, seating, and other logistics.

Sunahara wandered over to Aketo's makeshift ticket counter during one of his shifts, casting quick glances at the packed classroom. He looked pleased with the turnout, his lips curling into a faint smile as he took in the bustling scene.

When the chime sounded to signal the start of the next showing, they slipped into the back of the darkened classroom, leaning casually against the wall as the film flickered to life on the screen.

Aketo couldn't help but notice the subtle way Sunahara reacted to the audience's laughter and gasps, his head tilting slightly or his shoulders tensing at each twist in the film. It was endearing, and under the cover of darkness, Aketo slipped an arm around Sunahara's shoulders.

Sunahara turned, their eyes meeting briefly, and without a word, they leaned in for a quick, secretive kiss. If anyone in the audience noticed, it would have been impossible to tell in the fleeting moment.

When the kiss ended, Sunahara leaned into Aketo, resting his head on his shoulder as if he had simply dozed off.

It was the closest thing to a vulnerable gesture Aketo had ever seen from him.

◇:-:◆:-:◇

Everyone turned to look. That was how openly, how utterly overwhelmed with emotion Otomo was. She covered her face with both hands, but tears streamed down, spilling through the gaps between her pale, delicate fingers. Feeling the heavy weight of everyone’s eyes on them, Aketo wrapped an arm around her trembling shoulders and hurried her into an empty classroom nearby. He sat her down on a chair by the window, away from prying eyes.

“There’s someone I love so much it hurts,” she said, her voice trembling. “I told him. I actually said it out loud—I asked him, Is it wrong to feel this way? Even if I never expect anything to come of it? But… he said even that wasn’t okay…”

Her voice faded into nothing. Her thin body began to tremble again, as though her emotions were welling up all over. Out in the hallway, the bustle of people coming and going was constant. But in this room, it felt like another world entirely.

Just watching her, Aketo felt his chest tighten with a painful squeeze. He wanted to comfort her, desperately. But no words came. If it had been earlier—back when the film shoot had just wrapped—he would’ve had ten, a hundred different things to say to cheer her up. Without the guilt gnawing at him like this.

Standing before her crying figure, Aketo felt like a criminal dragged onto the stage for public judgment. This was his plan. He had fully expected it might come to this.

And yet… Sunahara had been by his side just moments ago. Close enough to hear his heartbeat. They’d even kissed—boldly, shamelessly, thinking no one would see, right there in the middle of a crowd. Recklessly chasing the thrill of it.

Originally, comforting Otomo had been part of the plan—to redirect her attention toward himself. But right now, that strategy was the furthest thing from his mind. All he wanted was to stop her tears. He scrambled, desperately searching for something—anything—to say.

“Sensei didn’t want to give you false hope. He didn’t want you to get hurt because of him,” Aketo began softly. “But if it’s fate… if your feelings are really meant to reach him, then someday, it will happen. No matter how far apart you are, no matter where life takes you. So until then... you need to become an even more incredible woman. Someone so amazing that when Sensei sees you next, he falls for you at first sight. Not that you aren’t already wonderful as you are...”

The girl, who had only been shaking her head over and over, finally lifted her tear-streaked face—just a little.

“Hang in there.”

Otomo rubbed her eyes, now as red as her nose, with both hands. Then, forcing a fragile, determined smile onto her face, she nodded.

“Yeah... I need to become the kind of woman he can’t help but admire...”

Aketo knelt beside her, meeting her gaze—eyes like a frightened rabbit’s. Then, like a rabbit seeking warmth, she suddenly threw her arms around his neck. The force of it nearly toppled him backward. Her long hair brushed his nose, tickling him with the soft scent of sweet flowers.

“Is it... annoying if I cry like this?” she asked quietly.

Aketo shook his head firmly, wordlessly telling her no, not at all.

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