Chapter 312: Graduation Day
After finishing the birthday celebration, by the time the student council's work was taken care of, it was already late.
Three boys walked along the sidewalk.
"Hard to believe I'm another year older." Ishigami Yuu looked at the cars passing by, speaking with emotion.
"Ishigami, you've changed quite a lot this year. Before, you were still afraid of Shinomiya, but now you're not anymore. When facing Secretary Fujiwara, you're always sharp as ever. Without you, Fujiwara-san would've definitely turned the student council into a complete mess." Shirogane Miyuki said reminiscently.
"Your relationship with Miko-chan has also softened a lot. At least you two don't fight anymore." Sakurai Saki, holding his phone, lowered his head to check the messages his girlfriend sent him.
Shirogane Miyuki praised: "You really are amazing. Your results in the last exam weren't bad either."
Not long ago, the final exams had ended.
Ishigami Yuu achieved the 36th place. Though still far behind Iino Miko, who always held firm at number one, for Ishigami Yuu—who just a year ago was still at the very bottom—this was already his limit.
Sakurai Saki put down his phone and stopped walking.
Ishigami Yuu turned his head back.
"Ishigami." Sakurai Saki looked straight at his face: "Now, no matter who it is, no one can deny it—you are an outstanding person."
"So be proud, hold your head high, puff out your chest."
"No matter what the outcome is, don't leave behind any regrets for yourself!"
The birthday was over, and seven days later would be the graduation ceremony for the third-years.
On that day, Koyasu Tsubame would give her reply to his confession, the confession at the cultural festival!
"Alright!"
Ishigami Yuu answered with just one word.
...
March 10th.
Graduation ceremony.
Students gathered in the auditorium, this time the graduation speech representative was Koyasu Tsubame.
In March, cherry blossoms had already begun to bloom in full.
Sakurai Saki rubbed his reddened nose.
Damn it, pollen season attacking the respiratory system again. Sakurai Saki hated spring.
He didn't have many weaknesses, but hay fever was definitely the worst.
Outside the auditorium.
The principal's voice could be heard clearly even from the entrance.
"… You will step into a much wider world, and at that time you will realize how small Shuchiin really is."
"From now on, you will meet all kinds of people, becoming closer to those similar to you in both spirit and material. But here in this school, the friends who were only close because of proximity or because you shared a club will gradually drift away from you…"
"So please treasure the people you've met at this school, and cherish those rare connections."
Inside, Sakurai Saki repeated the principal's words in his heart.
Today, he had no senpai he needed to part with; the students close to him were basically all from his same year.
Next year, when he graduates, there would surely be some lingering regret—but for now, there wasn't.
Human relationships are fragile. If not maintained, in just a few years, even a few months, they can be completely forgotten.
Back in middle school, maybe he still remembered his elementary school classmates, but now in high school, those elementary classmates he never met again—he'd probably forget even their names, right?
Sakurai Saki looked into the distance. Ishigami Yuu was standing by the fountain in the central courtyard, gazing at the spray of water.
"What's the probability of a confession succeeding? Fifty percent."
No, it's either one hundred percent, or zero percent.
Did Koyasu Tsubame really like Ishigami? Or was it just the kindness of a senpai towards her kouhai?
Sakurai Saki wasn't sure either.
"What's wrong?" Shinomiya Kaguya walked over.
The others in the student council, more or less, each had someone they had to part with.In the end, it seemed that only she and Sakurai Saki were the two lonely ones.
"You helped Ishigami a lot in love matters, do you think this time it will succeed?"
"Of course I hope Ishigami-kun succeeds, but rationally analyzing it, the chance is high that he won't." Shinomiya Kaguya said as she recalled the events from a few days ago.
Or rather, from half a month ago.
The misunderstanding that Ishigami Yuu had carried since middle school had finally been resolved.
To protect Ootomo Kyoko, the truth was not fully revealed, but Ishigami Yuu was still freed from the label of "stalker pervert."
All of this was secretly arranged by Koyasu Tsubame behind the scenes.
This was also the birthday gift she gave to Ishigami Yuu, and it completely changed his relationships.
From that very moment, Shinomiya Kaguya already felt that this matter would not succeed.
"Then what was the meaning of Ishigami's half year of effort? He gave up games, tried hard in studying, improved himself to become a better version of himself, and in the end only got heartbreak in return?"
"Sakurai-san, why do you think every love must have a happy ending? Heartbreak sometimes makes people grow." Shinomiya Kaguya rested her chin on her hand, also gazing at Ishigami Yuu who was spacing out.
"Because I hate bad endings, especially the kind where it's clear someone tried hard and still gets knocked down right in the face. That thing makes me extremely uncomfortable." Sakurai Saki frowned as he spoke.
He said with his mouth that he wasn't interested in his junior's love matters, yet he secretly investigated quite a lot.
Like when watching a drama, shipping a couple, waiting all the way until the end, then being told that this is not the official couple, so they're forced apart? What kind of joke is that!
If that's really the case, wouldn't that make me a clown?
"Arrogant." Shinomiya Kaguya commented.
"Say whatever you want." Sakurai Saki didn't really care about others' thoughts.
"Even if you don't want Ishigami-kun to get heartbroken, this is a matter between the two of them, what does it have to do with us? In the end, we are just outsiders."
"At this moment, you just need to believe in love and miracles."
"Huh? What did you just say?" Shinomiya Kaguya glanced at him.
"What else? Maybe today the atmosphere is particularly good, Koyasu-senpai might go along with it and change her mind, agreeing to Ishigami's confession, that possibility isn't nonexistent."
"Do you want to try confessing to me? Maybe I'll also agree because of the nice weather, and even let you open a harem."
"Kaguya-san, I am a married man, please have some self-respect." Sakurai Saki refused.
Kaguya: (ꐦ. ❛ _ ❛.)
Hearing that, Shinomiya Kaguya clenched her fist tightly.
I was just giving an example, who told you to take it seriously?!
...
Half an hour later, the graduation ceremony ended.
Sakurai Saki declined Shinomiya Kaguya's suggestion to go watch Ishigami Yuu's confession, he chose to return to the classroom.
"Sakurai-kun!"
Hearing the call, Sakurai Saki turned his head, discovering it was Hasegawa-senpai, the former captain of the girls' basketball team.
A short-haired girl, quite pretty, with a very tall figure.
"About the time you helped clean the storage room, I still haven't thanked you."
"This is for you, consider it a keepsake."
After handing it over, she immediately turned and left.
Sakurai Saki opened his hand, looking at the uniform button lying in his palm.
The second button on the uniform jacket – the position closest to the heart.
It carried the meaning of "I like you."
Today they part, will they be able to meet again in the future?
Perhaps not.
The feelings that were never confessed, if spoken out now would only add more sorrow.
"Graduation" – truly is a sorrowful word.