Volume 8 Chapter 5 (1/2)
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The nerves started when the graduation cere its conclusion
Youko thought, ”I'h her face didn't show it, her heart was pounding Then, becoitated
Why couldn't God let her feel like this was just another rehearsal, right through to the end?
She wasn't at all worried about the ”Formal Reply” that she would have to read aloud She was used to that sort of thing Thinking back to the iven the freshman representative's speech to an auditoriu
So, if asked what it was that was causing Youko's nerves, it was the barrier that had to be overcome immediately before her ”Foriven by astudent body, and her petit soeur, Ogasawara Sachiko, had been chosen tostudents
Having said that, Youko wasn't foolishly fretting about whether or not Sachiko was going to slip up She wasn't going to falter In that sense, it wouldn't be wrong to say that she had rande soeur, Youko
What orrying Youko was her own mental state
Would she be able to remain calm while Sachiko made the farewell speech? Surely the tears wouldn't co?
(Maybe it was a bad idea to have a pair of soeurs give the farewell address and formal reply after all…?)
She blamed the teachers that had chosen them Naturally, they hadn't been chosen as a matched set of soeurs, but their relationshi+p would have been known The teachers should have put ht into who they nominated
Youko glanced over at her ho recklessly
(While I' all I can to suppress my emotions)
So she couldn't accept
(If I broke down in tears, and couldn't read the forht?)
The teachers probably wouldn't mind such a display of heartfelt e, but if they started doubting how she acted in a crisis, then everything would look suspicious
At any rate Anger relieved the tension slightly
By the tiain Or, rather, she'd accepted defeat
Coht at the end of her ti too There was no particular significance in ht until the very end
”The farewell address”
The vice-principal's voice rang out
”Student representative Second-year pine class, Ogasawara Sachiko”
Sachiko said, ”Here,” as she rose fro area
She walked to the front with her head held high
A darling petit soeur
An i lady with a heart as clean and pure as glass
Sachiko adjusted thestudents, then unfurled the white paper roll that contained her farewell address
She lifted her head, silently gazed across the sea of graduates, then started to speak
”To our onee-samas who are about to leave the nest of Lillian's Girls Acadeh-school”
It was at this point that Youko thought, ”Ah” As in, ”Ah, this isn't good”
”Congratulations on your graduation”
(Not good Not good at all)
The introduction of the farewell address Overflow had coraduation” was fully spoken Overflohat? The promised tears, of course
(Wh-h)
The words wouldn't come In this way, she was the same as Yumi-chan
Even if she could have for she could do Given the nu, they weren't about to stick to her eyelids or eyelashes, and gravity wasn't about to reverse, so the only possible outcome was that they streamed down her cheeks
Like a waterfall
Like a flood
”Ulp”
The sound of a voice heaving with sobs cah the microphone
The hall suddenly fell silent
The tears had been dammed up by Sachiko
”Ulp”
This was the first time that Youko had seen this side of Sachiko No words ca as she desperately fought the tears
Even though she was such a strong-hearted girl Even though she was such an obstinate contrarian, who hated people seeing her weak points
Seeing Sachiko sob like thatconvulsively ca out from all parts of the auditorium
Youko thought, ”I want to be by her side”
But it wasn't possible for so end of the farewell address to rebuke the speaker with, ”Pull yourself together,” or to put an arm around their shoulder and say, ”You'll be fine”
Besides, if she was saved by her grande souer, then Sachiko ht lose the self-confidence required to lead the student council To be viewed as a ”Rosa Chinensis who can't do anything without her onee-sa for the proud Sachiko
(Ahh Fight back, somehow)
She couldn't watch any more Just as Youko was at her wits' end
A figure burst forth fro area
That person lodged theainst Sachiko and spoke briskly into the microphone
”As a representative of all the students of this acaderatulations”
It was Rei
As though it were entirely proper, Rei continued to read the farewell address that Sachiko held in her hand What a superb friendshi+p
Forgetting her gratitude to Rei for aiding her petit soeur during her crisis, Youko felt a twinge of jealousy
Sachiko finally recovered halfway through the farewell address, and resuether with Rei
”Now that we've reached the end, we pray for your health and success, as we farewell you into the world”
With that last word, this time it was Rei's voice that shook like she'd been overcome with emotion, probably out of love and respect
”Student representative, Ogasawara Sachiko”
Sachiko continued with, ”And” Rei sounded embarrassed as she said, ”Hasekura Rei”
One h everyone was holding their breath, the nextof a concert had just finished
A thunderous roar
(Do farewell addresses usually get this sort of reception … ?)
She'd attended the high-school graduation last year and the year before, but she had no memory of such a raucous reaction
The noise of the crowd drowned out the sound of the ned Probably long enough to make some cup noodles
”The formal reply”
The vice-principal said, after coughing to clear their throat
”Graduating student's representative Third-year camellia class, Mizuno Youko”