Vol 1 Chapter 3 (1/2)

3 - The Activities of the Prestigious Classics Club

Now that I think about it, what does the Classics Club do anyway? The only students that do knohat it does are no longer with the school, and I couldn't be bothered to ask the teachers about it I could ask my sister about it, but unfortunately she's in Beirut Still, while it's rare to have a club that does not knohat it does, there are plenty of clubs whose existence can only be classified as aabout

It has been a month since the resurrection of the Classics Club The club rooer a private space, but it was still a relaxing spot It was a place where I could kill so bored Satoshi+ ht be inside Or both of theht be inside Or not It doesn't really matter either way We could choose to converse, or we could also choose to keep quiet Satoshi+ was the sort that could calin with, while our lady Chitanda was the sort of graceful lady befitting of her i as she doesn't let her curiosity explode Therefore, while unintentional, this club appears more like a leisure club than a school club

Thus I do not get weary even amidst their coin with, though Satoshi+ does sometimes mistake that I am

Today was a drizzly day, and I was inside with Chitanda I was leaning back on a chair by the , reading a cheap paperback while Chitanda sat at the front of the roo a thick book for soish afternoon after school

Looking at the clock, I noticed only 30 minutes had passed The tih you could say I was feeling quite relaxed, that isn't exactly correct Rather, it was because I was feeling nervous and stressful that I had to enter into a state of relaxation I'as possible, that's all

The silence was only broken by the sound of pages turning and the raindrops outside

””

I'o home as soon as the rain stops

Thud The sound of a book closing was heard, as Chitanda, who sat in front with her back facing towards hed and said,

”How barren”

While she wasn't looking atto h I had no idea how to respond to her sudden co

”What? The crops in your family farmland?”

”Those have two crops”

Chitanda answered as though reading it out and turned around,

”And they're semi-annual So it's hardly barren”[1]

”As expected of a lady of a farmland owner”

”No, there's no need to praise me”

The sound of rain, followed by silence

”No, that's not what I was saying”

”You were saying so about 'barren'”

”Yes, that It's barren”

”What is?”

Chitanda looked fir the whole room,

”All this time spent after lessons We don't see productive at all”

Of course, this wasI closed my paperback and looked up towards her,

”Well, I' you want the Classics Club to do?”

”Me?”

It was kind of a mean question, as not many people are ahat they themselves would want to do when asked directly By the way, I'

However, Chitanda replied without hesitation,

”Yes, there is”

”Hmm”

That's surprising To answer yes right away As I was about to ask as it she was interested in doing, she explained, ”Though that's for personal reasons”

In that case, there was no need to ask further

Chitanda then continued,

”But we're talking about the Classics Club So we should be doing so club related We can't just sit around and do nothing”

”Very well, but we aren't even sure what the club's purpose is”

”No, there is a purpose”

Whether she's speaking with the authority of a club president or the aura of a prestigious clan y this October in the Cultural Festival”

The Cultural Festival?

I had visited the Kah Cultural Festival before, so I was familiar with it To put it briefly, it was the essence of youth culture around this area And according to Satoshi+, the Kahly reco the art, while its break dancing contest is a hotbed for future professionals Quite a number of arts-related clubs of various qualities would participate During her three years in high school, I reies to school

So to speak, that was the crystallization of the rose-coloured high school life As to how I feel about all this, I guess it's better forabout it Let's just say that I hardly felt anything at all, not even once

However, an essay anthology, huh? I gave soht to Chitanda's proposal, and asked a question that naturally cay is just an end result, and not the whole purpose of the club itself, isn't it?”

Chitanda shook her head and replied,

”No, if the purpose of the club is thethe result we could achieve its purpose”

”What?”

”Like I said, if the result is the purpose itself, then all we have to do is aiht?”

H to say, but isn't that tautology?

Anyway, an anthology just sounds bothersoies, or anything else that requireson my own, are bothersome, it would be better if I don't have to do it Whether it's the purpose or the activity itself, either requiresUnnecessary activities cost effort, which is a waste of energy

”Let's not do an anthology It's too labour-intensive Besides right, three authors is a bit too much”

Yet Chitanda was steadfast with her proposal,

”No, it has to be an anthology”

”If you really want to publish so like that”

”Kah's Cultural Festival traditionally forbids exhibition booths So, no, it has to be an anthology”

” Why?”

”Our club budget specifically refers to 'Anthology Publication', it would be troublesome if we don't publish one”

Chitanda took out a piece of neatly folded paper from her chest pocket and showed it to et, the tiny amount of money that was allocated was specifically set for the purpose of ”Anthology Publication”

”Even so, Ooide-sensei has requested that we publish it, as it's become a tradition for over 30 years for the Classics Club to publish an anthology each year, and he was not going to watch it come to an end”

””

As a rule of thumb, reasonable people tend to be smart Yet it doesn't mean unreasonable people are dumb Chitanda was definitely not duin with, she appealed to the sentimental side rather than the financial side, and decided the club's activity based on tradition Still, I realized it was inefficient to try to argue against so done in the name of tradition, so I smiled bitterly and relented,

”Okay, okay We'll publish an anthology”

So ends unceremoniously ood health, I guess

The rain is still falling outside Since it's still not ti to publish this anthology?”

”How? What do you mean?”

”What kind of essays ritten every year?”

While it's not likely, I was already resigned to writing acadeht Dog Chronicles[2]'”, ”'Tales of Moonlight and Rain[3]' - With regards to the Emperor's role in 'shi+ra observations of social changes in the novel, as well as counter-argument to last year's essay” Just to be safe, I should include an appendix as well Though I was prepared to accept that I would probably not produce anything up to the standards of past essays At any rate, as to just what kind of format this so-called tradition adopts for its essays, I have no idea

However, the answer I received was in the negative

”Hmm, I'm not sure I wonder what should rite?”

It was to be expected As she was president, it was easy to forget that she too was only in the club for about a month or so

”I'm sure we could find out if we can find the back issues”

”They should be around You knohere they are?”

”In the clubroom?”

I see

I suddenly feel pathetic for going along with her pace I proer towards the floor for her to see

” Oh! This is the club room”

Exactly

”Though it hardly feels like a club room”

She's right though

This Geology Roo equipment All we could see were a blackboard, tables and chairs, as well as cleaning equip classroom, all in all There didn't seem to be anywhere books could be stored

”The back issues don't seem to be stored here”

”So it seems”

”Well then shall we head to the library?”

That sounded appropriate, so I nodded Chitanda picked up her handbag and stood up

”Let's go”

Without waiting for my reply, she opened the door and walked out She's quite proactive for an elegant lady Oh well, the library is just along the path to the school entrance, which isn't too far from here

No, wait Today's Friday, which means today's librarian on duty is

”Well, if it isn't Oreki? It's been a while, though I've hardly missed you”

Upon entering the library, I was instantly greeted with sarcas behind the counter was none other than Ibara Mayaka

Ibara and I go back a long way, as we've been in the same class for nine years since primary school Her baby-face features have been in place since childhood, and have only grown-up a bit after becoh-school student You may find her child-like features and short stature cute, but do not be fooled by her appearance, for she carries a hidden weapon with her at all tireeted by her colourful blend of sarcastic wit I was even told to stay away frouys ere fooled by her pretty looks, only to be sunk instantly Not tohera callous person

Though I personally don't really believe such assessments of her

I made the most unpleasant expression I could make and replied,

”Hey, I came just to see you”

”This is a sacred ground for cultivation, it's not made for the likes of you to visit”

Ibara sat cross-legged on her chair behind the counter Since all a librarian ever does is to handle the lending and borrowing of books from the library, there doesn't seem to be much else for her to do While one of herthe returned books back to their respective shelves, the Return Box was still filled with a whole pile of books Ibara was not the type to slack off, so she's probably attee book, which she's no doubt reading to kill time

The library was quite crowded at this time There were about ten four-person tables, and each of the There were probably people ere indeed reading for leisure, though I'd also understand if there were people killing ti for the rain to stop I then noticed one of the boys looking up at us I recognized him at once, since it's fukube Satoshi+ of all people

Satoshi+ aze and stood up with his usual smile,

”Hey, Houtarou, didn't expect to see you here”

Ibara looked at us with a sullen face and said,

”Still good buddies as ever, aren't you? As expected froh”

I kneas pointless to argue back at her, but still I said, ”Oh, shut up”

Ibara loomy person”

A crybaby, huh?

She then turned towards Satoshi+ with a composed expression,

”fuku-chan, you kno ht?”

”Ahh, don't worry about that, Mayaka No offence taken”

”What? You're just gonna let her use joking as an excuse to let her off the hook again?”

Satoshi+ glared at aze away I s hi so, though Satoshi+ has been dodging her advances ever since

Satoshi+ pretended to cough in an attee the subject

”Anyhat business does the Classics Club have in the library?”

Ah, yes, I didn't coed Chitanda to say soht, our lady said nervously to Ibara, ”Uh, u of you?”

”Sure, how may I help you?”

”I'd like to ask if there are any essay anthologies here in the library”

”Yup, they're at those shelves right over there”

”Do they have those for the Classics Club?”

Ibara tilted her head and wondered,

”The Classics Club? Hmm, I'm sorry, don't think I'm sure of that Should I look for them for you?”

Just as Chitanda was about to express her gratitude, Satoshi+ stopped her,

”You won't find any I've occasionally looked up on those shelves, so I should know Mayaka, where else could they be found if they're not on the shelves?”

”Hmm, if they're not in the open shelves, then they must be in the archives”

”The archives, huh?”

Satoshi+ thought for a while before asking,

”Chitanda-san, why're you looking for essay anthologies anyway?”

”We're going to publish one for the Cultural Festival, so ondering if we can have a look at the back issues for reference”

”Oh, so they're for the Kanya Festival, huh? Didn't know you were knowledgeable on such stuff, Houtarou”

Knowledgeable? Rather, I was obliged to work on it Besides, Chitanda probably doesn't even need eable

Wait, what festival again?

”Satoshi+, what did you just call the Cultural Festival?”

”The Kanya Festival Haven't you heard of it before? It's the nicknah Cultural Festival”

A nickna like the Sophia Festival for Sophia University, or the Mita Festival for Keio University? Then again, like the story about the four ”Exponential Clans”, I find it hard to believe

”Sounds suspicious Is that true?”

”Of course it's true, though it's an unofficial nickname I heard all my seniors in the Handicraft Club call it the Kanya Festival Is it the saa Studies Club, Mayaka?”

So Ibara's in the Manga Studies Club, huh? While it does suit her i for her

”Yup, everyone there calls it the Kanya Festival Even the festival committee calls it that”

”Kanya? How do you spell that in kanji?”

Satoshi+ placed his hand on his chin and said,

”Dunno Everybody just calls it that”

It seems like it's true that 'Kanya Festival' is a nickname However, I just couldn't think of any word thatout the etyy of such a silly na of that, Satoshi+ added,

”Perhaps it's abbreviated fro it into 'Kanya into 'Kanya'”

As expected for an expert of trivial knowledge

As ere going off topic, Ibara firmly pulled us back,

”Anyhow, anthologies, is it? We'll probably find theh the Head Librarian's in a o in without her permission She'll probably be back in half an hour, you wanna wait?”

Half an hour, huh? Not even Chitanda was in a hurry to want to see them at once, so she looked at me and whispered, ”What do we do now?” I was fine hatever decision, but I noticed it's still raining heavily outside The weather report did say the rain will stop soht, but as the rain showed no signs of stopping right noe had no choice but to wait

”Guess we'll wait”

”Even though you could go back?”

I decided to return toSatoshi+ tugged at Ibara's sleeve and said, ”Mayaka, why don't you tell Houtarou about the story you were telling me earlier?”

Ibara lifted her eyebrows and thought for a while before nodding

”Okay Oreki, do you ever feel like exercising your brain once in a while?”

Nope

But neither has Ibara

”What story are you talking about?”

Satoshi+ answered Chitanda's question with his usual smile on his face,

”The one about the popular book which no one ever reads”

”As you know, my shi+ft is every Friday after school, and I've discovered lately that the sa this time every week This is the fifth week in a ro Don't you find it strange?”

Ibara began to speak while I was busy looking for a desk where I could sit down and read my book Unfortunately, there just weren't any available seats in such a crowded place So I had no choice but to sit on top of the table that Satoshi+ had occupied

As the table was close to the counter, we could hear Chitanda and Ibara's voices from here

”Is it a popular book?”

”Does this look like one?”

Ibara showed us the thick book she was holding

”Oh, such a beautiful book”

Chitanda gasped in awe, and then turned her gaze towards h I'd just bought a splendidly bound book for her The book was bound in a leather cover decorated with finely detailed patterns Its darkish blue colour emitted an aura of soleh School: Walking Together for 50 Years” Besides being thick, it was also quite a large book in its length and width

”May I have a look inside?”

”Sure”

Upon taking outfor the page where I last read Yet h quality pages It was Chitanda, who upon opening the aforeether for 50 Years” - placed it on top of my novel in order to show it to nore it either, and had a quick look at its contents It's got nothing else on it besides a description of the school's history, and goes as such:

1972

Events in japan and the World:

May 15th: Return of Sovereignty of Okinawa Establishment of Okinawa Prefecture

Septe of the Joint Communique of japan and China Normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries

Sudden rise in land and commodities prices this year

Events in Kah School

◯ June 7th: First victory for the Kah School Archery Club in the Prefectural Newcomers Tournament

◯ July 1st: Cancellation of 1st Year Field Trip due to typhoon

◻ October 10th-14th: Cultural Festival

◻ October 30th: Sports Festival

◻ Noveasaki