Vol 3 Chapter 23 (1/2)

2-3 Yet Another Storm

020 - ♦04

I had originally wanted to just keep a low profile

I totally did not intend to get into an argument with anyone

It all began when Kouchi-sempai said to President Yuasa as the flow of customers started to decrease, ”Well, turns out it was a mistake to sell such plain stuff after all nobody's coe this and turn it around We should have an anime character poster outside Since we're all so free anyway, it wouldn't take us a lot of time to draw one”

I didn't believe the reason there were so few custo pretty well However, it was indeed true that the stall was far fros I wasn't particularly against the idea of drawing an anime character poster in order to attract custo up in skimpy cosplay to attract the boys

But what I couldn't stand was Kouchi-se as how she was now being surrounded by Kouchi-se protested against Though President Yuasa merely smiled calmly, I wondered how she must have felt

”You ”

”It in with, what's with this anthology anyway? A review of a hundred onna read that? We should have as instead”

Coa Club could try ht now, there were a few of them lined up around the stalls The reason why there were so few of them wastheir works in the Cultural Festival, or they did not want to end upa loss But to blame it on the presence of Zeamis was just absurd

Upon being told that no one would bother reading the anthology that I worked so hard on, the atin with, Kouchi-se ofZea the work to other people Even someone as lazy as Oreki still bothered to take time to write up theabout how bothersome it was, but Kouchi-se off Even now, not a single one of them had offered to help sell it There were quite a few people in the club who found such behaviour revolting

The only reason such sentiments had not erupted was due to Kouchi-seently worked on her own rather interesting colu about the fact that she had it completed within the day

Extending her ar Taoist priest robes, Kouchi-se some truth

”Even if we assua, this would be like reading an interestingthat There's si approval froreement could be heard, muttered by her followers If you want to be a Yes Men, you could at least be reements

But to say that it has no , well

Soaze toward the sales booth where I was seated While I was indeed the only one who disagreed with Kouchi-sempai, I would have preferred they not look at me like this

Kouchi-sempai went on, ”Besides, wouldn't it be better to use an anilooht to have so more flashy”

She then turned her gaze to the other members besides her own followers Even as I sat silently at the sales booth, our eyes met

I didn't knohether it was ination, but when Kouchi-sempai looked at me, the corners of her lips were raised

Was she provoking me? Was that smile of hers just now a provocation?

Would fuku-chan trust ht flashed by in my head that he wouldn't But it was true that all this ti the Cultural Festival, I had behaved a Club, as I still had to take care of the Classic Club's anthology

But I was at my limit I wondered why I ended up that way Even I myself was surprised at how cold I sounded as I remained seated and said, ”What exactly do you less, sempai?”

Kouchi-seh she had expected a response fro her back to President Yuasa, she sardless of whether it's interesting or not Surely you should understand theof that, no?”

”I understand theof your words, but I don't understand how you co on this anthology, and so have the others

”I'nition for our hard work, but if you're going to declare all that less, then please at least elaborate on your reason for it”

On one side was Kouchi-se rather composed, while I on the other hand probably looked snappy I would probably look like an idiot to an outsider

With a sneering smile, Kouchi-sempai took a step towards me

”Yeah, less Sorry about that, Ibara, I was trying to say it was too assertively harmful”

”Whichever it is, I would still like to hear why you think it is so”

”You see, I've been thinking,”

As though de to those around her, she waved her arms about

”Not every a ends up as a classic Just because you like a title it doesn't make it a classic Nine hundred ninety nine people out of a thousand could have decided it was crap Yet, you would disregard such consensus and promote your own bias? That is what I call harmful”

For a while I hesitated at how to respond Abeside me lashed out

”How can you be so sure that is bias!?”

While I understood her sentiht ave her a glance and ignored her She could have easily countered the accusation of whether the anthology was biased or not by giving a definition of what the word ”bias” means Still, she had not chosen to do that

This uous

I took a gulp and said, ”Letsubjective?”

”Yeah”

”So you find the viewpoint that 'Subjectively, any less to call a a bad' harmful?”

Kouchi-sempai nodded satisfactorily

”Yup, that's what I meant”

”But–”

As I was about to respond, I noticed so Beforeremoved by President Yuasa, which I didn't mind

There was a decisive flaw in Kouchi-seument, yet I wonder if she has noticed it already? While feeling uneasy, I tried to maintain a calm voice and continued, ”In that case, wouldn't it also be hara can be rubbish, and so it is ood'?”

In that way, there was no way she could agree with that But if she disagrees, then she would have to rephrase her argu confronted with such a contradiction, Kouchi-seave a profound smile and said, ”Yeah”

”Wha–”

For a moment, I was lost for words Even her followers ness No one could understand what she was thinking when she made such a response

Taking advantage of , Kouchi-sempai spoke cheerfully

”But it's true, isn't it? Since even you thought so

”Just because a a itself is boring It simply means the person's tolerance antenna is set rather low for the title So for those cowards who do not want to express thea doesn't suit

”So it's the sa doesn'tIt justaspects of the title Aht?”

For some time, I've always found Kouchi-seh she has a lot of ada Club, I just found ht now, I feel like I knohy I felt that way Kouchi Ayako-sempai was just such a person

I can't lose to her I just can't lose

At first, I was y we had worked so hard on less But now it's beco at the basis of h it away and suck it up The urge to fight back welled up within me, I lickedthere are no as that are called classics or masterpieces? Other mediums like music, art and novels all have what you call classics andthat even those don't exist as well? Or are you saying this only applies to a?”

I, along with a Club members, do not believe that as an expression as that cannot be rectified

Not even Kouchi-sea, it cannot become a classic

And indeed she said no such thing

”I never said that there's no such thing as a classic or a”

”But isn't that what you were saying? That a work is rubbish no matter how you look at it?”

”Yeah, it is”

She withdrew her sneering smile and said, ”But masterpieces do exist

”After years of being scrutinized by critics and standing the test of tihest common factor remain These are e'd call 'hest common factor, then the works which receive the

”So I'll say this: it's just foolish for the Manga Club to do so if this work is great or that work is crap We're just saying what comes out of our heads We should cut that out and just be content to enjoy e read”

”Then,”

Before I could even think, I fired back, ”Do you not recognize the existence of the geniuses that gave birth to such nize that the works of such people are wonderful and deserve to be passed down the generations?”

”Don't be so long-winded, Ibara, of course I don't That's why this is all part of your subjective opinion I've already said that masterpieces are those that withstand the test of time”

””

Kouchi-seo I too was probably glaring back at her I feltheavily

I sensed that noas the time to pull out my trump card

The treasures I have are so that would have to be shown to her if to repudiate her If I didn't repudiate her, then I would have to repudiate h I was reluctant to do this, I had no choice So I slowly said, ”You're wrong”