Vol 3 Chapter 31 (1/2)

3-1 The Morning Landscape

023 - ♦05

Ashes at Dusk was a 30-pagethree short stories Despite itstitle, it actually came from Rennyo's[1] well-known verse: ”Wewe may turn into white ashes”[2]

The overarching theme across these short stories is its e place in a classically dim Showa-style backdrop, the story describes a rather sad story That said, the e itself in the retro-feel, but actually focuses on the platonic love of high school girls as well, so it was also rich in entertainment

As a Third Year Junior High student, I was lost for words when I saw and bought this on a hile visiting the Ka special about the theme, it just felt earnestly vivid to me

A unique story that develops alongside its rich dialogue, it is supported by sensitive-looking artwork, which looked like soht out of a kabuki theatre In certain pivotal points of the plot, the art would give a surreal effect If I have to list a work, regardless of whether it is commercial or not, that leaves an impression on me, then it has to be Ashes at Dusk

And thus, this was a a that possesses a certain charive criticisround art looked a bit ah to make it bad

There were only two doujinshi+s that have taken my breath away completely, one was Ashes at Dusk, the other was Body Talk, a title I found in another doujinshi+ event unrelated to Kah I cherish these torks as my treasures But if I have to pick one out of these two, I would have to go for Ashes at Dusk

In order to counter Kouchi-sein with, regardless of what the readers think, I would have to show her a glimpse of this title Such was my faith in its ability to charm

I was very glad when I found out I lad that I've entered high school, I was even lad that I had entered a school where you could sell any sort ofa Studies Club as soon as I started school

Yet I found myself a bit disappointed afterwards

There was no one in the club that knew anything about the author of Ashes at Dusk

But as I still had fun with people discussing stuff that we like, I thought that a Club was correct

That's what I thought anyway

On the h School Cultural Festival, I arrived at school with a gloomy expression I had no choice but to postpone what I intended to do Prior to going to the attendance cerea Club

I had intended to arrive early, but I found Kouchi-sempai had arrived even earlier She was dressed in a classy tuxedo today She's probably dressed as that Thai boxer As she isn't particularly tall, yesterday's costu to dress up as a different game character everyday, or does she si costu as a different character than yesterday, I hadn't devoted as much time and money to my costume as she had to hers

Kouchi-sempai looked towards me, or rather, the heart-shaped brooch on my chest

”Going for old-fashi+oned again, I see?” she said Today I wore a cardigan over h socks coupled with a flared skirt The only part that one could really call cosplay was the brooch and the beret hat I earing

”Are you gonna shoot out Jintan[3] candies from that?”

”No, this is just for show”

”If you're going to cosplay as that character, you should at least put some effort into your hair”

Don't be ridiculous It's already quite e hairdo, not to

I need to get to the ht away

”So, where's your Ashes at Dusk?”

It was Kouchi-sempai who started the conversation instead I was surprised that she could remember the naht her to be quite a quick-witted person, so it's not like she could really read

As a Club roo those members eren't here yesterday, had known of my spat with Kouchi-sempai

Even Kouchi-sempai, who had looked rather confident yesterday, now looked atit

T-this is bad

But I can't just run away now Taking a deep breath fillingmy best not to look abject, I said, ”I' it today”

”What?”

”I must have taken it tothe summer holidays”

Yes, for the whole night and until early thisfor my copy of Ashes at Dusk in my room

I made sure to search everywhere I could think of I looked about ten times or more within the bookshelves which contained my favourite books I did the sa up the boxes which contained as

Yet I could not findit to anyone It was not a book I would show fuku-chan And I was reading it repeatedly during the first semester

So instead I brought Body Talk as a replace Ashes at Dusk the day before, so this felt like a cop out Bringing a book that could not satisfyit at all

Yet I did not feel like I'd lost the book As I re the su the old books in boxes to be sent to the storage warehouse inthat time I'd probably find it if I looked there

However, such a causal htly e too many silly mistakes Even if I reflect on them the deed has already been done I wish I had not in with

”Ehh??” A short disapproving sound was uttered Looking around, I saw only President Yuasa with her calm expression; this meant it wasn't her It must have been someone else

”Hmm, so you don't have it”

Kouchi-sempai's expression eased I, in contrast, bit my lips

I felt like a carp on a chopping board right now Victory has not yet been decided as wesaid I would present evidence to support u it Hearing Kouchi-seets on my nerves

One of the yesterday? And you think you can get away by saying you don't have it?”

Another followed, ”That's right Don't you have other ways of apologizing?”

They probably won't be satisfied unless I go down on nore them, as this was a problem between o down on ladly do so

However, Kouchi-se interest in me, simply waved her hands and said briefly, ”Then, helpa poster”

”P-poster?”

”Draw aout for a bit now”

She said that and turned to leave the club room

As I was being basked in the cold stares of her followers, who had been left behind, I turned to speak with President Yuasa

”President, do you have tools for drawing a poster?”

”Hmm? Oh, yes, we do”

I nodded and looked at my watch It's almost time to head to the Gymnasiu once I come back”

If I', it's better if I put my full effort into it rather than stop midway I wonder what I should draw for this ”moe character” order from the victor?

024 - ♣08

After attendance was taken, I quickly left the gymnasium

It wasn't because there was so I wanted to see, since I am after all a me the s of the Cultural Festival At the appointed ti in the Conference Room where the General Committee is based, in order to carry out any orders decided by the Committee executives Besides security, there's also event organizing to take care of Particularly the setting up and taking down of event equipment by the various clubs requires a lot of labour By the way, if there's no work to be done one gets to be free for the day Carrying a noble sense of duty within me, I knocked at the door of the Conference Room

”fukube reporting I see I haven't got any work today, I guess I'll take my leave now”

A pity that I wasn't able to help out with the General Coh School Cultural Festival Just as I was about to check out soe event about to start at the Sci-Fi Studies Club, someone stopped me

”Wait fukube, you do have work”

Eh~

President Tanabe was the only person inside, with a white board behind hi he turned to me and smiled bitterly

”Hey, what's with the disappointed look you got there?”

”No, actually, this is et to contribute my efforts”

Actually, I had plans to be at The Cooking Club at 11:30 today, so I was only intending to ith the General Coh Ithe door, I entered the room

I rubbedas it ends before 11:30, I'll jump into an inferno or leap into the ocean for you”

”It'll be over soon There are bags containing visitor slippers in the staff roos to every building entrance That's about it”

Indeed, this wouldn't take up a lot of time

President Tanabe sure worked hard in an to converse with him

”Se the festival?”

”Hmm? Oh”

Facing the whiteboard with its tiently

”There's a lot of menial stuff to take care of Still, it requires me to et to see anything Oh yeah, the ood, I hear”

Oh, this was quite soood news for us

”But you're unable to join in any events yourself, aren't you?”

Tanabe-sempai smiled bitterly

”I won't be able to attend to the General Committee if I do Unlike you, it's not like I'm as talented or have many interests”

Do I look that talented or have many interests to other observers?

”Well, what is it? You got so to tell me?”

”Interesting, huh?”

Thinking about it, there is the issue of the Classics Club having 200 anthology copies, but Mayaka wouldn't be happy if I used that as a joke The Rakugo Club perfor, but that's just my personal opinion I've also heard of other stuff, but they aren't really that interesting when mentioned one by one

H, but if I had told hi, the conversation would be too dull So how about this one?

”We see at the Go Club”

”Oh?”

”Some Go stones were stolen froe behind”

”Really?”

Now this was surprising This actually piqued President Tanabe's interest

”I see The Go Club, huh?”

Just as I wass about to say that this could be soed by the Go Club themselves, President Tanabe continued, ”I heard fro similar has happened to the A Capella Club”

”What?”

This ti si to the A Capella Cluban inside job by the Go Club has been ruled out

”They seem to have had one drink bottle taken from the cooler box”

”Was there a e left behind?”

”I'm not sure if it's froe memo inside”

Now this looks pretty interesting At the very least, my interest has now increased beyond the level when I first heard this fro in the Kah School Cultural Festival! This is actually quite a fun prank

Hmm hmm, no should I plan my schedule from here on

No wait, now's not the time for that yet

”What's wrong, fukube? You're grinning”

”Nope, no~thing really”

It's still too early to indulge in this yet In order for a phantom thief incident to be established, the phantom thief would need to continue with his prank If I end up scaring the thief prematurely, it'll just make me look foolish My experience tells me that it is better to first play with the thief

Furthermore, not many within the school are aware of this yet Even I have only just heard about this I wasn't really concerned hether the thief intends to attract uely audible

Since I still had an event to attend, it wouldn't be too late even if I take some rest now and allow the thief to surprise me even further So it was better for me to leave this aside for now

All right, nohere's ?

”I guess I'll get to work then”

”Sure, good luck”

Having encouraged me, President Tanabe turned back towards the timetable board

025 - ♠07

”I'll dothat, Chitanda left the room

Now to begin watching over the stall for the day again

How should I say this? I never thought being in charge of a stall where people hardly ever co idle and carefree, but certainly not being bored At any rate, one doesn't require a lot of effort to insert the se into the coin box repeatedly Even if I were to take tio to the bathrooht a paperback novel to kill ti for an energy saver likebored

Anyway, I should line up the Hyouka copies Ten copies per stack should be just about right

As I finished lining them up, a custoe on his collar indicated he was a second year

”You selling?”

Now this is quite a good omen I'd better use my manners

”Yeah, we are”

Her, like ”Yeah, we are, man” But that doesn't sound polite, does it? The second year sort of dangled towards the pile of Hyouka and looked at the cover

”So this is the one that explains where Kanya Festival gets its name from?”

Wow, see some influence Or did he hear it from someone else? At any rate, I should be thankful

As I nodded, the second year asked, ”Can I stand and read?”

”I'm afraid you can't”

”Oh come on It's only 200 yen, isn't it?”

”It ot so ”

Not that I really would

The second year laughed and took out his wallet and bought one copy Upon thanking hi him place his wallet back in his pocket, I noticed, ”Sempai, your fly's open”

”What?! No way!”

He frantically placed his hand between his legs Upon inspection, he lifted his head and groaned,

”Argh, can't be helped It's broken!”

Looking closely, I saw black silk dangling fro,

”Your zipper's broken?”

”Yeah, and I've still got a whole day before I can even take time to fix this”

You haveI can do

No wait, that's not true I still have it within the table drawer, I found it It was the badge that I obtained earlier today While I'e does have a safety pin taped behind it, which was easily removed

”There's only one, but try using this”

I handed the pin out to hi blessed by the heavens

”Whoa, thanksthat you actually have one with you”

He proceeded to pin the hole shut While it looked kind of strange, it should do for now

The second year certainly looked glad as hetime”

”If you want to show your gratitude then you could buy another copy”

The second year smiled and waved his hand

”No thanks,”

Though he see, and put his hand behind his trousers Searching his back pocket, he took out a hand gun

Staring into the muzzle, I asked, ”Is this a robbery?”

”Don't be silly It's a water gun”

The second year placed the gun on the table

”You can have this as my thanks”

”I see”

I looked at the water gun and then towards him

”Is this your hobby?”

Rolling up the Hyouka copy in his hand, he whacked my head with it

”Course not I' sweet potatoes today”

I still didn't see what this had to do with anything

The second year continued while looking pleased, ”You see, we need fire in order to roast the potatoes And if there's fire, we'll need so to just use a bucket, right?”

Ahh, I see So he's supposed to be a soldier or so So there are clubs who actually do silly stuff I looked at the hand gun

”Don't you need this then?”

”I already have one This is just a side-arm My main one's a Kalashnikov”

Fabulous So they're actually thinking of putting out a fire using a water gun? They should instead bethe fire

Anyhat use do I have for a water gun for watching over the Classics Club stall? The sa all sorts of useless stuff Though I have no reason to refuse him

”Thanks, man See ya!”

The second year left the Geology Roo elated

I looked at the hand gun he left behind and merely muttered, ”A Glock 17?”

Having an AK as a main weapon and a Glock as a side-arm Isn't this rather inconsistent?

[176 COPIES REMAINING]

026 - ♥06

I'll do ain today!

I was thinking a lot last night What Tanabe-san and Toogaito-san said were both correct I haven't et the Wall Newspaper Club interested in us However, it is still too early to give up and say nothing could be done

I heard rumours that the movie made by Class 2-F was quite popular A few of o and watch, but it seems for the entire first day the Audio Visual Roo

We the Classics Club were slightly involved in thethe trouble encountered during the shooting of the movie, fukube-san duly named it the ”Eh Oreki-san's advice seems to have helped the to hear that thewell

I was acquainted with one of the students fro of which, this ”Empress Incident” also applies to her as well, since she was involved in overseeing the production of the movie

If we could arrange for Hyouka to be sold alongside a popular ht increase

Thus today, I e such a deal could be done

I'll do my best

The Audio Visual Roo the movie The Blind Spot of 10,000 People The entrance to the rooht fro in Looks like its another full house today, but I have no way of knowing as I could not peek into the dark roonboard as tall as- The Blind Spot of 10,000 People,” with its airing times written on a paper taped below it

There was a table beside the board which seeh it's called a reception counter, as theto collect any ad paned to watch the counter, but as nobody see shown, she's currently talking to someone else

That someone else was none other than Irisu-san It must be my lucky day, as I was prepared to look all over the ca for them to finish their conversation, I spoke up

”Good , Irisu-san,”

”Hmm? Oh, it's Chitanda”

Noticing my presence, she quickly ended her conversation with the counter girl Walking some distance from the Audio Visual Rooency exit