Chapter 32 – Christmas Prep

There are two things I fear in this world:

Airi’s mysterious smile when she’s hiding something.

Mr. Kumagai’s dramatic entrances.

Today, it was both.

“GOOD MORNING, CLASS 1-B!” our homeroom teacher shouted as he kicked open the door like he was in a musical. “The Christmas Cultural Festival is upon us!”

I flinched. Mika clapped. Kenta cheered. Daiki gave me a look that said, "We're so dead."

“This is our chance!” Kenta declared, standing on his chair. “We make history! Haunted Christmas Café!”

“That’s not even a real concept,” Hina said flatly.

“I vote for reindeer race betting,” Daiki added, already sketching it on his notebook.

“U-um... I think something cute would be nice…” Mika whispered, doodling a chibi Santa on her worksheet.

“Who cares?” Airi said with a shrug. “Just do whatever. Not like it matters.”

But her eyes kept drifting toward the “cozy winter café” idea Hina quietly wrote on the board.

Suspicious.

Thanks to an overly democratic process, the class ended up voting for a “Christmas Couple Café.”

“Because love sells,” said Kenta, probably quoting someone.

Somehow, Airi and I were voted as co-heads of the planning committee.

“Because you two work so well together!” Daiki said.

“I swear this is rigged,” I muttered.

“That’s exactly what someone in love would say,” Kenta whispered, writing it down.

We ended up alone in a side classroom, sorting out the shift schedule.

Or rather… I was sorting it. Airi was staring out the window, chin in her palm.

“…You’ve written the same name five times in a row,” I said.

“…Oh,” she blinked. “Oops.”

She didn’t look like herself. Not smug, not annoyed just… tired.

I glanced at her. She hadn’t even made a snarky comment in the past five minutes.

“…You okay?” I asked. “You’ve been kinda quiet.”

“I’m fine,” she said, still not looking at me.

There was a small silence.

Then I said it. “You don’t have to force yourself to stay awake again, you know.”

Her hand froze on the desk.

“You… noticed?”

“Well, yeah. You nodded off last time in the middle of a sentence,” I said, remembering the park. “And I had to carry you all the way to your house.”

Airi’s cheeks turned red.

“I didn’t ask you to,” she mumbled, poking the desk. “…But thanks.”

Another pause.

“Usagi... she’s… she always makes things easier,” Airi added, voice softer now. “But I wanted to try… staying a bit longer. On my own.”

I looked at her, really looked this time.

She was trying. Even if she didn’t say it out loud.

“…Just don’t overdo it,” I said. “Whether it’s for me, or anyone else.”

“…Tch. Who said it was for you?” Airi turned away, ears pink.

Right. Classic Airi defensive mode.

But her voice was less sharp compare to before softer even.

The door slammed open.

“WE HAVE A PROBLEM!” Kenta yelled. “The Santa outfits are SOLD OUT!”

Behind him, Daiki shrugged. “I said we should’ve ordered online.”

“Kenta. We don’t even need Santa outfits,” Airi said, glaring.

“But it’s CHRISTMAS! How else are we supposed to serve emotionally confused couples coffee without red velvet and bells!?”

While everyone argued about elf hats, I noticed Hina appear next to Airi.

She leaned in, smiling calmly.

“What’s with the pink ears?” she whispered. “You didn’t have those when you fell asleep on Yuuji.”

Airi nearly knocked over her chair.

“I—shut up—! I was just... tired that night!”

“Sure,” Hina replied, clearly unconvinced.

I pretended to be very interested in the floor.

After school I finally escaped the chaos and walked home with sore feet and a heavy head.
I thought about what Airi said.

“I wanted to try… staying a bit longer.”

When I got home, I opened my pencil case to grab a pen and found a note tucked inside.

“I’m not staying up for your sake. Just… don’t disappear before the festival, dummy.”

I stared at it.

Then smiled.

She really is awful at saying what she means.

Airi Status: Blushing tsundere mode?
Mental State: Slightly warm, slightly confused
Hina’s Teasing Power: Maximum level
Kenta Idea Rating: -300/10
Festival Fear Level: Slowly rising