My Stepsister is My Ex-Girlfriend - Volume 6 - Chapter 5.16

3:45 P.M.: The Two Types of People in the World

Yume Irido

After I got back from the bathroom, we resumed walking around the festival. We watched a band perform in the gym, went to the maid café of the guy who was really particular about them during the presentation, and before we knew it, the day was almost over.

“We should get going to help with preparations for the festival’s after-party,” I said.

“It’s already this late?” Mizuto groaned, looking at his phone.

There was going to be a bonfire tonight for the festival’s after-party. We’d be cleaning everything up tomorrow, so this was the last thing we had to do as committee members today.

Higashira-san looked extremely disappointed. “Oh... I suppose there’s no helping it if you must return to work.”

“What are you going to do now, Higashira-san? Are you going to celebrate with your class?”

“I don’t believe our class is doing any kind of collective celebration. Even if they were, I wouldn’t be caught dead there.” Wow, she’s so resolute about that. “Participating in the festival’s after-party is voluntary, if I remember correctly. Hm, I would like to see the big fire, but...”

That’s what you’re calling the bonfire? “Why don’t you stay until the end? You don’t have to dance or anything.”

“But how am I to keep myself amused without the company of you two? There is an eighty percent chance that I will return home.”

“Want me to hang out with you then?”

“Huh?” I turned to him with surprise.

Higashira-san’s face lit up. “Do you mean it?”

“Yeah, I won’t have any work after we finish the prep.”

“In that case, I will remain here! Please contact me when you’ve finished!” Higashira-san said happily before heading back to her class.

Mizuto’s face didn’t change at all as he watched her leave. But I couldn’t help but shoot him a confused look.

“Why did you promise that?”

“Promise what?”

“Don’t you remember that the committee members are having their own celebration during the festival’s after-party?”

All the committee members knew about this party beforehand. It was the real last event for all of us who’d worked so hard on the entire festival. There was no way that he didn’t know. After all, he’d even acknowledged the party when I’d brought it up before. I’d been relieved because I thought he’d warmed up to them enough to come to the party, but—

“Our class has its own wrap party too, after the one for committee members. You worked harder than anyone else, so you should definitely—”

“Is it work?” His voice was so devoid of emotion or anything at all. His eyes were empty voids that were focused on me. “Is the celebration or whatever work?”

“W-Well... No, but still—”

“Then it’s not mandatory, right?”

“B-But—” Before I realized it, I was gripping his uniform. I wanted to stop him—to hold onto him. “You need to at least say something to all the upperclassmen who helped out...right?”

“I can just do that tomorrow during the cleanup.”

“You just got closer to everyone. If you don’t go, you’ll be throwing that all away. They’ll think you’re an unsociable jerk. Is that really okay with you?!”

“I don’t see any problem.” He didn’t waver one bit. There wasn’t even a bit of emotion in his eyes. “We’re done working together. Doesn’t matter to me what they think.”

“Wait... You’re making it sound like you only acted friendly with them because of work.”

“No, that’s exactly it. Being friendly opens doors that would’ve otherwise been shut, making work easier. Even I know that, inexperienced as I am.” What’s he saying? It was as if I’d said those words out loud. Mizuto frowned. “We need to get going.”

“Yeah. Sorry.” I loosened my grip on his shirt and as soon as I did, I felt the distance between us instantly grow.

We saw each other when we went home. We took classes together. But tonight, I’d go to the committee member after-party, and he’d spend his time with Higashira-san. That’s all it took to make me feel as if this was all over. It was like there was an unscalable wall between the two of us.

“Oh, right.” Mizuto pulled on the collar of his shirt and looked at the yellow class T-shirt underneath. “Where do we return these to?”

“We...take them home.” It’s supposed to be a memory. Isn’t that normal?

“Right.”

It was at that moment I finally realized there were two types of people in this world. People who treasured their memories from the cultural festival, and others who couldn’t wait to toss them in the garbage. We were opposites, in that regard.

“Sorry...”

I thought I heard his voice, but I was almost positive it’d just been in my head. After that, the two of us silently and solemnly walked off to finish our work.