CH#307
#307
âNii-san, are you feeling tired?â
As I took a breather in the living room, sweating, my sister Kaede spoke up.
I didnât think I was doing anything out of the ordinary, but perhaps I had let out a sigh without realizing it.
As Kaede peered at my face from the side, I lightly pushed her head away and shifted slightly to the side.
Sitting in the space I cleared, Kaedeâs feet tapped lightly as she waited for a response.
âItâs not that Iâm tired, just thinking about something.â
âIs it something I can help with?â
I replied, my cheeks softening as I say my sister tilting her head in a cute way asking if she could help.
I smiled as I pondered. While her high school was a girlsâ school, she might know the common characters among those who had experience with video production.
As a reference, I showed her a video taken directly but edited with recorded footage.
âJust as a reference, but can simple editing like putting clips together and cutting be done easily?â
âVideo editingâŚ?â
Kaede leaned forward in front of my face to peer at the screen of my phone.
It wouldnât be as exclusive an environment as it used to be, I supposed.
While I couldnât do it, it wouldnât be surprising if some students could, even around here.
After thoroughly checking the video, Kaede turned her face towards me.
With glossy lips, maybe coated with lipstick, her big eyes probably reflected mostly my face in this moment.
Hino-kun would probably find this proximity startlingâŚ
I wouldnât let him get this close as long as my eyes are black, though. <BBX: As long as heâs alive>
âSimply putting clips together and cutting them, I can do, but if you want elaborate effects, it might need someone with experience, or else it might come off as uninspiring.â
ââŚâ
Kaedeâs straightforward comment, considering that the shown video was something meant to bid farewell to the seniors, was evident.
In fact, even if I were to attempt video editing hastily, would it truly move peopleâs hearts?
Iâm not confident about videos received from current students.
Perhaps, itâs ideal to have someone who has experience and is familiar with it, not just once or twice but regularlyâŚ
Finding that person would be the most challenging part.
After hearing Kaedeâs response, I crossed my arms and looked up at the ceiling, lost in thought. Kaede seemed to sense my intentions and let out a thoughtful Hmm before speaking.
âDoesnât your school have something like a drama club or a film study group?â
âWe have a drama club, of course, but thereâs no film-related group⌠Itâs strictly drama, not video production.â
I wondered if drama clubs nowadays also post videos. Negative opinions dominated my mind, likely stemming from preconceptions.
However, Iâll take it positively that my sister and I arrived at similar conclusions. It doesnât mean Iâm making the wrong choice. It would be foolish to seek answers and then give up thinking altogether.
I may not be the perfect older brother, but I want to be reliable. Thatâs why I shouldnât rely entirely on my sister for all the answers.
âThanks, that was helpful.â
I said, stroking Kaedeâs hair as I rose from the sofa.
It was about time for Mom to finish preparing dinner. I picked up my jacket and headed to the front door.
Sitting and stewing wonât help me think clearly. I need to change my surroundings with a short walk.
âNii-san?â
âIâm going for a short walk⌠Iâll be back before dinner.â
I reassured Kaede, who looked concerned, before leaving the house alone.
It was already dark outside, and the sounds of conversation drifted from neighbouring homes.
Lights were on in Shizukuâs house across the street, and her room on the second floor was already illuminated.
What could she be doing now?
Perhaps sheâs finishing her assignments and taking a breather. I briefly halted my steps, then continued in the opposite direction of the school.
How to find people to participate in the farewell party activities⌠Gathering people by grade or class⌠No, that wouldnât be efficient.
Two days have already passed.
With only 12 days left, gathering videos during homeroom, lunch break, and after school, along with gathering people, would still not be enough time.
Iâll have to narrow down the options and contact specific individuals.
That seems to be the only way forward.
As I walked through the residential area and onto the busy street lined with eateries and shops, the light spilled out onto the pavement from the shops on the side. On the opposite sidewalk, students in different uniforms were chatting happily while holding McDonaldâs bags.
Sometimes, I feel like indulging in fast food. But since I left my wallet at home today, Iâll have to resist the temptation. Besides, Mom is preparing dinner at home. If I say Iâm not hungry because I snacked, sheâll sulk and wonât cook for two days.
Probably, tomorrowâs breakfast will be cornflakes.
Enduring the urge to eat out, I aimlessly wandered from crowded places to side streets and along the riverside.
Today, I should make sure to register on the SNS platforms popular among students. Then, Iâll search using the names of students who rank high in the school hierarchy.
However, those students are usually not inclined toward creative activities.
They live for the moment, enjoying the present to the fullest. Therefore, theyâre often distant from activities without clear goals, like creating their own thoughts and paths.
Hence, students who spend their time a step or two away from the top may be more likely to fit the bill. The problem is, I donât know the names of such students. Prominent studentsâ faces and names naturally come to mind, but the ones around them often remains unknown.
If I had acquaintances nearby, I could connect through them. Unfortunately, I only know the top or bottom tiers, including myself.
Just then, I remembered. Recently, Iâve started befriending Miyashita, who used to be in the group of a student named Nakajima or Nakayama,
I think. She seemed to be bossed around by her. Since she became honest about her feelings during the school trip, I havenât seen them talking in class, so I forgot about it.
Miyashita might surprisingly know people with similar interests.
Being second or third rank often means having a wider network than the top. With tomorrowâs main goal set, I need to think of an excuse if I do find someone.
People tend to prefer negative thoughts, even when they know they should do good. Whether itâs self-sacrifice or hypocrisy, I need to present reasons, benefits, and significance for participating, even if itâs under the guise of a noble cause.
Deep in thought, I lost track of time and found myself sitting alone by the riverside. The sound of the flowing river didnât reach my ears, and my gaze was fixed on a point on the waterâs surface. I didnât feel the biting cold anymore, so deeply engrossed in my thoughts that I couldnât even remember the time to head home.
However, my consciousness was abruptly brought back to reality by the sound of footsteps crunching on gravel from my left.
âAt this time of year, if you sit down like this wearing just a hoodie, youâll catch a cold, Minato-kun.â
âShizukuâŚâ
The moonlight illuminated Shizukuâs black hair as it swayed, and she smiled and approached me. From her bag, she took out a scarf and wrapped it around my neck.
The faintly different scent told me she hadnât been out of the bath for long.
âWhy are you here?â
âThat should be my line. I happened to see Minato-kun leaving the house and decided to follow. Not only your friendâs house, convenience store, and even the school were in the opposite direction.â
âAre you indirectly saying I donât have many friends?â
If so, she must be preparing herself to jab at me sharply, right?
Considering Iâm troubled by my lack of connections, I need her words to be said with a resolve.
However, upon hearing my response, Shizuku burst into laughter joyfully.
Placing her hand elegantly in front of her mouth, I couldnât help but sigh at her refined demeanour.
âIf you can say such sarcastic things, it seems like thereâs nothing for you to be down about.â
With a hint of relief in her voice, she took a seat next to me on the left. Without minding if her clothes got dirty from the sand, she settled in the space where our arms almost touched, then turned to face me.
In the moonlight, her face looked more mature than usual, and from an outsiderâs perspective, the distance between us felt like that of lovers about to kiss, making me instinctively look away.
I wonder why she can face me with such composure at this distance.
âWill you talk to me? About whatâs troubling you, Minato-kun.â
ââŚâ
While still facing me, she asked. Her expression showed she believed I would talk, and since she had come all the way here to follow up, it wouldnât be acceptable for me not to say anything.
In that moment, I looked up at the night sky, contemplating how to express my feelings to her.