Da Capo II - Homeroom

Homeroom

Maya: Let's talk about the matter at hand!

Yoshiyuki: Ugh!

My meal ended with a hard kiss.

The sensation of something flat was on my lips.

Maya: As you all know, next week, from the 23rd through the 25th...

Ah, ehh... mm?

Maya: There will be a Christmas party at our school.

I heard the class president, Sawai Maya's voice.

Maya: This "party" will be just like a cultural festival. Every class is obligated to do something to entertain the guests.

...So we're in class now, and I was just asleep?

Mmm.

I tried to let my brain work at full speed.

If I remember correctly, the class president suggested talking about what to do at the Christmas party during our extended homerooms...

Maya: However!

Slam!

Yoshiyuki: Wow, you scared me.

I sat up with a start and looked at the blackboard.

The class president was clenching her fist in annoyance as she glared at her classmates.

What a scary sight!

Maya: Unfortunately, our class has not yet decided on what we're going to do! Despite the fact that we've had this debate every extended homeroom since November.

Suginami: ...Sakurai? Sakurai?

Yoshiyuki: Hmm?

Suginami: The class president is even more hostile than usual. If you fal asleep, you may never wake up.

Wataru: Use some matchsticks to keep your eyelids open.

Yoshiyuki: I don't have any matchsticks.

Wataru: Fine, here. Use this mechanical pencil.

Yoshiyuki: Wow... Wait, this is huge. My eyeballs would pop out.

Suginami: Heh, heh, heh.

Wataru: Heh, heh, heh.

My partner in crime, Suginami and Itabashi Wataru, both chuckled quietly.

I sat up straight as I rubbed my sleepy eyes and then looked straight ahead.

Anyway.

We have to decide what we are going to do at the Christmas party.

And that's what we still haven't even come up with: an idea.

The girls have proposed various ideas, but they have always got sidetracked, and here we are today.

Yoshiyuki: ...But still. We've done so many things at the cultural festivals already.

Suginami: Hmm. Our school likes having various events. Actually, that's what makes me happy though.

As he spoke, Suginami took out a black leather notebook from his pocket.

Yoshiyuki: What's that?

Suginami: It's my secret notebook for jokes.

Yoshiyuki: Are you a comedian?

Wataru: I have a notebook too.

Yoshiyuki: Hm... Hey, why do you have those photo stickers on the cover? That's what girls do!

Wataru: Cute, huh?

Yoshiyuki: That's sickening.

Wataru: Wow, sickening? Don't you think that's a bit too harsh? You need to be nicer to me!

Yoshiyuki: You need to be nicer to the environment.

Wataru: The environment? Am I polluting the environment...?

Suginami: Not only the environment. Your existence is polluting the entire earth now.

Wataru: Whaaa, forgive me, earth! By the way, aren't I something?

Maya: Hey! You three Prime Evils over there!

Shit.

I got overexcited because of the evil temptation.

The class president pointed right at us!

Maya: If you don't participate in the discussion, I'll make you come up with an idea.

Yoshiyuki: Am I one of the Prime Evils?

Maya: Of course you are. They are the airheads and you're the sharp one.

Yoshiyuki: Who decided that...? I can't believe that.

Suginami: Then what if all three of us were airheads?

Wataru: Yeah, we might clear the way to a new world.

Yoshiyuki: No, we'd just lose control.

Before I knew it, the classroom was getting rather noisy.

...Maybe because we were making noise.

The class president glared at us as if her eyes could knock us out.

Maya: Be quiet! If we don't decide now, we'll stay after school until this discussion is over. Do you want that?

The noisy classroom became quiet again.

She's got to be kidding.

My schedule is packed after school.

I have to go home and watch TV, then more TV, then more TV, and play some games here and there.

See? I'm busy.

How can I let this meeting go any longer?

Yoshiyuki: But I have no idea what we can do.

I don't even try to let my brain work.

Anzu: ...A puppet show.

A monotone voice sounded in the quiet classroom.

The voice belonged to Yukimura Anzu, who was sitting next to me.

She was tiny and had a cute face, but because she didn't have much expression, it was hard to figure out what she was thinking.

However, sometimes she had an evil tongue so she wasn't someone to disdain.

Anzu: What about a puppet show?

The class started buzzing at her sudden suggestion.

Anzu: Since it's Christmas, there aren't any complaints to a fantasy something, right?

Maya: ...I see.

The class president crossed her arms and nodded.

Then a girl in front of me raised her hand.

It was Hanasaki Akane, a good friend of Anzu.

Akane: Yes, I think a puppet show is a great idea! It's Christmas, so something romantic would be good, don't you think? Like a love story to liven up that holy night.

Akane twisted her voluptuous body, showering the male students with her allure.

As expected, several boys were captivated and agreed, saying "That's a great idea".

Wataru: I'm in.

You too?

Gee.

Be it Anzu or Akane, whenever those two make a suggestion, they're always plotting something bizarre.

I don't mean to brag, but Suginami, Wataru, and I are good friends of theirs.

I don't know the details, but I can guarantee they're up to no good.

Hmm? There's two of them and three of us?

Why don't the numbers match, you ask?

Don't worry.

There's three in their group too. Heh, heh, heh.

Anzu: In addition to that... How about Koko plays the heroine of the puppet show? ...What do you think?

When Anzu brought out the name of their third member, we all heard the sound of a chair toppling over.

Everyone looked at where the noise came from.

Koko: Ouch... Ow, ow, ow, ow.

She stood up while rubbing her aching bottom.

Koko: Huh? W-What are you saying all of a sudden?

Tsukishima Koko.

She is the third member.

She's a close friend of Anzu and Akane. The class calls them Setsugekka, after the first characters of their surnames.

I've known them since we were in elementary school.

Well, that's why the six of us are good friends.

Aha, ha, ha, ha, ha!

...Hahhh.

We're close friends, but there's no romance between us. Oh, woe is me.

Koko: Umm, umm... Uhh.

Koko turned beet red and got flustered.

I guess she's more normal than the other two...

She looks cute and she's nice, so she's popular amongst our classmates, but she doesn't realize that at all.

Of course, nobody objected her being the heroine of the puppet show.

Except herself.

Koko: I can't do that.

Anzu: Don't worry.

Akane: Uh-huh. You can do it, Koko-chan.

Koko: H-How can you be sure?

Maya: If we're performing a love story, she'll need a partner.

Anzu answered the president with a chuckle and cool smile.

Anzu: ...Yoshiyuki will be her partner, who else?

Akane: I agree. I think Yoshiyuki-kun would be great!

Yoshiyuki: Huh?

I hadn't really been paying attention to the discussion, so I was startled.

Everyone looked at me.

Wataru: Wow, are you serious? Why not me?

Akane: No way. Yoshiyuki has a great voice and he's a good actor too.

Yoshiyuki: When have I acted before?

Anzu: When you played sick to ditch school.

Yoshiyuki: Grk.

She's right...

On that day, there was a game I had to finish so I ditched school.

When school called, I pretended to be sick with a high fever. I put on such a good act that the teacher called an ambulance for me.

I was so excited about riding in an ambulance for the first time, but I continued to play sick and downcast.

While I was in the ambulance, I forgot about my fake sickness and had a nice chat with the emergency crew.

Come to think of it, I think that was how the school found out about my fake sickness.

Then, after I arrived at the hospital, I snuck out before a doctor came in to examine me.

Yoshiyuki: Boy, that was close. Whew.

Maya: Now's not the time to be basjful about that, is it?

Akane: So anyways, how about it? Why not have Yoshiyuki play Koko-chan's partner?

Anzu: I don't think there's a problem...

Koko: W-W-Wait a minute! That's just impossible! Yoshiyuki would never do it. We're talking about Yoshiyuki, you know.

What about me? I'm right here, you know.

Well, Koko has known me for a long time.

I can understand why she's positive I won't be working on it seriously.

In fact, I don't remember a time I have done something like this seriously.

However, hearing her say it's impossible for us is making me want to do it.

Koko blushed even more as she looked at me with upturned eyes.

Maya: Hmm, maybe... Giving one of the Prime Evils an important part may straighten him out just a bit.

Yoshiyuki: Huh? But I'm a very earnest, very wonderful person. I even pick up trash aroun the train station.

Maya: Be quiet, you cheerful yakuza.

Yoshiyuki: W-What's a cheerful yakuza?

Wataru: It's someone who smiles cheerfully as they beat someone to a pulp.

Yoshiyuki: I-Is that the impression I give?

Suginami: ...A haunted house.

Yoshiyuki: Huh?

Suginami, who wasn't participating in the discussion of a puppet show, spoke while completely ignoring what was going on.

Suginami: Yeah, a haunted house. If we did a haunted house at the party... If we do that there, yeah, of we borrow that one from the science club... Yes, if we did that, then my plan would be...

Suginami mumbled while holding his black leather notebook.

Yoshiyuki: H-Hey... Did you hear what we were talking about?

Suginami: Sure I did. You and Tsukishima are going to have an unproductive mock love affair via a puppet show, right?

Yoshiyuki: I think that's a bit too blunt. By the way, a haunted house for Christmas?

Suginami: The season is irrelevant. Cherry blossoms are in full bloom even in the middle of winter on this island. What's the problem? The point is that there will be an opportunity to invite the girl you like and confess in the dark! You'll be at max closeness! Who would object to the idea of such an opportunity filled haunted house?

Suginami's rousing comment brought most of the male students to a roar.

Wataru was one of them.

Whose side are you on, anyway?

However, Suginami can't be planning to aid in love affairs like he said.

He prefers stuff like mysteries of the cosmos, alchemy, buried treasures, secret caves, and unidentified mysterious anumals over love.

If that's the case...

Yoshiyuki: What are you plotting?

Suginami: Hey, what are you talking about?

Yoshiyuki: Then what's with that angelic looking feigned innocence for?

Maya: Come on, be quiet! Suginami, you put forth the idea, so you'll be in charge. Am I correct to assume that?

Suginami: Heh, heh, heh, call me an owner of a haunted house.

Maya: Okay.

The class president didn't pay attention to Suginami's line that was full of confidence.

Maya: I'm sure the student council is keeping their eyes on us, but we're running out of time...

The class president fixed her glasses while giving a sigh.

Maya: If we were to do a puppet show, do you have a story or a specific image for it?

Akane: It'll be something romantic and dreamy.

Maya: That's abstract...

Anzu: I already have an idea for a scenario.

That's right, Anzu is a member of the drama club.

Maya: I see. Okay, now we have two ideas for the party. Is there anything else?

Our class was already excited about the puppet show and the haunted house ideas.

The girls like the idea of a puppet show, and the boys liked the idea of a haunted house.

If we were to do a puppet show, Koko and I would be the main characters.

Besides doing the main character part, Koko was assigned to be in charge of music.

Koko wore a troubled look as she voted for the haunted house.

Our eyes met once in a while, but she looked away instantly and tried to convince Anzu and the others to go with the haunted house.

Akane: Hey, which do you prefer, Yoshiyuki-kun?

Akane peered at me as she asked her sudden question.

Yoshiyuki: I really don't care, but if we did a puppet show, it would be a lot of work.

Anzu: Don't worry, I'll make sure you won't have too many lines.

Yoshiyuki: Are you sure?

Anzu: You won't try to remember them anyway...

Yoshiyuki: Th-That's not true.

Anzu: We don't have much time either.

Mmmm, a puppet show.

Suginami: Well, well, sorry ladies. Sakurai's mind is already set on a haunted house.

Wataru: I'm for a haunted house too.

Akane: Wataru-kun, you said you wanted a puppet show earlier.

Wataru: Come on, how can I resist a surprise in a dark? Right, Tsukishima?

Koko panicked when Wataru suddenly asked her.

Koko: Eh? Oh, y-yeah, uh-huh.

Wataru: See? Even Tsukishima says so.

Akane: You too, Koko-chan?

Koko: B-Because, I can't play the heroine.

When Koko spoke worriedly, Anzu and Akane looked at each other.

Wataru: A surprise in a dark... ah. How intriguing! I want to do it! Then while we're surprised, we can do this and that! Ahh, my heart is pumping already!

Yoshiyuki: Calm down, your mind is going too wild.

I tried to calm Wataru down as he started panting from his wild daydreams.

Maya: Rrgh! Be quiet! Geez, how many times do I need to tell you that?

The class president slammed the teacher's desk.

Anzu: Class president, please calm down... You've told us to be quiet while discussing this subject 41 times since November.

Maya: I didn't ask anyone to count that!

Anzu: Just so you know, you've slammed the teacher's desk 28 times since November... I think you need a few deep breaths.

Maya: Q-Quit memorizing such trifling things and be quiet...

By the way, Anzu has mastered a technique she calls "Yukimura Memorization Method", so she can remember even the tiniest of details.

According to her, she never forgets anything she sees or hears.


It would be smart not to have her as an enemy...