Author: Inaida Sou
Translator: Kei of ChocoCats

○ 306 DAYS AGO (Part 1)

My expectation for the reading session to be cancelled because not many students came to watch even after announcing it on air, was destroyed.

The performance will start in 5 minutes. In the gymnasium, second and third graders were waiting impatiently with their eyes shining. But some other students are smiling with half teasingly and half curiosity. Yukari stood a little far from everyone.

And strangely, even though Nojima-sensei is in charge of first-year students, I can’t see first-year students around. I looked around the audience seats with the script in one hand. My brother is checking the read-through with the officers of the first grade, the other third grades are doing the final confirmation of the picture-story show, with the second grade assisting. However, only Nojima-sensei looked anxious and often glanced at the clock.

“It’s weird. Even though I told them to come.”

My hunch tells me to not make eye contact, but I was too late. Nojima-sensei talks to me while flipping through the stage curtain saying, “I told students from my class to come, but no one is here…”

“If everyone didn’t come to watch the reading session, everyone’s effort will be wasted, it’s sad.”

No, it won’t be wasted. Or rather, I suspect the reason for first-year students didn’t come might be because of Nojima-sensei. In fact, all the first-year committee are looking down with tired faces.

After a while, my brother looked at the clock and called out to everyone, “Let’s get started.” The backstage committee raises the curtain. Iwai is in charge of turning over the picture-story show. Actually, I wanted to do it because that’s mean I didn’t have to read aloud, but I lost in rock-paper-scissors.

We line up in the specified spots and open the pages of the book. Soon my turn came around, and next to me is my brother.

“And he said, it doesn’t have to be normal. Everyone has their own personality.”

All the students who came to the reading session listened to my brother’s voice. Some students may have come here for my brother… or rather, many of them did. In fact, every one’s eyes are shining while listening to my brother.

“I’m glad. Everyone becomes my friends! Everyone nodded to that word. She was delighted with tears in her eyes.”

The story in the reading session is about making friends with a girl who was avoided by everyone because she was different from other people when she was young. There is also a fantasy element where she goes to another world in the middle of the story. The book cover is drawn in a touching and grand way, it also seems to have been featured on TV. It was Nojima-sensei’s choice.

Now comes the part after she has returned from another world, she’s now able to make friends in reality. Lastly, it’s my brother’s part and the reading session will come to end.

“Then the girl made friends. The girl who was able to get along with everyone is laughing happily with everyone… the end.”

As my brother finished reading and turned off the microphone, everyone applauses. All of the reading session’s committees bow down all at once and says, “thank you” in unison. It was my brother’s suggestion, even though we didn’t practice it, everyone did it perfectly in sync.

“Lastly, a speech from Nojima-sensei who held this reading session.”

My brother suddenly turned on the microphone again. That’s not in the script. Everyone was confused. I wondered if Nojima-sensei had done something, but the teacher herself also looks confused.

“Hmm?? Me?? Eh, what’s should I do?”

However, Nojima-sensei does not seem dissatisfied. My brother quickly handed the microphone to her, and he quickly tried to get backstage with all the other members. I also hurried back.

“Did Nojima-sensei tell you she wants to do that?”

My brother didn’t answer my question. Then suddenly, the projector cloth screen on the stage came down. Everyone was surprised, but Nojima-sensei looked happy while saying, “is this a surprise?” I have a bad feeling. Eventually, the projector turned on, and images that looked like they were taken with a smartphone began to be projected.

[“Ah, then, can you lend that card to me?”]

[“Yes?”]

[“After all, you can always give it to your brother any other time, right? I want to use this as a reference for the reading session! I’m sure everyone in the kindergarten will be happy.”]

[“But…”]

[“Please, please, please~?”]

[“Oh, it feels like I’m a thief. I don’t want Kurobe-san to look sad!”]

What I saw in the video is when Nojima-sensei took my card from me. There is also the part where she behaves like a kindergarten child by pleading. The other teachers who came to see the reading session looked at me.

[“Hey, over there, don’t chit chat. And Mai-chan, if Mai-chan doesn’t do her best, sensei will feel troubled.”]

[“Well, Mai-chan is so good at making cards, but you won’t continue working. Even though sensei thought Mai-chan could do better than this…”]

[“Oh, that’s right. What if Mai-chan does this instead of colouring? Because colouring is too easy you are getting bored, right?”]

[“Here, these too”]

Next on the screen, Nojima-sensei put sheets of drawing papers on my desk with a bang. Maybe because of the sound effect, some of the spectators at the gymnasium flinched their shoulders in surprise.

[“Mai-chan should do cutting and clipping instead of colouring. Right, Iwai-kun, can you do the colouring instead?”]

Looking at that, it seems like Nojima-sensei has a strong grudge against me. The eyes around anxiously looked at me, and then immediately turned to Nojima-sensei.

“We-well… what does this mean, Mai-chan?”

I haven’t done anything. However, because it’s only me on the screen, it seems like it was my doing. Even if I shook my head, she would think I’m lying.

“Nojima-sensei… What does this mean? As far as I can see in the video, it seems that you clearly act discriminately toward some students…”

“No, I just wanted to have a successful reading session with everyone… But it seems Mai-chan misunderstood me…”

“Okay, then Nojima-sensei, let’s talk in the staff room. And all students should return to their classes, no need to clean up.”

Another teacher tries to disband the students. Could it be, this video is from my brother…? Aside from wandering at midnight, my brother always carried a camera with him. I’m sure, he seems to use it in a bizarre direction, like shooting insects dying with better image quality than smartphones. Unlike smartphones, cameras are certainly not subject to confiscation at school. There is also a class that takes pictures of the town scenery.

While I’m feeling dumbfounded, my brother called me and said, “let’s go back”. With mixed feelings, I followed him.

◇

T/N: this part is too long so I have to split it into two parts, I’m sorry, the next part will be posted soon maybe

I don’t know what to say. I gave my resignation letter to my company and they rejected it, I was told to quit in December (which is really out of my schedule plan), it’s depressing, I want to quit so bad coz my work has been taxing my health mentally. And, because I wanted to quit, maybe it was just my feeling but they seems to give me a lot of work and made me busy… so it’s really hard to translate at night after coming back from work. Sorry.

I can only say that I really won’t drop this novel. But I will update slower than usual. I applied for a day off next week tho, hope they allow me. If I get a day off, I might be able to translate lots more and give you double chapters fingers crossed

Well then, see you in next chapter!

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