While it might seem like an exaggeration, the cultural festival without Shishio was like a day without a sun.
Everything was so dark, and they felt like the end of the world was near.
They felt like they couldn't live any longer, and they spent a lot of money on the shrine and temple, praying to many gods in this country and hoping they could see him the next day.
Unfortunately, the next day, they couldn't see him, but they learned that he was sick, which made them even more worried since they wondered whether he had caught an incurable disease where he had only a few days to live.
If Shishio knew what kind of commotion he had caused, he would be at a loss for words and stay silent since he didn't expect that his existence would have such an effect.
Fortunately, his girlfriends were still around, and they told everyone he was away because of a family matter. Hearing that, the crowds sighed in relief. Still, his girlfriends had to sigh at their exaggeration. Somehow, they could imagine how they might run outside and shout to the sky for the injustice received by Shishio.
They would shout, thinking the world had always been cruel toward the genius.
Yet, somehow his girlfriends felt that Shishio really had it tough since he got into an accident. Still, if they knew the real reason why he was hurt, they would really think that the world had always been unfair to those who would stand on top of others. They had to fight their fate and those who wouldn't let them stand on the top, which showed the hard work he had passed through in his life.
Still, leaving the matter of Shishio aside, even if it was hard, life had to continue. Even though they weren't in the mood to eat or were unable to sleep, the cultural festival needed to continue, and they needed to do their best until the end.
Yet, when he was gone, the guys also thought it was their chance to confess to the girls they liked.
On the last day of the cultural festival, there was this bonfire dance where many would dance around the bonfire. Naturally, there was a legend in this event that had been around from the beginning of the founding of the school. It was said that the couple who danced during that time would be together forever.
For those teenagers who still dreamed of love, it was a wonderful thing, and they wanted to dance with the girls they loved.
However, the girls didn't share the same thoughts as the guys since they wanted to dance with Shishio instead of them.
Yet, it didn't extinguish the blazing fire in their hearts. They were prepared, and they were going to give their best to confess to the girls they loved.
The opportunity was in front of them, so they couldn't let go of this chance, so many brave warriors came forward to fight their battle.
This battle, while it might not shed blood, could also kill them.
So, during those few days, many warriors fell, and they died without being able to enter the graveyard or being tended to since the numbers were too many. However, there were also many who had succeeded, yet even if they had succeeded, they were still under restriction.
"If Shishio is here, then let's break up."
"While I can accept your feelings, I still love Shishio more."
"If Shishio comes and asks me to sleep with him, you can't stop me."
Those girls were crazy, and even if they confessed, they dared to say such words to the guys, yet the guys were also crazy since they accepted such a condition. Right now, even if their girls were sleeping with Shishio, they were alright as long as they were still dating. As long as they were still dating, everything was alright since even if their bodies might belong to Shishio, their hearts belonged to them.
This was what they believed, and they also believed that soon, they would be able to move their hearts, so their current girlfriends would only love them.
Yet, for the minority people, the words from the girls seemed to awaken something which shouldn't be awoken in guys.
"Achoo!"
"What's wrong?" Rita asked.
"I am not sure, but I feel like my nose is itchy." He rubbed his nose. "Did someone talk about me?"
"Isn't it normal for people to talk about you?"
"Well, you're not wrong."
"You're going to the cultural festival later, right? Let me prepare your uniform."
"How about you?"
"I am not a student, dummy. Do you think that I can enter there?" Rita looked at him, speechless, while ironing his uniform carefully.
Watching her figures, he felt quite weird, but at the same time, he could see Rita's charm. While many thought of her as a spoiled and hard-to-satisfied lady, he could see how much care she put into household chores. He could tell that in the future, she would be a good mother.
"What? Why are you looking at me like that?" Rita was embarrassed.
"Nothing." Shishio shook his head. "I am sure that many people have said this, but I will say this, you'll become a great mother, Rita."
"....."
Rita was stunned before she blushed and looked away. "Ge-Geez, what are you talking about?! Don't tease me, okay? Of course, I will become a great mother, and my husband will be happy to have me as his wife." She tried to appear calm and collected. Unfortunately, she was far from so, and she was so happy at that moment.
Shishio could only smile and thought that this girl was cute.
Yet, why did he feel a bit restless?
He frowned and decided to trust his intuition since this had saved his life several times.
While he was preparing to go to school, his girlfriends also prepared to end their exhibitions and the cultural festival soon. The unforgettable week of the cultural festival was about to end, and they would be lying if they didn't feel anything. To be honest, they prepared that they wouldn't meet him until the end of the cultural festival, but he told them that he was going to come, so they were excited.
Especially Misaki.
Unlike the rest, Misaki was in her third year, which meant she would graduate the next year. While the rest could enjoy the cultural festival with him, she couldn't since she would become a university student. She thought that she couldn't do a bonfire dance with him. Fortunately, he could come, which made her feel happy.
As her work finished, she walked around the school, watching all of the people curiously since she could see many things at the end of this event.
Some people confessed. Some were successful, and some failed, but the more serious thing...
"Ha-Hachiman... do you want to dance with me later?"
"Eh? Ah, um, what?!"
Misaki looked at Hikigaya and Totsuka, who stayed in the quiet area alone.
"Is-Is that no?" Totsuka asked with teary eyes.
"No, no! Of course! Let me have a dance with you!" Hikigaya answered without hesitation since he couldn't bear to see Totsuka cry.
"Re-Really?"
"Yes!"
As Totsuka became happy, Hikigaya didn't care about Totsuka's gender anymore, and the legend of the bonfire dance suddenly emerged in his mind. The couple who danced on the bonfire dance would be together forever, which meant, was he going to be together with Totsuka forever?
'It isn't bad at all...' Hikigaya thought.
Misaki looked at this scene thoughtfully, thinking that if Ebina Hina was around, she would have a nosebleed. However, there was still a bonfire dance, so she couldn't let Ebina pass out, which was why she wouldn't tell her this matter to Ebina.
As she walked away, Hikigaya happened to see her before he frowned when he saw someone was following her. He frowned, causing Totsuka to feel confused.
"Hachiman, what's wrong?"
"Totsuka, can you help me to call Shishio?"
Misaki didn't have many friends, and as an alien, it was normal for her not to be understood by the people around her. However, she was alright about it since she had her anime.
As long as she had an anime, everything would be alright.
As for Mitaka, she could only smile, thinking that everything was in the past. She had someone who could be by her side now, and she didn't regret breaking her relationship with Mitaka. Instead of staying together, it was better for them to part and forgot each other since it was nothing but trouble when they were together.
She was annoyed by Mitaka and didn't really want to see him again, but he wanted to be with her.
"Misaki."
She turned and saw Mitaka. "Mitaka?" She frowned before she looked around.
"Misaki... I love you." Mitaka confessed again.
"......"
Misaki blinked her eyes and wondered whether she had heard the right things.
"I like you, and you like me, right? So, let's be together."
Misaki felt something weird from Mitaka and decided to run away. After all, this felt like a plot of bad hentai manga she happened to read by chance. To be honest, she was so scared of this moment and also wondered why she walked to a place where no people were present. She felt she was stupid, yet unlike her cheerful exterior; she could also feel lonely.
In her first year, she couldn't find any friends, and everyone was looking at her as a weirdo, so instead of staying in the class, she spent her time here alone. It was the same with the previous cultural festival since she always spent her time here alone while Mitaka spent his time with a woman.
She thought of saying goodbye to this place, yet why did this guy appear here?
She didn't hesitate to run, but Mitaka moved faster and quickly pinned her to the ground.
"You... what are you doing?! I-I will scream!" Misaki was scared at that moment, and her body was trembling.
"You don't need to worry. You will be happy soon. You can only be mine, Misaki. No one else can have you..." Mitaka kept muttering while looking at Misaki with an obsessed expression.
"Help! Hey, someone!"
Misaki screamed.
"It's okay. You don't need to worry. No one will come to this place. This school is also big. It will be over soon, okay? So be quiet for a moment."
Mitaka wanted to shut Misaki's mouth by kissing her, but Misaki kept moving around, trying to escape.
Misaki was in tears, trying to push him away, but as a man, his body was stronger.
"No... No..."
Mitaka didn't care much since he was still thinking that Misaki loved him, but suddenly a voice interrupted them.
"Oi."
Mitaka didn't have a chance to talk, and his head was kicked from the side, causing his head to slam into the ground and some soil to enter his mouth.
"You okay, Senpai?"
"........"
Misaki blinked her eyes and looked at him in disbelief. "Shishio...?"
"Sorry for being late."
As he was about to pick her up, she jumped into him and hugged him like a koala while crying.
"Uwaaaa! I-I almost..."
She didn't continue her words and kept crying.
Shishio could only calm her down, but his eyes were cold, staring at Mitaka, who was struggling to get up. Then, while holding Misaki in his arms, he kicked Mitaka's balls and caused him to pass out with white foam in his mouth.
'Now, what should I do?'