Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume19 Chapter4.5

Cherry Blossom Folk Tales

Cherry Blossom Classroom was the last building on the second floor of the Lillian Girls' Academy school building.

The door was made of wood, but was so darkened that nobody knew what sort of wood it was. But the students who used the classroom knew that it was actually made from the cherry blossom tree, they had kept the secret alive by passing it from sempai to kouhai.

If one looked inside through the gap in the door, one would see that it was now homeroom for Second Year Cherry Blossom Class.

On the blackboard, the words "Think about Sakuratei" were written in large letters. The School Festival Action Committee was in a heated meeting.

"Well then, after considering countless proposals, it has been decided to hold this year's Sakuratei as a café.

Sakuratei.

The name of a shop in the School Festival that Cherry Blossom Class viciously protects every year. It was a program that changed every year, but whose name was kept as Sakuratei. Last year, Sakuratei was a curry shop. Years before, it's been a soba store, a sweets shop, and years ago it had even been a small drama theater. This year's cafe would be like all the Sakuratei that came before it, well-established and popular, and would never be Sakuratei again for several years.

The decision had been a peaceful one, so the matter at hand was resolved ... or so I thought. Actually, the real issue was about to start.

"How about a music cafe? We could listen to a musical performance while sipping tea" The students of the Folk Song Club proposed.

"We agree" The Chorus and Ballad Club's leaders raised their hands.

"Um, we could decide on a showtime to catch, and some dance will probably be in the performance." The Dance Club leader added on untimidly.

"Isn't a music club a little too much? If we want to display our originality, maybe we should get rid of music altogether" The new voice to the discussion was the leader of the Go Club.

"To get rid of music is a bit over the top, is it not? Don't tell me you want to put down a Go board and start a Go match?"

"That's exactly what I was thinking."

And then the Shougi Club's leader added her thoughts in. "Maybe adding a Shougi Board wouldn't be too bad of an idea either."

The winner for the Cherry Blossom was the café. New ideas had been proposed, but … "Please stop this side talk. Until there is a clear winner, please do not leave your seats. It has been decided that the guests must stay in place"

"But music is the same thing."

It seemed like everyone wanted to win with their own idea. From the beginning, students who did not have a very concrete idea of what was going on in the meeting took up heated positions. Because they continued to stir up conflict with each other, the room was descending into confusion.

A picture café (Proposed by the Arts Club), a Manga café (Proposed by the Manga Investigation Club), A Café with Flowers (Proposed by the Flower Arrangement Club), and on, and on. A Ping Pong Café (Proposed by the Ping Pong Club), a Sewing Café (Proposed by the Handicrafts Club), and all sorts of café ideas were popping up. Even the chairman of the meeting had to take a long sigh.

"I understand the meaning behind everyone's requests. However, if each club continues to promote only its own opinion, we cannot reach consensus. How about this. Today's meeting shall come to a close, and from tomorrow onward, please meet with your representative, and appeal with them to present the idea. The School Festival Action Committee will probably settle the location at a café."

It was a wise decision. Everyone had become very heated in their discussions, so a temporary cooling off would do us well. Plus there was always the possibility that after a good night's sleep, people would wonder why they had proposed such absurd ideas. On the other hand, if they felt that their ideas had merit, sleep would only increase the idea's appeal.

"I wonder if that's a good idea." The leader of the Literature Club who had held her patience and kept silent the whole time raised her hand. "If that's the case, then hear my proposal out too."

"A literature café Sakuratei?" Said someone, in a somewhat mocking tone.

"Yes. But I do not want this to be a place where only I can show off my club's wares."

"Then what do you mean?"

"I was thinking everyone could make things they could not have made were they not in Cherry Blossom-class, and then sell those in a store. That was all."

The Literature Club President looked around at her classmates. "We'll make presents ahead of time, and then everyone can make stories, songs, or essays about the Cherry Blossom-class Folk Tales, and collect them all together."

"Cherry Blossom-class Folk Tales?"

"Yes. In the entire set of high school classes, there are six different classes. Why must there only exist a Cherry Blossom-class for second years? Or, looking at it the other way, why must the Plum Class found in the first and third year classes not also found in the second year classes?

Everyone should think about this." As soon as she finished her answer, the room became noisy.

"Because this classroom's door is the only door which uses Cherry Blossom trees for material?"

"Isn't it because of the famous class teacher Sakura-Sensei?" People began voicing their thoughts from different corners of the room.

"Look now. Everyone knows one or two different folk tales right? Write words about it. Put your tales into writing."

From the way the participants began talking, the air of the room seemed to project the idea as "Seems Interesting". No matter how you looked at it, the young girls of the room liked this topic of conversation.

The Chairman looked down at her clock for time confirmation. "If anyone else has any other ideas, please express them now."

When she took a survey glance around the room, she found no such people. "So then, this time next week, shall we decide to hold presentations?"

After confirming that everyone raised their hand in agreement to the idea, the chairman of the School Festival Action Committee turned back to us.

"That's all teacher. Please return to homeroom instruction now."

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