Tasogare-iro no Uta Tsukai:Volume1 Interval Play

Interval Play: The Wind Evokes the Dry Grass Color's Recollection

1

“……Don’t you think everyone worked especially seriously today?”

With a sarcastic laugh, Kluele looked out the window of the school building and surveyed the campus. It was seven-thirty in the morning. Because it was the day before the recital contest, the morning practice of clubs had been cancelled.

She had scheduled a Recitation practice with Mio and Neight, but when she came to school……

The campus was already overflowing with students. They were so densely packed that if everyone spread out their arms, they could definitely touch someone else’s fingertips. There was absolutely no way to conduct a Recitation practice like this.

“Look, it’s amazing over there too.”

She looked in the direction of Neight’s pointing finger. The visitor’s entrance was decorated with multi-colored balloons and bouquets. The pathways were covered with colored tape and ribbons. Beyond that, the front gate was decorated with seven colors. It was made obvious to the public. All in all, everywhere they looked was decorated with the colors of the rainbow. This clearly expressed the intentions of the students.

“I’m sorry for making you wait. Eh, am I late?”

『Thirty minutes late.』

The lizard on Neight’s shoulder spat out those words at Mio, who had entered the classroom out of breath.

“That’s because on my way to school, the road was very crowded! Although most of them were people wearing our school uniform, why is everyone coming so early today?”

—Because of you! However, now wasn’t a good time to remind her of that.

“What should we do about the practice?”

The lizard that had been on his shoulder, Neight now carefully carried in his arms.

“There’s no way to practice like this. It seems to be because of a certain someone’s grand announcement.”

“That’s true. It was really grand, everyone’s looking forward to it!”

She said carelessly to Mio. ……Seriously, this airhead.

She scowled at the perpetrator beside her, but the girl didn’t notice.

2

“The recital contest is tomorrow. After this event finishes, summer vacation will start. Because it’s the final activity, everyone should try their best! Are the preparations complete?”

Holding the attendance book, the teacher Kate opened the window of the classroom.

“By the way, I have important news. Although famous Reciters are invited to the recital contest every year, the person attending tomorrow will be—”

“You’re too slow! Sensei, everyone knew about that a long time ago!”

Ada, who sat in the back, interrupted excitedly. Instead of the fork that she had used yesterday to interrogate Mio with, the girl now waved a pen at the teacher.

“……Well, I think.”

The news she had wanted to declare was already announced, causing Kate to hang her head disappointedly.

“However, because the headmaster asked me to pass this on to everyone, I will still say it. Anyway, the Rainbow Color Reciter Xins-san will also be watching everyone’s performances tomorrow. Other than various awards, he will also give out a special prize, so please look forward to it.”

The Rainbow Reciter will be awarding something personally!

Shouts of joy filled the classroom. Glancing behind her, Kluele saw Mio, Ada, and Serges raising their fists in a triumphant pose. It seemed that they sincerely wanted to win that prize.

……However, because of something like that, there are students like yesterday’s dishonorable upperclassman.

What did the victim think about it— Just when that thought flashed through her mind, she saw Neight, who was sitting in a corner of the classroom, frantically trying to close his schoolbag. It seemed that flying lizard was finally unable to contain himself, and wanted to leap out of the bag and cause trouble.

“Hey, Kluele.”

From behind her, a hand suddenly stretched forward. It was Serges. She was holding a small slip of paper that appeared to be a note often passed between female students. “Keep passing it forward.” Kluele nodded gently at this command uttered in a quiet voice.

The contents were as she had expected. It asked if everyone wanted to plan a time to sneak out and go take a look at the guest room where the Rainbow Color Reciter was staying.

……Well, I understand how everyone feels.

She herself had already met him once and even exchanged a few words with him, but most of the students hadn’t even seen him yet. They couldn’t help but be curious.

However, is it okay if I don’t go? Kluele didn’t sign her name on the slip of paper, but let it continue to be passed forward. Because Mio’s name wasn’t on it. Although she wanted to thank him again for what happened yesterday, there would still be time to thank him tomorrow. If he were to remember her name and appearance but she failed tomorrow, it might cause the opposite effect. That was something she didn’t want to experience.

“Well then, I’m sorry but I have to ask everyone to help decorate. Because I have to discuss matters about tomorrow, I will be very busy today. Even though I will be unable to help, I wish you all good luck!”

Because it was the day before the recital contest, all of the students had to help with decorating the school building. Even though the tasks had already been distributed at an earlier time, they could be changed freely to where help was needed. Being able to roam freely was where the problem lay.

……I can’t guarantee what everyone will work on.

Kluele quietly spoke to the homeroom teacher about this.

***

*tap tap* A light knocking noise sounded on the door of the headmaster’s room.

“—Excuse me.”

This noise made the headmaster lift his head.

A female teacher wearing a pure white suit slowly opened the door.

“Is it Enne?”

The woman emitting a calm mood nodded slightly. She held a few documents in her hand.

“The program for the recital contest is finished…… I apologize for only finishing it yesterday.”

“No, no, don’t worry about it.”

The timetable, guests, and hosts. These important matters were more or less confirmed.

At the end of the guest list was the Rainbow Color Reciter’s name. Because they had to add the name of this sudden guest at the last moment, the program was submitted late.

“By the way, how are the students doing?”

“There are many excellent students this year as well. Since they all have worked hard, there should be considerably outstanding results.”

She smiled calmly. Her definite expression showed that she must be quite confident.

“That’s true. I hope they all try their best, especially the higher-grade students.”

Although first-year students had the attitude of joining the fun, to higher-grade students about to graduate, especially those who wanted to continue in the Recitation field of study, there wasn’t anything more significant than this event. As long as they could show some results in this recital contest, there would be many famous Reciters and research institutes scouting for people. To the students, this event was like an exam for employment. Students like that were currently occupying any open spaces on the campus and making their final preparations.

“Every year at this time, when I see the students acting so dedicated, I remember the time when I was a student.”

The woman quietly stared out the window at the campus, and gave a faint smile.

“I…… The reason why I wanted to become a Reciter was because I wanted to call out a PegasusWinged Horse. A long time ago, I had been seriously injured, and the road to the hospital was too far…… But at that moment, a Reciter who happened to be passing by called out a PegasusWinged Horse. He let me ride on the horse’s back and took me to the hospital…… Words couldn’t express how happy I felt. That’s why—”

In the center of the campus, several students were engaged in a discussion. As well, under the shade of a tree in the distance, there were students conducting Recitations with the supervision of a teacher. She gazed at the scene with a nostalgic expression.

“Another time, I hope to be carrying out that kind of duty.”

Her peaceful demeanor made others think of her as frail. However, in her eyes and tone of voice, she possessed the dignity and pride of a Recitation instructor.

After gazing for a few seconds at the scene outside the window—

“……Well then, I also have to make some final confirmations with the students. I will take my leave for now.”

Reluctantly breaking the silence, she turned around.

“Mm. Because you are now in the position of a Recitation instructor, I will trust you.”

After silently nodding her head, the teacher wearing a white suit departed from the headmaster’s room.

“Mio-san, is this part okay like this?”

“Eh…… Move it a bit to the left. Ah, or is it to the right….. No, move it up a bit.”

It was the top of the main gate of Tremia Academy. Neight was currently standing on top of two folding chairs, reaching his arms up to hang a ribbon on the peak of the gate. Mio supervised the scene. Even though she usually had a rough and sloppy personality, starting from a moment ago, she repeatedly gave strangely detailed instructions.

“Ah, seriously, Kululu. Be more careful!”

This time she’s even ordering me around. Kluele was in charge of making the ribbon into flowers. She was about to give it to Neight to hang up, but the supervisor seemed to be dissatisfied with the finished product.

“But anyway, isn’t it only for tomorrow? I think it’s already good enough.”

“No— Xins-sama might pass through here.”

With her hands on her hips, Mio puffed up her cheeks.

“It’s okay. Even if he does see it, it will only be for a second...... Eh…… Mio? What’s wrong?”

Before she had finished her words, Kluele began to doubt her eyesight.

A lonely expression had suddenly appeared in Mio’s eyes.

“……Xins-sama, he has especially profound memories about this school.”

Kluele’s heart was filled with doubt. She didn’t remember ever hearing about such a thing.

Yesterday, when she was being interrogated in the cafeteria, Mio never mentioned anything about that. Kluele thought that Mio had been forced to tell every single detail about the matter. She didn’t expect her to have concealed something.

“Did you hear about that when you two met yesterday?”

She thought Mio would still keep it a secret, but Mio nodded her head honestly. She cautiously lowered her head and spoke in a quiet, almost inaudible voice.

“Although I don’t really understand the situation…… But, I can clearly sense that this school is very important to him. He took the trouble to come to this school…… That’s why I hope to leave him with some more wonderful memories.”

Her cheeks turned deep red. Ah, Kluele finally understood the reason why Mio refused Serges’s invitation and instead came here to decorate the school building.

……Well, it can’t be helped.

Kluele picked up the ribbon beside her hand and continued making a flower out of it.

“Yes, yes, I understand. I will make it so beautiful that nobody can complain about it.”

3

“Xins, why are you wearing a coat instead of a robe?”

With her silk-like hair blowing in the wind, the young lady said in a singsong voice.

“Wearing a robe will make me look like a Reciter. How should I say it, I don’t want to be grouped together with them. Therefore, if I don’t wear a robe, I will be considered by people as “one of the Reciters seen everywhere.””

The school had a large campus, and they were on a roof from where the whole campus could be seen.

As long as they pick the right time, there would be nobody else in this kind of place. Alone on here, he would be able to quietly spend the time before school was dismissed. To Xins, this space was one of the few locations where he could rest.

……However, when had it started?

More and more often, Evhemary’s figure had begun to appear on this rooftop.

“So you want to be conspicuous.”

She covered her smile with her hand. To anyone looking, her movement could be called a sneer rather than a smile. But the young man didn’t mind, because he knew that it was just her style.

“It was your influence.”

At a place where he had originally hoped for nobody to appear, someone other than him showed up. However, for some reason, she was the only one he permitted. Rather, in the depths of his heart, he even hoped that she could come again next time.

“I also hope that someone will remember me.”

“Oh…….”

She responded appropriately as if it were a play.

“However, even if you did wear a coat, this deep blue color isn’t eye-catching enough. You should wear a more conspicuous color.” With a blunt look, she handed him the shopping bag she held in her left hand.

“This is?”

“For you. My parents had bought it for me, but as far as I’m concerned, it’s too big. Because both males and females can wear it, I think it can probably fit you.”

He reached into the bag and took out the object inside. It was a coat of a color that seemed to be a mix of deep green and cream yellow. As for the size, the sleeves would be a little long if he wore it, although it was definitely too big for her.

At any rate, it was really a sudden, unique present. Xins suppressed a laugh in his chest, but soon after, he shook his head strongly in his heart.

……No, I’m such an idiot.

Because of his misjudgment, he was lost for words. To him, it was already an unimportant matter. Although that was the degree of his awareness, however— Isn’t today my birthday?

Something that he had forgotten, Evhemary remembered?

“Did you know that today was my birthday?”

As if she was feigning ignorance, she replied in an unfazed voice.

“Is it? Even though it’s a coincidence, couldn’t this be regarded as just the right time?”

Her expression was the same as always, cold as if she was in a distant place. ……At this time, wouldn’t blushing slightly be the proper reaction of a girl her age?

“Can I try it on?”

“Go ahead. I already gave it to you, so do as you please.”

Sure enough, it’s too big for me to wear. Just when he wanted to laugh bitterly at his clenched fist in the sleeve— Xins caught his breath. He noticed that the tips of his fingers were exposed past the cuff of the coat. The price tag on the sleeve had been forgotten and was still hanging there.

The sale date was stamped on the price tag. That date was…… yesterday.

“What’s wrong?”

The young lady stared at him in puzzlement.

What should he say? Would it be more polite to pretend not to have found the price tag, or should he accept it as a birthday present?

“It’s nothing…… Evhemary, thank you. This coat is really warm.”

After he worried about it, he decided to choose the former. He would accept something as a birthday present when she gave it to him for that purpose.

Soon after, the young man found that it was the right choice.

“You’re welcome. After all, my parents bought it for me, but I can’t wear it.”

It seemed that the sound of her voice was slightly more shy than usual.

This is fine. If she is acting the same as usual, then I will do the same. Because surely that’s the unspoken rule between us.

Since then…… How many years has it been?

Actually, simply by counting on his fingers, he could immediately get that number. It hadn’t been a very long time. However, from his point of view, the amount of time that had passed was similar to an eternity.

Wearing the dry grass colored coat, Xins stood on the roof of the guest building. Beside him, on what had long ago become the designated seat, the figure of the person he was waiting for wasn’t there.

“Where…… are you?”

A sigh mixed in with his voice. His monologue was swept away by the wind.

After he had graduated middle school, when he was choosing a high school, the two of them had chosen different schools. But there would inevitably be a time when one of their names would be spread throughout the entire world. At that time, the person who had been surpassed would go meet the other. That is what they agreed on.

After he entered high school, for one year, two years, Xins studied Recitations at an astonishing speed. While he was in high school, he studied three colors. After he graduated, there were numerous research institutes scouting for recruits. He had become known as an unprecedented genius, and there was nobody in that profession who didn’t know his name.

On the other hand, the name of the young lady who used Night Color Recitations still hadn’t been heard throughout the world. And then, on the day he had become the Rainbow Color Reciter.

Many friends and teachers had come to his side— But her figure was not among them.

What had happened to her? No, more importantly, he didn’t even know whether she was still safe and sound. “By that time, I would already be dead.”

The heartfelt words she had revealed— In his mind, he recalled her sorrowful face in profile.

“I can’t meet the person I want, I can’t call out the person I want. Reciters like us, why do we exist?”

With that meaning, those words were more unsuitable for coming out of his mouth than anyone else’s. If it was known that the Rainbow Color Reciter had spoken those kinds of words, what expression would common people have?

“……Hey, Evhemary. Have I still not received your approval?”

He did not receive a reply. The coat, which was smaller now compared to back then, swayed in the wind. Looking up at the sky, the Rainbow Color Reciter closed his eyes.

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