On the last day of the cultural festival, the campus was bathed in the gentle sunlight unique to autumn. Okabara Kyogumichi and Shiina Mahiru arrived at the stall early, only to find Natsume Takashi already waiting for them, holding Nyanko-sensei. The chubby cat seemed not yet fully awake, lazily sprawled in Natsume's arms, its eyes half-closed, and the bell on its neck swaying weakly.
"Natsume-san, thank you both," Shiina Mahiru placed the batter basin on the table, her voice full of gratitude. "We'll be relying on you to look after the stall today."
"Leave it to us," Natsume smiled and nodded, reaching out to rub the cat's head. "Sensei said he'd be a great help, didn't he?"
"Hmph, this lord is just here to supervise," Nyanko-sensei turned his head haughtily, but his gaze involuntarily darted towards the griddle, clearly eyeing the freshly baked taiyaki.
Kyogumichi briefly explained the stall's procedures to Natsume, specifically emphasizing "Don't let Sensei eat too many samples," before he and Mahiru turned and blended into the crowd. The girl had specially changed into a light blue dress today, her long hair braided into a simple plait, with a white ribbon tied at the end, looking exceptionally fresh.
"Where should we go first?" Mahiru looked up and asked, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. This was her first time purely enjoying the cultural festival; previously, she was either helping at the class stall or staying alone in a corner, never with someone by her side like this.
"How about we go watch the band performance first?" Kyogumichi pointed to the open-air stage not far away, from which familiar guitar sounds emanated. "It seems to be Hitori-chan's band."
(To add: these schools are jointly hosting)
The two quickly walked to the front of the stage, just in time for the band's performance. Hitori Bocchi stood in the center of the stage, clutching an electric guitar. Although her body was still trembling slightly, her fingers moved much more smoothly across the strings than before. When the melody of 'Seisyun Complex' began, enthusiastic applause erupted from the audience.
Mahiru watched with great concentration, only lightly applauding after the song ended. "Hitori-chan has improved so much; she was still very awkward when I heard her practice last time."
"Because she's always working hard," Kyogumichi looked at the girl bowing on stage, remembering the guitar sounds that echoed in the woods every morning.
Leaving the stage area, the two followed the crowd, browsing various stalls. Kyogumichi won a rabbit doll for Mahiru, exchanged for his accurate marksmanship at a shooting game stall; Mahiru, meanwhile, drew a "Great Luck" fortune at a fortune-telling stall, carefully folding it and putting it into her small bag.
Passing by the maid cafe, Chitanda Eru, dressed in a maid outfit, stood at the entrance welcoming guests. Her eyes lit up when she saw them. "Okabara-san, Shiina-san! Would you like to come in and try? Today's special is a custom cake!"
The two smiled and walked into the cafe, sitting by the window. Chitanda personally brought them cake and black tea, and excitedly shared the Classics Club's harvest from the past few days, saying that many people were interested in the ancient maps they displayed.
"I really envy Chitanda-san," Mahiru looked at the bustling scene outside the window, saying softly, "She's always so passionate about everything."
"You are too," Kyogumichi handed her a piece of cake. "The meals and taiyaki you make also make people feel happy."
Mahiru's cheeks flushed slightly, and she lowered her head, softly saying "Thank you," but couldn't help but let a faint smile play on her lips. Sunlight streamed through the window onto her profile, her long eyelashes casting tiny shadows beneath her eyelids, quiet and beautiful.
At the same time, an unprecedentedly long line stretched in front of the Gun Taiyaki stall. Natsume was busy packing for customers, while Nyanko-sensei had become the stall's "living signboard." The chubby cat had climbed onto the display stand at some point, with a small plate in front of him, piled with several taiyaki of different shapes.
He first elegantly licked his paws, then picked up a rifle-shaped taiyaki and gnawed at it with big bites, his round body gently swaying with each chew, the bell on his neck occasionally emitting a crisp sound. His satisfied and adorable appearance drew frequent photos from the girls in line.
"Look at that cat! So cute!"
"He's actually eating gun-shaped taiyaki, how interesting!"
"Boss, give me one just like the one that cat is eating!"
Natsume, while busy attending to customers, helplessly watched the cat's overeating. Most of the samples meant for display had already been eaten, and the chubby cat's belly was as round as a ball, yet he still clutched the taiyaki, refusing to let go.
"Sensei, you can't eat anymore; all the samples will be gone because of you," Natsume tried to pick him up, but he nimbly dodged.
"This lord is helping you attract customers!" the cat said indistinctly, his mouth full, "This is payment for my work!"
Although he complained, Natsume's eyes were full of gentle smiles.
In the evening, when Kyogumichi and Mahiru returned to the stall, they were stunned by the sight. The line in front of the stall stretched all the way to the intersection. Natsume was busy collecting money and packing, while Nyanko-sensei was dozing in a pile of empty plates, his belly round and chocolate sauce still on the corner of his mouth.
"Natsume-san, you've worked hard!" Mahiru quickly went to help, even more surprised when she saw the almost-sold-out ingredients. "It sold so well?"
"Thanks to Sensei," Natsume smiled helplessly, pointing to the sleeping chubby cat. "Everyone was attracted by the way he ate, saying it was the 'mascot effect.'"
Kyogumichi looked at the cat, who was sleeping soundly, then at Natsume, who was tired but still smiling, and a smile played on his lips. The setting sun cast long shadows of the few people, and the lights in front of the stall gradually brightened, reflecting the distant evening glow.
When they closed the stall, Natsume bid them farewell, holding the cat, who had turned into a soft puddle of sleep. "It was a fun day today; let's eat taiyaki together again sometime."
Kyogumichi and Mahiru watched them leave and began tidying up the stall. Mahiru handed the last taiyaki to Kyogumichi; it was a pistol shape, specially saved, with a chocolate filling.
"Try it, the last one today."
He took a bite, the warm filling melting in his mouth, and in the sweet taste, it seemed to hide all the joy of this cultural festival.
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Give me 200 stone's and i give you guys 2 extra chapters