One hundred ways to resist the Bandoli women

"Hey, Xiaobai, we meet again."

Shengren raised his hand and greeted her.

"Ah, Arong..."

"I told Auntie that I wanted to try her cooking today, so she let me finish my meal... and of course I also came to see Xiaobai who was drowned in the water and was at a loss."

Because I went to Hanasaki River first.

As for Hanasakigawa, he is still in the process of helping Ichigaya to reduce his workload.

This will probably continue until the end of the Live at the end of May.

"When I thought about how pitiful Xiaobai was, crying on the bed without any courage, I felt that I had to come and witness this with my own eyes."

"Ah, Arong!"

Kurata Mashiro was so embarrassed that she almost crawled into the ground.

"At the same time, I am here to give my most lovely and outstanding childhood friend a little courage."

"..."

Seeing Kurata Mashiro stunned, Katsuto blinked.

"I told you, right? As long as you still need me, I will be by your side, always with you."

Once again, Shengren said this.

but.

This is just a lie, right?

Because Kurata Mashiro has already completed her growth...she is no longer the girl hiding behind him.

His help is no longer needed.

He had already realized it when he reunited with Kurata Mashiro in Tsukinomori.

She had already reached a place that was beyond her reach.

but……

Correct.

It's not that Mashiro Kurata needs him.

He didn't want to be separated from Mashiro Kurata.

That's weird.

I actually had such a thought.

Is it because Mashiro Kurata is part of his beautiful memories of Sakuragaoka?

Or does he also want to see the unique scenery in Mashiro Kurata's eyes?

Or...

Shengren threw all distracting thoughts out of his mind.

"Anyway, let's eat first."

"……Um."

(King Crimson!)

In Kurata Mashiro's room.

“…Yes, that’s all.”

Katsuto, who was sitting in front of Kurata Mashiro's desk, stretched and waved for Kurata Mashiro to come over.

"This is?"

"This is the draft you prepared. You can refer to it to prepare what you want to say."

Mashiro Kurata saw the words "cowardice, regret, friends, support, light, memories" written on the manuscript paper.

"Is this... enough?"

Can this convince the chairman?

Will this make everyone support her?

Mashiro Kurata didn't quite understand.

"Of course not enough."

Katsuto turned his head and looked at the shiny white hair of his childhood playmate.

"Because I'm just giving you a rough outline of what you can say. Whether you can convince the chairman or not depends on you—"

"Myself, huh..."

"Well, don't put too much pressure on yourself, and don't feel bad because you didn't convince the chairman on the spot. You can think of this draft as... a declaration of war."

149

Chapter 149 is about the plot that you are familiar with.

"Declaration of war?"

"Well, formally propose to the chairman that your Moon Forest is better than hers and get her attention. It won't be too late to prove it later."

Katsuto is planning the next blueprint for Mashiro Kurata.

"It's okay, don't be afraid, Xiaobai, this future is in my eyes - I promise, you can definitely do it."

He stood up and looked into Kurata Mashiro's eyes again.

"And...if it's you, maybe you can surpass my predictions—"

After all, you are now standing where I can't see you.

So you can definitely do things that I can't predict.

"If you just lack a little courage, then ask me to lend it to you. I will lend it to you at any time."

Katsuto smiled at Kurata Mashiro, then left her room.

Only Mashiro Kurata was left alone.

He stood there in a daze, screaming “Ah…ah…”

I heard my mother talking outside and the sound of a door opening.

Shengren left.

Not long after, Mrs. Kurata came in with a cup.

"Why don't you let Katsuto stay the night?"

Kurata's mother looked at her daughter and saw her expression of "Ah...ah...", and she understood everything.

Then, he sighed deeply at his daughter's incompetence.

(King Crimson!)

The student conference in two days.

“—So, I think my case is not generally applicable and is not suitable for sharing at the student conference.”

Shengren was on the stage, leading the conversation just as he had planned.

Everyone listened carefully.

I think the atmosphere is almost set.

“So, I want to hand the microphone to another person who I think can truly interpret the spirit of Tsuki no Mori and can truly walk his own path with dignity—Mashiro Kurata.”

There was no applause.

Everyone was stunned in surprise.

It's very common for outstanding students to give speeches. They just need to listen casually and applaud symbolically when the speech ends.

However, Shengren passed the baton.

Moreover, the person to whom the baton was passed was Mashiro Kurata.

Everyone, including the chairman, was stunned for a moment.

Katsuto nodded to Kurata Mashiro, who still had fear in his eyes, and then walked off the stage.

"Hello everyone, I'm Mashiro Kurata from Class 2A."

Mashiro Kurata took a deep breath and began speaking into the microphone.

"When I was in middle school, I hated myself. I was always afraid of something and wanted to escape immediately... so I transferred to Tsuki no Mori."

The students of Tsuki no Mori are all familiar with Kurata Mashiro's voice.

But this is the first time I have given a speech like this.

They listened with their eyes fixed on the subject.

"The Moon Forest is a place that students from other schools aspire to be. I think that if I come here to study, I might be able to change myself."

"But... that's not the case."

Kurata Makoto suddenly changed the subject.

“This is not the place for me, the ordinary me. I shouldn’t be dreaming.”

she continued.

"Having witnessed the excellence of the students in Tsuki no Mori, I regret transferring here every day..."

Kurata Mashiro suddenly shuddered.

The reason was simple—her eyes met those of the chairman.

She almost couldn't stand still.

Kurata Mashiro instinctively glanced at Katsuto——

Seeing Shengren standing silently beside him, he seemed to have regained his courage.

“My friends support me.”

Her eyes swept over Morfonica and the others in the audience.

"Whether it's pain or happiness... they are always by my side... School life in Tsuki no Mori has gradually become more enjoyable, and I am brave enough to face various challenges."

“I finally like myself.”

Shengren's prediction was correct.

Mashiro Kurata, this seemingly ordinary girl, shines with her own light in the Moon Forest.

Her story is what touches everyone the most.

"Of course, I still have a lot of fears now, and every time I encounter them I want to escape... But even so, I have become able to face them bravely with everyone."

"This is... the light I found in the Moon Forest."

……to be honest.

The effect of Mashiro Kurata's speech did not meet Katsuto's best expectations.

There is no way around it, after all, it’s my first speech.

There is still much room for improvement in the intonation of voice.

but……

For Shengren, it was different.

Because he had witnessed the cowardly Mashiro Kurata with his own eyes.

That Mashiro Kurata has now become so... sparkling.

Should we say it was an accident?

I guess so.