Oregairu: My First Masterpiece, Your Lie in April Chapter 95: The Sports Festival

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Sitting beside Shizuka Hiratsuka, Oikawa felt like he'd been thrown into the seven hells.

On the outside, he looked perfectly calm. But internally, his soul had already been frozen, shattered, and tortured over and over by seven different layers of suffering.

"Oikawa, are you feeling sick?"

Kawasaki seed to notice sothing was off and looked at him with concern.

"He's fine," Shizuka answered before he could.

Then she slowly turned her head toward him with chanical stiffness.

That movent instantly reminded Oikawa of Palm from Hunter x Hunter, especially that creepy, disheveled version of her.

Right now, Shizuka looked exactly that terrifying.

"Oikawa, are you ok?" Kawasaki ignored Shizuka completely and kept staring at Oikawa.

"I'm... I'm fine."

Only after hearing his answer did Kawasaki nod and look away.

Shizuka raised an eyebrow.

She gave Kawasaki a surprised once-over but didn't say anything.

At that mont, Zaimokuza finally arrived.

After greeting everyone, he imdiately sat down beside Oikawa and grinned. "Oikawa, did you read the second volu of Your Lie in April? Seriously, that bastard author has to be so kind of sadistic asshole, but his book was incredible. I almost cried."

Oikawa forced out a stiff smile.

Please, for the love of God, stop bringing that up.

"Yeah, yeah, I read it."

He nodded perfunctorily, trying to kill Zaimokuza's enthusiasm before things got worse.

"What's wrong? You feeling bad?" Zaimokuza noticed his expression and asked worriedly, "It's seasonal change weather right now. Don't tell you caught a cold?"

Oikawa genuinely wanted to swear, but he still forced a gentle smile onto his face. "I'm fine. Never better. Anyway, let's order first."

With a pounding headache, he imdiately pulled out the Ultimate Technique: changing the subject through food.

"Hold on. I've been reading Your Lie in April lately too. Listening to you guys talk about it is making interested." Shizuka smiled as she spoke. "I heard that the author is only seventeen years old. Sa age as you guys, second-year high school student and everything. Kids these days are seriously impressive."

"So what do you all think about the novel?"

Everyone gave different answers.

Yukino Yukinoshita spoke first. "It's an above-average light novel. Honestly, it's better than plenty of mainstream literature. Though the bad ending was unfortunate. If I ever t the author in person, I'd want to ask him why he killed Kaori off. I'm very dissatisfied with that ending."

"I know! I know!" Yui Yuigahama suddenly shot her hand into the air excitedly.

A terrible premonition rose in Oikawa's heart.

Sure enough... The next second, Yui said, "I read an interview with the author before. He said his horoom teacher influenced him and made him rewrite Kaori's ending!"

"Cough cough!" Oikawa hurriedly jumped in to salvage the situation. "Well, interviews aren't always true, you know. It's like writing in a diary. Who actually writes their real thoughts in one?"

He could already see killing intent gathering in Shizuka's eyes.

If this conversation continued, he was dead.

"I saw that article too. I even heard rumors that Your Lie in April originally had a happy ending. That horoom teacher is seriously a damn devil." Zaimokuza twisted the knife even deeper.

Goddammit.

Oikawa seriously wanted to stab him for real at this point.

Where were these fake rumors even coming from? It was obviously ant to be depressing from the start!

"NO. Your Lie in April was always a bad-ending tragedy from the very beginning."

The instant those words left his mouth, everyone turned to look at him.

Their eyes clearly asked: And how do you know that?

Oikawa laughed awkwardly. "Uh… a while back Zaimokuza gave access to this writer's forum. I saw the author ntion it there."

"Huh? How co I never saw that post?" Zaimokuza scratched his head in confusion.

"Zaimokuza, send that forum link later. I'm going to argue with that bastard personally." Yukino's face was full of resentnt.

Oikawa lowered his head and trembled quietly.

It was the first ti he'd ever seen Yukino make that kind of expression.

I absolutely cannot let my identity get exposed.

If the mask cos off, I'm finished.

At this rate, Oikawa could practically hear the Grim Reaper knocking on his door.

"Sure."

Zaimokuza agreed and finally dropped the subject.

Only after Oikawa repeated "Let's order first" yet again did everyone finally begin discussing what to eat.

...

"Shizuka-sensei, you still haven't told us why you called us here. Don't tell it's another volunteer activity?" Zaimokuza asked suspiciously.

Hachiman imdiately looked miserable, as though he were already praying it wasn't volunteer work.

"It's not volunteer work!" Shizuka declared.

Hachiman felt like the world had been shrouded in light again.

Oikawa, however, remained on guard.

There was no such thing as a free feast. He refused to believe this old woman would suddenly treat them to a big al for no reason. There had to be a catch.

"It's for the school sports festival."

See? SEE?!

Oikawa's face instantly filled with an "I knew it" expression.

"Oikawa… why do you look so dissatisfied with ?"

Hiratsuka Shizuka's glare locked onto him, sharp enough to cut through the air itself.

"Not at all! How could I possibly be dissatisfied with you, Sensei?!"

Oikawa imdiately straightened up and spoke with utmost sincerity. "I, Oikawa Tōru, declare this here and now. Just give the order, Shizuka-sensei. I will never say a single word of complaint to you, the woman I respect more than anyone else."

Damn it. Life was hard.

Oikawa sighed internally.

Too pathetic. This was just way too pathetic.

"At least that attitude isn't bad."

Shizuka nodded in satisfaction before continuing casually, "For this year's sports festival, the principal specifically appointed Yukino and Oikawa to organize it. He was impressed by how well the two of you worked together during the school festival."

"Originally, the rest of the staff was supposed to be selected from the student council. But this is a pretty valuable opportunity for university applications, so I wanted to ask if any of you are interested."

Oikawa genuinely wanted to cry.

Was "helps with college applications" the only reward system this damn school had?

At this rate, if he stacked enough bonus points by third year, would he even need to take university entrance exams anymore?

"Can I opt out?"

Hachiman imdiately refused. "I'm applying to private universities, so school recomndation points don't really matter to ."

His rejection was refreshingly decisive. A truly clear-headed man.

Honestly, Oikawa was kind of jealous.

Shizuka frowned slightly, as if she wanted to say sothing, but after glancing at Oikawa beside her, she abandoned the thought.

"Fine." Shizuka nodded.

"Then I'll head out first. See you guys." Hachiman imdiately escaped the restaurant without the slightest hesitation, like a bird finally freed from its cage.

After he left, the atmosphere beca noticeably awkward.

"Anyone else not interested?"

Nobody answered.

Zaimokuza slowly raised a hand, "I can do it. Might as well have so fun with it."

Then his eyes lit up. "There will be performances, right?"

"No."

The mont Shizuka answered, Zaimokuza instantly deflated into a salted fish that had lost all hope in life.

"What about Yui and Kawasaki?"

Shizuka looked toward the two girls.

"I'll join."

"I'm okay with it too."

Both answered positively.

Shizuka nodded with satisfaction before turning toward Oikawa. "This ti, you'll be the executive committee chairman. I want a full event proposal on my desk before school starts."

"Sensei, but tomorrow is alrea—"

"Oikawa, are you bargaining with ?"

Her eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Sensei, I guarantee it'll be submitted before eight tonight."

In life, there were so things that could be fast. And so things that absolutely couldn't.

But when it ca to admitting defeat, speed was everything.

Shizuka nodded approvingly, her expression clearly saying 'good, you know your place.'

"Then it's settled. Yukino, you'll be vice-chairman. Work together with Oikawa and make sure this sports festival goes smoothly."

"As for the rest of you, you'll all be committee mbers. If you need more people, recruit from the student council."

Just like that, the matter of the sports festival was finalized.

Judging by Shizuka's attitude, it was pretty obvious: If they handled this well, the whole Your Lie in April incident would be forgotten. If they screwed it up, old grudges and new ones would be settled together.

Oikawa sighed helplessly.

What else could he do?

He'd just have to give it his all.

---

After dinner, everyone headed over to Oikawa's house to discuss how they should organize the school-wide sports festival.

The eting dragged on until four in the afternoon before everyone finally left.

...

..

anwhile, the internet had completely exploded over the past two days.

Netizens were firing off comnts like AK-47s, blasting Dengeki Bunko full of holes.

Compared to the criticism aid at "Oikawa-sensei," the attacks directed at Dengeki Bunko were ten, even a hundred tis more vicious.

["What the hell is Dengeki Bunko even doing?! When are you shipping the second volu of Your Lie in April already?!"]

["If you can't run a publishing company, then stop pretending you can! Do you even have the ability?"]

["I seriously want to know if the people running Dengeki Bunko were raised on shit. Just give us a straight answer already. When can we actually buy Volu 2?!"]

["This is ridiculous. There's not a single copy left in all of Shibuya. I heard bookstores there are preparing to collectively boycott Dengeki Bunko. Guess the store owners are disgusted too."]

...

Inside Dengeki Bunko headquarters—

Editor-in-chief Kazuma Miki stared at the comnts flooding the company's official account, his face turning redder by the second.

Miki desperately wished he could go back a few days and punch his past self in the face.

Unfortunately, there was no dicine for regret in this world.

He slumped weakly into his chair and muttered under his breath, "Guess I should apologize… then resign. At least that way, I can leave with so dignity."

This whole matter needed an explanation. Soone had to take responsibility.

Closing his eyes, Miki suddenly rembered the day he first joined Dengeki Bunko.

Back then, he had been full of ambition and confidence.

Every ti he walked into the company, he would see the sentence engraved on the wall: "Never let great works gather dust. Never let talented writers fade into obscurity."

When had those words disappeared?

Not just from the wall. But from his heart as well.

"The scenery along this journey was beautiful… It's just a sha the road still had an end."

Miki slowly sat upright.

After finishing his resignation letter, he opened his Twitter account and posted a public apology.

An apology to Dengeki Bunko's readers. And an apology to Oikawa.

Once everything was done, he stood and walked toward the editor-in-chief's office door.

Right before leaving, he paused briefly.

But only for a mont.

In the end, Miki never looked back.

As though a thousand-pound burden had finally been lifted from his shoulders, he resolutely walked away from the place where he had spent his entire life.

Naturally, Oikawa had no idea any of this was happening.

And even if he did know, he probably wouldn't care. Nor would he bother wondering what kind of person Miki really was.

There was no point. Most relationships in this world were fake to begin with.

People who had nothing to do with one another were simply tied together by the thread of benefits.

...

..

At last, autumn break ca to an end the next day.

Oikawa left ho and once again headed toward school.

The temperature in Chiba dropped lower day by day.

Yesterday, a light jacket had been enough. Today, wearing the exact sa thing already felt a little cold.

Probably because Chiba was so close to the sea. Places near the ocean always seed to turn cold overnight.

The girls walking along the streets had all switched into their autumn uniforms, their figures wrapped up beneath layers of fabric.

Oddly enough, though, that made them seem even cuter.

...

The mont he walked into the classroom, quite a few classmates greeted him.

Looks like the school festival really had boosted his popularity.

Still, everyone in class seed strangely excited today.

"What's with everyone? Why are they all so hyped up?" After greeting Yui, Oikawa casually asked about it.

"The sports festival, obviously! Second-years are basically the main force every year. Especially for guys in sports clubs, it's the best chance to show off how cool they are and get girls to fall for them." After explaining, Yui added, "It's kind of childish. There's no way girls would like a guy just because he's good at sports. Girls only… only fall for guys who actually have real charm."

As she spoke, Yui secretly glanced at Oikawa a few tis.

Only to realize he wasn't looking at her at all.

Instantly, she got a little annoyed.

With a quiet huff, she turned away.

"???" Oikawa had no idea what upset her. But his mind was still occupied with planning the school-wide sports festival, so he didn't think much of it.

First of all, the events definitely had to be universally accessible sports.

Running events were mandatory.

100-ter dash. 200-ter dash. 400-ter dash. 800-ter run. Relay races.

Long jump and shot put were also possible options.

What Oikawa kept hesitating over was whether or not to include basketball.

Basketball itself was great.

The problem was that qualifiers would take way too much ti.

Even by the end of the school day, Oikawa still hadn't finalized the event lineup.

"I'm heading out first." After saying goodbye to Kawasaki, he headed toward the literature club room.

...

"Oikawa, have you decided on the sports events yet?"

A cool, clear voice reached his ears midway there.

A girl leaned against the window, quietly reading beneath the slanting glow of the setting sun.

Other than Yukino, who else could it be?

.

.

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