My Twin Stepsisters Are Way Too Yandere!

Chapter 198: Chapter 197 - The Noisiest Reunion

It had been two years since graduation.

The place which had many memorable moments had already been occupied by another batch of students.

The group who had spent so much time together began to walk their own way.

Currently, Kuro Kurogane was studying in a university famous for its psychological course.

His days would be filled with lectures, research papers, internship and some reading sessions at the university library.

Life is not exciting.

But...

He enjoyed it.

"... Another report."

He sighed, closing the book he just used, and stretching his shoulders.

It was a suggestion from his professor to take some break after doing some lengthy studies.

Thus, this time, he would give it a try.

---

The cultural festival in the neighboring university was on.

Food booths were everywhere along with loud music.

There were some students laughing with colorful banners flying above their heads.

With a cup of iced coffee in his hands, Kuro went through the entrance of the place.

"... It is busier than I thought."

He immediately wanted to leave the place.

It only lasted three seconds in his mind.

"Kurooooooo!"

A familiar voice echoed inside the plaza.

People around there turned their heads.

Kuro slowly closed his eyes.

"... I know that voice."

Before he could do anything—

THUMP!

Somebody bumped him hard, almost making him to spill his coffee.

"Kuro!"

He saw her.

Her bright chestnut hair.

Her big smile.

Her shining eyes.

Akari Tachibana.

As he remembered her well.

"You really came!"

"I did not know that you were here."

"That is because it was a surprise!"

She raised both her thumbs high.

"I am one of the festival committee leaders!"

Kuro stared at her.

"... You?"

"What is your problem?"

"It means I am responsible!"

She blew her cheeks.

"Hey!"

"I can be responsible!"

Before he could say anything, another student came to her.

"Akari! The schedule for the stage has changed!"

"I am coming!"

She turned towards Kuro, giving a big smile.

"Do not move!"

"... Why?"

"I will be back in one minute!"

She ran away before he could ask anything.

Kuro watched her run into the crowd.

"... Some things will never change."

---

Exactly three minutes later—

"I AM BACK!"

She came to Kuro with three clipboards, a walkie-talkie and even a plate full of takoyaki.

"... How are you managing all of that?"

"Talent."

One of the clipboards was about to fall but Kuro caught it.

"... Luck."

She laughed.

"That too."

They walked around the festival, with Akari introducing them with enthusiasm to every booth.

"We built that haunted house!"

"The cooking club made those desserts!"

"Oh!"

"The drama club made a fire alarm accident yesterday!"

Kuro looked at her.

"Made an accident?"

"... Most of it."

He decided not to ask anything.

---

As they entered the courtyard, several members of the committee came running to Akari.

"Akari!"

"The volunteer for the game booth dropped!"

"What?"

"We need somebody there now!"

All eyes slowly turned towards Kuro.

He immediately felt the threat.

"... No."

Akari clasped her hands.

"Kuro..."

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"I will buy lunch."

"... No."

"I will buy dinner too."

Kuro sighed.

"... Fine."

Akari raised both her fists up.

"Victory!"

The members of the committee cheered as if they had won some tournament.

Kuro silently wondered how he became part of this.

He just wanted to enjoy his afternoon.

But...

Instead, he ended up putting on an armband for the staff of the festival.

Akari looked at him with the same happy face which she used throughout high school days.

"Welcome to the team."

Kuro put on the armband and laughed.

"I should go to the library."

Akari smiled.

"No."

"You made a better choice."

For the first time in a long while, Kuro found himself smiling without knowing it.

Some reunions happen quietly.

But others... Come suddenly.

Seeing Akari once again...

Could happen in just one way.

Loudly.

There was no time wasted by Akari making Kuro join in the preparations.

"Take care of the ring toss booth!"

Kuro looked at the pile of plastic rings of various colors.

"But I don’t know anything about organizing festival games."

She tied a whistle around his neck.

"Don’t worry; you will get used to it."

"That isn’t exactly training."

"This is your special training."

And once again disappeared among the crowd.

"...Amazing."

A little boy timidly walked up to the booth.

"Can you show me how to play?"

Kuro bent down and explained to the boy how to play.

The boy nodded and made his first try.

He missed.

The second shot just touched the edge of the bottle.

And the third shot hit the target.

"I succeeded!"

His laughter made his parents smile and thank Kuro before going away.

One visitor after another appeared.

Kids.

Couples.

Crowds of friends.

Kuro greeted everyone with a polite smile, encouraging both winners and losers.

And without even noticing, a small queue formed.

One of the committee members blinked in astonishment.

"The ring toss booth became our most popular stand."

Another student started to laugh.

"That man is unexpectedly good with visitors."

On the other side of the plaza, Akari finally managed to take a breath.

She glanced at Kuro’s booth.

Instead of being bored...

He was smiling and helping a little girl hit the target.

The girl missed every shot.

Instead of crying, she smiled and decided to try it next year.

Akari crossed her arms and smirked to herself.

"Exactly like always..."

Patient and nice

Always and even when nobody saw.

Her heart suddenly became warm.

But she quickly shook her head.

"Why am I smiling?"

One of her friends gently nudged her shoulder.

"You were looking at him."

"I wasn’t."

"You were definitely looking."

"Just wanted to check up on him."

"Oh really."

Akari’s cheeks slightly reddened.

"Do your work."

Her friend started to laugh and walked away.

"Whatever you want."

As the evening came, the festival became busy.

The smell of grilled corn and yakisoba.

The music from the main stage.

Costumed students went between stands, inviting visitors to join in the games.

At last, Akari came back with two glasses of cold lemonade.

She gave one glass to Kuro.

"You deserve to rest."

"Thanks."

They stood under the tree and silently drank.

For a moment...

Not a single word.

The peaceful silence brought memories of the afternoons in high school.

Akari suddenly started to laugh.

"Do you remember how I accidentally volunteered our whole class for the cleanup duty?"

"That was when you signed the wrong form?"

"...Only one time."

"That happened three times."

She sighed dramatically.

"Do you really remember all of them?"

"You gave me enough to remember."

She burst into laughter, causing surprise to the nearby students.

"You have become funnier."

"I learned my lesson."

"My lesson?"

"Mainly."

Akari smiled and her laughter died down.

"I missed this."

Kuro looked at her.

"Missed what?"

"Talking with you."

She looked at the bustling festival.

"University was interesting... but everyone is too busy with their own affairs."

"After all, we went to different universities after our graduation."

She lowered her voice.

"But I realized now how much I missed our old gang."

Kuro slowly nodded.

"I see."

For a short time...

They just watched the festival.

Different universities.

Different goals.

Different lives.

But some how, being next to each other seemed very easy, as if only a few days passed since the graduation.

Akari finished the last drop of lemonade and suddenly clapped her hands.

"Time to go!"

"Kuro!"

He sighed. He knew this energy.

"...What now?"

She pointed at the map of the festival with a bright smile.

"There is half of the festival left to save!"

Without letting him object, she took his wrist and pulled him into the festivity again.

Kuro couldn’t help smiling.

His calm afternoon was gone.

But some how...

He didn’t mind at all.

As dusk slowly crept in, the festival lights gradually lit up, illuminating the entire campus. Lanterns gently swayed in the breeze, and there were shouts of laughter all around.

Akari stopped momentarily near the top of a small hill which overlooked the festival.

"Look, Kuro."

He looked where she pointed.

Campus was a colorful place. Students raced from one booth to another; children popped bubbles around in the yard; music filled the evening atmosphere.

"It’s beautiful," Akari murmured.

He nodded his head.

"Yes."

She beamed happily, with her hands placed behind her back.

"You know... While I was arranging everything for the festival, I couldn’t help but wonder..."

"What if none of my friends came?"

He looked at her silently.

"But they did."

A happy look crept back onto her face.

"Then today is already a success."

For a while, Kuro just stared at her smiling face bathed in the glow of festival lights.

She hadn’t changed.

She still jumped into everything heart and soul.

She still made others smile effortlessly.

And, as he continued walking back to the hustle-bustle of festival along with her, Kuro could not help but feel grateful that this particular day had become so memorable because of her.