The atmosphere of the Sports Festival, like gradually warming water, permeated the entire Sobu University campus three days before its official start. The blackboard in the back of the classroom was adorned with cheering graffiti, the corridors were hung with colorful streamers, every class was busily preparing their opening ceremony performances, and the air was filled with singing, laughter, and the crisp sound of scissors cutting colored paper.
When Okabara Kyogumichi walked into the classroom, he saw that the students had already divided into several small groups. Shiina Mahiru was sitting by the window, needle and thread in hand, meticulously sewing a cheering banner for the Sports Festival. On the light blue fabric, the four large characters "Youth Without Regrets" were embroidered with gold thread, the stitches fine and neat.
"Okabara-san, you're here," Shiina Mahiru looked up, a gentle smile on her face, "Could you help me hold the banner? I need to sew on the last tassel."
Kyogumichi walked over to help straighten the fabric, watching her nimble fingers move between the cloth: "Is your group responsible for the opening ceremony decorations?"
"Yes, we need to make ten cheering banners and twenty wreaths," Shiina Mahiru said softly, "Kitagawa Marin and her group are rehearsing their dance in the next classroom, Yukinoshita-san is preparing the class slogan, everyone is busy."
Just as she was speaking, Kitagawa Marin burst into the classroom, half-dressed in her cheerleader uniform, holding shiny pom-poms: "Okabara-san! Quick, help me look at this move! I always feel it's not powerful enough!" She spun in place, the pom-poms drawing a brilliant arc in the sunlight, but her skirt accidentally caught on a table leg, and she almost fell.
Kyogumichi quickly caught her, saying helplessly: "You need to be careful even when rehearsing."
"Oh, it's fine!" Kitagawa Marin waved her hand dismissively, then suddenly lowered her voice, "We're preparing a surprise dance, an adapted version of "Uchiage Hanabi" for the opening ceremony, it's definitely going to amaze everyone!"
Melodious singing came from the adjacent music classroom, and when Kyogumichi and Kitagawa Marin walked over, they saw Yui Yuigahama standing on the podium, leading the singing. She wore a cute pink sweater, holding a lyric book, her voice sweet and clear, and although she occasionally went off-key, she was full of enthusiasm.
"Everyone, let's sing the chorus again!" Yui Yuigahama waved her arms, saying energetically, "We're competing with Class 3 in the chorus at the opening ceremony, we must win!"
Yukino Yukinoshita sat at the piano, her fingers dancing nimbly across the keys, accompanying everyone. Her expression was still calm, but the melody flowing from her fingertips was extremely smooth, perfectly complementing Yui Yuigahama's singing. When she saw Kyogumichi, she merely nodded slightly, her fingers never pausing.
"Yukinoshita-san plays the piano so well," Kyogumichi praised softly.
"Naturally," Kitagawa Marin said proudly, "Our class's chorus will definitely take first place! Oh, by the way, Okabara-san, what project are you in charge of?"
"Natsume-kun and I are in charge of dressing up the mascot dolls," Kyogumichi pointed in the direction of the activity room, "The art teacher said we need to make two three-meter-tall tiger dolls to lead each class into the arena at the opening ceremony."
Walking into the art activity room, Natsume Takashi and several classmates were busy around a huge doll frame. He held a palette, carefully coloring the tiger doll's ears, while Nyanko-sensei squatted on a nearby table, curiously pawing at colorful yarn balls. Sure enough, besides catnip, Nyanko-sensei's favorite thing was yarn balls.
"Okabara-san, you're here," Natsume Takashi looked up, a bit of orange paint on his face, "We're doing the final decorations for the dolls, do you want to try walking in the doll costume? They say it's very heavy."
Kyogumichi put on the tiger doll costume and tried it, and indeed, as Natsume Takashi said, the heavy padding made movements a bit clumsy. He tried to wave his paws, but the doll's tail accidentally knocked over a nearby paint bottle, and purple paint splattered onto the doll's belly.
"Oh no, this is trouble," Natsume Takashi said, a little flustered.
"It's fine, we can change it into a tiger's stripe pattern," Kyogumichi had a flash of inspiration, dipping his finger in the paint and drawing a few stripes, "This makes it look even more majestic."
Natsume Takashi looked at the modified doll's belly, showing an expression of admiration: "Okabara-san is amazing, it looks even better this way."
Busy times always pass quickly, and in a blink of an eye, it was lunchtime. The preparation work for each class entered its final stage, and the corridor echoed with a continuous chorus of slogans. Kyogumichi, holding a freshly bought bread, sat on the stands of the sports field, watching his classmates work hard for the opening ceremony, his heart filled with warmth.
Under the shade of a tree not far away, Hitori Bocchi was holding a guitar, rehearsing the opening ceremony performance with Nijika and her group. Her fingers moved nervously on the guitar strings, and fine beads of sweat dotted her forehead, but when the melody of "Seisyun Complex" began, her eyes gradually became focused and bright.
"Bocchi, relax a little!" Nijika encouraged her from the side, "Just like you usually practice!"
Hitori Bocchi nodded, took a deep breath, and the melody flowing from her fingertips gradually became smoother. Kyogumichi watched from afar, unable to resist cheering her on.
During the afternoon homeroom class, the homeroom teacher walked to the podium and clapped her hands to signal for quiet: "Students, everyone has worked hard on the Sports Festival preparations. I've seen everyone's efforts, and I believe our class will achieve good results at the opening ceremony."
Warm applause erupted in the classroom, and Kitagawa Marin excitedly waved her pom-poms: "Teacher! Our dance is definitely the best!"
The homeroom teacher smiled and nodded, but then suddenly changed the subject: "However, there's something I need to inform everyone about; this year's Sports Festival has a special change compared to previous years."
The classroom instantly fell silent, everyone looking at the homeroom teacher curiously. Kyogumichi also straightened up, feeling a bit expectant.
"What exactly the change is, I can't tell you yet," the homeroom teacher deliberately kept them in suspense, a mysterious smile on her face, "This is a surprise specially arranged by the school, and it won't be revealed until the day of the opening ceremony. But what I can tell you is that this change is closely related to every student and requires everyone to work together to complete it."
The classroom immediately erupted into chatter, with students guessing animatedly.
"Are they adding new competition events?"
"Could it be a school-wide relay race?"
"Will it be something like a fun sports day?"
Kitagawa Marin excitedly grabbed Kyogumichi's arm: "Okabara-san, what do you think the change will be? Will it be a cosplay competition? If it is, I can definitely get first place!"
Yukino Yukinoshita pushed up her glasses, saying thoughtfully: "The school suddenly changing the rules likely aims to enhance class cohesion. I guess it's probably a group project that requires the participation of the entire class."
"No matter what it is, we can definitely do it well!" Yui Yuigahama waved her fist, saying energetically, "As long as everyone works together, we will definitely win!"
Kyogumichi looked at his excited classmates, his heart also filled with anticipation; this mysterious change had immediately piqued everyone's interest.
After the class meeting, the students' enthusiasm grew even stronger. Everyone intensified their preparations for the opening ceremony performance while eagerly discussing the mysterious change. The afterglow of the setting sun spilled across the campus, casting a golden halo on every busy figure.
Kyogumichi stood in the corridor, looking at the still-lit classroom, listening to the singing and laughter from afar, his heart filled with anticipation.
Night fell, and the campus gradually quieted down, but the air still permeated with a sense of anticipation that lingered for a long time.