Transcript
Sayo
... This is quite the conundrum.
Sayo
I have no idea where to begin looking. Perhaps I should have enlisted the help of someone more knowledgeable. However...
Aya
Ooo~, I'm totally lost~.
Aya
Imperfective form, conjunctive form, predicative form, perfective form, imperative form. Adjectives are conjugated as "ku ku shi ki kere"... Nnn... It all sounds like nonsense to me...
Aya, Sayo
Sigh... What should I do~? Sigh... What should I do?
Sayo
... Hm?
Aya
Ah, Sayo-chan!
Sayo
Maruyama-san. How rare to see you in the library after school hours.
Aya
I thought I'd do some review, so I came to borrow the material I needed.
Aya
How about you, Sayo-chan? It looks like something is bothering you.
Sayo
Indeed. The truth is...
Rinko
A One Hundred Poems tournament...? Like the card game...?
Classical Literature Teacher
Yes, that's right. Would the student council be willing to hold one as part of our classical literature studies?
Classical Literature Teacher
You see, everyone's classical literature scores are suffering right now, but I know that it would be unrealistic to expect that to change overnight.
Sayo
So you hope the students will learn more about classical literature by playing a game that uses classical poems from One Hundred Poems.
Rinko
I suppose... having students in charge... would encourage others to join...
Rinko
Alright. The student council... will try its best... to put on the tournament...!
Classical Literature Teacher
Really? Thank you! I'm counting on you all.
Rinko
Understood...!
Sayo
... Are you sure about accepting this task so readily?
Rinko
Yes. I'm sure the rest of the student council... will support the idea.
Sayo
I am more concerned about your well-being, Shirokane-san.
Sayo
In addition to your usual student council duties, the number of rehearsals we have with Roselia will almost certainly increase to prepare for Future World Fes.
Sayo
Placing additional responsibilities on top of your already busy schedule isn't going to be too much, is it?
Rinko
I will... t-try my best...!
Sayo
Unfortunately, what worries me the most is that "try my best" attitude of yours... Sigh. I suppose I have no choice...
Aya
... So you took on the responsibility of setting up the tournament instead.
Sayo
Correct. However... I am unfamiliar with both One Hundred Poems and the planning of events, so I am not sure how to proceed.
Sayo
Then again, it is related to our schoolwork, so perhaps I should not be overly concerned.
Sayo
So long as we finalize an appropriate date and venue for the tournament, I imagine the event will run relatively smoothly...
Aya
A tournament... Wow! That's so cool, Sayo-chan!
Aya
It's amazing how much the student council and the teachers are looking out for all of us!
Sayo
Us...?
Aya
Yeah, I've actually been having trouble studying for my upcoming classical literature quiz.
Aya
It may be my native language and all, but it feels like I'm starting from square one! No matter how hard I try, I can't seem to make any progress.
Aya
But with a One Hundred Poems tournament, even I can have fun studying!
Sayo
Our teacher said that was the goal of the event.
Sayo
In any case, it's as you said, Maruyama-san. Many students are struggling in this particular subject. I just hope this tournament is a success...
Aya
Hey, I have an idea! Sayo-chan, do you mind if I helped out with the preparations?
Sayo
I would have no qualms with it, but... may I ask what brought about this sudden interest?
Aya
Participating is fine and all, but I think pitching in with the planning will help make it even more fun and educational!
Aya
Ah, not that I'm only doing it for my sake!
Aya
By helping you, I'm also helping myself! And I think that's a total win-win situation!
Aya
So yeah! Please let me lend a hand!
Sayo
... Sigh. Very well.
Sayo
I must admit that I could certainly use your assistance. Thank you, Maruyama-san.
Aya
No problem! Alright, let's get to it! The teacher did say she'd lend us some cards if we asked...!
Sayo
Here? We cannot play in the library, and moreover, we need at least three players for this game.
Aya
We'll just have to hunt down someone who's willing to join us, then! Hang on a second. I have to put these books back...!
Sayo
Ah, Maruyama-san...! Goodness, I hope this all works out...
Transcript
Sayo
Are we really going to find a third player so easily?
Aya
Of course! It'll all work out! Let's see, who looks like they would want to join in...
Aya
Ah! What good timing! Hey, Chisato-chan~!
Chisato
Oh, Aya-chan. Sayo-chan. What is it?
Aya
Hey, Chisato-chan. Want to play One Hundred Poems with us?!
Chisato
That's quite the unexpected invite. Unfortunately, I have work after this.
Aya
Ah, right. You have a shoot today, don't you? That's too bad.
Chisato
I truly am sorry. I would have very much liked to participate.
Chisato
... By the way, Aya-chan. You haven't gotten yourself mixed up in something outlandish again, have you?
Aya
Eep... I, uh... Hahaha.. Haha... No, it's nothing like that!
Sayo
My apologies. It was my fault for dragging her into this.
Sayo
The student council is planning a One Hundred Poems tournament, and I was the one who enlisted her help.
Chisato
I see. Come to think of it, I do recall the classical literature teacher saying she wanted to do something like that.
Chisato
I suppose it was unavoidable, then. I'm sure Aya-chan immediately threw herself at the project without a second thought, yes?
Aya
Ooh, how did you know~?!
Sayo
No, I'm the one who-...!
Chisato
Fufu, I was just teasing. Don't worry, Sayo-chan.
Chisato
Aya-chan, if you're going to do this, try to do so with the goal of improving your grades in mind. Okay?
Aya
You got it! I can handle that much...! Probably...
Chisato
I hope so. Best of luck to you both.
Aya
Yeah! See yah~!
Aya
We asked around, but... it doesn't look like anyone was able to help us out.
Sayo
Perhaps it simply wasn't meant to be. Most of the students still at school are busy with club activities.
Aya
Hmmm, this is terrible.
Hagumi
What's terrible?
Aya
Ah! Hagumi-chan... and Kanon-chan!
Kanon
Chisato-chan told us what you're up to. She asked us to help out if we had time.
Hagumi
So we came here to ask what you need!
Aya
You guys are the best! I'll have to thank Chisato-chan later!
Sayo
I suggest we move this conversation to the student council room. I'll explain matters there.
Aya
Good idea! Alright, to the student council room~!
Hagumi
Go~!
Sayo
Now, please memorize the positions of both your cards and your opponent's.
Hagumi
Okay!
Sayo
You have exactly 15 minutes. Begin!
Sayo
... My apologies, Matsubara-san. I feel guilty for involving the both of you in this.
Kanon
No problem. I'm having a lot of fun.
Kanon
But to be honest, I didn't expect to help out by playing One Hundred Poems.
Sayo
Understandable. The student council is planning the tournament, but I was unsure of how to initially approach the project.
Sayo
That is when Maruyama-san suggested that we try playing the game ourselves.
Kanon
I see. That sounds very much like Aya-chan.
Sayo
Indeed. Now... Time's up. Let's begin the match, everyone.
Aya
Alright!
Sayo
"The short summer night is already over, though I thought it was evening still..."
Aya
Summer night, summer night...
Hagumi
Hm? I don't think we have that card.
Sayo
... Are you two perhaps searching for the first half of the poem?
Kanon
Hahaha... You see, with One Hundred Poems, you're supposed to look for the other half of the verse. It's a continuation of what was said aloud earlier.
Aya
What?! I have no idea what that would be~.
Kanon
Don't worry. The missing half will be read aloud too.
Aya
Really?! Alright, let's go!
Sayo
"Where in the clouds, I wonder if the moon will stay..."
Hagumi
Got it!
Aya
Huh?!
Kanon
Wait, did Hagumi-chan grab the card just now? My eyes couldn't even keep up...!
Hagumi
Hehehe~! I may not know much about the One Hundred Poems, but I'm pretty good at matching card games like karuta!
Sayo
That was an incredibly fast reaction. Though I believe the rules for One Hundred Poems are somewhat different.
Kanon
Hahaha... But it's not like she cheated, so why don't we allow it?
Aya
Yeah! Let's just keep playing!
Aya
Alright, the next card is gonna be mine~!
Transcript
Hagumi
Whoa, is it that time already?! I have to go home and watch the store!
Hagumi
Aya-senpai, be sure to invite me the next time you play! Later, guys! Bye-bye~!
Aya
Sure thing! See yah, Hagumi-chan!
Aya
... Sigh. I'm glad she had fun and all, but I got absolutely destroyed~.
Kanon
Hagumi-chan was really fast. I had trouble keeping up when it was my turn.
Aya
Yeah, but I won't give up! Next time, I'll try even harder!
Kanon
Fufu, that's the spirit. Let's give it our all.
Sayo
It seems increasing our understanding of the game through a fun practice round was a success.
Sayo
Let's wrap up the game for now. We need to move on and discuss the actual tournament details.
Aya
Time to get down to business, I guess. The first thing we need to decide is the date... right?
Kanon
Mhm. That and choosing a venue.
Sayo
Exactly. We need to establish the following three items: time, place, and content.
Sayo
Our main goal is helping students become more familiar with classical literature and the materials taught in class. At the latest, we should aim for the middle of this month.
Sayo
As for the venue... I believe any standard classroom will do. Holding an event on such short notice means it's unlikely to be large in scale.
Sayo
We will also need to hang posters around the school, as well as solicit participation from as many-
Aya & Kanon
...
Sayo
Is something the matter?
Kanon
No, no! I'm just not used to taking part in such an in-depth planning process, is all. I was a little surprised.
Aya
Me too! You really are amazing, Sayo-chan!
Aya
Whenever I discuss anything with other people, we always end up trailing off topic.
Kanon
Same here. Our conversations in Hello, Happy World! never end on the same subject as when we started.
Aya
I know exactly what you mean! Pastel✽Palettes' latest meeting was-
Sayo
I see, so this is the derailment you were referring to.
Sayo
I appreciate the enthusiasm, but we do not have much time. Once you have finished your chat, we should be moving on.
Aya
Ah! R-right! Sorry about that!
Aya
Hm? But wait, I think you wrapped up what we need to do rather nicely, Sayo-chan.
Sayo
I also wish to hear feedback from both of you. Think of it as providing your opinions as prospective tournament participants.
Aya
Hmmm... Our opinions as participants, huh...? I guess one suggestion I have is...
Aya
... Finding a way to convince people to join.
Sayo
What do you mean?
Aya
This tournament was originally made to help get people interested in classical literature, right?
Aya
So in other words, they probably want people like me who aren't very interested or good at the subject...
Kanon
Ah... I see what you mean. The people we're trying to target may want to stay away from a subject they're bad at...
Aya
Right. I know for a fact that I wouldn't want to try something I'm bad at just because I saw some random poster.
Sayo
In that case, what if participation was made mandatory for those with unsatisfactory grades?
Aya
That will make them hate the subject even more~!
Sayo
True, but this entire endeavor will become meaningless if our target audience does not participate.
Aya
Exactly! Which is why we need to think of a way for them to think the tournament will be fun! That's the key!
Sayo
...! Of course... It all makes sense now...
Aya
I realized it when we were playing earlier. If you don't know the context of the writing, One Hundred Poems is just a game of memorizing the phrase and finding the right card.
Aya
I imagine there a lot of people like me out there who don't know much classical literature at all.
Aya
So the first and most important step is to make knowing the material the fun part!
Sayo
... I see what you mean. However, in that case, would they not still need to study some of the material beforehand?
Aya
Yeah~. That's the part I can't figure out~.
Sayo
In order to enjoy the game, some level of knowledge is required, but we also want them to enjoy the act of acquiring said knowledge. It's quite the paradox.
Aya
But there must be some way to make it work! A way to make learning naturally interesting...!
Aya & Sayo
Hmmm...
Kanon
Uhm... what if we made a guidebook?
Sayo
A what?
Aya
Ah...!
Aya
A guidebook! That's it! Why didn't I think of that?!
Aya
It's perfect! Let's do it! We'll make a guidebook for the One Hundred Poems Tournament!
Sayo
(A guidebook...? What exactly are they planning?)
Transcript
Sayo
A sakura party guidebook?
Aya
Right! We made some back when we held a sakura party this one time!
Kanon
We wrote about poems related to sakura and the authors that wrote them.
Kanon
Maya-chan, Lisa-chan, and Ran-chan, the ones who came to the party, seemed to like them.
Aya
Yeah! That's why I think we could do something similar and make guidebooks that get people naturally interested in One Hundred Poems!
Sayo
In that case, the guides would be about Japanese poetry.
Sayo
This will both advertise the event and allow our target audience to engage with classical literature without feeling overwhelmed. I must admit that this seems like a splendid idea.
Kanon
You really think so? That's great to hear.
Aya
Alright, let's plan out how we're going to make these guidebooks! We'll take our ideas from the sakura party and make them even better!
Kanon
Okay! We've got this!
Aya
Hm~. Here's what we have so far.
Sayo
A list of poems, simple profiles for the poets, and a list of manga or movies that are about One Hundred Poems...
Kanon
I think we should also add a modern translation like Aya-chan suggested.
Sayo
A translation? Would an explanation not suffice?
Aya
I'd prefer something really simple and easy to understand. Explaining the material might get kind of wordy and hard to understand.
Sayo
Do you really think so?
Kanon
Hmmm... Let's see what we can come up with. For example, this poem right here...
Kanon
"Coarse the rush-mat roof... Sheltering the harvest-hut... Of the autumn rice-field... And my sleeves are growing wet... With the moisture dripping through."
Sayo
"Due to its roughly-woven structure, the roof of the storage shed near the rice field is filled with holes. As a result, the evening mist that seeped through has left my sleeves damp."
Sayo
I believe that provides an adequate explanation.
Aya
Yeah! That's just like what was written in the book I read!
Aya
But that's still kinda tough to understand, don't you think? If we were to boil it down, I think the main idea is something like: "I'm freezing because of the wind leaking in~..." Right?
Sayo
In its simplest form, yes.
Kanon
In other words, we should go beyond just a modern translation and come up with something that we'd write ourselves.
Aya
Exactly! That's what I was going for!
Aya
So for example, if we take the same poem...
Aya
"When we were filming the other day, they had us wait in this little holding area, but the doors and windows wouldn't shut tight. I was freezing because the cold air kept getting in~!" ... How's that?
Kanon
Fufu, I can already see Aya-chan all huddled up, trying to stay warm.
Sayo
No doubt that example was quite easy to visualize. As for the content itself... I feel that it may be slightly different than what was intended.
Aya
Huh?! Really?
Sayo
Ah, not that it's anything to be overly concerned about.
Sayo
Poems can be interpreted in a variety of ways. Your vision of the material is undoubtedly one of those variations, Maruyama-san.
Aya
Ah, okay. That's a relief~!
Kanon
But trying to do something like that for all one hundred poems sounds like a lot of hard work.
Aya
In that case... Hmmm... What if we only did the modern translation for a few poems, and then for the rest, we summarize them in one simple phrase?
Kanon
Great idea! We could also add a simple drawing to help flesh out the poem and drive the point being made home.
Kanon
How does... this look?
Sayo
A jellyfish... with the chills?
Aya
Wow~! That's so cute!
Sayo
Adding a supplementary illustration does change the feel of the book.
Kanon
Ehehe. You think so?
Aya
So we'll have a modern take on the content and our own personal impressions. Throw in Kanon-chan's cute art, and we have our One Hundred Poems Guidebook!
Aya
This will work for sure! Or at least, I hope it does... Any thoughts, Sayo-chan?
Sayo
Let me think...
Sayo
(What I am most concerned about is time. Can we handle such a large workload before the tournament?)
Sayo
(I already have my hands full, so I would not be able to provide much assistance. Therefore, the most appropriate course of action is...)
Kanon
Sayo-chan? Uhm, will this do?
Sayo
... Yes, of course. Could I possibly task you two with the completion of these guidebooks?
Aya
Sure!
Kanon
Thanks, Sayo-chan.
Sayo
I am the one who should be thanking you. Good luck.
Aya
Ehehe. Alright, let's get this show on the road~!
Transcript
Sayo
This, and... this. These will be needed as well. What other materials would prove useful...?
Rinko
Hikawa-san, good afternoon... Are you searching for... books related to... the One Hundred Poems?
Sayo
Yes. I am trying to gather materials that are very easily understood, but it is proving to be more difficult than I expected.
Rinko
That's because there are... a lot of books on the subject... Uhm, would you like me to... help you look...?
Sayo
That won't be necessary. I should be able to-
Sayo
(Maybe Shirokane-san is right. Leaving this to her... would allow me to focus on other matters...)
Sayo
... Actually, I... could use your help. If possible, would you mind...
Aya
"At the break of day..." What's that mean again? Hm, I think the modern translation was in-...
Kanon
This book? Here you go.
Aya
Thanks~! Sorry, here I am taking up all this time when I was the one who suggested we do things this way.
Aya
Just trying to understand these poems is hard enough. This isn't going as smoothly as I thought.
Kanon
No, think nothing of it. Although, I am a little worried about being able to finish on time.
Aya
It's okay! I'll make sure it all gets done!
Aya
Everyone is going to have a blast once they get a load of these guidebooks! I won't let this chance go to waste!
Sayo
Good work, everyone. How much progress have you made?
Newspaper Club Member 1・2
Good afternoon.
Aya
Sayo-chan. And you all are from... the student council, I take it? Nice to see you!
Kanon
Are you about to have a meeting? Would you like for us to step outside?
Sayo
No, these two are from the newspaper club. I have asked them to assist you in creating the guidebooks.
Newspaper Club Member 1
We can help with the printing and binding of the guidebooks!
Newspaper Club Member 2
If there is anything you need, please do not hesitate to ask.
Sayo
I also had Shirokane-san ask the library committee to procure and organize any materials that may prove useful.
Sayo
They will provide you with easy-to-understand interpretations and modern translations, so that you may create your guidebooks with ease.
Kanon
The library committee is joining in too? Wow...!
Sayo
... This was actually one of my concerns from the beginning.
Sayo
The ideas you two proposed were exceptional. However, it is simply far too much work to expect from so few people.
Sayo
It would have been impossible to complete our task in time, so I began to think of any solutions I could to avoid that outcome.
Aya
So you went out to find people to pitch in for us?
Sayo
Yes. I am not inconveniencing you, am I?
Aya
No way! Not at all! This is a huge help!
Aya
Thanks so much, Sayo-chan! If we all put our heads together, I know we can pull this event off!
Sayo
Yes, I have no doubt that we can.
Aya
Hehehe. Alright, let's get to it~!
Aya
Add my impressions here... And tomorrow, I'll ask the library committee if they can find some extra resources for me.
Aya
Up next is... Hm? Oh, Chisato-chan is calling.
Aya
Hello? Chisato-chan? What's up?
Chisato
Good evening. I apologize for calling so late.
Chisato
I received the preliminary survey for our upcoming variety show appearance, as well as the script for the TV commercial today. I'll bring your copies with me to school tomorrow.
Aya
You will? Thanks a ton!
Chisato
You're welcome. So, how is the guidebook coming along? Have you made any progress?
Aya
How did you know about that...?! Wait, I know. You must have heard it from Kanon-chan.
Aya
Thankfully, everything is going according to plan. I'm finally starting to understand these poems and what kind of mood they evoke, so I'm having a blast!
Chisato
Oh my, you seem fairly confident. In that case, perhaps you could read me a poem that suits the mood right now.
Aya
Huh?! I, uhm... Ah, how about this one?
Aya
"See how clear and bright... Is the moonlight finding ways... Through the riven clouds... That, with drifting autumn wind... Gracefully float in the sky..."
Chisato
"Moonlight peaks through the clouds drifting along an autumn wind. How can I even begin to describe the beauty of such pristine radiance?" ... How accurate was my impression?
Chisato
... Although tonight's moon is a little hard to see behind the clouds.
Aya
True. But it's still very beautiful.
Chisato
Yes, I agree.
Chisato
The two of us, viewing the same moon together. It almost feels like a moon-viewing party.
Aya
Now that sounds like fun! Maybe I should go grab some dango and tea.
Chisato
You can do that tomorrow. As I always say, avoid skipping breakfast, late-night snacking, and eating between meals.
Aya
Yeah, I know. Don't worry.
Aya
... This really is something special, though.
Aya
Sure, there aren't any snacks. And we're both in different places, but here we are... chatting with each other and staring at the same night sky.
Chisato
It also feels somewhat strange, but... I suppose this sort of moon-viewing will do just fine.
Aya
Agreed! Hehehe.
Transcript
Aya
Alright, I'm all done with this page.
Aya
How are things on your end, Kanon-chan?
Kanon
Going pretty well. Just need to add a little more color here, and... done!
Aya
Wow, that's amazing! Your art is always so beautiful, Kanon-chan!
Kanon
Hehehe, you really think so?
Aya
Let's try to keep up this pace! The next poem is~...
Kanon
Hm? That was the last one.
Aya
Th-that means...
Aya
Ooo~, we actually finished on time...!
Kanon
What a relief. We couldn't have done it without all that extra help.
Aya
You said it! We'd better be sure to tell everyone how grateful we are.
Aya
All that's left now is to print and bind the guidebooks. Do you think everyone will like them? Oh man, this is so exciting♪
Aya
We will be holding a One Hundred Poems tournament here at school~! Please stop by and participate~!
Kanon
We've made special guidebooks that introduce you to all of the poems. Please feel free to take one~.
Rimi
A One Hundred Poems tournament... I didn't know we were doing that this year.
Saaya
Is this the poster? It says they're still recruiting players.
Rimi
You're right. Too bad I don't know anything about classical literature.
Arisa
You're not the only one. I'm sure that's why they made those guidebooks.
Kokoro
Now that sounds interesting! I'm going to get one for myself!
Kasumi
Me too, me too~! Aya-senpai, one guidebook please!
Aya
Okay! Here you go.
Kasumi
Thank you so much! Wow! The pages are all so cute and colorful~!
Arisa
Really? Let me see. They've even got modern translations. And what's more... Hahaha. What's with these modern phrases?
Hagumi
"This place used to sell swimsuits, but now all they have is dango for moon-viewing parties. Looks like fall is finally here~."
Hagumi
Hahaha, I totally get it! Nothing makes me realize it's fall more than when I put pumpkin croquettes on display!
Saaya
Did you write this one, Aya-senpai?
Aya
I sure did! And Kanon-chan is behind all the cute artwork!
Rimi
I really like the drawings here. The delicate strokes and choice of color give off a warm, comfy feeling.
Arisa
Yeah, these all have a really nice feel to them. Classical literature is a subject that's usually stiff and hard to get into, but you've managed to make it accessible somehow.
Kokoro
She's right! It's like a pretty picture book!
Kanon
Really? I'm glad you think so.
Aya
Everyone seems super into our guidebooks.
Aya
Do you think we'll be able to appeal to people who don't normally like classical literature?
Kanon
I think we already have. Our "One Hundred Poems Guidebook" is a success!
Aya
Yeah!
Chisato
My goodness. Look at this crowd.
Aya
Chisato-chan!
Chisato
I came by to see the fruits of your labor. May I have a copy for myself?
Aya
Of course! Here you are!
Chisato
Thank you.
Chisato
It seems the rumors are true, you've certainly made something special. Both the writing and the drawings are very easy to understand. I can't wait to read through it all.
Chisato
Aya-chan, Kanon. You've really outdone yourselves.
Aya
H-hehehe... Thank you, Chisato-chan!
Aya
But it's me who should be thanking you. I mean, you were the one who brought it up to Kanon-chan in the first place!
Aya
Thank you, Chisato-chan.
Chisato
Fufu. You're welcome.
Transcript
Aya & Hagumi
Let's begin!
Chisato
Why am I the reader...? Oh well, no sense worrying about that now. Okay, here we go. "The winds of heaven... Blow through paths among the clouds..."
Sayo
Shirasagi-san is fully at the mercy of those two.
Sayo
I told them that this was simply supposed to be practice for the real event.
Kanon
Fufu. But look at how much fun they're having. Good luck, you guys~!
Sayo
Good grief... We don't have much time, so please limit your game to one match only.
Hagumi
Awww, I can't believe it~! I totally thought I had that one!
Kanon
It was a very close game. I was just watching, and even I was on the edge of my seat.
Sayo
Indeed. It was a wonderful match where both parties were giving it their all.
Chisato
The final stretch was especially intense.
Aya
I only won by a single card. Besides, today was just practice... Tomorrow is the real deal!
Hagumi
And I'm going to be bringing home the gold!
Aya
I won't go down so easily!
Hagumi
I believe it! Anyway, I'm heading this way!
Kanon
Ah. Wait, Hagumi-chan. I need to do some shopping, so I'll go with you.
Kanon
Alright, see you guys tomorrow.
Chisato
See you tomorrow.
Hagumi
Bye-bye~!
Aya
Bye-bye~!
Phew... So tomorrow's the big day~. I'm feeling pretty excited!
Phew... So tomorrow's the big day~. I'm feeling pretty excited!
Sayo
You aren't nervous about how it might turn out?
Chisato
I know that is how I would be feeling.
Aya
A part of me is worried, of course. But since everyone had a hand in setting up the event, I just know it'll all work out!
Sayo
To have such unwavering confidence... Maruyama-san, I must say that I'm impressed.
Aya
Huh?! It's not like I did anything special!
Aya
I only feel that way because of all the people who helped us out... I'd just, you know, like for things to turn out and all that...!
Sayo
And yet that is precisely why I am so impressed.
Sayo
When I was tasked with preparing the tournament, my one and only concern was ensuring that it would run without any issues.
Sayo
You, however, were able to recruit the aid of those around and elevate the event to even greater heights...
Chisato
She's right, and this wasn't the first time. Aya-chan is always like that.
Sayo
She's a little unreliable at times, but she's always the one to stand up and pull us all forward. It is through that encouragement that she is able to stand tall...
Sayo
You are never alone, Maruyama-san. That is your greatest strength, and part of your charm.
Aya
I think you're describing yourself, Sayo-chan!
Aya
This event is further proof that you are such an amazing person. You're the one who taught me to use the people around me to help get the job done.
Aya
The one who took charge and made the tournament a reality was you... So yeah, I know this for a fact! If I'm amazing, then, Sayo-chan, you're even more amazing!
Chisato
You both think so highly of each other. The funny thing is that I believe you are both correct.
Chisato
Aya-chan, the ideas you come up with are splendid, but they tend to stop short of actually being executed. They always remain as dreams.
Chisato
In order to make those dreams into a reality, it is necessary to find an individual skilled in ironing out all the details and putting the plan into motion.
Sayo
I do not believe that applies to me in any-
Chisato
Come now, you don't have to be so humble.
Sayo
Sigh... If I must.
Sayo
You called them "dreams" before. I suppose that is an accurate description of her thought process.
Sayo
Maruyama-san. You've mentioned a "dream notebook" in the past. Do you still have it?
Chisato
That's the notebook you use to list all your hopes and dreams, correct?
Aya
Yeah, I still write in it!
Aya
The stuff I add keeps getting grander and grander... Maybe that's why I never seem to get any of them done.
Sayo
Yet you still refuse to give up.
Aya
Of course not! Because someday, I'll make every single one of them come true!
Sayo
(Those are not empty words. She truly believes what she is saying. In her mind, all of her dreams are goals that will be inevitably realized.)
Sayo
(We're aiming toward different directions. And that's why... I still have so much to learn from the way she thinks.)
Sayo
That is a relief to hear. Maruyama-san. Let's continue trying our best.
Aya
Yeah!
Chisato
Fufu... Well, then. Dreams are fine and all, but first, you should focus on the tournament tomorrow. That is another important goal of yours, is it not?
Sayo
Yes, you're right. One step at a time, as they say.
Aya
Well said! Alright, let's get back to work!
Broadcasting Student
And now, the head of the tournament organization committee will share a few words.
Kanon
Good luck, Sayo-chan!
Chisato
We look forward to your speech.
Sayo
Yes... Thank you so much, everyone. I must be off now...
Sayo
And now, let the One Hundred Poems Tournament begin!
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