“Sen…pai…?”

A single tear glistened at the corner of Kobayashi’s eye.

Words surged up my throat in response, but nothing came out in the end. If this were Cyberia, there’d be only one thing for me to do. But this was Suzakura High School, and the Suzakura Festival was in full swing. As just another customer, I knew I shouldn’t stand out.

…I knew that, at least in my head.

“Kobayashi, are you okay?”

I ran over to Kobayashi. No… more accurately, I’d already rushed over before I even realized it. There was no way I could stand by and do nothing when I saw someone I knew in trouble.

“Senpai… why are you here…?”

Kobayashi’s expression softened just a little.

That alone was enough for me. The busier things got, the calmer my mind needed to be — that’s what the manager at Cyberia had told me right after I started working there. Last year never got too hectic, but this year I’d felt the truth of those words painfully well.

“I just felt like having something sweet. But more importantly, it looks like you’re in trouble.”

“Ah… yeah. Actually, we lost the food manual…”

“Nobody knows how to make the food?”

“That’s right…”

Kobayashi’s shoulders slumped. The other staff and customers watched our exchange anxiously.

“Is it just crepes?”

“Uh, there’s other stuff too… but the crepes are the hardest part.”

“Then I’ll teach you how to make them. Let’s get through this first.”

“Wait… are you sure?”

“I can’t just ignore you when you’re in trouble. Plus, we can’t keep the customers waiting — let’s get started.”

A guy working in the kitchen at an all-girls’ school festival probably wasn’t the best look, but this was an emergency. I hurried toward the kitchen space—

—Or so I tried.

“Ah, Senpai! Wait, just come with me for a second! Everyone, serve whatever drinks you can for now!”

“Got it!”

After giving instructions to the other staff, Kobayashi grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the classroom. She led me several rooms down the hall, to an unmarked classroom cluttered with festival supplies. A storage room, maybe.

“Umm… where is it, where is it… Ah, found it!”

Kobayashi dug through a cardboard box and pulled something out. It was all too familiar — something she promptly handed to me.

“Senpai, would you wear this maid outfit and help us out?”