✔ | At Least We Have Forever

Chapter 14 - Hearts' Findings

Two weeks later, Hanasakura Academy...

"Alright, everyone! It's time to pay attention since we'll be talking about our class activity for the Rose Festival," Miss Ryuuzaki announced to the class one morning after their winter break and in a way, it caught the students' attention.

"Rose festival? What's that?" Riya asked in a soft tone to Kurama who was in front of her.

Though he didn't look at her, she knew he heard her. " It's a traditional occasion here at Hanasakura Academy that usually deals with songs and theatrical plays. More like a Literary Fest but with only one them and that's love."

"So it's like the school's very own way of celebrating Valentine's Day," she commented.

"Sort of," he answered.

And after that, they all focused on the teacher's discussion regarding the activity.

"The reason I asked my class to do a Literary project was for the faculty members to choose the best projects for the other classes who will be involved in doing theatrical plays," the teacher explained before she showed a soft-bound book to the students. It was colored red since Miss Ryuuzaki required that of them, as well.

Ayako raised her hand which made the teacher look at her. "Yes, Kirisawa-san? Is there any problem?"

"No, it's not like that," the brown-haired girl answered. "I just wanted to ask if that soft-bound book you're currently holding is the best project among the class."

Miss Ryuuzaki smiled. "In many teachers' perception, it is. And the pair who wrote this play will be getting the highest score. Not just from me but from the other teachers, as well."

All of the class were in awe when they heard that. Riya and Kurama just smiled in a response to that.

Their Literary project was for each pair to make a script that has only one major theme: love. Any kind of love. It could be romantic, platonic, or family. Most of the pairs did a story with a romantic type of love as its theme.

"Then whose project are you holding right now, Ryuuzaki-sensei?" one student asked.

"Is that the project that our class will be performing, Ryuuzaki-sensei?" another student followed.

"Before I announce whose project is this, I will only tell you a few things you need to remember," the teacher said with a smile before she looked at the students seriously. "First, the project that I'm holding right now will be the one that this class will perform two and a half months from now so you have to cooperate. Second, your grades will depend on how well you perform your roles, besides the fact that half of it will be coming from your written project and the other half will be from your performance. So if you don't want to fail, you better get serious. And last but not the least—" she paused. "—the pair who did this project that the class will be performing would have to take on the lead roles of the play. No if's, and no but's so that's the final decision. As for the other roles, we'll do it by drawing papers from the box with specific characters from the play. Understood?"

"Yes, Ryuuzaki-sensei," the class replied almost all at the same time.

And then the moment of truth began that made the students' hearts pound. While the others were calm as they simply wait for the announcement.

Miss Ryuuzaki sighed before she faced the class. "The winning piece that will be performed by the class for the Rose Festival is—" she paused and then flipped the cover of the soft-bound book which made the class hold their breaths as they anticipate the announcement of the winning piece. "—Minamino Shuichi-kun and Miyuzaki Riya-chan's piece entitled Beneath The Sakura Tree. So it means that Minamino-kun will take the role of Hoshino Kenji and Miyuzaki-chan will be Nagishima Kimiko," she announced and then faced the said pair with a smile.