Tennis no Ojou-sama: A Prince of Tennis Fan Fiction

CHAPTER 115: Winter is Coming

"And here we are, folks! The moment we've all been waiting for!"

The junior high school students of Seishun Academy were gathered out front under the heat of the round flavescent sun amidst the brightly decorated stalls and ribbon-clad booths. It was 8 o'clock and the beginning of quite a hot day, the wind picking up every now and then but otherwise motionless. This however did not zap the enthusiasm from every face in the audience. The students bore large smiles and grins and watched the groundbreaking ceremony of their Cultural Festival eagerly. They had prepared long and hard for it and finally, they can harvest the results of their efforts.

The student council members, together with the key persons of the Executive Committee carried the groundbreaking ceremony with much formality than most junior high politicians. The president called to the crowd using a microphone whilst each of the members held a portion of the blue, red and white ribbons strewn across the stage, with small scissors in their hands.

The president made a small speech and the Executive Committee Head stated some rules and regulations that students should follow while the festival is ongoing. The students wished they would hurry it up.

Finally, after five agonizing minutes, the president signaled for the ribbons to be cut.

"Let the Seishun Academy Cultural Fest begin!" the Student Council and Executive Committee members chorused with much exuberance. Fireworks shot up into the sky and made jolly ear-splitting booms. The air became thick with confetti whilst the crowd cheered, a roaring sound that reached even neighboring localities.

"There it is... Seishun Academy's culture fest," an elderly woman strolling past by the school entrance commented with a smile.

"They've always made great exhibits," a lady who was holding up an umbrella for the both of them said and looked up at the signage above the gates.

"Indeed. They have those founding presentations towards the end as well. I wonder what they're doing this year," the woman replied.

"We should take a look later, Ma."

"Yes, we should..."

It wasn't long before the festival reached full-blown heights. Only the students wandered the grounds in the first hour but as soon as word got out that the festival was officially open to the public, small crowds of onlookers began to gradually file in.

"Irashaimasen!"

"Takoyaki! We have innovative flavors! Come and try them!"

"Come visit our class booth! You can have caricatures and sketches drawn for cheap prices!"

Things became busy all at once. Pretty much every student advertised their booths and stalls actively, holding up signage, posters and other propaganda while raising their voices.

"Ohh, this is quite lively," Fudoumine's Ishida commented.

"Waah, they sure put much thought on the decorations!" An said, looking around at the colorful premise and busily scanning the stalls and booths.

The Fudoumine Tennis Club and their official manager had casual outfits on with An turning a few heads with her pink miniskirt. The boys glared at any male who dared to look at her for more than millisecond.

"Isn't it fortunate that classes are canceled today? We get to visit Seishun's festival. I wonder what the Seigaku folks are doing," Uchimura told his companions.

"I say the reason why they canceled classes is more fortunate," said Tachibana Kippei with an air of maturity. "It's about time they plan on truly renovating the school buildings. We fall behind other schools on infrastructures."