◆The Year 1 Players' Choice Awards◆
The special story: Enju Without a Voice 1
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One day, after school.
Kazuki Araya enters the student council room, where Enju Saion-ji busily absorbs herself in paperwork. She’s been so busy that she didn’t show up to club activities, so he’s brought her some snacks for a break.
“Hey, Enju here?”
“Kazuki! What are you doing here?”
“Well, club activities are over for the day, so I thought I’d treat you to something sweet, since you’ve been working so hard.”
“Treat me?”
His words are completely unexpected. She’s been unable to attend club activities for the sake of the student council a number of times. Yet he’s here to appreciate the hard work she does?
What Kazuki has in his hand seems to be chocolate covered cookies. It’s a cheap snack popular in Japan, but it means so much more to her just because Kazuki bought it for her.
“Thanks.”
She reaches for the snack, when a sudden doubt hits her -- This is the vice manager of the club that reads comic books and eats snacks when nobody’s there to supervise them. Could this snack be another waste of club funds?
“You know, you shouldn’t be eating Mushroom Woodlands during -- Wait, where’s Bamboo Shoot Forest?”
Not understanding the question, Kazuki pushes the packaged snack towards Enju’s hand.
“Why have Bamboo Shoot Forest when you can enjoy the crispy cookies in Mushroom Woodlands?”
“Hello? Bamboo Shoot Forest has those rich buttery biscuits, which everyone should be enjoying.”
Kazuki and Enju freeze in place, realizing a terrifying fact about each other.
A fact that no one in Japan can let slip.
“Enju... Don’t tell me you belong to the Bamboo Shoot army.”
“Kazuki... I can’t believe you’re one of the Mushroom gang...!”
Mushroom Woodlands or Bamboo Shoot Forest? That is the ultimate question. These popular 40-year-old snacks have sprouted many debates, conflicts, and even battles, in the country. Not just childish arguments about which snack is better, but battles of lifestyles, battles of beliefs. “They’re just snacks. Who cares?” One must not ask such a question if he or she wishes to live.
If you still don’t get it, think about: Snikkers or Twikks? Wars of Stars or Treks of Stars? Coke-a-Cola or Pepsy Cola? Get how serious this is?
Let’s get back to the student council room, where Enju is letting out a sigh amidst the ominous atmosphere.
“What did I expect? You’re a hentai after all. No way we would share the same taste.”
“Hey, what does me being a hentai have to do with this? Besides, I’m just a normal guy who happens to be lucky!”
“Sure, being lucky at such inappropriate situations sure sounds like a normal guy. Say, would a normal person pour milk into the cup before or after the tea is poured?”
“Huh? After.”
“Normally, it’s before! What would a normal person have sunny-side-up eggs with?”
“Mayonnaise, duh.”
“Normally, you’d have no choice but soy sauce or Worchester sauce!”
Being good friends doesn’t mean giving up one’s preferences for the other’s... Thinking this, Kazuki chuckles as he defiantly glares at Enju.
“Screw your normalities, or whatever. I like what I like.”
“Ha! You practically admitted you’re a minority. So much for trying to sound cool.”
“What’s wrong with me bringing you what I like, anyway?! I went to the co-op to buy you a pack of what I think tastes good, you know!”
“You did...?! Sorry, I didn’t--”
This time, Enju realizes a fact about herself.
Up until this moment, she had thought Kazuki had brought her some left-over snack from the ninja seeking club room. Meaning, it would carry memories of Kazuki and another girl enjoying themselves at the club. It would remind her that she’d worked all on her own while the man she loves had spent time together with another girl somewhere beyond her reach. She was jealous.
But that was all a misunderstanding!
“I-I never said anything was wrong. I just wished you’d brought Bamboo Shoot Forest, that’s all.”
The more Enju gets flustered over her misunderstanding, the more complaints flow out of her mouth. Avoiding another argument, Kazuki throws the snack on the table.
“...You know what? Whatever. I’ma go ahead and leave it here, so feel free to throw it away or share it with your student council friends.”
“H-Hey, Kazuki...”
Enju heaves another sigh of regret as she watches Kazuki leave the room.