The Cheeky Junior Gal Becomes Too Cute When She Gets Attached to Me-Chapter 8Volume 1 .2 - Santa Junior Gal
Santa Junior Gal
“Okay, Senpai, do your best here! We’re going to handle the reception. Let’s go, Matsurin.”
Monaka takes Kawana’s hand and they leave the gymnasium.
Left behind is just me, one person struggling to move in a mascot costume.
…I’m glad they seem to be having fun. They seem to have gotten quite close.
The main goal is to entertain the children, but it’s best if the volunteers have fun too.
“Well, I guess I have to work too.”
I decide to greet the children with comical movements befitting a mascot.
I psych myself up and adjust the position of my headpiece. Then, I put on gloves that hardly seem capable of grasping anything.
The children start pouring into the gymnasium.
――As a result, I turned out to be extremely popular with the kids.
“It’s a reindeer!”
“No, you can’t do that, reindeer don’t stand! They don’t talk!”
“Run, run~”
“I want to ride too!”
Haha, my popularity is scary! Even kids seem to sense my charisma.
While carrying a child on my back and walking on all fours, I boast as much as I can in my mind.
I can’t talk. Because for some reason, I get scolded by a child who is strict about reindeer acting.
It’s all for the kids… I’ll deal with Monaka who is laughing at me from afar later.
For now, I must fulfill this duty.
“Aren’t reindeer supposed to fly?”
“Yeah! Fly!”
That’s impossible…
I mean seriously, it’s been incredibly hot since a while ago.
Despite the gymnasium barely having any heating, I can’t stop sweating because of this costume.
But if I collapse here, the children’s dreams will be shattered.
This is the moment of truth.
***
“Haa… haah…”
Hidden in the wings of the stage, I removed my headgear and gasped for breath.
Just a short time in this relatively light outfit and I’m this exhausted.
The theme park staff who wear heavier costumes and interact with guests must have it even tougher.
I can’t help but feel a sense of respect…
You really don’t understand something until you experience it yourself. I never imagined that wearing a costume could be this challenging.
“Reindeer Senpai, good job~”
Monaka handed me a sports drink while grinning.
I wanted to retort, but rehydrating was more urgent.
She had kindly opened the cap of the bottle for me, so I took it and poured the liquid down my throat.
“…thanks.”
I gulped down about half in one go and handed it back to Monaka.
“Did you like my Christmas present? Was it tasty?”
“It was the perfect gift that matched my needs exactly.”
“Hehe, well, I am Santa after all.”
She said this and naturally started to drink the rest, but I decided not to say anything.
“Senpai, you were super popular! Being a reindeer is your calling.”
“I’ll consider becoming a reindeer in my next life.”
“Then I’ll be a wolf.”
“You’re planning to eat me, huh?”
I’d still prefer to request to be human in my next life…
I peeked out a little from the stage to check on the venue.
Right now, everyone was decorating the Christmas tree.
Creating the tree with the children was the main event of this occasion.
Everyone’s faces were brimming with smiles. It made all the hard work worthwhile.
Even the parents watching from a distance seemed to be enjoying themselves, holding up their smartphones to take pictures.
Next up would be the candy party, some small presents from sponsoring companies, a performance by the brass band, and commemorative photos.
“You’ve got a nice smile.”
“Yeah, I’m glad they’re having fun.”
“Not just the kids, but you too, Senpai.”
“Me?”
Watching the children’s reactions, it seems my cheeks had relaxed into a smile without me realizing it.
“Senpai, do you like this kind of thing?”
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“…I’m just happy to see the results of my actions.”
“There you go with your twisted way of saying things again. Senpai, you like doing things for others.”
“Thanks for the positive interpretation… It feels good to be useful to someone, but it’s just self-righteousness.”
“Hmm, well, I’ll let you think that if you want.”
Why are you looking at me like that?
It’s the truth. Doing something for someone else often ends up benefiting oneself.
There’s no harm in doing it if it can be done without much effort.
“I think it’s about time for the reindeer to retire.”
“Eh~ But everyone said they wanted to ride again.”
“I don’t have the stamina for it… Besides, there are other duties for the Student Council President.”
It’s not my job to dress up as a reindeer and become a toy for the children.
I quickly change in the dressing room and return to the venue. Then, I carefully survey the whole area.
The details of the event can be left to the volunteer students. That’s what we had meetings for, and everyone is working hard.
My role is to direct the whole event. It’s necessary to have someone overseeing everything.
If you’re busy with your hands, you can only see what’s near. It’s by looking at things from above that you can see what needs to be seen.
“Excuse me, we’re short on decorations over here――”
“Use these.”
“Ah, Student Council President… Thank you.”
I handed over a cardboard box I had brought with me to a female student who was entertaining the children.
“Be careful with the wiring for the lights over there. What if a child trips?”
“It’s about time to prepare the sweets.”
“You there, bring a broom. There’s debris on the floor.”
I issue instructions one after another.
I address small issues to ensure the event proceeds without a hitch. For that, I use all my senses.
Without lifting a finger myself, just giving orders, I must seem like a killjoy to the students. I can almost hear their inner voices saying, “Do it yourself.”
Without the title of Student Council President, they might not have listened to me.
That’s why I need to play the unpopular role.
