Interview with the Yokai

Chapter 1

" Don't tease Shoji-kun, Mari-chan, sometimes it's the words a man doesn't say that are the most romantic," Yayaka said in a teasing voice.

" I think we've gotten off topic. Shoji-san said he had a question to ask, I believe we should allow him to do his job without teasing him, ask your questions," Benihime said in a calm neutral voice.

" Alright I'll start with you Benihime-san, what is your idea for the Cultural Festival?," Shoji asked. Benihime was one of the most popular girls in their year. She had a quiet demeanor and a pale complexion that almost made her look like she was made of pure snow, her eyes were like a pair of black pearls, her hair raven black and straight, she had a very light build, and always dressed perfectly. Many boys would love to be her boyfriend, but she had one already and even if she didn't, she gave off such an aura of consummate perfection in her way of speaking and mannerisms that few would ask her. Benihime was the perfect girlfriend, the high school girl you already wanted as a wife, but that perfection sometimes made it feel as if she was on another plane from everyone else. Shoji had to admit to himself that even he had fallen under her spell, despite the odd feeling he got from her, it was too bad that she went out with such a worthless boyfriend.

" My idea for the Cultural Festival, is to hold several baking and cooking competitions, between, students, staff, and locals. The staff and locals would have to pay in order to enter in the competitions. We would also have a live Iron Chef style cooking competition, between Tugushi-sama and local home cooks as the big event of the night. Students would also be running stalls where they would be selling food in order to make money. For the prizes, I believe that with so many Sasayama Academy alumni who own or work at restaurants in the area, we could have them donate free meals at their restaurants," Benihime said in a cool clear voice. The plan seemed like something Benihime would think of, she was in the Cooking Club.

" That idea seems like it would draw a lot of people, are you sure that the students of the Academy would be able to prepare enough food to turn a big enough profit? The members of the Cooking Club are quite good at cooking and baking, but the rest of the students might not have the same skill set," Shoji pointed out trying to see how Benihime would think on her feet.

" It is true that not all students can cook, but I believe that we can choose simple enough recipes that can be done ahead of time and that will sell well," Benihime responded.

" You might also want to think about charging for the Iron Chef event, or perhaps having the more talented members of the Cooking Club hold classes that you can charge for," Shoji said.

" Now, Shoji-kun, don't you think that you're being unfair, giving Beni-chan advice like that?," Yayaka ask, her voice not angry, but playful and flirty.

" I'm sorry Yayaka-san I meant nothing by it," Shoji says thinking she had a point.

" Don't take me so serious, you know I'm teasing you Shoji-kun, you have the right to speak your mind," Yayaka said smiling at him, causing Shoji to melt a little. Yayaka, was undoubtedly the idol of the first years. If Benihime was the girl that the boys wanted to make their wife, Yayaka was the girl who drove boys going through puberty mad with uncontrollable sexual fantasies. Unlike Benihime's slight build, Yayaka seemed blessed by the gods themselves with a body meant to represent the best of attributes of the female sex. Yayaka had the biggest bust, the curviest hips, the most rounded backside of any girl you could imagine. Her face was that of an idol's, framed by black hair that seemed to always have the perfect volume and waves, her eyes were a black that seemed to reflect the stars even during the day and drew you in threatening to bewitch. Yayaka dripped a sex appeal that could not be ignored and she knew it and felt no shame in using it. It was the difference between her and Benihime, Benihime seemed to shun any advance, Yayaka loved to flirt, it seemed as if every word she spoke had a hidden meaning.

" Well why don't we hear what your idea for the Cultural Festival is next Yayaka-san?," Shoji asked, reminding himself to look the girl in the eyes and not stare at anything else that might catch his gaze.

" You can call me Yayaka-chan Shoji-kun, no need to be so cold with me or don't you want to call me Yayaka-chan?," Yayaka asked pouting cutely.

" Just answer his question already, Yayaka-chan," Mari said mocking Yayaka. Yayaka gave her a quick look and then returned to Shoji.

" Well my idea for the Cultural Festival, is a talent show. We would sell concessions, charge entrance fees for locals and staff, and a fee to watch the show itself. We could use the auditorium, it would be simple to put together and I think something the students would enjoy," Yayaka said. She was right, compared to Benihime's plan, Yayaka's was simpler and stood to make a pretty good profit, still it might be too simple.

" And as a member of the Performing Arts Club, you stand a good chance to win your own talent show," Mari said as she stretched her body in her seat.

" Excuse me, are you accusing me of something?!," Yayaka said turning to look at Mari.

" I'm just saying that both you and Benihime-san stand to win in your proposals for the Cultural Festival, don't you think that's a bit unfair? What about you journalist-san, you don't see any conflict of interest?," Mari said not backing down.

" Mari-chan let's not start an argument, I don't think either Yayaka-san or Benihime-san planned things out like that," Noriko said, as Mari's best friend she was one of the few people Mari listened to.

" I think I asked a valid question, don't you journalist-san?," Mari asked, staring directly at Shoji making him feel chills.

" Do you have anything to say in response, Yayaka-chan, Benihime-san?," Shoji asked.

" I did not plan on entering any of the contest, that would be unethical, also I would be too busy with making sure that the food we were selling was prepared correctly," Benihime said, unshaken by Mari's accusations.

" I don't see why my entering the talent show would matter, in the end the winner is the most talented person and it won't be like I rigged it. If you're worried about me winning enter the talent show and beat me," Yayaka said, confirming that Mari's accusations were correct.

" You mean if you win the election," Mari said always quick with a comeback.

" We've gotten off topic. Mari-san, what would you do for the Cultural Festival?," Shoji asked almost wishing he didn't have to.

" Oh, that's simple, I would have a carnival. We would sell concessions from the cooking club, have face painting by the art club, students dressed as clowns, various carnival games run by students, and performances by students who have talent. We would charge for everything, there aren't any carnivals in this area so people would come for the novelty of it, we would make a very good profit," Mari said.

" It doesn't sound like something most people in the class can do, carnival performances require a lot of skill,' Shoji said.

" Most students will be working booths and taking tickets. The point of the Cultural Festival isn't so everyone can have fun, it's to make enough money so we can have fun on our class trip," Mari said. Shoji was almost taken aback by how blunt Mari was with her answer, but there was some truth to it, the more successful the Cultural Festival, the better the school trip would be.

" I guess that makes you last Noriko-san, would you tell us what you would do for the Cultural Festival?," Shoji asked.

" I would host Sasayama Academy Olympics, but instead of it being just physical competitions, there would also be competitions based on trivia and knowledge. It would be teams of students, staff, and locals competing. There would be a charge to watch the Olympics and a charge for any staff or student that wanted to compete. Of course just like the other plans, we would sell food and drinks," Noriko said, her voice cheerful though she looked a bit bashful, which was something that Shoji had been noticing recently. Shoji turned to look at Mari, to see if she was going to point out that a physical competition favored Noriko, but Mari just looked him in the eyes, almost daring him to say something.

" Well that's all I wanted, but I do have one more quick question," Shoji said as he reached into his bag not believing what he was going to do.