Kotomi Izumi left the school building, searching for Yukino and the others while thinking about Shizuka Hiratsuka's decision to resign.
Even though they often argued, teasing and challenging each other like evenly matched rivals, Kotomi knew their back-and-forth had become a comfortable rhythm. When she provoked Shizuka, Shizuka would find some way to scold or retaliate. It was their unspoken way of showing affection.
Sometimes, when Kotomi got too emotional, she would say things that were a bit too harsh. She never meant to hurt Shizuka—she just couldn't always control her words when she got worked up. Every time that happened, she would sneak off later to apologize.
Shizuka would always say, "Do you think I'd actually get mad at a kid like you?"
But Kotomi could tell. Every time she apologized, Shizuka's expression softened—just a little. It was clear that when she heard Kotomi's harsh words, she did feel hurt and tense inside.
Kotomi had thought that her three years of high school would continue like this—until Shizuka suddenly announced she might quit.
Even though Shizuka hadn't decided yet, Kotomi supported her wholeheartedly. After all, Shizuka had been accepted into the Royal College of Art!
Kotomi might not know much about the design world, but as a member of the art club, she often heard people talk about the Royal College of Art with reverence and admiration.
Anyone studying art or design dreamed of attending that school one day.
Its reputation alone was dazzling—it had held a perfect score in global art and design academic rankings for years. Its alumni list stretched across three centuries, filled with world-renowned creators and designers.
For Shizuka to have been accepted there… Kotomi couldn't help but feel proud of her. And once she learned that Shizuka had always loved interior design, she was even more supportive of her teacher's decision to go pursue that dream.
If Shizuka wanted to take her skills to the next level, it only made sense for her to attend a world-class school and learn from the best.
After thinking for a while, Kotomi decided to keep quiet about Shizuka's resignation. She wouldn't tell anyone else.
After all, Shizuka hadn't made her final decision yet. If word got out too soon, more people would find out, and that could easily create pressure—making it feel like Shizuka had to resign even if she was still uncertain.
Still… it seemed likely that Shizuka would end up choosing to leave.
If she did, then today's performance at the cultural festival would be the first and last time Shizuka saw Kotomi perform on stage.
Kotomi wanted to give her something to remember—something special, a lasting memory.
She already had a plan for how to make it unforgettable.
Pulling out her phone, she checked the performance schedule and smiled faintly. "After the show, I really need to thank Mai-senpai properly. If it had been the original timeslot, there probably wouldn't have been enough time. But now, with the new schedule, everything works out perfectly. Thanks, Mai-senpai."
...
Leaving the school building, Kotomi stepped into the courtyard. After walking a bit farther toward the athletic field, she entered the bustling fairground area.
In an instant, a wave of noise and excitement swept over her.
"Welcome, welcome! Please come try Sobu High's Fruit Research Club's new creations—chocolate bananas and wasabi apples!"
"The Sobu High Film Club's original movie The Temptation Not to Go Home will be screening at 12:30 p.m. today on the third floor of Building 8, Room 7!"
"Hey, hurry up and bring me that gas burner! I've got a bunch of yakisoba waiting to be cooked here!"
"Where are the shredded carrots? Ah—forget it, use onions instead!"
"Come take a look! Chilled sour plum juice—refreshing, cheap, and delicious!"
"Ladies and gentlemen, uncles and aunties, please help the poor children! We're students from Class 1-B! Our homeroom teacher confiscated everyone's phones, so we can only rely on selling grilled sausages to raise money for new ones! Grilled sausages~ fresh and juicy~ come buy one~!"
"Uh, class rep… are we really selling sausages? Because the way you're saying it sounds more like The Little Match Girl."
"Shut up! I spent hours perfecting this line—it's the best version I've come up with. Just watch and learn. No one understands sausage-selling better than I do. Huh?! Principal! Ah—no, sir, of course not! You want two sausages? Right away! Here you go, two sausages, please enjoy~"
"The collaborative Maid Café by Class 1-C and the Cheerleading Club is now open on the second floor of the school building! And for guests who don't need change, we'll treat it as a lovely act of support—special prizes await you!"
"Next year's Sobu High Entrance Exam Prep Seminar! Help your child start ahead! Held on the first floor of Building 5—sign up now!"
"That'll be 862 yen total. Thank you for your purchase!"
"One cheese-and-ham skewer? Got it, please wait a moment."
"Fresh pancakes, just off the griddle! Come and get them while they're hot!"
"I want to be Kotomi Izumi's dog…"
"The Science Fiction Club's exhibition starts at 1 p.m.! All are welcome!"
Kotomi rubbed her ears. The festival stalls were even noisier than she'd imagined.
She'd planned to just cut straight through the stall area, but after hearing the chaos, she gave up on the idea and decided to head back toward the main school building.
At that moment, her phone buzzed with new messages—from Iroha Isshiki and Megumi Kato.
[Iroha Isshiki: Senpai~ where did you disappear to just now? Don't tell me you ran off to secretly meet another girl?!
Kotomi ignored that one for the moment and opened Megumi's message first.
[Megumi Kato: Kotomi, where are you? I already met up with Yukino and the others. I told them I left earlier to take a phone call, but you still haven't shown up. Don't tell me your legs are still weak and you can't walk? Honestly, I told you I should've helped you. Just send me your location—I'll come get you.]
Only then did Kotomi realize that it had already been nearly thirty minutes since she and Megumi had left the gym.
[Kotomi Izumi: The stall area's a bit crowded, so it's hard to get through. I'm going to grab a drink at a café to kill some time. You don't have to wait for me.]
She sent the message to Megumi, then long-pressed to copy and paste it, sending the exact same text to Iroha.
For something this trivial, there was no need to type separate replies. Copy-paste was perfectly efficient.
Both girls replied almost immediately.
[Megumi Kato: Got it. The stall area's really packed. I heard a girl from Class 1-B even had her wallet stolen earlier. Luckily, she didn't keep her phone or anything important inside it.]
[Iroha Isshiki: Senpai… don't tell me you're going to the maid café?!]
Pfft—! Kotomi nearly tripped on the spot. Good thing she hadn't been drinking anything, or she would've spat it all over her phone.
Is that little devil spying on me? No way—even if she were nearby, she couldn't possibly know what I'm thinking… unless she's leveled up her mind-reading skill to max?
Kotomi grumbled inwardly. She had been planning to head back to the second floor of the school building and rest for a while at the maid café, but there was no way she'd ever admit that to Iroha.
Her thumbs flew across the screen as she typed a quick reply.
[Kotomi Izumi: Who said I'm going to a maid café? I'm just thirsty and want a drink, that's all. And just because I said "café" doesn't mean it's a maid café, okay? Besides the maid café, there's also another one—a classical music café, Kotomi thought to herself as she typed out a message.]
The only reason she didn't admit to Iroha Isshiki that she was heading to the maid café was because she knew that noisy little devil would immediately use it against her.
Something like: "Senpai, you wouldn't want Aimi and the others to find out you went to a maid café, right? You know what you have to do~"
Yes, it was purely self-preservation. Kotomi didn't want to give Iroha that kind of leverage.
If I wasn't afraid of being teased by her, why wouldn't I admit it? It's not like there's anything wrong with going to a maid café. I, Kotomi Izumi, have a clear conscience! she told herself proudly. I'm going there just for a drink, not to flirt with the maids or exchange contact info or anything like that! Absolutely not!
There were two cafés open for the festival—one on the second floor, the maid café, and another on the third, themed around classical music. So why had Kotomi chosen the maid café? Her reasoning was simple: One's on the second floor, the other's on the third. Of course I'll go to the closer one!
It's not that I want to go to the maid café—it just happens to be the most convenient café. Totally logical.
With that justification in mind, Kotomi walked briskly toward the maid café.
As expected, there was already a long line at the entrance.
Even though Class 1-C had predicted that their café would draw big crowds, they had underestimated just how popular it would be. They had even borrowed Class 1-D's room next door, but there were still lines out the door.
Kotomi greeted the girl handing out numbered tickets at the entrance—a first-year student who had recently joined the Disciplinary Committee. She'd received drinks from Kotomi before, so when she saw her now, she smiled knowingly and quietly handed her a staff badge. With that badge, Kotomi could enter freely as if she were part of the café crew.
Pushing past the curtain into the café—
"Welcome, Kotomi-chan~!"
"Oh my, you even have a staff badge! Those are for 1-C members only. Don't tell me you're transferring into our class? I'd vote yes with both hands and feet!"
"Good morning, Kotomi-chan."
"Kotomi, what do you think of our decorations? I designed all of them myself! When I was sketching the layout, my brain practically caught fire!"
"Ahh! It's Kotomi Izumi! Can I get your contact info? Please?!"
It was as if a portal to another world had opened—the world of the maids.
Kotomi couldn't help thinking she had once again underestimated her own charm. The moment she stepped inside, she was surrounded by girls in maid costumes. The bolder ones had already started asking to exchange contacts.
For the sake of "classmate friendship," Kotomi didn't refuse. Within minutes, she had added six new contacts to her phone.
Sunlight streamed into the room, filling the space with warmth. The classroom had been completely transformed—gone was any trace of its usual seriousness. From every angle, it looked like a real, elegant café.
But of course, the main attraction wasn't the décor—it was the maids.
Following a twin-tailed maid wearing thigh-high black stockings, Kotomi was led to a small table for one and took her seat.
Just as she was about to place her order, the maid said cheerfully, "Kotomi-chan, please wait just a moment~" and hurried off.
Kotomi blinked. Wait, I haven't even ordered yet…
Moments later, a familiar voice reached her ears.
"Master, shall I take your order?"
Turning around, Kotomi's eyes widened. Standing there, dressed in a perfectly fitted maid outfit, was Ruriya Hojo. The short-skirted uniform, paired with pure white thigh-high stockings, accentuated the graceful lines of her legs.
The proud, sharp-tongued beauty now looked irresistibly cute—an exquisite combination that made Kotomi's heart skip a beat.
The teapot she held had been replaced with a decorative prop, making her look less like a student and more like a maid straight out of a manga panel.
—
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