Chapter 22: Back to school

Lunchtime, student council room.

Soft sunlight streamed in through the window, and piles of documents were neatly arranged by the window.

Aya, sitting at her desk and looking over the documents, quietly stopped her hand.

Aya’s gaze reached the list of transfer students on the desk.

‘This year, there are a total of 17 transfer students…’

Aya repeated the number in her head.

This time, there are no transfer students in the 2nd and 3rd years of high school.

The briefing for middle school transfer students will be held at the orientation for new students’ club activities, so this briefing is actually focused on the 1st year of high school.

So naturally, the representative among them is…

Based on entrance exam scores, 3rd in the entire school.

Kurosawa Rina.

Aya’s fingertips trembled subtly.

As she flipped through the documents one by one, Rina’s name clearly caught her eye.

Aya’s mind naturally wandered to that name.

‘What club will Rina choose?’

From the moment she saw Rina’s name, she felt her mind gradually being filled with Rina.

In the quiet air of the student council room, the memories of the bustling weekend at the department store came back clearly.

The hands that lightly held each other.

The moment she lightly pulled her sleeve.

The smile she glimpsed naturally at the crane game.

And,

‘Her hands… were soft.’

Aya fell into a subtle emotion.

The touch of Rina’s hand felt so vivid that it seemed to still remain.

They touched hands several times at the department store, and each time, her heart fluttered a little.

‘…Why is that?’

Is it a coincidence that can be easily overlooked?

But Aya noticed that those moments strangely wouldn’t leave her mind.

She’s definitely a friend, but it’s a distinctly different feeling from when she’s with Mizuki.

“It’s… a little different.”

The words inadvertently slipped out of her mouth.

She looked at the schoolyard visible through the window.

She could see Rina taking a walk alone in the distance.

Just seeing that figure gave her a strange sense of relief.

‘Because she’s a friend… that must be it.’

Aya reassured herself and turned her attention back to the documents.

But still, in a corner of her heart,

something she didn’t yet know seemed to be quietly crouching.

At that moment, the door opened slightly.

The student council vice president, Hiiragi senpai, poked her head in and asked.

“Yukikawasan, is the preparation for the club activity briefing going well?”

Aya hesitated slightly, then nodded and began to organize the documents.

“Yes, it’s almost done.”

But in her mind, still…

the face of Rina, who would be coming to the after-school briefing, was floating.

***

Ding—dong—

The bell rang, signaling lunchtime.

In my past life, during lunchtime, I would eat and quietly lie down to sleep.

But now I’m a little different.

Maybe it’s because I’m wearing a skirt, but I’m afraid of spreading my legs while sleeping and showing my underwear, and I’m also afraid of muttering about my past life as a man in my sleep.

Besides these reasons, there are many things that bother me, so I try to stay awake during lunch after eating.

“Rina~ Ayarin~ Shall we have lunch?”

Mizuki’s excited voice was heard from behind.

I turned my head and, as always, Mizuki was looking at me with a beaming face.

And, next to her, Aya quietly waiting for my reaction.

“Yeah, let’s go.”

I nodded and got up from my seat.

Whether it’s out of consideration for me, the two of them never went to the special dining hall.

Originally, it would be better to eat better quality food there…

‘Come to think of it, it’s been a while since I’ve seen the student council seniors.’

I ran into the rolled-up hair Shiraizuka senpai at the department store on the weekend, but that was just a meeting that left the feeling of just running into each other.

Joining the student council… I still haven’t decided because of my indecisive personality.

Above all, the biggest reason was that I was afraid that I couldn’t completely replace the protagonist’s place, and I was also concerned about the drama club, which was Rina’s wish until middle school.

“What should we eat for lunch today~?”

When we arrived at the general dining hall, Mizuki linked arms with me and worried about the menu.

I answered simply, as usual.

“I’ll have udon.”

“Me too.”

Aya immediately agreed with me.

Then Mizuki narrowed her eyes and smiled playfully.

“Hey~ Are you two going to eat a couple’s meal?”

“It’s not, not a couple!”

I shouted in embarrassment, and Aya subtly looked away.

Mizuki laughed and looked back and forth between us.

“Okay~ Okay~ But, you two seem like you’re dating~?”

“It’s, it’s not like that, just…”

“Because we’re friends.”

Aya smiled neatly and looked at me slightly.

It was an expression that seemed to say there was no need to get caught up in Mizuki’s words.

“Sigh… Okay, I’ll have udon too~”

We all got udon for lunch and headed to an empty table for us.

Today, too, I didn’t run into the student council seniors.

***

After finishing lunch, Mizuki and Aya left to prepare for the transfer student briefing.

“Rina~ We’ll be preparing for the transfer student briefing, so don’t worry and rest~”

“Yeah, good luck.”

I waved my hand and sent the two off, and slowly turned my steps to the schoolyard.

The school during lunchtime was subtly bustling.

Noisy laughter and the sound of conversations could be heard here and there, but I quietly walked along the silence in the crowd, which I had become accustomed to.

Maybe it’s because I’ve been spending so much time with the two of them?

I naturally took my place in the top caste, walking with Aya and Mizuki.

When I approach, I can see the kids feeling a sense of distance and moving away.

In the classroom, in the hallway, there weren’t many people who talked to me.

Ah, it wasn’t completely absent. But those were tentative words, as if to say hello to a distant being, and they were never the kind of words that could lead to a relationship of friendship.

Moreover, from my perspective, it was difficult to enter an already formed group of friends.

On the other hand, it was even more awkward to enter a group of boys.

I can’t suddenly say ‘I was originally a man’ to become friends.

I also knew how the boys would react if I, with this cute appearance, fell into their midst.

Knowing that, I became more accustomed to taking a walk alone during lunchtime.

‘It’s okay, I was always alone at the cram school.’

I started walking along the path where the cherry blossom trees were in full bloom.

The warm wind blew my hair slightly, and calm petals fluttered.

It wasn’t bad to spend time like this, taking a walk alone.

A little quiet, a little slow.

But, in this tranquility, I felt a slight loneliness for some reason.

Is it because I miss the fact that Aya and Mizuki, who I can reach out and touch, aren’t there?

‘I could join the student council… but I don’t think I can do it like the protagonist.’

So I muttered to myself and started to walk around the schoolyard.

Then, suddenly, my footsteps stopped.

At the end of my gaze was an unusual presence.

Everyone’s angel, Yukikawa Reina.

Under the cherry blossom tree where the sunlight softly poured, Reina senpai was sitting quietly on a bench.

The way she held a book in one hand and slowly turned the pages was truly like a painting.

Her perfectly worn uniform and her disheveled platinum blonde hair sparkled in the light.

‘As expected… the atmosphere is different.’

It’s not for nothing that Reina senpai is called everyone’s angel.

She wasn’t outstanding in academics or sports, but she was loved by everyone just for her existence.

Did she come out of the nurse’s office? I felt curious, but I didn’t have the courage to ask.

I didn’t want to go around, so I just tried to pass by.

“Kurosawasan.”

But Reina senpai seemed to have noticed my presence.

I turned my head and exchanged glances with senpai.

Senpai’s gaze was, as always, soft and cozy.

Slowly closing the book, senpai gestured to me.

“Were you taking a walk alone?”

I smiled slightly awkwardly and nodded.

“Yes, the two of them went to the student council to prepare for the briefing… I was walking alone.”
“I see?”

Reina senpai looked at me quietly, then lightly tapped the side of the bench.

“Would you like to sit down and talk for a while?”

I couldn’t refuse that invitation.

I carefully approached and sat next to her, looking around.

“Senpai… do you often read books here?”

Reina nodded and smiled softly.

“Yes, I’m often in the nurse’s office because of my weak body, but I also like to be quietly outside like this.”

Senpai smiled quietly in the sunlight.

At that moment, I felt an illusion as if time had stopped.

Is blood is thicker than water, the older sister also gives off an intense impression like Aya.

“Do you like being alone, Kurosawasan?”

I hesitated for a moment at that question, then honestly nodded.

“Um… rather than liking it, I’m more used to being alone.”

Reina listened to my answer and tilted her head slightly.

“But, you have good friends by your side.”
“That’s true… but sometimes, the two of them are such special people that I… I get self-conscious.”

Reina senpai smiled at my quietly spoken true feelings.

“Even if they’re special people, if there’s someone who cherishes them nearby… wouldn’t that be another kind of specialness?”

I pondered those words and looked at senpai’s face.

Senpai’s smile, which always gently wrapped around her surroundings, seemed to comfort my heart as well.

“Kurosawasan is also a very special person. Asakurasan and Aya probably know that well.”

I smiled slightly at senpai’s words.

‘This atmosphere must be why she’s called everyone’s angel…’

I felt a little comforted by senpai’s soft voice.

“Come to think of it… will senpai also participate in the club activity briefing?”

I asked without thinking.

Because there was a gold ornament indicating the student council on the collar of Reina senpai’s uniform.

Senpai smiled slightly and shook her head.

“Probably… I’ll just be helping out lightly in the student council room. I’m a third-year student.”
“Ah… I see…”

We felt the quietly flowing time together and talked until the bell rang.

It was a time with a subtle warmth, not uncomfortable even without words.

I felt strangely comfortable because there was someone by my side.

‘This must be Reina senpai’s charm…’

“Ah, I’ll go in first.”

“Okay, I’ll get up too.”

When the bell rang, I exchanged short greetings with senpai and returned to the classroom.

And, as soon as I opened the door, I was met with… Aya, already sitting in her seat and looking at me.

Aya was smiling naturally, looking at me, but there was a strangely cold air in her eyes.