And thus, it had finally come, as the teacher in front called a person in to take over. But it isn't the only thing that clued it into closely happening. But from the past weeks, this was pretty much the talk.

“Well then, as you all may know, your exams are coming in a little over a month, but one thing is coming first literally this Thursday and Friday of the next week, and that is the school's 22nd Cultural Festival.”

“Yeah!!!!!!” the students shouted enthusiastically.

Of course, a Cultural Festival is always fun. You can hang out with friends, or invite some other friends outside. Plus, the events in itself is on another level. As I have heard, there seems to be a tradition on Hinatsuru High of dancing next to a bonfire or something like that.

If I remember and heard correctly, there were some things like a saying followed by that tradition…. Whatever… I'll just focus on this now.

“Well then, I'd like to call on anyone welcome to be the Committee members, preferably of opposite genders. So, who would want to? Furushira-san? Or anyone else?”

Of course, Furushira-san would be the first choice. Yes, she did have a shitty personality towards some. But other than that, she is none other than our year level's representative. 

“Seems like no one else. Are you fine with it, Furushira-san?” the teacher called onto her once again.

“Yes, of course.” she gave a dignified answer as she stood up elegantly and walked to the front.

“Thank you. Now, the floor is yours. But who would like to be the boy? Although, I'd prefer Furushira-san to pick.”

I have no doubts that she will pick me, of course. But I looked around at the surroundings, but no one really wanted to work with her. Well, it is pretty much inevitable, so I'd just reach out myself.

“I'll do it.” I raised my right arm and exclaimed in a lethargic voice, with my head still resting on my other hand atop the desk.

“Much appreciated, Ryou-kun.” she said so as I myself went to the front, standing behind her.

“Well then, as some of you already know….” she talked in a firm, straight and dignified voice. “... Hinatsuru High holds events such as sports games which include a 3-legged Race, a Scavenger Hunt and pretty much more. But classes would still have to submit their own classroom event. First come first serve, of course. And of course, 2 heads is already better than one, but it is better for all of us to work together here for an idea. So if anyone has one, please raise your hand.”

The way she talks so diligently is too out of place for me, but I'll play along for now. 2 heads huh, well, at least she immediately counted me in. But it is a fact that it will be better for the whole classroom to think about it.

“Then—” and one immediately raised her hand, if I remember correctly, she usually spends time with Furushira-san, and her name was… Kuro…Kurobara Aya-san, was it?

“Yes, Kurobara-san?” she called her by her last name and formally. But I think their bond goes deeper than that, so she may just be standing a face in front of the teacher.

“What about a maid café?”

A maid cafe, huh…. Of course, anyone would think of that, but by anyone, literally every single classroom would at least have one who would think of that. So of course… it is pretty…

“Too simple, and too common.” the teacher said from the side

Common.

Oh, looks like our teacher and I have the same thought.

Although, if it is, then we could just alter it a bit, right?

Actually, I just noticed this. Did she, a girl literally just suggest a maid café? I expected it to come from a boy, but… oh well. I could never understand what girls were thinking.

“Then, can I suggest something? I don't know if you all will like it though, this will affect how we all would look after all.” I was the one who said that. 

If a maid café isn't good, then alter the café a bit.

“Go on.” Furushira-san moved aside, as if giving me room to talk. Although I didn't need it, I'd rather do it like this.

I wrote down what I had in mind into a 3 word phrase as the theme of our classroom. Of course, nobody saw it, not the teacher, nor Furushira-san, as it was well hidden from their fields of vision, as I was standing in front of it, so they all couldn't help but wonder what it could be.

And so, after writing it down, I stepped aside and let them read it, and slowly read it they did.

“Cross….dressing……Café……?” all of them peered at the words for s few seconds, until they finally realized it and all exclaimed…

“Ehhhh?????!!!!??!??!??”

Now I wonder to myself… is that reaction that of a surprise, or that of disagreement? I looked at both my sides, taking sidelong glances at the teacher and at Furushira-san.

The teacher seems to be thinking of it, and doesn't entirely seem to be opposed to it. Furushira-san however looked at me with a wry smile, as if saying to me,

“Can your ideas get any weirder?!”

Well, I'm sorry for having such a weird idea then.

But seriously, this wasn't me unleashing my weird fetishes, I don't have one, I think so, at least. But I literally just thought this on the spot, nothing else. 

Well then, it's been almost a minute, so they should have their thoughts. Actually, they've been pretty quiet. I'd like some backup here, Furushira-san!

I glanced at her once again with a wry smile, and our eyes met, and I saw her sigh, most likely in exasperation.

“Well then, no one was talking about it loudly, so, raise your hand if you are opposed to it.”

She took the initiative, and through her words, some raised their hands, although the number couldn't even reach 10. And for the class numbers, it is just around 40, or slightly less. So this amount of disagreement would be unanimous.

“And for those who aren't opposed?”

Furushira-san, Leo, and Kurobara-san along with I raised our hands. Along with the four of us are I don't know, 20 or so more students?

But one more thing. One seemed to not only agree to it, but literally look forward to it so much. Actually, is that someone literally releasing their inner, weird fetishes? And again, the person is pretty surprising in itself.

It was the same person, the same girl that suggested a maid cafe. The girl, Kurobara Aya-san, was staring at Furushira-san, and… me…?! She was looking at the two of us as if looking forward to seeing the two of us crossdress…. I am kinda regretting my decision now.

“Well, I guess that's a unanimous decision. Sensei, is it fine? Are we breaking any school codes?”

“No. It's a great idea. I look forward to it!” the teacher enthusiastically replied.

And thus, more meticulous planning went ahead for the rest of the period. Talking about what kind of outfits we'll wear, how we'll split the workload in preparation, and some other stuff as well, such as group sports like the 3-legged race.

That said, I myself, and you know what, I'll add them into my circle of information, I guess…. 

Furushira-san and I were both in the Scavenger Hunt and Relay Race. I also included myself in the 100 meter race along with Leo, who is pretty much my rival in the sport. I would like to join the 3-legged race with him, but he has bad synchronization, so I don't think it'll work. Guess I'll just have to join it some time in the future… not like I'd get a viable partner though. 

I would've loved to use this as an attack again, but now that her defense was as if a thich iron wall surrounding her was placed, I don't think it'll be possible. Well, not like we'd be compatible together. It's sad though, I wanted to participate in the 3-legged race so badly….

In addition, Furushira-san also joined the 50 meter race mainly for girls. And for Kurobara-san… she joined not a single one….

“Then, I guess that's it. I look forward to working with you all!” Furushira-san bowed to them, as I did as well, showing our gratitude for working together with them.

That said, the Cultural Festival is set to take place on Thursday and Friday, so the classes were shortened. And especially on the day before the start, the whole day is left for us to use.

Would a week be enough though? I stared at the sky as I walked home, although….

“You know that it's dangerous to doze off while walking, right?”

“Guh… Furushira-san…”

“Why so surprised, you know that we literally live on the same street, right?”

“Well…”

“Don't think of me too much here. I have a proposition…”

“Eh? A proposition?”

“Yeah. Since we're both working in the Committee, as much as I hate the idea, I'd like us to work together until the Cultural Festival ends.”

What… it's just that. Well, if she's gonna stop ordering me around, then I'd love the idea.

“So a truce for a week, basically.”

“Yeah…”

Well, it won't be that bad, right?

“Although, I will be stepping up my game after it though!” she smirked

This girl…! She always plans to stand strong, huh?! And here I thought the truce would start now…

“But still, I didn't expect you to volunteer though. I was looking around at who I can work with, who isn't you, because I know we wouldn't be able to focus since we pretty much don't get alone… but for you to volunteer by yourself…. It's as if… you wanted to be with me, huh?”

“H-Huh?!”

Eh? Was I the only one who thought that she'd call me?! I… she… got me there…….

“W-Well…” she already got me, so what good would it be to make excuses? “... I seriously thought you'd want to work with your servant, so I thought it was inevitable, and so I didn't waste any time and just called in myself.”

“Haha— is that so? It's quite weird to think that you thought I'd want you.” she walked beside me and chuckled cutely.

And as always, whenever she acts like this, she is… undoubtedly cute and beautiful…. It's great if she's gonna be like this all the time.

If she's like this, then I think that the truce is already in effect and she just said what she thought, if so, then… I never expected to do this ever again, but…

“Ryou-kun?” Furushira-san wondered, as I walked closely next to her, but…

◆

“You seriously are cute when you act like that, you know?”

“Wha—?!” I jumped slightly away from him as I exclaimed… and I could feel my face turn beet red

“I thought I said I'd call a truce….”

“You did…”

“Then why the sudden…”

“What? You said your own thoughts, isn't it only fair to say my own?” he smiled at me warmly, nothing else hidden beneath, just a plain yet warm, beautiful smile.

“Ah— and also—!” he walked so closely next to me again.

“Wh-What is it now?!"

◆

She is really unfairly cute when she's embarrassed….

Anyways, I walked next to her again and I noticed something. If she'd be calling a truce throughout the whole week for the Cultural Festival, then this won't surely be a problem, right?

“It's just…” I averted my gaze downwards, which made her look as well.

“What is it?”

“No, it's just that… we're somehow in sync, despite the jumping back and stuff.” which is mostly on her.

“What's that supposed to mean?” she doesn't get it yet, does she…?

“There are 3 things the two of us joined, the Scavenger Hunt, the Relay Race, and a race for both of us, but that leaves one other race that requires something like this…” I once again placed her attention on our walking.

“Ah—” looks like she finally got it, “Eh?! Seriously?! Are you seriously telling me to race together with you?! Who the hell do you think you are?!”

Eh?! This girl… I really don't get how she thinks….

“But… I did say I'd call a truce so… haa— looks like I'm stepping up my game even more after this…”

“!!!” I felt a sudden shiver down my spine from her words.

“Sure, but…”

“But?”

“Why do you want to join it? Why would you want to join it, even if it's with someone you probably hate so much.”

Well, of course she'd ask that question. Although, I have a question myself, but I'd answer hers first. It's pretty impolite to answer a question with a question.

“Well… it's just… it's pretty lame but… it's something that I've always wanted to try when I was young, I just thought that it's fun to do it.”

“Well, that's really lame.” she shot it down really coldly.

“Wha—?! Then, what about you?! It's weird for me to ask this now but, why the Ryou-kun?”

Ryouko-kun, Ryouko, Ryouko-san or even Leo's weird nicknaming, Akiryou is understandable, but a girl calling me with such a cutely made nickname is… surprising?

“Why? Seriously? It's really weird for you to ask this now. But, I guess it's cute?”

Cute, huh… I didn't expect her of all people to say that to me, truce or not.

“Don't think too deeply about it though. I just felt like it'd be easier to order you around if J called you cutely, and also, it'd be a better face since I won't look like coldy ordering you. I'd at least look like I'm cutely asking a favor.”

“Wha—?!”

Why didn't I think of that? She's really smart when it comes to how she does people, huh?

“Well then—” 

“Ah, right.” 

I saw her walk away, specifically into her door. We were talking so much that I didn't even realize we're already in front of her house.

“Oh, and—” just as I was about to leave, with her door half closed already with just her peeking out, she called on to me, “... See you tomorrow~!” she cutely said as she waved her beautiful, delicate hand at me as she closed her door.

That…

Yeah… that was…

Mmm… without a doubt, that was…

Freaking Cute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I didn't expect her to say that due to the kind of bickering relationship we have, but that was just… too much!!!!!

I feel my face heat up so much just from that alone…

◆

I did say I'd call a truce, but this little won't hurt, right?

“See you tomorrow~!” I cutely said to him as I waved my hand, slowly closing the door, leaving his shocked face, and I caught a glimpse of it. Of how he turned so red and embarrassed.

Haha— serves you right for calling me cute earlier!

I did become a little smug as I had closed the door but….

The thoughts overcame me.

He called me cute……?! And the way I said that… and the way he became embarrassed…?! What the hell?! When he did something like this, was this how he felt…?! 

I don't think I'd be able to do that again….