“...And that concludes this semester’s budget report! For our first time, it was pretty well done, if I do say so myself! Good work, everyone!”

“Thanks for your hard work!” The chorus of voices echoed in the student council room as I finished my declaration, heaving a sigh of relief.

As much as I would’ve liked to head home then and there, we weren’t exactly finished yet. “Alright then! Shall we distribute the budget then? I’d like some input from—”

Even before I had begun speaking, the sound of chairs scraping against the hardwood floor had made their way to my ears.

“E-Eh? What’s wrong, everyone?”

Tsutsuji Tsubaki—the student council secretary—glanced at me with a smile as she stood from her seat. “Hm? Nothing’s wrong, Hibana-sama!”

I looked around, confused. I wasn’t sure why she had addressed me so formally, but the fact that everyone was getting ready to go so soon was even more puzzling. “T-Then... why is everyone leaving?”

The other student council members looked at each other, stunned for a second. It seemed like there was some sort of mutual understanding between everyone else in the room, but this was our very first student council meeting. Not only that, but we were all first years!

Even if some of them were already familiar with one another, I shouldn’t be the only one left out!

Before I could voice my concerns, Tsubaki's voice cut into my thoughts.

“Ahhh, that! Sorry, sorry! We should’ve told you, Hibana-sama!”

“...Told me what?” I frowned. I was even more confused now.

“Well, we’d just be in the way, right? I mean, you’re Hibana Yuriko-sama! Of course you’d be able to distribute way more fairly than any of us!”

“Right, right?” That was Hanazone Yukiha, the student council’s vice-president. “I mean, just last week you were named as the world’s greatest piano prodigy! Plus, I heard you’ve been managing the finances for your father’s company even when you were in middle school! That’s amazing!”

“Oh my gosh! Seriously!? I mean, I knew Hibana-sama was Glamagazine’s featured model, but she was helping manage her father’s company!? Totes incredible! Isn’t Hibana Industries, like, one of the country’s top five companies!?” Nakamura Misaki gushed. She was probably the gyaru-est gyaru in the whole school, but in sharp contrast to her looks, she was actually quite the talented academic. I guess that’s how she made it as the student council’s accountant.

Even so, her pep and cheer did little to help my rapidly fading smile.

Ah... So that’s it, huh? My eyes that were once alit now dimmed like an extinguished flame.

It was always like this.

Ever since I was a child, my parents had pressured me to become the “perfect daughter” that could “properly” inherit Hibana Industries. Music, calligraphy, tea ceremony, martial arts. I did it all. At first, I engaged in all those activities out of my free will.

After all, I was a filial child when growing up and all I looked forward to at the end of the day was my parents’ embrace and their warm words of encouragement whenever I performed well during my lessons. It didn’t take long for me to become heralded as a prodigy or a genius.

Those words didn’t mean much to me at the beginning, but as time went on, they became more of a shackle than anything else. It was difficult to make friends, especially when everyone saw me as some sort of divine child who had the inborn talent to master almost anything within weeks. It didn’t help that I was actually intelligent either.

Somehow, even though I had a “fan club” all throughout middle school, no one ever came up to talk to me, viewing me as some sort of “holy existence.”

...Seriously?

That’s why even though I went through middle school completely friendless, I was resolved to make a new start for myself here in highschool!

But of course, life never goes the way you want it to, huh?

“Hibana-sama?”

I looked up, forcing a smile on my face. “Hm, what is it?”

“O-Oh! Nothing, sorry! You must’ve been deep in thought, right? We commoners can’t even comprehend that kind of thing, ahaha...”

If anyone else were being treated like this, it would probably be considered bullying. But there was absolutely no malice contained in their words. They truly believed that I was some sort of superior being.

Once again, I would have to conform to their delusions so that the image of the “perfect” Hibana Yuriko wouldn’t be shattered.

So that I would never disappoint anyone ever again.

I grit my teeth. “There’s no need to apologize. Now then, you were about to be on your way, correct? Please don’t let me keep you any longer.”

The girls bid me farewell shortly after. Once the door closed with a click of finality, I allowed myself to collapse on top of my desk at last.

It was a wide desk that was no doubt finely crafted with quality wood. I could tell just by its polished surface and the hue of the wood. Being able to judge the quality of something at a mere glance was also a skill that I’d been forced to learn.

I allowed myself a few more seconds of moping before picking myself back up. In the end, nothing had changed. I’d still be that same, “perfect” girl that everyone wanted me to be.

I looked at the documents that laid before me. The girls were right. I’d be able to distribute the funds in a fair and concise way on my own easily. But honestly, I just... 

“...Eh?”

Plip. Plip.

Two dark spots slowly grew on the budget form in front of me. I touched a hand to my wet cheeks.

Ah... What the hell am I even doing?

“If only I could start over...” I murmured. It was a useless phrase. After all, time doesn’t move backward.

I knew that best. Steeling my resolve, I brushed the tears away from my face and took to the forms. I’d have to get this sorted out before the end of the hour after all.

Thanks to my accursedly brilliant mind, it barely took me fifteen minutes to finish the work. I looked out the window at the ochre sky and the setting sun. I’d have about forty-five minutes before my chauffeur would come and pick me up for a violin recital that I had scheduled tonight.

I set aside the completed documents for now, placing them in a folder. Now that I had a rare moment of freedom, I found that the room was emptier than I thought. And quieter, too.

“...Yeah. Maybe a nap would be nice...” I murmured to myself before setting my head on the desk. I closed my eyes, and then quickly drifted off to dreamland.

The next time I opened my eyes, everything was white.

“...Huh?” I looked around, but everything was just a blank void of white as far as my eyes could see.

Ah... I must still be dreaming. This sort of dream is nice once in a while, I guess. Though, I’d like something with a little more... fantastical elements, I guess?

“Is that so?”

“U-Uwaah!” I jumped at the sudden voice behind me. I whirled around only to find myself face to face with a goddess. Her beauty was nothing short of divine, and although anyone else probably would’ve felt inferior in the face of such charm, the only thing I felt was relief.

The relief that I wasn’t perfect. 

That at last, I had found someone far more beautiful than me, even if it was only in my dreams.

The woman giggled, amused at my reaction. The sound of her amusement was unusually clear and bright for a dream.

“That would be because you are not dreaming, Hibana Yuriko.”

“Whuh!?” Did this lady just read my mind!? In my own dream!?

“Indeed. And as I said, you are not dreaming.”

“...Well, I find that hard to believe, honestly.”

The woman nodded. “Of course. It is always difficult to come to terms with one’s death. Allow me to show you, then.” She strode toward me and pressed a finger against the center of my forehead.

Immediately, a series of images flashed through my head, the most prominent of them being my corpse laying inside of a rather ornate casket along with my parents and relatives sobbing uncontrollably in front of it.

Normally, anyone else would have just felt sad and regretted having left so soon. Now, don’t get me wrong. I did too. I’m not heartless. It’s just... I was finally free from all those obligations. I no longer had to be the “perfect” daughter.

It was conflicting, to say the least.

“And that’s the gist of it!” The goddess in front of me said.

“...I see. So, you must be God, then.”

She nodded. “Indeed. However, someone as talented and intelligent as you dying so early certainly wasn’t planned for. That’s why I’m offering you a second chance at life! You’ll be reborn into a different world, and I’ll grant you any wish before I send you off!”

“I see. Before that, can you tell me how I died, though?”

“Of course! It seems you died from... acute heart failure? Oh my... That’s certainly unusual.”

Maybe to you. I thought, momentarily forgetting that the goddess could just read my mind. It was probably just my wish to get away from it all finally manifesting.

“In that case, I already know what I want to wish for.”

“Oh! Please do tell! What’ll it be? WIll you want an easy mode cheat power like leveling up by walking? Oh! Maybe you want one of those ‘systems’ that’s become oh-so-popular nowadays! Or... Hm... Maybe you’d like... Me~♥?”

Of course, I was going to wish for none of that. Not when, I’d be able to get away from the thing that cursed me for so long at last. My talent. My intelligence. I...

“I wanna be stupid!”

The goddess balked. “Sorry, what?”

“You heard me.”

“...N-No, I don’t think I did, ahaha! At least, not correctly!”

I cleared my throat. “Ahem. Then, let me be more clear this time around.”

The goddess nodded twice in rapid succession, leaning forward as she paid close attention to my next words that would no doubt disappoint her.

“I, Hibana Yuriko, wanna be stuuuuuuuuuuuuupid!”

HungrySheep

It's been a while, hasn't it? I'm still working on my next novel, but I hope you enjoyed this April Fools' release! It's intended to be a two-shot, but if people like it, I might write more!