Chapter 4: Festival of Malice

So, summer break’s done, and the second semester’s kicked off.

Hello, Reiko Netora here.

—Truth is, regular school life doesn’t give me much to talk about.

Yuu-kun and the others have settled into middle school life after the first semester and summer break. Classmate relationships have stabilized, so nothing major happens in day-to-day life. That’s just how it is.

Of course, I’m still fine-tuning Yuu-kun and the others’ affection meters.

For Yuu-kun, I’m pushing a pure, heart-pounding, almost-couple rom-com vibe. For Fuyuki-kun and Yuri-chan, I’m stirring up some spicy ecchi-comedy events to sharpen the NTR chart. I also snack on side projects, like cozying up to our classmate Yamada-kun to play mobile games or sharing tasty treats, pulling an otaku-friendly gal move to mess with his emotions.

But stuff like that’s just a fluffy, four-panel manga slice of my daily life—nothing special. So, early second semester’s been a peaceful, uneventful school life for me.

Now, with all this free time on my hands, there’s one thing to do.

—Yup, scouting rival candidates.

I’ve already locked in the best friend and yuri slots, so next up… the delinquent slot.

NTR experts will know this, but the delinquent slot is insanely hard to manage.

Their outlaw vibe means they can cause trouble unrelated to NTR, derailing the chart entirely. Anyone with half a brain can see that coming.

Rivals already take a ridiculous amount of effort to cultivate. Adding a delinquent who might get caught shoplifting or worse? That’s a headache waiting to happen.

…Still, I’ve got some prototypes in the works.

I’m not reckless enough to go full-on with a delinquent yet—not until high school.

Getting coerced into stripping down while trembling in fear? I can handle that as a test case—I’ve even tried it out—but for the real deal, it’s a hard no.

“—Hah?”

I grab the back of the head of a prototype trying to get under my clothes and slam him into the wall of an abandoned building.

He passes out instantly, crumpling to the ground. A perfect NTR queen controls the situation with just the right amount of force. As if a mere creation could outdo its creator!

I leave a note in his line of sight for when he wakes up, filled with incriminating info and a polite “Forget everything if you value your life.”

He might not comply, but if he doesn’t, I’ll just train him harder. Bit of a hassle, but not a total disaster.

I picked easy-to-neuter material for these prototypes, after all. A perfect NTR queen never slacks on aftercare.

And with that, the rowdy prototypes are dealt with.

Getting roughed up was a thrill I can’t get from Fuyuki-kun or Yuri-chan, but these guys are just test models—snacks before the main course. I can’t gorge myself silly.

What a pity. I slump, feeling a bit down.

While I’m enjoying my cute, fluffy daily life, a classic school event’s finally creeping up.

Yup, the cultural festival.

＊

“—Cultural festival?”

“Yeah! It’s coming up at school. So excited!”

My cousin, bouncing like a kid, is on my phone screen—Chihiro Sanzaka, video-calling me.

Rei insisted on seeing my face sometimes, so I’m stuck using the video call function I barely touch, catching up with her a few times a month.

Honestly, getting to talk face-to-face with a girl I secretly like is pretty damn nice… but, man, she’s way too carefree.

“So, I really wanted to do a café, but first-years aren’t allowed to do food-related stuff—”

Fresh out of the bath, she’s in a thin T-shirt and shorts that show way too much leg. It’s absolute poison for a virgin like me.

Even if I’m her cousin, I’m just a year younger—how is she this unguarded around a guy?

She’s not like this with dudes at school, is she? As someone nursing a long-distance crush, I’m freaking out.

I can’t help but imagine her getting sweet-talked by some sleazy, no-good playboy.

“Chii-chan, meet my boyfriend, Ma-kun!”

“Yo, I’m Rei’s man.”

Picturing her wrapped around some flashy jerk makes me want to scream something incomprehensible like “OAAAH!”

“—Hey! Are you even listening, Chii-chan?”

“Huh? Yeah, yeah, I’m listening.”

She leans in, pouting through the screen, catching my distracted vibe.

Her loose shirt shifts, and my eyes are sucked toward the glimpse of skin at her neckline. Since it’s just a phone camera, she can’t tell where I’m looking, so I shamelessly stare.

“Pathetic,” you say? Only someone who’s never had a dirty thought about a hot cousin gets to judge.

Try being me, with my emotions wrecked by a girl straight out of an ero-manga.

…Okay, I’ll admit it’s kind of a perk, but I’m terrified I’m being conditioned to only get excited by pure older sister types.

“Ugh, if you lived closer, Chii-chan, we could’ve gone to the festival together…”

ARGH! You—you! That’s exactly the problem!

Even knowing she’s teasing, my heart skips a beat.

Is she trying to toy with my fetishes, adding teasing older sister to the list?

After rolling around in my head eighteen times, I keep my face neutral and shoot her an exasperated look.

“Taking a bullet train just to babysit you? What kinda punishment game is that?”

“That’s harsh! I’m your older sister! I’m the senior here!”

I’m having a blast bantering with Rei, but good times fly by too fast. Every video call with her drives that home.

“Oh, crap, it’s already this late. Time to hit the hay.”

“You sleep so early. It’s only nine!”

“Sleep deprivation’s the enemy of good skin. I’m a lady, you know.”

“Whatever. Catch ya later, then.”

She laughs like a fancy ohoho, and I give a wry smile, moving to end the call.

“…Wish you lived closer, Chii-chan.”

“———!”

Her quiet, lonely voice crackles through the speaker.

That’s what I’m thinking more than anyone.

If I could be closer to Rei—if I had the means to see her whenever, even from far away—how great would that be?

I hate being a kid who can’t even afford a bullet train ticket.

I want to grow up fast.

I want to be someone Rei sees as a man, not a kid.

She must’ve caught my gritted-teeth expression, because she flashes a forced, cheery smile.

“…Just kidding. Sorry, Chii-chan, didn’t mean to weird you out. Can’t be a good big sister if I’m stressing out my cute little cousin, right?”

“…! I-I’m not—”

—I want to at least hold on to my pride. To catch up to her, even a little.

“I’ve never thought of you as my big sister!”

“Wha!? Why’re you suddenly dissing me!?”

“You always treat me like a kid! I’ll outgrow you in height, in everything! Just you wait!”

“Chii-chan!?”

Ignoring Rei’s flustered reaction, I abruptly ended the call.

“…Ugh, shit. My face is burning… No way I’m sleeping like this…”

Trying to hide my flushed cheeks, I buried my face in the pillow. Got an early start tomorrow, but I’m already stressing about whether I’ll even get any sleep…

That night, I had some bizarre nightmare about being devoured by a female praying mantis. For some reason, the background music sounded like Rei’s laughter, but like most dreams, the details slipped away within minutes of waking up.

＊

“—And so, our Class 1-B’s contribution to the cultural festival will be a haunted house!”

The class rep’s announcement sent a buzz of excitement through the room. Meanwhile, I—Fuyuki Kurushima—leaned over to Yuuki, sitting behind me.

“A haunted house for the cultural festival? Talk about cliché,” I said, smirking.

“Cliché means it’s a crowd-pleaser, right? Sounds fun to me,” Yuuki replied, his tone light but earnest.

“Yeah, guess so. By the way, doesn’t the lit club do anything for the festival?”

“Uh… well, our advisor’s a bit of a slacker—er, more like a hands-off guru type. We just display the poems and stories we submit monthly in the clubroom. That’s about it.”

Yuuki gave a wry smile, but before I could respond, Rei swooped in from behind, dragging Shirase-san along to join our chat.

“Well, that just means you can focus on the class project, right? What about you, Fuyuki-kun? The soccer team got anything planned?” Rei asked, her voice dripping with playful charm.

“Nah, we’re sitting this one out. Think the dance club’s the only sports team doing something.”

“So, Fuyuki-kun’s free to go all-in on the class project, huh? Counting on you, Mr. Jock~!” Rei teased, giving my shoulder a playful rub.

Her sweet scent wafted over, and I tried to play it cool with a casual “Yeah, yeah,” even as my heart did a little flip. But then I caught Yuuki glaring at Rei, his expression sour.

“Rei-chan? I’m, y’know, kinda reliable these days too, or so I’d like to think…” Yuuki muttered, a hint of insecurity creeping into his shy tone.

“Haha, ’course I’m counting on you too, Yuu-kun! You and Yuri-chan are my cheer squad, right?” Rei shot back, her grin wicked yet affectionate.

“C’mon, you’re helping too,” I grumbled.

And just like that, our cultural festival prep kicked off.

“Alright, Kurushima and crew, you’re on shopping duty. Here’s the list.”

“Got it.”

After school, the shopping team—me, Yuuki, Rei, and Shirase-san, the usual quartet—hit up the mall near school.

“If we dawdle too long, it’ll suck for everyone else. Wanna split up and get this done quick?” Rei suggested, her tone practical but with that scheming edge.

I nodded, pulling out the floor map. “Sounds good. Me and Yuuki, you and Shirase-san—”

“Whoa, whoa, boys sticking together? Lame. We’ve got a ton of stuff to carry, so let’s do guy-girl pairs. Here, I made a lottery. Draw a stick, boys~,” Rei interrupted, holding out some makeshift straws.

“…You totally planned this, didn’t you?” I said, eyeing her suspiciously.

“When you get a chance to make prep fun, you take it♪ Same mark, same pair, got it?” she chirped, her grin practically sparkling with mischief.

Rei’s usually pretty composed, the model student type, but around me and Yuuki, she turns into a total kid. Knowing she’s that comfortable with us warms my chest as I draw a stick from her hand.

“Alright, me and Shirase-san will hit the west wing. Fuyuki-kun and Rei-chan, you take the east wing,” Yuuki said, his voice steady but with a faint edge of reluctance.

“Cool, meet up at the entrance plaza when we’re done,” I replied.

“See ya later, Yuri-chan~!” Rei called, waving.

The lottery paired me with Rei, and Yuuki with Shirase-san. It was random, sure, but getting some alone time with Rei stirred a tiny, guilty thrill of superiority over Yuuki. I shoved it down, hating myself for even thinking it.

“Let’s get moving, then?” I said, shaking off the dark thoughts.

“Yep! Oh, lemme see the shopping list too,” Rei replied, her voice bright.

As Yuuki and Shirase-san headed toward the west wing, we started walking the opposite way.

“So, Yuu-kun’s crew is hitting the hardware store… Guess we start at the dollar shop? Let’s go, Fuyuki-kun!” Rei said, scanning the list.

“—!?”

Suddenly, Rei looped her arm through mine, guiding me forward. The soft press of her elbow against me made my jaw clench. This girl’s sense of personal space is so damn broken. It’s not like I’m not thrilled, but the embarrassment wins out. Carefully, I shook her off.

“…We’re here to shop, not lock arms,” I muttered, trying not to sound too harsh.

“Huh? We’re empty-handed right now… Wait, are you blushing?” Rei teased, her grin turning downright evil.

That smug look pissed me off just enough to fire back. “What about you? Not embarrassed pressing up against a guy who saw your chest at the pool, huh?”

“…”

Rei’s face went apple-red in seconds. I was kinda screwing myself here too, but if I’m going down, I’m taking her with me. Time she reflected on that busted sense of distance.

“I-I’m not pressing up against you! God, Fuyuki-kun, you’ve got zero tact saying stuff like that!” she squeaked, flustered.

“My bad, just a crude jock, y’know. By the way, your chest’s looking bigger lately, huh? Might even catch up to Shirase-san soon,” I shot back, doubling down.

“You’re the worst, Fuyuki-kun! I-I don’t care, but you keep talking like that, and any girl you like is gonna hate you!” Rei snapped, her shoulders stiff with indignation as she stomped off.

Still, true to her good nature, she didn’t ditch me entirely—she kept glancing back to make sure I was following. I couldn’t help but smirk bitterly.

“…‘I don’t care,’ huh…” I muttered, chewing over her words.

“…Whatever. I don’t give a damn what any girl but Rei thinks of me.”

With a heavy sigh, I picked up my pace, brainstorming ways to smooth things over with my favorite person.

“Huff… puff… God, I’m beat…”

“R-Rei-chan… you okay…?”

“Y-Yuri-chan, you’re one to talk… Ugh, I totally underestimated how heavy this fabric would be…”

Back from the mall, Rei and Shirase-san were sprawled out in a corner of the classroom, looking half-dead. I chuckled, fanning them with a piece of cardboard.

“Ahhh, that feels so good…” Rei sighed.

“R-Rei-chan… maybe keep it down a bit…” Shirase-san mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Whoops, my bad… Thanks, Fuyuki-kun. It’s October, but it’s still so damn hot, huh?” Rei said, her tone back to its usual playful lilt.

“Yeah. Don’t overdo it, alright?” I replied.

I averted my eyes as Rei fanned her shirt, flashing a bit of cleavage. Just then, Yuuki returned from the vending machine with drinks for the four of us (some kind of reward for the shopping crew, apparently).

“Here, Rei-chan. Shirase-san, Fuyuki-kun, yours too,” Yuuki said, handing them out.

“Thanks, man,” I said.

“T-Thank you, Tachibana-kun,” Shirase-san added softly.

“Thanks, Yuu-kun! …Phew, finally calming down,” Rei said, taking a sip of her unsweetened tea, her face looking less like a tomato.

I chugged my soda, glancing at the shopping list. Fabric. Paint. Lumber. Cardboard. Miscellaneous junk… Yeah, way too much for just four people. Sure, there were other shopping teams, but still, this was a lot. Guess that’s just part of the cultural festival chaos, I thought, feeling briefly mature.

“Like Shirase-san said, borrowing that cart was a smart move. You and Rei should’ve let me and Yuuki handle the heavy stuff, though,” I said.

“Don’t be a buzzkill. Sharing the struggle’s half the fun of the festival, right?” Rei shot back, her grin defiant.

“That so?” I replied, raising an eyebrow.

Rei downed her tea in one go, then sprang to her feet, full of energy. “Alright, I’m back in action! Yo, anyone need help with something?”

“Hey, Netora-san, can you help Yamada over there break down some cardboard into flat sheets?” the class rep called.

“Got it! Yo, Yamada-kuuun!” Rei hollered, her energy cranked up about 20% higher than usual.

I watched her latch onto Yamada with a fond smirk. Rei’s always been a sucker for events like this. Loves planning and participating. Back in elementary school, she’d drag me and Yuuki into all sorts of stuff. Even now, it’s always been the three of us together, no matter what. Well, four now, with Shirase-san.

It’s like Rei’s always prioritized our friendship over anything else, even her own feelings. Maybe even over any chance of being alone with Yuuki. And every time I see that, I can’t help but face my own ugliness—how I’d rather put my feelings for Rei above our friendship.

Still, I can’t let her go.

If it comes down to it, I’d steal her from Yuuki—

“Fuyuki-kun?”

“—Huh? Oh, sorry, zoned out. What’s up?” I said, snapping back to reality.

Yuuki’s voice pulled me out of that dark spiral. “Me and Shirase-san were just saying we should pitch in too. You in?”

“Yeah, sure thing. You good, Shirase-san?”

“Y-Yes. I’m feeling better after some water, so don’t worry,” she replied, her voice soft but steadier.

“Alright then. Yo, class rep, toss us some work!” I called.

Yuuki’s my friend. My best friend, even. But is that only because of Rei? Am I only sticking around him because of her? Because of this shitty, selfish desire to have her?

No. I want to believe that’s not true.

So I plaster on a smile, hiding the ugly mess inside, praying Rei and Yuuki never see the real, filthy me.

＊

—Bet that’s what he’s thinking, huh~.

While slicing through cardboard shoulder-to-shoulder with Yamada-kun, I—Reiko Netora—am savoring Fuyuki-kun’s inner turmoil, torn between friendship and his little crush. Thanks to my NTR-honed instincts, I can feast on the negative emotions of these side guys without lifting a finger. Mmm, delicious, delicious~!

“Netora-san, something up?” Yamada-kun asks, giving me a puzzled look.

Okay, yeah, I’m a little unhinged, but rude much, Yamada-kun? I rein in my near-Nichaa grin, realizing I was about to go full face-villain. Gotta chill—things have been going too smoothly lately, and it’s making me sloppy. Can’t blow my cover when my glorious NTR route is still three years out. That’d be a disgrace to my title as an NTR chart-runner!

“…Huh? Was I acting weird?” I say, cocking my head and flashing my best innocent look to bulldoze through with raw charm.

“Uh… n-no, must’ve been my imagination. Forget it,” Yamada-kun stammers, instantly backpedaling.

“Whaaat? Now I’m curious! Spill, what’s up?” I press, leaning in just a tad.

“N-Netora-san! I’m holding a box cutter, so don’t get too close…!” he yelps, flustered.

One clingy moment with the class cutie, and Yamada-kun’s suspicions melt away. Too easy. High specs mean brute-forcing with charm beats overthinking any day. Those tryhard schemers who obsess over perfect plans? They’re the ones who trip up and crash. You’ve seen that trope in manga a million times, right?

I’m no third-rate predator licking my chops over easy prey. I play the long game, picking up every winnable battle. Tremble and weep…! But yeah, festival prep’s important, but I’ve gotta plan my moves for the big day too. So much to do~.

I glance at Yuu-kun and Fuyuki-kun, happily painting away together at the other end of the classroom. Staring at my prime prey, I lick my lips with a be~rori*.

＊

“—There we go. Class rep, that all the plywood?” I called.

“Thanks, Kurushima! We’re still setting up, so just stack ’em in the corner for now,” the rep replied.

“Got it.”

I hauled the plywood for the haunted house’s walls to the classroom’s corner, wiping the sweat off my brow. It’s October, but lugging heavy stuff still makes you sweat. I fanned myself with my hand as Yuuki approached, carrying a cardboard box.

“Fuyuki-kun, you know where these tools came from?” he asked.

“Hm? …Nah, don’t recognize ’em. Ask the rep—”

“Boo~!”

““Gah!?””

From behind a cardboard box that blocked our view, a girl in a cheap white robe and a classic triangular headscarf—the ultimate cliché ghost getup—slid right between us. It was Rei, dressed as a yurei.

“Scared ya?” she teased, her voice dripping with playful menace.

“R-Rei-chan… don’t spook people carrying stuff…” Yuuki mumbled, his tone soft and flustered.

“Damn, that long hair makes you look the part,” I said, grinning.

The tacky robe (probably from a discount shop—1,000 yen, tops) somehow worked on Rei, her sharp features giving it a creepy edge. Though, judging by her pout, she wasn’t thrilled with the compliment.

“Hmph, being told I make a good ghost is kinda mixed. Oh, Yuu-kun, that box is from the science room,” she added, switching gears.

“Oh, got it. Thanks, Rei-chan. I’ll take it back real quick,” Yuuki said, giving her a shy nod.

“Careful~!” Rei called after him.

As Yuuki shuffled off with the box, Rei spun toward me, her ghost getup swishing dramatically.

“Good work, Fuyuki-kun. But the class rep says you’re working too hard and should take a breather,” she said, her tone teasing yet warm.

“Huh, that so? Compared to soccer practice, I’ve got energy to burn… but fine, I’ll take a break,” I replied, stretching lightly.

Rei raised her hand like a kid in class, her movements exaggerated. “Yo, yo! Good news for ya, Fuyuki-kun. The food stalls are handing out samples in the home ec room. Wanna check it out?”

“No wonder the hallway smells like sugar. Wait, shouldn’t you be working instead of slacking off?” I shot back, smirking.

“It’s not slacking! I’ve been busting my ass, thank you very much. Plus, they told me to wander around in this getup to hype up the haunted house,” Rei huffed, pushing me toward the home ec room with surprising force.

I chuckled, letting her slender arms nudge me along. “What about Shirase-san? You usually drag her to stuff like this.”

“Oh, yeah… Yuri-chan’s also playing a ghost, right? I tried getting her to parade around with me in these robes for promo, but she was like, ‘Cosplay wandering? Too embarrassing!’” Rei said, mimicking Yuri’s shy tone.

“Yeah, that tracks. Not exactly her vibe,” I said, nodding.

“Right? She’s such a beauty, though—she should own it more. Yuu-kun seemed busy too, so, sorry to them, but it’s snack time for just us two!” Rei declared, her grin wicked.

And just like that, it hit me.

Right now, it’s just me and Rei.

The thought sparked a pang of guilt toward Yuuki, but before I could stop myself, words tumbled out, a step toward her. “…Hey, Rei.”

“Hm? What’s up, Fuyuki-kun?” she asked, tilting her head.

“…So, uh, the festival. Wanna go around together?” My voice came out shakier than I wanted.

Rei blinked, looking genuinely surprised. “Y’know, since our shifts don’t line up with Yuuki and Shirase-san’s, we won’t always be with the usual crew. Could be fun to check stuff out, just the two of us, right?” I added quickly, throwing up every excuse I could think of.

God, I’m pathetic. If I could just say, I wanna be with you, Rei, things would be so much easier.

“…Or, uh, you already got plans with someone else or…?” I trailed off, wincing.

“Huh? I mean, I didn’t say anything, but I was already planning to hang with you, Fuyuki-kun…” Rei said, her tone casual but her eyes flickering.

“—Wha?” A dumb grunt escaped me.

Rei fidgeted with her long black hair, looking a bit flustered. “Uh… yeah, sorry, Fuyuki-kun. I just assumed we’d hang out, y’know? You’re my best friend, so I figured we’d do stuff together without me needing to say it… Guess I got it wrong, huh? Maybe I’m not as close to you as I thought…” Her voice took on a thin, self-deprecating edge, her smile fragile.

Panicking, I scrambled to fix it. “N-No! That’s not… I didn’t mean it like—”

“—Kidding!” Rei chirped, her face lighting up with a mischievous grin. “Was that a little too mean?”

“Goddamn it, Rei!” I groaned, my face heating up from relief and annoyance.

She was always good at playing people, but damn, that was cruel. I shot her a glare, but she just giggled, unfazed.

“Sorry, sorry! But I was planning to check out the festival with you. For real. …And, okay, I wasn’t totally lying about being a little hurt,” she added, her voice softening.

“I… uh…” I fumbled, at a loss.

“Nah, my bad. That came out mean too. Ugh, I’m the worst, leaning on you just ’cause you’re so nice. I keep assuming you’ll always be there without me saying anything…” Rei’s smile turned bittersweet, her eyes dropping.

My chest tightened. No, Rei. It’s not you who wants to be side by side. It’s me. I wanted to say it, to show it. Acting on impulse, I reached out to pull her slender frame into a hug.

But before my hands could touch her, she slipped away like a real ghost, her body gliding out of reach.

“Nope, nope! No mopey faces right before the festival! Time to eat some sweets and get pumped!” she declared, her tone bright again.

Before I knew it, we’d reached the home ec room. Rei skipped over to a student handing out samples, grabbing two paper cups and bouncing back to me.

“Here’s yours, Fuyuki-kun. Might be hot, so careful, okay?” she said, handing me a cup with a few ping-pong-ball-sized baby castellas.

I popped one into my mouth, the cheap sweetness masking the bitter churn in my chest. A wry smile crept onto my face.

“Mmm, delicious!” Rei chirped beside me, her voice bright.

“Tasty, huh, Fuyuki-kun?”

“…Haha, yeah,” I managed, forcing a grin.

Her cheerful gaze locked onto mine. Am I pulling this off? Smiling right? Her earlier wistful expression flashed through my mind. I didn’t want to worry her. I’m her best friend, someone she can rely on… For now, that’s enough. To keep this comfortable, precious bond we have…

Whether she knew my thoughts or not, Rei’s smile deepened. “Yup, really, really… really delicious, Fuyuki-kun.”

She stared right at me, commenting on the castella. If she’s that thrilled, the kid who made ’em must be over the moon.

“If they’re that good, tell the guy who made ’em. Bet he’d love to hear it,” I said, chuckling.

“Yeah, good idea. Gotta thank the guy who treated me—Fuyuki-kun, right?” she replied, her grin impish.

“…? Oh, yeah,” I said, nodding.

Her words felt off somehow, but her cute, bubbly laughter brushed away the nagging feeling. We finished the castellas, thanked the kid handing them out, and dove back into festival prep.

＊

—Cultural Festival Day.

Class 1-B’s Haunted House.

“—AAAAAHHH!”

““Eek!?””

A long-haired woman in a well emerged with a chilling shriek, sending a couple screaming and scrambling away. Watching them flee, I—Reiko Netora, dressed as a ghostly yurei—smirked faintly.

“Hm, who’d have thought my past-life gig scaring couples at an amusement park haunted house for NTR purposes would come in handy here?” I mused, reflecting on my trashy past with a wry “All things work out in the end, huh?”As I savored the irony, Yuri-chan, my ghost-shift replacement, called out from behind. “Rei-chan, good work. My turn now.”

“Thanks, Yuri-chan! It’s all yours,” I replied, giving her a grin.

I slipped into the staff backstage area, swapping my white robe for a pleated skirt and class T-shirt—the perfect festival look. Spotting Fuyuki-kun pacing nervously in the hallway, I called out, “Fuyuki-kun, kept ya waiting!”

“Nah, I just finished backstage stuff myself. Haven’t been here long,” he said, his voice gruff but his eyes betraying a nervous excitement.

A boy alone with his crush at a festival? Talk about a teen dream scenario. Fuyuki-kun was clearly trying to play it cool, but his heart was practically doing cartwheels. Mmm, delicious.

I grabbed his hand, pulling him into the bustling hallway. “Let’s hit up everything, Fuyuki-kun!”

“Y-Yeah,” he stammered, caught off guard.

His hand felt smooth and warm, and my unguarded, beaming smile seemed to short-circuit his brain. Poor guy wasn’t mature enough to handle it with a suave comeback, and he looked like he was kicking himself for his gruff reply. But I just kept smiling, unfazed, knowing it only made his heart race more. He was like a giddy boy on his first date—so adorably naive.

Shame the girl next to him was a certified trash human (Phantom Beast Fruit, Model: Scum), far removed from anything pure or innocent. Telling him that now would be way too cruel, though. Sometimes ignorance is bliss.

＊

“Oh, the baby castellas we tried! They were so good—let’s grab some!”

“Your takoyaki looks tasty, Fuyuki-kun. Gimme a bite… Oh, oops, my hands are full. Feed me?”

“It’s nice out, but walking around’s kinda hot, huh? Here, I got takoyaki from you, so have some of my drink (half-drunk, by the way).”

Getting bombarded with rom-com clichés straight out of a manga, I—Fuyuki Kurushima—felt like every pore in my body was oozing sugar. And maybe triggering an arrhythmia.

“Ugh, ate too much…” Rei groaned, rubbing her stomach contentedly, oblivious to my stamina gauge flashing red.

“Food’s great, but there’s other stuff to check out. Wanna look around?” I suggested, trying to regain some composure.

“Yeah, good call. Anything fun around here?” Rei asked, her eyes sparkling.

“Hm… how ’bout that one?” I said, steering her toward a booth I’d scoped out for my date plan.

“Whoa, they’re taking cosplay photos?” Rei said, intrigued.

“Yup, drama club and photography club collab. They’ve got all sorts of backgrounds ready,” I explained.

“Sounds awesome! Let’s do it, Fuyuki-kun!” Rei said, practically bouncing.

Score. I mentally fist-pumped as we headed to the photo booth.

“Pick your background and costumes!” the attendant called.

We browsed the costume rack, and the drama club’s gear was surprisingly decent quality.

“Ooh, this looks fun!” Rei said, grabbing a black cape and a simple dress—a vampire-themed set, according to the label.

“Not bad, huh?” I said, nodding.

“Yup! And you’re wearing this, Fuyuki-kun,” she declared, shoving a matching male vampire set—black tuxedo and cape—into my hands.

“…What about my say in this?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“We’re doing a two-shot, so we gotta match the vibe! C’mon, change already!” she insisted, pushing me toward the changing area.

“Alright, alright, quit shoving,” I grumbled.

After changing in the booth, we posed in front of an old-castle backdrop.

“…This dress and tuxedo combo…” I muttered, trailing off.

“Hm? What’s up, Fuyuki-kun?” Rei asked, tilting her head.

It’s like a wedding, I thought, but no way I was saying that out loud. I clammed up, and Rei clapped her hands like she’d had a revelation.

“Hey, let’s do something vampy for the shot!”

“Vampy? Like what? Any props around…?” I said, coming up blank.

Rei tilted her head, baring her pale neck to me. “Fuyuki-kun, how ’bout you pretend to bite me here, like grah?”

“…What!?” I yelped, my voice cracking like an idiot.

“What’s with that reaction? …W-Wait, you don’t think it’s gross, do you? I-I haven’t even sweated that much today!” Rei stammered, her face flushing.

“Goddamn it, Rei, you’re unreal…!”

Rei’s outrageous suggestion made my head throb, and I pressed my hand to my forehead to keep the headache at bay. The faint, sweet scent of her pale neck… I had to fight every urge to let my lips graze it, forcing my brain into overdrive to shut down her wild idea with every ounce of willpower I had.

＊

Wait, what even is blood manipulation?

I—Reiko Netora—suddenly found myself questioning the weird-ass ability I’ve got, way late in the game. Like, seriously late. I just kinda started using it instinctively, y’know? Mostly for rom-com shenanigans, like redirecting blood flow to my face for a perfect blush during lucky pervert moments. But, like, what is this power?

If I pump blood to my muscles, I can boost my physical strength. Tested it once—crushed an apple one-handed like it was nothing, basically going full gorilla mode. Think of it like one of those battle manga buffs with a time limit. I even used it to take down some delinquent side-guy prototypes—y’know, those bad-boy wannabes—without breaking a sweat.

Is this, like, my isekai cheat skill? ’Cause if so, I don’t want it! If I’d been reborn into a battle manga, sure, but I’m here for rom-com NTR! This ability is useless for that. I’d trade it in a heartbeat for something like a dating sim bestie’s eyeballs that let you see affection meters. Whoever picked this as my reincarnation bonus must be one twisted god. Unforgivable. I’m pissed at the unfairness of it all!

Oh, but—channeling blood to my eyes does supercharge my vision, which is kinda dope. Mostly for stalking Yuu-kun, though. When I go all out, I can see through people’s skeletons and muscle movements. Downside? My veins go biki-biki around my eyes, making me look like a total creep. Not that I use full-power vision much anyway.

Guess it’s not completely useless, so I’ll let the god off the hook. This time. Be grateful.

“Yuri-chan, wanna hit the nurse’s office?” I said.

“—H-Huh?” Yuri-chan squeaked.

So, Yuu-kun and Yuri-chan’s haunted house shifts were done, and our usual quartet was wandering the festival. I dialed up my vision enhancement—just enough to avoid the biki-biki vein look—and scoped out Yuri-chan. She’s trying to hide it, but my eyes don’t miss a thing. Her face is a tad pale, and she’s clearly more wiped out than usual. She’s putting on a brave front, but just walking’s gotta be rough.

It’s not that day, so she’s probably just overwhelmed by the crowd. Yuri-chan’s got that introvert vibe, so it makes sense. Naturally, I—Reiko Netora, the quintessential NTR queen—have her cycle down pat. No one’s praising me, so I’ll pat my own back. Good job, me.

“N-No, I mean, I’m…” Yuri-chan stammered, trailing off.

“Sorry for not noticing sooner, Yuri-chan. But I don’t want you pushing yourself,” I said gently.

“…Okay,” she mumbled, giving up fast once she realized she couldn’t fool me.

What a good, honest girl. Gotta break her brain ASAP ♣.

“Uh, Rei-chan? Is Shirase-san okay?” Yuu-kun asked, his worried eyes flicking to me as I nearly drooled at the thought.

I sucked back the slurp and flashed him a slightly troubled smile. “Just a bit tired, I think. I’m gonna take her to the nurse’s office. You and Fuyuki-kun—”

“…Rei-chan, is Shirase-san’s thing, uh, something guys can tag along for?” Yuu-kun whispered, leaning in.

He’s probably worried about making Yuri-chan uncomfortable if he comes along. Kinda tactless to ask me, but that clumsy sweetness is so endearing I can’t help but forgive him. God, Yuu-kun’s so cute (Nichaa).

I gave him a reassuring nod. “Yup, it’s fine.”

“Alright, then me and Fuyuki-kun will grab some drinks. You two head to the nurse’s office,” Yuu-kun said.

“N-No, that’s okay! You guys don’t have to miss the festival…” Yuri-chan protested weakly.

“Green tea for you, right, Shirase? Rei’s an unsweetened tea girl. Catch ya later,” Fuyuki-kun cut in, waving dismissively as he and Yuu-kun walked off. Gotta love a pushy guy in times like this.

“Let’s go, Yuri-chan. Take it slow, no need to push,” I said softly.

“Ugh… sorry, Rei-chan,” she mumbled.

Supporting Yuri-chan, we made it to the nurse’s office. After getting some anti-nausea meds from the teacher, I helped her onto an empty bed.

“…Thanks, Rei-chan. I’m feeling a bit better,” she said quietly.

“Phew, good! But, Yuri-chan, you gotta speak up when you’re not feeling great, okay?” I scolded gently.

“S-Sorry… It’s the festival, and I didn’t want to be a bother…” she said, looking crestfallen.

“Yuri-chan,” I said, pulling her head to my chest in a comforting hug.

“R-Rei-chan?” she squeaked, startled.

“The festival’s fun, right? But it’s not about the event itself—it’s fun because you and everyone else are enjoying it,” I said warmly.

“…”

I gently patted her back, like soothing a child. “Clubs, exams, the pool, summer festival, this cultural festival… I don’t just wanna have fun. I want to spend as much time as possible with you—with everyone. The events? They’re just an excuse.”

“Rei-chan…” Yuri-chan whispered, her voice trembling.

“So right now, taking care of you comes before the festival. And—” I glanced back, right as Yuu-kun and Fuyuki-kun appeared, holding bottles, perfectly timed.

“No one here thinks looking after Yuri-chan is a ‘bother,’” I said with a grin.

“Yeah, Shirase, we’ve known you long enough. Trust us a little, yeah?” Fuyuki-kun added, handing over a bottle.

I shot him a sly smirk. “Says the guy eavesdropping on girl talk, waiting for the perfect moment to swoop in with his buddy.”

“Don’t make it sound creepy. We just didn’t wanna barge in on your serious convo,” Fuyuki-kun shot back, rolling his eyes.

Oh, I know. I was counting on you two overhearing my friendship speech. Thanks to my yuri move pressing Yuri-chan’s face into my chest, she didn’t even notice the guys. My plan worked like a charm.

With how much I’m obsessed with keeping this friend group tight, who’s gonna mess it up by confessing their feelings too soon? No one, right? So yeah, I might’ve been racking up too much affection with Fuyuki-kun lately, so I figured I’d put a little pin in that. Managing side-guy flags is an NTR queen’s duty, after all.

As for Yuri-chan’s recovery… looks like an hour of rest should do it. Schedule-wise, this festival’s wrapping up soon anyway.

＊

“Whoa, it’s blazing!” Rei-chan said, eyes sparkling as she gazed at the campfire roaring in the center of the darkening schoolyard.

I—Tachibana Yuuki—stood beside her, watching the flames flicker. “They say schools that do campfires these days are pretty rare,” I said quietly.

“Yeah, safety concerns and all that. But c’mon, a campfire’s the ultimate after-party vibe,” Rei-chan replied, her voice bright but tinged with a sigh. “Ugh, wish Fuyuki-kun and Yuri-chan were here…”

Right—Fuyuki-kun and Shirase-san weren’t with us. Shirase-san had recovered but was still too tired for the after-party, so she danced a bit with Rei-chan during the folk dance and left early. Fuyuki-kun got roped into setting up the campfire as part of his sports club duties, then got dragged off to some jock after-party.

“Can’t be helped. Everyone’s got their own stuff going on,” I said, trying to sound reassuring.

“I know, but still!” Rei-chan huffed, then grabbed my hand. “Alright, Yuu-kun, we’re dancing again!”

“You’re relentless, Rei-chan,” I said, chuckling.

“I memorized these steps to dance my heart out with everyone! You’re covering for three people tonight, so brace yourself!” she declared, pulling me into the folk dance circle.

I gave a wry smile, my heart practically bursting with joy as I took her hand. The familiar music started, and we stepped in time, simple moves syncing with the beat. Rei-chan spun, her glossy black hair flaring, her eyes locking onto mine.

“…Yuu-kun,” she said softly.

“Yeah?” I replied.

“You remember that night at the summer festival? When you said we’d change together?” she asked, her voice quiet but intense.

“Of course,” I said, my chest tightening.

“I was so happy. Your words… they untangled something inside me, like I could finally face my real feelings,” she said, her eyes shimmering.

Suddenly, she pulled me closer with a strength that didn’t seem possible for a girl, catching me off guard. I stumbled, grabbing her waist to steady myself, my heart racing. But Rei-chan just smiled gently.

“The whole festival—prep, the haunted house costume, wandering with everyone—it was all so fun. Too fun, like I could cry,” she said, her voice thick with emotion.

“…I’m glad, Rei-chan,” I said softly.

“Thank you, Yuu-kun. For stopping me that night. For saying we’d change. Just watch—I’m gonna change so much you’ll be shocked,” she said, her grin fierce.

—Chu, her lips brushed my cheek, soft and fleeting.

“R-Rei-chan!?” I yelped, clutching my cheek and stumbling back.

Her face was as red as the campfire’s glow. “…Uh, b-but, um, going further than a kiss… can we wait a bit? Just until we’re a little more grown-up?” she stammered, her smile shy.

“Y-Yeah…” I managed, my voice barely a whisper.

Her figure, lit by the flames, was almost ethereal, breathtakingly beautiful. The music stopped, signaling the end of the after-party. A crackly announcement played over the speakers, closing the event.

Rei-chan let go of my hand, took a few steps, then turned back with a radiant smile. “—Keep watching me change, Yuu-kun. Up close?”

For a split second, her smile looked… twisted.

“…!?”

Was it the darkness or the campfire’s flickering light playing tricks? I rubbed my eyes, and there was Rei-chan’s usual—no, even more genuine—smile.

“…Alright, let’s go grab Fuyuki-kun. Didn’t get to talk much at the after-party, so let’s head home together, yeah?” she said brightly.

“Y-Yeah, sounds good…” I mumbled.

And so, my cultural festival ended with overwhelming joy—and a tiny, nagging sense of unease.