Chapter 150: Entrance Ceremony
Saturday, April 8 – Week 0, Day 3
Even though it was Saturday, I came to school because today was the entrance ceremony.
As I walked through the school grounds, I felt like I was getting more stares than usual. It was partly because of the new students, but maybe more so because my striking silver hair looked different now.
My signature straight long hair had been changed to a semi-long ponytail.
Every time I ran into someone I knew, they were surprised.
"You’re not just sporting a new hairstyle—your whole vibe is different from before the break," said Jun, my classmate again this year, just like last year.
"It feels like that heavy, bottled-up look you used to have is gone. You seem lighter, softer, brighter."
I think it’s because I finally found something I can do. Something that lets me look forward.
As for the fact that I’m no longer a virgin… I want to believe that has nothing to do with it.
"Did you get over some romantic issue or something?"
"Something like that, I guess..."
I deliberately averted my gaze as I said it, and she didn’t press further. There was no way I could ever tell her the truth. In that case, it was better to let her keep her misunderstanding.
Besides, it wasn’t entirely wrong.
Jun, who usually would’ve pried a lot more, held back this time. She was probably being considerate, thinking that since things were going well between her and Yamazaki-kun, I might feel hurt.
Since our class had changed, the other girls didn’t ask too much either. That was a relief.
The girls were all busy figuring out who was friend, foe, or otherwise, and focused on building their social circles. I exchanged greetings and made small talk with a few of them, but as always, I wasn’t good at joining in with the girls’ groups. Without the support of social butterflies like Yuna and Jun, I probably would’ve been left out entirely.
At our school, the entrance ceremony is held in the gym with all students attending. It was the same as when I joined two years ago as a new student.
Last year must’ve been the same too.
Just imagining that made my chest hurt. I wasn’t there among the returning students as I should have been—how lonely must Yuna have felt without me?
I won’t make Yuna sad anymore.
As I looked up at my sister standing beside me, renewing that vow in my heart, she noticed my gaze and tilted her head in confusion. 『What is it?』 she asked via telepathy. I gave a small shake of my head and replied, 『Nothing,』 then turned back toward the principal giving a speech on stage.
Once the entrance ceremony ended, the upperclassmen exited and the new students were treated to club introductions.
Our "Wisō Club" was scheduled to take the stage as well to recruit new members...
『Why the hell are you hard at a time like this?!』
Backstage before our presentation, I complained to Souta.
Since it wasn’t something I wanted others to overhear, I used telepathy.
『Can’t help it. It just won’t go down…』
Apparently, he’d been hard since around yesterday.
Since it was because of a promise we made, I couldn’t really blame him any further.
『…Just try to hide it somehow. I’ll handle the presentation.』
And with that, it was our turn.
Souta and I stepped onto the stage together.
...It ended in total failure.
While I introduced our club into the mic, Souta stood with both hands jammed into his pockets, leaning forward.
With his brow furrowed like that, he looked like he was glaring at the crowd—completely intimidating. From the audience's perspective, it must’ve seemed like he was menacing them. The new students were visibly freaked out.
I tried my best to cover for it with my talking, but that only made the mismatch more obvious. We probably came across as a super sketchy club.
After the club presentations, not a single person showed interest in visiting our club room.
"Maybe it would've been better if only the girls explained it..."
The player base of trading card games is overwhelmingly male. Our club, made up of all girls except for Souta, was an extreme exception.
I thought it might seem unwelcoming without a male member, so I tried to be considerate. That ended up being our downfall this time.
"I'm sorry... I really have no excuse."
"Well, I mean... it's not like we've definitely failed to recruit anyone yet."
There’s probably still a chance to turn things around… probably.
Originally, this club was something Souta created for my sake. But since we’ve come this far, I really want it to keep going as a proper club. So I’ll give it my all with recruitment too.
Once the club tour period ended, we didn’t have any more obligations at school today. After that, I’d be fulfilling the promise I made with Souta.
We parted ways and headed separately to the apartment.
We’d agreed it would be risky if someone saw us going home together and entering the same place, so we planned to arrive at different times.
I also asked Souta to come about an hour later than me. It wasn’t to tease him or anything—I just needed a little time to get ready.
After arriving at the apartment, I went to the bathroom, which was combined with the shower, and took care of my sanitary pad. The bleeding had mostly stopped, which was a relief.
I didn’t want to throw it away here, so I sealed it in a plastic bag and tucked it into my pouch.
Then I took off my uniform and stepped into the shower.
I tied up my hair in a towel so it wouldn’t get wet and quickly washed just my body.
After getting out, I dried off and changed into fresh underwear.
Dark gray sanitary shorts that wouldn't show stains. No bra—just a camisole. Then, from the spare clothes I kept at the apartment, I chose a simple light-green one-piece dress and slipped it on.
I hesitated for a moment over whether to wear perfume, but it felt a little embarrassing, so I settled for deodorant spray instead.
That completed my preparations.
"...Still have time to spare."
There were about thirty minutes left before Souta was supposed to arrive.
...I couldn’t settle down.
I debated whether I should text him that I was ready, but I didn’t want him thinking I couldn’t wait—that would sting my pride a little.
"...Maybe I should loosen up a bit."
Judging by how Souta was today, I doubted he’d be in any kind of gentle or composed state. Not that I minded—it was what I had wished for.
Still, the less pain, the better.
So it made sense to prepare myself while I still had time.
This was necessary.
…It’s not like I’m being lewd or anything.
"Nn..."
I slid my hand beneath the hem of my dress.
I only meant to do enough to take the edge off.
But maybe because of where I was touching, memories started surfacing.
Souta’s aching expression.
The raw hunger in his gaze.
Being treated like an object of desire.
His wild, ragged breathing.
The act that felt cramped and suffocating.
The sensation bursting and throbbing deep inside me.
"Alice...?"
Before I knew it, Souta was in the room, and my mind went completely blank.
“Hyah—h-huh?! Souta, why are you—?!”
“What do you mean ‘why’? I came because it was the time we agreed on…”
I must’ve been so absorbed in what I was doing that I didn’t even notice.
“N-no! This isn’t—”
What was I even trying to say it wasn’t?
I was so flustered I didn’t even know what I was saying anymore.
“You’re seriously hot right now... Can I go ahead?”
“W-wait! Ah… no…!”
Souta roughly stripped off his clothes, climbed onto the bed, and pressed himself against me. I was pushed down just like that.
“There’s no way I can hold back after seeing you like this… I’m doing it, alright?”
Souta was so aroused, he’d clearly lost all restraint.
This was probably, no—definitely—my fault. And yet, I felt a twinge of fear.
Even so, in the midst of my scrambled thoughts, I knew I had to show I wasn’t rejecting him. So I simply nodded.
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