Chastity Reversed: Part-Time Life by the All-Girls High School - Chapter 20: Please Don’t Lay a Hand on Him

“I’ve always been alone.”

[Ugh, don’t look at her!]

[Don’t make eye contact, she’s scary…]

That was what the stares seemed to say whenever I walked into the classroom.

Aimei Girls’ High School had two tracks: the general education course and the technical course.  

I chose the general course because I wanted to pursue higher education.  

But the people around me were the complete opposite of me in every way. No one ever dared approach me.  

In the end, even in high school, nothing changed.

[Mom…]

Back in middle school, after my mom passed away from illness, I spiraled out of control.  

I didn’t know how to deal with my dad, my classmates… anyone. So, I just rejected everything around me.  

I hated the harsh reality I lived in, so I started staying out late aimlessly, skipping school for no real reason.  

I became what society called a “delinquent”, someone who strayed far from what was considered normal.  

That’s why—

“Hey, what’s with the long face?”

As I skipped class, sitting on the rooftop, a voice called out to me.  

The girl speaking had a distinct Kansai accent, her sharp, fox-like eyes glinting mischievously.  

“I’m Kanau, y’know. If you want, I can listen to ya.”

Her voice was soft, kind.  Before I knew it, I found myself opening up to her.  

And that was where I made my mistake.  

****

The abandoned building on Aimei Girls’ High School grounds.  

It was a place even the teachers wouldn’t go near. For them, it was untouched territory.  

For Kanau’s group, however, it was their meeting spot.  

“We’re the Rose Garden,” she declared.

“It’s a team we started just last year. So far, we’ve crushed every rival team—or any senior dumb enough to come at us. We’re undefeated. And now, with new first-years like y’all, we’re growing fast. Honestly, we’re probably the strongest team in this area.”

“And—if ya wanna join us, there’s somethin’ ya gotta have.”

The Rose Garden—a name whispered like legend in Aimei.

A long time ago, a senior at this school, someone unbelievably strong, united all the delinquents of Aimei and dominated every rival school in the area.  

That was what I’d heard… from a passing technical course student, anyway.  

“This. Smoke an entire pack. Once you do, you’ll officially be part of the crew,” Kanau said.

“What…?”

“Oh, and it’s ya lucky day—first time’s free!”  

But something about this… felt wrong.  

In this day and age, how was something like this even possible?  

As my gaze darted past Kanau, I noticed the other Rose Garden members staring at me, their eyes gleaming with something unsettling.  

“Once ya done smoking, tell me. We’re hosting a first-year welcome party soon!”   

None of it made sense.  

Some of the other first-years were casually smoking, like it was the most normal thing in the world.  

If they got caught, it wouldn’t just end in suspension.  

This was… wrong. This whole place.  

I knew that, but—  

“Understood,” I said.

Weak as I was, those were the only words I could muster.  

“Ya fine? You look pale,” Kanau asked, noticing me falter.  

“I’m sorry. I think I need to go to the nurse’s office,” I replied.  

“Ah, do what ya need. Take care of yourself.”  

“…Yes.”  

This wasn’t normal. I understood that the moment I stepped in.  

And so, I escaped.  

Decision unmade, resolve unformed.  

But as the days went on, as I skipped school, avoiding scrutiny, and picked times when no one would see me—

“Smoking underage in broad daylight, huh?”

That was when I met Sato.  

He was the first person to look me in the eyes.  

So direct, so unlike anyone else.  

A strange guy who called himself a “slut”.  

…And damn, he was good at kissing.

“First time, huh? Leave everything to me.”  

Even though I was the one who pushed him down, it was as if he’d held control the entire time.  

“You’re just a normal girl,” he said.

And there, on that bed, my first “friend” in high school said those words to me.  

“Normal.”  

Hearing that made me think… maybe I needed to take the first step toward being “normal”.

***

“So… you want to leave the team, huh?”

The next day, during lunch.  

When I said it, her low voice echoed across the rooftop, sending chills down my spine.  

It was nothing like the cheerful noise coming from the students playing on the field below.  

“Please.”  

“Huh. You said ya had something important to talk about, so I came all the way up here for a private chat—and this is it?”  

“I’m sorry.”

Kanau smiled as she looked at me.  

“What’s with you, huh? Why the sudden change of heart?”

“…I just don’t feel like I fit in here.”  

“Haah? What’s that supposed to mean?”  

“I’m sorry. Please.”  

“Nope. Not happening.”  

“…What?”

She said it so easily, so unabashedly. 

“You smoked, right? The stuff I gave you.”  

“!”  

“Sorry, but once you’ve done that, you’re part of the Rose Garden. No quitting allowed.”  

“I didn’t smoke it.”  

“Huh?”  

“They’re all here.”  

Because of Sato, I was able to stop myself.  

I pulled out the unopened pack of cigarettes and lighter from my pocket, placing them in her hand. 

“Heh… so you lied, huh.”

“I’m sorry.”  

Her smile disappeared.  

For the first time, her expression was ice-cold as she grabbed my head.  

“That pisses me off. I went out of my way to give you a chance.”  

“I’m sorry.”  

“Ya, like the rest of them, are trash in this society. Just admit it and take the easy way out.”  

“…!”  

“You look like you want to say something. That face of yours really ticks me off.”  

For the first time, I glared at her.  

Defiance.  

Even though I knew it was too late—I couldn’t help it.  

“Please. Let me quit.”  

“Haah. Alright… then no welcome party for you,” she said.  

“Huh?”  

“If you want out, you’ll need to take responsibility.”  

“!”  

Responsibility.  

A word I’d only ever heard in TV dramas.  

Hearing it said aloud, so casually, made it feel all the more real.  

“We’ll postpone the fight to decide the strongest first-year. Instead, you’ll take a beating from all the first-years.”  

“…!”  

“What’s wrong?”  

“…Understood.”  

“Heh.”  

If that’s what it took to leave, then fine.  

I’d take it as punishment for the weak, cowardly version of myself.  

“Wow, you’ve got guts,” Kanau said.  

“…”  

“Still, boring. If this were by the ‘script,’ you’d be crying and begging by now.”  

She laughed, but it sent shivers down my spine.  

This wasn’t normal.  

“So. You’ve got a guy, don’t you?”  

“…!”  

“I heard. That convenience store clerk, right?”  

“H-how do you know about him? He has nothing to do with this!”  

“Ha! Is that so? Then it doesn’t matter what happens to him, right?”  

“No—”  

“Bring him to me.”  

Kanau grinned as she spoke.  

“If you do that, I’ll spare you the beating.”  

No one wants to endure pain.  

The thought of being beaten by a group of first-years… just imagining it was terrifying.  

I didn’t know if I’d make it out okay.  

But—  

“Just don’t involve him, please.”  

The one person who changed me.  

The one who saved me—Sato.  

“Well, well. That’s kinda cool of you, Azuse.”  

“…Thank you.”  

“Alright, then. Meet me at ●× Station at 8 PM tonight.”  

“I understand.”

“Try anything weird, and ‘he’s’ done for.”  

“…Alright.”

Kanau laughed with genuine delight.  

“Tonight’s going to be fun—it’s your farewell party. Don’t run away now.”