In a World Where Chastity Is Reversed, I Kept Provoking Girls Until Things Went Too Far

Chapter 29: Campfire

The square had grown completely dark, and the light from the campfire flickered as it blazed while swaying slightly in the wind.

The students, worn out from the day’s walking, formed a circle around the campfire.

The grade director gripped the microphone and spoke in a slightly theatrical voice.

“–Now, for today’s final event, let’s start the folk dance!”

A murmur of cheers rose up.

In some group, girls poked each other with their elbows as they discussed who to dance with.

Outside that circle, Kouta took a sip from his plastic bottle of water and gave a wry smile.

(No way, that’s impossible. My whole body’s aching…)

Because of the 20 km walk during the day, the muscles in his legs screamed in protest. In that state, the idea of folk dancing with any of the girls made his knees feel like laughing just thinking about it.

“Hey, Kouta, want to dance with me?”

Yuri extended her hand with a smile.

“No way, my knees are already shaking. Besides, you’re in a different group.”

“Hehe. It seems pairs for folk dancing can be from different groups! We haven’t talked at all today. Come on, it’s fine, right♡”

“Hang on, that’s not fair, Yuri. I was about to ask him first.”

Otowa stepped in to stop her hand.

“No, no, you were in the same group as him, so you should yield to us!! Kouta-kun, I’ll be the first one to–”

The moment another girl started to speak, the air around them grew tense in an instant.

It was as if sparks hotter than the bonfire flew between the girls.

“Hang on, you always monopolize Kouta-kun, don’t you? Isn’t that enough already?”

“What? That’s got nothing to do with it!”

“It does too, you monopolized him back then as well!”

In the center of the circle of girls, Kouta hurriedly raised both hands.

“W-wait a minute! I don’t plan to dance with anyone–”

“With anyone!?⁉⁉”

At those words, all their eyes lit up at once.

In moments like this, people hear things in the way that’s most convenient for them.

“So, that means anyone is fine, right???”

“Then I have a chance too!?”

“Huh? What are you talking about, I should go first–!”

The area around the bonfire turned into a battlefield in an instant.

In an unexpected turn, before the folk dancing even started, a fiery argument broke out among the girls.

“Calm down! Don’t fight near the fire!”

The teacher rushed in to intervene in a panic.

But the girls wouldn’t stop.

“Sir, you said pairs are free, right!?”

“We should draw lots fairly!”

“No! Kouta-kun wouldn’t want to dance with anyone but me!!”

“Actually, to be fair, we should dance one by one in turns…”

“Hang on, that would take until morning!!!”

“Then let’s just dance until morning!”

Kouta, caught in the whirlwind of chaos, already felt like his soul was about to leave his body.

(Why does it always turn out like this… Isn’t folk dancing supposed to be more peaceful…?)

Finally, the teacher shouted.

“–That’s enough! Kouta sits this one out! That’s final!”

In that instant, the air came to a complete halt.

The girls’ dissatisfied gazes turned toward Mr. Yamamoto all at once.

“Sir, that’s–”

“No objections! If there’s any more trouble, I’ll put out the whole bonfire!”

That finally settled things.

The girls looked away grudgingly and started pairing up with their friends.

Kouta sat alone on a bench, bathed in the firelight.

Sparks popped and burst into the night sky.

The earlier commotion–the girls’ fight over who would be Kouta’s folk dance partner–seemed like a lie now. Everything was quiet. Everyone, exhausted, stared blankly at the flames while gathered around the bonfire.

Kouta sat down on a nearby rock. The night breeze brushed his cheek, carrying the scent of the fire. Faintly in the distance, he could hear what was probably a teacher playing the guitar.

At that moment.

“…What are you doing, brooding all alone?”

The one who appeared, illuminated by the campfire light, was Otowa.

One of the main culprits in the earlier scuffle over Kouta with the other girls.

But now, her face looked tired, and yet she smiled as if she’d let it all go.

“Just taking a break. …What about you, Otowa?”

“Same here. Well, I overdid the fussing, and my legs feel like lead. I didn’t expect it to turn into such a grab-fest.”

Only the sound of the fire filled the silence.

“…You know,”

Otowa said while gazing at the flames.

“I was thinking. You do that stuff on purpose, don’t you, Kouta?”

“Huh?”