The Reason Why The Cool Beauty Who Repeatedly Ignores Messages Replies Only To Me. ~The Lonely Beauty Wants To Know The Lonely Me〜 - Chapter 19

Episode 19: Saeki’s Smile and a Bad Feeling

“Please wear this! I’m begging you, Saeki-san!”

The boy who suddenly called out to me held out what appeared to be a maid outfit with both hands.

“Harada-kun, what is this?”

Michifuji-san snatched it from him and spread it out.

The outfit he offered was a revealing maid costume with a short skirt and a heart-shaped cutout on the chest that would undoubtedly show cleavage if worn.

Honestly, it’s disgusting… This is why I prefer Okami-kun over other boys.

“Hey, Harada-kun! This is not okay!”

“Shut up, Michifuji. You’re wearing an overly conspicuous maid outfit too, aren’t you?”

“That’s… Saeki-chan, you shouldn’t wear something like this! It’s too indecent!”

Wait…

At that moment, the word “idea” flashed through my mind, and I took the outfit from Michifuji-san.

This could be useful.

“Y-you’re going to wear it?!”

“…I’m confiscating this.”

“Huh?”

✳︎✳︎

The excitement of the cultural festival was gradually dying down, and the crowd was thinning out.

Still, Saeki sure is taking her time… Could something have happened?

No… If something had happened, she would have come back sooner.

“Yawn. I’m getting sleepy…”

As I dozed off while sitting on a folding chair in the landing—

“Okami—”

A voice called me from the top of the stairs, interrupting my nap.

“…Machibari?”

“Oh, were you busy?”

“As you can see, I’m free.”

Machibari, dressed in a light blue and white maid outfit, had her usual ponytail down, her hair straightened, with a white brim perched on her head.

She looked nothing like the usual strict class representative. She must have been made to wear it by the others in the class.

“You’re diligent, Okami. The other floor committee members were all goofing off.”

“Goofing off? Seriously?”

“Okami, you’re oddly serious sometimes.”

“Shut up. Anyway, didn’t you come here because you needed something from me?”

“Oh, right!”

Machibari, as if remembering, got to the point.

“We had more customers than expected and had to use paper plates, but we’re running low. The shopping team is going to get more, but do we have enough budget?”

“Budget… I know they spent quite a bit on costumes without my knowledge, but this is what we have left.”

I handed Machibari my phone, which had the festival expenses memo.

“Hmm… We should just about manage.”

“I see.”

“Thanks, Okami! I’ll discuss it with everyone.”

Machibari started to head back towards the stairs but suddenly stopped and turned to me.

“Also—”

Her maid outfit’s skirt twirled up as she turned.

“What do you think?”

“Think about what?”

“My maid outfit, how does it look?”

“Don’t ask me that…”

I turned away, embarrassed.

“Okami, you’re honest, for better or worse, so I want your straightforward opinion.”

“For better or worse?”

“Just tell me, please?”

“…I-It’s fine, I guess. It suits you, and it doesn’t have the usual strict image.”

“Hehe, I see.”

Machibari chuckled and said, “Okami, you’re really honest,” before heading up the stairs.

“Thanks, Okami!”

She quickly ran up the stairs. A straightforward opinion, huh?

As I stood there, lost in thought, Saeki returned, almost as if switching places with Machibari.

“I’m back. I passed Machihari on the stairs. What were you two talking about?”

“They’re running low on paper plates for the class. I asked you to check on the class to make sure there were no problems, but instead of you, it was Machibari who reported it. Why?”

Saeki turned away, her expression indifferent, which made me more irritated.

“Where were you slacking off?”

“…Heh.”

“What’s so funny!”

“Well, you have something to look forward to.”

Saeki smiled confidently.

Did something good happen?

[Afterword]

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