The Story Of How I, A Gloomy Guy, Ended Up Surrounded By the Top-Tier Beautiful Girls In Class After A Seat Change - Chapter 74-75

Chapter 74:

The early summer cultural festival is one of the three major events at my high school.

And finally, today – the cultural festival is taking place.

The outgoing students might be in a festive mood since morning… on the other hand, as an introverted person, I couldn’t eat breakfast in the morning.

“…Hey, sorry sis. Can I give you the rest of my breakfast?”

“Oh, really? Lucky.”

After giving all my breakfast to my sister, I went back to my room to change into my uniform.

(Finally, the cultural festival has arrived.)

I’ve been practicing the role of Snow White for two weeks to some extent (not happily).

Thanks to Kuroki, the lines have decreased, so that part is not a problem…

“Simply… I’m starting to feel nervous.”

Even I, can’t hide the nervousness.

For me, an introverted person who has avoided nervous situations all his life, performing a play in front of people is quite a pressure.

(Although it’s too late, would it have been better to refuse Snow White and be isolated in class rather than cross-dressing as Snow White in public?)

“Well, it’s no use regretting it now. I’ll just perform twice and go home quickly.”

Besides, the audience is not looking forward to someone like me, a cross-dressing boy, but to Miyama with big breasts, Kuroki in men’s clothing, and Yuria.

So, I’ll just bear the shame as a comic relief role. There’s no need to be nervous at all.

“Sigh… Here I go.”

After getting ready, I took my bag and left the house.

“Huh?”

As I stepped out of the entrance, I saw Kuroki and Yuria in front of the gate.

It seems like the two of them were chatting while waiting for me.

(Hey hey. It’s not time for the play yet, but are the two princes waiting for me since morning?)

“…G-Good morning, both of you.”

“Good morning, Ryota-kun.”

“Good morning, Ryota. You’re a bit late today.”

Kuroki seemed unusually cheerful in the morning, while Yuria was her usual aloof self.

“I-I took a long time to get ready.”

“Get ready? It’s the cultural festival, you don’t need textbooks or anything.”

“Well, well, Yuria? Ryota-kun is a boy, so he must have various things to prepare, I’m sure.”

Kuroki followed up with a smile.

It seems like she misunderstood that I was up to something since morning… Ignore, ignore.

“Is it just the two of you? Where’s Miyama?”

“Airi overslept. She’ll come later.”

Even on a day like the cultural festival, she oversleeps… typical of Miyama.

“Hey, Ryota-kun? I have something different today, can you tell?”

“S-Something different…?”

As I stared at Kuroki, she smiled enchantingly while tucking her ear-length hair behind her ear.

With her usual well-structured beautiful face, her black straight hair didn’t seem different…

“Look here. It’s lipstick.”

“Lipstick?”

Kuroki pointed to her lips.

Oh, now that she mentioned it… they do look a bit red.

“I wore my favorite lipstick today because there’s a kissing scene with you, Ryota-kun.”

“W-What!?”

Both Yuria and I exclaimed in surprise.

“W-What are you saying?”

“W-Wait, Rui! Are you planning to really kiss Ryota!?”

“Hehe… Just kidding. The kissing scene is just for show like during rehearsals, and I wore my favorite lipstick for a change of mood. Yuria, you’re getting too flustered.”

“Tsk. Rui sometimes says things that are hard to tell if they’re true or not, so I took it seriously. And Ryota, weren’t you looking a bit happy?”

“I-I wasn’t!”

“Hehe… Could it be that Ryota-kun wanted me to steal his first kiss?”

“As if! We’re already late for school.”

“Okay.”

At my urging, we finally started walking towards the high school.

But a first kiss… huh.

If you count indirect kisses, Miyama is the one who had my first kiss…

I couldn’t say such a thing, so I kept quiet.

“Anyway, I’m looking forward to the play. Ryota’s Snow White during rehearsals was quite cute.”

“Yeah! Ryota, let’s take a two-shot once you’re in costume, okay?”

“No way.”

Even as we walked to school like this, the performance was getting closer by the minute.

—

Chapter 75:

Upon arriving at the high school, a colorful arch with “Cultural Festival” written on it stood at the school gate, and students were busy preparing for the festival in the school building, bustling back and forth in the corridors.

(Feels like it’s finally here…)

During my first year, the class ran a chocolate banana stand, but as an introvert, I hardly participated.

For introverts like me, cultural festivals usually involve pretending to watch the theater performance in the gym while sitting on folding chairs and dozing off, or going to an air-conditioned empty classroom to read books.

Actually, for me, who spent last year like that, being entrusted with such a major role this year was something I hadn’t even imagined.

And this year… being with the beautiful girls I thought I would never have anything to do with…

“Everyone seems busy. Feels like a cultural festival, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Ryota, what did you do during the cultural festival in your first year? Were you hanging out with Tanaka-san?”

“Why would Tanaka show up?”

“Come on, tell me?”

*Sigh*… Since Kuroki is persistent, I’ll honestly answer.

“Nothing happened with Tanaka. By the way, our class was selling chocolate bananas, but I was too much of a loner to even get a shift at the stand, so I was reading light novels in an empty classroom.”

“What’s that? Seriously, it’s like the introvert’s cultural festival.”

Seriously, I am an introvert.

“Hehe… That’s so like you, Ryota?”

“Kuroki, you’re making fun of me, aren’t you?”

“I’m not? Oh, instead of that, as a thank you for telling us your embarrassing past, Ryota, let me tell you a little story.”

“A story?”

“Actually, at last year’s cultural festival, Yuria wore a maid outfit, but her thighs were too big, and her panties—”

“Wait, Rui! You!”

Yuria forcefully covered Kuroki’s mouth.

(Huh, hey! What about Yuria’s panties!?)

Did they show or not?!

Tell me already! Kuroki!

☆☆

At this high school’s cultural festival, each class presents performances, exhibitions, and shops.

Exhibitions and shops are usually held in their own classrooms, while performances take place in the gymnasium.

Including our class, there are five classes doing theater performances at this year’s cultural festival, and these five classes, along with the theater club, will each perform once in the morning and once in the afternoon.

By the way, the performance time is up to 30 minutes. It feels surprisingly long when you’re performing.

“I wonder if our class has started preparing too?”

“Probably. Our play is the second one overall. Come on, let’s hurry.”

Prompted by Yuria, we hurried to our classroom and found that preparations for the play were already underway in my class.

The costume team from the cultural department was doing final checks on the costumes, the props team from the sports department was transporting sets to the gym, and the executive committee’s Hino and the script and directing team of otaku girls were discussing lighting equipment for the performance.

Seeing classmates who usually chat over tea so united and serious, as the lead role, the pressure was inevitable.

(Oh no… I’m getting nervous again…)

“Hey, everyone!”

Suddenly, a voice came from behind, it was Miyama.

“Airi, you’re late. Today is the performance, you know?”

“Sorry, sorry.”

Miyama apologized while smoothing down her slightly messy bedhead.

Even on the day of the cultural festival, she overslept… as expected.

“Hey, Ryota, Ryota! The costume team we passed by earlier wants you and Airi to walk through the halls as the dwarf and Snow White to attract people!”

“W-What? Walk through? Then do it with Miyama, Kuroki, and Ichinose.”

“Well, you see, we rented the prince’s costume from an expensive place, so we don’t want to use it outside the stage.”

“Huh? So it’s okay for Snow White and the dwarf’s costumes?”

“Yeah! Airi and Ryota’s costumes are cheap cosplay outfits we bought from a discount store!”

That’s the reality of this class.

Most of the budget for the cultural festival inexplicably went into the costumes of these two, regardless of gender, who are hardcore love enthusiasts in the class.

In contrast, Snow White’s costume is from a discount store…

“Now, Ryota and Airi, let’s go change!”