Cultural Festival (2)
“Taeyang, did you hear our school and your school are holding a joint cultural festival?”
My sister brought up the cultural festival during dinner.
“Yeah.”
“What’s your class doing?”
“A game room.”
“A game room? Like an arcade?”
I shook my head and gave a rough explanation.
“Short board games you can play offline, darts, stuff like that.”
After endless meetings, our class decided to open a game room inspired by a board game cafe. We’d originally planned to include video games, but it would’ve cost a fortune, and the gaming club had already claimed them anyway. Plus, visitors would want to wander around rather than stay in one spot, so we nixed the longer board games that eat up too much time.
“Sounds fun.”
“Kids in our class will master the games first and handle the customers.”
Customers could play among themselves, but we’d decided to offer prizes to anyone who beat our designated players.
“I wanna go too!” White-noona shot her hand up, already excited.
“Sure, come if you’ve got time.”
“Maybe I’ll even play games with you, Taeyang.”
“Hmm… if you’re good?”
If I told her I’d joined the committee, it’d inevitably reach Choi Gahee or Min Iri’s ears. If those two joined the festival committee too, I’d have no choice but to run into them constantly for work reasons. They might even join just to get closer to me.
“What’s your class doing?”
“Hmm, a maid cafe?”
“How’d you know?”
It came up in the game. Of course, I couldn’t say that, so I just replied that it’s a popular choice.
“Yeah, I heard four classes at our school alone are doing maid cafes.”
In this world reflecting a dating sim’s lore, maid cafes were surprisingly mainstream. I hadn’t actually been to one since reincarnating as Kim Taeyang, though.
“Gonna be fierce competition.”
Wouldn’t it be better to switch to something else? But White-noona’s class seemed confident.
“Yeah, but our class has so many cute girls, so the class rep pushed hard, saying we’d definitely win.”
“Well… yeah, looking at you all, that makes sense.”
Kim Hayan, Choi Gahee, and Seong Juyeon were game heroines, so they had to be gorgeous. Min Iri was popular with gamers and in-game girls too.
But calling them “bishoujo”? And the class rep sounded like an otaku—what kind of stuff was she saying in public?
“Yeah, the class rep’s a girl who’s always drooling over other girls, but her leadership’s top-notch, so everyone went along.”
A girl otaku who loves bishoujo… Someone’s silhouette flashed in my mind. No, Lee Yuyeong was into BL too, so maybe she was even more extreme? Knowing a bigger monster like her existed made me weirdly proud that our class had won. Good job, Yuyeong.
…I’m starting to lose it myself.
Anyway, after my vague reaction, noona’s face gradually flushed red. I could guess why.
“…Um… so everyone around me keeps pushing me to be a maid. Iri keeps egging me on too.”
“Figures.”
She was my blood sister, but she was genuinely stunning—no way they’d let talent like that slip by. In the game, Kim Hayan was shy about it but went along because Seonwoo wanted to see. But with that guy gone now, maybe she wouldn’t.
“What do you think, Taeyang? About me in a maid outfit.”
“If it’s a hassle, just skip it.”
“R-Really?”
Yeah, no need to parade around in that and attract creeps like Seonwoo. I wanted to outright oppose it, but that’d make me sound too siscon, so I left it to her.
“Do you wanna see?”
“……No.”
“Aww, think it wouldn’t suit me?”
“Why would I wanna see my own sister in a maid outfit?”
“Whoa, that sounded just like Seong Juyeon.”
“What?”
“Juyeon said something like that last time about Seon—”
She almost dropped a taboo name. I didn’t care, but Seonwoo was practically forbidden among the noonas—especially regarding Seong Juyeon.
“Anyway, Seong Juyeon says stuff like that a lot.”
Did my tone come off tsundere?
“So I can take that as you secretly wanting to see?”
“No, I meant it straight-up.”
“What about Gahee or Iri then?”
“………Not really.”
“Not really?”
Why’d those two come up out of nowhere? There’s Seong Juyeon and others too.
“I’m just… not into maids.”
“Ahaha, okay?”
Did White-noona know I’d cut ties with Choi Gahee? Maybe Gahee had vented to her, and this was her subtle way of probing.
“They’ll be disappointed.”
She muttered softly, thinking I wouldn’t hear.
“Thanks for the food.”
“Yeah, just leave the dishes in the sink.”
I dunked the plates in the sink and headed to my room. While noona did the dishes, I sat at my desk and cracked open a book.
Cultural festival was one thing—studying was another. It’d only been days since midterms, but I opened my books anyway. No clue what I wanted to do career-wise, so might as well stack some grades.
My past life memories cut off around senior year of high school. Back then, I’d had no real path and just gamed my life away. I’d studied hard in middle school but gave up in high school, so I couldn’t rely on old knowledge.
One lesson stuck: study hard. And since I planned other activities in high school too, better prep now.
“What clubs does Elmae High have?”
I was prepping for a high school far from the heroines on purpose. But rushing home would mean bumping into them at noona’s anyway. So, I’d join a club to kill time after school—something I could handle that’d keep me out late.
Baseball team? Ha Eunju’s turf came to mind first. Ask her again? I shook my head. No telling what fallout might hit if it triggered Yuyeong’s meltdown.
I hadn’t told Yuyeong about Elmae yet—better not, or she’d cling all semester. That’s why I only solved their past papers at home. Can’t awaken her yandere side.
I’d figure it out later. Back to studying, then I stretched for a break.
Call it a day? As I stood, my phone buzzed right on cue.
I’d been added to a chat with the confirmed members. No big announcements yet—probably just to get us acquainted since we’d be working together.
I tossed in a greeting amid the flood of hellos. Soon, the student council president posted a wall of text. I flopped on my bed and skimmed it.
Hmm… tired. Words blurring. Kids who’d greeted briefly started chatting and soon yapping away. Nothing urgent anyway—no big notices.
I muted notifications, set the phone aside, and my eyes drifted shut. Shouldn’t sleep right after eating… but resisting’s tough.
Knock-knock.
“Taeyang?”
“……”
No response even after knocking. Kim Hayan held Taeyang’s neatly folded clothes in one hand and knocked again.
“…Snooore…”
A faint snore escaped him. When Taeyang was exhausted, he’d sometimes snore softly like that.
“Seriously, I’ve told him a million times not to sleep right after eating.”
Lips pursed, Kim Hayan opened the door. They always knocked out of courtesy, but neither got mad if the other slipped in silently like this. Just dropping off laundry, after all. Taeyang and Hayan did it for each other often.
“Must be wiped out lately.”
Yeah, he’d seemed stressed with schoolwork and all. Heartache too, probably. She’d let it slide this time and neatly stowed the clothes in his closet.
“At least cover up properly.”
Especially in this season with big temperature swings—leaving the window open like that invited colds. Hayan closed it and tucked the kicked-off blanket back over him.
“Grows tall but still such a kid.”
She stole one more glance at his cute sleeping face, turned to leave—then stepped on something.
“Hm?”
Taeyang must’ve rolled over in his sleep, knocking his phone to the floor.
“Better put it on the desk.”
As Hayan picked it up, the screen lit. Locked, so no peeking inside, but one window popped on the lock screen.
The recent chat, miniaturized.
“Committee?”
“Gahee?”
“……There’s gotta be a way.”
“Gahee over there?”
“……What to do.”
“Gahee!”
“Huh? Oh, Hayan.”
Gahee too, and
“Juyeon, wanna read from here?”
“……”
“Seong Juyeon! Teacher’s calling you.”
“Ah, yes!! What is it?”
“Sigh~ Read from the third line.”
“…Yes!”
Juyeon too—lately, the girls were off. Both constantly spaced out.
Juyeon’s probably still shaken over Seonwoo.
Hayan thought, then turned to Gahee.
“Gahee. Still hurting a lot?”
“……Yeah. Ah! Don’t tell Taeyang!”
“Got it.”
Taeyang had recently cut Gahee off cold. She’d heard the details from Gahee, who begged her not to say anything—said she’d handle convincing him herself.
It wasn’t just friendship; Gahee had feelings for him. Guy-girl stuff, so Hayan decided not to meddle this time. Part of Taeyang’s growth anyway.
But seeing Gahee like this… couldn’t just sit idle. What to do? As she pondered, the teacher spoke from the podium.
“Kids. Anyone interested in the festival committee?”
No one jumped. Too much work, can’t enjoy the fest properly.
“Volunteering hours too. Three hours on festival day, two per prep meeting.”
Some perked up. One shot her hand up fast.
“Me!”
“Juyeon? You in?”
“Ah, one of our maid cafe stars…”
Volunteering hours dangled, no roles set yet—no one stopped her, just lamented. But Seong Juyeon held firm.
“Sorry. Just wanna try new experiences lately.”
“Fair, you did maid last year too. Get it.”
Thus, one spot from the class-of-two quota filled.
“Any other takers?”
Hayan hesitated. For Gahee’s sake… She knew why Taeyang hadn’t spread word about joining. Respect his wishes, but… just this once, side with Gahee over Taeyang.
I’m the big sis—worst case, he yells later.
Saving one person first.
Ugh… if Gahee goes, we’ll be short, and I’ll end up maid.
Still, Hayan told her.
“Gahee.”
“Yeah?”
“Taeyang’s on the festival committee.”
“……!!!”
“And the committee mixes middle and high schoolers, no separation.”