562 - I Was Genderswapped and Reincarnated as a Villainess, but I’m Making this My Personal Yuri Game

# Chapter 563: "Don't Shout It Out Loud!" Phew... At one point, I wondered how things would turn out, but fortunately, it all worked out. Pantyliners do have some absorbency, but when the full-blown 'thing' starts, they're not going to cut it. The fact that sanitary pads and pantyliners exist separately indicates that their uses, purposes, and effects differ. Whenever I feel like 'it' might begin, I always use pantyliners or pads in advance. I've had enough of those disastrous situations, so even if it means wasting a bit, I'm focusing on preventing such disasters. But pads and liners aren't free, and it can be troublesome, so not everyone can afford to use them wastefully like I do. It's really tough being a woman... Everyone has to manage this for decades until menopause. Women who handle it well truly amaze me. For a newbie girl like me, it's all too easy to cause a major catastrophe. "Fii~..." "Oh! Sakuya-sama! Are you having a stomachache from the bathroom this early in the morning?" "Ugh!? Sh-Shion!?" As I stepped out of the powder room, Shion, who was a little further ahead at the entrance, shouted those words in an outrageously loud voice. The idea of the prestigious Kujou family's daughter rushing to the bathroom with stomach pain in the morning being broadcasted loudly is terrible. Plus, my stomach isn't hurting! "That's not it!" "Really? But you sounded so relieved earlier. That's the sound you make when you're just in time!" Your voice! Keep your voice down! Saying such things so loudly—if this were my past life, I'd be nicknamed something like 'Poop Man'! Though I doubt that would happen in this life, in my past life, even using the school bathroom for a big job could lead to teasing. And anyway, I didn't have a big job! It's not that I think having a big job is bad, but I'd appreciate it if you stopped spreading misunderstandings that I rushed to the toilet for a stomachache-related need! "So, it's not that..." "Hmm...? Ah! You're holding a pouch, aren't you? Is it your period?" "That's it! Your voice and your words!" Having reached the limit of my patience, I forcibly covered Shion's mouth. Shion seemed to grasp the situation upon seeing the pouch I held, but this isn't the sort of conversation you announce loudly in front of the bathroom during the morning school rush. Moreover, the lack of any sensitivity in such words. I thought Shion might be similar in type to Azami-chan, but even Azami-chan isn't this thoughtless and tactless. Being frank and straightforward might be a good trait of Shion's, but still, there's a way to phrase things more delicately. "Mmph! Phew!" Shion managed to free her mouth from my hand and spoke up immediately... "Sakuya-sama, aren't you the strange one? Everyone uses the bathroom, and women have their periods too, right? Isn't it even more embarrassing to unnecessarily hide such natural things? If your stomach hurts, it hurts. If it's your period, it's your period. What's wrong with saying so?" "Well... that's true, but... But there's no need to loudly proclaim it to unrelated people, right? You should only tell those who need to know." I can understand what Shion is saying. In some cases, just using the school bathroom for a big job was enough to get things like water thrown over the stall or weird nicknames assigned. Of course, as you grow older, such things stop happening, and not every school is like that. Some kids could use the school bathroom without any issue, while others were persistently teased. It's a mix of personal differences and the relationships with those around them, as well as various other factors. But that doesn't mean there's any need to loudly announce when someone went to the bathroom, if they had a big job, a small job, or that their period started. It's not at all strange to feel embarrassed when that's pointed out. While Shion might not feel embarrassed if it happened to him, it doesn't mean others feel the same way. Maybe he's lacking that consideration. "Exactly! There's no need to announce it to others!" "No... it's because... Shion has been talking loudly this whole time, and it's echoing throughout the hallway..." I want to crawl into a hole... Shion's voice is resonating throughout the hallway. It feels like the students passing by are glancing over, and it's the worst... "Really? I don't think so! More importantly, thank you for inviting me to the party last week!" "Oh, uh... sure..." Ah... So Shion just naturally has a loud voice... He's completely unaware and thinks he's behaving perfectly normally, doesn't he... No wonder our conversations don't sync up. "Idiot! Shion! What have you been shouting about in the hallway? It's echoing everywhere!" "What does it matter to you? Mind your own business! Ya-na-gi-chan!" "Wha... you! I've told you not to call me Yanagi-chan!" "There, there, both of you... Arguing like this for everyone to hear will only spread around. At least change the location." Nishikori stepped in, likely trying to stop Shion, but it backfired. Annoyed by Nishikori's interruption, Shion got even more heated, and their exchange grew louder, echoing through the entire hallway. If they're going to do this, they should at least find a less acoustically effective location. "But, Sakuya-sama! Yanagi-chan!" "I told you, stop calling me Yanagi-chan!" This is hopeless... --- Somehow managing to calm Shion and Nishikori down, I returned to the classroom of second-year Class 3, only to be met with the group's members giving me a hard-to-describe look. "Sakuya-sama... what a rough time..." "We could hear everything from here..." "Ha ha..." All that comes out is a dry laugh. A whirl of embarrassment and shame swirls within me. I'm at a loss on how to vent these feelings, and can only manage a pained smile. I think I catch glances from around the class, making it impossible to relax. This is shaping up to be a very uncomfortable day. After finishing the morning classes, I headed to the cafeteria. The new first-year students seemed to have gotten used to school life; they no longer appeared as unsettled as they did at the beginning. It's clear they're gradually growing into adults. "Sakuya-chi!" "...Hey! Saku-nyan." "Hello, Kujou-sama." "Greetings, Hoozuki-san, Suzuran-san, Karin." As usual, I met up with the members of Class Four and took a seat in the cafeteria. Even though I talked with my class members this morning, the first topic among the Class Four group was the Kujou family party from the other day. "Sakuya-chi, when you said a regular dress would suffice, I went in my best attire..." "...Yeah. Our dresses seemed inadequate for that party..." "Really? I didn’t think it was anything of the sort..." True, the dresses worn by the Class Four members weren't the most luxurious. But there were also kids from internal families and underground families, and even general students in attendance. Many wore dresses even less refined than those of Hoozuki and Suzuran. They didn't stand out in an odd way; in fact, theirs were relatively decent in that crowd. It's absurd to fuss over what one's wearing at a party anyway since it was a masquerade. The point is to set aside social class, grudges, or rivalries and enjoy oneself without them. "Also, I'm pretty sure I informed you beforehand about the availability of costume and prop rentals..." Considering our aim to invite general students and those from underground families, we offer rentals. As long as people apply in advance, they can borrow transportation, dresses, accessories, fans—anything they need. Some general students and those from underground families took advantage of the rentals, and it's quite a busy sector. Those without many dresses or who can't frequently prepare them can simply use the rental service. "Yeah, I know... but..." "...Simply put, we underestimated it..." "We never imagined the party would be on that scale..." Really? "Is that so?" I always thought that our family’s parties fell into the category of subdued and understated. Neither particularly large nor extravagant. The events aren't overly elaborate, and the guest list reflects my personal preferences more than anything else, so there aren't many high-profile attendees. The Konoe family's parties are grand in scale, inviting elite guests predominantly. Their concept could be seen as anything-goes and maximalist. Meanwhile, the Takatsukasa family's parties are for select elite houses, with carefully curated luxurious entertainment. In contrast, the Kujou family parties invite guests based on my inclinations, unbound by hierarchy or status. There are some who must be invited out of obligation, or those whom my brother or parents invite without consulting me, but my tastes influence much of it. Anticipating attendance from general students and underground families, I've made sure not to make things overly lavish or flashy, nor do we impose strict rules or etiquette demands. The goal is for everyone to enjoy themselves freely with flexible food choices and simplified formats. "If you find the Kujou family parties challenging, then the other Five North Houses' parties might be even more daunting..." "Gulp..." "W-Well... it’s not like we’d be invited to such grand parties anyway!" "...Yes! Plus, the Konoe family's parties have separate venues for lower houses, so it's alright." "That's right. At Konoe family's parties, it’s safe..." Hmm... Thinking about it that way, it might be true. The Konoe family's parties separate upper and lower house venues. Being in a lower house venue means being surrounded by similar social classes, making it easier to blend in. For me, the grand scale is just exhausting, but perhaps within such a large gathering, you wouldn't stand out unless you did something outrageous. If Karin's suggestion of quietly sticking to the sidelines holds, maybe the Konoe family parties would be more relaxing. "By the way... the rumored mysterious beautiful young lady... could it be...?" "Yes. It's one of Hoozuki-san's clubmates." Hoozuki asked quietly, so I responded just as discreetly. It's no surprise that insiders would tie the rumor of the young lady back to Yanagi-chan. Some adults might not have known, but once they got home and asked their children, many likely learned the truth. "Ha ha! Seriously!? That's hilarious!" "...Laughing is rude, but... pfft!" "Heh... heh heh..." Hoozuki laughed openly, and Suzuran snickered despite advising against it. Karin turned her face away, trying hard to suppress laughter but failing. Everyone's being so unkind... "There might be a misunderstanding that I orchestrated it, but I assure you it wasn't me. Sakura acted on her own. I'm not involved, alright?" "I hadn’t heard about that rumor... Hmm, so it was Sakuya-chi who orchestrated it, huh..." Wait, didn’t I just clarify that wasn't the case? Why would you say something that leads to misunderstandings like that? It's going to spread as if I really did organize it. "But if Nijo-sama and Nishikori are cross-dressing, does that mean... Is the reverse possible?" "The reverse?" I tilted my head at Hoozuki’s words. Reverse what? What are you talking about... "I mean... like, could I cross-dress as a guy and pretend to be one?" Blushing slightly and averting her eyes, Hoozuki scratched her face as she made that suggestion. "Ohhh..." Hearing Hoozuki's words, everyone nodded. So she wonders if, just as guys cross-dress and attend school or parties, a girl like Hoozuki could cross-dress as a guy and do the same. That's what she meant by 'reverse.' "Well... If it's a party, as long as the host is okay with it, it should be fine, right?" "For school, it's best to discuss it beforehand with the principal and others." Everyone provided reasonable answers. They earnestly considered Hoozuki’s dilemma and offered advice. Truly, they’re all wonderful individuals. "I see... Thank you!" Appearing like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders, Hoozuki flashed a bright smile and bowed her head to the group. To write a review, please log in. +Notice+ Unless otherwise specified, all featured works are purely fictional and bear no relation to real persons, organizations, etc. The copyrights of the works published, unless otherwise specified, belong to the authors (except for certain works). Unapproved reproduction beyond citation by anyone other than the author is strictly prohibited and constitutes a violation of copyright law. This work is free to link. Feel free to introduce it via links. This work is compatible with smartphones and will automatically determine whether to display the appropriate page for a smartphone or computer. The estimated reading time for this work assumes a reading speed of 500 characters per minute. Use this as a reference. Author's My Page Typo Report Information Provision Become a Novelist Let’s Read Novels!