589 - I Was Genderswapped and Reincarnated as a Villainess, but I’m Making this My Personal Yuri Game
## Chapter 589: "The Customary First Day of the Second Term" On Monday, September 2nd, the second term of the school year commenced. This year, the first fell on a Sunday, so the term began on the second. At first glance, this might feel like gaining an extra day, but in reality, it just results in a later-term closing ceremony and a more tightly packed schedule, leaving no real gain. The number of class units remains unchanged, so there's neither loss nor benefit. "Sakuya, let's hurry a bit today," Momiji suggested. "Oh? Did something happen?" Sakuya inquired. As Sakuya was finishing her morning training in the Momiji style and getting ready for school, Momiji urged her to hurry. Could there be something today for which she needed to arrive early? "No... it's not as though there's any particular errand or other task, but I thought it might not be appropriate for Sakuya to be late on the first day of the new term," Momiji explained. "I see..." Sakuya considered. Momiji's reasoning was understandable. Even within their group, it was customary to arrive early for events or special days. Ideally, Sakuya would've liked to do the same, but her morning training in the Momiji style prevented her from getting ready any sooner. However, by minimizing her preparation time and arranging things during the car ride, she could potentially cut down on time. "Alright," she decided. "Let's handle the rest of the preparations in the car." "Yes." Sakuya's regular preparations already took place in the dojo's dressing room, with much of it planned to occur en route. Even so, she often took her time in the dressing room. If she reduced this, she would reach her destination earlier than usual. "Yuzu, board the back. We'll perfect Sakuya by the time we reach Toka Academy." "Yes!" Yuzu, often sitting in the front passenger seat, was called to the back to lend a hand. It was unclear why Momiji decided to emphasize this urgency all of a sudden, but enlisting Yuzu's help made sense. After all, no matter how early they wanted to arrive, going to school with inadequate preparations was out of the question. As the young lady of the Kujou family, appearing with unkempt hair and a sleepy appearance would be impermissible. ...It's alright. This is what's required to be a young lady of the Kujou family, Kujou Sakuya. It's not as though she wished mentally to become a girl for these things... Moreover, it's only natural for men to also pay attention to their appearance. With help from Momiji and Yuzu, Sakuya found herself arriving at the academy sooner than expected. Although not much earlier when leaving the dojo, arrival time varied significantly, likely influenced by traffic lights and rush hour congestion. "Is that...?" "Oh, it's Kujou-sama!" "How wonderful that she's early today..." "Kujou-sama! Good morning!" "Sakuya-sama, good day!" Upon arrival, the students who usually stood in line were still scattered. Presumably due to the early hour, there seemed to be fewer students. Like the road conditions, the atmosphere changed noticeably with just a slight time variation. "Good day, everyone," Sakuya greeted as they arrived. "Kyahhh!" "She spoke to me!" "No, she meant me!" Sakuya walked down the slightly less crowded halls, acknowledging the other students. Thanks to the training with her master, no students fainted, nor were there any bottlenecks due to the fewer people. "Already here?" "No way! Early on the first day of the year!" "I missed seeing her first after the vacation..." Looking back, more students were steadily gathering. Had she arrived at the usual time, she would've needed to wade through the throng of students. Perhaps Momiji anticipated this and advised coming early to avoid the crowd, which Sakuya thanked her for as she made her way to the classroom. --- As Sakuya entered the classroom, it also appeared slightly less crowded. The minimal difference led to a subtle change in atmosphere; yet, the feeling of a distinct change was curious. "Good day, everyone," Sakuya greeted. "Good day, Sakuya-chan." "Good morning, Sakuya-sama!" All her groupmates were already present, having arrived slightly before her. The difference in early arrival wasn't much, so the resulting change was minor. The students who usually lined the corridor were already assembled, reinforcing that just a small difference in time led to this small variation. "Sakuya-chan, you're a little earlier today," one friend observed. "Indeed. Momiji advised that arriving early would be beneficial today, and it led to a good pace," Sakuya explained. "A slight difference in time can greatly influence congestion in the mornings," another commented. "Exactly!" It seemed they all shared this understanding. Although Yuzuriha's comment was slightly unexpected... "You're not exactly one to speak about such matters, Yuzuriha," Azami quipped, eliciting chuckles from everyone. "That's not true! I precisely calculate the time demanded by traffic and signals to the minute to avoid lateness, you know!" Yuzuriha defended. "I see..." "Sakuya-chan?" "Ah... nothing... haha..." Sakuya let slip a response to Yuzuriha's boast. But Yuzuriha was right; without calculating such factors, leaving home at a time accounting for the quickest arrival would often lead to delays. Yet, despite being 'on the edge,' Yuzuriha rarely was late. Her precise calculations for essential travel time and traffic notwithstanding, such meticulousness in aiming for the last moment puzzled Sakuya. The logical choice would simply be to leave earlier in the first place. "Ah! It's almost time!" Time flew by during their conversations. The second term of the school year for sophomores was about to begin. --- Once the opening ceremony concluded, students returned to their classrooms to process submissions and announcements. Then, the yearly tradition began. "Alright, let's decide on the events for the upcoming sports festival," announced the teacher. The moment had arrived to determine the crucial details for the first big event of the second term! In the past, the selection of events for the sports festival seemed insignificant to me. But in this life, things were different! The decision on the events could determine whether the second term would be a heavenly delight or a miserable ordeal. This was a pivotal matter that couldn't tolerate failure. "Yes!" Nishikori raised his hand as soon as the teacher finished speaking, with a flourish so quick, it was almost as if it were rehearsed. Was this happening again? Despite constant reminders, was this the inevitable pattern? Was Nishikori really just another one of Ibuki's cronies, unwilling to listen? "Nishikori-kun," the teacher called on him. "Yes! Kujou-san, will you join the relay team?" Nishikori asked. "...Excuse me?" What? I expected to hear my name as a suggested candidate for the relay or sprint team, but Nishikori simply asked. Maybe my previous outrage had finally struck a chord. Turns out, with Nishikori, a decent conversation could achieve understanding! I had misjudged him, assuming he was no better than Ibuki. My apologies. "Great! Teacher, Kujou-san has agreed!" Nishikori announced. "Alright, then. Kujou-san, you're on the relay team," the teacher concurred. Wait, what? "Um... I actually..." "Thank you, Kujou-san! This seals our victory!" Nishikori cut me off before I could object. No, that's not what I meant when I said 'yes.' I only responded to Nishikori's sudden and perplexing question. However, they took my response as confirmation and unilaterally decided to include me in the relay team. While I felt a stir of annoyance, I opted to leave it be. Regardless of what I said, I'd end up on the relay team eventually. At least this time they hadn't forced me into individual sprints. Accepting participation in the relay was the more rational choice, considering it allowed me to compete in other events as well. "Sakuya-sama, which events will you be choosing this year?" Azami asked, unabashedly approaching my side. While the rest of the class remained seated, the Sakuya-sama fan club gathered around me. Was it permissible to do this in the middle of class? The teacher's indifference suggested it was permissible. "Anything that lets us be close to Sakuya-chan..." "It must be an event where everyone can enjoy with Sakuya-chan..." "Let's avoid events with too many people..." "But if there aren't enough spots, someone might be left out..." The group deliberated earnestly, whispering as if trying to keep me from overhearing. Why was I being left out of the loop when it concerned me? In any case, it was time for me to seriously consider the options. It would be monotonous to repeat the same events each year, but striking out with something unusual might not go well. There were limits to events that allowed interaction with everyone, and only a few permitted participation with the entire group. "By the way... doesn't it seem like we've got some strange new events this year?" "Certainly..." Typically, one would expect a sports festival to feature standard events, but this year's lineup included some never-before-seen activities. Even though brief explanations accompanied them, imagining the events was challenging. "Yes, this year the student council introduced various ideas, leading to new events. Because it's the first time, the outcomes are uncertain without trying them. If you have questions, feel free to ask me," the teacher offered. Hmm... so these were brand new events. It seemed the current student council was eager to implement fresh ideas, perhaps to establish accomplishments ahead of elections. They likely sought recognition for pioneering changes. "The two-person scavenger hunt and two-person obstacle race sound interesting." "Hmm...?" The group seemed intrigued by paired events. However, I had reservations about their safety, not the pairing. In the two-person scavenger hunt, one person must carry their partner as they run the course until reaching the paper indicating the item to be collected. Once the item is determined, they can separate to find it, but both must return to the paper's location and resume carrying with the item before running again. Switching roles either before or after obtaining the item may come down to strategy, yet dashing with a partner and items in hand seems hazardous. The two-person obstacle course required running in a three-legged race, but incorporating obstacles while tethered seems a recipe for falls. I worried the student council prioritized groundbreaking achievements over safety. Why hadn't the teachers voiced concerns? Even on a clear track, a three-legged race can lead to spills, let alone one with obstacles or carrying someone. "We'll take the two-person scavenger hunt and the two-person obstacle race!" Azami declared suddenly. "Eh!?" While I was deep in thought, Azami had made a decision on our behalf. Our names were now emblazoned on the board. Pairings for the two-person obstacle course were myself, Azami, Renka, and Seri. For the scavenger hunt, it was myself, Satsuki, Akane, Tsubaki, and Yuzuha. With the rise in paired events this year, we wouldn't have enough participants otherwise. Each person needed to participate in two or three events, so covering three middle slots was suitable. I refused to add short sprints, as it would limit my chance to mingle leisurely with others in the stands. "What will these new events be like, I wonder?" "I'm excited!" "Hmm..." Perhaps my classmates genuinely looked forward to these events, but for me, a sense of foreboding lingered. This work is free to link. Feel free to share (and introduce) it. This work is compatible with computers. It automatically detects whether you're using a smartphone or a computer and displays the appropriate page. The estimated reading time is based on reading 500 characters per minute. Use this as a guideline. Author's My Page Report Typographical Errors ▲Return to Page Top Let's Become a Novelist | Read Novels! Search Information Provision