I, the mastermind behind the scenes at Soubu High, refuse to be caught in a bloodbath.

Chapter 213 It's so cold! [Himekoji Haruto] is fast asleep.

"Second place goes to Yukino Yukinoshita, and tied for second place is Yukina Ogiso!!"

The promised seven awards ended up being given to nine people, which was obviously something no one expected. But who was the happiest? Undoubtedly, it was the award recipients themselves.

The award was presented to Setsuna by her mother, and to Yukino by her older sister Haruno. Haruno came up and hugged her. Wow, Mrs. Ogiso and Mrs. Sawamura, you guys are amazing! *cough cough*

"Next up is the first place..." Himeko glanced back at the girls who hadn't yet received their awards, then turned to the front of the stage, feigning mystery, and said, "This first place... actually, I didn't really want to announce it, since everyone has their own favorite, but—, since this is the result of a vote by all the students and guests, I still have to respect it and announce it: The winner of the first Soubu High School Beauty Pageant is Kasumigaoka Utaha!!"

A burst of cold-light fireworks shot high into the air in front of the stage. After a few seconds of silence, cheers erupted from the audience. Finally, Himekoji presented the award to Kasumigaoka. After the ceremony, he handed the microphone to Kasumigaoka so she could give her acceptance speech.

"Thank you all for your support. However, if today's performance were held during the opening ceremony, I think Touma Kazusa would have at least placed in the top three. So, this kind of voting makes me feel a little tricky..." Kasumigaoka said, glancing at Himekoji. She nodded slightly and then said, "Last but lastly, I want to say that I already have someone I like."

She bowed deeply and handed the microphone to Himekoji.

Then, groans and screams immediately erupted from the audience...

The cultural festival has come to an end. Incidentally, the third-year B class's minecart adventure actually won third place, which was something Himekoji really didn't expect.

Despite the noise and the quiet, after a perfunctory class meeting, everyone started discussing the celebration party. Although high school students are not allowed to drink alcohol, going to karaoke was obviously the choice of the vast majority of people, including Himekoji's class.

The student council didn't hold any separate events, so Himeko gave everyone a day off so they could enjoy time with their classmates.

The sight of a large group of incredibly stylish girls in butler uniforms pushing a few reluctant boys towards the subway station is something that might only happen once in a lifetime.

Yukinoshita wasn't in the classroom from the start, and Himekoji ignored her and went to the second music room, where Kazusa had been playing the piano for quite some time.

Exhaustion washed over me once again.

"If it's that tiring, you don't really need to come."

Kazusa didn't even glance at him, she just kept playing the piano.

"I still want to spend these last moments of the cultural festival with you."

"...Well, do as you please."

“I’m going to sleep for a while. Wake me up when you go back. You look good dressed like this, but you’re also likely to catch a cold.”

"You don't need to tell me, it's so annoying."

"Good night..."

"Good night..."

Ji Xiaolu was awakened by the vibration of his phone. It was Reiko calling him. The room was already dark, and he had been out of school for several hours.

Besides Himekoji, there was another person in the second music classroom.

Touma Kazusa.

"Ah... I'm sorry, I fell asleep in the classroom. Okay, I'll be right there."

As Ji Xiaolu said this, he stretched and stood up. Kazusa immediately came forward, hugging her arms and rubbing her arms because she was cold. She turned her head away for a moment after Ji Xiaolu woke up, and then secretly looked at him again.

Ji Xiaolu took off her coat and covered her with it, then tapped her head and said, "You could have just woken me up when you wanted to leave, but you made it so late. Look how cold you are."

"Hmph... Who told you to be so hard to wake up?"

Kazusa pouted, draped Himekoji's clothes over herself, and beamed with a happy smile.

"I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to apologize for... I just waited for you for a while."

"I waited for about an hour... Ugh, my legs are numb!"

Ji Xiaolu jumped around in the room to relax her meridians, while Kazusa covered her mouth and laughed non-stop, scolding, "Let's see if you dare to sit in the chair and sleep next time."

"It has to be done this when necessary."

"Why don't you just go back early, or go to the class's celebration party?"

"I also have my reasons for not wanting to go back so early."

Himekoji stretched her body, and just then, the door to the second music classroom suddenly creaked open. Kazusa immediately turned her head alertly and asked, "Who—?"

Yukina pushed open the door and came in. She was wearing a bright red coat over her performance costume, and her figure standing at the doorway looked somewhat lonely.

"Kiso...you haven't gone back yet? I thought you went to the celebration party with your classmates."

Kazusa looked at her in surprise.

"Neither Touma nor Haruto went back, so it would be quite boring for me to go back alone."

She walked in quietly, pulled out a chair and sat down, letting out a sound of relief.

"How long...have you been waiting outside?"

Kazusa continued to ask questions.

"Huh? Well... I just got here, that's all."

Yukina's eyes became somewhat melancholy, and she kept waving her hands.

"Stop lying. You haven't been sleeping on the table for almost two hours, have you?"

"Then let's think that way, Touma-san."

Setsuna looked at Touma and forced a smile.

"Ogiso..."

Kazusa, wearing Himekoji's outer garment, showed an expression of disbelief and shook her head slightly.

"After all, the result hasn't changed. I haven't bothered you in any way...maybe."

"Well, let's call it a day. Now it's time to go home. Setsuna, are you going to my house or your own?"

"I can just go home. I'll pick up the rest of my luggage another day..."

With that, she immediately stood up, turned around, and ran away.

"What's going on..."

Kazusa frowned and rubbed her temples, unable to understand her behavior.

The celebration has ended.

Everything is set in stone.

Life can never be rewound and restarted, and even this irreversible moment will eventually be lost.

After Setsuna left, Himekoji was about to turn around and tell Kazusa to leave when she felt a warm embrace. Kazusa's forehead was resting on her back, her arms were tightly wrapped around her abdomen, and the coat she was wearing suddenly fell to the ground.

"Wasa..."

"Don't say anything, I'm too cold, let me hug you for a little while."

Chapter 214 What the heck?! [Touma Youko] is actually doing cosplay!

"Ah...I understand."

"you do not know."

"Ok?"

"You know nothing. You're the biggest idiot in the world, a complete moron, an incurable blockhead."

"...Perhaps so, but even so, I know one thing."

"Idiot, shut up."

"...Does Kazusa really want me to shut up?"

"Don't say it...don't say it. Once it's said, there's no going back. Once things change, you can't go back to the past...so please, shut up."

"Ugh--"

"Don't sigh, Haruto..."

"Wasa..."

"It's time to go back. I have to go home today to see my mother... See you another day, Haruto."

Kazusa hurriedly packed her things, ran out the door, and left without looking back.

The next day, a holiday, Ji Xiaolu received a call from Youzi before she was even fully awake.

"Haruto, what are you doing? Kazusa has been crying all night since she came back last night."

"...I probably wanted to say a few words to her, but she didn't dare to listen and stopped me. She probably regretted it later."

"I really don't understand you young people. If you like someone, why not just go to bed with them? Even so, the man still has to be responsible."

"If that kind of thing really happens, of course I will take it seriously."

"Really? Only for Kazusa?"

"Do you have the right to say that, having already done it with me?"

"Hahahaha, alright, alright, I was just joking. Kazusa's happiness is something she has to find herself. If she refuses to accept it, then I can't force her to bear it... Enough of this small talk, are you free tonight?"

"Well... I just made Kazusa cry last night, and now I'm asking you out tonight?"

"If you don't want to, you can just refuse."

"Okay, I'm willing to go. Where?"

"You're coming..."

Yoko whispered on the other end.

Surprisingly, when they met Yoko, she was wearing a wig, long, smooth hair with a black and blue tint, just like Kazusa's. When she suddenly greeted Himekoji, Himekoji didn't even recognize her.

"Sister Yaozi, you... um..."

"How about it? Doesn't she look surprisingly like Kazusa?"

She circled Himekoji twice, then playfully jumped up and hung around his neck.

Ji Xiaolu thought to herself: No, not really, they're practically identical, but you still look a bit more mature.

"So—, today's activity is my cosplay sex~~"