Chapter 75: VS Mishima Satsuki 2 [side Osada Ai]
"What is it? Osada-san? Right!!"
I declared, intimidatingly!
Apparently, I look scary.
The air in the room goes taut.
I look around at everyone and say,
"If the top girl in class doesn't get it, it's a problem, right? But a bet is a bet, okay? Girls' toilet? Washroom? Priority use rights and keigo for the rest of the year? I get them?"
I say with a laugh.
Our toilets go boy-girl-boy-girl... in order, so if you don't use the one right in front of the classroom here, you have to go a little farther down the hall.
Well, if you think "it's just a little walk," it's not a big deal.
But sometimes there's an emergency or the timing overlaps and it gets crowded, so it's honestly a pain.
And for the rest of the year, Class 5 students have to use keigo with Class 6 students.
In the tense air, everyone's like, "We worked so hard at the culture festival..."
To work so hard and end up with this humiliation... this inconvenience... and these girls bet on something like this!
The gazes full of resentment gather on me and Mishima.
Well, that's understandable.
I mean, I don't like being the target of everyone's resentment either, and it's risky, you know?
But here, I'll take it on for now!
"You know, when it's crowded? Or when I'm in a rush and want to fix my makeup? I was always struggling! That's why priority use rights are great! It'll be so helpful when I'm in a hurry or want to look good! Oh, of course, for the actual toilet, it's still in order, okay?"
Totally! Of course, the moment I want to use it, there's always someone with heavy makeup in there! I get it!
My Followers agree with me.
The girls from Class 5 look frustrated, but they're a little relieved to confirm it's just the washroom, not the toilets, that have priority—though they still look annoyed.
"Keigo for the rest of the year? Well, it's already November, so it's not much time left, right? Just hang in there! And if you're going to resent anyone, blame your queen for going along with such a dumb bet, okay?"
The resentful stares from Class 5 girls focus on Mishima. Mishima looks a bit flustered.
I press the attack,
"Well, you know, since we both ran maid cafés, I get it—it must've been tough, right? And on top of that, you did the beauty contest too? Then after that, you had to be a maid again. Maybe the decision was wrong, but don't blame Satsuki-chan, okay?"
Oof, now all the stares are on Satsuki. Poor Satsuki-chan (lol).
I know for a fact she left almost everything to everyone else, and the actual management was handled by number two, Kageno-san, and Akino-san from the second clique.
Plus? She sulked and, after losing, barely worked at all on either day and left early, right?
The top is always being watched by everyone.
Even here, she's totally misunderstanding what it means to be the top.
All the resentment is piling onto Satsuki... maybe I'll just start calling her Satsuki now?
As the focus turns to Satsuki, I deliberately—
"But you know? I actually appreciate Class 5."
Murmurs!
Now everyone's looking over here!
Satsuki seems relieved...?
But it kinda looks like she's backing down?
It looks like she's conceding, doesn't it...?
"Because, when Class 6 couldn't handle all the customers, Class 5 covered for us! With the beauty contest results and everything, I'm sure Class 6 probably made more money. ...But the Class 5 maid café! It was cute and fantastic! I could see everyone's hard work."
The classroom goes completely silent.
I think, "Doesn't this sound fake?" but in times like this, you just gotta go all in.
"So yeah, our class won, but we're grateful to Class 5 and we respect you. ...Since we won, it's not like we'll get everything, but if there's a conflict over the washroom? We'll just have a slight priority, okay? I'll tell our girls to be considerate. If timing overlaps, please let us go first just a little? And about keigo, let's not use rude words, let's speak kindly and politely, okay? We really want to get along with everyone in Class 5."
I make a pleading gesture.
This should smooth things over a bit.
To our girls, I'll say, "We won, but we're neighbors, so let's be considerate and let them go first sometimes!"
To Class 5 girls, it's not "We won, so we always get priority!" but more like "Let us go first just a little?" Even though we won, we'll show respect and say we want to get along!
...With this.
"I thought we'd get bullied at the washroom since we lost."
"Yeah, I was worried we'd get made fun of for losing..."
"Osada-san... you're a good person!"
"People who look scary are actually nice on the inside, right?"
That's rude. Saying I look scary is harsh.
The tension from Class 5 relaxes, poor Satsuki-chan (lol).
Mishima probably thought she was saved, giving a faint smile,
Mishima: "Sorry, Osada..."
Who do you think you are? Don't get cocky.
"Huh? Call me Osada-san, okay? Not you. You and I made a personal bet with keigo on the line, right? If you'd won, you'd have made me speak formally until we changed grades, right? So you have to use keigo with me, always!"
I glare sharply,
Satsuki looks frustrated, staring at me in silence.
The Class 5 students just look like, "Well, that's fair."
Satsuki has no popularity, just as expected.
"Well, I'm the only one you have to speak formally to, okay? Got it? Answer me. Well, that's settled then?"
Mishima: "..."
We leave Class 5 behind.
As we head back to Class 6, I can already feel Mishima Satsuki freaking out and all the accusing stares gathering behind us.
Saito-kun, who'd been quiet until now, finally speaks up,
Saito: "...With this, Satsuki won't be able to stay at the top of the caste anymore. Giving up those other washroom priority rights and keigo so easily—is that because of Yukari-san's scandal?"
"Yeah, if a punishment worse than losing Miss Hokusho came down for that, we'd actually be in trouble and get tons of backlash. This much is just right. Plus, Mishima Satsuki doesn't really care about being forced to use keigo. She's the type who just clams up because she doesn't want to speak formally."
Saito: "...You didn't go too hard on her, and you created an image of being forgiving to both her and your own class. Giving up the advantage of keigo and the washroom for the rest of the year is actually more beneficial. You praised the other class's maid café and thanked them for their help, showing respect, so you'll probably be able to get along with Class 5 now. ...Especially if the top girl changes... Satsuki might be that type... she might never bend, no matter what."
Saito-kun nods in admiration.
Saito-kun understood exactly what I was trying to do.
...If it were Tomonaga, I'd have to explain everything from scratch.
It's easier to talk with someone like this. Well, we don't usually hang out alone since he tends to misunderstand.
Honestly, part of it was personal payback, but as long as Saito-kun is satisfied with Mishima Satsuki's punishment, that's good enough.
Saito-kun seems too nice for things like revenge.
Taking that into account, I made sure not to go overboard, but I did enforce keigo on Satsuki until the grades change.
Saito-kun had a rough time because of Satsuki, but I never hear about him getting revenge, so I wondered if today's situation would make him uncomfortable, or if he'd go along with it, but he just watched quietly.
He understood my intention, and he seems good at reading people's feelings and thoughts, but...
The fact that the person he liked went from Mishima Satsuki to Tomonaga Yukari is... pretty wild.
If he keeps his grades up and aims for advancement, we might end up together in the special advancement class for top students in second year.
It never hurts to maintain connections, and I definitely don't want to make an enemy of him.
And then...
"So, Saito-kun. I'll keep an eye on Tomonaga Yukari in our class until we become second-years, so I won't let her do anything weird, and we'll keep her in line, so let's call it even..."
Saito: "...If you just stop getting involved, that would be enough... Osada-san, you've had it rough, too, huh?"
Saito-kun must've been through a lot since entering high school. His eyes are kind, but I can't read what's behind them, and that's a little scary.
As I'm about to say goodbye to Saito-kun,
Tototo! Tanaka-kun comes running up.
Ah, I totally forgot...!
Tanaka: "I'm going to keep filming to see what happens to Mishima-san! Kousuke-kun, good job!"
With that, he suddenly faded from presence, like a shadow...!
Even though he's right in front of me?
What is with this guy, he's scary.