The days of juggling executive committee duties and club activities were finally coming to an end. With only two days left until the School Festival, Hayato's class was in a frenzy, staying after school to finish the props and costumes. The activity flyers had just been finalized and printed, and Hayato carried a box of them to the desks.
"These are great, especially this little ghost. It's so cute!"
"The calligraphy for the haunted house looks amazing."
"As expected of the Calligraphy Club, their writing is beautiful~"
The girls gathered around to admire the design. The combination of the Art Club's illustrations and the Calligraphy Club's lettering made the flyers stand out. Hayato smiled at their excitement before grabbing a brush to help paint the wooden props.
"Yo, Hayato. Good work."
Tanaka passed him a bottle of oolong tea. Since volleyball practice had been suspended for the festival prep, he was helping out too. Hayato gulped down half the bottle in one go before setting it down and diving back into painting.
"Seriously, if you ever nominate me for the executive committee again, I'm cutting ties with you."
"My friend, I humbly apologize for dragging you into this mess."
The two exchanged grins, shoulders brushing as they worked until nightfall.
By the time they left, the classrooms were dark, and the chilly autumn air had set in. Under the streetlights at the school gate, Kiyoko stood waiting with her bag slung over one shoulder. She was already in her winter uniform—her soft beige sweater and black tights matched with polished brown shoes, while her jacket framed her graceful figure.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Kiyoko-nee!"
Hayato jogged up, a little out of breath but cheerful. She shook her head lightly, and the two set off together.
"I only just came out too. How's your class doing?"
"Almost done. We'll wrap it up tomorrow. Honestly, I'm really looking forward to the festival. Oh—your class is doing a maid café, right?"
Hayato's eyes lit up in anticipation. Kiyoko tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her cheeks faintly pink.
"I'll be working in the kitchen."
"Oh no, really?"
"Wearing a maid outfit in front of everyone is… too embarrassing."
Hayato caught her tone and quickly eased up. "Fair enough. Then I'll look forward to your cooking instead. And during your break, I'll take you through our haunted house."
They chatted the rest of the way home before parting.
That evening, Hayato cooked himself a hearty pot of sweet curry, filling his apartment with the warm smell of butter, onions, and simmering spices. He'd just sat down for seconds when his phone buzzed with a new message.
Opening it, he nearly spat out his food.
"Pfft!"
On his screen was Kiyoko, in a full black-and-white Victorian-style maid dress, taking a mirror selfie. The long hemline and lace details gave her a refined air—less playful cosplay, more elegant head maid.
Beneath the photo was her message:
"I was supposed to bring it home for size adjustments. But since someone looked so eager, I decided to take a quick picture."
Hayato clutched his phone, trying not to choke again. He quickly typed back:
"Super! Beautiful! Kiyoko-nee, you totally suit the 'head maid' look!"
Her reply came back with a cat emoji:
"Head maid? You exaggerate. Anyway, you've seen it now, so you're satisfied, right? I need to change. The chest area's a little tight…"
Hayato flushed, shaking his head to clear his thoughts. He responded:
"Thank you very much! This humble one is completely satisfied!"
With that, he saved the photo like it was treasure.
The next morning on the way to school, he teased, "Kiyoko-nee, will I ever get to see the maid outfit in person?"
She shot him a sideways glare. "Who knows? Depends on my mood."
"I'll be looking forward to it!"
"You're way too happy about this."
"Well, it's only natural. Kiyoko-nee looks good in everything—and I'm the only one who gets to see the extra outfits."
She laughed softly at his words, their easy banter carrying them to school.
Inside the locker room, Tanaka raised an eyebrow. "Hayato, why do you look so suspiciously happy today?"
"Because the festival's coming up. Isn't it normal to be excited?"
"…Nah, that's definitely not the only reason."
"It is the reason!" Hayato insisted, a little too quickly.
-----------
Support me at patréon com/Lukas25