I looked down at the white coat I was wearing. Was it really okay for me to show up at Kusanagi's high school dressed like this?
The cultural festival at the national high school, from the initial planning stages to all the final activities, was generally completely public and entirely planned and executed by the students themselves. The music club hadn't reached their performance time yet, so they were helping other clubs with their preparations.
Several classmates had finished tidying up the classroom. A slender girl, glistening with a light sweat, sat astride a desk, wearing a sour expression. "What a lousy school, forcing us to move all the desks and chairs out."
"The stage play is scheduled indoors. Kyoko and Inohara went ahead to clean up the venue. I'm exhausted too."
Momozawa dramatically slumped to the floor, opened a can of soda, gulped it down, and handed another can to Kusanagi, who was still on the desk.
"Did you invite Miss Nozawa to the cultural festival?"
The girl with the cold expression softened slightly. She took a sip of her soda. "Yeah. She had nothing to do at home anyway, so I asked her to come take a look."
Momozawa grinned and teased, "So you invited her to the performance, and you invited her today too, oh~"
Knowing this wasn't something she'd normally do, the girl's expression faltered slightly. A hint of embarrassment colored her face as she smoothed her black hair. "It's up to her whether she comes or not. I don't care."
"If you don't care, you don't care. Why are you shouting?"
"Go play your keyboard."
Unable to win the argument, the girl took another big gulp of water. "Let's head to the venue once we're done here. Kyoko and the others should be almost finished setting up."
"Tch, what's your class doing?"
High school cultural festival activities were roughly divided into game booths, mini indoor theater booths, exhibition rooms (biology, railways, origami, etc.), stage performances, and food stalls/restaurants. Students were assigned to departments based on preference, with an additional "Cultural Festival Executive Committee" serving all departments.
"Don't even mention it. The culture club made another batch of club T-shirts with everyone's name from Ready-Maid printed on them. Gives me a headache just looking at them."
"Hahahaha, I just remembered last year! A few people wore T-shirts with your giant face printed on them, really standing out in the crowd. It was hilarious!"
Kusanagi thumped Momozawa on the head. "Keep laughing, and I'll print your face on shirts and have people line up wearing them in the audience."
"How could I steal the lead singer's spotlight? That honor belongs to you alone."
"Looking to die?"
The two of them roughhoused their way towards the venue. The yakisoba food stalls lining the corridor were fully set up. There was a pitch-black haunted house, and next to it, drama club members were rehearsing their lines. The atmosphere was buzzing with excitement.
"Huh? There's a doctor standing at the school gate." Momozawa pointed towards the entrance, squinting uncertainly. "Kusanagi, is that Miss Nozawa?"
"She shouldn't be this early..." The girl's words trailed off as her gaze landed on the young woman in a white coat at the school gate.
Doctors were people Kusanagi had always disliked the most. Frail and sickly since childhood, she'd spent a long time in hospitals. The sight of a doctor triggered a deep-seated aversion, a phantom ache of needle pricks twisting inside her. This feeling had only improved slightly as she grew older.
The young woman at the gate stood somewhat awkwardly. A faint hint of embarrassment colored her fair face as she spoke softly to an older woman beside her, seemingly expressing thanks.
The long white coat looked particularly intellectual on her. Her slender, resilient waist was faintly visible beneath the coat. Her gentle, unassuming features held a touch of endurance, exuding the professional charm of a young female doctor.
Different from the doctors in her memory, the white coat on her seemed brushed by a clear breeze—efficient, refreshing, carrying a mature and rigorous air.
White really suited her, spotless. The girl stared blankly, momentarily unsure if it was really her, her eyes sweeping over the figure several times.
After seeing the older woman off, the woman lowered her head and started typing. A faintly scholarly air lingered between her brows, and a hint of a smile seemed to stitch itself into her eyes.
*Buzz buzz* The girl's phone showed a new message. It was from her.
[Miss Kusanagi, I'm at the school gate. Where are you?]
The girl snapped back to reality, flustered as she replied: [I see you. I'll be right there.]
"Is it her?" Momozawa shouted after the girl who was already sprinting down the stairs. "Hey, wait for me!"
"Yes! It's her!" The girl's joy was palpable, vanishing around the stairwell corner the next second.
Ah, so many people are looking at me. I uncomfortably lowered my gaze. Wearing professional attire in public for the first time felt like announcing to everyone, "I am a doctor." This kind of labeling was really bothersome.
A few male high school students passed by me. Their whispers were too loud, not that I meant to overhear.
"A lady doctor! Look, look, so slim and tall, such good poise." "It's a cosplay, right? It's the cultural festival tonight. Wonder which class came up with that, pretty creative."
Today, I went from being a child's mother to being mistaken for an underage high school student—quite the versatile day. And this outfit of mine isn't some cosplay; it's genuine work attire. Now I understand what the head nurse meant by "special consideration."
It's said Japan's cultural festivals can be traced back to Tokyo in 1900, starting with just stage play performances and gradually evolving into today's cultural festivals.
The high school entrance was decorated with a vertical plaque: "26th Cultural Festival." Along both sides of the school path, calligraphy club members handed out school maps and pamphlets. Short TV dramas written and directed by the drama club played on rotation on a large screen outside the school.
Further in, there was the tea ceremony club, a photography exhibition by the photography club, and the sounds of the brass band club's performance rose and fell. It was especially lively.
I sent her a message, my heart fluttering with a little excitement.
Unexpectedly, the girl replied urgently, instantly. [I see you.]
She sees me? But I only just arrived a few minutes ago. I looked around.
Even with so many people at the school gate, I spotted Kusanagi's slender figure immediately. She hurried over to me. She was unusually properly dressed in her high school uniform, the black skirt hem falling neatly, the collar not recklessly undone—looking quite well-behaved.
"Why are you here already?" the girl asked, slightly out of breath.
"I got a ride with a colleague, so I'm a bit early." The corners of my eyes crinkled. Seeing her unconsciously lifted my mood. "Has the cultural festival started?"
"Not yet, but soon." The girl lowered her gaze, inadvertently glancing at my white coat. "Why are you wearing your doctor's uniform today?"
Not sure how to explain, I tugged at the hem of my coat, slightly embarrassed. "Um, special circumstances today. If this outfit is inconvenient at your school, I can go back and change."
"No need to change. It's fine." The girl turned her head away, her voice clear and bright, carrying a hint of embarrassment.
"What's fine about it?" I continued, following her lead.
"How tall are you?" She glanced at my shoes. I was wearing high heels today, making me a few centimeters taller than usual.
"About 174 cm with shoes on."
Kusanagi stepped closer and used her hand to measure her own height against mine, which came up to just under my chin. Her smooth, fair cheek hovered near my neck.
"...So tall. No wonder the uniform looks good on you," she murmured.
"Hmm?" I didn't catch what she said.
"Nothing." She bit her lip, still measuring my height. "Miss Nozawa, being this tall means you can't find a boyfriend."
"I don't have one now, doesn't mean I never will." My eye twitched slightly.
"At least not in Japan."
...So she wasn't complimenting me. This girl never has anything nice to say.
The girl's fair, delicate ears were framed by soft, wavy black hair with an amber-like sheen.
My fingers itched.
It looked like it would feel wonderful—soft and smooth, always swaying at the nape of her neck, sometimes spilling over her fair cheek, other times falling against her straight nose bridge.
I could say I'd coveted her soft, lustrous black hair since our first meeting.
Hmm, decided. I'll punish her with this.
"You seem happy that I can't find a boyfriend?" I reached up and touched her head. I initially intended to give it a quick, satisfying ruffle, but the moment my hand made contact, it turned into a gentle caress.
It was indeed as fine and soft as I'd imagined, like high-quality silk. The texture was truly excellent.
The girl stumbled forward from the touch of my palm, clearly not expecting me to touch her. "...What does you finding a boyfriend or not have to do with me? I don't care."
She didn't even get angry.
"You looked pretty happy from my perspective."
"Thinking that no man will suffer Miss Nozawa's *infringement* naturally puts me in a good mood."
"Infringement?"
Since it's infringement, then I'll put it into action. I couldn't help but let my hand slide from the nape of her neck to her full occipital bone, giving it a few gentle pinches and strokes until her black hair was slightly disheveled, then nonchalantly withdrew my hand.
The girl didn't even turn her head, suppressing her irritation as she walked forward, her fine hair swaying against her flushed cheeks.
No one had ever touched her head before; her hair was her most precious possession. She'd once declared her hair was her second life, yet that resolve easily crumbled under this person's touch.
"Why so quiet?"
"Don't want to talk to you."
The girl covered her face with her slender, pale hand. Even her ears felt hot.
I watched these little actions of hers, a slow smile curling my lips as I followed behind her. Hmm, next time I get the chance, I'll give it a proper rub.
"Miss Nozawa! Miss Nozawa!" The only one who called me "Miss Nozawa" like that was Momozawa.
Momozawa panted, hands on her knees. She gave Kusanagi a playful hit, grimacing. "Never knew you could move so fast! Whoosh, and you were gone! I was shouting after you the whole time!"
"Your voice was too soft. I didn't hear you."
"Kusanagi! Are you lying with your eyes wide open?!" Momozawa got agitated. "You just wanted to see—"
The girl swiftly covered Momozawa's mouth. The two of them walked forward in an extremely awkward posture. "I'll buy you dessert later. Shut up for now."
"You think you can bribe me with just dessert? Let me ask you, did she touch your hair just now?" Momozawa fearlessly tugged at the tiger's whiskers. "I saw it! You didn't refuse, and you even blushed!"
"?!" The girl, furious and embarrassed, clamped her hand tighter over Momozawa's mouth.
The two of them tussled, the situation escalating.
"Ahhhh! Miss Nozawa, save me! Save me!"
I hadn't expected the opportunity to come so quickly. Now, it was perfectly reasonable.
I wrapped an arm around Kusanagi, firmly securing her under my arm. My slender arm went over her shoulder, and I took the chance to ruffle her head again, my fingers grasping a handful. Hmm, full of a cool, pleasant scent.
Having satisfied my little desire, I lightly chided, "Stop messing around. The cultural festival has started. Shall we go look around together?"
"..."
The girl grew strangely quiet. She nodded reluctantly, her ears red.
Momozawa took in the whole scene, her eyes wide. Was this the Kusanagi she knew?
Damn, why did it feel like there was something... between Kusanagi and Miss Nozawa? She was just joking! Could it actually be true?!
Oh my god, Momozawa seemed to have stumbled upon a shocking secret!
I kept my arm around Kusanagi as we walked forward.
The height difference made it easy to hold her like that, but my white coat was too long, making the posture inconvenient. I had to let go, and about half a meter of distance returned between us.
The girl suppressed an almost imperceptible sense of loss, her gaze wavering.
Momozawa pointed at the school building ahead. "They have goldfish scooping up there, and yakisoba, candy apples, chocolate bananas! Let's all go up and eat!"
"Okay."
"Let's go! Everything's arranged!" "It'll get crowded tonight. We should queue up early."
The classrooms in the school building had all transformed into a marketplace. Students were loudly selling yakisoba, and they'd actually set up a few pans to cook it right there. The aroma was enticing, the golden-brown noodles looking particularly appetizing.
The professional yakisoba skills left me in awe.
The guy cooking the noodles was full of enthusiasm. "Come take a look! Class A's yakisoba is cheap and delicious~ Doctor lady in the back, want a serving?"
Doctor lady? Students turned to look. I instantly became the center of attention in the whole crowd. This outfit really was too conspicuous...
I smiled awkwardly and waved my hand, about to lower my head and slip away, when several girls nearby recognized Kusanagi and Momozawa. They squealed, stomping their feet to stop them. "Ahhh! Kuroki Kusanagi! And keyboardist Momo-chan!"
"The lead singer of Ready-Maid in person! Can we take a photo with you?"
"She even has a family doctor with her! Such a rich young lady vibe!"
I consciously stepped to the side. They weren't wrong; in a sense, I *was* her family doctor. But I hadn't expected her to be this famous, running into fans so casually.
My surprise was mixed with a sense of inevitability. The charm of Kusanagi's singing voice was truly something no one could resist. It was just that the personality of the voice's owner wasn't the best.
Kusanagi coldly refused the photo request, maintaining an aloof, unapproachable demeanor. Momozawa, however, happily greeted them and even took pictures, smiling and saying, "Hope you'll continue supporting us!"—full of seasoned idol poise.
Tch, with that scowling face like a block of ice, treating unfamiliar people like that... I worried her fans might turn against her.
"Ahhh, thank you, Momo-chan! You're so cute! Lead singer Kusanagi is so cool, so beautiful, so handsome!" The girls thanked them excitedly, almost squealing.
Seems I worried for nothing. With a face as stunning as Kusanagi's, fans would forgive her unconditionally.
Speaking of which, I bought five servings of yakisoba, five chocolate bananas, drinks, and sodas—including portions for Kyoko and Inohara.
"Miss Nozawa, you're so thoughtful, buying food for us too." Momozawa took out a chocolate banana and started eating, grinning as she bit into it. "I love chocolate most. I'll tell you a secret—Kusanagi likes milk."
Actually, I knew that. That's why I brought Kusanagi a sandwich and milk for breakfast.
Her skin was also milky white, tender, thin, and translucent. Could it be the merit of milk?
Kusanagi refused photo requests from a few more boys. She looked somewhat weary, apparently not good at handling these situations, avoiding them whenever possible.
"Why did you buy so much?" Seeing the things in my hands, she frowned slightly.
"I got some for Kyoko and Miss Inohara too. We're going to meet them later, right?" I stacked the boxes of yakisoba to make them easier to carry and less heavy.
She averted her gaze. "Why are you so concerned about *my* friends?"
I blinked. Wasn't it obvious? Of course, it was because of her. "Do you know the phrase 'love me, love my friends'?"
Kusanagi shook her head expressionlessly. She wasn't Chinese; how would she know so many idioms?
I didn't plan to beat around the bush either, so I said plainly, "It means I care about you the most, am most concerned about you."
"..." The girl was suddenly stunned.
She should have understood that, right? I didn't think there was anything odd about it. I curved my eyes at her in a smile. "'Love me, love my friends.' Because I care about you, I care about your friends too."
"I know what it means!" Momozawa on the side raised her chocolate banana high. "It's the chocolate banana Miss Nozawa bought for me!"
A teachable student. I gave her a thumbs up.
Kusanagi mulled over the phrase for a moment, then suddenly seemed to understand something. The roots of her ears gradually turned red, and she fell silent.
This girl was usually pretty smart. Why did she get stuck at a crucial moment like this?