Volume 13 Chapter 252 Shirogane Aqua, New Rising Genius Designer
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
For the upcoming cultural festival, our class, 2A, has decided to hold a fashion show.
Thanks to Emily’s enthusiastic proposal, and the student council jumping on board, we’re now going head-to-head with class 1A. That’s Kukuri-chan, Hisui-chan, Iria-san, and Oto-san’s squad.
Naturally, I’ll walk the runway as a model—but since it’s a special occasion, I want to try something different.
That thought in mind, I shot my hand up without hesitation during our after-school discussion.
”Yes, yes! I want to try being a designer!”
The lively room froze instantly.
Huh? Did I just unlock time-stop powers?
Nobody moved a muscle. I looked at the closest still statue.
”Hey, Shintaro?”
No blinking. Are you dead? Meanwhile, Toa suddenly grabbed his head like he heard the call of the void.
I turned away and locked eyes with another frozen soul.
”Ah, Ayana?”
She looked like Kaede after taking a direct hit from the mythical *Hogelar Wave*.
Her mouth was square, her eyes wide. Still cute, but definitely not idol material right now.
”Ugh!”
Wait, Claire-san!? She dropped to the floor, clutching her stomach.
Stomach cramps!? Straight to the nurse’s office!!
”A new holy relic… the spark of war… the problem of interpretation… hmm, hmm…”
Groaning and rambling, Claire was carried off by Lisa and Uruha.
She mentioned her stomach hurt, but seriously—what kind of stress is she harboring?
Damn it! Claire’s suffering and I, her boyfriend, have no idea what’s causing it.
What kind of useless man am I!?
”…Staring.”
Kanon’s gaze pierced me.
Why’re you staring at my face like that?
Wait… don’t tell me—did you fall for me again after seeing me in uniform?
Heh. Well, even I can be charming sometimes.
I showed her a cool expression.
Pegonia, beside her, let out a sigh and spoke up.
”If Master raises his hand with that much confidence, he must have a plan.”
”Ah!”
Exactly! I’ve walked real runways before, and while I’ve kept it quiet, I’m actually confident in my design sense.
The other day, my art teacher saw my drawing and fainted. Ambulance and everything.
Some guy in full hazmat gear came from the Self-Defense Force and took the drawing to preserve in a national museum.
Note to self: ask Prime Minister Habu about it when she visits.
”Ah, but if Kokona or anyone else wants to do it, I’ll step aside…”
I scanned the class.
Maybe no one else’s speaking up because I raised my hand first?
The guilt crept in.
”Sorry, everyone. Let’s just forget I said anything—”
The moment I began lowering my hand, my classmates jumped in.
”No, no, it’s fine. We were just surprised.”
”Yeah, I think it’s a fun idea.”
”I’d love to try on something Aqua designed.”
Really? You’re not just humoring me?
Kokona stepped forward with the rest.
”I’ll be busy with club activities, so it’d be great if you took care of the design. I’ll help with the costumes, too. Hey, Aqua-kun—why not design outfits for everyone in the class?”
Wait—everyone on the runway?
That actually sounds incredible.
I nodded with a smile as Kokona continued:
”I thought it’d be fun if we all wore Aqua-kun’s designs. Fortunately, we’ve got a lot of people who can draw patterns—like me, Pegonia-san, Kanon-san, and Aqua-kun. We can all help sew, and then walk the runway together. It’ll be a great memory!”
Absolutely.
Last year’s performance of *Shikiori (Season by Season)* for Kokona was unforgettable—this can be, too.
”Kokona-chan, that’s a great idea!”
”It’s embarrassing, but sounds fun!”
”I’m clumsy—can I still join?”
”Don’t worry, I’ll help you!”
”Crap. I need to lose weight starting today.”
”Haha, me too!”
The class was buzzing with energy.
Except one gloomy face caught my eye.
”Ugh… it sounds fun, but can I actually do it…? I always rely on Yukari-senpai, but I’m not really good at this…”
Ayana, huh?
She’s decent at cooking, but she’s not exactly crafty—especially compared to Ako-san and Kohina-senpai.
Just as I was about to speak, Kanon beat me to it.
”Hehe, Ayana-chan. Want to work on it together?”
”Eh!? Is that okay? That’d be a huge help, Kanon-san!”
Watching them hold hands and smile filled my heart.
There’s something pure about those two that just feels… healing.
Sugita-sensei, who had been silently listening from the back, cleared her throat.
”Looks like we’ve decided. I’ll submit the paperwork accordingly.”
She smiled gently.
Kokona, eyes sparkling with mischief, tilted her head with a playful grin.
”Sugita-sensei, you’re totally giving off ‘mysterious mentor watching from the shadows’ vibes. You’re not escaping that easily.”
”Eh?”
What’s going on?
The girls instantly caught on and pounced like a pack of cheerful wolves.
”You’re walking with us, Sensei!”
”What? But I’m a teacher…”
Flustered, Sugita-sensei backed away.
”Rules don’t say teachers can’t participate.”
”Yeah, you’re part of the class, so you have to join!”
”No, but…”
Everyone’s great.
The girls in the class continue to press the embarrassed Sugita-sensei.
”Ah, I really wanted to walk the runway with Sugita-sensei…”
”B-but I can’t sew…”
True, she’s not the type.
When I stayed in hers room during probation, I had to re-sew the buttons popping off her shirts.
”Then we’ll help you, Sensei!”
”Hey, let’s go wild—how about a wedding dress?”
”Yes! A wedding dress for Sugita-sensei!”
”Wait, why am I the only one getting a wedding dress!?”
Sugita-sensei in a wedding dress… naturally, I’d walk beside her.
Before it spiraled out of control, Kanon stepped in.
”Come on, everyone. Sensei’s clearly overwhelmed.”
She gently embraced her.
Motherhood radiated from her like divine light—must be the childbirth experience.
”Also, a wedding dress would take forever. Let’s skip that.”
”Sensei, it’s my first time making costumes too, so let’s do our best together.”
Kanon and Ayana supported him like pros.
This KanoAya duo is unstoppable.
Kokona came forward and bowed slightly.
”Sorry, Sensei. But I really want you to join us.”
”Kurumi… I understand. The wedding dress is out, but I’d love to help and walk the runway with you all.”
Applause broke out.
Toa and I clapped in sync.
Shintaro, meanwhile, was still frozen.
I grabbed his glasses and flipped them upside down.
”Sorry. I think I fainted from the shock.”
”You need a hospital, bro.”
I have no idea what shocked him so badly, but he should definitely hit the hospital on the way home.
As his best friend, I worry about Shintaro with nothing but pure intentions.
Also, he’s adjusting those upside-down glasses a little too well—come on, notice my tiny prank already.
”Well then, Aqua-kun, please prepare a design proposal soon.”
”Got it. Leave it to me!”
* * *
I buy a sketchbook at the stationery shop on my way home from school, and at home in the living room, I think about my classmates and draw their clothes one by one.
Heh, my ideas come out fast like my talent is scary.
While I have fun drawing, Kohina-senpai who is nearby peeks without permission.
Hey, hey, what is this all of a sudden!?
”Today is too quiet, so I wonder what you are doing.
You are probably doing something stupid again, right?
Tell me quickly before it becomes a big trouble.”
How rude! Like I always cause trouble!
I am not like Kohina-senpai who makes trouble all the time!
Look, as proof, look at my harmless shiny clean eyes.
Emily who noticed my talk with Kohina-senpai explains the situation for me.
”Hehe. Kohina-senpai, actually it is like this and that.”
After hearing from Emily, Kohina-senpai looks at me with suspicious sharp eyes.
”Hmm, I see. I will check it myself directly, so you show me what clothes you designed.”
”I also want to see the clothes Aqua-sama designed! …For the kids in 2A, no, for Claire too, if we can stop bad things here, we stop them, mumble, mumble…”
Eh? Well, if you two say so much, just a little.
By the way, Emily, did you say something last time?
I think I hear you mumbling… Eh? Just my imagination? Okay then.
”First, it is this.”
I draw a full-body see-through skin-colored tights nun’s outfit for Claire-san and show it to the two of them.
When Kohina-senpai presses me more, Emily claps and is happy.
Hey, hey, don’t you two misunderstand my sketch!?
”Because Claire-san usually lives a pure, right life as a nun, I want her to free herself with fashion.
But I also want to keep the tied, pressed part, so I made this kind of outfit.”
Even I didn’t design this outfit from perverted thoughts.
I thought about the outfit with real Stars’ Stars Collection influence.
Kohina-senpai opens her eyes wide after hearing me.
”Oh, I thought it was for perverted purpose because it looks like that, but it isn’t. Still, it looks like it.”
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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