Volume 13 Chapter 275 Oto Rurika, The Person In The Mask
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The three-day Cultural Festival, including the pre-festival events, had finally come to an end.
As part of the post-festival cleanup, I carried out the last trash bag. On my way back to the classroom, now holding an empty trash can, I passed by several students who casually greeted me.
”Oto-san, great job! The play was amazing!”
”Ah, thank you,” I replied with a small smile.
Another student chimed in, “Oto-san! The fashion show competition was so close! I voted too, but Aqua-kun was just too strong. Still, Class 1-A’s show was really good!”
”Thanks. I’ll be sure to let my classmates know,” I said, returning the sentiment.
Their kind words made me smile. A lot has changed recently. Or rather, I’ve changed. Ever since meeting that masked person, I’ve started to see things differently. I’ve even started feeling more… positive.
When I returned to the classroom, some students at the entrance noticed me.
”Oto-san, great job!”
”Thanks for taking out the trash! That was the last one, so you can head out now.”
”Understood. Thank you for your hard work,” I replied, placing the trash can back in its original spot before heading to my desk to gather my things.
”Hey, the Cultural Festival after-party is at 7 PM, right?” someone asked nearby.
”That’s right,” another replied. “It’s being held in the banquet hall of the Shirogane Kingdom guesthouse.”
”Seriously? That place is huge—they’re inviting everyone: teachers, students, janitors, office staff, even the lunch ladies.”
”I’ve never been to a banquet hall that can hold over a thousand people…” someone murmured in awe.
”Same here.”
”I’m so excited to go to Shirogane Kingdom!”
”Right? I wonder if we’ll be allowed to tour the main residence or the inner palace.”
”That might be a bit much,” someone laughed.
As I packed up, I listened quietly to the animated conversation around me.
”I bought proper party clothes for the first time in my life…”
”Well, you’ll probably need them again for prom in two years, so it’s fine to get them now.”
”Assuming I still fit into them by then…”
”Hey, don’t jinx it!”
”I get it though,” another added. “I just had to buy a new bra—my old one got too small.”
”That happens. One day, it’s like all your nutrients just migrate to your chest.”
”Besides, trends change. It’s better to wear something that suits you now.”
”True. But Kanon-sama doesn’t care much about trends, right?”
”No—Kanon-senpai actually sets trends. Whatever she wears becomes the next big thing.”
”Exactly. And when it comes to men’s fashion, everything revolves around Aqua-kun these days. My older sister works at Fujii, and she said male customers keep asking for whatever Aqua-kun wore in the magazines.”
”I’ve only spoken with Aqua-sama during the play, but they never slacked off,” one student commented earnestly. “Their professionalism is on another level.”
”It was the same when I co-starred with them in Heaven’s Sword,” someone added. “Acting with Aqua-sama teaches you a lot.”
”The moment they stepped onto the set, it was clear—they had that presence. That star quality. It really hit me: Aqua-sama is Mikuni-sama’s child. You could feel the inheritance.”
”And yet, despite all that, their process for understanding a role is so careful and detailed. There’s no ego, just respect for the craft. It’s similar to Kohina Yukari-san, who always treats her roles with incredible delicacy.”
”That’s true. I think Aqua-sama became who they are because Kohina Yukari-san prepared the soil. President Atori found the right roles. Their supporters and fans watered them. And Director Hongou lit them like the sun in Heaven’s Sword, turning them into a national actor.”
”Exactly. That’s why the public doesn’t just see them as a second-generation star or Yukishiro Mikuni’s kid. Kohina Yukari-san is amazing—she was there from the very beginning, quietly working behind the scenes.”
”I mean… I’m nowhere near good enough to teach anyone myself…”
”Hey, are Mayuzumi-senpai and the others coming to the afterparty?” someone asked.
”Yeah. Toa-chan-senpai even went home early to prep for the bingo game, according to the seniors.”
”Figures. If Aqua-senpai’s involved in the bingo, we better brace ourselves.”
”Totally. Anyway, has everyone prepped their sleepover sets?”
”Of course. I even bought new underwear.”
”I still can’t believe they allowed a sleepover after the party.”
”Apparently, Yamamoto-sensei from Student Guidance passionately argued with Sugita-sensei, saying, ‘Students only grow by making mistakes!’“
”Haha, I can totally picture Sugita-sensei being completely flustered.”
”Only our school would have a guidance counselor advocating for mistakes…”
”Oh, by the way,” one girl said with mock-seriousness, “I just passed by Yamamoto-sensei and she told me, ‘Make sure you’re prepared with your battle underwear. Leave the condoms and pills at home—but just in case!’”
”I was told to be ready to go at any time. Being considerate like that is important, apparently.”
”What!? For real?”
”Should I bring some too…? I’ve never bought battle underwear before…”
Slipping my bag strap over my shoulder, I left the classroom.
First, I’d head home to change and prepare. Then those of us attending the after-party would regroup.
”I’m home,” I called as I stepped inside.
”Welcome back, Ruri-nee!” my little sisters chorused.
”Ruri-nee, welcome back!”
”It’s ‘welcome home,’ not ‘welcome back,’” one of them corrected with a pout.
”Hey, Ruri-nee, how was the Miss Contest? Did Aqua-sama do something naughty to you?”
”Huh!? Did something naughty happen between you and Aqua-sama? Lucky! I want to do something naughty with him too!”
”I want to do something naughty with Aqua-sama and make a baby!”
”Everyone, calm down! I didn’t do anything like that with Aqua-sama!” I stammered, flustered.
I denied it on Aqua-sama’s behalf, but… thinking back to the Miss Contest, my face flushed with heat. That moment had been—well—an accident.
”Ah, Ruri-nee, your face is red!” one of them teased.
”That definitely means something happened,” another chimed in.
”Ruri-nee, you’re way too easy to read.”
”Right? People say I have a poker face, but Ruri-nee? Totally transparent.”
Ugh. Why are my little sisters so mature?
Ignoring their teasing, I escaped to my room and pulled out the suitcase I had packed in advance from my closet.
”Umm… I hope I packed an extra pair of underwear properly,” I muttered, flipping open the top drawer of my dresser.
Should I wear something cute? I picked up the underwear my sisters gave me when I entered high school. Ugh… they have ribbons on the sides. Hopefully they won’t come undone easily.
I took off my uniform and changed into sheer black lingerie. Staring at my reflection in the mirror, I was startled.
Whoa. This is even more revealing than what I wore for the Miss Contest…
”Ruri-nee, it suits you.”
”Hmm, so Ruri-nee is into that kind of thing.”
”I’m glad! I was worried you weren’t interested in this kind of stuff.”
”Right? We’re secretly doing it too.”
”Ruri-nee’s naughty.”
What the—!? I spun toward the door.
Sure enough, it was cracked open and my sisters were peeking in.
”Seriously!?” I snapped, slamming the door shut and locking it tight.
Those girls are way too mature. Always looking at online bulletin boards, getting influenced by that sketchy Hagetoru person. Even Mom said there are PTA meetings all over the country complaining about that Verification Team messing up young girls’ education.
I sighed.
From the closet, I took out the party dress I had worn at the awards ceremony.
Who would’ve thought I’d wear this again?
I remembered the day the regulars from the shopping street had pooled their money to buy the dress for me.
’Rurika-chan, you’re going to the awards ceremony again, right?’
’Look! Everyone chipped in for this.’
’With this, you’ll look elegant anywhere.’
’Try it on!’
I had cried then—overwhelmed by their kindness. Back then, I was filled with self-doubt, always wondering if I deserved their support.
Now, I slipped into the same dress and added the pearl earrings and necklace passed down from Mom.
Perfect.
I packed my uniform, textbooks, and other school items into my carry case and headed downstairs. Mom was waiting.
”Rurika, you still look amazing in that dress. Come here, I’ll fix your hair.”
She sat me down and gently gathered my long hair, styling it up with practiced hands.
”You’re staying over tonight, right?”
”U-um… It seems like most of my classmates are, so I thought I might too…”
She hugged me from behind, arms warm and reassuring.
”I see. That’s great. I used to worry that you were keeping a distance from your classmates because you’re so considerate. But seeing you go to school happily these days—it really makes me glad.”
”Mom…”
I see now… I really had made her worry.
I’m sorry, Mom…
As I lowered my eyes, she noticed and gave me a bright smile.
”Look, Rurika. Take a good look at your hair in the mirror.”
”Huh?” I tilted my head—and noticed the pearl barrette tucked neatly into my styled hair.
It was beautiful. I didn’t know much about fashion brands, but even I could tell this was high-quality.
”Mom, this…”
”Hehe,” she chuckled. “It’s a gift from the masked person who often comes here to play the piano. Here, there’s also a letter.”
I took the envelope from her and opened it.
To Rurika Oto,
I heard you’ll be attending the Cultural Festival’s after-party. Please accept this barrette to complement your lovely awards ceremony outfit. I hope you enjoy your time with your classmates.
After reading it, I held the letter to my chest like it was something precious.
…How wonderful. If that masked pianist were a man, I bet he’d be incredibly popular.
Wait—no! That’s not the point! There’s no way I should be accepting something this expensive!
”Mom, are you sure this is okay…?”
”I thought the same at first and was going to refuse. But,” she said with a knowing smile, “I think it’s best to accept it honestly. I’m sure it’ll make them happy too.”
I blinked. Mom? Accepting a gift like this? She’d usually be the first to turn it down.
There must be a reason…
”Wait… Do you know who the masked person is?”
”Well, who knows?” she said, dodging the question with a smirk. “Once you get older, your hearing gets worse, you know.”
Ah—she dodged it!
And then she retreated quickly to the backyard. “I’m busy, busy!”
Ugh! I’m definitely following up on this later!!
Just then—
”Ruri-nee, so beautiful!”
”Wow! I want to be like Ruri-nee soon!”
”Right? I want to wear a party dress like that and go to a party!”
”Ruri-nee, if you went like that, even Aqua-sama would be smitten!”
”Hehe, thank you, everyone.”
I hugged my little sisters tightly, opened a taxi app, and ordered a ride.
”To Shirogane Kingdom, please.”
After a short drive, we arrived. Dozens of taxis were already lined up outside the guesthouse.
Wow… There are so many people. It really does feel like an awards ceremony.
”Alright, alright! Alright, alright!”
A bright, energetic voice cut through the crowd—and I recognized the source: Yukishiro Emily-san.
Wait… Isn’t she pregnant? Why is she the one greeting people?
”Thank you for your hard work, driver,” she said cheerfully. “Here’s a complimentary coffee and tea from Aqua-sama. I’ll take care of the fare—can I use the taxi ticket? Great!”
She spotted me as I stepped out.
”Ah, Oto-san. Welcome to Shirogane Kingdom.”
”Wow…”
Before me stood a luxurious guesthouse that made even movie sets seem plain. This wasn’t just fiction—it was elegance incarnate.
Under Emily-san’s guidance, I stepped inside.
”You’re Rurika Oto-san from Class 1-A, correct? Could you please show your student ID?”
Right, I packed it in my carry-on…
I unzipped the mini pocket and handed the card to the reception lady. She was stunning—exactly as rumored. Many people said that the Shirogane Kingdom staff were incredibly beautiful, and now I understood why.
”Thank you. I’ll return your ID. We’ll transport your luggage to your room—here is your wristband.”
It was jet-black.
Strange—others had wristbands matching their outfits.
”This wristband contains a flexible IC chip for identification and access. It doubles as your room key. If it gets damaged, just visit the counter. Now, enjoy the after-party!”
One of the regulars had mentioned that festivals and clubs were moving toward this kind of tech. Still, it felt futuristic.
I slipped the wristband on and followed the signs to the after-party gate.
”Please enter with your wristband visible.”
The venue was even larger—and taller—than the awards ceremony hall.
Where were my classmates…?
”Ah, Rurika-chan, over here!”
I turned to see Hisui-chan waving.
”Good evening. This place is amazing!” I said.
”Yeah, I’m surprised too.”
She wore a green party dress that suited her perfectly. Elegant and bright.
On stage, Nekoyama Toa-san was setting up a bingo game, dressed adorably in suspenders, shorts, tights, a crisp white shirt, and a small silk hat. By his side was Mayuzumi Shintaro-san, dressed like a magician.
”Ah, it looks like it’s about to start,” Hisui-chan said.
”Huh?” I turned to look—
And then, the room erupted in cheers as Aqua-sama entered.
”Everyone, amazing job on the Cultural Festival!” he said. “We’ve got delicious food prepared. Toa and Shintaro set up a bingo game—so have fun!”
Aqua-sama raised a glass of juice and glanced around the hall, smiling at everyone.
Hisui-chan and I quickly accepted glasses of grape juice from a passing staff member.
”Alright, everyone ready? Cheers!”
”””Cheers!!”””
Mmm… This grape juice is really good.
”Well, I’m going to check on the kids. Have fun, everyone. I’ll be back after switching shifts with Kanon.”
Even though Aqua-sama must be so busy, he still thinks of others first.
Thanks to him, Kanon-san will get to enjoy herself too.
”Rurika-chan, aren’t you hungry? There’s a buffet over there. Let’s get something together.”
”Y-yeah.”
As we walked to the buffet, we passed Iria-san—her plate piled high with desserts.
W-wow. Can she really eat all that alone…?
While Hisui-chan and I loaded our plates, a few classmates approached us.
”Hey, do you two know what the bingo prizes are?”
”Hmm, I haven’t heard anything…” I said.
”Me neither,” Hisui-chan added.
They leaned in close, whispering.
”We overheard some third-years gossiping earlier. They said one of the prizes includes the right to talk with Aqua-senpai… and the right to go on a date with him.”
”What—?!”
Hisui-chan started to shout, but the others immediately clamped their hands over her mouth.
”Shhh, Hisui-chan!” one of them hissed, eyes darting toward the hallway.
”Apparently, Yamamoto-sensei had to excuse herself and recover after hearing that, so… maybe we should brace ourselves,” another whispered.
”I-I see…” I nodded, swallowing nervously.
…What if I actually win?
Aqua-sama is a wonderful person. I admire him deeply—he’s a talented actor, cheerful, kind… being with him would probably be fun. And yet, when I ask myself whether I see him as a potential partner, I’m still unsure.
I don’t think I fully understand feelings like love or dislike yet.
Lost in that swirling uncertainty, I barely registered Nekoyama Toa-senpai’s voice pulling me back to the present.
”Oto Rurika-san, congratulations on winning Bingo. You’ve earned the right to speak with Aqua for the fourth prize,” he said with a small, knowing smile. “When he returns, take your time to talk with him.”
”Oh, yes… thank you.”
W-what should I do!?
I hadn’t prepared for this at all. I never thought I would actually win. My hands fidgeted nervously at my sides as I waited on the balcony, the evening breeze brushing past me like a whisper of things to come.
Then—
”Oh, Oto-san. Sorry to keep you waiting?”
Aqua-sama had returned, his smile calm and warm.
”N-no, not at all…” I said quickly, trying to keep my voice from trembling.
He stepped closer, and his gaze flicked briefly to the barrette in my hair.
”That barrette,” he said gently. “It looks great on you.”
”Oh… thank you.”
His words lit something soft and fluttering inside me. I was happy—truly happy—to be complimented by him. But in that same moment, a strange pause caught in my chest.
There was something in his eyes. A gentleness, yes—but also something deeper. Almost… affectionate.
I didn’t understand the reason behind that look. But I knew one thing:
I didn’t dislike it.
”Oto-san,” he said. “It might get cold. Shall we talk inside?”
”Oh, yes,” I nodded quickly.
He removed his jacket without hesitation and draped it over my shoulders. His hand rested gently on my back as he guided me back inside.
”Wait a sec!” shouted Tashinami. “The Verification Team includes me and Nee-san too!? I thought it was just Hagetoru and Chinsuki!”
”Guhaha… don’t say such sad things, Tashinami,” Hagetoru chuckled, grinning shamelessly. “We’re comrades in the noble mission of the Verification Team—guiding innocent girls toward their sexual awakening.”
”Yeah no,” Chinsuki cut in flatly. “Let’s be real—Nee-san and I are obviously the sane ones here.” Her dead-serious expression made the silence even heavier.
”Ugh… so it is because of my name,” Nee-san groaned, clutching her head. “Why did I ever register an ID like ‘Cunni’…?”
The cultural festival was finally over.
Now it was time to settle the last lingering question: where does Oto-san truly belong?
Was it with Beryl, after all?
Or… somewhere else entirely?
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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