Chapter 100

The class's cultural festival performance was decided to be a cross-dressing café.

Initially, it was supposed to be a regular café, but the topic of Iwamuro-kun's successful Cinderella performance came up, and it was decided to make it a cross-dressing café.

If the girls were to dress as boys, then the boys would dress as maids, and the girls as butlers.

Maids... I suggested, "How about we go for a Gothic Lolita style instead of regular maid outfits?" and it was immediately adopted. Iwamuro-kun's eyes sparkled. I'll help him with the maid outfits later.

I was planning to be in charge of preparing the food ordered from the back, but Saho-kun said, "Kisaragi-san, you have to be in the front!" and I ended up having to dress as a butler.

But I have a feminine face and long, curled hair, so I don't think I can pull off a handsome butler.

When I actually put on the butler's uniform, I didn't look very convincing in a male role. Maybe I should tie my hair up? But I don't think anyone will notice my male role among the creepy cross-dressing boys, so it's fine.

While I was thinking about this, Saho-kun handed me a headband with animal ears.

"What's this?"

"It's sheep ears. A sheep butler. Don't you think it's cute? I really want Kisaragi-san to wear them. Oh, don't tie your hair up. It's your trademark. Your curly hair looks sheep-like, doesn't it?"

I put on the sheep ears as he said, "Okay." Another animal... But,

"Only the ears?"

"Yeah, why?"

"During the costume relay, Daitokuji-sama said, 'Why did you only wear mouse ears and not a nose?'"

"Uh... I can't ask Kisaragi-san to wear a sheep nose, you know."

"I don't want to wear it either; it would be suffocating."

"...So, just the ears again, huh?"

"Yep, just the ears!"

Saho-kun smiled brightly and turned me into a sheep.

"Because Kisaragi-san is a sheep in wolf's clothing. It fits, doesn't it?" he said, but Saho-kun, do I really look that scary?

I looked at myself in the mirror, wearing the butler's uniform and sheep ears.

Am I okay? I'm worried that I might have gone in a direction that even Iwamuro-kun couldn't talk about. Was I really supposed to be a queen of Rococo, or am I just heading down a comedy route? Am I just imagining it?

I gave Iwamuro-kun a lot of advice on his Gothic Lolita maid outfit. Whether to wear a bonnet or a headband, a dress or a blouse and corset skirt, and whether to wear multiple petticoats to make the skirt puff out. Iwamuro-kun's passion for Gothic Lolita was intense, and he wouldn't allow any compromises.

In the end, we decided on a bonnet and a wig for the curled hair. The wig looked familiar... doesn't it look a bit like my hair? Though my hair isn't that curly.

"I've always admired your princess-like hairstyle, Master..."

Iwamuro-kun, who is quite large, blushed. It seems he has gone too far. I feel sorry for his parents.

I never intended to be a master or take on a disciple. You're mistaken; your master is in the judo club.

Still, to make Iwamuro-kun a cute Gothic Lolita maid, I applied makeup to his face.

Unlike the costume relay, we had time, so I even put on false eyelashes with tiny tears and did his nails. Yes, Iwamuro-kun, you look very beautiful.

Our class's café was bustling from the morning.

The boys, who were initially complaining about not wanting to do it, gradually started to pursue their own beauty once they put on the maid outfits. Did more boys have a desire to cross-dress than I thought?

Thanks to this, we butlers became assistants to the maids. Our "Café Dolly Sheep" is so popular that the top maids are busy serving customers.

The name of the café combines the sheep butler and the doll-like maids, but I'm the only one wearing sheep ears, right?

By the way, "Café Dolly Sheep" does not use genetically modified ingredients.

I got a customer request.

My first request was from Tomegane-senpai!

"Tomegane-senpai! Welcome!"

"Thank you! Kisaragi-san, those ears are cute. Are you a sheep because you're a butler?"

"It seems so..."

Are the sheep ears really that strange? I just realized.

"Then, sheep, I'll have the lamb raisin pound cake set, please."

"Yes, sir!"

I quickly went to the back to pass on Tomegane-senpai's order.

I'm so happy that Tomegane-senpai came! Hehe, he said my ears were cute!

It feels like I've had a great start!

After that, other classmates came to visit, and Riruna ordered me around, saying, "Hey, you strange butler, bring me some tea quickly!" I had a pretty high request rate. I didn't match Iwamuro-kun's Gothic Lolita, though.

Saho-kun also praised me, saying, "Kisaragi-san, you have an excellent ability to attract customers!"

I'll work hard today, as we have general admission and customers from outside the school.

During my free time, I peeked into the Handicraft Club.

The Handicraft Club makes a wedding dress every year. This year, they had been discussing and sewing the dress since April for this day. The dress, with its intricate embroidery all the way to the hem, was of a quality that didn't seem to be made by high school students.

I'm a temporary member of the Handicraft Club, so I was allowed to make one of the roses for the art flower bouquet. I was just watching everyone sew the dress silently, and they let me help. It wasn't because of pressure.

There were a few visitors in the club room, and the club president was standing in front of the wedding dress, looking enchanted.

"President, do you want to wear it?"

"Ah! Kisaragi-san!"

I quietly approached from behind and spoke, and the president turned around with a surprised look.

"I don't have that kind of hobby. I just think it's beautiful."

"Hmm. So you're imagining someone wearing it?"

"What are you talking about? That's embarrassing!"

The president's face turned red. I see, I see. I hope it becomes a reality someday.

By coincidence, Iwamuro-kun also came. He was enchanted by the wedding dress.

The president and the girl from the judo club. It was a meeting of girls.

The next day, "Café Dolly Sheep" was also very busy.

The general admission is by ticket, so only students' relatives can enter. I was asked by the dog-obsessed guy to invite him, but I politely declined because I didn't want to be called a dog lover at school. Besides, if sheep ears are okay, he might start talking about dog ears. I'm already treated like a sheepdog at school, so that would be bad luck.

Aoi couldn't be invited because her event with Suiran overlapped with the cultural festival. It's a shame.

At that moment, I got a customer request.

"Sakura-chan!"

Sakura-chan came with Aizawa-kun.

"Good afternoon, Reika-san."

"Hello, Kisaragi-san. Sakura wanted to come, so I brought her."

The cross-dressing maids were buzzing because Aizawa-kun brought a girl.

"Reika-san, you look great as a butler. Those ears are unique."

Sakura-chan's eyes were completely smiling. Humph.

Saho-kun came out from the back.

"Fukuhara-san, welcome. Are you here to see Aizawa today?"

"It's been a while, Saho-kun. I came to see Reika-san in a male role."

"Is that so? I remember you and Kisaragi-san are friends."

"Yes, we've been friends since elementary school."

I've been wondering, Sakura-chan, why are you calling me by my name? What's with that modest smile?

The cross-dressing maids were calling her "pure" and "a true Japanese beauty." Sakura-chan, you're amazing. The cat you keep is a magical cat.

Sakura-chan and Aizawa-kun were going to tour the cultural festival together. It seems Sakura-chan's goal was to make her presence known to Suiran and to deter girls from getting close to Aizawa-kun. Aizawa-kun, who didn't notice the magical cat's encirclement, is a lucky guy in a way.

In the afternoon, the corridor suddenly became noisy. It turned out that the Emperor and Enjo had entered "Café Dolly Sheep"! And behind them were Yurie-sama and Aira-sama, and Maihama-san, whom I met in the summer.

Everyone was in an uproar at the arrival of these big shots. Since they didn't seem to have any specific requests, I took their orders.

"Reika-chan, it's been a while!"

Aira-sama greeted me. I greeted everyone.

"Kisaragi-san, after the mouse, now a sheep. You've been quite the topic."

Enjo laughed, and

"What about the nose, sheep?"

Daitokuji criticized.

"I would suffocate if I wore a nose," I replied, and he said, "Work harder."

At what?

"Kisaragi-san, for a girl from the Kisaragi family, you're quite unconventional in your costumes."

Daitokuji's comment seemed to annoy Maihama-san, who was playing with her hair.

"Keima, I'm sorry, Reika-san."

Yurie-sama scolded Maihama-san, who said, "But, Yurie-onee-sama~"

"Reika-san is just different, with costumes and fasting."

Maihama-san laughed. Don't bring up the fasting!

"Is that a criticism of the mother who planned the fasting? Should I pass it on to her?"

Enjo's smile made Maihama-san flustered. Stupid. And Enjo, well said.

After taking their orders and going to the back, their table remained the center of attention in the café.

Maihama-san sat next to Daitokuji, chatting away. Daitokuji seemed to be brushing her off. Yurie-sama and Aira-sama were enjoying the evaluation of the cross-dressing maids.

Sticking to Daitokuji at Suiran would make many female students enemies. The atmosphere in the café became tense. I could feel murderous glares from the girls peering into the café. Maihama-san was bouncing back with a victorious look. Scary!

"Kisaragi-san, here."

Saho-kun handed me a cup of tea with a sheep cookie, a special service for female customers.

I placed the tea in front of each of them. Yurie-sama and Aira-sama got yellow sheep butter cookies. Maihama-san got a black sheep cookie.

The black sheep cookie is only served to special customers. Go away, troublemaker!

As they were leaving, Aira-sama apologized with a troubled look, "I'm sorry, Reika-chan, for making you uncomfortable." Aira-sama didn't need to worry. Daitokuji, who was annoyed by Maihama-san's clinginess, left with a tired expression.

I was feeling exhausted when Iwamuro-kun stood next to me.

"Your curls are half-hearted. They don't even come close to your level, Master."

...Yeah, thanks, Iwamuro-kun.

One month later, Daitokuji Masaya's name was not on the posted final exam rankings.