Chapter 127: External attacks

Aya’s parents were also told nothing about our relationship during their conference.

Hearing that, I finally relaxed. I didn’t think we were officially accepted or anything, but it felt like a tacit message from the school, or at least our homeroom teacher, that they wouldn’t make an issue out of it.

With the small hurdle of parent-teacher conferences cleared, we returned to our normal routine.

The following week marked the start of preparations for the cultural festival. Although the spring festival, combined with the local festival, was Takamari Academy’s biggest event, the autumn cultural festival was also a major school event, and the excitement was building.

Since it wasn’t as grand as the spring festival, there was no need to invite famous artists or idols, which, ironically, seemed to motivate the students even more.

As student council members, we were mainly responsible for decorating the school. We put up decorations and posters, creating a festive atmosphere. So, instead of being confined to the student council room, we spent most of our time in the hallways, the gymnasium, and near the school gate.

“Rina, how about we put this poster here?”
“Hmm, I think it would look better next to the stairs than in the hallway.”
“Ooh, good idea! You have great taste, Rina!”

Mizuki, as always, was full of energy, running around the school putting up decorations. Whenever she put up a poster crookedly, Arisu would quietly follow behind and fix it.

And Aya, as always, was by my side.

“Rina, should we put this ribbon on the railing near the entrance, or on the central staircase?”
“Hmm… I think it would be more noticeable on the railing near the entrance.”
“Okay.”

Aya took my hand and led me towards the railing. She was always more assertive than me, and her small gestures always made my heart flutter.

“How’s this height?”
“Yeah, a little higher! Ah, be careful!”

Aya skillfully tied the ribbon, but I was worried, so I held onto her legs for support.

Autumn was slowly passing. The blue autumn sky stretched out beyond the windows, and the school was filled with the laughter and chatter of students.
As we decorated the hallways, staircases, and the area near the school gate, the festive atmosphere of the cultural festival filled the academy.

After finishing the decorations, Mizuki stretched as we returned to the student council room.

“I like preparing for the cultural festival. It’s a school event, so it’s less stressful, and everyone’s more relaxed.”
“Yeah, the spring festival was a bit tiring. This is much better.”

Arisu nodded in agreement.

I felt the same way. Preparing for the spring festival was always stressful, especially the publicity, since it often overlapped with other events. The cultural festival, being a school-only event, was less of a burden.

“We still need to do some publicity, though, right?”

Arisu picked up her phone and took a picture of the three of us. It was for a social media post about the Trinity’s cultural festival preparations.

“Ugh… Do I not get a say in this?”

I was exhausted from running around all day, but there was no stopping her.
Aya smiled gently and took my hand.

‘I wish days like these could last forever…’

The nagging feeling of unease probably stemmed from the fact that, despite the changes, the overall trajectory of the story hadn’t changed much from the novel.

****

The day before the cultural festival.

The atmosphere at school felt… strange. Instead of the usual cheerful greetings and excited chatter, there was a coldness, a sense of disapproval.
Sensing the shift in atmosphere, I clung to Aya’s side, looking around nervously.

“What’s going on…?”

Mizuki and Aya also seemed to notice the strange atmosphere, and they both held my hands. The murmurs around us seemed to grow louder.

“Rina, it’ll be okay.”
“Yeah, it’s probably nothing.”

As we headed towards the high school entrance to change our shoes, it became clear that the whispers were directed at us. The air felt thick with tension.

“Wh-What is this?”

A large poster was plastered on the bulletin board near the entrance.
[Takamari Academy Must Uphold its Values] was written in bold letters above a picture of Aya and me.
It was a picture of us walking hand-in-hand, taken from behind. I didn’t know who took it, but we looked very close.

Below the picture, a message was written in a stiff, formal tone.

[Yukikawa Aya and Kurosawa Rina, model students of Takamari Academy, have been observed engaging in inappropriate behavior on school grounds. Their actions violate our school’s traditional values and tarnish its reputation. Takamari must guide its students towards the right path.]

At the bottom of the poster was the name of a conservative religious group with close ties to the school.

“What… the hell is this?!”

Mizuki shouted, ripping the poster down. Even Aya, known for her composure, looked flustered. And this… this was similar to what happened to the male and female protagonists in the novel. Just with a different group’s name.

“Haa…”

Aya sighed deeply. My heart pounded in my chest.
In the novel, people would have just said, ‘They’re dating, so what?’, but I… wasn’t a boy. At least, not outwardly.

“What do we do, Aya? This needs to be handled by the student council, doesn’t it?”

Mizuki’s outburst seemed to disperse the crowd. The whispers and stares disappeared, probably because they realized this wouldn’t just blow over. And when Mizuki got angry… it meant Aya was about to explode.

“Rina, are you okay?”

Aya’s voice, though quiet, held a slight tremor. It wasn’t from fear, but from anger and resentment. Seeing her like this made me realize that I needed to be the calm one.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Aya…”

Then, we heard rapid footsteps approaching.

“The person who put up this poster has already been reported to the staff room.”

We turned around and saw Tachibana-senpai. She always had a stern expression, but now, she looked even colder.

“Tachibana-senpai… What did the school say?”

Tachibana-senpai, tearing down the remaining pieces of the poster, replied to Mizuki’s question.

“This isn’t just a personal issue; it’s a challenge to the reputation of the entire academy. The school has decided to file a defamation lawsuit with the police. The student council will also issue an official statement.”

She looked at Aya and me.

“Are you two okay? The picture and rumors will spread quickly. It will probably affect the student council election as well.”

Her words weighed heavily on my heart. I knew how hard Aya had worked for the election, and I felt guilty and responsible. This was why I’d wanted to be more discreet…

Aya looked at Tachibana-senpai.

“Senpai, I’m fine. I don’t care how this affects the election. However…”

Her voice was calm and low, but instead of her usual gentle tone, it was icy cold.
When even Mizuki was worried about Aya’s anger, it meant things were serious.

“I want to hold the person who did this accountable. I won’t let them get away with it.”

Her words sent shivers down my spine. Even Tachibana-senpai’s usually stern expression softened slightly at Aya’s intensity.

“I’m glad you’re taking this seriously, Yukikawa. The student council will fully support you. This is clearly a deliberate attempt to damage the reputation of the academy. This isn’t just your problem.”

I noticed that Aya’s hand, which was still holding mine, was trembling slightly. I needed to stay calm and not make things worse for Aya.
I squeezed her hand and took a deep breath, trying to ignore the feeling of unreality washing over me.

“I… feel the same way, Aya.”

“That’s all I need to hear. You two are strong. You’ll get through this. The entire student council is on your side, so don’t worry too much.”

Tachibana-senpai nodded, clapped her hands, and dispersed the small crowd of students that had gathered.
Mizuki approached us, a forced smile on her face.

“Aya-ring, Rina-tan, don’t worry! I’ll talk to my father about this, and he’ll take action as the chairman. We can’t let them get away with attacking Takamari like this.”

Mizuki’s words, though reassuring, made my heart heavy. I felt responsible for putting them in this situation.