After helping the teacher, me, Arisa, and Yuki began walking back toward our room. Arisa had been teasing me nonstop the whole way, walking like she was on a red carpet of chaos.
"My knight in shining armour has saved me once again~! Shall we share a pillow tonight, Sir Souta?" She sang, swaying dramatically.
I nearly tripped.
Yuki, as expected, said nothing. Just kept walking quietly with her arms crossed, but not... Hostile. Actually, she didn't even give me the stink eye this time. Strange. But I'll take it. In the Yuki language, this silence was basically a full essay of thanks with a footnote of "don't push it." But Arisa? Nope. She kept the performance going as if she were auditioning for an award. As we rounded the next corridor, we passed by Shinji, who stood surrounded by his group of dudes, all of them leaning on the wall like extras in a dating sim.
Shinji spotted me first.
"Yo, Souta!" He grinned. "What was all that running around? Looked like you were in an episode of Souta: Maid on the Edge or somethin'."
I gave him a tired look as I walked over to him.
"I thought Yuki and Arisa were in trouble, alright? I panicked. Protect mode activated." I said, making sure to keep eye contact with him and him alone, the guys around him… Let's just say didn't fit the Shinji vibe. Like to give you a better idea. Think of a guy like… Like a dork, then have him in a group full of your typical bullies, some tall, some shorter, but Shinji being the shortest, who all wear the same style of clothing, rock the 'I'm too cool for school haircut, and never do their top buttons.
Yeah, that was what the scene looked like to me.
"Dude, you're gonna give yourself a stroke acting like a drama MC," he snorted. "Anyway, what I really wanna know is how the hell are you living with all four of them in the first place?" I scratched the back of my head and sighed. "Honestly, their father was looking for a maid, so I applied, and he hired me, end of story, and now I'm here withering away."
He laughed, then gave me a pat on the shoulder.
"Still, mad respect. You're either livin' the dream or walking the plank."
I let out a smile, but then it happened.
Suddenly.
The disaster struck.
Arisa opened her mouth.
Loudly.
"SOUTAA~! MY knight in shining Armour!" She purred. "If you're going to ravish me in bed, at least carry me like a gentleman~!" She said, walking slightly past us.
".….."
Time. Stopped.
My soul left my body.
Even Yuki snapped her neck to look at her, blinking in disbelief.
The guys? Their jaws hit the floor.
One of the tall guys dropped his drink.
I turned my head slowly like I was in a horror film, and yep, Shinji and the boys were staring at me with a mixture of horror, awe, and deadly male envy.
I didn't say a word.
"Hahahah... Got to go?" I stammered before turning around.
Who am I kidding... I ran.
I sprinted down the hallway like my life was on the line.
Because it was.
Behind me, I heard Shinji's voice echoing with pure rage and jealousy:
"I'LL KILL THAT LUCKY BASTARD! HE MADE HER SAY THAT! HE SCRIPTED THAT LINE!"
I didn't look back. I didn't breathe. I just ran.
Why?
WHY is my life like this!? WHY DOES SHE FIND PLEASURE IN CAUSING ME PAIN!"
"Omg Souta~ If you're that excited, we could have started earlier~" Arisa giggled slightly, jogging.
"SHUT UPPPP!!" I shouted, still running.
"KILL THAT BASTARD!" Shinji screamed with more maliciousness.
All I ever wanted was to relax and do my job in peace, not get death threats from every hormonal teenage boy in the building!
*
After finally escaping the killer, horny teenagers, I made my way back into the room. The lights were low. The only sounds were the soft hum of the AC and Reina's gentle tapping on her phone. Both Yuki and Arisa got in before me since they didn't have to run away from the beasts of Temple run. Yuki had her back to the room, bundled like a burrito. Arisa was asleep but clinging to her plushie like a five-year-old after a horror movie. I was halfway into my futon, trying not to think about the fact that I was sleeping in a room with four dangerous women and no lawyer. But I think my best bet is to stay deadly still, pretend there is no one around me...
Until came a whisper.
"…Souta."
I turned to the side, completely going against my plan.
My eyes landed directly on the side of her face.
"Nao?"
She wasn't looking at me directly, just facing up toward the ceiling with a tiny smile on her lips.
"I'm happy you're here with us."
The room was quiet. Her voice felt heavier than usual, less like the usual airheaded Nao and more like the real one beneath it all.
"I think… If it were anyone else, I wouldn't look forward to this trip as much. But with you, it feels refreshing," she added softly, clutching her blanket.
I blinked at the ceiling, slightly, that there was more to this random little appreciation post. "…Thanks, Nao."
She hummed in response. "Good night, Maid-chan."
I let out a small breath. "…Night."
And that was it… Thankfully.
A soft moment between the chaos. I could feel my shoulders melting away in relaxation as the sound of the occasional giggle from Yuki and then the occasional fart from Nao.
But besides that.
It was a rare peace.
One I knew wouldn't last.
*
The next day came with the chirping of birds and the shout of a certain redhead.
"SOUUUTAA! GET UP! THE VILLAGE PEOPLE SAID THERE'S A SECRET HOTSPRING! I WANNA FIND IT!"
I groaned, dragging myself out of bed while Reina sleep-muttered something about "silent mornings being sacred."
After a quick breakfast that included suspiciously chewy miso soup, we gathered in front of the Old Village Assembly Hall, a huge, traditional-style structure that looked like it was built to host every wedding and funeral in the last 100 years.
"Wowww," Nao said, arms wide. "It's like a castle!"
"More like a haunted inn," Reina muttered, sticking close to my arm.
"You say that like it's not a vibe," Arisa replied, putting on her sunglasses and acting like a celebrity visiting her ancestral hometown. The teacher stood in front of the doors, clapping for attention.
"Students! Today, this hall will serve as the heart of your cultural enrichment project!"
Murmurs rippled through the group.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Are we making pottery or something?"
"I swear if it's flower pressing again…"
The teacher held up a hand. "This year, instead of traditional crafts, we're doing something more engaging. A way to bring everyone together. A showcase of your spirit-"
Everyone leaned in.
"… A stage play!"
Gasps.
Groans.
One guy in the back actually dropped to his knees in despair. Yuki looked like she was trying to teleport away with her eyes. Nao raised her hand instantly. "CAN I BE A FAIRY?"
Arisa grinned. "What's the script? I'd better be the lead."
The teacher continued. "Auditions will take place this evening. Roles will be decided by group votes, with one exception."
A pause.
"Due to... Overwhelmingly popular suggestion-"
I felt a shiver crawl up my spine. Like on that you get when you know something bad is about to happen.
"…The lead male role will go to Souta Kannazuki!"
….
"HUH?!" I shouted. "I didn't even audition!?"
Several of the boys from the other class popped out with a big grin. "Bro! If I had four girls chasing me and sleeping next to me, I'd wanna die! No offence, you're our hero now."
Another guy added, "Yeah, we voted unanimously. We were like, 'he's already living a drama, might as well act in one.'"
I stood there frozen.
"That's not even…" I muttered, unable to get my words out.
The girls turned to me, eyes wide.
Nao clapped. "You're the prince?! YAY!"
Arisa smirked. "Ohoho~ This play just got fun."
Reina blinked. "...If there's kissing involved, I'm leaving."
Yuki folded her arms. "If I get cast as a tree, I swear I'll burn this place down."
I buried my face in my hands.
"WHY WHY WHY WHY!!!!" I quietly shouted in my hands.
This trip just became a nightmare wrapped in a stage curtain.
But that wasn't all.
In fact, there was another little segment that our oh-so-great teacher just so happened to casually mention. "And of course," she cleared her throat, holding her clipboard like a weapon of mass destruction, "we'll need a second lead role - a princess. And just to warn you all now, there will be a kissing scene. So please, do with that information what you will."
The air in the room died.
Someone in the crowd groaned.
"Ew. Pass," a girl somewhere in the back muttered.
Ouch. Okay. Noted. Knife in chest - twist it a little harder next time.
I stood there awkwardly, mouth half-open. I could feel the collective gaze of the entire female population aimed directly at me. Some with horror. Others with barely contained laughter.
And some… I wasn't sure about.
"Hehehe... well," I scratched the back of my neck, doing the classic protagonist cringe manoeuvre. "Let's, uh… Do our best together?"
Another voice shot up.
"Yeah, no thanks. I'll act, but I'm not gonna kiss him."
This was a disaster, and we haven't even started on it yet.
I could see the guys snickering in the corner, while I was mentally checking exit routes. Is there a window I can crawl out of? Or maybe I can fake a medical condition? Then I heard Nao's voice, quiet, but loud enough to reach my panic-stricken ears.
"Well… If I had to kiss someone, I guess…" She trailed off, then looked down, tapping her index fingers together, "I wouldn't mind if it were Souta."
I blinked.
Huh?
ME?
Arisa immediately elbowed her. "Ohoho~ Nao-chan~ What's that? A secret fantasy leaking out?"
Nao puffed her cheeks. "I didn't say that! I was just thinking out loud! Shut up, Arisa!"
Reina stood to the side, pretending not to be part of the conversation, but I noticed the way her eyes flicked toward me and then very quickly away, her cheeks slightly pink. Yuki was silent. But I swear, I caught her staring too - that unreadable poker face of hers only cracking for a second.
Her lips moved.
Barely.
"…Tch. If anyone's gonna do it, it better not be some random girl drooling all over him."
What?
"What was that, Yuki?" I asked, spinning to her.
She crossed her arms and looked away.
"Nothing. Jerk."
Okay…. That's not suspicious at all. But I couldn't just go tease her or get more information without losing an arm or a leg.
Maybe even a head.
The teacher clapped her hands, clearing her throat again with more force than necessary.
"Alright, girls. We'll be holding quick auditions after the lunch break. Please be mature. It's acting - not a marriage license. The scene can be mimed if necessary, but chemistry matters."
Everyone groaned again.
I just stood there.
The human stress ball.
And I knew exactly what this meant:
I wasn't just auditioning for a play.
I was accidentally walking straight into a battlefield.