Some time later…
Itan High School
"Phew! That was some exhausting work…" Tadano said as he wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"Fufu~ but now we can say... we're finally ready!" said an excited Najimi.
The rest of the classroom cheered enthusiastically.
In front of them, their booth was completely ready and dazzling.
With some investment from Tadano, as well as a little design help from the other class members, their maid café ended up 2 or 3 points more impressive than the one in the canon.
"Alright, with our establishment ready, all we need is our staff… Alright, ladies, if you'd be so kind…" said Najimi, sounding like a shady merchant presenting their wares.
One by one, the girls entered the room dressed in their maid outfits.
Most of Tadano's classmates were in high spirits, proudly showing off their outfits.
Tadano nodded at the parade of beauties before him.
Behind him, the "idiot trio" enthusiastically raised scoreboards with their ratings.
When Shouko entered with her custom-made outfit, the classroom erupted with cheers and camera flashes—Tadano included.
Such an exciting cosplay deserved to be preserved for posterity in a photo.
Not long after, the group started practice runs and simulations to ensure everything was in order. This task was left to Najimi, under Nene's strict supervision.
Tadano remembered Najimi's actions in the canon when it came to managing the maids. Although he disliked disqualifications, he did find Najimi's business tactics intriguing. To moderate Najimi's overly capitalistic tendencies, Tadano decided to have Nene supervise, ensuring they wouldn't draw unnecessary attention from the teachers.
With everything set, Tadano decided to take one last stroll to the student council.
As Tadano walked through the hallways, he accidentally bumped into someone at a crossroads.
With reflexes as sharp as Spider-Man's, he caught the person who was about to fall with one hand while skillfully catching each item that tumbled from the box they were carrying with the other.
When Tadano finished, he looked at the person he had caught.
The first thing he noticed was the exaggerated makeup and oddly styled hair.
"Well, look who it is. If it isn't the Duck Girl," Tadano teased playfully.
Rumiko's blush quickly shifted from embarrassment to anger.
"You! Who are you calling Duck Girl!?" growled the tan-skinned blonde, visibly irritated.
"Hehe, it's just a joke… How've you been, Manbagi-san? It's been a while…" Tadano said with a charming smile.
Rumiko was caught off guard and couldn't help but feel flustered at being exposed to such a dazzling smile.
However, staying true to her persona, she quickly composed herself and huffed in response.
"Hmph! As long as you understand…" she said, still a bit embarrassed.
Tadano smiled knowingly, familiar with her character.
He quickly released her hand, setting her back on her feet, and then curiously asked, "So, Manbagi-san, where are you headed? That box looks pretty heavy, and I wouldn't want you to trip again."
Rumiko hesitated for a moment but then nodded and replied, "I'm heading to the Student Council. We need to deliver leftover materials for storage and submit receipts for archiving. The problem is…" she trailed off, a bit shyly.
"You're lost?" Tadano teased.
"N-No! I'm not lost! It's… it's just that everyone's working everywhere! Yeah, that's it! Everyone's running around and throwing me off my path!" Rumiko said, starting off unsure but ending with full confidence.
Tadano let her talk, and when she finished, he said, "So… want me to help you?"
"..."
"Please…" Rumiko mumbled softly.
"It's settled, then. And no need to be so reserved; I was heading there anyway," Tadano said with a playful smile as he spun the box on his fingertips like a basketball.
Rumiko felt a little annoyed at being so easily guided by this man, but her attention quickly shifted to his actions.
Tadano found the situation amusing.
Shouko gave him a feeling of cuteness and care, but Rumiko, as Shouko's first canonical rival, evoked something different. She brought out a lively and playful vibe, making Tadano want to tease her.
"Sigh Are we finally awakening the bad traits of the Shinomiya family?" pondered Shinomiya in Tadano's mental landscape.
Unaware of his inner dialogue, Tadano dashed through the hallways, skillfully dodging obstacles in his path.
Why was he doing this? Well, the reason was simple. Tadano couldn't control his mischievous streak and had pinched Rumiko's cheeks, leaving her embarrassed and humiliated. Furious, she chased after him, hurling a few insults along the way.
Shortly after, while they were still caught up in their game of cat and mouse, Rumiko ran through an intersection and collided with a group of students rushing from the opposite direction. Unfortunately, one of them was carrying a bucket full of water, which spilled almost instantly.
Sensing the danger, Tadano quickly intervened, preventing Rumiko from getting completely soaked. However, his face and hair weren't so lucky.
When Rumiko felt her wet hair clinging to her face and saw her makeup smudging and dripping to the floor, she couldn't take it and let out a tragic scream.
Tadano quickly pulled out a towel, covered her head, and led her to a more secluded spot where she could calm down.
Rumiko sobbed miserably as Tadano tried to cheer her up, carefully drying her hair and face.
Feeling guilty, Tadano tried to console her.
"Come on, come on… it's not that bad. You're still cute… there's no need to cry."
"Uuuu… what do you know! Makeup is what makes girls even cuter! The internet always says so—makeup is a weapon that ugly people like me have to make ourselves pretty. But what would you know? You're so handsome; I'm sure you've never been rejected for being unpleasant to look at," Rumiko complained sadly.
"I wouldn't say that…" Tadano replied in a complicated tone.
"Huh?" Rumiko looked up and saw the conflicted expression on his face.
Sigh
"I wasn't always like this, you know? When I was younger, I liked a girl, but because of my arrogant and somewhat delusional personality back then, I was rejected and pushed away…" Tadano said in a low tone.
"Oh… I… I'm sorry," Rumiko said, a little embarrassed that she might have opened an old wound.
Tadano shook his head.
"There's no need to apologize; it was a long time ago. Besides, even I admitted I was arrogant back then. And, well, I wasn't as handsome as I am now. I mean, just look at this beautiful face—what woman wouldn't fall for someone like me?" he joked, striking a pose like a pop idol.
Rumiko rolled her eyes at his arrogance.
"You're still so full of yourself, in my opinion! Though… you are kind of handsome," she muttered at the end.
"Ha! See? Even you agree!" Tadano replied smugly.
"I did not!" Rumiko wanted to argue, but she was cut off by Tadano's next words.
"You, Manbagi Rumiko, are beautiful…" Tadano said with a serious expression.
Rumiko froze for a moment, and just as she was about to have a full-blown embarrassment attack, Tadano continued.
"I'm not joking. You're truly beautiful just the way you are. And it's true—you're not like those internet influencers. You're better. Those people wish they could look as good as you without all those layers of makeup…"
"You! What are you saying!?" Rumiko exclaimed, her face red as a cherry.
"I'm not spouting nonsense. You don't need kilos of makeup on your face or extravagant hairstyles to look beautiful. Simplicity is your beauty," Tadano said before using a skill he had recently acquired from the gacha.
[Stylist – Beginner]: "Basic knowledge of hair care and hairstyling skills."
Earlier that morning, Tadano had saved up some points and decided to try his luck with the gacha during a break. Among a bunch of wood and iron items, he had drawn this bronze-tier skill.
Tadano had planned to test it on the mischievous little one at home, but it seemed Rumiko would be the first to benefit from it.
Tadano stepped closer to Rumiko and gently removed the towel, revealing her cute face.
With skilled hands and a few hair ties he pulled from his inventory, he styled her hair into a pair of lovely twin tails at the back of her head, adjusting her bangs to show off her adorable features.
He then pulled out some of Ai's makeup that he had stored in his spatial ring and made a few simple touch-ups.
What? You're wondering where that came from and why Tadano knows about makeup?
Don't be so curious.
Well, the truth is that most mornings, Ai would make Tadano do her makeup.
That's right—Ai-chan might look sweet on screen, but at home, she could be quite the little tyrant.
Author's Note:
"Alright, here I am! And hey! Put down those torches! This author is not unreliable! This author brought the goods! Over the next three days, I will publish a moderately long chapter each day... It took me a little longer to write, so I couldn't bring it out sooner. Well, with that said, remember to drink plenty of water, and know that I love you all very much. Sincerely, your favorite depressed author."
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