At the evening, the quiet dormitory of girls began to hum with activity. Laughter and chatter echoed through the halls as students emerged from their rooms, dressed in casual attire that made the environment feel less like a school and more like a gathering spot for friends. Most girls grouped up with their roommates or cliques, heading in the same direction with an unspoken sense of routine.
Inside one of the rooms, Chiyo was still rummaging through her belongings. A small basket sat on her bed, already filled with toiletries. She glanced at her desk drawers with increasing urgency, muttering softly under her breath.
Her roommate, Mayumi, leaned against the doorway with crossed arms, watching her with a mix of amusement and impatience. "What's taking you so long?"
Chiyo didn't look up, still focused on shuffling through the clutter. "I'm looking for my glasses. I swear I left them on the desk, but now they're gone!"
Mayumi raised an eyebrow. "Glasses? I've never seen you wear glasses, not even in class."
Chiyo froze for a moment, clearly embarrassed. She turned away slightly before admitting, "I usually wear contact lenses during the day. The glasses are just for reading or when I'm studying late."
Mayumi sighed dramatically and stepped into the room. For a second, Chiyo thought she was about to help, but instead, Mayumi grabbed her by the arm and pulled her upright. "Forget about it. We don't have time to waste! If we're late, you know they'll hog it all night."
Chiyo hesitated but glanced at the clock on the wall. Reluctantly, she took her stuff and let Mayumi drag her out into the hallway.
The dorm corridor was quieter than before, most of the other girls already ahead of them. The two quickened their pace, their footsteps echoing as they hurried toward the hot spring, Chiyo silently berating herself for her earlier delay.
The hallways stretched out ahead of them, dimly lit but still buzzing with distant voices as the other girls moved further down toward the hot springs. Chiyo clutched her stuff tightly, her hurried steps trying to keep up with Mayumi, who led the way with purpose.
"Do you think there'll even be space left by the time we get there?" Chiyo asked, her voice tinged with worry.
Mayumi threw her a confident glance over her shoulder. "If we're quick enough, yeah. But if you keep dragging your feet, we might as well turn back now."
Chiyo quickened her pace, muttering under her breath about how Mayumi's teasing wasn't helping. As they turned a corner, the faint scent of warm steam and mineral water grew stronger. The gentle hum of voices mixed with occasional laughter became more pronounced, signaling that they were close.
The changing area was already bustling when they arrived. Dozens of baskets lined the shelves, and the tiled floor was slightly damp from the comings and goings of other students. Some girls stood chatting as they tied their hair up, while others shuffled out wrapped in fluffy towels.
Mayumi found an empty corner and set her basket down with a satisfied smirk. "See? We're not too late. Plenty of space left."
Chiyo placed her basket beside Mayumi's and began unpacking her toiletries, her nervous energy gradually subsiding. "I guess you were right."
"I'm always right," Mayumi replied with a cheeky grin before tossing her uniform into the laundry bin.
------
Meiko's thoughts swirled as she walked down the quiet dorm hallway, her towel draped over one shoulder and her basket tucked under her arm. Her heart raced, though she told herself it was simply the excitement of heading to the public bathroom with Mari. Tonight felt like a small rebellion against the monotony of their strict school life, a moment of relaxation and bonding with her president, away from prying eyes.
Mari had always carried an air of effortless elegance that Meiko admired and sought to emulate. Tonight will be perfect, she thought, glancing at her reflection in the faintly reflective glass of a window. She was still wearing her uniform, her belongings placed in a toiletry bag. She considered how her figure might look compared to Mari's flawless poise.
Not bad, she told herself, although her eyes narrowed critically at her chest. She shook her head and clenched her fist. No time for doubts. Mari deserves confidence, not hesitation.
The thought of sharing this time with Mari, without the distraction of others, filled her with anticipation. A small smile tugged at her lips. She'll see how devoted I am, Meiko thought, picking up her pace.
As she descended the staircase toward the outdoor bath entrance, a movement outside the window caught her eye. Narrowing her gaze, she paused mid-step. Through the fogged glass, she saw a figure lingering near the edge of the courtyard. Squinting, she recognized him, the boy who spoke with her beloved Mari.
Her stomach churned.
Of course, it's him.
She immediately remembered the earlier incident, how this boy had been the subject of one of Mari's rare but infuriating conversations with a man. Something about him had irked her from the start: the faintly smug expression, his casual stance, and the ease with which he had dared to speak to Mari, as though he were her equal.
Meiko's lips pressed into a thin line as she watched him now. He stood near the garden path against a tree leading toward the boys' dorms, looking the sky with a wandering expression?
"Trash" , she said, her eyes narrowing further. Men were all the same, always scheming and treating the world like their playground. Her hands tightened around her basket.
Before she realized it, her feet were moving. Whatever Akihiko was doing out here, she wouldn't let it slide. He needs to learn his place, far beneath us. She still had time before seeing Mari, she could afford to do that.
She stepped briskly outside, the cool evening air brushing against her skin. The faint rustle of leaves accompanied her approach, her heels clicking against the stone path as she closed the distance. Akihiko seemed to notice her only when she was a few feet away.
His head turned, a smile forming on his face. "Oh, it's you," he muttered, his hand dropping from his neck.
Meiko crossed her arms, her expression sharp and unyielding. "What are you doing out here? Shouldn't you be in your dorm, like the rest of your kind?"
Her words were icy, but Akihiko didn't immediately snap back like she expected. Instead, he shifted his weight, looking quite chill. "Just getting some air. You know ? Breath, thinking. Casual stuff," he said simply, though his tone didn't quite match his body language.
"Getting some air? Or planning something disgusting, like spying on the girls?" Meiko leaned in, her voice dripping with disdain.
Akihiko raised his hands defensively with an innocent look . "I don't know what you're talking about."
In fact, he knew almost everything that was happening in the school if he used his famous sixth sense. He just has a slightly better hearing than the others, nothing more.
She scoffed. "I'm not stupid. Don't think I've forgotten how you dared to talk to Mari. You're lucky she even acknowledged you."
For a moment, he said nothing, his expression unreadable. Then, to her surprise, he gave a small, almost defeated sigh.
"Believe what you want," he said quietly, his voice low. "But if you're so concerned about the girls, maybe you should be keeping an eye on your own dorm instead of wasting time with me."
Her eyes narrowed further, her suspicion flaring. "What's that supposed to mean?"
A playful smile formed on his face, as he shrugged his shoulders. "Let's just say... you might want to be on guard tonight. Some people aren't as respectful of boundaries as I am."
The words made her blood boil, though not for the reason she expected. His cryptic tone, the implication that he knew something, sent her mind racing.
"If you know something, you'd better spill it," she demanded, stepping closer. If violence was allowed against a student, she would have already kill this man.
Akihiko shrugged, his gaze dropping slightly. "Just keep your eyes open," he said before turning away.
Meiko clenched her fists, watching him retreat into the shadows. She didn't trust him, not for a second—but his words lingered in her mind as she turned back toward the public bath. If what he said was true, there was no way she'd let any of the boys ruin their night.
Trash, all of them, she thought bitterly, her resolve hardening. But if anyone tries anything, they'll regret crossing me.
Akihiko looked at the vice president with empathy? Even he felt sorry for the girls in this school, even without his warning he was pretty sure they'd get caught like idiots.
"Well, I have something more important to do..." Under his school uniform, more precisely under his arm, a twinkle could be seen thanks to the bright moon.
His cheerful face transformed into a more mature atmosphere, his face displaying an expression that would scare even Meiko.
------
With Kiyoshi and the gang…
"Remember, gentlemen: one for all, and all for boobs! " declared Gakuto, raising a triumphant fist as they charged through the hallways like a pack of hormonal lunatics.
"And down with traitors!" the rest of the boys bellowed in unison, their camaraderie fueled by a shared sense of righteousness, if "righteousness" involved peeping on unsuspecting girls in a bath.
"Based on my extensive research, class 1-1 has the highest density of cuteness on campus!" Gakuto proclaimed proudly, puffing his chest as if his discovery warranted a Nobel Prize.
Kiyoshi, running beside him, couldn't help but blush. The thought of seeing all those cute girls in the buff made his imagination race. That is, until a certain piece of information hit him like a poorly-timed dodgeball.
"Wait… class 1-1?" he muttered under his breath. A horrifying realization smacked him square in the face. That's my class. Which means…*
His internal monologue screeched to a halt as the image of one particular girl popped into his head.
Chiyo-chan!?
Kiyoshi's heart dropped faster than his grades in math class. Sweat started pouring down his face like he'd just run a marathon in a sauna. He discreetly turned away from his perverted comrades, who were drooling and panting like rabid dogs chasing a steak on a string.
"No… no, no, no!" Kiyoshi whispered to himself. The thought of Gakuto and the others seeing Chiyo naked made his stomach churn like bad cafeteria curry.
I can't let them see her! Chiyo-chan is pure! Innocent! Perfect! Not for these degenerates!
Kiyoshi glanced nervously at his comrades. Gakuto and the others sprinted forward, their tongues practically flapping in the wind as they barked out their mantra like a twisted cult: "One for all! All for boobs! And down with traitors!"
Kiyoshi gulped. If he tried to stop them, he'd basically be putting himself in the "traitor" category. And judging by the manic glint in Gakuto's eyes, traitors didn't fare well in this group.
Beads of sweat began to run down his face as he turned his head to the side to see his friends who held open and depraved smiling mouths that were salivating, openly drooling.
But if I let this happen… Kiyoshi imagined Chiyo-chan's innocent smile morphing into a look of betrayal. He winced.
"Dammit," he muttered under his breath as they reached the staircase leading to the rooftop—their self-proclaimed "front-row seat to paradise."
Gakuto charged up the stairs with the energy of a man who believed he was about to achieve enlightenment. Kiyoshi, meanwhile, lagged behind, feeling the weight of his conscience crush him with each step.
He remembered Akihiko words before coming here.
At the time, Kiyoshi had brushed it off. But now, as they burst onto the rooftop and the cool night air hit his face, Akihiko-s words felt like prophecy.
The other boys crowded around the edge of the roof, their excitement palpable. Gakuto pulled out a pair of binoculars with the reverence of a knight drawing his sword.
Kiyoshi, however, stared at the dark horizon, his internal battle raging.
Chiyo-chan's gonna hate me. I'm doomed.
And yet, his feet stayed rooted in place. The lure of the forbidden was strong, but so was the fear of a future where Chiyo saw him as a perverted creep.
"Alright, gentlemen," Gakuto said with a smirk, raising the binoculars to his eyes. "Time to witness perfection!"
Kiyoshi's gut twisted into knots.
Why did I agree to this?