Chapter Sixteen: Confession (How many votes for an extra chapter?)

Teacher Tooyama looked helplessly at Kotonoha Katsura standing on the podium. This girl was beautiful, did well in her studies, and was obedient, but she always seemed a bit withdrawn.

“Well then…”

Kotonoha stood there, her gaze devoid of hope. She knew well that every year, there was only ever one candidate for the executive committee—herself. Or rather, this unappealing task was always left to her, the girl who wasn’t well-liked.

However, Teacher Tooyama’s eyes turned to the two new Chinese transfer students. Unaware of the situation, perhaps they might also run for the position? She decided to give it a try.

“So… is there anyone else who wants to run for executive committee for the school festival?”

Are you… an idiot? Who would want to do something like that?

Every student looked incredulously at Teacher Tooyama standing beside Kotonoha.

“Li Mengchao,” the girl sitting in front of Li Mengchao, Otome Kato, suddenly turned around with concern, “don’t go rushing up there just on a whim! Annoying tasks like this should be left for Kotonoha Katsura to handle alone.”

Alone… an annoying task?

Li Mengchao glanced at Kotonoha, standing all alone on the podium. He felt as if something in his heart began to beat secretly.

“Um…”

Kotonoha heard the sigh of Teacher Tooyama beside her. But she didn’t feel especially disappointed. After all, she hadn’t put herself forward in hopes of gaining approval from her classmates.

It was because of Li Mengchao—his gaze, his smile, his words. He encouraged her, acknowledged her. That was why she stepped forward.

The air stilled for a second or two. The classroom was filled with students wearing self-satisfied, gloating expressions as they watched Kotonoha on the podium. It seemed that once again, this unwelcome task would fall to the unpopular one.

Kotonoha shyly lowered her head, thinking it was time to speak and thank them for electing her as executive committee for the school festival. But would Li Mengchao hear her voice?

“Um… Thank you, everyone…” In truth, she was thanking Li Mengchao for his smile. “Thank you for letting me be the executive committee member for the festival. I’ll do my very best—I won’t let you down.”

I won’t let you down, Li Mengchao.

As she stepped down from the podium, Kotonoha’s steps felt different—lighter, almost cheerful. A smile crept quietly to her lips. Her long black hair swayed gently with each step.

“See?” Otome Kato looked with disdain as Kotonoha walked toward her—or rather, toward Li Mengchao. “That Kotonoha is a weirdo through and through. No one likes her. Even for something nobody wants to do, she can smile as she comes down from the podium.”

Kotonoha’s steps were getting closer!

Li Mengchao saw Kotonoha had reached him. But Otome Kato in front of him seemed not to notice the footsteps behind, or maybe she was deliberately speaking for Kotonoha to hear.

Otome’s lips tightened and curled slightly, her nose wrinkling. It was, by any psychological standard, the classic mix of disgust and contempt.

“Honestly… Kotonoha has never had any contact with boys since childhood,” Otome Kato said, ignoring the fact that Kotonoha stood just behind her. Her words grew sharper, “Maybe she just hates boys. Why else would she never have had a boyfriend?”

Kotonoha stopped.

She looked nervously at Li Mengchao, who met her gaze.

Her lips were pressed together, brows slightly knit, her eyes full of desperate hope. She wanted to tell Li Mengchao that it wasn’t true, that she wasn’t a weirdo, that she didn’t hate boys.

“Oh, you’re here!” Only then did Otome Kato turn around, seeing Kotonoha’s pleading face. Her smile only broadened.

“Li Mengchao, you probably didn’t know,” she said with a glance at Kotonoha returning to her seat, “she didn’t say a word to you all day yesterday. We were all wondering if she disliked you!”

Dislike… Li Mengchao…? No! It’s not true!

Kotonoha opened her mouth, but her timid nature swallowed the words.

“See, she’s not denying it! By the way, Li Mengchao, do you have a girlfriend?” Otome Kato asked, looking maliciously at the silent Kotonoha. “Why don’t we have lunch together?”

“No,” Li Mengchao leaned back in his chair. He saw tears shimmering on Kotonoha’s face. “I already have a girlfriend. I’ll be with her at lunch today.”

“Oh, oh,” Otome Kato looked triumphantly at Kotonoha. She’d long suspected the quiet girl liked Li Mengchao, but now she felt a surge of satisfaction. No, she wanted to press her advantage. “Well then, can you tell me your girlfriend’s name? Is it Hua Weiwei, the other exchange student?”

Hua Weiwei… exchange student… girlfriend…

Every word from Otome Kato was a knife to Kotonoha’s heart. The pain burned through her like fire.

“You’ll know who my girlfriend is soon enough,” Li Mengchao said softly, his voice suddenly close to Kotonoha’s ear.

Otome blinked rapidly, trying to look even cuter. “Soon?”

Li Mengchao ignored her and raised his hand.

“Li, is there something you’d like to say?” Teacher Tooyama felt a jolt of joy. Chinese students really were so passionate, especially the boys—so different from her own class, so chivalrous!

“It’s about the school festival.”

“What’s your idea? Would you like to run for the position too?” Teacher Tooyama’s eyes were nearly sparkling.

Otome Kato’s eyes sparkled as well, but with worry. Her lips moved ceaselessly, mouthing again and again, “Don’t do it, don’t do it.”

“No,” Li Mengchao answered as he stood.

At once, the whole class’s gaze converged on him like a spotlight.

What’s he going to do?!

Everyone wondered—except Kotonoha. Otome’s words still bound her like ropes. Tears welled helplessly in her eyes.

Under everyone’s attention, Li Mengchao walked to the center of the podium. From there, he could see the entire classroom at a glance, and realized that his and Kotonoha’s seats in the farthest corner never saw the sun.

Still, even without sunlight, Li Mengchao saw Kotonoha’s eyes shining.

Were those tears?

He smiled apologetically—he’d stood up too late.

“I’d like to…”

What do you want? Everyone’s eyes were fixed on him.

“I’d like to run for the school festival…”

Executive committee? We’ll vote for you for sure. None of us likes that weirdo Kotonoha.

“Executive…”

Yes! Let’s make Kotonoha cry her way home! A wicked thrill blossomed in everyone’s heart. Watching others suffer was so delicious.

“Vice chair.”

The words landed, and the class was stunned. Vice chair? Was he serious? Not the main position? Did he just want to be Kotonoha’s helper? Was he out of his mind?

Teacher Tooyama was astonished. “You really want to be vice chair? Why?”

“Because…”

Li Mengchao drew a deep breath. He’d never realized, despite his expertise in psychology, that he could feel so nervous. He adjusted his breathing and, with his loudest voice, declared:

“Kotonoha Katsura, I like you. Please be my girlfriend!”

Drip.

Kotonoha’s tears finally fell to the floor just as Li Mengchao’s words reached her—not tears of sorrow, but of joy.

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Yesterday I wrote until after four in the morning… Then when I woke up in the afternoon, it was still early, so I ate, hoping to catch up on some sleep.

When I woke again, it was nearly eight—what a headache.

There’ll be another chapter at eleven… and one more around midnight. Quietly, I’ll say that tonight I’ll go to bed earlier and try to fix my schedule…