Kurumi's School Life Reincarnation: A Sweet and Bitter Love Triangle!?
During an after-school piano session in the music room, Kurumi suddenly finds herself transported to another world. She arrives at 'Kurumi Academy,' a slightly peculiar high school, retaining only the memories of her original life.
Enrolled as a first-year student with the same name, Kurumi Hazakura, she begins a new life full of heart-pounding and exciting events with new friends, all while thinking she used to be a normal high schooler with no special powers.
The most popular boy in class, T
Kurumi's School Life Reincarnation: A Sweet and Bitter Love Triangle!? - The Lonely Soul Beneath the Mask
The after-school chime echoed through the classroom.
Normally, Takuto would have been the first to shout "Kurumi-chaaan!" but today, he was still sitting at his desk. For a while now, he'd just been tapping his fingers on the desk—tap, tap, tap.
Kurumi tilted her head.
What's up with him?
She had a feeling it might still be about what happened in the library last week. He *had* seen her talking with Reiji-kun.
" Takuto-kun, do you have something to take care of?"
When she called out to him, Takuto flailed his hands in a panic. " Huh? Ah, no!" " I was just thinking about something! The costume for the contest!"
That was when it happened.
The front door of the classroom slid open with a clatter.
A female student entered from the hallway, bathed in the light of the setting sun. She had waist-length, straight silver hair. The sides were braided and tied together in the back. Her amethyst-colored purple eyes slowly surveyed the classroom. On her right wrist was a silver bracelet.
The few students remaining in the classroom stopped talking instantly.
Shiina Yuzuki.
The student council president of Kurumi Academy. A third-year, brilliant, fair to everyone—a perfect person. But on that beautiful face of hers, there was always a mysterious air that made it impossible to tell what she was thinking.
" Pardon me."
With those words, Yuzuki walked straight over to Kurumi's seat. Her footsteps echoed through the quiet classroom—click, clack.
She stopped right in front of Kurumi. With her tall stature of 168 centimeters, and Kurumi being only 155, Kurumi had to crane her neck quite a bit to look up at her.
" You are Kurumi Hazakura-san, correct?"
" Y-yes!"
Her voice cracked. Why was the student council president coming to see *her*?
Yuzuki's purple eyes gazed intently at Kurumi. The look wasn't cold. But somehow, it made her feel strangely ticklish, as if Yuzuki could see right through her clothes.
" You're the rumored transfer student. To be recommended for the contest so soon after arriving at the academy—you must be quite well-liked."
Kurumi felt like Yuzuki's smile deepened, just a little.
" Huh, ah, um, well, Takuto-kun just got really excited about it…"
" Hey, hey, don't make it sound like it's my fault!"
Takuto chimed in from the side. Yuzuki glanced at him briefly, then returned her gaze to Kurumi.
" I'm aware of how enthusiastic Honda-kun can be. But, Kurumi-san… you seem to possess something rather special, don't you?"
" S-special…?"
Her heart gave a violent thump.
Yuzuki didn't say anything more. She simply placed the envelope she was holding gently onto Kurumi's desk.
" These are the official guidelines for the contest. The time for the special skill judging and other important notes are written inside. If you run into any trouble, please come to the student council room."
" Ah, thank you very much."
Kurumi hurriedly bowed her head.
Yuzuki took a step back and looked at Kurumi one more time. Then, relaxing her lips just slightly, she said:
" Fufu, you are quite interesting, aren't you?"
Leaving those words behind, she exited the classroom.
Her silver hair glittered in the sunset and quickly vanished from sight.
Kurumi stared at the envelope on her desk. Her heart was still pounding.
An interesting transfer student. Possessing something special.
Those words swirled around and around in her head.
" Wh-what was that all about…?"
Takuto, too, looked dumbfounded, his earlier energy completely gone. But then, he quickly shook his head.
" Well, whatever! More importantly, Kurumi-chan!"
Takuto rummaged noisily through his bag and pulled out a single sheet of paper. It was a permit to use the home economics room.
" I got us the home ec room! Costume-making starts today! C'mon, let's go!"
" Eh, ehhhh?"
Giving her no say in the matter, Takuto grabbed Kurumi's hand and dashed out of the classroom.
The home economics room was on the first floor of the old school building. Since it was normally used for cooking classes, a faint smell of curry lingered in the air. Large black gas stoves lined the room, and further in, there were several sewing machines used for home ec teaching materials.
" Ta-dah!"
On the large worktable in the center of the room, Takuto opened a big paper bag. What emerged from inside was—
"…Huh?"
Kurumi was at a loss for words.
It was a dress. Probably. She *thought* it was a dress.
On a fabric that might have once been white, frills of light blue and pink were sewn on thickly. Pearl beads hung down like a waterfall, and around the chest area was a huge red ribbon. From the skirt section, layer upon layer of lacy flounces burst forth. And that wasn't all. On the back part, for some reason, there was a feather-like decoration going *poof*.
" So!? What do you think? I stayed up all night thinking about it! It's a 'Forest Fairy Dress,' inspired by the kurumi tree! I figured it would look absolutely stunning paired with your piano playing, Kurumi-chan!"
Takuto puffed out his chest with pride. His face was genuinely full of pride.
Kurumi desperately forced her voice out.
" U-um… this…"
" Hm? What's up? Too happy to speak?"
" Where… exactly do I go in it…?"
Because of all the frills, ribbons, and feathers, she couldn't make out the original shape of the garment at all.
" No problem! The back uses Velcro! See!"
*Rrrrip!*
Takuto showed her the back of the dress. Indeed, Velcro was sewn on in an X-shape. But that wasn't all. Around the Velcro, there were, of course, more frills packed tightly—it looked like it would definitely dig into her skin.
" Takuto-kun… did you, maybe, ask someone in the handicrafts club about this?"
" Nope? It's all my original design! I borrowed the sewing machine too, while I was at it! Once I make the final adjustments with this, it'll be perfect!"
Saying that, Takuto plopped himself down in front of the old sewing machine next to him. He tried to set the thread onto the spool—
*Clatter, clatter, clatter.*
"…Huh?"
The thread had tangled into a horrible mess.
" Eh, wait, what's going on with this thing!?"
Panicking, Takuto pulled on the thread. *Snap.* The thread broke, and beads scattered across the floor with a clatter.
" Uwaaaah!"
As Takuto stood up, the bundle of ribbons placed on the edge of the desk slipped off. He stepped on it, and this time, Takuto himself went tumbling down.
*Crash!*
The sewing machine's foot pedal made a terrible noise. Before anyone knew it, the floor was a disaster zone of colorful beads, broken thread, and torn lace. Noticing the loud noise, a student walking down the hallway peeked into the home ec room.
Kurumi rushed over to Takuto.
" A-are you okay!?"
" …Sorry."
Still sitting on the floor, Takuto hung his head.
" I stayed up all night thinking about it. I was sure it would look great on you, Kurumi-chan. Your piano playing is so incredibly beautiful. I wanted to make a costume that could match it…"
His voice grew quieter and quieter.
" But I have no sense of style. And I can't even use a sewing machine. I really can't do anything, can I?"
Kurumi felt a tightness in her chest. She had never seen Takuto like this before. He was always laughing and saying, "Just leave it to me!"
Kurumi gathered her courage and spoke.
" Hey, Takuto-kun?"
Takuto slowly lifted his head.
" I think I'd like something simpler. Just a little bit of fluff and frill is enough. That way, it'll be easier to move when I play the piano."
Takuto's brown eyes stared intently at Kurumi.
" …Simpler? This one… was no good?"
" I-it's not that it's no good… um, I think something like this might be a little embarrassing for me…"
When Kurumi answered honestly, Takuto hung his head again. His shoulders trembled slightly.
That was when it happened.
*Click.*
The door of the home economics room opened quietly.
Standing there was—
Kurogane Reiji.
As always, he had a paperback book in his hand. But today, he was also carrying a small sketchbook. His narrow, dark eyes looked down at the beads scattered on the floor and Takuto sitting there.
" …You were loud."
Just a single sentence. The library was in the new school building right next door, but the sound shouldn't have carried this far. Still, Reiji said only that and approached the worktable.
Without a word, he opened his sketchbook. His long fingers sent a pencil racing across the paper.
*Scratch, scratch, scratch.*
Only the faint sound of the pencil echoed in the home ec room.
A few minutes later.
Reiji smoothly tore out a single sheet of paper and held it out in front of Takuto.
What was drawn there was—
A simple, one-piece dress.
The shoulders were slightly open, and there was a thin ribbon around the waist area. The skirt was soft and full, but there were no obstructive frills whatsoever. The cutting around the chest traced a beautiful curve, as if it had been meticulously calculated.
Next to it, in small letters, was written: "Material: Silk-cotton. Color: Ivory."
" …This is…"
The words slipped out naturally.
" It's so… so wonderful…!"
She had never seen anything like it. It was as if he had known Kurumi for a long time. It perfectly suited her body—petite, with narrow shoulders, but one that moved a lot when she laughed.
Takuto stared intently at the design sketch offered to him. Then, he slowly stood up.
" …Reiji, you…"
" It's nothing. Just a coincidence."
Reiji turned away abruptly. His black bangs, falling over his left eye, hid his expression.
" This is amazing. It's like a pro did it. …Thanks."
Takuto's voice was bright. But it also sounded like he was gritting his back teeth, forcing something down. Still clutching the design sketch, Takuto took a step back.
" …I…"
" Takuto-kun?"
" I, I think I just need a minute… Sorry!"
The next moment, Takuto had dashed out of the home economics room. The sound of his rough footsteps running down the hallway.
" Takuto-kun!"
Kurumi tried to chase after him. But in her haste, the sketchbook on the desk fluttered to the floor. It fell open to a page.
There—
Were many, many small doodles.
Kurumi's profile, looking down with a smile. The walnut hairpin on the right side of her hair. An expression with her brows drawn down in worry. All of them were filled with lines that looked like they had been drawn and redrawn many times over.
Kurumi looked up sharply at Reiji's face.
Looking awkward, Reiji picked up his sketchbook. The tips of his ears seemed just a little red.
" …Don't worry about it."
His voice was at the very edge of audibility. And without looking at Kurumi's face, he quickly left the home economics room.
The connecting corridor between the old and new school buildings. A twenty-five-meter, roofed walkway.
Reiji stopped near a window. The edge of the sketchbook he was gripping was slightly damp. His hands were sweating.
" …What an idiot I am."
His voice was hoarse.
He had gotten carried away and drawn it. He knew perfectly well what Takuto would think if he showed him something like that. Something he couldn't do, Reiji could. How much that would corner Takuto.
And yet.
*"It's so wonderful…!"*
Kurumi's voice stuck in his ears and wouldn't leave. With just that one phrase, the depths of his chest had filled with an inexplicable heat.
" Your smiling face…"
He had wanted to see it again. And that desire was, hopelessly, for his own sake.
The setting sun dyed the window glass of the connecting corridor a deep crimson. On the concrete floor, Reiji's long, thin shadow stretched out, solitary and alone.
The home economics room.
In the silent, still room, Kurumi crouched down alone. She picked up the beads scattered on the floor, one by one. Light blue. Pink. White. The image of Takuto, excitedly saying, "This one is perfect!" flashed in her mind.
Next to her was the copy of the design sketch that Reiji had left behind. Those gentle lines, and those countless doodles.
" …Reiji-
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