That would be the last high school cultural festival for the third-year students.
While some were busy preparing for university entrance exams, Ichinan Academy was an escalator school.
That meant many of the students already had a practically guaranteed path into the academy’s affiliated university the following semester, so there was not an overwhelming pressure to study all the time.
Because of that, one of the festival committee students suggested that every class should do something grand to make that final school festival memorable.
During the first year, after a long discussion, they decided to set up a haunted house.
At first, everyone was extremely motivated.
The entire class seemed excited during the planning phase, discussing ideas and imagining how they would create the best attraction at the festival.
However, that enthusiasm quickly began to disappear once they realized how exhausting, repetitive, and time-consuming it actually was to build a haunted house.
“Ouch!” Alisa was still in the classroom after school had ended, working alone on making the costumes, when she accidentally pricked her finger with the needle and dropped the materials onto the desk.
A small drop of blood appeared on the tip of her finger, and she immediately brought it to her mouth, cleaning the wound while pressing the area until the bleeding stopped.
After that, she put on a bandage to avoid staining the costume she was working on.
And that had not even been the first injury.
She already had five bandages wrapped around her fingers because of her lack of experience with sewing.
Even so, she kept working, ignoring the throbbing pain in her hands.
She would not let something so insignificant stop her.
If she was going to do this, she would do it properly.
It was that determination that made her pick up the needle once again and continue.
“Oh, hey.
I figured you’d still be here.” The classroom door suddenly opened with a soft bang.
It was Isagi, who normally disappeared right after classes ended to head straight to soccer practice.
“Isagi…?
What are you still doing here?” “Eh.
You know me.
Stayed late training, like always…” he answered evasively, looking down at the documents in his hands.
Curious, Alisa followed his gaze, but she could not figure out exactly what those papers were.
“Anyway, Kujou, you can go home already.
We’ll finish this tomorrow with the rest of the class,” he added with a casual shrug.
That irritated Alisa immediately.
At this rate, they would never finish everything on time if they kept postponing the work.
Besides, if the others were really helping, she would not be there alone that late in the evening.
“Don’t worry about me.
I’m going to work on this a little longer before going home.” Alisa refused firmly, letting part of her irritation slip into her tone.
“Oh…
Alright.
Fine.” After sitting down at his desk, Isagi stayed silent for a few seconds, letting his eyes wander around the room.
Then he scratched his head a few times before casually speaking again: “I talked to the handicrafts club, and they agreed to help with the costumes.
So I think it’s better to leave that part to them from now on.” “Huh…?” “And look at this.” Isagi handed her the documents he was holding while Alisa was still trying to process what he had just said.
“I got permission to use the pension.
I figured that if we turned this into a nighttime event, it might help motivate the class, since a lot of people seem kind of unenthusiastic.” “…?!
But how did you…?” “I talked to the student council.
I used to be the— Ahem.
I know the people there, so I asked for a favor.” Alisa gave him a suspicious look when he corrected himself halfway through the sentence, but Isagi continued speaking before she could ask anything.
“Anyway, I promised that some of the guys in our class would help the handicrafts club with the heavy lifting, so they agreed to give us a hand.
There are plenty of idiots eager to show off in front of girls, so I think that part will be easy.
Now, as for preparing the nighttime workshop…
Well, I think Muesume can handle that.” “Huh?” “Anyway, just go home already, okay?
There’s no point in you killing yourself working alone like this.” That casual comment made all the emotions Alisa had been bottling up explode instantly.
“No ‘point’?
Excuse me?!” Alisa was already extremely stressed after spending so much time sewing despite being completely inexperienced at it.
To her, it felt as though all her effort was being belittled the moment Isagi suddenly appeared with a ready-made solution for everything.
That ended up breaking down the barrier that normally protected her heart.
Before she even realized it, she had already slammed the half-finished costume against the table and stood up abruptly while glaring at Isagi.
“If I’m going to participate in this, then I want to do a good job!
I don’t want to arrive at the school festival with some half-finished haunted house!
And I don’t want to compromise no matter what happens!” Even Alisa herself realized she was venting a good portion of her frustration onto him, but at that moment, she simply could not hold herself back.
“But…
but I know this selfishness is mine!
I know nobody takes these things as seriously as I do!
That’s why I’m working twice as hard to make up for it!
So what are you trying to say?
That I’m wrong for wanting to do a good job?!” She let everything spill out at once, finally allowing all the emotions she had suppressed to overflow.
It had been years since the last time she had done something like this, probably since middle school.
Normally, Alisa hid these kinds of emotions behind her impeccable composure.
Isagi’s eyes widened for a moment before he answered directly: “You’re putting all your effort into the wrong places.” “Huh…?” The direct and unexpected response completely caught her off guard.
Without looking away, Isagi continued calmly: “The festival isn’t just about you.
It’s the same as soccer: nobody wins alone.
If the team’s unmotivated, it doesn’t matter if one player runs ten times harder while ignoring everyone else.
What really changes the game is finding a way to make everyone want to play together.” “…” Instinctively, Alisa wanted to look away from that steady gaze and that impossible-to-refute argument.
But her pride would not allow it.
Instead, she kept staring at Isagi as if refusing to yield first.
However, before she could answer, Isagi quickly looked away and scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
“Uh…
I guess I could’ve said that better.
Sorry if I upset you.
I know you’ve been working hard, and I’m not trying to belittle that at all.” “Ah…” When he slightly lowered his head in apology, Alisa no longer knew what to do with her anger.
She had dumped all that frustration onto him, yet Isagi responded only by trying to apologize.
It was as though the punch she had thrown had completely missed its target.
Even so, what truly shook her, what made her chest tighten and her breathing falter, was that single sentence: I know you’ve been working hard…
“I…
I’m going home.” Those were the only words she managed to say before hurriedly grabbing her bag and quickly leaving the classroom.
I can’t…
I can’t believe him!
As she walked toward the school gate, Alisa desperately tried to suppress the turbulent emotions inside herself.
And she pretended not to notice the regret, the guilt…
and that tiny trace of happiness hidden deep within her heart.
The next day— “It’s time, you little brats!
Who’s ready to have some fun?!” The school festival meeting began with Muesume’s ridiculously enthusiastic shout.
Most of their classmates simply stared at him in confusion as he excitedly explained that Isagi had managed to get permission for them to use the pension.
“We’ll be able to prepare everything for the festival during the day and then, at night, use the old building to play scary hide-and-seek!
It’ll be like our own private pre-pre-pre-festival party with all kinds of fun!
Yeaaahhhhh!” The classmates immediately laughed at his uncontrolled excitement, making comments like, “The festival isn’t even until next week,” and, “This sounds more like an excuse to play around than actually work on the festival.” Even so, Muesume’s enthusiasm was contagious.
Little by little, the entire class got swept up in the mood as well.
It did not take long before they began seriously discussing a schedule for the event day, and even after the meeting finally ended, several students kept talking excitedly about the preparations.
In fact, they seemed even more motivated now than when they had originally decided what to do for the school festival.
Some time passed, and eventually the day for the nighttime preparations at the pension arrived.
The boys worked with almost frightening energy, speeding things up not only because they were excited for the evening activities, but also because the girls had promised to prepare dinner.
The class’s motivation remained high even after the night at the pension, and thanks to that, they managed to complete the haunted house exactly at the quality level Alisa had hoped for.
In fact, the final result turned out even better than she had imagined.
In the end, the class’s haunted house earned more money than any other booth at the festival, and the entire class was rewarded for their effort and dedication.
“Ah…” “Thanks for all your hard work, Kujou.” The nighttime celebration party had already started, and the students were dancing in a circle around the school courtyard.
As she walked toward the main building, passing by classmates happily dancing, Alisa found Isagi sitting on the stairs.
He rested his cheek against his hand, wearing a faint smile while watching everyone else have fun.
Following his gaze, Alisa saw Muesume trying to flirt with literally every girl who came near him, while Hikaru, on the other hand, kept getting dragged into dances by a different girl every few minutes.
“Ha-ha…
Must be tough.” “…Aren’t you going to dance?” Isagi raised an eyebrow at the question before shrugging.
“Hmm?
Nah.
I don’t even have a partner to dance with.
This school can be pretty old-fashioned sometimes.
Folk dancing at a nighttime festival?
Who even does that nowadays?
At least they didn’t put a bonfire in the middle too…” Then he glanced at her for a moment.
“Do you mind if I keep sitting here?” “Hmm?
Ah, of course…
But aren’t you going to dance either?
I bet there are tons of guys desperate to invite you.
Ah, wait…
Don’t tell me you don’t know how to dance this?” “How rude.” Alisa answered immediately, lightly frowning.
“I used to do ballet when I was little, you know?
I can easily keep up with what everyone’s doing.
I just wasn’t in the mood to dance, so I turned down all the invitations.” Grumbling with mild disdain, she tossed her hair over her shoulder and sat beside him.
“Oh…
Sounds exhausting.” “It’s not really.
I’m already used to it.” “Uh-huh.
Guess I should expect that from the lonely princess.” “What exactly is that supposed to mean?” Alisa frowned, clearly annoyed.
“What?
You didn’t know?
That’s what people have been calling you lately,” Isagi replied, looking genuinely surprised.
“Hmph.” “Uh…
You don’t seem very happy about it.” “I guess that’s because I’m not.” “Why?
Because they’re pointing out how lonely you are?” “No, that’s not it.
Besides, are you capable of going five minutes without insulting me?” “Sorry.” He immediately shrank under her sharp glare.
“Wrong again,” Isagi joked, making a small pout.
Alisa merely sighed.
“The problem is the ‘princess’ part,” she explained.
“Why?
Sounds like a compliment.” “Does it?
Because to me, it makes it sound like I’m some fairy tale character who never had to work hard for anything in life.” “Ah…
I see.
Never thought about it that way.” “I admit that I’m prettier and more talented than average, but I’ve never treated that as something guaranteed.
Not even once.
I hate it when people act as if I was simply born with everything I worked so hard to achieve.” “Makes sense,” Isagi agreed without hesitation.
“Then I won’t call you that anymore.” “Okay,” Alisa replied as though it did not matter.
But after a few seconds of silence, she slightly turned her face toward him and quietly added: “…Thank you, Isagi.” “Hmm?
For what?” “This might be the first time I’ve actually enjoyed a school festival.” Preparing for school festivals had always stressed Alisa out.
She always had to compensate for her classmates, and when the festivals finally ended, she felt more exhausted than accomplished.
But this time was different.
She enjoyed working and preparing together as a team.
The sense of accomplishment she felt succeeding alongside her classmates was far greater than anything she had ever felt succeeding alone.
Even though she was tired, she also felt exhilarated.
“I was wrong,” Alisa said, looking away.
“I probably never would’ve been able to enjoy the school festival like this if I had tried to do the entire project by myself…
Sorry for taking out my frustration on you.” Isagi awkwardly twisted his hands together.
“Don’t worry about it.
Besides, all I did was some extra paperwork.
You and everyone else were the ones who really worked hard.” Even though he said that, in reality he had been the one organizing everything behind the scenes and repeatedly encouraging the boys in the class to stay motivated.
More than that, he was the one who created a positive working environment and made sure nobody became overwhelmed or discouraged.
Even if Isagi insisted he had not done much, Alisa knew perfectly well that none of it would have happened without him.
“I can’t just ‘not worry about it.’ I want to apologize for blowing up at you…
and also thank you for everything you did.
Is there anything you want?” “Anything I want?
Uh…” “You can’t say ‘nothing.'” “Mmm…” Isagi thought for a few moments, clearly cornered by her insistence.
“I’m pretty sure I heard that, in Russia, people use nicknames as a sign of affection instead of just names.
What was your nickname again?” “What?
Why are you suddenly asking that?” “Alesha?
Wait.
Aleshka?
That sounds like a Russian nickname, right?” “…Alya.
My family calls me Alya.” “Alright then.
You can thank me and apologize by giving me the right to call you Alya from now on.” “What?
How is that supposed to be a reward in any way?” Isagi grinned carefree, almost teasingly, while Alisa frowned, completely unable to understand.
“I’d be the only guy in the whole school who gets to call the class idol by her nickname.
Booyah!” “Were you dropped on your head as a baby?” “Looks like we’ve got a deal!
Thanks!” “Gross,” she replied with a disgusted expression.
That was when one of the boys gathered nearby suddenly spoke up: “Hey, uh…
do you want to dance?” “Hey!
Who do you think you are, man?!
I was here first!
Alisa, I’ve always loved you!
Please dance with me!” “What?!
Who do you think you are?!
You’re not the only one who feels that way about her!
I…” Within seconds, six boys crowded around Alisa.
It was obviously time for the final dance, and all of them had gathered their courage at the same time to invite her.
“I’m sorry.
I can’t dance.” “Don’t worry about it.
I’m a good dancer.
I can teach you.” “You?
I’m way better than him.
Come on, you’d rather dance with me, right?” “Who cares about that?
You just move your body to the rhythm!” Even though Alisa politely refused, the boys did not seem willing to back down.
When they started moving even closer, Alisa narrowed her eyes, already preparing to cut them down with cold words.
“You guys, I swe—” But before she could finish, someone grabbed her hand and pulled her aside.
“Sorry, but she already has plans with me.
Let’s go, Alya.” Still holding her hand, Isagi led her toward the school courtyard.
“E-eh…?!” Alisa tried to protest, but ended up following him quickly, still confused.
Under normal circumstances, she would have yanked her arm away and probably slapped him, but to her own surprise, she simply followed him without making a scene.
Alisa’s heart was racing.
She could not take her eyes off Isagi’s broad back in front of her.
When she thought about it calmly, she realized it was the first time someone of the opposite sex had held her hand and led her around like that.
Yes…
she was just a little confused because it was the first time something like this had happened to her.
It did not mean anything else!
Just as she tried to convince herself of that, Isagi stopped in an opening within the circle of students, and the final song suddenly began to play.
“You said you used to do ballet and that you could dance folk dancing easily if you wanted to, right?” “Huh?
Ah…
yes.
So what?” He smiled provocatively while she was still trying to regain her composure.
“Then let’s see it, princess,” Isagi teased.
His intentions were obvious considering their conversation from moments earlier.
“You’re pretty bold for challenging me.
Good luck trying to keep up without embarrassing yourself.” “Don’t get so excited that you step on my foot, okay, Alya?” “Hmph!
Bring it on!” Alisa arched her eyebrows and frowned at the irritatingly smug smile on his lips.
Normally, the final dance was something reserved more for couples, but between the two of them there was not even the slightest trace of romance in the atmosphere, only mutual teasing.
They started dancing like everyone else around them, but soon Alisa’s steps began drifting away from the standard pattern.
She moved her long limbs gracefully, dancing with astonishing natural elegance beneath the night sky of the school courtyard.
Although she still followed the rhythm of the music, what she was doing could no longer really be called folk dancing.
Even so, Isagi managed to keep up with her surprisingly well.
He was not on the same technical level as her, but neither was he completely overshadowed.
His movements were steady enough not to get in the way, and he could adjust his rhythm so that her dancing did not become uncontrollable.
Somehow, it worked.
The two ended up forming an unlikely combination, almost as though they had naturally fallen into defined roles, one clearly leading while the other supported.
“Hee-hee…
Ha-ha-ha!” Before she realized it, Alisa was smiling.
She was genuinely having fun without even noticing when it had started.
Even if everything had begun as a sort of competition, there was something truly lighthearted about that moment.
But it did not last long.
The music soon came to an end, and the dance ended with it.
Alisa let go of his hand and gave a slight bow, albeit somewhat reluctantly.
“Damn, I’m impressed.
That was everything I had just to keep up with you.” “I had a lot of fun.” Isagi blinked, clearly surprised by her honesty.
“Well…
I guess I’ll head back then.” “Oh?
You’re not going to walk me back?” “Give me a break.
Do you know how jealous that’d make all the other guys?
They’d kill me.” “Uh-huh…
Thanks for the warning.” A mischievous smile appeared on Alisa’s lips as she suddenly wrapped her arm around his.
“Hey?!
What are you—?” “Walk me back.” “You’re basically asking me to die for you, you know?” “It’s your punishment for calling me ‘princess.'” “Ack…” His face went blank with despair, yet even so, he started walking with her arms wrapped around him without even trying to pull away.
Still, Alisa smiled as brightly as possible, finally feeling as though she had the upper hand in the situation.
Only then did she realize what she was doing.
Her cheeks began heating up, and the blush quickly spread, but her good mood drowned out the embarrassment.
She was walking side by side with someone, and that made her incredibly happy.
As they followed the short path toward the school building, Alisa felt that vague sense of loneliness and alienation she had carried ever since that day in elementary school slowly begin to dissolve.
And yet, the very next day…
“Morning, Alya.
Sorry to bother you, but could you share your Japanese textbook with me?” …Isagi had already returned to his usual state, completely unmotivated when it came to studying.
“…” “Hey, uh…
Alya?
What’s wrong?
You’re looking at me like I’m trash.” “Because you are.” “What?!
That’s cruel!” Isagi shouted.
“Haaah…” Alisa let out a long, almost theatrical sigh before suddenly looking away from him.
With a pout on her lips, she muttered while averting her gaze: “И подумать, он был таким милым вчера…” (“And to think he was so nice yesterday…”) Isagi did not change after that.
If anything, he continued surprising Alisa in the most irritating ways possible.
Even so, whenever someone genuinely needed help, he was always the first to appear as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
He remained by people’s sides with a disarming ease.
To Alisa, who had always viewed people as rivals or obstacles to overcome, that behavior felt strange.
And at the same time, strangely comforting.
The fact that she did not need to compete with him or constantly compare herself to him eased her mind in a way she could not explain.
Since then, she realized she could interact with Isagi without that constant need to prove her worth.
She scolded him for being lazy and teased him precisely because she got irritated by how relaxed he was most of the time.
She even found herself annoyed by how he seemed to take care of others as though it were effortless.
Even so, she ended up opening up in Russian, laughing at his ignorance and at the absurdly natural way he behaved.
…
…
Back in the present, Alisa sighed after finishing telling everything to her sister.
“You fell in love!
How adorable!” Maria exclaimed, clapping excitedly.
“That’s classic.
Saa-kun and I were like that too.
Weren’t we, Saa-kun?” Maria laughed softly while smiling at the photo inside the golden locket she discreetly pulled from inside her cleavage.
She was completely in her usual “lovestruck maiden” mode, practically radiating imaginary hearts.
Alisa looked at her with cold, silent judgment.
“If you’re going to spend the entire time praising your boyfriend, then leave.” “Oh, Alya!
You’re so cold!” Alisa sighed deeply, clearly lacking patience for her sister’s romantic state.
“And for your information, I like hardworking people.” “You still have so much to learn, Alya.
He might be laid-back most of the time, but suddenly, boom!
He shows he’s a real man!
That’s a great quality, if you ask me!” “Looks like we don’t have the same taste, because honestly, it irritates me how lazy he is whenever it’s not about soccer.” Alisa started talking nonstop, pouring out everything she normally suppressed: “He forgets his books all the time, sleeps during class, and doesn’t even care when I tell him to put in more effort!
He always gives that stupid smile like nothing matters, and…
well, I guess that’s why I can say anything to him without worrying…” “Right?
In other words, your relationship is built on trust.” “What makes you think that?” “Because he never leaves your side no matter what you say.
Isn’t that why you can talk to him without worrying about anything?
And he accepts everything you say.
Sounds like trust to me.” Alisa was speechless for a moment at her sister’s unexpectedly accurate analysis.
Even so, she quickly regained control.
“No, it’s not like that at all.
I can only complain about him because everyone in class knows he needs to be kept in line.
That’s all…” But then she looked away.
“…But I admit he’s easy to talk to.
And just because we get along doesn’t mean it’s that kind of thing, right?
Having feelings for someone means wanting to go on dates, kiss, and stuff like that…
I never even thought about those things…” She murmured shyly while looking to the side.
“You’re so cute, Alya.” Maria smiled softly.
“But didn’t you two just kiss a little while ago?” Alisa froze completely.
The memory of the kiss struck her like lightning, Isagi’s firm body pressing hers against the cold wall, the heat of his mouth, the dominant way his tongue wrapped around hers, his hands gripping her waist tightly…
Everything came rushing back with overwhelming clarity.
Her entire face burst into a deep crimson blush, from her cheeks all the way to the tips of her ears and down her neck.
She pressed her lips tightly together, desperately trying to hide the treacherous happiness threatening to escape.
“Y-you…!” Her voice came out sharper than intended.
“I told you that so you’d stop bothering me!
Not so you could bring it up again just to tease me!” Maria laughed quietly, covering her mouth elegantly, but her eyes sparkled with pure amusement.
“I know, but your reaction every time I mention it is priceless.
Just look at you, Alya~ You’re melting just remembering it.
So cute.” “I am not melting!” Alisa immediately shot back, jumping up from the bed in one abrupt motion.
“It was just a spur-of-the-moment thing from him!
A mistake!
It doesn’t mean any of the things you’re imagining!” The more she denied it, the redder she became.
Maria merely tilted her head, smiling as though she did not believe a single word.
“I see…
So you weren’t happy when he called you Alya, pulled you into a dance, and then kissed you against the wall like you belonged to him?” “Maria!!” Embarrassment and irritation exploded all at once.
Alisa marched toward her sister, grabbed her by the shoulders, and started pushing her toward the door.
“Get out of my room!
Right now!
You’re unbearable today!” “Hey, hey!
Calm down~ I just want to see you happy!” “I am happy!
I mean…
no!
Get out!!” With one firm push, Alisa managed to shove Maria out of the room.
Before her older sister could protest, she slammed the door shut and locked it.
Silence.
Alisa leaned her back against the door and slowly slid down to the floor, hugging her knees tightly against her chest.
Her heart was still beating wildly and uncontrollably.
The blush refused to disappear.
She buried her face between her arms and murmured in a muffled, trembling voice: “…I really don’t know what to do…” The next words slipped out softly, almost against her own will, carrying frustration, embarrassment, and a sweetness she could barely admit herself: “I love that idiot…
I love that lazy, irritating guy who sleeps during class and still somehow makes me feel like this…” She bit her lower lip hard.
_____________________ (A/N: First of all, thank you for reading this story.
Your support there also helps a lot in keeping the story updated consistently.
I hope you continue enjoying Isagi’s completely cursed new life in this crossover world.)