A New Beginning

Chapter 4

   Wearing a maid outfit for the week was the most embarrassing thing for me ever. I had to walk around the club, acting like a maid, waiting on everyone. It seemed like Mion and the others enjoyed it dearly. I wasn't the only one who suffered from this, Kouta had to wear a skirt and walk around the village. People had snickered as others talked behind his back, but it didn't seem like he really cared. 

Mion leaned back in her seat as Kouta talked about how others reacted to him wearing a skirt.
" They must have thought something different about you now." 

" No, because they already know how I am. They won't think anything else." 

" Are you sure about that?" I asked. " Even though they have known him since he was young, their perspective on him might have changed since they saw him in a skirt. I mean, what would your parents think?" 

" My parents do not care," Kouta said. He then threw his cards on the table, giving up. " I have nothing else. I think Mion might win this round anyway." 

Reika sighed and threw her cards on the table as well. " I give up as well. I have nothing good that would make you shiver." 

" At least I have something," I muttered, putting down a card. " I don't think I will ever win this game with people like you." I examined how bent the cards were, along with some scratches on them. " It seems like you already know these by heart." 

" We've had them since we started this club." Mion then grinned. " Of course, I already know what cards you are holding just because of the bents and tears. You might as well give up now." 

I scoffed and threw my cards as well. I couldn't win even if I tried my best. They would have beaten me either way. Mion then glanced at Keiichi, a smirk appearing. " How about you give up Keiichi? I can already see what cards you have." 

" Are you going to keep trying to get us to surrender?" he asked. 

" It's the only way to make you lose." 

" That's playing dirty," Reika said, pointing at her. " You can't do something like that when playing a game." 

" It's how you win the game Reika." 

" It's still not fair!" 

" Enough Reika, she already had us put down our cards. We can't do anything about it now, until the game is finished." 

In the end, Mion had won the game. Everyone else was out of cards and groaned once she won again. I sighed and leaned back in my seat. At least I didn't have to act like a maid once again.

" What's the punishment again Mion?" Shion asked. 

" Actually, I don't think we have time for a punishment this time. The Watanangashi festival is coming once again, right Rika? We can already have our competitions there."

Rika nodded, a big smile on her face. 

" What's that?" I asked. 

" It's a festival where people use cotton and put it in the river, as if to forget their sins," Rena explained. " Rika dances at the festival." 

" I see, so she's like a priest then?" 

They all nodded. 

For the next couple of days, we've been preparing for the festival. I had helped Rena with the decorations, as the others were doing the building. At some point, I caught Rena glancing over at Keiichi. 

" Rena, we have to keep working," I told her. 

" I know," she muttered. Even though she was the one who introduced me to everyone, she was still shy around me.