Oh no! They all seem a bit off!

Chapter 51: Karaoke at the Welcome Party
It was 3:25 PM, the end of the school day at Mingsheng High School.

As soon as get out of class ended, many people gathered around Shiraishi Rin, chatting and laughing about where they should go first.

They are all people who will participate in this welcome party.

A total of thirteen people participated, including Makoto Akizuki, Maki Shiina, and Rin Shiraishi.

This number is already quite large, considering that there are only 32 people in a class.

Those who didn't participate either weren't interested and were used to being alone, or they were busy and couldn't get away, or they were involved in clubs that required competition and couldn't take leave.

During his lunch break, Akizuki Makoto submitted yet another early departure report, but Ji Yexue's approval was delayed.

I heard from a member of the student council who is in the same class as Ji Yexue that Ji Yexue took leave from school today and didn't come to school. I don't know where she went.

Shiraishi Rin turned her head to look at Akizuki Makoto, who was packing his schoolbag, and smiled, "Yutaka-kun, come and push my wheelchair."

"..."

Upon hearing this, Akizuki Makoto paused in packing his textbooks and glanced at Shiraishi Rin.

He moved his lips as if to say something, but ultimately held back.

He originally wanted to say that you should ask for help in a pleading tone, but he thought that since Shiraishi Rin was used to being spoiled, it would be pointless to say anything, so he didn't bother arguing with her.

Seeing that Akizuki Makoto remained silent and pretended to be an expert, Shiraishi Rin raised an eyebrow, pursed his lips and smiled, "Master Yu-chan, don't you want to?"

"Nothing."

Akizuki Makoto responded in a low voice, having just finished packing his schoolbag, which he slung over his shoulder, and went behind Shiraishi Rin, grasping the handle of the wheelchair.

"Let's go! Let's go!"

Those who were going to the social gathering gathered around them cheered happily and escorted Akizuki Makoto and Shiraishi Rin away from the classroom.

Shiina Maki followed silently behind the crowd, her figure furtive and suspicious.

She still wasn't used to being around people other than Akizuki Makoto. Her brief encounter with Shiraishi Rin at noon left her feeling exhausted.

...Although, there was no real confrontation between them.

But Shiraishi Rin's smiling expression made her feel immense pressure.

Since Shiraishi Rin is convinced that she's a cheater and she has no intention of giving up, a war between them is inevitable.

……

The first stop of the welcome party was a karaoke bar, or KTV, near the train station.

In Japan, karaoke is not charged by the hour of the room, but by the number of people.

The price at this shop is 1980 yen per person, which includes unlimited drinks.

Compared to karaoke bars in other districts, it is indeed much more expensive, but considering that this is Bunkyo Ward, where land is extremely valuable, and that the environment and facilities of this store are top-notch, it is acceptable.

Those who can attend Mingsheng High School generally come from well-off families.

Shiina Maki is an exception. Like Akizuki Makoto, she was admitted to university with a tuition waiver based on her academic performance and occasionally earns a considerable scholarship.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have chosen such a far-away school, spending forty minutes commuting by tram every day.

After completing the formalities and receiving a drink, the group noisily went upstairs and followed the waiter's directions to private room B-2.

Pushing open the door, the interior was dimly lit, and the neon lights hanging from the ceiling were off.

Akizuki Makoto took the remote control, turned on the lights, selected the high-energy mode, and said, "Come on, it's your chance to show off your singing voices."

He wasn't very interested in karaoke and couldn't sing, so naturally he didn't plan to request any songs.

"Let's have the main characters of our welcome party sing first, otherwise it will take too long to arrange them one by one."

Everyone turned to look at Shiraishi Rin and handed her the microphone.

Some sensible people had already gone to the song selection station, waiting for Shiraishi Rin to say what they wanted to sing.

"Hmm..." Seeing this, Shiraishi Rin couldn't refuse. After pondering for a moment, she said, "Then please play 'Echoes of Rain' for me."

"Wow, this song is really difficult, but Shiraishi's voice seems quite suitable, it's very ethereal and clean."

"Looking forward to looking forward to~"

After selecting the song, everyone sat down and picked up their jingles to cheer for Shiraishi Rin.

Before sitting down, Akizuki looked around and found Shiina Maki, who was hiding furtively at the very edge of the room. He then sat down next to her.

"Eh……"

Shiina Maki looked somewhat surprised when Akizuki Makoto sat down.

She subconsciously shifted her body and shrank further into the corner, seemingly trying to make room for Akizuki Makoto.

But this was obviously unnecessary, since there was no one sitting next to her.

Although Shiina Maki has undergone a glamorous transformation from an ugly duckling to a swan, this hasn't improved her interpersonal relationships. After all, girls' impressions and attitudes towards her are still quite subtle.

The girls who participate in the matchmaking event are definitely extroverted types. They have already formed their own cliques and wouldn't allow Shiina Maki to get involved.

As for the boys...

There were hardly any of them this time; including Akizuki Makoto, there were only four boys.

The three who were the only ones stayed with the other girls.

Shiina Maki is very beautiful, but it's obvious to anyone with eyes that she likes Akizuki Makoto.

The thought of their opponent being Akizuki Makoto made them instinctively give up.

Why did you have to sit so far away?

Akizuki looked at Shiina Maki, who seemed to be curling up in the corner, and smiled with a hint of helplessness.

Throughout the journey, he had been secretly watching Shiina Maki, observing whether she could strike up a conversation with someone and become friends with them.

But let alone striking up a conversation or becoming friends with others, Shiina Maki didn't utter a single word from beginning to end!

She quietly followed at the back of the crowd, like someone who was just there to make up the numbers.

The laughter and joy of others had nothing to do with her.

Even though she was a member of the freshman orientation party, no one noticed her, not even turning around to look at her or saying hello.

"Because...because I don't know any of them...I'm afraid..."

Shiina Maki spoke softly, but because Shiraishi Rin had already started singing, the cold intro of the rain drowned out her voice, so Akizuki Makoto couldn't hear what she was saying.

So he beckoned to Shiina Maki, gesturing for her to sit closer.

"..."

Seeing this, Shiina Maki hesitated only slightly before moving closer to Akizuki Makoto and sitting down next to him at a distance of almost shoulder to shoulder.

"What did you just say? I didn't hear you."

I said—

Shiina Maki took a soft breath, brought her lips close to Akizuki Makoto's ear, and whispered to him, "I don't know them, so I'm a little scared."

"Yeah……"

Upon hearing this, Akizuki Makoto didn't say anything more, such as asking Shiina Maki if she didn't want to make friends.

Since he knew that the other girls were ostracizing Shiina Maki, he naturally wouldn't force them to be friends with her.

Although others may give him face, it will only be outward compliance but inward dissent.

(End of this chapter)