The second day of the Cultural Festival dawned bright and lively, with excited chatter echoing through the school grounds. Colorful decorations fluttered in the breeze, and the scent of festival food wafted through the air.
Izumi stretched his arms above his head, letting out a yawn. "Man... Yesterday was exhausting."
Marina stood beside him, her usual composed expression softened by a hint of a smile. "You did well for your first time. But you look exhausted."
Izumi rubbed his eyes. "I didn't know working at a café could be that tiring..."
Marina chuckled. "It's not easy keeping up with so many customers. But at least today's schedule is lighter. We only have to open the maid café for half the day."
As they reached the classroom, they were greeted by a surprising scene. A line of students stood outside, faces filled with anticipation.
One of the students, a boy from Class B-2, looked devastated. "W-What do you mean it's only open for half the day?!"
Another student sighed, leaning against the wall. "I was looking forward to seeing the Snow Princess in her maid outfit again..."
Izumi blinked in confusion. "Are... are they here just to see Marina?"
Marina crossed her arms, her expression indifferent. "It seems that way. But I did warn them yesterday that today would be shorter."
A chorus of disappointed cries erupted from the line. "Nooooo! Why only half a day?!"
Niko peeked out from the classroom, grinning mischievously. "Our popularity is off the charts! I never expected this many people!"
Marina sighed. "We can't help it. We planned to close at noon, and we'll stick to the schedule."
As the café opened, the line moved quickly. Izumi and Marina efficiently served the eager customers, maintaining their roles as butler and maid. But as noon approached, the atmosphere grew tense.
A student begged, "Please, just one more parfait!"
Izumi shook his head, bowing politely. "I'm sorry, but we're closing now. Please visit us next year!"
The students' faces fell, shoulders slumping in defeat. "But... the Snow Princess..."
Marina bowed gracefully. "Thank you for visiting. We hope to see you again."
With that, the café doors closed, and a chorus of disappointed cries echoed down the hall. "Why?! Why only half a day?!"
Izumi sighed, shaking his head. "I didn't expect people to be this dramatic."
Marina shrugged. "They'll get over it."
Niko patted Izumi on the back. "Well well, at least we're free to explore the rest of the festival now!"
Marina's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "I've heard some of the other classes have interesting attractions. We should take a look."
Izumi nodded. "Yeah, I've barely seen anything outside of our café."
The trio ventured out into the bustling hallways, passing by various themed classrooms.
They stopped at Class B-1, which had transformed their room into a lush, plant-themed exhibit. Vines hung from the ceiling, and potted flowers decorated every corner. The fragrance was sweet and refreshing.
Niko beamed. "Wow, it feels like a garden!"
Marina inspected a vibrant orchid, her expression thoughtful. "They did a good job with the atmosphere."
Izumi sneezed, rubbing his nose. "Ugh... Too much pollen..."
They continued their tour, stumbling upon Class C-2's space-themed room. Neon stars glowed against black walls, and a small planetarium played a cosmic show.
Izumi's eyes widened. "Whoa... It's like being in space!"
Marina glanced up at the twinkling stars, her face illuminated by the soft glow. "It's beautiful..."
Niko grinned. "Maybe we should do something like this next year!"
As they moved through the halls, they noticed a crowd gathering around Class A-3's room. A large sign above the door read: "The Ultimate Haunted House!"
Izumi's face paled. "U-Ultimate... Haunted House?"
Marina raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong? Are you scared?"
"N-No! I just... I don't do well with ghosts..." Izumi stammered.
Niko's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Ooh, this is gonna be fun. Let's go!"
Before Izumi could protest, Marina grabbed his wrist, pulling him toward the entrance. "Come on. It'll be fine."
Izumi swallowed hard, his face pale. "R-Right... Fine..."
The haunted house was dark, filled with eerie music and fake cobwebs. Ghostly figures hung from the ceiling, and the floor creaked ominously.
Izumi clung to Marina's arm, his body trembling. "T-This is terrifying..."
Marina looked around, unfazed. "It's clearly fake. Nothing to be afraid of."
Suddenly, a ghostly figure jumped out from behind a curtain, letting out a chilling moan.
Izumi screamed, almost jumping into Marina's arms. "A-Ah! W-What was that?!"
Marina looked at the ghost, her expression unchanged. "It's just a student in a costume."
The ghost paused, breaking character. "Uh... Yeah, she's right."
Izumi's face turned red with embarrassment. "T-That's not the point!"
They continued through the haunted house, with Izumi flinching at every noise and shadow. Marina walked calmly, even yawning at one point.
They reached the final room, where a figure dressed as a ghost sat hunched over. Its long, messy hair covered its face, and its body twitched unnervingly.
Izumi clung to Marina's arm. "W-What is that?"
The figure slowly stood, its head tilting at an unnatural angle. It let out a low, guttural moan.
Izumi's knees buckled. "I-I can't... I can't take this anymore..."
The ghost approached them, arms outstretched. As it drew closer, Marina's eyes narrowed. "Wait a minute..."
The ghost suddenly tripped, its wig falling off to reveal Ren's face, flushed with embarrassment.
Izumi's jaw dropped. "R-Ren?!"
Ren scrambled to his feet, desperately trying to put the wig back on. "I-I wasn't supposed to fall... This wasn't part of the act!"
Marina stifled a laugh. "You... were the ghost?"
Izumi burst into laughter. "You look ridiculous!"
Ren's face turned red. "I-It's not my fault! My friends signed me up for this!"
Niko popped out from behind a corner, snapping pictures. "Oh, this is golden! The great Ren reduced to a clumsy ghost!"
Ren glared at her. "Stop taking pictures of ME!"
Marina crossed her arms, a sly smile on her lips. "Looks like you're not as scary as you think, Ren."
Ren grumbled, his face burning with shame. "I-I'm never doing this again..."
Izumi wiped tears from his eyes, still laughing. "This was worth the terror... I've never seen Ren so embarrassed."
Marina's expression softened, her laughter echoing through the haunted room. "I have to admit... Today was fun."
As they left the haunted house, Ren's defeated voice echoed behind them. "I swear... I'm getting revenge for this humiliation..."
Niko continued taking pictures, her laughter ringing out. "Sure you will, Ghost Boy!"
The second day of the Cultural Festival ended on a high note, with memories they would never forget.
To be continued...