No, how does everyone know this song! I was the only one not singing. Even Joel Gomez did it. It suited his distinctive voice well, and I was amazed that he sang well in the process.
But wait, do I have to do this too? If I’m the only one not doing it, I’ll definitely stand out. I don’t want to do it…… What’s with this musical! I barely managed to pass my singing tests. But a musical? A musical? I’ve never even seen a musical in person……!
SYSTEM
NG in 5 seconds, 5, 4, 3……!
― Woo, woo! Shy Natalia! Always teased Natalia! Natalia!♪
I didn’t know what it was, but NG sounded quite negative. I had no choice but to reluctantly snap my thumb and index finger, snap, snap, awkwardly keeping time while singing along. Woo, woo…… Shy Natalia…… Always teased Natalia…… Natalia…….
Too gloomy! X0
Why don’t you try it yourself!
SYSTEM
NG in 5 seconds, 5, 4, 3……!
“Woo, woo! Shy Natalia! Always teased Natalia! Natalia!”
I snapped my fingers harder and raised my voice. I felt like crying. Let’s not cry. That would be another NG……
― I want to fly like other people. I want to be cool and confident. Me, always timid and dejected, when will I be okay?♪
There was only one thing I wanted to shout at Natalia, who was turning in the middle of the classroom. Please stop! Please! Please! Pleaaase! But when the person in front stood up, and the person next to them, and the next, next person all stood up, I was half resigned. I stood up from my seat unsteadily.
I awkwardly followed the choreography of spreading my arms wide, gathering them to my chest, then extending only my left hand. When they turned, I closed my eyes tightly and turned too. At the same time, I had to add harmony.
― Woo woo, woo woo woo woo. Woo woo, woo woo woo woo. When will I be okaaay.♪
When will I be able to stop this?
Natalia’s song gradually rushed toward its climax, and I followed people by waving my arms up and down. I’m not crying right now, am I? I can’t cry. Because it’s NG……
― Always foolish me…… But I can get better. I’ll hold onto hope, I’ll gradually be okay…….♪
The music, which sang of hope but became increasingly sad, gradually quieted, and everyone who had stood up sat down. The teacher also returned to their seat. When the music completely stopped, the teacher lightly patted Natalia’s shoulder as if nothing had happened.
“Right, Natalia Newton. And what else do you want to introduce?”
“I, I, I……!”
Natalia stammered and covered her bright red face with both hands. Flushed all the way to the tips of her ears, her red ears that seemed to bleed could be seen next to her palms. She trembled her shoulders as if sobbing and ran out of the classroom just like that. A kid who teased her saying “Na-Natalia Ne-Newton” laughed loudly. My fingers that had been snapping “woo, woo!” earlier hurt for no reason, so I clenched my fists tightly.
* * *
<Status Window>
【Quest】
- Secure broadcasting rights for Season 2 of ‘Pizza Saver’!
- Greet 100 students [87/100]
【Rotten Pineapple】
Current [40]%
◈ High-teen: 100%
◈ Romance: 1%
“Hm?”
As soon as class ended, I checked the status window. But the ‘musical’ keyword wasn’t there. Are newly added keywords not reflected? What’s this?
“What’s going on?”
IDK!!!!
“If you don’t know, who does……!”
“Wow, you have the ability to talk to air?”
“……I was on a call. With earphones.”
I pretended to take something out of my ear and put it in my pocket as I turned around. The incredibly tall Joel was looking down at me with his head tilted crookedly.
“Hey, seventh.”
“What?”
“You…… I’m watching you.”
Joel made a V with his index and middle fingers and covered his eyes. What does that mean? Who are you to watch me! ……I couldn’t confront him about it. Isn’t he a drug dealer whose entire family has criminal records?
“Why, why are you doing that?”
“You’re annoying. Quite.”
Because I’m annoying to your eyes, so you’ll watch me? How idle! I wanted to snort at him, but I knew very well that my life was precious.
“……What should I do to not be annoying to you? Should I carefully go around so I don’t catch your eye?”
“Keep being annoying and keep hanging around. Don’t pull any other stunts where I can’t see you, without me knowing.”
“……”
What do you want me to do? When I said I’d stop being annoying since he was annoyed, he tells me to keep being annoying in front of him.
“Ah, but do you really like that bastard David Evans?”
“I don’t like……! ……him.”
I don’t like him! I barely held back from shouting and smiled brightly. Joel crossed his arms and made a “Hmm” sound.
“Your answer is strange.”
“Really, I really don’t like him. I’m not gay. Really, really!”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Bet your life on it?”
“……”
“You’re gay.”
Joel chuckled as if he had figured out the answer. I really knew my life was precious. But I didn’t know it would grab me by the ankle.
“Learn to judge men properly. What’s so great about David Evans?”
Joel, who clicked his tongue, pushed my head and passed by. The way he shook his head seemed like he was looking at a hopeless case.
“I really…… don’t like him……”
It was unfair, but there was no one to listen to my answer.
* * *
Detention. That was the punishment of staying at school after school or on holidays. Very unfortunately, a reason arose for me, who had lived as a model student, to receive that punishment. Because Natalia, David, and Harper were all scheduled to receive detention on the same day, Saturday morning.
It was a perfect opportunity to properly raise the romance points! But since today was Friday, there wasn’t much time. When I complained with a headache about why it had to be that kind of punishment, couldn’t they meet in some other way, the system answered.
Parodying classics is fun. 🙂
“What does that mean?”
Connecting to Wakipedia…….
Whirrrr!
[The Breakfast Club]
A youth comedy-drama film released in 1985……
I carefully read the unwanted information the system displayed. So the content of ‘The Breakfast Club’ was this: On Saturday morning, students with different personalities gather in detention, interact, and come to understand and know each other. It’s a film considered the best high-teen movie, starring the top youth stars of the time.
“……You’re making those kids all get detention to parody that? By finding all kinds of faults?”
🙂
“The people making dramas really have nothing to do.”
🙁
“Okay. Okay. Masterpiece, classic, parody. All good, good. But…… how do you get detention?”
idk
“If you’re going to say that, don’t answer.”
I don’t know. This time it was lowercase, but it was still annoying. Since today was Friday, to come to school tomorrow Saturday morning, I had to hurry up and do something. But you need to have rebelled before to rebel. I was a nerd who had never even dozed off during school classes.
“Steal school toilet paper?”
Wrong!
“Graffiti on school walls?”
Wrong!
“Then what do you want me to do! How do Dave, Natalia, and Harper end up getting detention!”
David – Mocked the football team coach.
Natalia – Did not attend class.
Harper – Poured nail polish in the bag of someone she didn’t like.
Skipping class seemed the easiest. But the next class was English. I was curious how American schools teach English. The next one is math, and I’m curious how they teach math and also……
“There’s no class to skip? They’re all too valuable.”
(Nerd)
“I am a nerd.”
“Seventh, who are you talking to? On a call again?”
“……Ah.”
I thought I had positioned myself in a fairly secluded spot at the bottom of the stairs, but I heard an interrupting voice. A gentle and soft voice that didn’t match the tone. There was only one person. Joel Gomez.
“If you’re going to be annoying, I told you to be annoying where I can see you, right? Don’t hide.”
“……I’m not hiding.”
“Then why are you there?”
“I……! Was just thinking.”
“Thinking about what?”
“How can I…… get detention, that kind of thought? No, I’ve gone to high school for 3 years, no, 4 years, and never received punishment once! Well! How can this be! I really want to experience it at least once before graduation! Do you know that movie? The Breakfast Club……!”
His crooked expression was quite scary, so I rambled incoherently. I blurted out facts I didn’t need to say and tried to somehow recover, but that made it stranger.
“So, you’re going to get punished to recreate The Breakfast Club?”
“……Is that not okay?”
“It is. It’s quite an interesting story.”
Joel giggled and took something out of his pocket and put it in his mouth. It was another long jelly. That eraser-tasting jelly.
“Is that…… delicious?”
“It’s the most familiar thing. Hey, seventh. Follow me.”
Joel walked with his hands in his pants pockets while chewing the jelly. I hesitated and then followed him. The place Joel headed to was the parking lot.
“Nerd, give me a pen.”
Joel, who stopped at a car, gestured with his hand, and I unconsciously took out a pen from my bag and obediently handed it over.
