Lick Me Up If You Can Novel (Completed) - Chapter 27

“What? I’m short on credits?”

At the shocking news, Koi’s voice automatically rose. Looking at his face, which had gone pale, the teacher in charge said with a serious expression.

“Yes, your extracurricular activities and volunteer hours are very short. Your college entrance exam scores weren’t as high as expected either… In fact, Koi, there are many cases where students get perfect scores and still can’t get into top-tier state universities.”

“Because my extracurricular activity scores are low?”

To Koi’s anxious question, the teacher nodded.

“That, and volunteer work.”

“Ah…”

A groan escaped him. He had been so overwhelmed with part-time work and assignments that he hadn’t had the capacity to earn extra-curricular points, but his introverted personality, which made social interactions very difficult, also made it hard for him to actively participate in activities. Yet, he couldn’t just give up easily. Even if he took the college entrance exam again, if he didn’t earn his volunteer and extracurricular points now, he would be in big trouble later.

What should I do?

Koi, feeling extremely anxious, urgently asked,

“Um, teacher. Is there anything you could recommend?”

There were ways to ask at hospitals or churches, but Koi had absolutely no social connections for that. To him, who could only cling to his teacher, the teacher sighed with a bewildered expression.

“Koi, finding things out for yourself is also a form of ‘activity’.”

“I know.”

Koi said, disheartened. But if reality matched what he knew, he wouldn’t be having such a headache. The teacher, who pondered for a moment at Koi’s distressed face, clutching his head, finally spoke.

“Actively participating in school events would also reflect on your score, but it’s too late to join a sports team now…”

Besides, he had no athletic ability. He was forced to take a marathon class as part of the curriculum, but even that was barely manageable. Considering his body, which would clearly ruin any team, he felt that joining such a specialized team would only result in negative points.

“Then, a choir, or…”

The teacher suggested various extracurricular activities, but there was nothing Koi could do. The most promising ones were already full, and the available ones were impossible for Koi.

“Haa…”

The teacher, after a long sigh, finally presented the last option.

“I really didn’t want to recommend this, Koi. But there’s nothing else left.”

“Yes, teacher.”

Koi tensed up, pricking up his ears. He was ready to do anything. If only there was a chance. The teacher’s lips slowly parted. Koi watched her mouth without even blinking.

“…is what it is.”

When she finally spoke, Koi thought he had misheard.

“Huh?”

When he asked again with an awkward smile, the teacher said seriously,

“It’s the cheerleading team, Koi.”

Seeing Koi frozen with the same smile on his face, the teacher added,

“And you’ll have to wear a skirt.”

Now, not only Koi’s face but also his mind froze.

“Wait, a skirt? Why?”

After a few seconds of blankness, Koi’s mind finally started working. And he urgently blurted out the first question that came to mind. The teacher replied with a serious expression.

“Well, that’s because our school’s cheerleading team traditionally only accepts female students. In fact, even if you apply, it’s fifty-fifty whether you’ll get in. You’ll have to take an entrance test too…”

The teacher sighed and continued.

“Originally, the cheerleading team was very popular, so it’s rare to recruit members so urgently. But because of the continuous vacancies this year, there’s a bad rumor going around, and everyone is reluctant to join.”

“Bad rumor?”

“Hmm, well, it’s like a superstition.”

The teacher’s voice trailed off, but Koi guessed what it was. Usually, in such cases, rumors would spread about being possessed by a ghost or being cursed. It was a childish idea typical of high school students, but the lack of applicants was, in a way, a stroke of luck for Koi.

But a skirt.

Koi, who hesitated and fumbled for a reply, asked,

“But even if I wear a skirt, can I, a boy, really join the cheerleading team?”

“Hmm, well, about that.”

The teacher herself seemed amused, letting out a small, silly laugh.

“They say that if a boy cross-dresses and performs for a season, it will ward off bad luck. So they’re saying they want to accept a male student now.”

The teacher finished speaking and shook her head, laughing again. Kids these days, she seemed to be saying, but the cheerleading team students were utterly serious. And there was no doubt that this was a golden opportunity for Koi.

If only he was willing to cross-dress and become a laughingstock in front of the entire school.

Of course, for Koi, who was already extremely shy, this was like torture. He wished he could have immediately refused and left, but it was impossible. His insufficient extracurricular activity points held him firmly by the ankle, refusing to let go.

“Can I… think about it for a bit?”

In the end, Koi could only say this in a weak voice.

“Don’t be too disappointed, Koi.”

The teacher said, as if comforting him, seeing his visibly slumped shoulders.

“I’ll look into something easier for your volunteer hours, okay?”

She was well aware of Koi’s difficult family situation. Koi had never told anyone that he was being hit, but the teacher had noticed early on and subtly probed him. Of course, Koi denied it, and since then, the teacher had helped him within her means.

“Are you still working there?”

The teacher, who sometimes came to buy things, asked. Koi replied, “Yes.”

“Good boy.”

The teacher looked at him with a smiling face. Koi felt a little more at ease under her warm gaze. She lightly patted Koi’s arm as if to encourage him, then blinked, “Ah.”

“That’s right. This won’t give you many points, but how about working part-time at the school cafeteria?”

“Huh?”

Koi was bewildered by the unexpected suggestion. Before he could ask, the teacher spoke first.

“Of course, there’s no pay.”

“Oh, no. I know that…”

Koi asked, still dazed.

“But can that count for points?”

“Of course, originally it’s just volunteer work.”

She continued, a smile playing on her lips.

“But if you helped out at the cafeteria in place of a teacher with a very bad back, you could get a very small bonus score.”

The teacher winked lightly. Her wrinkled face tilted playfully. Seeing her expression, Koi finally managed to smile back.

“Th-thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Koi.”

The teacher said, still smiling.

“These are my assigned hours. I’ll talk to the other teachers.”

She wrote down the dates and times on a memo and handed it to him.

“I don’t know about other times, but as you know, it’s the beginning of the semester and it’s very busy, aren’t there many kids trying to buy tickets?”

“Homecoming party tickets?”

“That’s right.”

The teacher, who had nodded, opened a drawer as if something had just occurred to her.

“If you’re thinking of going, go with your girlfriend.”

“Huh? Oh, no.”

At the two tickets the teacher offered, Koi hastily shook his head, declining. The teacher, however, repeatedly offered the tickets, saying it was fine.

“My back hurts, so I can’t go this year. Wouldn’t it be a waste to just throw them away?”

“Oh, yes. Th-that’s true.”

Koi, who had nodded in a daze, looked down at the tickets in the teacher’s hand. He had never been to a homecoming party before. He probably wouldn’t be able to go in the future either.

Maybe this is another opportunity for me.

Hesitating, Koi cautiously reached out his hand. The teacher waited silently. When his hesitant fingers finally grasped the edge of the tickets, the teacher finally let go.

“There, they’re yours now.”

“Th-thank you.”

Koi said, still dazed, as he bowed. It was the first time he had ever held homecoming party tickets. They were just cheap paper with childish writing on them, but to Koi, those tickets looked more precious than concert tickets for the hottest pop star. The teacher looked at him with a pleased expression and then added in a light tone,

“Good luck with the cheerleading team too.”

“Ah…”

At the sigh that involuntarily escaped him, the teacher laughed cheerfully.