I Want to Fall in Love After Getting Reincarnated as the Heroine on the Verge of a Bad Ending, but My OP Older Brother Won’t Leave Me Alone!? - Chapter 102
Translated by: ShinigamiTori
Chapter 102 ? School Festival Preparation 2
“A host club? I’ve never heard of that before.”
Julius tilted his head, looking up at me. Everyone else had similar reactions.
Perhaps because there were terms like “blind dates” in this crappy game world, I thought maybe it was a familiar term, but it seemed like “host club” wasn’t a thing.
“Um, I read it in a book once, it’s a cultural thing from another country, like a store or something…”
I explained casually while trying to cover it up with a vague lie.
“Female customers can choose a man they like, chat with him, drink with him, and have fun together. They then spend a fortune to boost that person’s sales to the top, competing with each other.”
“Oh? Rene’s interested in that kind of thing?”
“I-It’s not exactly like that… Anyway, I think setting up a cafe with that system could be profitable.”
There are plenty of otome game scenarios involving host clubs, and I’ve played several myself. I’ve also read manga about host clubs.
And to be honest, I’ve been to a host club only once, for their debut event.
I was walking downtown after a company dinner when a street promoter approached me, and my female boss, whom I wasn’t particularly close with, got interested and I couldn’t refuse her insistence to join in.
“Wow, so your name is Suzune Reine-chan! It’s a rare and cute name, it could even be used as a stage name.”
“Ah, y-yes, that’s right…”
“Let’s have a toast! If you’re up for it, you can pick me for an in-house nomination, it won’t cost a thing. That way, you can sit next to me.”
“Sorry, my grandmother taught me not to sit next to a man I’ve just met…”
“Haha, what’s that? A Yamato Nadeshiko? That’s funny.“[1]
In the dimly lit and noisy interior of the shop, I received business cards one after another from flashy and energetic men. We toasted and exchanged contacts, but instead of enjoying myself, I was simply overwhelmed. It seems it was still too early for me.
However, I heard that my boss found a favorite among those men and has been visiting the place regularly since then. It’s terrifying.
Anyway, despite being a novice, I believe I have a decent amount of knowledge and can at least produce results at a basic level.
“That sounds good? I’m in favor.”
“Yeah, sounds interesting. I don’t want to lose to Julius.”
“Arnold seems suitable for it. I think it’s a good idea too.”
Seeing Arnold-san’s enthusiasm, Mylene-sama chuckled softly. All the upperclassmen, including the handsome senior, seemed to agree with the idea.
“How about the first-year students?”
“I think it’s a great idea! It’s innovative and interesting.”
“I think whatever Rene-chan wants to do is good.”
“….”
Willy and Reinhardt also seem to approve, and the prince nods quietly too.
“Count us in too. We’ll work hard behind the scenes.”
“Mmh, mmh, Therese-chan could definitely pull off cross-dressing too.”
“Y-You’re right…!”
I couldn’t help but nod repeatedly at Yutte-chan’s words. Just imagining Therese, with her long and beautiful silver hair tied up and wearing a suit, made my heart race. Without a doubt, she would be just as popular as the guys, if not more so.
Finally, I turned to look at my partner standing behind me and he let out a loud sigh.
“… Honestly, I’m not too keen on it, but if everyone else besides me agrees, I guess I can’t really object.”
“Thank you, Yoshida! I’ll make sure to turn you into a top-notch number-one host!”
“I have a bad feeling about this.”
And so, our stall became a mysterious cafe called “Host Club Cafe.”
???
After returning home and finishing dinner, I immediately went to my room to work on a plan outlining the system and detailed instructions.
On the printout submitted to the school, which detailed the members and the stall’s content or theme, there was a space for the representative’s name, and everyone suggested me for it. With a sense of responsibility, I’m currently burning with enthusiasm.
“Let’s see, we have to decide on table charges, extension fees… and then there’s the nomination fee and taxes… Plus, we need to brainstorm menu ideas and finalize the interior and clothing.”
By the way, at my and Yutte-chan’s passionate request, Therese decided to cross-dress, and the other female members will be in charge of cooking and behind-the-scenes tasks.
I want to contribute some of my pocket money to Therese.
“I know a lot about tea leaves, and I’m good at brewing too.”
“I’m good at cooking! Leave it to me.”
Everyone has their own special skills, which is reassuring. I can also make simple sweets, so I’ll put in my best effort.
While I was mulling over the menu, a knock echoed through the room. I responded with a “Come in,” and Julius, seemingly fresh out of the bath, entered.
“That’s impressive. You’re already working hard on preparations.”
“W-Well, yeah!”
“What’s with that reaction? Honestly, Rene has been acting weird lately.”
My brother, his hair still wet and smelling terribly good, stood closely behind me, peering at my notebook. Not being weird would be weirder at this point.
I silently chanted a sutra in my mind, desperately trying to calm my racing heart.
“Wow, that’s amazing. It’s a real money-making system.”
With an impressed tone, Julius remarked, “That’s intriguing. Maybe I should consider running a shop like this in the future.”
Though the pricing seems unusual for a student-led festival when looked at rationally, if we want to win, it’s necessary.
Besides, if you’re a noblewoman, this amount shouldn’t hurt your wallet. The other day, I nearly had a heart attack when I heard how much Jenny spent on just regular shopping from one of the maids.
Although my allowance was the same as Jenny’s, I didn’t shop much, so my money just kept piling up.
“For clothing, what do you think would be good?”
“I think regular formal attire would be fine. We’re all nobles, so everyone should have plenty.”
“I see, that sounds good. Each person can choose their own color.”
In that case, there’s no need to worry about clothing. As for Therese, I feel like I want to take her shopping and get her something as a present.
“Rene, you seem really excited.”
“Yeah! I’ve always admired this kind of thing since I was little.”
Even when I was a student, I never truly enjoyed participating in school festivals; it always felt like I was just going through the motions.
That’s why I’m so happy to be able to work hard with my friends like this. Suddenly, I noticed Julius gazing down at me intently.
“… Since you were little?”
Translator Notes:
1. “Yamato Nadeshiko” is a term in Japanese culture referring to the idealized image of a traditional Japanese woman. It typically conveys qualities such as grace, modesty, loyalty, and domestic ability. ?
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