Look, Aya-san.
It's the White Lily of Orchid Class.
Who?
I b-beg your pardon.
EEEEEEE
Did you see that?
The White Lily returned her handkerchief without a word!
She's so cool.
How does she make such a simple gesture look so graceful?
White Lily-sama!
What's all the fuss about?
Not many students enter Kuromi at the high school level.
We've been craving excitement, and she arrived as a dazzling newcomer.
Of course we can't stop talking about her.
She's new here like me.
But...
She took my breath away just standing there.
She's even more refined than the proper young ladies. It's like...
she's got an aura or something.
Aya-san?
Lucky her.
Damn it.
I'm jealous.
I...
I want to radiate a ladylike aura from every pore, too!
Bah. This place is already packed.
Aya-san!
Care to sit with us?
Some girls from my class. What a stroke of luck.
I don't mind if I do.
We've never lunched with Aya-san before, have we?
I don't believe so.
I've been hoping to have a nice, long talk with you.
Why, so have I.
My. Is today's menu French-inspired?
I believe so.
Okay!
I know it's nothing new, but what's with this crazy Instagrammable food?
Not that I know much about Instagram.
I do enjoy a homey meal like this every now and then.
Isn't it charming how it all fits on one plate?
Yes, indeed.
Even the way the pudding's wrapped is homey.
I mean, if I'm being honest, I was all, "It's like I'm in a fancy café!" at first.
Not that I know anything about fancy café food.
But it's been almost two months since I started here.
Getting served fancy café food day after day is kind of stressing me out.
It does taste amazing, though.
The taste of this cassoulet brings back memories.
Our housekeeper used to make it all the time.
Have you adjusted to life here now, Aya-san?
Uh, I suppose so, thanks to all of you.
Except the food, anyway.
Why, what sorts of meals were you used to at home?
You read my mind?
I heard you speak, Aya-san.
Stare.
Hang on. Are you actually waiting for me to answer?
This is it!
There's gotta be a lot riding on what I say now!
At that moment, Aya used a large amount of blood sugar to accelerate her thoughts.
SECONDS REMAINING
I'll obviously make a fool of myself if I say something too low-class.
But this is a question the young ladies of Kuromi are asking me, an outsider.
That means there's no point in trying too hard to show off.
What should I say? I'm running out of time.
Got it!
I'll just say the food I want most at this exact moment!
Umakachan!
Maybe?
Why?
Why the hell was I craving Umakachan, of all things?
What's "Umakachan"?
You know, that ramen that comes in bags.
I've never had it.
Aya-san knows so many things we don't.
Yes, and not only when it comes to schoolwork.
The way they tried to be nice and save face for me only made it worse.
Dear Mother.
I dreamed of becoming a proper young lady and made it into Kuromi on a scholarship.
But learning to act ladylike is a hell of a lot tougher than I thought it'd be.
RECORDS ROOM
Look, Aya-san. It's...
The White Lily? And she's holding...
Hell yeah!
Hey, c'mon now! What the hell was that, scrub?!
How's it feel going 0–2 to someone you bragged was a "free win"?!
I always wonder why losers like you pick fights they can't win!
SF6?
Uh, um, I'm so sorry.
I wasn't trying to spy on you or...
Please, um...
Please don't tell the teachers.
Please. I'm begging you.
Literally begging.
Uh, don't worry. I won't tell anyone.
Um, bye.
KUROMI GIRLS ACADEMY DORMITORY
Attention all dormitory residents. The next two hours will be quiet time.
Promptly return to your rooms and study.
I repeat.
The next two hours...
I know it's a little late to ask, but why do they confiscate our phones every night?
They let us keep our computers.
Why, don't you know that gaming is prohibited in the Kuromi dorms?
So it's to stop us from gaming on our phones during quiet time?
Yes, and it's not just on phones.
I hear girls have been expelled for bringing gaming systems, too.
NATSUME SAKISAKA | AYA MITSUKI
So that's it. This is a no-game zone.
They let us bring laptops to our rooms,
but first-years all get roommates, so we can't secretly game on those.
That must be why she risked bringing games to school.
There's the refined, popular White Lily.
And then, there's the, uh, Black Lily?
She wears the White Lily mask to hide her true nature.
Of course, I couldn't begin to give off a classy aura like hers if I tried.
Is it her face?
Are looks what counts?
Aya-san.
Would you help me with my Math 1 homework?
Huh? Oh, uh, of course.
THE STRENGTH TO KEEP WINNING COMPETITION: HOW TO TRAIN YOUR BRAIN
BASIC MATH 1A BIOLOGY BASICS ONE QUESTION AT A TIME
I'm not sure what it means to "factor a quadratic equation.
Oh, before you apply the formula, check for common factors and...
Well, whatever. I doubt I'll get mixed up with her again.
1ST YEAR CHRYSANTHEMUM CLASS
Everyone.
I have a message from the teacher.
We'll be joining the Orchid Class for PE next period.
What? What are you squeeing about?
Oh, my.
Don't you know Miss White Lily is in the Orchid Class?
Is she really that big a deal?
Hey, look. Miss White Lily always seems so languid, but now...
Her eyes are fixed on a single point today.
Who could she be gazing at?
Stare.
She's staring at me like crazy.
What gives? Why me?
Is this her way of saying not to squeal if I know what's good for me?
I guess I'll just tell her my lips are sealed.
Hey, who's that girl the White Lily has been gazing at so passionately?
Aya Mitsuki-san from the Chrysanthemum Class.
The scholarship girl?
It seems as if the White Lily's gaze is unrequited.
The White Lily?
Unrequited?
How the hell am I supposed to talk to her now?
What was that about?
Stare.
Stare, stare.
Stare, stare, stare.
Stare, stare, stare, stare.
Do you see the White Lily's smoldering gaze?
She's been staring all day.
Scandalous.
I'm green with envy.
Green with envy!
RECORDS ROOM
What's the big idea?
Listen, I haven't ratted you out.
And I don't know if you realize, but you're drawing a ton of attention.
I can't deal with you staring at me all day like this.
In the first place—
I...
Ba-dump!
BA-DUMP!
Huh?
Whoa, whoa, whoa! Huh?
"Ba-dump!" Really?
"Ba-dump!" is what you're going with?
Earth to me. Are you listening?
Wait a...
Aya Mitsuki-san.
These are arcade stick calluses, aren't they?
And you murmured "SF6" yesterday, didn't you?
I said that out loud?
You couldn't have seen the screen from where you were standing.
You knew it was Street Fighter, and specifically SF6, just from the sound.
So you must be, uh...
Um...
Into fi...
I-In... Into...
F-F-Fi... Fi...
Y-You're into fighting games, right?!
Uh, yeah, I guess?
I wanna get out of here!
Then... Then...
Play me in—
Not happening.
I quit fighting games.
You quit?
Why? What for?
Do young ladies FADC into Ryu's Ultra 1?
FADC into Ultra 1.
EX Focus Attack out of the first hit of a Shoryuken, immediately dash cancel,
and catch your airborne opponent with the Ultra Combo Metsu Hadoken.
This technique comes from one of SF6's precursors, SF4.
Do young ladies confirm with crouching medium kick?
Do young ladies do option selects when they tech?
Do they frame kill to perfectly time a throw to their opponent's wakeup?
No. No, they do not.
The realm of savagery furthest from what a young lady should be...
is fighting games!
NOTE: IN HER PERSONAL OPINION.
I made up my mind to become a lady.
So I'm sorry, but I won't play you.
Are you wondering why I want to be a proper lady so badly?
It was years ago now.
My world seemed bright and sparkling.
You see, I'd found something I loved.
Hey, Mitsuki!
We're having an SF4 tournament at Takeda's place. And you're coming.
You mean you haven't learned your lesson yet?
I'm ready if you are.
Shove it.
I'm gonna make you cry today, Mitsuki, you hear?
The Street Fighter 4 series, SF4 for short.
A fighting game that drove gamers wild back then.
Next to no girls got into it,
but I played the hell out of it with the boys.
My heart raced with the thrill of competition.
Because I wanted to feel more of it, I even lost myself in practicing.
I'm not sure exactly when, but at some point,
the competition I thought I burned with passion for
devolved into the dull chore of racking up points in online matches.
Would I ever find anything I could lose myself in like I used to?
I got scared.
I chose Kuromi to at least change up my environment.
Something told me I could never have fun unless I went all in,
so I decided to become the best young lady I could.
That's my story.
Well, that went way over my head.
So let's play.
Why?
"Why"?
You're asking "Why"?
I want to play you.
What other reason do I need?!
"Sparkling" this,
"burning with passion" that.
I listened to your cringe, pointless, self-centered monologue,
so the least you can do is fight me!
Fight me!
They're sparkling.
I had no logical reason to break school rules.
I wasn't swayed by emotion,
nor was I carried along by some mysterious impulse. I just...
Am I seriously going to do this?
Go back...
to my old favorite thing?
To fighting games?
I-Is...
Is she a scrub?
HSSSSS
Mitsuki-san, this set...
is FT3, right?
FT3: FIRST TO THREE. A FAIRLY COMMON COMPETITIVE RULE.
S-Sure. I guess.
Well, what was I expecting?
Girls who play fighting games are rare enough as it is.
What are the odds of meeting a good player at an elite girls school?
Is it me, or did her blocking get a lot better?
Now she's throwing out Hadokens like a broken record.
Fine. When the next one comes, I'll...
Gimme a break.
In that game, she somehow blocked everything I threw at her,
then spammed fireballs like nuts once I got in close.
Once I focused on getting past the fireballs, she landed a throw.
I got desperate and went for a jump that just barely crossed her up,
but she didn't miss a beat and landed a perfect anti-air OD Shoryu.
And now, for some reason,
she looks on the verge of tears.
Um, Mitsuki-san...
You know...
I thought they were pretty.
Both that match and the White Lily.
She couldn't be more different from me,
a girl so desperate to be ladylike, I even gave up fighting games.
How do you shine so brightly?
Well, I guess...
What do you—
Someone's coming.
Let's hide.
H-Hide where?
Hey! The hell's your problem?!
I-It wasn't my fault!
These chairs are stacked so anything will rattle them, so—
Is somebody in there?
I hear girls have been expelled.
EXPELLED
Was it this room?
Hello?
Wh-What the—
Is your computer okay?
Yes. I think so.
Cool.
Then we'd better split up now.
Mitsuki-san.
See you tomorrow.
I had no logical reason to break school rules.
I wasn't swayed by emotion,
nor was I carried along by some mysterious impulse.
I just thought if I fought her,
maybe I'd catch whatever made her eyes sparkle like that.
It's ridiculous, I know.
But I did think it.
YOUNG LADIES DON'T PLAY FIGHTING GAMES
TRANSLATION: WILLIAM VARTERESIAN
TIMING: EDGAR CRUZ EDITING: SMR
QUALITY CHECK: GEOFF MAZZOLINI TRANSLATION CHECK: DAVID SAYLOR