In the blink of an eye, the mind-numbing class session had finally come to an end. But instead of rushing out of the classroom like prisoners escaping a cell, the students remained behind, clustering into groups as they excitedly chattered about their upcoming plans for the evening.
"Mahiru-chan, who are you planning to pair up with for tonight's event?"
The trio who had been involved in the swimming pool incident before had now set their sights on Shiina Mahiru. After spending some time together, the so-called 'Angel' had grown comfortable around them, and they were among the few people she trusted enough to confide in about trivial matters like this.
"Eh? Me?" Mahiru, who had just finished packing her things, blinked in surprise as she suddenly found herself surrounded. "How would I know who my partner is? It's not like I get to choose…"
"You're lying~! With your grades, Mahiru, you'll definitely be fine! Besides, isn't it the student council that decides who gets paired up?"
"Well… even if that's the case, I still don't know who I'd be with…" As soon as the words 'student council' were mentioned, a faint blush dusted Mahiru's cheeks. Of course, she knew exactly what they were implying—but she wasn't about to admit it so easily.
"Ehh~? Really?" One of the girls, who seemed to be the ringleader, leaned in with a teasing glint in her eyes. "In that case… why don't you let me have the chance instead? There's actually someone I've been dying to invite~."
"Huh? Who?" Mahiru asked curiously. She had never heard the other girl mention anything like this before, so she was momentarily caught off guard.
"Obviously, it's our student council president! He's handsome, athletic, and an absolute genius when it comes to academics! Plus, he's got a cool and reliable aura—who wouldn't want to be his girlfriend? Just imagine how prestigious it'd be!"
The other two girls nodded in agreement, gushing as if they were discussing the protagonist of a romance manga.
"No!" Mahiru blurted out instinctively, only to freeze in horror a second later when she realized she had just fallen into their trap.
"No, no! That's not what I meant—I just meant… the president is really busy, so we shouldn't bother him…" she tried to explain, but her voice grew smaller and smaller as she trailed off.
The trio exchanged amused glances before bursting into laughter.
"Haha! We didn't even say anything yet, but Mahiru-chan is already panicking~!"
"Alright, alright, let's not tease her too much, or she'll bolt again with a bright red face."
"But in all seriousness, this is a rare opportunity, Mahiru! You have to take it! You know there are plenty of girls who have their eyes on the president. If it weren't for you, I'd be tempted to chase after him myself."
The conversation quickly devolved into a lively discussion, with each girl passionately listing off the student council president's best qualities. And as Mahiru listened, she found herself getting increasingly flustered. If she weren't so embarrassed, she might have wanted to join in and add a few points herself—after all, there were plenty of things she had noticed about him that they hadn't mentioned.
"So, Mahiru-chan, you'd better act fast. If you hesitate too long, your charming prince might just get snatched away by someone else." One of them smirked as she gestured toward a particular direction.
Following their gaze, Mahiru turned her head—and the next moment, she saw him.
There, standing in the middle of a crowd, was none other than Natsukawa Kanade.
"I know everyone wants to pair up with their friends, but rules are rules. I can't just assign partners however I want. We have to follow the student number order," Kanade explained with a practiced smile, though internally, he was screaming.
While it was technically true that the final pairing list was managed by the student council, the actual partner allocations had already been determined long ago. The council had no real power to make changes. Their job was simply to process the students who used their right to select a partner and ensure that no one was left without a teammate.
So who was the genius that leaked this information and spread the misconception that he had the ability to make changes?!
Regardless, the situation had become quite troublesome. As much as he wanted to escape, maintaining his reputation as a responsible and reliable student council member meant he couldn't just abandon ship. Unfortunately, his classmates were way too fired up to let him go easily.
And unbeknownst to Kanade, there were several pairs of eyes observing him from the outskirts of the crowd. One particular gaze burned with passionate intensity, so blinding that it was almost impossible to ignore.
Of course, it had to be the angel.
"Handsome and all that... that's too exaggerated," Shiina Mahiru retorted, her voice softer than she intended. She tried to keep a calm, indifferent expression, but the slight quiver in her fingers betrayed her.
The truth was, her friends weren't wrong. Natsukawa Kanade was undeniably outstanding. His presence had a gravitational pull, effortlessly drawing others toward him. It wasn't just his looks—though those certainly helped—it was the way he carried himself, the natural charisma that made people admire him.
"Hehe, you only denied that he's handsome."
"That's right! You say you don't care, but your eyes are practically glued to him."
Mahiru's so-called friends didn't even try to hide their amusement, their teasing voices growing more playful. They weren't just poking fun; they were nudging her toward a decision she wasn't ready to make.
"Speaking of which, there are so many people crowding around Kanade. Maybe some of them are planning to invite him too. That's great for me! I can just sit back and watch without any pressure~!" One of the girls grinned as she played with Mahiru's hands, her voice laced with mischief. "I just wonder if the president will actually accept someone's invitation… or maybe he already has someone in mind? What do you think, Mahiru-chan?"
"I-I wouldn't know…" Mahiru stammered, her gaze shifting uneasily.
She was well aware of what they were insinuating, but what they didn't understand was that Kanade had no shortage of admirers. It wasn't just her—there were so many other girls who would love the chance to be his partner.
Take that blonde girl from the other day, for instance. She looked like a porcelain doll, cute and doll-like. And then there was the vice president, the ever-imposing yet beautiful Shinomiya Kaguya. Both of them were exceptional in their own right…
Would he accept their invitation if they asked?
Would he reject hers if she asked?
The thought left a bitter taste in her mouth, and she quickly shook her head, forcing herself to push those thoughts aside.
No, it was pointless to think about it. It was better to pretend she wasn't interested at all.
"Alright, alright, enough staring!" she declared, pushing her friends toward the classroom door. "Let's go eat and rest before the evening activities. If we don't, we'll have no energy left later!"
She needed to get out of there before she did something reckless—before she convinced herself to go over and invite him, only to face the possibility of rejection.
Meanwhile, in the center of the commotion, Natsukawa Kanade remained trapped in the sea of eager classmates, each vying for his attention. No matter how much he smiled and tried to keep things civil, they showed no signs of relenting.
Just when he was about to consider making a tactical retreat, a familiar voice rang out from the doorway.
"Excuse me, is President Natsukawa here?"
A voice he had grown accustomed to hearing, yet at this moment, it was nothing short of divine intervention.
Shinomiya Kaguya!
Kanade's eyes lit up, and before he even processed it, he instinctively called back, "I'm here!"
As he began parting through the crowd, he added, "Sorry, everyone, but it looks like there's some student council business that needs my attention. I appreciate all of your enthusiasm, but duty calls."
His classmates groaned in disappointment but ultimately relented. No one dared argue when it came to official student council matters. Besides, if they pushed their luck too far, there was always the risk of being paired up with a random classmate they didn't even know for the test of courage—a fate far worse than rejection.
"Sorry for the wait," Kanade said smoothly as he approached Kaguya. "You needed to discuss something for the student council, right?"
Even as he spoke, he maintained the perfect poker face, playing along as if they had prearranged this entire act.
Kaguya blinked in brief confusion, then followed his gaze toward the lingering crowd of onlookers. In a split second, she understood what was happening and seamlessly stepped into the role.
"No, I didn't wait long," she replied, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear with practiced elegance. She lifted her chin slightly, maintaining an air of composed dignity as she met his gaze with a soft, knowing smile.
It was a flawless performance. Without any prior coordination, the two of them had read each other's intentions and acted in perfect sync. Their effortless synergy was undeniable.
And to Kaguya, this was proof—proof that their bond was special, that they shared an understanding no one else could match.
This was destiny. This was fate.
This was… a two-way journey!
Great!