Long with books, short with silence.
In the blink of an eye, more than a week had slipped by. Maa, time really flies...
For students on the verge of facing their mid-term exams, this was crunch time. Those carefree thoughts of "Let's go hang out after school!" had been tucked away for now. Everyone was hunkering down, determined to cram every last formula and fact into their brains.
Even Natsukawa Kanade, who usually didn't need to cram, found himself studying more seriously than usual. The overall atmosphere at Shuchiin Academy was too heavy to ignore. If he stayed lax and careless now, people might start whispering: "Hmph, look at the student council president. He thinks he's so above us he doesn't even study."
...Yeah, no thanks.
So, like always, Kanade first headed to the Student Council room after classes. He worked through the necessary paperwork for a while, going through motions he was long used to, and before long, the other members of the council trickled in one after another.
It was painfully obvious: everyone's energy levels were scraping rock bottom today.
Even when chatting, the conversations all circled back to the same thing—tests, grades, cramming, and the looming apocalypse known as "mid-terms." Among them, one person stood out, more dramatic than the rest: Fujiwara Chika.
Her mood swings were absolutely wild. One minute she was buzzing excitedly about where to go for a celebratory trip after exams... and the next minute, she'd slump gloomily, sighing like some tragic heroine about to sacrifice herself for a greater cause. The sheer intensity of her emotional rollercoaster was, frankly, exhausting to watch.
Of course, everyone else was showing their own minor symptoms of stress too. But compared to the spectacle that was Fujiwara, they were background noise.
Seeing all this, Kanade couldn't help but mutter under his breath, "It's just mid-terms. No need to act like it's the end of the world, right?"
"This is an outrageous statement! Absolutely outrageous!"
Chika shot up from the sofa dramatically, pointing a trembling finger at him like he'd just insulted her ancestors. She yelled, "An elite like the President could never understand! The despair of studying your heart out, only to not even find your name on the list after exams!"
"..."
Kanade fell into awkward silence. Well... she's not wrong. He honestly had no idea what that felt like. Even before he seriously started pursuing Kaguya, his grades had always been near the top. Even if he bombed a subject, he wasn't the type to drop off the rankings.
Speaking of which… the ranking system at Shuchiin was a bit unique compared to other high schools. Ordinary exams didn't really matter. But big tests—mid-terms, finals—those results got posted on the bulletin board for everyone to see.
From the very top score, all the way down to the mid-ranked students, names and scores were lined up side by side for public viewing. Which meant... if you couldn't find your name on the list? Congratulations. You hadn't even managed to beat half of your grade.
Oof.
Now, for elite schools where the deviation value was sky-high, failing to rank wasn't that shameful. Everyone was a genius; the difference between students was razor-thin. But Shuchiin Academy was... different. Sure, they had incredible facilities and top-tier teachers, but the student body?
Mostly rich kids.
Kids who weren't necessarily obsessed with academics. Kids who thought "as long as I don't flunk out, it's fine," and treated studying like a mild hobby. So yeah, in that environment, if you still couldn't place in the top 50%? You were officially a baka.
"If you're that worried about it, maybe you should just study seriously for once?" Kanade suggested dryly.
Unlike most normal schools, Shuchiin didn't hide key points in class to force students into cram schools. Here, the teachers were paid ridiculous salaries under the strict condition that they taught everything—fair and square, no holding back.
As long as you listened in class, took notes, and did your homework, failing was actually pretty hard. The system was ridiculously fair.
And yet…
"Uuu... how could I have known my pocket money would be tied to my exam results!?"
With a pitiful groan, Chika flopped over the table like a broken puppet. "If I had known this earlier, I would've studied harder!"
Kanade couldn't hold back a chuckle. He shook his head, half-exasperated, half-amused.
"Learning isn't supposed to be for pocket money, you know..." Still, seeing her like this, he couldn't resist teasing her a little.
"Serves you right," he said with a smirk. "Slack off all the time, and now you're crying. It's too late for regrets, Chika-chan~"
"UWAAAAAA!"
Hearing him mock her, Chika immediately burst into "tears" and dove dramatically onto Shinomiya Kaguya's lap, clinging to her like a drowning girl clinging to driftwood.
"Kaguya-chan, did you hear that? The President's bullying me while I'm down!!"
Kaguya gave a small, helpless sigh. She didn't blame Kanade. She merely patted Chika's head with a soothing hand and said gently, "Yes, yes… there, there. Let's ignore the mean President from now on. No need to play with such a wicked person."
Chika wailed even louder, burying her face in Kaguya's arms like a spoiled child demanding endless attention.
Watching the whole scene unfold, Kanade sighed again, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
Originally, he had been planning to offer Chika some last-minute tutoring. If you ask nicely, maybe I'll help you cram before the exams, he had thought.
But after this ridiculous display?
...Maa, maybe I'll wait for a better opportunity.
He shifted his gaze to the other two student council members, Ishigami Yu and Iino Miko, who had been oddly quiet the entire time.
"You two... what's going on?" Kanade asked, raising an eyebrow slightly.
Their states could only be described as Meh. — not completely normal, but not exactly alarming either. Iino Miko looked relatively composed, bobbing her head slightly to music from her earphones while flipping through a review book. But Yu Ishigami... his situation was far more suspicious. He was hunched over, cradling his head in both hands, mumbling something under his breath.
Kanade tilted his head, curious. Because he was sitting a bit far away, he couldn't catch exactly what was being said. Still, from a distance, the scene looked... honestly a little unsettling, like someone on the verge of a breakdown from too much studying.
Just as Kanade considered calling out to him again, Ishigami Yuu reacted to hearing his name.
"Please... don't talk to me right now..." he muttered without lifting his head, his hands still pressing down on his temples, "If you do... too many words might leak out...!"
"..."
Kanade stared at him, stunned, mouth slightly open. Nani kore... (what is this...) It was truly the first time he had encountered such a dramatic declaration about exams. A subtle, strange feeling welled up in his chest.
So this is... the world of the struggling students... huh? It's kinda... eye-opening...
Deciding not to disturb Ishigami Yuu any further, Kanade shifted his gaze back to Iino Miko. She was focused, her eyes scanning the page seriously. Seeing this, Kanade decided not to interrupt her concentration either. After all, everyone in the council knew Miko's grades were steady—there was no real reason for him to worry about her.
So he turned his attention back to the work stacked before him, planning to finish it quickly and enjoy some free time after.
But before he could really dive in, Kaguya suddenly turned the conversation toward him.
"And what about the president? How's your studying lately?" Kaguya asked, a mischievous glint in her eye. "If you slack off too much... maybe I'll surpass you this time~"
Kanade looked up, and his gaze met Fujiwara Chika's puffed-up cheeks. She had somehow escaped Kaguya's comforting embrace and was now glaring at him indignantly, hands on her hips. Beside her, Kaguya blinked innocently, but the challenge in her words was clear as day.
"Last time, you were just two points ahead of me, Kanade-san," Kaguya said, her tone almost teasing. "But who knows what'll happen this time?"
Kanade could immediately tell—this was no ordinary statement. This was a declaration of war.
Kaguya's clever smile practically gave away her secret thoughts. Of course, being bested by someone in academics would normally be an unacceptable humiliation for her. However, because the person in question was none other than Natsukawa Kanade—the boy who had, little by little, stolen her attention and her heart—she had gradually softened that pride.
But! If there was even a sliver of a chance to reclaim her throne, she would seize it with everything she had!
Not just in grades... but in love too! Taking the initiative was, after all, very much her style.
Kaguya had it all planned out perfectly. From her keen observation, she knew Kanade hadn't been focusing particularly hard on studying lately. He attended class diligently, sure, but after school? His mind was absorbed more with student council work. He hadn't even noticed that she had secretly reduced her own workload just a little—giving herself more precious time to study!
Besides, Kaguya had recently changed her study routine: sleeping an hour later than usual, squeezing in an extra hour of cramming each night. If she was putting in one extra hour every day... and if Kanade wasn't going all-out like before...
Then victory was hers for the taking!
Yatta! (I did it!)
And besides, it wasn't like she was sabotaging Kanade or anything. She wasn't doing anything sneaky, just working hard on her own. Issuing a challenge like this, out in the open, days before the exam... that was totally fair and square, right?
Kaguya was feeling pretty confident.
But reality, of course, rarely goes exactly as planned.
If it had been the old Kanade—the one who, in his relentless pursuit of Kaguya, fought tooth and nail for academic glory—he might have immediately accepted the challenge with a fiery spirit and thrown himself into studying with renewed zeal.
But the current Kanade was... different.
Calmer. More detached. Someone who no longer needed to "win" at everything. Someone who had realized that not every battle needed to be fought to the bitter end.
Someone who, in fact... didn't mind losing sometimes.
And anyway, it wasn't like his allowance depended on his grades like poor Chika. His studying had always been more of a habit than an obsession. Even if he "lost," his pace wouldn't change much.
Ironically, because he'd been tutoring Eriri and Katou lately, Kanade's study time had actually increased compared to before. Helping them prepare for exams naturally meant reviewing all the material again himself.
Thus, without any particular effort to aim for "victory," he had actually become even more prepared than usual.
Still, seeing Kaguya's bright, expectant eyes, he couldn't help but smile.
"Alright," Kanade said with a casual shrug. "I'll be looking forward to seeing the results."
Kaguya's smile widened even more, like a cat who had just caught a mouse. The fish has bitten the bait, she thought with glee.
Thus, the playful yet serious challenge between the president and vice-president was officially set.
Just as the air between them was crackling with subtle tension, Fujiwara Chika, who had been watching the whole thing from the sidelines, suddenly jumped in, waving her hands energetically.
"Yatta! Then let me be the notary for this battle between the president and Kaguya-chan!" she declared proudly, puffing out her chest like she had just solved world peace.
She wasn't done, either. "And since it's a competition, there has to be a punishment game for the loser, right?"
Kanade blinked slowly. He had a bad feeling about this.
Fujiwara continued without missing a beat, "I hereby declare! The person who loses... must agree to one condition from the winner! No takebacks!"
Upon hearing this, Kaguya's heart skipped a beat. As expected of Chika! At this moment, she truly felt that their friendship was not in vain. Fujiwara Chika... was definitely her nakama!
But before Kaguya could celebrate too much, Chika clapped her hands together and added cheerfully, "And also, since Kaguya-chan and I are a team, if she wins, it's like I win too! Which means the president has to agree to one condition from me too! Ehehe~"
"..."
Kaguya's face froze.
Oi... Are you trying to mess everything up?! You traitor octopus!
Kanade, meanwhile, couldn't help but deadpan, "Oi oi, what does this have to do with you? You're not even competing…"
He didn't want to be mean, but honestly, even if he totally bombed one subject, his overall score would probably still beat this hyperactive airhead without trying.
Yet Fujiwara stood firm, hands on her hips, looking righteous. "Because I'm the official referee! And anyway, even though it's just Kaguya-chan competing against the president, if she loses... then I get to make a wish to the president too!"
"Sou ka..." Kanade mused, raising an eyebrow.
Honestly, if the conditions were like that, it wasn't the worst deal in the world. Winning would be like holding a golden free pass—especially useful when dealing with Fujiwara's unpredictable antics, like the last time she nearly hospitalized him during one of her bizarre "nurse drills" at the infirmary.
And if he lost? Well, Kaguya's character was solid. She would never make an unreasonable or cruel request. As for Fujiwara... okay, she was slightly more dangerous, but even she wasn't malicious at heart. Probably. Maybe.
In short—there was no real downside, was there?
Besides, Kanade had no intention of going out of his way to win. His usual effort was already enough. Even if Kaguya looked super confident this time, it was hard to say who would really come out on top.
No need to stress. Daijoubu da. (It's fine.)
Thus, Kanade nodded easily. "Alright. I accept. Just remember to keep your word when the time comes."
"Of course, of course! A gentleman's promise is heavier than a bronze bell!" Fujiwara declared, nodding furiously like a bobblehead.
"..." Kaguya watched everything unfold with an utterly blank expression. She really wanted to say something, anything... but in the end, she held her tongue.
After all, the one who had made things complicated was Fujiwara Chika herself. As expected... this girl is still... dangerous.
While Kaguya was lost in thought, Chika sneakily leaned over, cupping her hand around her mouth to whisper into Kaguya's ear.
"Ne, ne, Kaguya-chan... after you win, you can do this... and then... like this…"
"..."
Kaguya's eyes suddenly gleamed with excitement.
As expected of Chika!
Best friend for life! She might be a pink-haired airhead most of the time, but in moments like this... she was an absolute genius!