"Anyway, since everyone's got nothing special to do now, even if you go home, you'd just end up reviewing, right?" Fujiwara Chika suddenly suggested brightly, clapping her hands together. "Then why don't we all go to the library together? The atmosphere is perfect for studying, and if we hit any tough problems, we can help each other out! No more getting stuck alone!"
Hearing her words, Natsukawa Kanade lifted his head slightly and shot Fujiwara a calm glance, silently beginning to analyze her real intentions.
He wasn't stupid—far from it. Just moments ago, this pink-haired troublemaker had proposed that ridiculous "competition" idea, and now she was inviting everyone to a group study session? It was way too suspicious. Clearly, she was plotting something.
Considering her usual sneaky tactics, it wasn't hard to guess: Since she herself said, "If Kaguya wins, it's the same as me winning," then based on Fujiwara Chika's less-than-stellar track record of cheating during games, it was obvious she was trying to "assist" Kaguya somehow.
She couldn't interfere with his study time once he went home—that would be impossible. Which meant... she had to find a way to waste his time at school instead.
Yare yare daze. Typical Fujiwara Chika, always finding new and ridiculous ways to sabotage things.
Still, there was one thing Kanade didn't fully understand. If her goal was to distract him, why choose the library of all places? Wouldn't a noisy family restaurant or a lively café be a much better spot for chaos? In a library, where you're supposed to be silent, her chances of interfering would be severely limited.
"…"
Forget it. No point overthinking. It's not like he particularly cared about winning or losing in the first place. In the end, if she dared to cause trouble, he could just counterattack right back.
Thus, Natsukawa Kanade nodded casually and said, "I don't mind. I've got no other plans anyway."
If soldiers come, block them. If water comes, cover it. Accept first, deal with whatever nonsense comes later. Besides, who knew? Maybe it'd be them who would end up distracted.
"Yatta! President agreed so quickly!" Fujiwara cheered, though there was an oddly perfunctory tone to it.
Then, she immediately turned toward Shinomiya Kaguya, who was quietly watching the exchange with a gentle smile.
"Kaguya-chan, you're good with this too, right?"
"Yes," Kaguya responded without hesitation. "I don't have any extra lessons today, so it's fine if I go home a little later."
Of course she agreed. This was all part of the plan from the start, and a Shinomiya never drops the ball when it counts. As for the small details? She could just leave those to Ai Hayasaka to worry about later.
With the "core members" locked in, everyone's gazes naturally turned to the two first-years who were lingering nearby.
At last, Ishigami Yu seemed to snap out of his zombie-like trance and noticed the conversation.
Seeing an opportunity, Fujiwara brightly called out, "Ishigami-kun! How about it? Want to come study with us at the library?"
"Study... together...?"
"Yeah, yeah! It'll be me, President, and Kaguya-chan too," Fujiwara nodded rapidly, almost sparkling with enthusiasm. "The more the merrier!"
Ishigami's face twitched. "Study... Shinomiya-senpai…"
Muttering those cursed words, he suddenly froze. And then—
"Uwah!"
A visible shudder ran through his whole body, as if he'd just seen a ghost. His eyes darted up to meet Kaguya's, who was looking at him with her usual serene, saintly smile.
"...Eek!!"
Instant terror seized him.
How could he forget?! The countless nightmare-like hours where Shinomiya-senpai had relentlessly whipped him through mountains of textbooks... The endless drills, the merciless quizzes, the stern yet polite "You don't mind doing another set, right?" followed by another three hours of hell...
Nope. Nope nope nope nope.
"I-I think I'll pass! I, uh, I have something super important to do! Gotta go! Ja ne!" Ishigami yelped as he shot to his feet, grabbing his bag like it was a life raft and sprinting toward the exit without looking back.
He had tasted freedom, and there was no way he was willingly diving back into the pits of academic hell!
"Eh...? He actually ran away…" Fujiwara blinked, watching Ishigami's dramatic retreat, before pouting in dissatisfaction. "Mou, what a useless kouhai!"
Shrugging, she turned to the only other junior left—serious, focused Iino Miko.
At the moment, Miko was diligently sketching annotations onto her handouts, completely absorbed in her own little world. Seeing this, Fujiwara couldn't help but admire her a little.
She can really concentrate, huh... Fujiwara waved her hand several times over Miko's notebook before finally getting her attention.
"Huh? Is there something you need, Fujiwara-senpai?" Iino asked politely, pulling off her headphones and straightening up.
"Yup! Listen up, Miko-chan!" Fujiwara said brightly. She was a little curious about what kind of music the diligent girl had been blasting, but focused on the main mission first. "We're all heading to the library to study for a bit—me, Kaguya-chan, and the president! Wanna come too?"
She leaned in closer, whispering conspiratorially, "You can experience the big-senpai study vibes early! And if you don't understand something, you can ask us anytime! Isn't that sugoi?"
"..." Miko hesitated, her sharp eyes darting nervously between Kanade and the others.
Iino Miko straightened up, her small hands clutching her handouts nervously. Her wide eyes darted from Natsukawa Kanade to the others, clearly hesitating. After a moment, she whispered shyly, "I don't mind... but... would I really not be bothering everyone?"
Normally, interactions between different grades outside of clubs or special events were pretty rare. A first-year hanging around with a group of second-years? It practically screamed "look at me!" to any bystanders. In Japan's tightly-woven student social web, that kind of behavior often painted a big, fat target on your back. Whispers would spread like wildfire: "That junior thinks she's better than us?" The next step? Isolation. Cold shoulders. Loneliness.
In this world, knowing how to "read the atmosphere"—kuuki wo yomu—was everything. Mess that up, and no matter how good your grades or looks were, you'd find yourself out in the cold.
But for Iino Miko... that wasn't really what she was worried about. Honestly, she didn't even pick up on those subtle social currents most of the time. She was already kind of an outsider by nature—an uptight, justice-obsessed disciplinary committee member, someone who often annoyed her classmates without even meaning to. No, what really weighed on her mind was much simpler, much more innocent:
This is the first time I've been invited to a study group... what if I mess up?
Should she just stay quiet and focus on her textbooks? Or maybe she should ask questions now and then to show she was participating? What if she said something weird and everyone thought she was annoying?
The thoughts spiraled through her head, her cheeks growing warmer by the second. In the past, she probably wouldn't have cared at all. She would've just sat down, head-butted her way through her studies with single-minded determination, and ignored everyone else.
But things had changed. Ever since joining the student council, Miko had found herself slowly... opening up. Kaguya-senpai, who she had once thought of as an enemy, was surprisingly kind. The others—Fujiwara-senpai, the President, even Ishigami-kun—treated her like she belonged. For the first time in forever, she felt like part of something. Friends, a small voice whispered inside her heart.
She didn't want to ruin that.
So, gathering all her courage, Miko bowed her head slightly and said, her voice trembling, "That... Actually, this is the first time I've ever been invited to a study session. If... if I mess up, please... please forgive me!"
Ahh, mou! I bit my tongue...! Her face turned bright red with embarrassment.
But instead of laughing at her, Fujiwara Chika's eyes filled with tears. Without warning, she hugged Miko tightly, petting her head like a small animal. "Waaahhh! Miko-chan! From now on, let's always study together! I'll never, ever leave you alone again, da yo!"
"..."
It was such a touching scene... at least, on the surface. Meanwhile, Natsukawa Kanade and Shinomiya Kaguya exchanged a look, both thinking the same thing:
Study together... every time...? Yeah, right.
They knew Fujiwara Chika way too well. If she managed to buckle down and actually study twice in one semester—once before midterms, once before finals—that would already be considered a miracle worthy of celebration with fireworks and sakura petals.
Kanade sighed internally, resisting the urge to tsukkomi out loud. Still, looking at Miko's teary, glowing expression, it wasn't the time to be brutally honest. For now, it was better to let her be happy.
( tsukkomi=snarky comeback )
"Yes! Please invite me next time too!" Miko nodded earnestly, looking so determined it was almost painful to watch. Unaware that the "next time" might be months away... if it ever came at all.
With Miko's agreement secured, the group didn't waste any more time. After Fujiwara returned to her usual bubbly self, everyone grabbed their bags and left the student council room together.
Their destination—the Shuchiin Academy Library—was nothing short of majestic.
The building was huge, almost like a western cathedral mixed with modern glass and steel design. Inside, the scent of aged paper and fresh ink filled the air. It wasn't just for show either—the collection of books was massive, from rare foreign literature to cutting-edge science journals. It was said that if you couldn't find the answer to something here, you probably didn't deserve to graduate.
In order to better support students' studies, the library was divided into two main floors. The first floor was dedicated to borrowing books and casual reading. Rows upon rows of neatly arranged shelves stretched out in every direction, some even requiring ladders to reach the top.
The second floor, however, was different. It was designed purely for serious study. Silent as a shrine, with long rows of desks lined up under the soft glow of hanging lamps. Each seat was spaced just far enough to allow privacy, yet close enough that the presence of others reminded you—you weren't alone in your struggle.
As the group climbed the polished stairs to the second floor, the heavy, almost sacred atmosphere of "learning" wrapped around them.
"Uwaaa... amazing..." Miko breathed in awe, clutching her bag tightly.
"This place really makes you want to study, huh?" Fujiwara Chika said, as if seeing it for the first time—despite having come here plenty of times before cramming sessions.
Kanade chuckled lightly. "Well, don't get too relaxed yet. Once we sit down, it'll be a battle until sunset."
"Aye aye, sir!" Fujiwara saluted playfully, earning a small laugh from even the stoic Kaguya.
They chose a table by the windows, where the late afternoon sunlight filtered through the tall glass panes, bathing everything in a gentle golden glow.
As expected, the second floor was practically deserted.
Most students, despite attending an elite academy, weren't the type to voluntarily hit the books unless absolutely necessary. The few diligent souls who did show up often came alone or in tiny groups, making the entire floor feel eerily quiet. Even the faint sound of pages turning seemed loud here. Forget about casual chatting—any noise above a whisper would feel like shouting.
Kanade couldn't help but sigh in relief.
With this atmosphere, even someone as thick-skinned as Fujiwara Chika wouldn't dare cause too much noise, right? At least, that's what he hoped.
Their seating arrangement was also perfect. Shinomiya Kaguya sat beside Kanade on the innermost side of the table, while Fujiwara Chika was directly across from her. Iino Miko sat across from Kanade.
In other words, Fujiwara Chika was seated diagonally opposite him, at the farthest corner—well out of range for any of her random nonsense. Perfect.
And as for Kaguya teaming up with her to cause trouble? Heh. No worries there either. If Kaguya wasted her time playing around, who would take responsibility for the study session? Fujiwara Chika? Pfft. She couldn't even help herself, let alone others. Honestly, it would be faster to just have Kanade teach the group himself.
Feeling fully at ease, Natsukawa Kanade quickly immersed himself into his study mode.
The others followed suit. As top students, both Iino Miko and Shinomiya Kaguya had excellent study habits, and before long, they were deeply absorbed in their work, their pens scratching quietly across the pages.
Everyone except...
"..."
Fujiwara Chika.
She had started strong, pulling out a mountain of exercise books with a determined look. But after solving only a handful of questions, her attention began to drift. Now she was twirling her pen around her fingers and staring blankly into space, her eyes glazed over.
It was painfully obvious she was the odd one out.
A few minutes of internal struggle later, Fujiwara couldn't take it anymore. She leaned forward, her voice low enough to barely carry across the table.
"Ugh, mou... I can't stand this anymore! Say something, won't you?!"
Despite her complaining, she was at least mindful enough to whisper instead of shouting, showing a surprising level of self-restraint. Small victory, Kanade thought.
But none of them even glanced her way.
Kaguya, Kanade, and Miko all continued scribbling away as if they hadn't heard her at all, focused and serious.
Fujiwara slumped dramatically across the table like a deflated balloon, her pouting lips clearly visible as she grumbled: "Everyone only knows how to study... No one wants to talk to me... So boring..."
Her sulking was so theatrical it almost deserved applause. Even so, no one gave in. They were made of stronger stuff.
At last, it was Iino Miko who broke the silence, probably because she had been feeling restless herself.
"Uh... Fujiwara-senpai," she said awkwardly, clutching her pencil tightly. "Um... why don't you study too?"
It was an honest question. Maybe too honest.
Fujiwara Chika immediately sprang back to life, as if someone had just flipped her power switch.
"Ooh! Good question, Miko-chan!" she said, placing her hands proudly on her hips. "The answer is simple!"
With a mischievous glint in her eye, she declared, "Because I don't like it, da yo!"
"...Eh?"
Iino Miko blinked in confusion, not quite understanding.
"You shouldn't force yourself to do things you hate!" Fujiwara proclaimed grandly, thumping her chest like a hero delivering a final blow. "This is a life lesson that Kaguya-chan taught me!"
From her seat, Kaguya didn't even bother looking up as she coolly interjected:
"I never said that."
Her voice was as crisp and clear as the sound of a shattering glass.
"Ehhhhh?!" Fujiwara flailed dramatically, as if she had been stabbed in the heart. "You forgot, Kaguya-chan?! You said it once, didn't you? Like, 'If you hate it, then don't force yourself to do it!' I remembered it all this time, you know!"
"..."
Throughout this ridiculous exchange, Natsukawa Kanade, who had half-tuned them out while studying, couldn't resist anymore.
He clicked his tongue lightly and muttered, "Don't blame your laziness on others! Just study already, baka..."
His words, though quiet, carried the weight of the truth. Sharp like a ninja's kunai.
Fujiwara Chika slumped back in her seat again, groaning pitifully. Meanwhile, Kanade, Kaguya, and Miko dutifully returned to their silent battle with their textbooks.
Peace restored—at least for now.