"That's enough, President. Didn't you say you didn't have feelings for Shinomiya?"
"Mm... I don't... I'm fine... You don't have to worry about me, Treasurer Takamine."
"You really don't look fine. You look like you've completely burned out."
Takamine Rinji looked speechlessly at the slouched, deathly aura radiating from Miyuki Shirogane, a stark contrast to the spirited student council president he first met.
"That's why I always say, students these days lack rationality when it comes to romance. They never think about the future. It's obvious nothing will come of it... Alright, alright, I'll stop. President, hang in there!"
Seeing how Shirogane looked like he might actually keel over, Takamine Rinji decided to drop the topic.
Although Takamine rarely considered others' feelings when he did things, he could still tell when someone was close to their limit. He worried that if he kept talking, the president might literally drop dead on the spot.
"N-no... You're right, Treasurer Takamine. I know all about the Shinomiya family's situation."
Though his face remained grim, Miyuki Shirogane began thinking more clearly.
"If we really ended up together, I'd have to face that family."
"Didn't you say you didn't have feelings for her?"
"I said 'if!' Takamine, you need to pay attention to the wording."
"Sorry, please continue."
"Then I'll keep going."
He sat upright at his president's desk, fingers interlaced under his nose, a sharp glint in his eyes.
"...President, your aura just changed all of a sudden."
"Don't interrupt."
"Oh."
"If one day things progressed to the point of marriage—"
"You're not even dating and you're already thinking about marriage? President, you're really..."
"Are you telling the story or am I?"
"Of course it's you. I promise to shut up now," Takamine Rinji replied.
"Good. Hypothetically, if Shinomiya and I became a couple—hypothetically, mind you—are you following, Treasurer Takamine?"
"Got it, got it. I got it."
Takamine didn't understand why Shirogane kept repeating the word hypothetically, but he kept listening anyway.
"Right. If, hypothetically, Shinomiya and I became a couple, and a few days later her family decided I wasn't good enough for her, then..."
"Please allow me one last interruption, President." Takamine raised his hand.
"Go ahead."
"Don't put yourself down, President. Never underestimate yourself. It's not that you're not good enough for her—it's that she's not good enough for you."
"Ah, thank you... thank you..."
"You have to realize, the Shinomiya family is full of scheming parasites. Trash. Filth—"
"Okay, okay, that's enough, Treasurer Takamine, you're getting too worked up."
"Ahem, alright then. Please continue, President," Takamine coughed and signaled him to go on.
"Right. If it comes to that point, the Shinomiya family would be a massive obstacle. Currently, I've come up with a few potential solutions."
"Okay."
Although curious why Shirogane was thinking this far ahead about someone he supposedly didn't have feelings for, Takamine didn't press the issue.
All he could do was admire him—As expected of the president, even thinking through problems that likely won't ever happen.
"I was thinking, maybe I could kneel at their doorstep and say, 'Please let me marry your daughter! I truly love her.' Would that work?" Shirogane's eyes lit up.
"...Just look at my expression and figure it out yourself."
"That's a no, huh..."
"Of course not! If that actually worked, why would the Shinomiya family have ever taken my allowance back in the day?! And more importantly, why are you solving it in such an embarrassing way!? You're my superior at Shuchiin, you know? If you do something that humiliating, how am I supposed to save face?"
"I did say it was a 'what if.' This isn't really about Shinomiya and me," Shirogane explained forcefully.
"Right, I forgot."
"Okay, then let's try another idea."
After thinking for a moment, Shirogane said to Takamine:
"What do you think about eloping?"
"Eloping is a great idea."
"I thought so too..."
"So, where do you plan to run? Japan's a no-go—the Shinomiya family has businesses everywhere. Southeast Asia? Forget it. Japan's manufacturing was all there in '93, including theirs. The US and other Western countries are out too; that's where all the finance and investments go down. Aside from a few small countries, the Shinomiya family can reach anywhere. Just to save face, they'd chase you to the ends of the earth. Money moves mountains—and turning a person into a ghost is child's play for them."
Takamine's words sent a chill down Shirogane's spine.
"President, don't overthink it. It's not even that serious."
"N-no... Treasurer Takamine, what's your suggestion?"
"Me? If it were me, I do have a plan—but since this is just your delusion and you don't really like the Shinomiya girl, there's no need to go into it..."
"No!"
Shirogane suddenly stood up and grabbed Takamine by the shoulders.
"Takamine! Even if this is just a baseless what if, this is the student council! If a student came to us with this kind of issue, we'd need to help them find a solution!"
"Does the student council really get involved in romance advice now? Just tell them to break up—violates the school's code anyway."
"You're wrong, Takamine. Helping students is our duty!"
Shirogane turned his back, leaving Takamine with a seemingly noble silhouette.
"At least while I'm president, I want them to find happiness."
To outsiders, this all sounded suspicious as hell. Anyone with a shred of common sense wouldn't buy it. It was like when someone said, "I have a friend who..."—they're always talking about themselves.
And with Shirogane saying all this?
"Truly admirable, President. To think you'd go so far for issues your fellow students might never even face. Your spirit is worthy of respect!"
He believed it.
Takamine Rinji actually believed the utter nonsense Shirogane was spewing.
"It's good that you understand my intentions. So, Takamine, what's your plan?"
"My plan's actually quite simple."
"Go on."
"You just need to make the Shinomiya family believe their son-in-law is capable. Show your worth beforehand."
"Makes sense."
"Before graduation, just earn 10 billion yen. See? Simple."
"..."