"Takamine, what was the first Japanese sentence you learned?"
In the student council office, the usual four were gathered again.
It was lunchtime, and Takamine had nothing better to do, so he usually hung out here.
Shirogane Miyuki was signing student suggestion forms as always. Kaguya sat on the couch reading a letter. As for Fujiwara Chika… Takamine had never once seen her actually do any student council work.
Bored, Chika turned to chat with the equally idle Takamine.
"Why are you curious about my first Japanese sentence?"
"Just curious. After all, you're one of the few international students at Shuchiin," she said with a smile.
[Fun fact: Fujiwara Chika came from a political family. Her mother was a diplomat, so she learned many languages from a young age.]
"My first Japanese sentence, huh… Let me think."
Takamine coughed twice and pointed dramatically ahead.
"Shinjitsu wa itsumo hitotsu!" (There is always one truth!)
"Oh~ That one! So you came to Japan because of anime too, huh?" Chika grinned.
"Not quite. I just saw a few episodes when I was little and thought I could speak Japanese. Then I went around showing off. Kinda cringe in hindsight," Takamine chuckled. "By the way, my second Japanese sentence was 'Za Warudo'."
"That's not Japanese. Just poorly pronounced English."
"Later, when I needed to come to Japan for some business, I learned more Japanese. Phrases like 'shine' (go die) or 'bukkorosu zo!' (I'll kill you!)."
"…Why would you learn those kinds of words first?" Chika asked, sweatdropping.
"Oh, because they're daily-use vocabulary."
"Who uses those in daily conversations…"
Chika laughed awkwardly. Then she noticed Kaguya looking at a letter and leaned over.
"Kaguya, whatcha reading?"
"Oh, this?"
Kaguya smirked slightly.
"A love letter."
"Eh!! A love letter!?"
When Shinomiya Kaguya said the words "love letter," Fujiwara Chika let out an excited shriek. Shirogane Miyuki stopped writing, and Takamine Rinji widened his eyes.
"That's right. A love letter."
Kaguya glanced indifferently at the three student council members' reactions, particularly at Shirogane, who was pretending not to care. She smiled and said, "It was very passionate—inviting me to go out for a meal."
Takamine Rinji: "Are all the students these days blind?"
"What do you mean by that!? I'm still very popular at school!" Kaguya immediately shouted.
Rinji's one-liner instantly ruined the mood she had been building up.
She once again shifted her gaze to Shirogane Miyuki.
Although he maintained a calm exterior, his trembling hands betrayed his unease.
'Hmm, looks like this plan won't fail even with Takamine Rinji here.'
Shirogane was a little bothered upon hearing that Kaguya received a love letter, but on second thought, he didn't take it seriously.
He firmly believed Shinomiya Kaguya wouldn't accept any other guy's invitation. After all, in his eyes, no other male in this school was better than him...
"So… so…" Fujiwara Chika asked excitedly, "Is Kaguya going to accept the invitation?"
Kaguya smiled gently.
"Of course."
Snap!
Shirogane's pen snapped in half.
'Are you out of your mind!? Accepting an invitation from someone who didn't even show his face!?'
Shirogane instantly sensed danger.
Kaguya, on the other hand, put on the face of a love-struck maiden, holding the letter with a sweet smile. "It took courage to give me that letter. I believe I'll definitely come to like him too."
The excited Fujiwara and dumbfounded Shirogane both started to believe she might really do it.
However...
"Shinomiya-san, the school rules don't allow dating," said Takamine Rinji.
'Good job, Rinji!'
Shirogane cheered internally but kept a calm face.
"Oh my, Takamine-kun isn't part of the Disciplinary Committee anymore. Are you still meddling in these things?" Kaguya replied.
"I may not be on the committee anymore, but I'm still close with people who are. Openly violating school rules like this—is it really okay?"
"The rules don't say dating is strictly prohibited. Besides, it's just a meal," Kaguya said with a smile.
"Are you really going on that date?"
"Of course."
As she answered, Kaguya paid close attention to Shirogane's every move.
'Unless you beg me not to go, I won't cancel the date, President.'
The art of feigned retreat!
Pretending to be interested in another person's invitation was just a tactic to make the one she actually cared about nervous.
As long as Shirogane got flustered and asked her not to go, her plan would be complete.
"Shinomiya."
Shirogane finally looked up and spoke in a stern tone:
"As the Student Council President, I oppose impure relationships between boys and girls."
A flanking maneuver!
Instead of speaking as a concerned individual, he cleverly took the stance of the student council president, avoiding the direct point.
"You're overreacting. I said it's just a meal," Kaguya replied with a smile.
"It's not your opinion that matters, but the school's," Shirogane said, trying to keep calm. "If you insist on going, I'll have to report this to a teacher."
Report to the teacher!
...Classic little brother behavior.
"Eh!! Suspension!?"
As soon as she heard that word, Fujiwara Chika jumped up and looked anxiously between Shirogane and Kaguya. Clearly, she was very concerned about the idea of suspension.
Kaguya didn't expect Shirogane to pull that card, but she had no choice but to double down.
"If it's true love, then I'll go even if I get expelled."
Her firm tone and serious expression made the entire student council believe her.
"Ehhhhhhh!?"
'Have you lost your mind, Kaguya!?'
"It's just suspension," Takamine Rinji said nonchalantly. "I was suspended for a whole month once. No big deal."
'Hey!! Whose side are you even on, Rinji!?' Shirogane was screaming inside.
"Just like Takamine-kun said, for true love, even if it means suspension—"
Before Kaguya could finish, Rinji turned to Shirogane and said, "President, as you can see, an unsigned love letter was enough to lure her away. That proves Shinomiya-san is a frivolous woman."
Shinomiya Kaguya: "…"
Personal attack!
A forbidden move—most people wouldn't dare.
While Kaguya wanted to push Shirogane into confessing, she never intended to be seen as a frivolous woman.
"Or maybe Shinomiya-san is just desperate for love…"
"That's enough! I'm definitely not going on that date!"