"Speaking of which, Kaguya, what exactly did you want to talk to me about?"
As they stepped out of the teaching building, bathed in the warm afternoon light, Natsukawa Kanade turned his gaze toward Kaguya Shinomiya. His voice was calm, but a hint of curiosity lingered beneath his usual composed demeanor.
"Ah, well, it's nothing too serious..." Kaguya began, intending to ease into the conversation. But then—she suddenly froze.
Wait.
The president... just called her by her first name?!
Her mind blanked for a moment before spiraling into chaos. She had been mentally preparing herself for this conversation, but nothing could have prepared her for this. He actually called her "Kaguya"! Without any hesitation! Without any honorifics! As if it were the most natural thing in the world!
And yet—and yet!—he still had the audacity to claim he wasn't interested in her? Ha! This was undeniable proof that he was clearly smitten with her!
"Why did the president suddenly call me by my first name? Could it be that..." Kaguya's lips curled into a triumphant smile, her mind drowning in victory flags. Ah, I see now. This is the moment he finally realizes his feelings for me... Hayasaka Ai always says I overthink things, but clearly, she's the one who doesn't understand love at all!
Meanwhile, Kanade blinked at her reaction, utterly unaware of the inner monologue unraveling before him. "Uh... is that a problem?" he asked, tilting his head slightly. "I just thought that, since we've known each other for quite some time, it should be fine to call you by your name."
After all, Mahiru had once told him that close friends should call each other by their first names. It made sense to him, and he figured he had a pretty good relationship with Kaguya. He never thought she'd react so strongly to such a small gesture.
"But if it bothers you, I can stop..."
"No! Absolutely not!" Kaguya blurted out before she could stop herself, her face heating up. Realizing she had spoken too forcefully, she immediately backtracked, waving her hands as if to dismiss any misunderstanding. "I-I mean, of course I don't mind! It's completely fine! I was just a little surprised, that's all!"
Kanade nodded. "Alright, then. No misunderstandings."
No misunderstandings?! Kaguya nearly choked on air. No, no, no, President! You're misunderstanding the lack of a misunderstanding! This is a huge deal!
Her mind spun in circles as she struggled to maintain her usual composed image. It was already a miracle she hadn't outright melted into a lovestruck mess. But at the same time, a spark of excitement ignited in her chest. Calling each other by name is a major step forward...
This was it. This was her victory! The strategy president was just within reach!
Taking a deep breath to compose herself, Kaguya decided to steer the conversation back on track before she got completely lost in her own delusions. "Ahem. As I was saying, the reason I wanted to talk to you is about the upcoming test of courage event."
Kanade, who had been wondering when she'd actually get to the point, nodded for her to continue.
"It's a request from the school administration," Kaguya explained, her tone returning to its usual businesslike sharpness. "They want us to conduct a thorough inspection of the event's setup, eliminate any potential safety hazards, and ensure that everything runs smoothly."
She folded her arms elegantly. "As a representative of an esteemed academy like Shuuchiin, every event we host is under scrutiny. Many of our students will become influential figures in the future, and as such, we must uphold the highest standards of excellence. We cannot afford a single flaw. If something were to go wrong, not only would it reflect poorly on the school, but the student council would bear the brunt of the responsibility."
Kanade nodded again, understanding the weight of the issue. He had to admit, Kaguya had a point. "That makes sense."
"Exactly. While the Discipline Committee has already conducted preliminary inspections, I believe a more hands-on approach is necessary. My suggestion is that we experience the event firsthand, participating from start to finish to ensure that nothing goes amiss."
Then, with a poised expression and a voice dripping with professionalism, she added, "Of course, President, you needn't worry about the finer details. I will personally accompany you throughout the entire process."
But deep inside—
As if I'd let such a rare opportunity go to waste! This is the perfect excuse to spend an entire evening together! Safety inspections? Hah! That's just a convenient justification! I'll leave all the tedious work to the others and focus solely on creating the perfect romantic atmosphere...
Her heart raced at the thought. A moonlit night, just the two of them, walking side by side in the quiet corridors of the school... maybe even a moment where she could cling to him under the pretense of "getting scared."
Yes! This is my chance! The test of courage shall be the battlefield where I make my move!
"So... you mean you want us to participate in the Test of Courage as players while inspecting the setup along the way?" Natsukawa Kanade tilted his head slightly, pondering over Kaguya's suggestion.
It did make sense. As student council president, it was his responsibility to ensure everything ran smoothly. While the disciplinary committee had already conducted safety inspections, experiencing the event firsthand might reveal details they had overlooked. Besides, there was no harm in being extra cautious—especially since the school's reputation was on the line.
"I have no problem with that," Kanade finally said before pausing, his gaze shifting toward Kaguya. "But Kaguya… don't you have someone you'd prefer to invite?"
In the past, he would have instinctively asked a specific person—the one he had once pursued so ardently. But things were different now. He had let go of those feelings, accepting that even if romance wasn't in the cards, maintaining a meaningful friendship was enough. Still, that left him unsure of who to invite this time around.
Kaguya's face twitched ever so slightly. "President, please stop joking. I have no interest in those vulgar people."
Her tone was sharp, but the subtle quiver in her voice betrayed her.
Kanade blinked. "..."
Wait, wasn't that basically just an indirect invitation?
If she really didn't want to invite anyone, what about her friend Fujiwara Chika? Or even one of the other girls in the student council? It wasn't as if participation required a romantic pairing.
He couldn't understand it.
If she was so invested in her work, why was she acting like this? Could it be…? No. Overanalyzing would just lead to unnecessary misunderstandings. In the end, girls were still a complete enigma to him.
"As long as you don't mind," Kanade finally said, deciding to drop the subject.
The Test of Courage was scheduled to begin at 7 PM, just late enough to create an eerie atmosphere under the cover of darkness. Before that, inspections and final safety checks would take place, ensuring that no unexpected surprises ruined the event. Even if students wanted to test the course in advance, no staff would be on duty until the official start time. The best anyone could do was take a casual stroll through the woods to mentally prepare themselves.
From Kaguya's proposal, it seemed like the plan was for the two of them to enter together once the event officially began, experiencing the course as participants while simultaneously verifying its safety. Once their part was done, they'd simply wait for the event to conclude and handle any follow-up duties as student council members.
It was a reasonable arrangement. He had the time, and more importantly, his assigned partner was none other than the ever-reliable Kaguya Shinomiya. There was no reason to decline.
"Alright, that works."
Kaguya nodded with satisfaction, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Good. President, don't forget."
Of course, he wouldn't. But as Kanade watched her composed demeanor, he couldn't help but wonder—was she really thinking about the event logistics, or was something else at play?
Meanwhile, in Kaguya's mind—
As expected, the president didn't refuse! Now all that was left was to make some final preparations… and to ensure Xiao Ai was ready for the operation.
"It's a deal."