Kanade pov
My heart was pounding wildly.
It was as if it were trying to burst out of my chest, desperately breaking free from the shackles of my body. Each beat echoed in my ears, a relentless rhythm that refused to calm down.
Omni pov
Was this the suspension bridge effect? Natsukawa Kanade wondered, struggling to regain control of his emotions.
He had been tense the entire time, every nerve in his body stretched taut like a bowstring. The moment he saw the light ahead, the sheer relief caused his body to loosen involuntarily. It was natural—his mind was just reacting to the sudden shift from stress to relaxation. Yes, that had to be it.
Of course, there was no way he could mistake this as him being attracted to Kaguya.
That was simply out of the question.
Taking a subtle step back, Kanade cleared his throat before responding to his companion.
"Nothing. I was just checking to see how you were doing..." he said, shaking his head slightly, his tone deliberately nonchalant.
Kaguya Shinomiya tilted her head slightly, her crimson eyes locked onto him as if reading his every thought.
"I don't know who designed this checkpoint, but it's surprisingly well done," Kanade continued, forcing a small chuckle. "To be honest, I was expecting some cheap jump scares along the way. You know, people dressed as ghosts jumping out at us from behind the trees. But this..." He exhaled. "This was a whole different kind of pressure. The silence, the atmosphere... it really messes with your head."
He rambled on, throwing out casual observations about the experience. Kaguya simply listened, an amused smile playing at the corners of her lips. She didn't interrupt, didn't correct him. She just let him talk.
The more he spoke, the more obvious it became—he was just trying to distract himself.
"Uh... so, sweating and all that... is a totally normal reaction..." Kanade muttered, almost as if convincing himself.
"..."
"Anyway, about holding hands—maybe it's best if we, you know, stop that now?"
"That won't do," Kaguya said firmly, shaking her head.
"..."
"The rules require us to hold hands the whole time. You can't just quit halfway, President," she reminded him, her voice calm but unwavering.
Kanade opened his mouth, ready to argue that it wasn't like anyone was actually watching them at this point. But when the words reached his lips, they changed into something else entirely.
"As long as you don't mind my sweaty hands..."
"It doesn't matter."
It doesn't matter if it's the president's hand, Kaguya thought to herself.
In fact, this was perfect.
His warmth, his presence—it reassured her in a way she could never put into words. If anything, she was relieved that they were still holding hands. Even if she ended up sweating a little, it wouldn't be noticeable. The most important thing was that she could engrave this moment into her memory, preserving this rare side of the president forever.
Kanade, oblivious to her inner thoughts, coughed awkwardly and looked away. "A-anyway, let's go check in first."
"Ah."
With that, they both turned toward the source of the light and continued forward.
The distance wasn't far—they arrived in just a few steps. But the moment they got there, something felt... off.
There was no one waiting for them.
A lone wooden table and a couple of chairs sat by the roadside, and a flashlight rested on the surface as if someone had abandoned it in a hurry.
"Where is everyone?" Kanade frowned. "Did they step out for a bathroom break or something?"
It was possible. After all, people had their needs. But considering the way these events were usually structured, there should have been at least one person manning the station at all times.
With no other choice, the two of them waited.
Minutes passed. Still, no one returned.
Then, they heard it—a faint, barely audible sobbing.
Kanade's senses immediately sharpened. He turned to Kaguya and whispered, "Did you hear that?"
"Yeah," she murmured back. "It's coming from over there."
She pointed towards a dark patch of trees to their right.
Kanade's brows knitted together. "Let's check it out. If it's just part of the game, fine. But if it's something else..." He paused, his expression turning serious. "If something seems off, you go back and call for help."
This wasn't something he could just ignore.
Yes, it was a test of courage event, but what if? What if this was something real? A student actually in danger?
Late at night, in the middle of a forest, an abandoned checkpoint, and now, the sound of someone crying... If it were a scripted part of the event, he wouldn't be fazed in the slightest. But if it was a real crisis, then as student council president, he had a duty to act.
Steeling themselves, they carefully stepped forward, making as little noise as possible.
The muffled sobs grew louder as they approached. It wasn't just their imagination—someone was definitely there.
A row of thick bushes stood between them and the source of the sound.
Kanade held up a hand. "I'll go first. If something happens, you turn around and run. Got it?"
Kaguya hesitated but nodded.
He handed her the flashlight and took a deep breath before stepping over the bushes.
The moment he landed on the other side, his heart sank.
Several students in Shuchi'in Academy uniforms were sitting on the ground, their hands tied behind their backs, leaning against the trunk of a massive tree.
They had been restrained.
Had they been kidnapped? Or had they seen something they weren't supposed to see?
Either way, one thing was clear—this was no game.
This was real.
After scanning the area carefully and confirming that there was no immediate threat, Natsukawa Kanade moved forward to untie the students. Just as he reached out, a voice called out sharply from behind him.
"President!"
The urgency in Shinomiya Kaguya's tone sent a chill down his spine. He turned instinctively, only to find her restrained—held hostage by a group of masked figures that had seemingly emerged from the darkness. The flickering light from the flashlight cast eerie shadows on their bizarre masks, and in the middle of them, a slender silhouette stepped forward with an air of confidence.
"Tch..." Kanade clenched his jaw, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. If he had just kept Kaguya by his side instead of sending her back, this wouldn't have happened. His mistake had given them leverage.
"Who are you?" His voice was calm but firm, eyes locking onto the leader. "What exactly do you gain from kidnapping students from our academy?"
Kanade was still holding onto a sliver of hope that this was a misunderstanding—that maybe, just maybe, they were dealing with professional criminals aiming for ransom rather than something more sinister. Given Shuchiin Academy's reputation, it wasn't far-fetched to assume this was a well-planned operation targeting wealthy students.
That theory lasted only until the so-called leader decided to speak.
"Heh, you don't need to know who we are. Just know that we want to kidnap you!"
"..."
"Obviously, it's for ransom money! We've got two of you here, so one stays, and the other goes back to deliver the message. Simple, right? Now, hurry up and decide!"
Kanade's expression remained unreadable as he glanced at Kaguya. "You got that?"
Kaguya pursed her lips before nodding slightly. "I understand… President, you should go. They won't harm me until they get their money."
Her voice was calm, but the slight tremor in her tone betrayed her inner turmoil. Deep down, she hoped—no, expected—that the president would refuse. Maybe he would insist on staying behind, just as she had planned to do. Her heart beat a little faster at the thought.
And then Kanade crushed that fantasy instantly.
"Huh? What are you even talking about?" he muttered in disbelief, before immediately turning to the masked leader. "Alright, we're done here. Let Kaguya go. I'll stay."
The slender figure tilted their head slightly, as if caught off guard. "Oh? Willingly offering yourself up? Gotta say, that's pretty brave of you."
With a flick of their wrist, they signaled to their subordinates, who immediately released Kaguya. As she stepped beside Kanade, her mind was a flurry of emotions. He… really didn't hesitate?
But before she could dwell on it, Kanade spoke up again.
"So, what's next? Where's the checkpoint?"
The entire group stiffened.
"W-What do you mean 'checkpoint'?! That's not the point! Your friend needs to go back and call for the ransom!"
Kanade sighed, shaking his head slightly before placing a hand on his hip. "Really? You're still keeping this up? Do you need me to spell it out for you, Fujiwara Chika?"
Silence. A long, awkward silence.
The masked leader's posture stiffened. "I-I have no idea who that is! Stop trying to change the subject! Call for the ransom already!"
Kanade simply smirked and shook his head. "Guess that means we'll have to cut the budget for the next game club event again."
"WAIT, WAIT, WAIT! What do you mean 'cut the budget again'?! Explain yourself, you stupid president!" The so-called 'mysterious kidnapper' finally snapped, tearing off her pig mask in a huff.
The moment the mask came off, Kaguya's eyes widened in shock. "Wha—?"
There, standing in front of them, pouting like a child who just had their toy taken away, was none other than Fujiwara Chika.
"This is abuse of power! You can't just cut our funds for no reason! I'll report you! I'M GONNA REPORT YOU!"
Kanade exhaled, rubbing his temples. "Heh…" He had nothing more to say.
Beside him, Kaguya was frozen in place. "...What?"
Fujiwara Chika. It was Fujiwara Chika all along.
Just… how did things end up like this?!
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T/n:
I don't think I captured the scene well enough, particularly the suspense.