"By the way, Kaguya, what did you need me for?"
After leading Kaguya Shinomiya out of the school building, Kanade Natsukawa voiced his curiosity.
"Oh, it's nothing important, I just…" Kaguya started casually, but then froze mid-sentence.
Wait. Did the president just… call her by her first name?
He claimed he didn't like her, yet here he was, using her given name without hesitation. Wasn't this a blatant hint?!
"Why the sudden switch to my first name, President? Could it be…" The eccentric heiress smiled faintly, her mind racing. So Ai had been wrong after all. What did a single woman with no relationship experience know about romance?
"Uh… is that a problem?" Kanade asked, slightly confused. He didn't see why it should be. They'd spent enough time together that using first names seemed perfectly reasonable. After all, Mahiru had once explained to him that close friends should address each other by name, and it had stuck with him. He considered Kaguya a good friend, so he thought she wouldn't mind.
"Sorry, if you don't like it…"
"Of course I like it!" Kaguya shot back instinctively, but instantly regretted her outburst. Her reaction was way over the top. What if he misunderstood and thought she meant she liked him?
"I-I mean, I like the idea of using first names. Don't get the wrong idea…" she tried to explain, but her flustered tone only made her sound more suspicious. The usually composed and intelligent Kaguya now looked like a fool caught up in the throes of love.
"I understand. Don't worry, I won't misunderstand." Kanade nodded reassuringly.
Her words had a strangely familiar "tsundere" vibe, but since they didn't come from Eriri, and Kaguya didn't seem to have any tsundere traits, Kanade didn't dwell on it.
"…" Meanwhile, Kaguya was mentally spiraling.
Why are you being so accommodating?! You're supposed to misinterpret it, idiot!
A whirlwind of conflicting emotions roiled inside her. On one hand, she didn't want Kanade to realize her true feelings. On the other, she couldn't help but wonder how he'd react if he found out. Would he confess to her on the spot?
Still, achieving the milestone of "mutual first-name use" was a huge win. This was proof of her progress! Victory was on the horizon—winning over the president was only a matter of time!
"So, what's the matter?" Kanade asked again. While chatting was fine, he had other tasks waiting for him and couldn't afford to dawdle too long.
"It's about the upcoming courage test event." Kaguya composed herself, returning to her usual poised demeanor.
"Actually, it's the school's suggestion," she began. "They hope we can thoroughly review the event's procedures to eliminate any potential safety risks and ensure the students' well-being."
She paused briefly before continuing, "I think this is a valid concern. Shuuchiin Academy is highly regarded, and the public closely watches our every move. The students here are future leaders and valuable resources. It's only prudent to be cautious… Besides, if something were to happen during the event, the student council would inevitably bear the blame."
As the student council's most capable vice president, Kaguya Shinomiya wouldn't allow any blemish on the record of the person she served—or on her own family's impeccable reputation. Excellence was a Shinomiya family creed.
"While the discipline committee will conduct patrols, it never hurts to be extra careful. That's why I propose that we—acting as participants—go through the entire event ourselves. This way, if something does go wrong, we can respond immediately."
"And, of course, President, you don't need to worry about the workload. I'll accompany you throughout the process and handle all the minor details myself…" Kaguya's face remained all business, her tone professional.
However, her inner thoughts were far less noble.
Handle the minor details? What a joke. There was no way she'd waste this rare opportunity focusing on trivial tasks. Let someone else handle those! She was here to spend a magical evening with Kanade, enjoying each other's company.
"Hm… So, you're suggesting we participate in the courage test as if we were regular students and inspect the equipment along the way?" Kanade considered her proposal. It made sense. Taking a participant's perspective might indeed help uncover overlooked issues.
"I don't see any problem with it. But, Kaguya, don't you have someone you'd like to invite?"
Kanade's question stemmed from his usual habit of deferring to others' preferences. Before, his mind had been set on inviting someone he admired, but he'd since let go of those romantic aspirations. Being friends was enough. Still, the thought of who he'd partner with now left him momentarily at a loss. Since Kaguya brought it up, he decided to go along with her idea.
"President, please don't joke. I have no interest in such shallow individuals," Kaguya replied, a hint of indignation in her voice.
I'm inviting you, okay?! she screamed internally.
Kanade: "…"
But what about your best friend, Chika Fujiwara? This wasn't strictly a couples' event…
Kanade felt like Kaguya might've been caught up in the event's atmosphere and overlooked simpler options. Still, her decision to focus on work was puzzling. Women's thoughts remained an enigma to him.
"As long as you don't mind…" he replied.
The courage test event was set to begin at 7 p.m., to match the eerie nighttime vibe. Before that, the time was reserved for safety checks and preparation. Even if someone wanted to sneak in for a quick pre-event thrill, they wouldn't find any staff ready to assist.
Judging by Kaguya's plan, they'd participate officially after the event began, experiencing it as regular students while conducting a final round of inspections. The schedule seemed reasonable, and with Kaguya as his partner, Kanade saw no reason to refuse.
"Then it's settled, President. Don't forget." Kaguya nodded slightly, her voice calm and composed.
As expected, the president wouldn't turn her down. Now, all she needed was to coordinate with Ai Hayasaka for the next steps.
"Of course. It's a promise," Kanade replied.