After leaving the girls' dormitory, Natsukawa Kanade headed straight for the temporary student council room. Though calling it a "student council room" was a bit generous—it was really just a repurposed classroom with a few desks and chairs hastily arranged. But that was fine. They didn't need much space. Most of the work boiled down to sheer manpower, not fancy setups.
"President, some students have complained about the way partners were assigned. They feel it's unfair. Since the pairs were determined by student numbers, a lot of same-gender teams ended up forming, meaning they don't get to be with the girls..."
"Tell them, 'If you're so hung up on the process, then study harder and work towards earning the privilege of choosing your own partner when you're a third-year. If it's the result you care about, then stop whining and go ask out the girl you like on your own. The school is not a matchmaking service.'"
"But quite a few students have been vocal about this. Several of them are even department heads and vice directors from the sports division..."
"Then remind them that club funding for next month is tight. Not all clubs will have their budget requests approved."
"Understood!"
"President, there's a document that needs your review."
"Let me see... a shopping list?" Kanade frowned slightly as he skimmed through the request. He was sure he had already arranged for the necessary costumes—like the goblin outfits—back on the first day of Forest School. So why was there a new request now?
"Who sent this?"
"It was Secretary Fujiwara. She specifically asked me to hand it to you personally."
"Huh? Where is she, then?"
"She said she needed to inspect the equipment along the way to ensure there were no malfunctions when the event officially starts."
"..."
Kanade let out a small sigh. Yeah, right. He highly doubted Fujiwara Chika had suddenly developed a sense of responsibility. More likely, she was just goofing off and sneaking in some of her own personal errands under the guise of 'official duties.'
But whatever. Compared to some of the truly chaotic tasks they had to deal with throughout the school year, the work during the event was relatively tame. Whether Fujiwara was here or not didn't really make much of a difference.
Glancing up from his desk, Kanade's eyes landed on Shinomiya Kaguya, who was seated a short distance away. She was diligently sorting through paperwork that didn't require his direct approval. Her focus was as sharp as ever.
"Fine. Just leave it here."
At the end of the day, a shopping list wasn't a big deal. Letting Fujiwara get her way this time wouldn't hurt. She had helped him out plenty before—he supposed he could overlook this little stunt.
But Kaguya must never find out. If she did, she'd definitely lecture him about his "poor leadership." Again.
Casually, Kanade slid the purchase request under a stack of already-approved documents, making sure it was buried deep. Satisfied, he was about to move on to the next task when he noticed the student who delivered the message was still standing there.
"What? Is there something else?"
"Uh... well, Secretary Fujiwara also told me to relay this message: 'Hey, stupid president! You actually hung up on me? Well, this is the price you pay! Oh, and by the way, I already bought everything. It's too late to stop me! Mwahaha!'"
The girl delivering the message even mimicked Fujiwara's voice—down to the playful tone and exaggerated scissor-hand gesture at the end. It was uncanny, almost as if the real Fujiwara were standing there, taunting him with that ridiculous octopus head of hers.
"..."
Kanade pinched the bridge of his nose. This girl.
Fine. Whatever. He'd just make sure to deduct the expenses from the gaming department's budget. When it came time to submit the final report, he'd be sure to note that Fujiwara Chika had voluntarily taken full financial responsibility for her 'contribution.'
Seeing the dark cloud forming over his expression, the student wisely decided not to linger and quickly excused herself. Kanade, meanwhile, leaned back in his chair with a sigh. He knew exactly who deserved to be punished for this mess.
And oh, he would make sure she paid for it.
===================
After spending nearly the entire afternoon tackling the long list of tasks and meticulously adjusting the final schedules, Natsukawa Kanade gave the final instructions to his team. A few student council members promptly took the finalized lists and set out to post them in their designated classrooms.
For students who had opted to participate voluntarily, the student council had arranged for their numbers to be recorded in advance. Once the rest of the teams were assigned, those individuals would be notified of their designated entry times. Most importantly, all participant details—including partners, team formations, and travel schedules—were kept strictly confidential. This level of secrecy was meant to prevent unnecessary trouble or outside interference.
Since Kanade had made a prior arrangement with Shinomiya Kaguya to participate in the event together—under the pretense of inspecting the equipment—it only made sense for him to schedule their entry ahead of the others. When he casually mentioned this change to Kaguya, she readily agreed, though her thoughts on the matter differed significantly from his.
To Shinomiya Kaguya, this wasn't just a logistical decision—it was a golden opportunity.
Just as Ai Hayasaka had advised her before, appearing together as a pair in front of everyone would naturally plant the idea in people's minds that they were a perfect match! If everyone around them started to accept the idea of them as a couple, wouldn't Kanade—dense as he was—finally take the hint?
The thought alone sent a thrill of excitement through her. Maybe, just maybe, he'd finally confess in front of everyone…!
Guhehe…
As her imagination spiraled into overdrive, a rare, genuine smile bloomed across her face.
Kanade, who had originally been about to invite her to dinner before heading to the venue, paused when he noticed her expression. Kaguya, lost in her own world, looked incredibly radiant—completely different from her usual composed, businesslike demeanor.
This smile… It reminded him of something.
The last time he had seen Kaguya smile so sincerely was back when he had asked her to continue serving as his vice president. They had been standing under the locust tree beside the sports field, and for just a brief moment, her carefully maintained mask had slipped, revealing a warmth that was almost breathtaking.
At all other times, the smile she wore was polished and professional—beautiful, yes, but never quite like this.
Seeing her like this again, Kanade found himself hesitating.
…Maybe he shouldn't disturb her.
After all, he wasn't the kind of person who needed someone to accompany him for dinner. He could manage on his own just fine. If anything, giving Kaguya space to enjoy this rare moment of happiness seemed like the most considerate thing he could do.
With that in mind, he rose from his seat, quietly gathered his belongings, and made his way to the door. Before stepping out, he took a final glance at Kaguya, still lost in thought, and then gently shut the door behind him.
Perfect.
A private space for his most capable vice president.
How considerate of him.
—
Not long after Kanade left, Kaguya snapped out of her dreamy contemplation. Being as sharp as she was, it only took her a few moments to map out the next steps in her grand plan.
First, she would invite the president to dinner.
Then, they would arrive at the venue together for the opening ceremony.
Next, they would dominate the event, winning their respective medals side by side.
And finally, at the awards ceremony that night, they would claim the coveted title of 'Best Partners'—the ultimate recognition of their perfect compatibility!
"So, President, shall we go to—"
Her words trailed off as she looked up, only to be met with an empty room.
"…Huh?"