Chapter 153: Fraud-Chika Appears Again
"So, to decide where we'll go during summer vacation, let's all play a game together!!" Chika raised her hand and shouted energetically.
₍₍◝(˶˃ ꒳ ˂˶)◜⁾⁾
Inside the student council room, the others reacted in different ways, including Ishigami Yuu who had just walked in.
"Fujiwara-senpai, don't you think it's still too early?" Ishigami Yuu pressed the game button without even lifting his head. "Of course, I'm not saying there's something wrong with your brain, senpai, but there's still more than a month left until mid-July. Deciding where to go now doesn't really make any sense."
"Normal people would think that's pretty stupid, right? If someone ends up busy at that time and can't go, it'll be really awkward. And coming up with this kind of decision-making method—well, it could only come from someone dumb, no other possibility really."
Ishigami Yuu concluded: "Of course, I'm not saying Fujiwara-senpai is dumb."
"You're clearly implying that I'm stupid!" Chika puffed up her cheeks in anger.
Chika: (｡•̀ ⤙ •́ ｡ꐦ) !!!
Tossing and turning all night unable to sleep, and when she picked up a book, she felt like between every line were the words [Fujiwara-senpai is dumb].
That was exactly how Chika felt right now.
"No way, Fujiwara-senpai, I wouldn't dare."
Ishigami ¯\_(- > -)_/¯
"He wasn't being subtle. He said it straight out." Sakurai Saki teased Chika as well.
"But I don't mind. If it's just a game, I can play for a bit."
After all, he liked Chika.
Shinomiya Kaguya lifted her teacup, her manner of drinking tea was extremely elegant.
"What are we playing?"
She didn't like games—she just didn't like to lose.
And she didn't like being represented by someone else either.
"I have to work a part-time job, so I probably won't have time to go anywhere during summer break." Shirogane Miyuki said, rather tactlessly.
"Then let's invite Kei-chan to go with us." Shinomiya Kaguya really liked Shirogane's little sister.
"…Ahem, I think I can probably free up a few days during summer break." Shirogane Miyuki didn't want his sister going anywhere near Sakurai Saki.
What if they came back and there was one more person?
And Shirogane Miyuki wasn't exaggerating—he seriously thought Sakurai Saki was very capable of making a move on his sister.
Last time he even said he'd become a scumbag, and he actually did. Look at him now, getting all cozy with Secretary Fujiwara while openly dating classmate Hayasaka.
Adding one more lover in the evening wouldn't even be surprising!
In short, to protect his sister's safety, Shirogane siscon Miyuki decided not to work part-time anymore.
"By the way, can you give us a hint about the cost?"
If it's too expensive, Shirogane might drop out.
"What are you talking about?" Shinomiya Kaguya replied.
"If everyone's planning to go to the beach, I can cover all the expenses."
Ice Princess Kaguya activated B-man's superpower—[I'm Rich].
B-man: ⎛⎝(◣ᢍ◢)⎠⎞
Capitalists are generous like that.
Shinomiya Kaguya could mobilize all kinds of resources. While her liquid cash might not be astronomical, renting a private island or reserving an entire beach was still an easy task.
"I think… going to the beach really is the right choice." Shirogane Miyuki had become a slave to money.
Going on a trip without spending any money—why not?
"…Is everyone going?" Ishigami Yuu looked up.
He really valued the bond between the student council members. If everyone was going, then he would go too.
But when the time came, Ishigami Yuu would probably stay holed up in the room playing games, not even touching the water.
Sorry, I'm not good at swimming. That was the excuse Ishigami Yuu was planning to use.
"I don't wanna! I wanna go to the mountains!" Fujiwara Chika rolled around on Sakurai's lap.
Chika: .·°՞༼;´༎ຶ ༎ຶ༽՞°·.
Seeing that, Shinomiya Kaguya sighed: "Everyone already decided to go to the beach, Fujiwara-san. No matter what you say, the result isn't going to change."
"Let's play a game then!" Chika sat up from Sakurai Saki's lap and pulled out a deck of cards.
"Jyan jyan~ Concentration." Chika shuffled the deck and placed it on the table.
An extremely forced attempt at changing the subject.
But everyone still looked toward her.
Concentration, a memory-testing game. Cards are placed face down on the table. Each turn, players flip two cards. If they match, the player takes both and earns a point. If not, they must flip them back over and return them to the exact same position.
In the end, whoever has the most cards wins!
It might sound a bit complicated—you may not fully understand it yet, but that's okay! Just watch and you'll get it!
"Oh, fine, I'll play a round with you." Shinomiya Kaguya, in truth, had no way to deal with Chika.
Chika was a friend she had known since middle school—one of the few same-gender friends she could truly open up to.
So when it came to Chika, Kaguya often found herself unable to directly refuse.
"Let's begin." Sakurai Saki set aside the document he had just been reviewing.
Fujwara Chika had already finished setting up the deck.
Ishigami Yuu stared at the tabletop. "Fujiwara-senpai, what kind of cheating are you planning this time?"
Ishigami: (≖_≖ )
Though he phrased it as a question, his tone was filled with certainty.
"E-eh… no way, I wouldn't do that." Fujwara Chika averted her gaze, her blue eyes brimming with guilt, and cold sweat seemed ready to break out on her face.
Chika: (∗´ര ₃ ര`∗) ~ ~
"Why would I cheat, Ishigami-kun, you're so funny~" she said with a forced laugh.
"These patterns…" Ishigami Yuu squinted at the cards.
"Huh? Something seems off."
On the pointed corners, there were four types of patterns, and even their details were slightly different.
"…Unbelievable!" Ishigami Yuu picked up two cards and flipped them over. "Fujiwara-senpai, you custom-ordered a deck like this just to win the game?!"
"Custom-ordered?" Shinomiya Kaguya asked curiously.
"That's right. Shinomiya-senpai, don't you see? The tiny letters here? My family's in the toy business, so I know a lot about this stuff. Some card manufacturers accept custom orders—you can add your own letters and symbols." Ishigami Yuu held a card up to her face. "Right here, it says Saku--."
He only read halfway before realizing something.
"Fujiwara-senpai, if you want to show off your relationship with Sakurai-senpai, can you not do it like this?" Ishigami Yuu sighed as he spoke.
Ever since these two started dating, they'd gotten more and more outrageous.
Even cheating with a custom deck that had Sakurai-senpai's name in romaji on it. This kind of "dog food" was truly a first for him.
Fujiwara Chika's face was completely flushed red.
( ⁄ ⁄•⁄ω⁄•⁄ ⁄)
Beside her, Sakurai was sipping tea while trembling as he tried to hold in his laughter.
He even let out a few coughs from choking—it looked like he was struggling.
"So that's what this was." Sakurai chuckled and spoke.
Fujiwara Chika's face turned red like a sunset. She couldn't say a word.
If there were a hole nearby, she definitely would have crawled into it.
Ten-some seconds passed.
Chika muttered in a voice as quiet as a mosquito: "I'll switch to a regular deck."
With that, she quickly gathered up the custom-made cards.
Sakurai Saki was still smiling.
"What are you laughing at?!" Chika turned her head and shouted angrily.
Chika & Sakurai: ⁽⁽(੭ꐦ •̀Д•́ )੭*⁾⁾ ꉂ(˵˃ ᗜ ˂˵)
"No, I just feel happy knowing this," Sakurai Saki replied gently.
Chika lowered her head and began putting away the cards.
Sakurai Saki glanced at her ears—they were red all the way to the tips.
'She's really cute.'