Chapter 175: Kaguya Gets Ambushed
Afternoon.
The tug-of-war match took place at 13:40.
Among the student council members, only Sakurai Saki was participating in this match. Each class sent four students—two boys and two girls. Shuchiin Academy didn't have that many students, and when split into the red and white teams, the number of participants was just enough to use a tug-of-war rope.
Shinomiya Kaguya stood beneath the school building, looking at the match about to begin on the athletic field.
She wanted to cheer for Sakurai Saki, but the morning's borrow-an-item relay race had caused quite a commotion between them. She had no choice but to hide in a quiet place to avoid becoming the subject of more weird rumors.
Cheering for Sakurai wasn't because Kaguya liked him or anything—just that, in the student council, only the two of them were on the same team. If she didn't cheer for him, was she supposed to cheer for Hayasaka on the red team instead? She—Shinomiya Kaguya—absolutely didn't want to be a traitor to the white team.
"Do your best, do your best, baka Sakurai." Shinomiya Kaguya muttered softly.
Suddenly, a voice rang out behind her——
"Someone as cute as you yelling out here like that? He can't even hear you, you know~"
Kaguya turned around and saw a beautiful woman in a black kimono, amber eyes, every movement exuding an irresistible charm.
"He doesn't need to hear it, that idiot." Shinomiya Kaguya replied.
"Talking behind his back—aren't you afraid of payback?" Jinguuji Tamaki's gaze was half-smiling, half-serious; she looked exactly like a fox. (≖⩊≖)
"Not afraid! I'm already used to it!" Kaguya-sama was clearly the type to not worry about accumulating more debts—what's a few more?
Her relationship with Sakurai Saki wasn't exactly harmonious, but at the very least, it was absolutely irreconcilable! The grudge from losing to him in the last exam—Kaguya-sama still remembered that clearly!
"Then I guess your relationship with him isn't that bad if you can badmouth him without getting payback." Tamaki only knew that anyone who messed with her son—boy or girl—would never have it easy.
If Ojou-sama Kaguya could skip rope on the edge of Sakurai Saki's bottom line, then that was a skill in itself.
"Not that bad?" Shinomiya Kaguya glanced at the athletic field—Sakurai Saki was pretending to tug with all his might.
Why "pretending"? Because his body wasn't leaning at all—he was practically standing upright.
How could you exert any strength like that? Don't tell me he's afraid of pulling too hard and instantly defeating the opponent?
"Maybe. If arguing all the time counts as a good relationship, then yeah, it's not that bad." Shinomiya Kaguya threw out a sarcastic remark.
"What do you think Sakurai Saki is like? I've heard he's the general affairs officer at school—lots of people like him." Mrs. Jinguuji wanted to hear how others evaluated her son.
Shinomiya Kaguya didn't see Sakurai Saki and Jinguuji Tamaki sitting together this morning.
She had a match that morning, participating in the three-legged race with the girls in her class, which happened to be when Sakurai Saki met his mother.
So, she didn't realize this woman was Sakurai's mother.
"What do I think of him?" Kaguya pondered.
"Lazy. Doesn't even try during tug-of-war."
"Sharp-tongued. If someone insults him, he has to insult them back. If someone hits him, he hits back. Lives by an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth."
"Like a log, but surprisingly naive." Kaguya recalled their past conversations about love.
Sakurai Saki's views on love were really pure. He only liked beautiful girls—how much more simple could you get?
"Oh, right—also, don't be fooled by that bright, smiling face of his—it's all fake! Behind the scenes, he always wears a cold expression, like everyone owes him money or something!" Kaguya spoke while revealing a look of despair.
'Why the hell am I talking about general affairs Sakurai with some stranger? It's not like we're a couple!'
Jinguuji Tamaki's eyes lit up!
At first, she thought she'd just found someone who admired her son.
But now...
Looks like she caught a big one this time!
Mrs. Jinguuji probed: "This cute girl seems to know him really well, huh?"
The moment Shinomiya Kaguya heard that, she got annoyed: "I don't know him, and I don't want to. But since we're both in the student council, we see each other all the time—just seeing his face every day is enough to piss me off."
"Senpai, I'm Shinomiya Kaguya, Vice President of Shuchiin's student council." Kaguya introduced herself.
"Senpai? Actually, I'm older than you think." Jinguuji Tamaki grew more and more pleased the longer she looked at Kaguya.
"...Didn't expect that." Kaguya took another look at the woman.
So she wasn't a university student here on a campus tour?
"Sakurai-kun really is quite handsome." Tamaki looked toward the center of the athletic field, where Sakurai was standing.
"Kaguya, have you ever thought about dating him?"
Shinomiya Kaguya's face filled with disgust: "I'd rather stay single for the rest of my life than date that guy."
Besides, that guy already had a girlfriend, and not just anyone—it was her maid-slash-sister figure. How could she possibly interfere?
"Why's that?" Jinguuji Tamaki was puzzled.
In her eyes, her son might not be the absolute best choice, but within this school, he was easily top-tier.
"He's arrogant, foul-mouthed, and his face is thicker than the castle walls..."
Just as Shinomiya Kaguya was about to continue listing Sakurai Saki's crimes, the person in question appeared——
"Kaguya-san, what are you talking about with my mom?"
The moment Sakurai Saki saw the two of them standing together, he immediately activated his ability, pulled with all his strength in two bursts, and ended the match.
Just as Kaguya had suspected—he hadn't been using his full strength to avoid drawing attention.
"EHHH?!" Shinomiya Kaguya whipped her head around to look at Mrs. Jinguuji, her face full of shock."You're his mother...?"
She was stunned: "His mom?!!!"
Tamaki smiled: "I'm Sakurai Saki's mother, Jinguuji Tamaki. Pleased to make your acquaintance."
Kaguya hurriedly bowed: "I'm Shinomiya Kaguya, it's a pleasure to meet you. I look forward to your guidance."
Badmouthing someone—only to find out their mom was right there listening? Absolutely mortifying! Kaguya wanted nothing more than to dig a hole and crawl into it—immediately! Right now!
She turned her face away, blushing deeply, gritting her teeth: "Sakurai-san, your mother is really lively and adorable."
Jinguuji Tamaki winked at her in return: "Sweet girl, you're really adorable too~"
"Kaguya-san, next time you want to badmouth me, please don't do it right in front of me. Thanks." Sakurai shot her a look like she was an idiot.
He then threw an arm around his mother's shoulders, intending to lead her away.
"Mom, why'd you run all the way over here?"
"There were too many men in the stands. I didn't feel comfortable." Tamaki didn't really want to leave just yet. She had just found such an interesting girl, and she hadn't had nearly enough fun.
The two of them walked back toward the athletic field.
After a few steps——
"She didn't say anything weird to you, did she?" Sakurai Saki was worried Kaguya had accidentally said something about him and Hayasaka.
He hadn't told his mom yet.
"Not at all." Tamaki replied.
"Good."
Sakurai let out a sigh of relief.
Must've been fine.
"Oh, right, babyi, I really like that girl. Want to think about marrying her?"
"Didn't you say around noon that Chika was great?"
"Baby, you can marry both!"
Sakurai Saki knew she was joking.
You can't just believe everything a woman says—even if she's your own mother.
"Then I'll have to think very carefully about it."
Mrs. Jinguuji grabbed his arm and scolded him angrily: "No way!"
See? A perfect example right in front of him.