Chapter 302: Kaguya's Heart, Everyone Can See It
Even though she couldn't give it in secret, Iino Miko didn't feel embarrassed. "For you, Ishigami, this is giri choco." She pulled out a store-bought piece of chocolate and handed it to Ishigami.
"Thanks, Iino." Ishigami was surprised.
"We're both in the student council, and I've gotten some help from you."Iino quickly finished with Ishigami, then looked at the other three. She took out two more of the same kind to give to Shirogane and Shinomiya: "Thank you, President Shirogane and Shinomiya-senpai, Thanks for your help over the years, senpai."
She spoke respectfully and gave a slight bow—making the two of them look a bit awkward.
Miko-chan was just too serious. She'd been in the student council for half a year and was still this formal? Friends giving chocolate don't usually bow like that.
But they all knew Iino Miko's personality, so no one said anything aloud.
"Thank you." x2
After handing out the giri, Iino Miko brought out a piece of chocolate she had been holding from the start.
"Sakurai-senpai, this… chocolate for you."
Sakurai thought it was giri and didn't pay much attention; but looking closely he saw a heart shape—though it was still store-bought, not handmade.
"Is this honmei choco?" Ishigami blurted out, startled. "Iino, no matter how much you like Sakurai-senpai, giving honmei crosses the line! He already has Hayasaka-senpai as his girlfriend!"
If Hayasaka-senpai found out Sakurai-senpai got honmei from another girl, big trouble! Ishigami, an otaku who plays plenty of gal games, knew this could turn into a shurafield!
"So what? I think giri doesn't show enough of my gratitude to senpai!" Iino argued.
"…Iino, usually when someone already has a girlfriend, only the girlfriend gives honmei—that's the unspoken rule." Kaguya said with a gentle smile.
She only saw Iino Miko's liking for Sakurai as a kouhai admiring a senpai, nothing more.
"But… but." Iino Miko, sitting next to Sakurai, looked flustered.
"But what?" Shirogane was curious. Was there more to this?
"But Hayasaka-senpai already agreed." Iino murmured. "Hayasaka-senpai is very tolerant. I told her I wanted to give honmei to Sakurai-senpai, and she wasn't angry."
Maybe because Iino explained her reason clearly?
"Ara, so we were overthinking." Kaguya lifted her teacup and took a sip, understanding the reason.
Sorry, Miko-chan, it seems Hayasaka has already ruled you out as a rival.Which means Ai-chan doesn't consider Iino a threat to her place.
It stings not to be counted as an official rival; after all, even the "cancer of earth," that chaotic monster in the guise of a beautiful girl, makes Hayasaka stay on guard—but Miko-chan does not.
'Come to think of it, Ai-chan's been looking at me strangely lately, why?' Kaguya felt a bit confused.
Though she had a slight fondness for Sakurai, Kaguya had decided to just be friends with him. Yet Ai-chan still thought of her as a rival. She wasn't the type to steal a best friend's boyfriend, believe it.
Of course, if Sakurai-san confessed, she might accept—but she wouldn't become a third party who breaks someone else's love. Kaguya thought silently.
"Thank you, Miko-chan." Sakurai smiled and patted her head.
"Ehehe~." Iino giggled innocently. She loved being patted on the head—about ten times more than most people.
'Feels like a little kitten.' Sakurai let go of her head.
Iino Miko thought about Kaguya's words, curiosity rising: "Kaguya-senpai, are you planning to give honmei this year?"
"Honmei? Not at all." Kaguya replied immediately. Giving honmei to someone? Sorry, the "weeds" in this school aren't qualified.
The chocolates she gave to the other student council members were all giri.
Thinking of that, Kaguya stood up and handed out the giri choco she had bought—high-class brands; Shirogane recognized from the logo that they weren't cheap.
"Where's mine?" Sakurai couldn't believe it!
Even though he and Kaguya had argued plenty last year, not giving him chocolate would be way too much, wouldn't it?!
"What's the rush?" Kaguya rolled her eyes, then opened a safe and took out an extra-large chocolate cookie, beautifully wrapped.
"Glup~" Ishigami swallowed. This thing looked dangerous—so full of feeling, in a shape that could only mean honmei, right?
Too bad the guess was wrong.
"For you. Yours is giri choco." Kaguya turned her face away, a faint blush on her cheeks. "Don't get the wrong idea, it's really just giri. Even if it's heart-shaped and uses the dark chocolate you like, it's still giri. I spent a lot of time making it, so you have to eat it all. Don't give it to anyone else."
Sakurai: "..."
Pure tsundere remarks like that are rare these days.
That shy attitude could easily cause misunderstandings.
"Shinomiya…" Shirogane wanted to remind her that handmade chocolate that takes time is usually called honmei, but he remembered Kaguya's lack of basic knowledge. Maybe she truly didn't know and just made it that way?
But the giri she gave the rest of them was store-bought… though very expensive.
"What?" Kaguya looked at Shirogane. "You're about to say I'm giving honmei?"
Shirogane lowered his head in silence.
Her intentions were as obvious as daylight.
The student council risked turning into a harem for a certain scumbag; Shirogane worried that once he left, who knew what would happen here.
And Kei-chan, his adorable little sister—what would become of her? Maybe he shouldn't go to Stanford after all?
Ishigami sensed something and quietly unwrapped a piece of chocolate, taking a bite.
'Bitter…?'
Eh? Oh, from Fujiwara-senpai—then fine.
"Why is everyone so quiet?" Kaguya noticed the boys saying nothing, even Iino Miko was blushing as if embarrassed.
"Kaguya-san, thank you." Sakurai accepted the chocolate, breaking the silence.
"Thank me for what? Remember, on White Day you have to return it threefold."
Sakurai: "?"
What a humiliating demand—she expects me to repay triple? Just you wait!
....
Note: the chapters seem short?