In short, the boy named Elliot Forster had fallen for the girl named Elise Holiness.
Right now, he was still waiting downstairs at the academy—clearly determined not to give up until he got an answer.
Last time, she'd been having lunch in the school garden with Laetitia when this blond boy came bounding over, bouquet in hand, to confess.
Elise had no choice but to turn him down politely, though she could still remember the looks from the onlookers nearby and their endless chants of "Say yes!" It had been… mortifying.
She'd always been the one watching others' drama. Who would've thought she'd become the drama herself?
After that rejection, Elliot had seemed rather dejected—but apparently it hadn't taken long for him to recover and prepare for another try.
Had someone been advising him behind the scenes?
She didn't know. Either way, the answer was still going to be no.
...
"Elliot, remember what I'm about to tell you."
In a certain room, blond Student Council President Ernest Fairclough looked at Elliot with uncharacteristic seriousness.
"There are three secrets to pursuing a girl. Burn them into your memory."
The air between them grew heavy—someone passing by might have thought they were holding a top-secret strategy meeting.
"Yes, President!" Elliot nodded, pulling out his notebook to take notes.
"First," Ernest raised one finger, "you have to be persistent!"
"No matter who you're pursuing, persistence comes first. Regardless of her impression of you—even if she rejects you—you can't be discouraged. In fact, you need to push on even harder."
"Nowadays, the chances of winning a girl over on the first try are slim. You have to be prepared for the long haul."
"If you give up after one confession, what right do you have to say you love her?"
His words lit a fire in Elliot, wiping away all traces of his earlier dejection.
"So that's how it is!"
"Thank you so much, President!" Elliot bowed deeply, but Ernest stopped him with a raised hand.
"Don't rush off—there's more. Keep taking notes; this will definitely help you with Elise."
He raised a second finger.
"The second point—"
"Don't be shy."
Ernest recalled a past incident at the academy, shaking his head slightly.
"There was once a student who tried to pursue a girl. He'd always invite her out to walk around, go shopping, that sort of thing—always polite, always proper."
"He chased her for three or four months, but their relationship stayed flat. Sometimes he couldn't even get her to meet up."
"Then another guy started pursuing her."
"This one was completely different! Every day he showered her with sweet words, sometimes brought her snacks. He had meals with her almost daily, always walked her home, and spent every bit of free time with her. Once they got a little closer, he'd occasionally hug her or steal a quick kiss."
Ernest paused and looked at Elliot. "So, do you think that second guy got the girl?"
"This…"
Elliot hesitated. While he could sometimes be a little crafty, he still considered himself a 'knight' at heart. Thinking about such things felt awkward.
Especially since he wasn't even fifteen yet! How was he supposed to understand all that?
"I… think probably not?"
In the end, he guessed that the second guy didn't succeed.
In Elliot's eyes, such smooth-talking types were actually unlikeable. He didn't care for that kind of person, and it didn't align with the path he wanted to take in his pursuit.
"Wrong!"
Ernest's voice rang out sharply, making Elliot tense.
"The second guy succeeded! He got the girl!"
"Eh?!"
How could that be?
Elliot was stunned.
Do girls these days really prefer that kind of guy?
"Surprised?" Ernest waved a hand, showing he shared some disbelief. "But the reality is—that's exactly what happened."
And reality spoke louder than any theory. Like certain infamous examples in history, facts trumped expectations.
"So that's how it is? I never would've guessed!"
Hearing Ernest's words was like a sudden epiphany for Elliot. His entire demeanor lit up, transformed into the very picture of an eager young man.
"The last point," Ernest continued seriously, "is that you must carry out the first two points to the letter. That's how you win a girl's heart."
"Let me sum it up for you."
First: Persistence.
Second: Shamelessness.
Third: Persist in being shameless.
"Follow these three points, and you'll be the final victor!"
"Oh, and by the way," Ernest added with a smile, "lately Elise has been harassed by quite a few people. With my approval, she's been spending a lot of time resting here in the Student Council room. So you need to seize the opportunity, Elliot!"
"I'll help you out!"
"President…" Elliot's eyes grew misty with gratitude. He hadn't expected the president to help him like this.
"Thank you so much!"
"Today's actually a good chance," Ernest went on. "In a little while, come over to the Student Council room. But before that, make some preparations—like think of a special nickname for her."
A nickname? Elliot thought about it. He'd just use something he personally liked!
...
Back to the present.
Elise had just finished lunch in the Student Council room and was carrying two books to read.
Knock knock knock!
"Hello! Is anyone in there?"
The voice of the spirited youth sounded from outside, drawing the attention of all three inside the room.
"Laetitia, could you open the door?" Ernest said from the president's seat with a smile. He was ready to play wingman and see if Elliot had any chance.
"Of course, President!" Laetitia already knew who was outside just from the voice, a mischievous grin forming as she prepared to watch the show.
Elise, on the other hand, sighed.
The beaming boy stepped inside, holding an enormous bouquet of roses.
"It's been so long since we last met!"
"…" Elise was speechless. We literally see each other every day.
"These are for you…"
"My little peanut!"
In that instant, everyone in the room except Elliot himself wore the same complicated expression.
Is this kid… okay?