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"Let's go on a date!"
Mrs. Shimizu put her hands on her hips and said earnestly, "Do you know why the protagonists in manga are almost always high school students?"
Fujiwara Chika blinked, curious:
"I've never actually thought about that question. Why is that?"
"It's simple." Mrs. Shimizu sighed softly. "Elementary school students are ignorant and don't understand anything, but they're happy in their innocence."
"You're overthinking it." Amamiya Natsuki said from the side, "Don't underestimate today's elementary school students. For example, Kaguya-san has been defeated by elementary school students many times before."
Leaving aside their game talent, some elementary school students also have outstanding dating talent. At a young age, they have already achieved numerous accomplishments like holding hands, hugging, having a little girlfriend, and kissing, far surpassing those single men in their thirties who haven't even held a girl's hand.
"Eh eh eh?"
Mrs. Shimizu looked over expectantly, "When was Kaguya-chan defeated by an elementary school student?"
"It was an old fun mission." Shinomiya Kaguya carried her school bag with both hands, walking with an especially ladylike posture when out and about.
"I'm very curious." Mrs. Shimizu raised her right hand. "Tell Mama quickly."
"I don't want to say."
Shinomiya Kaguya looked straight ahead, refusing in a low voice.
Losing to an elementary school student in an arcade game was such an embarrassing thing; she absolutely didn't want to tell anyone, not even Mama.
"How… how mean." Mrs. Shimizu seemed to have suffered a great blow, covering her face with both hands and pretending to be wronged. "Kaguya-chan doesn't love Mama anymore, does she?"
Shinomiya Kaguya: "…"
"You really don't love Mama anymore, do you?" Mrs. Shimizu pressed her advantage, continuing to fake cry. "Now you don't even want to explain."
Shinomiya Kaguya's eyelid twitched slightly. Even a girl made of ice and snow couldn't remain calm, let alone the current Sheltered Ojou-sama. She couldn't help but complain in a low voice:
"You're not a child anymore. Don't you feel ashamed saying that word all the time?!"
"Not at all." Mrs. Shimizu said righteously, "Shame is an emotion only humans have. What does it have to do with me, a guardian spirit?"
"Those little girls who are unwilling to express their inner emotions are usually the 'losers' in manga."
"Indeed." Amamiya Natsuki turned to look. "Playing on your phone more really has no downsides."
When this Mrs. Shimizu passed away due to heart disease, the concept of tsundere hadn't even clearly emerged.
Now, let alone tsundere, terms like "loser candidate," "blonde twin tails," and "pure love warrior uninvited" are all familiar to her. Now, whether in theoretical experience or other aspects of knowledge preparation, she has far surpassed the Sheltered Ojou-sama.
"Cough cough." Fujiwara Chika helped change the subject. "Shimizu-nee still hasn't said why high school students are most likely to become protagonists."
"Hmmph." Mrs. Shimizu continued, "I just finished talking about elementary school students, now it's about junior high students…"
As she spoke, two girls in junior high uniforms passed by them. The curves on their white shirts were exceptionally prominent, and as they walked, they clearly seemed to hide bouncy balla, making it impossible to look away.
Mrs. Shimizu pointed a finger: "For example, those two little girls. Although their development is quite good, psychologically, they clearly haven't matured yet."
Amamiya Natsuki heard this and couldn't help but look at the Sheltered Ojou-sama.
Psychologically, she had matured initially, but her development was truly regrettable.
"Natsuki-kun, what are you looking at?"
Shinomiya Kaguya smiled and tilted her head, her smile extremely dangerous.
"I'm looking at the road."
Amamiya Natsuki looked straight ahead, reacting quickly.
Mrs. Shimizu continued:
"Once you go to college, you basically move out and start living alone, worrying about life."
"After you start working, you're busy all day, repeating tedious and boring tasks, physically and mentally exhausted, with no energy or impulse to experience new things."
Mrs. Shimizu extended one finger, finally concluding:
"High school students' bodies and minds are basically mature, but they haven't been beaten by society yet, retaining strong curiosity and initiative. It's the most beautiful age group for girls, bar none."
"I saw online that even tights worn by high school girls are sought after at high prices…"
Hey, hey, don't secretly look at such messy things on your phone! Do you want me to turn on parental controls?!
"Three years, high school only lasts a short three years." Mrs. Shimizu extended three fingers. "If you don't even have one heart-pounding date, you'll definitely regret it for a lifetime."
"For example, I regret it very much now." Mrs. Shimizu sighed softly, lamenting with the tone of a ghost from the past, "In high school, I only cared about getting first in my class. That bittersweet dating experience, I'll never get to experience it again."
"…"
As they spoke.
The three had already reached the school gate.
The black car was parked in the corner as usual. The elderly driver, whose hair had turned white, stood by the car door. Seeing Amamiya Natsuki and the others come out, he bowed slightly and opened the car door. His entire set of movements was meticulous, without a single flaw, truly worthy of being a veteran driver.
"Fujiwara, would you like a ride home?"
Shinomiya Kaguya asked.
"No, thank you." Fujiwara Chika shook her head, taking a deep breath of the fresh air after the rain. "The rain has finally stopped. It's rare for it not to rain, so I want to walk for a bit."
"Hmm."
Shinomiya Kaguya nodded gently and turned to look at Amamiya Natsuki.
"I'll go back by myself." Amamiya Natsuki said, "See you tomorrow."
"…See you tomorrow."
The car quickly drove away.
"What Shimizu-nee just said makes a lot of sense." Fujiwara Chika said as she walked. "It made me want to go on a date too."
Amamiya Natsuki raised his right hand, not hesitating to volunteer:
"I can help you experience what a date feels like."
Fujiwara Chika's pretty face flushed slightly, and she quickly shook her head: "You won't do!"
"Why?"
"No reason, you just won't do."
"Alright then." Amamiya Natsuki changed the subject. "A new ramen shop just opened recently, and they say the food is super good. Want to go eat?"
Fujiwara Chika's eyes immediately lit up:
"I want to eat!"
"Let's go, let's eat ramen."
The two walked forward together, facing the setting sun.
"Eh, wait a moment..."
Fujiwara Chika quickly reacted.
She hadn't thought much of it before, but now, only the two of them eating ramen together, how was that different from a date?
"You've changed your mind," Amamiya Natsuki said faintly.
"When did I change my mind?"
Fujiwara Chika couldn't help but puff out her cheeks.
Amamiya Natsuki said as a matter of course:
"A newly opened ramen shop is waiting for you to try and check in, and you still have the mind to care about other things?"
Fujiwara Chika clenched her fists, her gaze firming:
...That makes sense. When checking in at a new ramen shop, I shouldn't be distracted at all."
After eating ramen, the two went home separately.
Due to the unexpected incident last night, Miko didn't sneak over in the evening; only the Spy Maid was out and about, needless to say.
The night passed without incident.
The next day.
After Amamiya Natsuki got up, he went to school as usual. Today was considered his first official day as the Student Council President.
Shinomiya Kaguya, Fujiwara Chika, Kashiwagi Nagisa, and Yurikawa Hana all arrived early, gathered in the Student Council office, and began the Student Council's first day.
And then... nothing happened.
"So boring," Fujiwara Chika sprawled on the sofa. "Let's have something for us to do."
Amamiya Natsuki looked over: "Don't jinx it."
"I'm not jinxing it."
Fujiwara Chika retorted.
Bang.
The door was suddenly pushed open.
Koyasu Tsubame rushed in, scanning the room, biting her pink lips, and said:
"Kashiwagi, can you please step out for a moment?"
"Okay."
Kashiwagi blinked, understandingly agreed, and got up to leave the office.
Seeing this, Amamiya Natsuki couldn't help but narrow his eyes, feeling that something bad was about to happen.
"Tsubame-senpai, what's wrong?"
Fujiwara Chika, however, was completely oblivious.
"I..." Koyasu Tsubame pressed her hand to her chest, took a deep breath to calm herself down, and then whispered, "I just received a game notification that I'm being forced into a new dungeon."
...
Upon hearing this, Amamiya Natsuki and Kaguya both silently looked at secretary.
And you said you weren't jinxing it? Whatever you want comes true. Your flag-raising skills are already comparable to an old general on stage!
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