The moment Shimizu Akira set down his phone, Horikita Suzune returned from the hallway. Without further discussion, the two walked side by side toward the student council office.
However, it was Friday, and a considerable line had formed outside the council room—evidently, many students were handling weekend-related matters.
They waited quietly at the end of the queue for over ten minutes before it was finally their turn.
As they stepped inside, Shimizu Akira's gaze swept across the room. Aside from Student Council President Horikita Manabu and Secretary Kushida Kikyō, there was another familiar figure seated on the sofa nearby.
It was Nagumo Miyabi.
Shimizu Akira had briefly crossed paths with him during his parfait shop outing with Kushida Kikyō.
The blond upperclassman was currently turned slightly toward the girl beside him, engaged in conversation.
The girl next to him wore a sunflower-shaped hairpin, her demeanor gentle and her appearance sweet.
Yet compared to Nagumo's animated chatter, she mostly listened quietly, occasionally nodding with little enthusiasm.
"Shimizu-kun, good afternoon."Kushida Kikyō approached briskly, nodding at Shimizu Akira before her eyes landed on Horikita Suzune beside him. Her expression faltered slightly—this face was far too similar to the president's.
Out of affection for Horikita Manabu, her tone softened. *"Hello, I'm Kushida Kikyō from Class 3-A, the student council secretary. May I ask your class and name?"*
But Horikita Suzune didn't hear her.
From the moment she entered the office, her attention had been magnetically locked onto Horikita Manabu, to the point where she didn't even notice Kushida standing right in front of her, much less respond.
"Horikita."Shimizu Akira nudged her arm lightly, lowering his voice. "Stop staring at your brother. Kushida-senpai is talking to you—answer her."
The words snapped her out of it.
Horikita Suzune jolted back to reality, her voice slightly strained as she faced Kushida, her discomfort poorly concealed. *"I'm Horikita Suzune… from Class 1-D."*
"And?"Shimizu Akira prompted pointedly.
She shot him a glare before forcing out stiffly, "Kushida-senpai… I've heard you're my brother's assistant. Thank you… for supporting him."
Every word felt unnatural to her.
She had never been the type to exchange pleasantries with strangers.
But while waiting in line earlier, Shimizu Akira had drilled it into her—"Being polite is the only way to earn your brother's approval."
He'd even prepared scripted responses for every possible encounter.
Now, she had no choice but to comply.
Kushida Kikyō studied her features, the initial surprise in her eyes melting into understanding—this was unmistakably the president's sister. The resemblance in their eyes and bearing was uncanny.
She didn't mind the minor rudeness.
Given that this was the president's younger sister, a certain aloofness was to be expected.
What she hadn't anticipated were the diplomatic words.
At first glance, she'd assumed this girl had zero social skills, her world revolving solely around her brother while disregarding everyone else.
Yet the gratitude—especially toward her role as the president's aide—was undeniably flattering.
Though… if she wasn't mistaken, those words seemed to have been fed to her by Shimizu Akira?
The realization made her regard him with newfound warmth.
Kushida Kikyō nodded gently, gesturing toward the seating area. "Shimizu-kun, Horikita-san, please make yourselves comfortable on the sofa. The president is currently on a call with the school and may be busy for a while. I'll prepare some tea for you."
It was only their second meeting, yet Kushida was going out of her way to serve them tea?
Shimizu Akira glanced at the office desks—no tea set was in sight, meaning she'd have to prepare it specially.
Most students who came to the council were either left standing or given a perfunctory seat. This level of hospitality was unheard of.
Was it because the president was occupied and wanted them to wait comfortably?
But then his gaze flicked to Horikita Suzune, who was still subtly biting her lip—no, this was undoubtedly preferential treatment for the president's sister, compounded by those carefully crafted pleasantries.
"Thank you, Kushida-senpai."Shimizu Akira replied politely.
"I won't disturb my brother's work. I'll wait however long it takes."Horikita Suzune added emphatically.
Despite her words, she couldn't resist stealing another glance at Horikita Manabu—he was seated behind his desk, reviewing documents while on the phone.
Only when Shimizu Akira nudged her again did she snap out of it, awkwardly averting her gaze and following him to the sofa.
Yet even after sitting, her entire body remained rigid.
She perched on the very edge of the seat, her spine straight as a rod, like a bowstring drawn taut.
Shimizu Akira eyed her tension with bemusement. "What are you so nervous about? Your brother isn't some man-eating beast. Do you really need to sit like you're at a military inspection?"
She stiffened further, her voice defensive. "I'm not nervous. Maintaining proper posture in unfamiliar settings is basic etiquette."
Elsewhere in the office, Nagumo Miyabi—though seemingly engrossed in his own affairs—had cast multiple discreet glances at the two newcomers, particularly the raven-haired beauty with captivating fox-like eyes.
He had always had a weakness for pretty girls, and upon overhearing her introduce herself as the president's sister, his interest had skyrocketed.
He viewed Horikita Manabu as a rival, though the latter rarely acknowledged him.
The thought of dating the president's sister—just imagining the look on Horikita's face—sent a thrill down his spine.
"Sae, I'm going to go greet our adorable kouhai. You don't mind, right?"
With that, he abruptly ended his conversation with his childhood friend, Asahina Sae.
"Tch." She rolled her eyes, as usual.
Nagumo chuckled, entirely unbothered. His青梅竹馬 had long since grown accustomed to his antics.
"But those two look like they're together, don't they? I don't care if you chase after single girls, but don't go meddling in a happy couple's relationship!"Asahina warned, her tone serious.
"If their bond is truly pure, no one can interfere,"Nagumo countered without missing a beat. "This'll be a good test—see just how strong their connection is. Really, I'm doing them a favor."
"That's the dumbest logic I've ever heard!" She frowned. "True love isn't some experiment for you to play with. Besides, that girl's the president's sister—if you piss him off, don't come crying to me."
A lazy smirk curled his lips. "The unapproachable ones are the most fun. Did you see how she talked to that guy earlier? That reluctant, awkward look in her eyes—relationships like that arefullof cracks."
His gaze drifted back to the corner of the office, where Horikita Suzune was now speaking quietly with the boy named Shimizu, her expression noticeably softer than when they'd entered.
Whether they were dating was unclear, but their inexperience was obvious—even if they were together, it couldn't have been for long. After all, the school year had only just begun.
"If anything,"Nagumo mused, "Iwantto provoke the president. Let's see if he'll finally take me seriously and give me a real challenge."
While he enjoyed flirting with beautiful girls, what he craved even more was a worthy opponent.
His entire life, he'd been surrounded by mediocrity—to the point where he sometimes wondered: Was he truly a genius?
But if he could crush every so-called "prodigy" in his path… then the answer would be undeniable.
Asahina Sae sighed at the calculating glint in his eyes. "Do what you want. But if the president finds out you're harassing his sister, don't expect me to bail you out."
"Relax." He stood, straightening his uniform collar. "I always play fair and square."
With that, he strolled leisurely toward Horikita Suzune and Shimizu Akira.