Just as Yotsuba Mahiro had expected.
The conflict that had erupted in the second small gymnasium, and the way it was later handled, became the biggest topic at First High.
The uproar lingered for an entire week. Almost every Ichika student who passed him shot strange looks his way, whispering behind his back and secretly calling him "the traitor of the Course 1 students."
Especially the members of the kenjutsu Club—more than a few of them looked like they wanted to drag him into a live one-on-one match right there. But after remembering what happened to Kirihara Takeaki, none of them dared to act rashly. Even hot-blooded kenjutsu fanatics had enough sense to avoid sharing his fate.
And so, club recruitment week came to a quiet close. The storm had passed… at least on the surface.
A week later, right around lunchtime, Mahiro received an invitation from Mibu Sayaka.
.....
"I say, Mibu-senpai, even if you invited me, there's no need to stand here waiting at the entrance, right?"
As soon as he arrived at the small café near campus, Mahiro spotted her. Mibu-senpai stood at the door with her arms folded neatly behind her back. Her trademark ponytail swayed lightly with the breeze, cherry blossom petals fluttering past her hair like a scene straight out of a shoujo manga.
She wasn't dressed in her usual white kendo uniform. Instead, she wore the standard First High uniform. Somehow, it gave her an entirely different kind of charm.
"This way, Mahiro-kun wouldn't have trouble finding me, right? Since I was the one who invited you, I'd feel bad making you wander around."
Her smile was warm and sincere, the kind of thoughtfulness that made it hard for a boy his age to resist.
"As expected of The Kendo Belle…" Mahiro thought to himself with a wry smile.
....
Although it was lunch hour, the café wasn't crowded. The two of them chose a seat near the window, where the sunlight filtered softly onto the table.
"Mahiro-kun, order whatever you'd like. It's my treat."
"Eh? Really? Then I won't hold back, Mibu-senpai."
Without hesitation, Mahiro ordered a steak set meal and a cup of coffee. Sayaka chose a plate of fried yakisoba and a bright-looking fruit juice.
The truth was, the food here wasn't exactly gourmet. Most of it was made by automatic dispensers—instant meals dressed up to look like café dishes. Still, Mahiro didn't complain. His knife cut steadily into the steak as he thought to himself:
Starting from next week, I'll just bring my own bento.
....
By the time lunch was nearly over, Sayaka had finished her noodles and was sipping her juice. She drank with surprising speed, and after downing two-thirds of it in one go, she looked up—only to meet Mahiro's gaze perfectly.
Her eyes widened slightly in surprise. Then, as though the vivid red of her juice had climbed straight into her cheeks, her face flushed pink.
"M-Mibu-senpai, do you really like sweet drinks that much?"
"W-what's wrong with that? I just happen to like them, okay! I guess I'm just… childish or something!"
Sayaka puffed her cheeks and looked away, clearly embarrassed.
Mahiro chuckled lightly. "It's not childish at all. Girls liking sweet things is perfectly normal. If you like it so much, I'll treat you to another cup, so there's no need to rush."
His tone was gentle, almost the way one would reassure a little sister.
"N-no, thank you. This is enough…"
Sayaka's voice grew smaller and smaller. Her cheeks turned even redder, and she nearly buried her face in her chest like a shy ostrich.
But then, as if realizing something, she quickly sat upright.
"Um… please allow me to compose myself once more."
She closed her eyes briefly, then exhaled. A faint smile returned to her lips. Compared to the serious and composed senpai Mahiro had seen during recruitment week, this flustered side of her was unbelievably cute.
"Now then… please allow me to thank you properly again for what happened."
Sayaka placed her hands neatly on her thighs, straightened her posture, and bowed deeply.
"Haa… so formal again." Mahiro scratched his cheek awkwardly.
"Mibu-senpai, you really don't need to be so polite. You're someone I know, after all. I couldn't just stand by and watch you get hurt."
Sayaka shook her head firmly. "No, it's not just about you stopping Kirihara-kun. After all, I was the one who challenged him to that duel… normally, the Public Morals Committee would have punished our Kendo Club."
Her voice softened, gratitude shining in her eyes.
"But I know, Mahiro-kun. You had a serious conflict with both the Club Alliance President and the Public Morals Committee President for our sake. If not for you, Kirihara-kun and the kenjutsu Club wouldn't have apologized the way they did."
She lowered her head once again, bowing deeply. "So, thank you very much, Mahiro-kun."
He sighed softly. Not only had he stepped in to defend her during the duel, but he had also tried to clear her doubts before the recruitment week even began. Maybe that was why Sayaka had been able to face Kirihara with a steady heart.
"Please raise your head, Mibu-senpai."
His voice carried an unusual weight, like a spell slipping into her heart. Almost without realizing it, Sayaka sat upright, her eyes instinctively locking onto his.
"Mibu-senpai, I didn't do all this for the Kendo Club. I just want to see a fair environment, even if it's only a shallow sense of fairness, rather than something that pretends to be fair but is rotten underneath."
"If the Kendo Club had really been at fault, I wouldn't have refuted Watanabe-senpai's judgment."
"That's true, but...."
Sayaka muttered awkwardly, her tone carrying a quiet sting. "If it had been left up to the Public Morals Committee, I'm afraid only the Kendo Club would've been made to suffer...."
Her lips tightened, her brows knitting with frustration.
"In the past, the Kendo Club has faced so many of these so-called 'incidents.' And every time, we're unfairly accused. The Public Morals Committee just uses us to polish their own record of 'achievements.'"
It was clear—Mibu-senpai held a deep resentment toward the Committee.
But speaking of the Public Morals Committee....
"By the way, Senpai, did you know? I actually received an invitation from them too."
"E-eh... huh?!"
Sayaka's eyes widened, panic flashing across her face. She quickly waved her hands, flustered.
"G-gomen! That's not what I meant at all! Mahiro-kun is totally different from those people—different from the stuck-up Ichiko Students too! That's why we were spared punishment. I-I didn't mean to insult the Committee, it's just... well... I really dislike them, but—ahhh, what am I even saying...?"
Her words grew more jumbled with every breath, her voice shrinking smaller and smaller until only her lips moved soundlessly.
Mahiro's lips curved, amusement flickering in his eyes. Sayaka caught the glimmer and instantly ducked her head, her cheeks burning.
"....Mahiro-kun, do you... like bullying people?"
"How could that be?" Mahiro waved it off with a chuckle. "I just thought Senpai suddenly looked really cute, so I teased you a little. Sorry about that."
"B-baka..." Sayaka mumbled under her breath, face still red.
Mahiro's tone softened as he leaned forward slightly.
"Still, Mibu-senpai... you didn't come here just to thank me, did you? If that were the case, you could've just said it in the cafeteria. Choosing a quiet café like this... you clearly had something else on your mind."
Sayaka's breath hitched.
'C-cute... he actually said cute...'
She quickly shook her head, pushing the flustered thought away. This wasn't the time. Her determination pushed past her embarrassment.
"...I'll just say it straight."
Her fingers tightened around the edge of her cup as she looked him squarely in the eye.
"Mahiro-kun... are you and Saegusa Kaichou... a couple?"