The chain of events leading up to this moment was actually rather simple.
Because the current atmosphere at First High emphasized practical combat skills above all else, very few students dedicated themselves to the field of Magical Engineering Technicians. Even among those who possessed solid theoretical knowledge, finding someone who was both capable and reliable was rare.
As a result, the school constantly found itself in a delicate predicament: a shortage of skilled engineers. This became a thorn in the side of both the Student Council and the Club Management Group, since the success of the Nine Schools Competition relied heavily on CAD maintenance and tuning.
It was then that Watanabe Mari remembered something Yotsuba Mahiro had once said. Months ago, when adjusting a CAD, he had claimed that most of his skills were taught by his landlord. Though Mahiro hadn't studied for long, his ability to debug and fine-tune a CAD was on an exceptional level.
And who was this so-called "landlord"? Naturally, it was none other than the Shiba siblings. Mayumi, of course, remembered this detail very clearly.
Because of this, Shiba Tatsuya had originally been invited to join the team of Magical Engineering Technicians. Yet upon accepting, Tatsuya made a peculiar suggestion: that Yotsuba Mahiro should also join.
Tatsuya even stated with his usual calm confidence that Mahiro's skill in CAD calibration was in no way inferior to his own. Using that as justification, he successfully pulled Mahiro into the mess.
And so, Mayumi—ever the diligent Student Council President—ended up waiting for him at the library, which brought them to the current situation.
...
"That's how it is," Mayumi explained, twirling a strand of silky hair by her temple with one finger. Her tone was casual, yet a trace of guilt flickered across her usually composed face.
She had known for quite some time that Mahiro's CAD skills were outstanding. Frankly, this responsibility should never have fallen onto his shoulders. As a competitor himself, his schedule was already packed to the brim.
But what choice did they have? The engineering team was stretched thin, and letting go of someone praised by both Azusa-chan and Tatsuya was out of the question. Backed into a corner, they had decided to rely on him as a last resort.
"So, Mahiro-kun," Mayumi leaned forward slightly, adopting a pitiful expression that would have melted the hearts of most boys, "can you lend us your strength?"
Even someone as steady as Yotsuba Mahiro, normally immune to such charms, felt his heart waver just a little. He let out a quiet sigh before answering.
"Alright. I'll take on the trouble. But my energy is limited. I'll only take responsibility for three competitors' CADs."
His tone then grew firm. "Also, CAD debugging requires absolute trust and cooperation between the technician and the magician. Resistance will only ruin the process. That means those three competitors must be chosen personally by me. Is that acceptable, kaichō?"
He wasn't making excuses. His time really was limited, and CAD maintenance during the Nine Schools Competition wasn't just about equipment. A technician also oversaw combat training, tuning combat styles to match the CAD adjustments, and ensuring a competitor's rhythm flowed seamlessly with their tools. It was an enormous responsibility.
As for his insistence on choosing, there was another, less spoken reason. He had long been ostracized by some students of Course 1. And frankly speaking… Mahiro didn't want to deal with debugging CADs for guys. Settling this matter in advance would prevent future disputes.
To his relief, Mayumi agreed without hesitation.
"Mmm~ of course, no problem."
But then her expression suddenly shifted into a mock pout.
"However—!" she said dramatically, placing a hand over her chest. "Sitting shoulder to shoulder with a beautiful girl like me, Mahiro-kun, and you have absolutely no intention of making a move on me?"
Her voice dripped with exaggeration, as her graceful body leaned closer with a theatrical sway.
"I'm truly sorry!" she added, puffing her cheeks. "My childish figure can't possibly compare to Mibu-chan's, right?"
"Eh?!"
Mahiro blinked, his mind going blank. He found himself staring at Saegusa-senpai, who had her arms folded while deliberately swaying, the subtle motion bringing their bodies into unavoidable contact.
Chi-childish figure…? What the heck is she talking about?!
Sure, Mayumi was petite—barely 160 centimeters tall—but "childish" was the last word that came to mind. Her proportions were undeniably refined: slender lines balanced with curves that spoke of quiet maturity.
And yet, faced with her mischievous accusation, Mahiro felt the corner of his lips twitch upward. Slowly, he reached out, resting his hand firmly on her shoulder to halt her playful swaying.
Their eyes—wine-red and sharp—locked together.
"Could it be…" Mahiro murmured with a teasing smile, leaning closer until their breaths mingled, "…that kaichō is actually hoping I'd make a move on you?"
The air grew subtly charged between them.
Yet Mayumi, ever the actress, didn't flinch. She tilted her chin, a faint pout curling her lips.
"Isn't that so? A kendo beauty like Mibu-chan must be much more to Mahiro-kun's liking, ne?"
Her words carried a sulking edge, as though she were genuinely envious.
Although Yotsuba Mahiro couldn't quite figure out how things had reached this point, somewhere deep down, he had a faint idea.
Could it be… that Mayumi-senpai was jealous?
He didn't know for sure. Perhaps it was because he had been spending so much time with Mibu Sayaka lately, leaving little room for proper conversation with Mayumi-senpai. Whatever the reason, the thought alone amused him, and a mischievous smile tugged at his lips.
Leaning closer, he whispered softly into her ear while one hand rested lightly on her shoulder.
"The reason is simple, Mayumi-senpai. I'm not some baka exhibitionist. I wouldn't lay hands on a woman while being watched by a surveillance camera. That would just land me in jail, yare yare."
"Ehh…?"
Mayumi blinked in surprise, then instinctively turned her head. The moment her eyes fell upon the tiny security monitor mounted in the corner, her elegant composure shattered. Her gaze darted around, cheeks flushing in embarrassment.
"U-um… S-so, then… what if there weren't any monitors? No one watching, no prying eyes at all… for example… if it were just the two of us, booking a room at a hotel?"
Her words were hesitant, but her tone carried a strangely dangerous charm.
Mahiro chuckled. "What a daring proposal, Mayumi-senpai. I didn't think the Student Council President herself harbored such bold thoughts… But when delicious meat is delivered right to my mouth, how could I not take a taste? Of course I'd savor it… and devour my dear Mayumi-senpai completely."
"E-Ehhhhh~~~!!!"
A startled yelp escaped Mayumi's lips as she stumbled back. But the narrow reading room left her with no escape. In a flustered panic, she pressed herself against the wall, her entire face crimson.
Yet Mahiro didn't relent. He stepped closer, closing the gap, his shadow swallowing her slight figure.
"Like this," he said, lowering his voice.
Her eyes widened just as the world seemed to tilt. His warm breath brushed across her skin, and then—
Softness.
Her lips parted in shock as Mahiro kissed her, firm yet deliberate, savoring every second. To him, the taste was unexpectedly intoxicating, like a sweet vintage wine mixed with the faintest trace of mint.
To Mayumi, however, it was chaos.
Her brain went completely blank. She hadn't expected this at all! She had only wanted to tease him a little, to see his usual calm façade crack. But instead, she had been overpowered by his boldness.
"H-he kissed me?! My first kiss… stolen… j-just like that?!"
Her fair cheeks, already flushed, now burned so fiercely they looked ready to spill blood.
"W-Wuwuwuwu—!!!"
It took several moments before her mind snapped back into focus. Gathering every ounce of strength from somewhere unknown, she shoved Mahiro away, stumbling back with trembling hands.
"M-Mahiro-kun! H-how could you…?!"
Her voice wavered so much it barely carried any authority.
Mahiro tilted his head slightly, his lips curling into a teasing smile. "Isn't this exactly what Mayumi-senpai was hoping for?"
"U-uwah…! B-but you already have Mibu-san…! And this was… this was my very first kiss! You—you even said you wouldn't do anything in front of a monitor, baka!"
She looked utterly betrayed, as if her pure maiden heart had been tricked.
Despite the way she had teased him moments ago with reckless words, Mayumi was, at her core, incredibly innocent. Like one of those "redditors" who bragged online but were painfully shy in real life, she had only dared to talk big.
Meanwhile, Mahiro said nothing further. He only offered her that mysterious smile.
The truth was, the moment he had entered the room, he had already used his magic to black out the surveillance cameras. Not because of Mayumi-senpai, nor because of some ulterior motive, but simply because he hated being watched.
Surveillance equipment always dragged him back to the bitter memories of the Fourth Research Lab.
As for the kiss… he hadn't been lying, at least to himself. That, too, had been his first.
His first kiss of the day, stolen under the faint fragrance of cherry blossoms.