084. So Weird, Take Another Look

"President! You're walking too fast! Slow down!"

The cheerful, unmistakable voice rang out from behind him, and Natsukawa Kanade winced slightly. It seemed there was no escape.

Not only had he spent the night at Fujiwara Chika's house, but he'd also had the pleasure of enjoying her family's hearty breakfast that morning. Despite scarfing down his food and bolting out the door at the earliest opportunity, he had underestimated Fujiwara's ability to keep up. Now, there she was, sprinting to catch him, a slice of bread comically clamped between her teeth like a scene from a cliché anime morning.

"Stupid president!" she huffed, finally catching up to him. Pausing for a breath, she shot him a glare of mock indignation. "Why are you running so fast? You didn't even wait for me!"

"You're just too slow," Kanade muttered, though his voice carried a guilty edge.

Truthfully, he wasn't in a rush to get to school. He simply didn't want to be spotted walking alongside Fujiwara. After all, they didn't live in the same neighborhood. If anyone saw them together, it could spark all sorts of annoying rumors, especially given her tendency to exaggerate every little thing.

But Fujiwara wasn't one to let things go so easily. She tilted her head, a teasing smile creeping across her lips as she leaned in close.

"This school uniform... President, don't tell me you didn't change your clothes?" Her eyes twinkled mischievously as she leaned even closer and took a dramatic sniff. Then, she reeled back with an exaggerated grimace. "Ugh, it stinks!"

Kanade bristled. "What?!"

She lied, of course. There was no offensive odor. In fact, the faint scent of his shampoo lingered, a comforting fragrance that she found oddly pleasant. But Fujiwara wasn't about to let him off the hook so easily. After all, he had ditched her earlier, and she was nothing if not creative with her revenge.

"The president is so untidy," she quipped, her tone full of playful scorn. "He actually went out wearing the same clothes as yesterday!"

She clasped her hands behind her back and leaned forward to study his expression, her eyes dancing with amusement.

Kanade turned away, his cheeks warming. "I didn't plan on staying overnight," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "Things... happened."

His gaze flickered nervously as he recalled the events of the previous night. He had intended to head home, but circumstances spiraled out of control. By the time he realized his predicament, it was too late to do anything about it.

"I tried drying my clothes with a hair dryer, but..." He trailed off, the excuse sounding even weaker aloud.

Fujiwara stifled a giggle and poked his arm. "Oh, President, you're hopeless. And here I thought you were supposed to be responsible!"

Kanade groaned inwardly. Why did she always enjoy tormenting him like this?

"Don't get so close if it's so bad," he whispered back, keeping his voice low. His attempt to push her away only made the situation look more intimate to anyone passing by.

"Mom, look!" A young boy's voice cut through the air. "That couple is being all lovey-dovey in the morning!"

Kanade's eyes widened in horror as he turned to see a little boy tugging on his mother's sleeve, pointing directly at them.

"Shin-chan!" the mother hissed, blushing furiously. "Don't point at people! You'll cause trouble!"

To emphasize her point, she bonked the boy on the head with an audible dong.

Both Kanade and Fujiwara froze, their faces turning a deep shade of red.

"Hurry!" Fujiwara whispered, tugging on his sleeve. "Let's just go!"

They quickened their pace, both too flustered to speak. Fortunately, they had left early enough to avoid running into anyone from school. Still, Kanade couldn't shake the embarrassment.

By the time they reached the student council room, he let out a sigh of relief. Here, at least, he had access to a spare winter uniform. He could finally change and put this entire ordeal behind him.

He turned to Fujiwara, who was still grinning mischievously. "Go stand guard at the school gate," he ordered, his tone sharp.

"Got it, got it," she replied, waving him off with exaggerated casualness.

Kanade waited until she was out of sight before grabbing the spare uniform. The room was blissfully empty, offering him the solitude he so desperately needed.

"This is how it should be," he muttered, peeling off his old clothes.

But something told him he wouldn't live this down anytime soon.

=========

Iino Miko was in turmoil.

Losing elections had become something of a recurring curse in her life, shadowing her from elementary school to the present day. It was a bitter pill to swallow, especially for someone who had faced so many failures head-on. Each loss left its sting, no matter how gracefully she tried to take it.

This time, though, things were different. She hadn't just lost—she'd been invited to join the student council.

Invited!

For someone like her, who had always stood on the sidelines of success, the offer felt like a lifeline tossed into stormy seas.

"Does this mean he believes in my abilities?" she mused, clutching her notebook tightly. "That bad-intentioned president…" Her face flushed slightly. "But maybe he's actually a good person after all? Senior Shinomiya did say he sees potential in people. Could he be thinking of training me to take over as the next student council president someday?!"

The thought sent her heart racing, but she immediately shook her head. "No way. That's way too dramatic…"

Still, her excitement grew. The idea of working alongside the seniors, learning from their wisdom, and receiving both praise and constructive criticism—it was thrilling. Her mind swirled with possibilities as she made her way toward the student council room.

"This is my chance to prove myself!"

Gathering all her courage, Iino Miko reached the door, took a deep breath, and pushed it open.

What she saw next would haunt her forever.

Standing in the middle of the room, trousers halfway up his legs, was Natsukawa Kanade.

He wasn't fully dressed.

And he was facing away from her.

"!?"

Her world stopped.

Her wide eyes locked onto the sight before her, brain overloaded as she froze in the doorway. Time stretched unbearably as the image seared itself into her mind. This was not what she had prepared for—not by a long shot.

She reacted instinctively, slamming the door shut with a force that echoed through the hallway.

Her thoughts spiraled. "This must be a mistake! I'm too tired! I'm seeing things!"

She gripped her notebook tighter, willing herself to believe it was all a hallucination born of sleeplessness and overexcitement. "The president would never—he couldn't! He's supposed to be dignified, responsible, sitting at his desk, correcting documents while sipping tea... not half-naked in the middle of the room!"

She took another deep breath.

"This is fine. Everything is fine. Just open the door again, and it'll be exactly as you imagined," she whispered to herself.

Steeling her nerves, Iino Miko slowly reopened the door.

This time, her vision aligned with her expectations. There sat Natsukawa Kanade, fully dressed and exuding an air of authority as he sifted through paperwork.

"See? I knew it," she muttered, relief washing over her.

Summoning her courage, she stepped into the room. Her cheeks were still tinged red, though whether from embarrassment or the leftover tension, she wasn't sure.

"G-good morning, President," she stammered, clutching her notebook like a lifeline.

Natsukawa Kanade didn't look up immediately, seemingly lost in his work. His serious demeanor only heightened her guilt. How could she have imagined such an unflattering scenario about him?

"President...?" she tried again, her voice rising slightly.

Finally, Kanade looked up, his expression one of mild confusion, as though he'd just been pulled out of deep concentration.

"Oh, Iino-san," he said, his voice calm. "Good morning."

"Yes! Good morning, President!" she replied quickly, bowing her head.