Chapter 094: Impure Relationships Must Be Prohibited!

The next morning.

When Kanade Natsukawa groggily woke up, the angelic Mahiru Shiina was already in her school uniform, busily preparing breakfast in the kitchen.

"You're up," she greeted him casually as he sat up on the sofa. "Go brush your teeth and wash your face. Breakfast is ready."

"…Alright." Still a bit groggy, Kanade nodded and shuffled off to freshen up.

After washing up, the two sat together at the dining table, eating breakfast and chatting lightly.

"How was your sleep last night?" Kanade asked out of curiosity. Although Mahiru had fallen asleep in his bed, he felt obligated to ask out of politeness, like a host checking on a guest's stay.

"It was… fine…" Mahiru answered, her tone slightly bashful. Though she was flustered about having slept in a boy's bed—wearing his clothes, no less—what bothered her more was his complete lack of initiative.

She'd gone so far as to lower all her defenses, yet that idiot Kanade had done nothing—not even a "goodnight kiss"!

Coward! she thought indignantly.

"I see…" Kanade nodded awkwardly. It was just dawning on him that Mahiru had truly spent the night at his place—in his clothes and his bed, no less. If you stretched the math, it was practically like they had spent the night together…

Shaking his head furiously, Kanade forced himself to banish such thoughts. Morning was no time for his imagination to run wild, especially when his energy levels were so, uh, "high."

The two fell into a mutual, awkward silence, both lost in their own thoughts.

"I'm done." Kanade downed the last of his warm milk, clasped his hands together, and thanked her. "Thanks for the meal."

While it was odd to formally express gratitude at his own table, he'd grown so accustomed to Mahiru's care that it felt natural.

"Hurry up and get to school, then. I'll tidy up before heading out," Mahiru said, beginning to clear the dishes.

"Why don't we walk to school together?" Kanade suggested. Normally, he wouldn't insist on such a thing. But after spending the night and sharing breakfast, it felt silly to part ways now.

"...I'll pass," Mahiru replied, hesitating for a moment before shaking her head. While walking together and signaling "ownership" was tempting, she couldn't bring herself to do it without a proper claim to the title. Drawing unnecessary attention could backfire.

This was advice she'd gotten from her friend, Kato, who had emphasized the importance of subtlety in matters like these.

"Alright. I'll go ahead, then," Kanade said, picking up his bag and heading for the door.

"Wait, Kanade." Mahiru quickly ran over and fussed over his appearance, brushing dust off his collar and straightening his tie. She even adjusted his buttons, all while gently scolding him.

"You really should take better care of your image. You're the student council president, after all."

Despite her complaints, her soft, caring tone made it impossible for him to feel criticized.

"Take care on your way," she said with a smile.

"Yeah…" Kanade responded, his heart feeling unusually warm.

On the way to school, Kanade didn't run into many people. However, as he reached the school gates, he spotted Miko Iino standing vigilantly at her post. He greeted her with a casual wave.

"Good morning, Iino-san."

He wasn't expecting much of a response, but Miko's visible flinch surprised him. She looked like she wanted to back away but managed to restrain herself.

"G-Good morning, President…" she stammered, her body visibly tense.

Kanade sighed inwardly. It was clear she was still wary of him—understandable, given his recent reputation as a "womanizer." No girl could stay calm around someone with such rumors swirling.

And all because of Kaguya's bizarre antics. After asking him about his preferences in underwear, she'd gone on to spread baseless gossip, leaving him to deal with the fallout.

"About yesterday… It's all a misunderstanding. I'm not… that kind of person. I hope you won't believe those rumors," Kanade said, trying to clear the air. While having Kaguya or Miko clarify things would be more credible, he felt his own explanation was still necessary.

"Eh? N-no, I wasn't really thinking about it…" Miko shrank back slightly, her cheeks tinged with pink.

Of course, that was a lie. She had been thinking about it. As someone who used to dismiss the president's scandals as baseless rumors, she now found herself reevaluating them after hearing Kaguya's "testimony."

And to make matters worse, it felt like Kanade had been looking at her! Other students had started giving her strange looks, and some even approached her with cryptic warnings like, "Brace yourself for heartbreak."

What nonsense! There's no way I'd fall for such a scumbag! Miko thought fiercely. No way would she succumb to this "womanizing president's" schemes.

"That's good to hear," Kanade replied with a small nod, seemingly satisfied. Regardless of how she truly felt, simply voicing his side of the story made him feel lighter.

"By the way, Iino-san, you're incredibly diligent. Whether it's student council matters or the disciplinary committee, you handle everything so responsibly." That was one of the reasons he'd invited her to join the council in the first place.

"!"

Miko's expression instantly softened into a look of shy delight, though she quickly masked it with an accusatory glare.

"N-no! Don't think flattery will get you anywhere! I-I'll still be keeping an eye on you. No violations will go unpunished!" she declared.

Impure relationships, casual flirting, cheating—especially by someone in a position like the president—were absolutely unacceptable. If he broke the rules, she'd ensure he faced the consequences.

"Of course. I welcome the supervision," Kanade replied, smiling. He realized that keeping this dynamic might not be so bad. Her cautiousness would prevent any further misunderstandings.

"Well then, I won't hold you up any longer," Kanade said, noticing more students arriving. Standing around chatting would only attract unnecessary attention and disrupt her work, so he decided to take his leave.

As Kanade walked away, Miko didn't think much of it at first. But as she reflected, she became more convinced that Kanade was a dangerous threat.

He's too smooth! Just a few words and I'm already lowering my guard. I need to stay vigilant!