Chapter 345: Snap

"Okay, smile, you two."

"Alright."

Rinji stood in the garden outside the school building, pointing the camera at the couple: Nagisa Kashiwagi and Tsubasa Tanuma.

The principal had asked him to take photos that captured the youthful spirit of the students for the school magazine.

Originally, Rinji suggested just photographing students studying in classrooms to highlight the academic rigor of Shuchiin Academy.

But the principal rejected that.

Because he believed if the magazine only emphasized studying, no one would feel this school had any youthful vibe. No one would choose to come here.

Rinji thought the principal's concerns were completely off. Students not wanting to enroll didn't mean their parents wouldn't want them to. After all, it's the parents who pay, and they'd prefer schools with good academic reputations.

As far as Rinji was concerned, no one at Shuchiin had done any market research. They had no clue who their actual audience was.

Still, that wasn't his concern. He'd just take photos the way he liked.

In front of him, Nagisa Kashiwagi leaned sweetly into Tsubasa Tanuma's chest, both of them smiling. Rinji snapped the photo.

Click.

"Perfect. Thanks, you two."

"No problem," Kashiwagi smiled. "Are you taking student photos, Rinji-kun?"

"Yeah. For the school magazine."

Rinji flipped through the camera's photos while answering.

Most were students working out on the field or reading in the garden. The school life actually looked quite rich.

"Are you taking couple photos too?"

"Yeah, not sure what's going through the principal's head… But considering Japanese girls can marry at sixteen, I guess it's not that strange."

After organizing the photos, Rinji prepared to go shoot some club activities.

Just then, he noticed someone behind the couple in the grass: Maki Shijo was hiding there, looking utterly miserable.

"This counts as youth too."

Without a second thought, Rinji aimed and took a photo of her tearful expression.

---

"So... the school wants photos of daily student life. That includes club activities. Momo-senpai, could you help me out?"

"Take whatever you want."

"No, I mean… you lying there like that makes it hard to press the shutter."

Rinji looked expressionlessly at Momo, who was sprawled out on a rooftop air cushion, playing on her phone.

"I can't exactly tell prospective students that the astronomy club's activity is spending the day playing gacha games. Doesn't really sell it."

"You can't see stars during the day anyway."

"Well… that's true. But at least pretend a bit." Rinji sighed. "Senpai, can you at least gather your club members for a group shot?"

"Aren't you my only club member?"

"Now that you mention it…"

"Then just shoot yourself." Momo turned her head and smiled. "You're popular at school anyway. How about putting on that girls' uniform again?"

"Don't bring that up…"

"I saw your cheer performance at the sports festival. It was dazzling."

"Please forget that ever happened. That's black history. No way I'm showing up in a magazine like that."

Rinji firmly rejected her suggestion.

If it had been anyone else teasing him like Momo did, he would've thrown them off the roof.

"Whatever."

Momo put down her phone, got up, slipped on her shoes, and walked over to Rinji.

"Give me the camera."

"Okay."

Not sure what she was up to, Rinji handed it over.

Then, Momo suddenly stepped in close, wrapped her arm around his neck, and pressed his face to hers.

"Eh—"

"Don't move."

She raised the camera one-handed, aimed it at the two of them, and clicked the shutter.

Click.

The screen showed a close-up of their faces pressed together.

"That'll be the astronomy club's activity photo." She said that, then kicked off her shoes and plopped back on the air cushion to continue playing.

"..."

---

"Huh? You're here for a photo shoot? No problem~"

Rinji had arrived at the rhythmic gymnastics club in the small auditorium.

This club was all girls, and all of them were quite pretty. The president was Tsubame, former vice-captain of the cheer team.

They were in the middle of practice.

Tsubame was wearing a tight-fitting leotard that perfectly highlighted her figure.

"Hmm… the principal told me to take more photos of pretty girls to boost the magazine's appeal. That old pervert thinks I don't know what's going on in his head. Why doesn't he go shoot the girls' locker room?"

Despite muttering that, Rinji still aimed the camera at Tsubame.

She cooperatively picked up a rope and did a difficult double under jump. The camera captured her perfectly mid-air.

"Thanks, Tsubame-senpai. I'm off to shoot other clubs."

"Oh right, Takamine-kun."

Tsubame suddenly called out.

"I heard you'll be performing at the Hoshin Festival next month?"

"Yeah… Isn't everyone required to participate?"

"Some of my clubmates say you'll be performing with Fujisawa from the second year."

"That's right."

"I see. After the sports festival, there've been lots of rumors about what you'll do at the Hoshin Festival. People started speculating all kinds of things."

"Like what?"

"Like… working as a maid at the maid café."

"Fake news. Next."

"Or playing the princess in a stage play."

"Still fake news." Rinji's brow twitched. "Don't believe every ridiculous rumor. I was in the cheer squad, remember? Do I look like the type to do that kind of stuff?"

"But during the cheer squad, you—"

"That was you guys tricking me. You think I enjoyed it? I was holding back from punching someone the whole time!"