Chapter 419: This Is a Big Problem

December 21st. The final day of the Hoshin Festival.

For many, their lives quietly changed on this day.

Fujiwara enjoyed her role as a detective chasing a phantom thief (though she never caught one). Ishigami confessed, and even though he didn't get an answer, he still went on dates with Tsubame during the festival. Iino finally took part in the bonfire party she had always dreamed of.

But the biggest changes came for the two pairs: Shirogane and Kaguya, and Rinji and Hayasaka.

After being kissed by Kaguya, Shirogane was left holding his lips in shock as she walked away, feeling like he was floating.

"She kissed me… Kaguya kissed me… and she initiated it."

If you asked how Shirogane felt right now—it was maybe one part shock… and nine parts absolutely overjoyed.

He liked Kaguya, and she was the one who kissed him. That made him so happy he could hardly think straight.

But once he calmed down, he was just extremely shy.

"Wait… if we kissed, does that mean we're officially dating now? Like, isn't that how it works?"

He didn't really know what Kaguya was thinking when she kissed him. It was hard to guess.

Thinking this way, he wandered through Shuchiin's open courtyard.

The bonfire party had ended. He wasn't heading home. Instead, he walked toward the student council office.

Not that he didn't want to go home—he just forgot. The emotional shock had knocked his brain loose, and he subconsciously followed his usual path.

"Does kissing mean you're dating? I have to ask someone. But asking Kaguya directly feels awkward… So who else…"

The first person that came to mind was Rinji.

Among all his friends, only Rinji had a girlfriend. He might know the answer.

With that in mind, Shirogane found himself standing in front of the student council room and opened the door.

He was just wondering why he ended up there when the lights turned on, revealing Rinji sitting on the sofa.

"Oh, Rinji. You didn't go home?"

"Yeah… I guess."

"Good, you're here. I have something—"

"Actually, President, since you're here, I have a question for you," Rinji interrupted.

"Huh? You have a question?"

Shirogane was surprised. If he remembered correctly, this was the first time Rinji ever asked him anything.

At this point, Rinji had just come back from being with Hayasaka.

After breaking the chains in his heart, rediscovering his emotions, and kissing Hayasaka—he was now...

"President… how do I travel back in time and beat the crap out of my brain-dead past self?"

"Why is your question so heavy?!"

Yes, he was so embarrassed he wanted to destroy his past self.

After deciding not to run away anymore, Rinji had kissed Hayasaka. Then the two of them watched the fireworks in the sky.

They even returned to Shuchiin and danced in front of the bonfire.

Before the school closed, Hayasaka gently hugged Rinji and then ran off.

Even then, Rinji smiled as he saw her off.

And then he returned to the student council office.

And then…

Once he calmed down, he remembered everything he'd done, covered his face, crouched down, curled up on the floor, and started rolling back and forth, trying to forget what had just happened.

Thinking about how he kissed Hayasaka and said all those embarrassing lines, Rinji felt like his life was basically over.

"Ugh… how could I do something that dumb… I seriously want to die…"

His expression was blank, and Shirogane felt secondhand embarrassment just watching him.

"Rinji… um… what did you do?"

"Nothing much. It's like when a high schooler remembers the edgy things he said in front of people."

"Wow… yeah, that's rough."

Hearing that, Shirogane immediately remembered himself dressed as Arsène Lupin on the rooftop waiting for Kaguya and instinctively covered his face.

"Suddenly I feel super lame too."

"I want to die."

"Don't say that… now I want to die too."

Two teenage boys fell into mutual despair.

After a long silence, Rinji was the first to speak.

"By the way, President—did things work out with Shinomiya?"

"Huh? Oh, that's actually what I came to ask you about."

Shirogane steadied himself, though the image of Kaguya kissing him still kept flashing in his head, making his cheeks red.

"Rinji… do you think that, after kissing, it counts as being in a relationship?"

"…"

"Why do you suddenly look so dead inside?!"

"Because the word 'kiss' just makes me want to go back and kill myself," Rinji replied blankly. "But yes, I'd say that after a kiss, the two are in a relationship."

"I see…"

"Because if a guy in a relationship kisses another girl, that's clearly cheating. So kissing equals dating. Makes perfect sense."

"No, why is your reasoning so bizarre?!"

"Did you initiate the kiss with Shinomiya? Smooth…"

"She was the one who kissed me."

"…That's really something I can actually imagine Shinomiya doing?" Rinji blinked.

Then he calmed down.

He figured Kaguya's mental state probably mirrored his—wanting to kill her past, dumb self.

"I was surprised too," Shirogane muttered.

"By the way, don't tell Shinomiya I said anything. If she finds out I told someone else what happened between us, she'll definitely be mad."

"Of course I wouldn't go around telling people."

Rinji let out a sigh.

"Your issue is solved, President. Mine is just beginning."

"Hm? Did something happen?"

"You should know I have a girlfriend, right?"

"I do. What about it? Did you two have a fight?"

"No, it's not a fight," Rinji waved his hand. "My relationship with Karura is actually going well."

"Then what's the problem?"

"My number of girlfriends just increased by one."

"That's a huge problem!!"