Despite the initial jolt of panic still thudding quietly in his chest, Natsukawa Kanade couldn't help but feel a flicker of warmth when he opened the door to find the entire student council—every single one of them—standing outside his apartment. The fact that they'd all come together just to check in on him spoke volumes.
Even though it was framed as a "group visit," he knew this wasn't just some formal obligation. No one would take the time, coordinate their schedules, and bring along fruit baskets for someone they didn't genuinely care about. Yare yare… If nothing else, this proved their bond wasn't shallow—it ran deep. Unspoken, but real.
Still, this wasn't exactly a time for relaxing with a smile.
Because inside the apartment—just beyond the hallway where his visitors now stood—was a certain angel currently hiding in his bedroom.
If she was discovered... explaining things would become a nightmare. Not even an entire light novel series would be enough to clarify everything.
So, Kanade steeled his nerves and painted a convincing mask of surprise across his face. "Eh? You guys... What are you all doing here?"
"We came to visit you, of course~!" declared Fujiwara Chika, with her usual high-energy cheer. Before he could say anything else, she practically danced past him into the apartment, scanning the interior like a detective sniffing out secrets.
"Umu, umu… unbelievable…"
Kanade blinked, forcing a chuckle while subtly closing the door behind the rest. He crouched to dig around in the shoe cabinet, pulling out guest slippers like a polite host. "W-What is it? Something wrong?"
Chika leaned forward slightly and looked around with a wide grin. "No, no, it's just that… it's way too clean! This doesn't feel like a guy's apartment at all!"
"..."
A single bead of sweat trickled down Kanade's temple. He stiffened slightly.
This girl… she wouldn't actually hit the mark, would she?
"Fufu. That's a little rude, Fujiwara-san," came the smooth voice of Shinomiya Kaguya as she stepped forward with grace. Her eyes scanned the room with elegant calm, one hand offering the modest fruit basket she'd brought. "Since this is the student council president's home, it's only natural for it to be clean. He's responsible, after all."
"Ah… r-right." Kanade accepted the basket awkwardly, feeling his cheeks warm up just a little.
Of course, the real reason the apartment was so spotless had nothing to do with his sense of responsibility. The truth? The angel—Shiina Mahiru—had been the one quietly handling almost all the housework since she started staying over. If it had been left up to him, this place would've looked like a mid-level disaster zone.
Being praised for it now just made him feel guilty… and a bit exposed.
After receiving the thoughtful gifts from everyone, Kanade led them into the living room one by one. He tried to play it cool.
"Want anything to drink?" he asked while gesturing toward the kitchen area. "There's tea, milk, or soft drinks. Feel free to help yourselves—fridge is right there."
"Oh oh, I want juice soda!"
"Me too!"
"I'm okay, not really thirsty."
"I brought my own water," said Shirogane with a small nod.
"Don't be so polite, you guys. Just make yourselves at home," Kanade said, smiling a bit as he glanced at the two male members. Honestly, the boys seemed more tense than the girls.
His nerves, which had been coiled tight at the entrance, finally began to loosen as the group settled in. Once everyone had taken a seat or found something to busy themselves with, the atmosphere started to shift into something more casual. Comfortable.
Just a normal group of friends hanging out. That's right... just play it normal.
As expected, no one seemed to notice anything strange. In fact, most of them were already absorbed in their own little worlds. Ishigami and Shirogane were crouched in front of his shelves, flipping through his neatly organized collection of games and manga with the kind of reverence usually reserved for national treasures.
Meanwhile, the girls were perched on the couch, chatting quietly and occasionally glancing around the room. From the way Chika whispered something to Kaguya and they both giggled, he figured they were either talking about him… or plotting something. Or both.
Kaguya, ever the model guest, even helped him prepare tea and small snacks for everyone. She moved through the kitchen like she belonged there, efficient and graceful.
"Sorry for barging in like this all of a sudden," she said softly when they were alone in the kitchen corner. Her tone was gentle, almost shy. "Am I bothering you, President?"
"Eh? No, not at all." Kanade shook his head. "Honestly, I'm happy you all came. Really."
Kaguya's eyes lit up ever so slightly. The tiniest smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "I'm glad..."
She hesitated, then added, "Is your body doing better now?"
There was no helping it—after all, for Shinomiya Kaguya and the others, school was the only place they could regularly and openly meet with Natsukawa Kanade. Outside of those hours, their lives were tangled in routines, responsibilities, and limitations that made casual visits all but impossible. Even today's visit had only been possible thanks to the clever coordination and discretion of Ai Hayasaka, Kaguya's ever-reliable maid and accomplice.
"Yeah… I've mostly recovered now," Kanade said with a nod, his voice calm but sincere. "I should be able to return to class tomorrow. Thanks for worrying… and also for handling everything in the student council while I was out. It must've been tough."
For someone like him, who often overthought every little thing, having a vice president as composed and competent as Shinomiya Kaguya felt like divine intervention. Truly, she had saved him from drowning in paperwork and bureaucratic chaos more times than he could count. More importantly, she had never once tried to challenge his position or act out of turn. Her loyalty wasn't performative—it was genuine. Now, on top of everything, she was even checking on his health?
Honestly… how could anyone not find her incredible?
"It's nothing, really," Kaguya replied softly, a serene smile playing on her lips. "I'm happy to help…"
"…"
Kanade froze for a brief second. Somehow, her smile had struck a chord—like a subtle note in a song that lingered longer than expected. He couldn't tell why, but for a moment, his mind blanked.
Was she just being polite? Or was there something deeper in her words?
Afraid of reading too much into it—or reacting too strongly—Kanade gave a light cough and attempted to pivot the conversation.
"A-anyway, about that bet… Do you remember it?"
Kaguya tilted her head slightly, her gaze sharpening just a touch. "Are you talking about the last one? The one Fujiwara-san proposed?"
"Mm, yeah, that's the one." Kanade nodded. "I just wanted to say—you don't have to worry about me, okay? If you're still going for the win, go all out. Don't feel like you need to 'hold back' just because I was sick. That wouldn't be fair… and honestly, health management is part of being a student, right? If it affects the outcome, then it's my own fault for not keeping up."
His words were thoughtful—delivered with quiet determination—but also showed how deeply he understood her personality. Kaguya wasn't the kind of girl to go easy in a competition. She gave her best in everything she did, and he didn't want her to compromise that just because he had a cold.
Kaguya blinked, slightly surprised.
"…Hai. I understand."
Of course, Kanade had misunderstood her just a little—Shinomiya Kaguya had never planned to go easy on him in the first place. From the moment the bet had been made, she had taken it 100% seriously. She was the type to sacrifice sleep just to gain a small edge. These past few days, she'd even trimmed thirty minutes from her nightly routine just to study harder, train longer, and prepare better.
Not because she didn't care about the president's health—but because she cared a lot, and she wanted to respect him properly.
Winning is how I show him I'm serious... she thought, her eyes flickering with resolve. Since the president himself had given her his blessing to fight at full strength, then she wouldn't hold back. If anything, she had even more motivation now.
The only thing left… was to decide on her prize. After all, if she was going to win, then she needed something worthy of the effort she'd put in. It couldn't be a generic request like "buy me lunch" or "carry my bag." No, it had to be something bold—something he would never normally agree to.
Ugh… what should I make him do? she wondered, a little unsure. But then again, she had Ai on her side. With her input, surely they could come up with something absolutely perfect.
While Kaguya's mind drifted toward the strategic battlefield of their ongoing rivalry, Kanade had already moved on to a more immediate battlefield—the kitchen.
Thanks to her earlier assistance, he quickly finished arranging snacks and drinks. The two of them carried trays over to the coffee table in the living room, where the others were still chatting and exploring the space.
The way everyone chatted, laughed, and teased one another—honestly, it felt no different from the usual atmosphere in the student council room. Perhaps that was why Fujiwara Chika, ever the unpredictable spirit of chaos, suddenly clapped her hands together with a bright grin and pulled out a suspiciously pristine box.
"Let's play something! Look, I even brought a new board game!" she declared triumphantly, as if unveiling a national treasure.
"Rejected." Kaguya's voice came sharp and quick, a rarity for someone so composed. "The president's condition has only just improved. He should be resting, not wasting energy on board games. We can play after he's fully recovered."
"Ah! Right, right…" Chika scratched her head with an awkward smile. "I completely forgot. Gomen ne, President…"
"Ah, no… it's fine." Kanade waved a hand politely, trying to brush it off. He was about to reassure her with a smile, but something tugged at his conscience.
Wait—this isn't the time to be playing games like nothing's happening...
The angel—Shiina Mahiru—was still hiding quietly in his bedroom! She'd helped him so much, and now she was stuck in there while he laughed with his friends?
That was… way too cruel.
So, he quickly nodded in agreement with Kaguya. "Kaguya's right. Let's hold off until after midterms, yeah? We'll have more time then anyway."
As he said this, he glanced toward Kaguya-sama with a grateful look, the kind only she could truly interpret.
Look, Ai…! Kaguya thought, barely able to contain her glee. As expected, I'm the one who understands the president best!
Her cheeks colored ever so slightly. It was the kind of recognition that made all her effort worthwhile.
Chika, for her part, looked oddly pleased despite the rejection. After all, she had extracted a "promise" from the president. And once Kanade made a promise… well, he never escaped. She was already plotting her next move: when the time came, she'd swap the game for a prototype her "game research club" had been working on. Hehehe… Perfect guinea pig, acquired.
Meanwhile, the two male members of the group were having an entirely different kind of joy.
"As expected of a senpai…" Ishigami Yu was crouched in front of Kanade's game shelf like a kid in a candy store. "You actually have this many games? Not just that—GalGames, too! Openly displayed, even?! You're a true man, President!"
"U-uh… well, yeah, I guess…" Kanade scratched the back of his head, visibly awkward. It felt like his private stash was suddenly under a spotlight. "Most of them weren't even bought by me, really. Friends gave them to me. I just… played a few of them. That's all."
Even as he tried to explain, Ishigami gave him a knowing nod. The kind of expression that said I see, I see… Say no more. It only made Kanade want to melt into the floor.
"..."
Luckily, the girls nearby weren't tuned into this secret exchange between comrades. They probably just assumed this was some strange way male otaku communicated. Kanade could only thank the gods that Ishigami had no plans to say anything out loud—his dignity had been preserved… for now.
"One… two… Wait, is that what I think it is?" Ishigami suddenly leaned closer, eyes wide. "No way! You have "White Enlightenment"? That game hasn't even officially released yet! It's supposed to come out next Monday!"
"Ah, that one… yeah." Kanade scratched his cheek sheepishly. "A friend sent it early. Said they wanted some feedback or something before the final version came out."
His tone was casual, but he could see the spark in Ishigami's eyes. The younger boy was already trembling with excitement.
"I've already played through most of it. If you want, I can lend it to you."
"R-really?! I can borrow it?!"
"Of course." Kanade gave a small nod. "Just—don't leak anything, alright? It's probably not too different from the final version, but still. You get what I mean."
"Hai! No worries, I swear I won't say a thing!" Ishigami practically saluted him. He had integrity when it came to gaming—especially when it was a title he had desperately wanted to try. Originally, he'd planned to go to the demo event but had missed it because of class. Now? This was better than winning the lottery.
After that was handled, Kanade turned toward Shirogane Miyuki, who had been suspiciously quiet all this time. The reason quickly became clear—he was buried in Kanade's bookshelf, completely absorbed.
Seeing his interest, Kanade offered to lend him a few titles. Shirogane, ever the diligent student, gratefully accepted with a respectful nod.
So far, so good.
Now only one member remained… Iino Miko.
Kanade had been keeping subtle tabs on her the whole time. While the others were busy with games and books, Miko was doing something else entirely—observing. Her eyes occasionally flickered toward the walls, his desk, even toward the door of his bedroom.
Not good.
Her personality didn't exactly lean toward "casual curiosity." She was meticulous. Orderly. And worse—sharp-eyed. Kanade had gone to great lengths to hide Mahiru's presence, but if anyone were to notice a stray tea cup… or catch a glimpse of movement…
He glanced her way—and she immediately looked away.
Her posture shifted, head ducked slightly, fingers fidgeting in her lap. She seemed reserved. Hesitant.
But it didn't ease his worries.
Yabai… A creeping anxiety slithered into his chest. Had she figured something out? Had she… heard something?
"..."
No. He couldn't let his guard down now.
Kanade's brow furrowed slightly as he kept an eye on her. Subtlety was key. He couldn't let this entire effort fall apart just because of one loose end.
He had worked too hard to make this gathering smooth. Mahiru was still relying on him. And right now… the stakes had never felt higher.