Heartbeats and Illusions

The morning began with the usual monotony. Natsukawa Kanade trudged into the classroom, stowed his bag, and diligently carried out his duties as class monitor. With the homework prepared for submission, he made his way to the student council room, his steps slow and his posture unusually slouched.

A few students greeted him along the way, but his replies were subdued, his energy clearly drained. The oppressive summer heat, worsened by last night's rain that failed to bring even a hint of relief, weighed on him heavily. If anything, the fleeting coolness had only made the humidity more unbearable.

As he reached the student council room, Kanade slid the door open to find Vice President Shinomiya already inside, her posture as composed and immaculate as always.

"Good morning, President," she greeted with a polite bow.

"Morning, Shinomiya…" Kanade's voice lacked its usual energy as he flopped onto the sofa, letting his shoulders sag against the cushions.

Yesterday's series of events lingered faintly in his mind, but it seemed Kaguya had remained unaffected. Her demeanor was as composed as ever, as if the chaos that had unfolded was merely a fleeting dream. If it weren't for Iino Miko's awkward yet truthful feedback, Kanade might have doubted whether yesterday's commotion had even happened.

"I must apologize, President," Kaguya began, her tone uncharacteristically soft. "I said something strange to you yesterday…"

Kanade tilted his head at her, his expression puzzled for a moment before realization struck. "Ah, you mean that thing about... preferences?" he replied, his voice laced with subtle amusement.

Kaguya gave a small nod, her calm façade betraying a hint of embarrassment. "Yes. I fear I may have caused a misunderstanding."

Kanade chuckled lightly, shaking his head. "It's fine. I figured it was just a misunderstanding from the start. Honestly, though, that question was... unexpected."

His tone carried a faint trace of disbelief. Who wouldn't be caught off guard by such a sudden inquiry about underwear preferences? If he had to guess, Fujiwara Chika was behind it. She probably filled Kaguya's head with another one of her bizarre ideas. Poor Kaguya—it must've been exhausting having Fujiwara as a childhood friend for all these years. How many times had she fallen victim to her antics?

"Seriously, don't worry about it," Kanade reassured, offering her a small, tired smile. "It didn't really bother me."

Kaguya hesitated, her crimson eyes flickering with a trace of guilt. "Even so, I feel I must make amends. President, you look exhausted… if you don't mind, may I give you a massage?"

Kanade blinked in surprise. A massage? That was unexpected. Still, Kaguya's tone was sincere, and her usual stern demeanor had softened, replaced by a rare, warm smile. Lately, she'd been smiling more often, a stark contrast to the strict and intimidating aura she used to exude. It was a nice change.

"Well, if you're offering…" Kanade turned around, leaning forward to expose his shoulders.

"Eh? What are you doing, President?" Kaguya asked, her voice tinged with confusion.

"I thought you were going to massage my shoulders?" he replied, glancing back at her.

"I was actually planning to start with your palms," she admitted, a faint blush dusting her cheeks. "Palm massages can target acupuncture points connected to the entire body."

"Oh, I see." Kanade nodded, extending his hands toward her. "Well, I'll leave it to you, then."

Kaguya took his hand carefully, her delicate fingers wrapping around his palm. Her movements were slow and deliberate, as though handling something fragile. She lightly stroked his palm, her brow furrowing as she searched for the correct pressure points. Then, without warning, she pressed down.

"Hmmph!" Kanade stifled a groan, his entire body jolting in surprise. For a moment, it felt like his very soul had been struck.

"President? Are you all right?" Kaguya tilted her head, her expression a mix of concern and curiosity.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine!" Kanade replied hastily, forcing a smile. He waved his free hand dismissively. "It's just... a little ticklish, that's all. You can continue."

He tried to brace himself as she resumed, her fingers pressing into his palm with gentle precision. The sensation was oddly intense—somewhere between pain and an unfamiliar sense of relief.

Kanade had heard rumors that massages could be painful, but this was beyond anything he'd imagined. It felt as though Kaguya's touch was unlocking pressure points that hadn't been disturbed in years, sending shockwaves through his body.

"Alright, then. I'll continue," Shinomiya Kaguya said with quiet determination, her delicate hands poised to resume their work.

But before she could press down again, the door to the student council room burst open with dramatic flair.

"Good morning, everyone!" came a voice so upbeat and full of energy that it could only belong to one person.

Turning toward the entrance, Kanade and Kaguya saw none other than Fujiwara Chika—the student council's self-proclaimed mascot—standing in the doorway. Her pink hair bobbed as she tilted her head, her bright eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"President? Kaguya? What are you two doing?" she asked, bounding into the room like an overly enthusiastic puppy.

Kanade sighed inwardly, raising his hand to display the situation. "As you can see, Shinomiya is giving me a massage."

"Oh! I know how to do that!" Chika's eyes lit up like fireworks. Before either of them could protest, she darted over to the sofa and plopped down beside Kanade. In one fluid motion, she pulled his head into her lap.

"Ta-da! Now you get the ultimate combo treatment—two cute girls pampering you at the same time! You're so lucky, President!" Chika declared, beaming with pride.

"!!"

Kaguya's expression froze, her usual composed demeanor replaced by one of utter disbelief. Her crimson eyes narrowed, the corners of her mouth twitching as her mind raced.

She... she gave the President a lap pillow?!

Kaguya's heart sank into a spiral of despair and indignation. This was uncharted territory—something she'd never dared to attempt herself. Her hands clenched into fists. This pink menace… She's stolen the President's purity! Unforgivable!

But before Kaguya could voice her outrage, Chika leaned forward, her face glowing with mischief. "But just giving a massage is kind of boring, don't you think? The President's the only one having fun. Let's make it more exciting!"

Kanade blinked warily. "Exciting... how?"

"We'll have a competition, of course!" Chika announced, grinning from ear to ear. "Kaguya-chan, let's see who can make the President feel more comfortable. The winner gets to eat his lunch today!"

Kaguya's competitive spirit ignited instantly. Her earlier frustration was replaced with steely determination. She leaned forward, her eyes blazing with resolve.

"Very well," she declared. "Let's do this."

Kanade: "…"

He stared at the two girls in disbelief, his lips parting as if to protest. But before he could utter a word, Chika lightly tapped his forehead, her voice playfully scolding.

"Now, now, President. Don't be so ungrateful! This is a privilege! Just relax and enjoy it."

Kanade: "…"

Somehow, the situation had spiraled completely out of his control. Between Kaguya's newfound zeal and Chika's relentless antics, he could already foresee the chaos brewing.

He sighed inwardly. If Kaguya's massage didn't end up being too painful and if Chika didn't try anything too outrageous, maybe—just maybe—he could survive this ordeal.

Still, an unsettling memory surfaced in his mind—the health room incident from not long ago. The crushing humiliation of being pinned down and treated like some sort of test subject was something he hadn't yet managed to forget.

Now, it seemed, history might just repeat itself.