The Heroines Want to Confess

The student council's work wasn't particularly busy.

As General Affairs Officer, Sakurai mainly handled miscellaneous tasks, most of which were already taken care of by Shirogane Miyuki.

This made Sakurai feel a little guilty.

A week before the end of spring break, even before the opening ceremony, the student council had already started operating.

The members were as follows: Secretary Fujiwara Chika, Accountant Ishigami Yuu, Vice President Shinomiya Kaguya, President Shirogane Miyuki, and, of course, Sakurai Saki as General Affairs Officer.

That was the full student council lineup.

There was technically another senior responsible for accounting audits, but they rarely came to the council room—practically a ghost member.

"I'm not satisfied! I demand a rematch!" Fujiwara Chika, clearly unhappy with her latest loss, protested loudly.

"I'm busy right now. Talking to people. I don't have time to play with you," Sakurai said, holding his phone.

"Liar! Cheater! Playboy!"

Out of nowhere, Fujiwara pulled out a newspaper and some tape, crafting something with impressive speed.

A few minutes later, a giant paper fan was in her hands.

She crept behind Sakurai, gathering strength.

"PAH!"

Sakurai felt a sudden "impact" on the back of his head.

Fake.

She hadn't hit him hard at all.

I'll let you off this time…

"Eh!" Fujiwara's voice suddenly shot up in pitch.

"Is that the LINE app?" Fujiwara, holding her paper fan, was peering over Sakurai's shoulder, suspiciously eyeing his phone screen.

LINE was a popular messaging app.

"Yeah. I made plans with Ishigami and some friends last night to play a game."

"What?! A game?!"

Fujiwara's eyes sparkled with excitement, as if she'd just received a message from her home planet.

Sakurai turned to look at her, taking in her wide grin and the black ribbon atop her head.

Fujiwara was the type of person who was terrible at games but addicted to playing them.

Given her track record of losing over a hundred times and still coming back for more, that much was obvious.

"Sakurai-kun! Can I join too?" Fujiwara asked, her face filled with hope.

No.

"Fujiwara-sempai is too weak, so no," Ishigami answered flatly, tapping away at his keyboard. "Bringing you along would be like playing with a weight on our backs. We don't want a burden."

Although games were for fun, Ishigami hated losing.

Sakurai nodded. "No."

He didn't want to lose either.

Both of them were hardcore competitive players.

Even the person Sakurai was currently chatting with—Hayasaka Ai—was the same.

Ai-chan had a fierce desire to win and was incredibly skilled at games.

That was why Sakurai liked playing with her.

Her aim was terrifying—every burst of bullets felt like she had some kind of cheat enabled, hitting nothing but heads.

Anyone watching her play would think she had real-life gun training.

By the way, the two of them were about to become desk mates. Sakurai had checked the class rosters before the opening ceremony.

This year, Sakurai and Shirogane were in different classes. Shuchiin Academy shuffled class placements every year and switched seats every semester.

This was the first semester of the spring term.

In the same class as Sakurai? Shinomiya Kaguya.

Fujiwara had been in Sakurai's class last year, but not this year.

The fated connection between the two of them could have ended there—unfortunately, Shirogane had invited Sakurai into the student council.

To his surprise, Shinomiya had also been invited… and she'd brought Fujiwara along with her.

As for Ishigami? He'd been practically abducted into the council by Shirogane.

Ishigami had once been a truant, and it was only with Shirogane's help that he returned to school.

And not long after, Shirogane roped him into the student council as well.

"Kaguya-san, they're bullying me!"

Fujiwara, teary-eyed, plopped down beside Kaguya, dramatically recounting the two boys' "abuse" with a sobbing voice.

Kaguya, face filled with quiet exasperation, listened patiently.

"Ishigami, do you know what 'making something out of nothing' means?" Sakurai asked, finishing his chat with Hayasaka Ai.

"Fujiwara-sempai," Ishigami answered without hesitation.

"Ugh! You guys are so mean!" Fujiwara cried, bolting out of the student council room.

When she was gone…

"Do you find bullying her fun, Sakurai-kun?" Kaguya's cold, flawless face became even icier, her voice flat and emotionless.

Sakurai nodded without hesitation.

"It's one of my few joys, Shinomiya-san. Please don't take away my entertainment."

They hadn't spoken much last year in class, and even in the student council, their conversations were shallow.

Now, knowing he'd have to share a class with her again, Sakurai found it exhausting.

If only Shirogane were here…

His presence would ease the tension a little.

After all, Shirogane had invited both of them.

"Fujiwara-sempai always loses, yet she keeps pestering people…" Ishigami, sensing the awkwardness, sided with Sakurai.

"Shut up," Kaguya commanded coldly.

"Yes!" Ishigami, visibly shaken, immediately backed down, his teeth chattering.

He cast Sakurai a quick, apologetic glance before silently returning to his work.

"Do you find bullying others fun, Shinomiya-san?"

"It's one of my few joys, Sakurai-kun. Please don't take away my entertainment."

She threw his words right back at him, a perfect counter.

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth!

"Then bully him as much as you like. That way, I won't feel guilty about teasing Fujiwara-san. To be honest, I've started feeling a little guilty, bullying her every day…" Sakurai shrugged.

A lie.

He'd never feel guilty about bullying Fujiwara Chika.

The room fell silent.

Sakurai moved away from the sofa and tea table, settling into his desk to recheck some documents.

Ishigami, working in the suffocating atmosphere, felt like he was on the verge of passing out.

Shinomiya's presence was terrifying.

He could joke around with Fujiwara, but with Kaguya, not a chance.

If you messed with her, you'd die.

Kaguya took a slow sip of tea.

A boring student council.

Uninteresting members.

She'd thought the boy Fujiwara talked about every day might be amusing.

But no—he was just another boring guy.

Third in their grade, but not impressive enough for her to want to recruit or challenge him.

No athletic club. No cultural club. A member of the "Go-home" club.

Sure, he maintained a polite smile and gentle demeanor in important situations—she could respect that.

Fujiwara Chika was one of the few friends Kaguya treasured, aside from her personal maid, Hayasaka Ai.

So, she tolerated this situation.

But Sakurai? She couldn't bring herself to like him.

In fact, she disliked him.

Even though Fujiwara was bullied daily, she'd still go looking for Sakurai to play with him the next day.

That was strange.

Kaguya glanced across the room.

Sakurai sat at his desk, reviewing documents, his expression unreadable.

What goes through his mind every day?

…

'How about… making Shinomiya-san disappear from this world?'

That was what Sakurai was thinking.