Friday.
Next Tuesday was the Sports Festival.
After school, Sakurai Saki sat on the sofa, drinking coffee. The movie he had filmed with Ichika last time had finished shooting. He didn't know when it would be released. He didn't have many scenes, so he probably wouldn't become famous. Sakurai Saki had no interest in fame, and his mother thought the same. Her biggest wish was for Sakurai Saki to inherit the family's Japanese confectionery shop.
Just like many ordinary mothers, she only hoped her child would live a stable life.
"Shirogane, your dark circles are even worse lately." Sakurai glanced at him. "One would think you've been screwing screws in a black-hearted factory for months."
This guy had been working too hard lately. Wasn't he afraid of sudden death? His diligence made everyone in the Student Council a little scared.
Fujiwara Chika hadn't arrived yet. Kaguya-san hadn't either. Ishigami Yu had cheerleading practice. Sakurai had seen him in the hallway today, and judging by his expression, he seemed quite happy. Perhaps it was because there were more good people in the cheerleading squad? Both the passionate leader and Tsubame Koyasu had excellent reputations—they wouldn't care about his past.
"Is it that exaggerated?" Shirogane Miyuki rubbed his eyes.
It was just a periodic adjustment. When summer vacation started, or after the Sports Festival ended, he would relax appropriately. One couldn't keep their nerves taut all the time—ten hours of study a day was enough.
"You should still get some rest." Sakurai Saki had advised him countless times.
It was no use. It was truly frustrating.
Knock knock!
The door was knocked.
"Come in!" Shirogane Miyuki shouted.
After a moment, a familiar face entered. It was Tanuma Tsubasa—Kashiwagi Nagisa's boyfriend.
"Sakurai!!! Shirogane!!!" He shouted at them as soon as he entered.
"Save me!!!" The second sentence was just as explosive.
No—the first time he had come, he also shouted for help. Sakurai suspected this guy was afraid of women.
"What's wrong?" Shirogane looked up at him.
The last time Tanuma had come, he had asked which girl to choose—which had been ridiculous enough. What was he going to do this time? Could it be that he also wanted to start a harem? It was fine if Sakurai did it—he had always been strange—but Tanuma Tsubasa had always seemed like a normal person, at least in Shirogane's eyes.
"Well—didn't I start dating Kashiwagi-kun?" Tanuma Tsubasa sat on the edge of the sofa and took a breath.
Just as Sakurai and Shirogane thought he was about to make a major announcement—
"I... I want to hold her hand." Tanuma Tsubasa covered his face. "What should I do? I really like her. I really want to hold her hand!"
Shirogane & Sakurai: This guy's sour smell is almost filling the Student Council Room.
Tsk. The sour smell of love. How disgusting.
"Holding hands, huh~" Shirogane stroked his chin, pondering. "After becoming a couple, the first step is indeed holding hands…"
Although Shirogane had the expression of someone experienced, he had never held hands. After all, he didn't even have a girl he liked.
"Holding hands?" Sakurai Saki scratched his head.
Wasn't that something friends could do?
He and Hayasaka Ai had already reached second base before they even started dating—directly skipping first base.
"Don't you think it's difficult?" Tanuma Tsubasa sighed. "Even when walking together, when you want to hold hands, you just can't bring yourself to reach out."
Shirogane Miyuki nodded in agreement. "That feeling of your heart itching, but being too shy to make contact."
"Exactly. That's love!"
Their statements were met with an unfeeling eye-roll from Sakurai Saki.
Virgins are like this.
A bunch of cowards…
Sakurai Saki inwardly slandered the two, completely forgetting that he himself had only been out of the virgin class for less than half a month. He still remembered saying at the beginning of the semester that virginity was a symbol of purity—a man's medal. Only two months had passed. People, oh, how fickle they were. Especially men.
"Eh eh eh!! Love topics!?"
Another familiar voice came from outside the door. Wearing her iconic black bow, Chika-chan—with a detective hat on her head and a magnifying glass in her hand—walked in mysteriously.
"I smell love…" She scanned the room. "The culprit is among you!"
"Fujiwara-kun? You've come at just the right time!" Tanuma Tsubasa yearned for advice from the opposite sex.
Fujiwara Secretary didn't seem very reliable, but she was at least a woman.
…Was that a bit too much to say?
Never mind. Since she's here!
"It's you! Love culprit!" Chika-chan pointed the magnifying glass at him and extended her right index finger. "Hmph, you can't escape! Tell me—what do you want to talk about?"
Tanuma Tsubasa said shyly, "I want to hold Kashiwagi-kun's hand…"
Chika was silent for a few seconds, like a robot.
"…That's it?"
She immediately lost interest. It was just holding hands. Too simple.
"When you're alone, just reach out and hold it," another person who had heard the conversation said from outside the door.
Kaguya Shinomiya walked in.
"Kaguya-san, you don't understand this." Chika made the adorable expression of a lovesick girl. "It's precisely because of shyness that you're afraid. Afraid your hands will be sweaty. Afraid you'll scare the other person. Afraid of being rejected. It's because of all this that you don't dare to hold hands."
Kaguya Shinomiya closed the door properly.
"Is it difficult?"
Her words were met with opposition from everyone except Sakurai Saki.
"It's difficult!" Tanuma Tsubasa shouted.
"Hmm, it feels difficult," Shirogane Miyuki speculated.
"…You'd be shy," Chika recalled the time she had gone to the music room and wanted to hold Sakurai's hand.
Kaguya Shinomiya tilted her head slightly, resting her right hand on her chin, looking down at everyone with a condescending gaze. "To be afraid of something like this—you all are truly cute~"
Chika pouted indignantly. "Kaguya-san, if you say that, then you try it!"
"Shinomiya doesn't have a boyfriend, Fujiwara Secretary. Don't make it difficult for her," Shirogane said, playing the peacemaker.
He was constantly mediating disputes in the Student Council. With a group of eccentric members, it was almost becoming a problem-child containment center for him.
"Um, I… I'll be going now." Tanuma-kun realized things were getting bad.
"Don't go." Kaguya Shinomiya stopped him. "Since none of you believe me, I'll show you."
It's just holding hands. These people were really making a fuss out of nothing.
"Sakurai General Affairs, come here!" Kaguya Shinomiya called out to Sakurai Saki, who was spectating.
Sakurai remained unmoved. He wasn't her servant; there was no need to listen to her.
"Come once, and next time I'll bring you our family's coffee beans," Kaguya Shinomiya offered.
Sakurai Saki stood up. "What do you want to do?" He walked in front of her.
"Give me your hand," Kaguya said helplessly.
This one truly doesn't do anything without benefit.
Sakurai Saki complied.
Then Kaguya Shinomiya placed her hand on his.
Sakurai Saki naturally took her hand.
"Why don't I feel my heart flutter?" Kaguya looked at Sakurai Saki's face. "Sakurai-kun, is it because you're not handsome enough?"
That didn't seem to be it either. He was quite to her taste—especially the expression he was giving her now.
[What nonsense are you talking about, you trash?] Kaguya saw that meaning in his eyes.
Sakurai Saki voluntarily released her hand.
"Kaguya-san, we don't like each other, so there's no fluttering. That's why holding hands isn't difficult."
After Sakurai finished speaking, he glanced at Chika, who was beside him in a state of distress. She didn't want to see Sakurai Saki and Kaguya Shinomiya holding hands.
"What's wrong?" Chika-chan looked at Sakurai Saki, curious.
"Come…"
Sakurai Saki extended his hand.
Fujiwara Chika looked at everyone around her. With everyone watching, she didn't quite dare to take it. A few seconds passed. Chika remained still, but a blush appeared on her face.
"Kaguya-san, do you understand now?" Sakurai Saki withdrew his hand.
"I see." Kaguya Shinomiya bowed slightly. "My apologies, everyone. My judgment was mistaken just now."
She straightened. "If I were to fall in love with Sakurai General Affairs, I would probably also be shy. I think I understand now."
Before she could finish, Fujiwara Chika—her face flushed—pushed the door open and fled.
"Kaguya-san!! Don't say another word!!!!"
It was too embarrassing. She couldn't stay in this place!
Kaguya's statement was no different from pointing at her nose and saying, "You like Sakurai Saki—how cute~."
"She left." Kaguya Shinomiya tilted her head, puzzled.
Shirogane didn't speak, but his face was also red. He felt embarrassed for Fujiwara Chika.
How could this illness of feeling embarrassed for others be cured?