Royal Host Restaurant.
After everyone took their seats, no one in the Shuchiin Student Council, nor the certain online singer who had been invited, said a word.
They simply sat in silence under the gentle piano music, their gazes fixed on Miyuki. They watched as he solemnly opened the wooden box in front of him, then raised his hand, his movements carrying a mix of reluctance and relief, to unhook the golden chain from his chest that symbolized the honor of the Shuchiin Student Council President.
As the gently shimmering chain slowly settled into the time-worn wooden box, fading away the brilliance of the past year, it awaited the next successor to open it once more.
"It's been a year of hard work."
Closing his eyes slightly, with the bits and pieces of the past year echoing in his mind, a trace of emotion and reluctance inevitably crept into Miyuki's voice.
One year... it really passed by so quickly.
Letting out a soft breath, Miyuki opened his eyes and looked at the friends and juniors gathered around him. A faint smile, mixed with a sense of relief and a hint of anticipation for tomorrow, slowly formed on his lips.
So, let's kick off this farewell party with a toast!
...
"Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
"Cheers!!"
After everyone heartily clinked their glasses and took a drink.
"With this, I can finally take off this stiflingly hot school uniform." A tiny bead of sweat rolled down Miyuki's cheek, and unable to bear the heat any longer, he immediately took off his neatly worn school uniform jacket.
"Exactly."
Holding a half-empty drink, Miyahito, dressed in his Toyogasaki summer uniform, complained with a look of utter suffering.
"Actually, I've wanted to say this for a while, Miyuki-nii. Every time I see you going out in the sweltering heat wearing that Shuchiin jacket, I, the one just watching, can barely stand it."
"I really don't know how you managed to endure it."
Hearing Miyahito's complaint, Yu, sitting on the inner side of the booth, nodded in deep empathy. "I've been thinking the exact same thing."
"Well, our clothes are changing with the seasons too."
"That's right." Hearing this, Miyuki replied with a hint of regret, then added, "The heavy responsibility on my shoulders has finally been lifted. This accessory was quite heavy."
"Well, it is made of gold, after all," Kaguya chimed in at just the right moment.
Perhaps due to the burden being lifted, Miyuki no longer displayed his usual seriousness and restraint.
Resting his right arm across the back of the booth and lightly pressing his knuckles against his cheek, he spoke with a much more relaxed expression.
"Haa~ Now, all that's left is to pray for an excellent successor."
"Hmm, seeing the President looking so utterly drained like this..." Chika showed a hesitant expression, her tone carrying a hint of helplessness. "I doubt anyone would want to be the successor."
"But there are still some possibilities to consider."
"Being President is hard work, but it comes with its own benefits." Finishing his sentence, Miyuki caught a certain prospective President looking at him curiously out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head, smiled, and reached out to pat his younger brother's shoulder, who was sitting on the extra seat by the aisle.
"If only you went to Shuchiin, Miyahito. That way, I wouldn't have to worry about the successor's competence."
"Me?"
Miyahito, who was lazily sipping his drink through a straw without knowing when it had been refilled, paused for a moment.
Before he could fully process it, the others who heard Miyuki's remark subconsciously thought about it, then agreed in unison.
Yu: "Yeah, I think so too."
Kaguya: "The President is right, but it's a shame Aragaki-kun doesn't attend Shuchiin."
Chika: "Mhm, mhm, exactly! Miyahito-kun! Why don't you just transfer schools!"
Hearing his familiar seniors, his recognized big brother, and his good friend all express their faith in his abilities, Miyahito modestly thanked everyone. Then, he turned to Chika, whose cute face was sparkling with anticipation, and said:
"I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you, Fujiwara-senpai. Transferring is impossible. It's impossible in this lifetime."
"Eh? Why?"
Hearing Miyahito's such 'resolute' rejection of her proposal, Chika couldn't help but show a look of surprise and curiosity.
"Because."
Miyahito smiled mysteriously, his gaze sweeping over the others.
"I have a girlfriend who goes to Toyogasaki, so~"
Facing Miyahito's 'you know what I mean' look, Chika couldn't help but freeze. Besides her, the others also realized this, and one by one, they all showed expressions of sudden realization.
"Personally, I think Yu would be quite good." Seeing that everyone except Chika had already figured it out, Miyahito turned to Miyuki and Yu, making this suggestion with a smile.
"Yeah, I think Miyahito's suggestion works."
Miyuki agreed with Miyahito's proposal and turned to Ishigami beside him, saying, "Why not try recommending yourself?"
Facing the proposal from his increasingly close friend and the senior he respected the most, Ishigami smiled and replied with a relaxed demeanor.
"Hehe, do you really think anyone would vote for me?"
"Whenever I make eye contact, the girls in my class just start crying~ I've made countless girls cry, and I even make the girls themselves shed tears."
"Hehe, that sounds so interesting, hahaha."
....I'm sorry.
Hearing the faint trace of a crying tone in her voice, Miyuki and Miyahito couldn't help but feel a dull ache in their consciences.
It hurts... it hurts too much! Ishigami, why did you have to.... Ahem.
Just then.
"That's right~" Suddenly, Chika spoke in a tone that sounded like an innocent maiden. "If I were to become the Student Council President, ehehe...."
In an instant, everyone in the room, including Kaguya, who hadn't even been participating in the topic, couldn't help but pause their movements.
The next second.
""""Hahahaha."""
Listening to the group's cold, fake laughter, Chika looked completely calm and said to them in a perfectly flat voice.
"Hey, hey, hey, I'm going to make you eat your words."
After this brief little interlude.
"In that case, President." As usual, Kaguya subconsciously used her everyday form of address for Miyuki.
However, before she could finish her sentence.
"Hey, hey, Shinomiya," Miyuki interrupted with a somewhat helpless expression. "I'm not the President anymore."
"Ah, that's true."
Having her words interrupted, Kaguya realized it belatedly in a daze.
Huh? If the President is no longer the President, then what should I call him?
For a moment, Kaguya fell into a dilemma over how to address Miyuki.
'Shirogane-san? Shirogane-kun? Or... Miyuki-kun?'
No way... How could I do something as embarrassing as calling him by his first name! I'm not that kind of frivolous woman....
Just as Kaguya was thinking this.
"Ah!" Noticing that Miyuki's cup was empty, and coincidentally her own drink was finished too, Chika said to him very naturally.
"Would Miyuki-kun like another cup?"
Gah—!
For a moment, it felt as if Kaguya's heart had taken a heavy blow.
"Miyuki-kun wants coffee, right?"
Eh!!!
"Does Miyuki-kun want it hot? Or iced?"
Eh!!!!!
"Then let's go with iced."
"Alright, Miyuki-kun will have an iced one!"
Eh, eh, eh, eh, eh!
Frivolous! Is this what the world has come to!?
In an instant.
Kaguya felt her mentality... completely collapse.
However, the next second, Yu uttered a title that shocked Kaguya even more.
"I'll just go with Miyu-senpai."