{Miku is number one in the world!}
{Miku is everything!}
{Miku is like an angel fallen from the heavens!}
These thoughts flashed through Izuru's mind the moment his eyes fell upon one of the Nakano quintuplets—Miku Nakano herself!
As the Student Council President, Izuru's post-lunch routine usually involved heading straight from the cafeteria to the council room. Along the way sat a lone vending machine where he'd habitually stop for a drink. Today was no exception.
However, a beautiful girl in a high school uniform was already standing before it.
Under normal circumstances, Izuru wouldn't have been this shaken. Even though he used this machine frequently, it wasn't his private property; it was only natural for others to use it, no matter how beautiful they were.
But this girl's appearance and identity caught him completely off guard.
She had that rare, soft pink hair identical to Itsuki's and a face that was a near-perfect match; if you judged by features alone, her resemblance to Itsuki was well over ninety percent.
That remaining one percent, however, was all the proof he needed to know exactly who she was.
There were the signature headphones draped around her neck—rarely worn over her ears, serving more as a badge of identity and a boost to her "cuteness factor." Then there were her long legs clad in eye-catching black tights, and a calm, somewhat weary gaze that stood in stark contrast to Itsuki's energy.
Most importantly, she was significantly lighter than Itsuki... though Izuru told himself to pretend he'd never even thought that last part!
These traits were more than enough. As a former supporter of the Miku faction, how could he possibly fail to recognize her?
Miku Nakano!
One of the quintuplets!
What on earth is she doing here?
Izuru narrowed his eyes. Itsuki's strange behavior earlier had already put him on high alert, but bumping into Miku now sent his confusion and suspicion skyrocketing.
While Izuru stood lost in thought a short distance away, Miku remained rooted in front of the machine. Her usually stoic, hard-to-read face now bore a distinct shadow of gloom.
It reminded him of Misaka Mikoto getting her money swallowed by a machine...
No, bad example. If Mikoto lost her change, she'd have blown a fuse and delivered a lethal, legendary "Grandmother's Kick" to the hardware.
Regardless, Miku seemed to be nursing a personal vendetta against the vending machine. She glared at it with such intensity it looked as though she were trying to burn a curse into its very frame.
Watching this, Izuru's brow furrowed in contemplation for a moment. Then, a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he stepped forward, adopting a friendly, approachable tone.
"My apologies, but did the machine just swallow your money?"
Itsuki had been scouting the cafeteria food earlier, which meant today was the day the Nakano sisters officially transferred in. That explained why they were all wandering around the campus. If Itsuki headed for the food out of sheer gluttony, it only made sense for Miku to seek out a vending machine for her favorite matcha soda, right?
Startled by the sudden voice, Miku flinched instinctively, clearly not expecting company. She turned toward him with a slightly huffy expression. Her beautiful blue eyes locked onto Izuru for several long seconds before she finally gave a slow nod.
{So, I was right.}
Izuru breathed a mental sigh of relief. With a tone of practiced sympathy, he continued, "This machine is notoriously temperamental. It's famous for eating students' lunch money without giving up a drink. You didn't know?"
Izuru spoke from painful experience—specifically, an incident on the first day of his second year.
Back then, after losing a bet to the Vice President and being forced to accept the role of Council President, they were on their way to inspect the office when they passed this very spot. Parched and lacking small change, Izuru had fed a ten-thousand yen note into the slot.
And... nothing. The machine sat there in absolute, mocking silence.
At the time, Izuru could only manage a bitter laugh. In a fit of pique, he'd delivered a perfect 45-degree "Grandmother's Kick" to the chassis.
As if the machine were the type that only responded to physical discipline, it shuddered violently a few times before suddenly vomiting out his drink and his change in a frantic rush.
The "Ice Queen" Vice President had laughed until she could barely breathe, while Izuru's eye hadn't stopped twitching for an hour.
Since then, the machine seemed to demand a beating. If you didn't give it that signature 45-degree strike, you weren't getting a drink or your money back. Strangely, the school never called a technician; instead, they kept it as a quirky campus landmark. The "Masochistic Machine" eventually attracted so many curious students that the "Grandmother's Kick" practically evolved into its own martial arts discipline.
But for those who couldn't deliver the blow, the machine was a trap to be avoided at all costs.
"...I'm a transfer student. I just got here, so I didn't know," Miku murmured, her voice laced with lingering resentment.
"I see. No wonder you aren't in our uniform yet," Izuru replied smoothly. He wasn't surprised, of course, but the small talk served its purpose. Now it was time for the real hook.
"My name is Izuru Kamukura, the Student Council President. Earlier in the cafeteria, I ran into a beautiful girl who looks remarkably like you named Itsuki Nakano. She's also a transfer; would you happen to know her?"
A well-placed compliment combined with mentioning a family connection—it was a textbook move to raise a girl's favorability.
Sure enough, a tiny, subtle curve appeared at the corner of Miku's mouth.
"I'm Miku Nakano," She said softly. "It's nice to meet you..."