"Um, listen, Yotsuba..."
Inside the pitch-black shed, a man and a woman were pressed tightly against each other. If there were any witnesses right now, they would be 100% convinced they were a couple caught in the middle of something scandalous. If that witness happened to be a member of the "Lonely Hearts Brigade," they'd probably lose their mind in a fit of rage, grab a can of gasoline and a torch, and burn the shed down with the couple still inside.
Fortunately, there were no witnesses. However, these two weren't lovers; they were people who had known each other for less than an hour—their relationship was only marginally warmer than that of total strangers!
This reality made Izuru—a senior cadre of the "Lonely Hearts Brigade" who, despite conquering countless digital beauties, had never once held a girl's hand in the real world—feel his throat go dry. His words began to stumble.
Yotsuba's petite frame was glued to his, allowing him to clearly catch the distinct scent of a teenage girl. Even though she had just finished a grueling workout and was drenched in sweat, Izuru didn't smell anything unpleasant. On the contrary, it felt as though her natural fragrance had only become more potent!
{Is this a 'pretty girl' perk? Even their sweat smells good?!}
{No, no, that's not the focus here. The focus is—why is Yotsuba being so aggressive? Don't tell me... Yotsuba, who looks so innocent and naive on the outside, is actually... actually this warm and proactive? Is she taking the chance to steal an advantage from a pure, innocent, handsome guy like me?!}
{Well! Since you're being so proactive, I guess I'm forced to... let you enjoy yourself for a moment. After all, I am the Student Council President. Helping a lonely female student ease her anxiety is only natural. Don't misunderstand; I just want to help you clear away those 'dirty thoughts' so you can study better later. It's not like I'm enjoying this!}
However, reality proved that Izuru was merely daydreaming.
"Sorry, President... I'm a little afraid of the dark."
Yotsuba's voice, muffled against his chest, was soft and laced with embarrassment. She made no other movements, confirming that her closeness was purely a reflex born of nyctophobia.
Izuru's face went stiff. He felt like his daydream had just been blasted by a giant water cannon. His racing heart cooled instantly, as if doused by a bucket of ice water, and the thousands of words in his head collapsed into a single, long sigh.
{Afraid of the dark, huh? I didn't expect Yotsuba to have such a feminine, cute weakness. But it makes sense; no matter how good she is at sports or how cheerful she acts, she's still just an ordinary high school girl. Not everyone is built like me...}
Izuru began to survey their surroundings. When they first entered, he assumed they'd just drop the baskets and leave. He never expected the caretaker to lock the door right then and there—and he certainly didn't expect the caretaker to be an idiot who wouldn't check for occupants first.
As a result, the President was now a prisoner. To make matters worse, they hadn't turned on the lights when they entered, so he couldn't see anything except Yotsuba. Since it was his first time in this specific shed, he had no idea where the light switch was.
But every cloud has a silver lining. At least a beauty like Yotsuba was keeping him company, and because of her fear, Izuru was receiving "fan service" usually reserved for lucky anime protagonists. His irritation at being locked in vanished instantly.
Furthermore, because Izuru's phone was a top-tier import and he was a certified gadget addict, he wasn't like those dimwitted protagonists who forget their phones or let the battery die. He could call for help or use the flashlight at any moment.
"Kyaa~!"
It was a classic maiden's shriek from Yotsuba, coinciding with a sudden stimulus sent straight to Izuru's central nervous system.
As Izuru shifted his arm to reach for his phone, he accidentally brushed against an area that was very, very, very soft. If that area had to be described in one word, that word would be—
OPPAI!
"..."
Thanks to the glow of his phone screen, Izuru saw Yotsuba's beet-red face and... his own arm, currently submerged in the "dreamland" of men everywhere.
{I almost wish I were the arm itself... wait, I mean...}
"Um, Yotsuba, I didn't mean to!"
Forcing a stiff smile, Izuru spoke with a body as rigid as a board.
They had known each other for less than an hour. If she felt harassed, a slap—or the end of their friendship—was a perfectly logical outcome. He didn't want a girl as bright as Yotsuba to hate him over an accident.
"Ehm... I know. I trust that the President isn't that kind of person..."
With a face like a ripe tomato, Yotsuba pulled back slightly, but she didn't dare move too far from his side, clearly still terrified of the shadows.
Feeling the soft sensation vanish from his arm, Izuru let out a disappointed sigh. At the same time, he wanted to scream internally: {That 'I trust you' line actually hurts my feelings!}
Izuru began operating his phone.
He intended to text Kaguya as originally planned... but wait. What if Yotsuba made an accidental sound? He'd be toast!
{Right, a text is safer. Kaguya told me once that her contact list is as pathetic as mine. If someone reaches out, via call or text, she replies almost instantly...}
{But if her contacts are as sparse as mine, who exactly is she texting so diligently?}
{Don't tell me... it's me?}
A cold sweat suddenly broke out on Izuru's brow.
{No way, right? Kaguya and I have only known each other for a few days...}