As if the heavy clouds blanketing the sky were determined to choke out every last drop of sunlight, the entire city was plunged into an eerie twilight. Though it was nearly eight in the morning, only a handful of shops along the street had bothered to open. It was at that precise moment that the heavens finally reached their breaking point and released everything at once.
*🌧️🌧️🌧️🌧️!*
The sharp staccato of rain drumming against tiled roofs.
*🌧️🌧️🌧️🌧️!*
The heavy thud of water lashing against the pavement.
*⛈️—!*
The roaring white noise that only a true torrential downpour can produce.
Despite all being the same falling water, the sounds varied wildly depending on where they struck or the sheer volume of the deluge, creating nature's purest, most chaotic symphony.
Yet, in this hurried age, almost no one possessed the patience to stand still and listen to such a melody.
At the very least, the one man and two women currently taking shelter under a shop's narrow awning lacked that emotional tranquility.
"Missed our window, huh? God really has a twisted sense of humor—couldn't even wait a few more minutes for us school slaves..."
Izuru stared out at the wall of rain, empty-handed and umbrella-less, letting out a sigh of pure resignation.
However, the two others beside him had no intention of responding. Or rather, compared to acknowledging Izuru's vague grumbling, they had far more pressing business to attend to.
"..."
"..."
Yukino and Kaguya locked eyes, staring each other down in a silence so cold it was practically sub-zero. The atmosphere between them was heavy and stifling, making the already chilly morning feel bone-piercing. Even the pouring rain felt as if it might turn to sleet under the weight of their combined glares.
There is a saying: "One mountain cannot hold two tigers, unless one is male and the other female." That proverb held a universal truth. Kaguya and Yukino, both possessing the temperament of an "Ice Queen," showed zero intent of playing nice. Instead, they continued to ramp up their respective auras, trying to mentally crush the other.
Sandwiched between these two and bearing the brunt of a psychological collision that would have broken a normal person, Izuru suddenly shivered—whether from the weather or the pressure, he couldn't tell. It made him realize one thing...
He had to do something to melt the ice, or he might as well change his name to "Izuru Makoto."
"Um... look, Yashoku, Hirano... it's pouring now, but the school bells aren't going to wait. If we keep standing here, we're going to be late, right? How about we head out now?"
Izuru spoke with a strained, awkward smile. After all, navigating a shuraba was a "Grandmaster" level difficulty for an otaku who had never even held a girl's hand!
"It's Kaguya, not Yashoku!"
"Please call me Yukinoshita-san, Kamukura-kun."
Fortunately, Yukino and Kaguya were model students—intelligent and rational. Upon hearing Izuru's words, they instinctively corrected him and then simultaneously let out a sharp, synchronized huff.
"You're right. Continuing to argue with you is a waste of time; I'd much rather get to school and study."
Yukino brushed her black hair back, pulled a compact feminine umbrella from her bag, and spoke with icy detachment.
"The President is right. There's no point in me dealing with you. I should head to school with the President immediately."
Kaguya also produced a compact umbrella from her bag, mirroring Yukino's tone.
Meanwhile, Izuru's awkwardness spiked to new heights because he... didn't have one.
"What is it? President, aren't you going to open your umbrella?" Kaguya asked, looking at the stationary Izuru with confusion.
"Kamukura-kun assumed today would be sunny, so he didn't even bring one. In fact, he just asked me to share mine."
As if intentionally trying to light Kaguya's fuse, Yukino explained with a smirk.
Kaguya's face went cold for a split second before shifting into an expression of pure, calculated delight.
"The President doesn't have an umbrella? Well then, if the President doesn't mind, you can share mine."
Izuru felt a wave of touched emotion. However, Yukino scoffed again.
"Yours is a single-person umbrella too, isn't it? If you share it with Kamukura-kun, half of both your bodies will end up soaked. What's the point?"
To which Kaguya shot back indignantly: "So what? Do you expect me to just let the President get rained on without a shred of guilt or shame? I'm sorry, but unlike you, I don't prioritize my own comfort over the feelings of others!"
"Excuse me?!" Yukino's face flushed with sudden anger. Her voice dropped into a low, dangerous growl.
"Are you implying that I'm the type of selfish person who only cares about herself and disregards everyone else?"
Completely unfazed by Yukino's wrath, Kaguya sneered: "Aren't you? You could have shared your umbrella with the President, let him seek shelter from the rain and feel a bit of human warmth. But instead... just so you don't get a few drops on yourself, you'd let him walk in the rain alone. Doesn't that say everything?"
Yukino's temper reached its boiling point, her pride flaring up. "Hah—! Who said I wouldn't share my umbrella with Kamukura-kun? I accept your challenge..."
With that, Yukino snapped her umbrella open and hoisted it over both her and Izuru's heads. The dry space was split exactly down the middle. Because the umbrella was so narrow, Yukino's body was pressed firmly against Izuru's side.
Yet, Yukino seemed not to notice—or simply didn't care—as she stared at Izuru, whose face was growing increasingly red. "Kamukura-kun, that request to share my umbrella? I accept."
She then shot a triumphant, provocative look at Kaguya.
{You shameless woman!}
Kaguya was fuming. She immediately snapped her own umbrella open and shoved it over both her and Izuru from the other side. The space was split again, and she intentionally tilted her umbrella against Yukino's as if trying to push her out of the way.
"..."
Watching this romantic battlefield evolve, Izuru was speechless. But then again... it wasn't like he was losing. Two of the most beautiful girls in school were literally fighting for the right to keep him dry. Regardless of the reason, Izuru was the winner here. So, why overthink it?
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