Lunch break.
"Sakurai-kun! I forgot my bento today—let's hit the cafeteria together!"Fujiwara Chika stood in the doorway of Second Year Class A, cheerfully waving at him.
Heads turned.Practically everyone in the classroom looked their way.Some glances even drifted toward Hayasaka Ai, who was seated beside Sakurai Saki.
There had been plenty of rumors about these three.The gossip mill claimed two of the school's most beautiful girls were fiercely vying for the same boy—some even said it had gotten violent.
The result? A string of absurdly dramatic stories serialized by the Media Department, including gems like:
"My Tragic Love Triangle with the Lady and the Gyaru"Authorship unknown.Content? Suspiciously well-written.
Sakurai could guess the culprits—those Media Department busybodies always chasing after juicy headlines instead of their grades.
Why do other people's relationships matter to you that much?Sakurai hated those kinds of gossipmongers.
What annoyed him most?The writing was good.Good enough that even he almost believed it.
One chapter even described a knife-wielding raid on the Fujiwara estate to "rescue" someone—pure madness, but so vividly told it had kept him up at night.
Now, with the eyes of Class A upon him, Sakurai glanced at Hayasaka Ai… then stood up and followed Chika out with a firm step.
Would this upset Ai-chan?
…Probably not.
Their relationship hadn't gotten that serious yet. Just mutual affection—maybe.Fujiwara, though... with that expressive little face of hers, she might as well have written "I like you" across her forehead.
Sakurai Saki couldn't not notice.
Behind them, Hayasaka Ai watched the two leave, their laughter echoing faintly in the classroom.Her expression dimmed for just a second, before she casually turned to chat with her friends nearby.
Soon enough, she pushed her desk over to theirs and took out her lunch.
"Sakurai-kun left... Aren't you going to check?" someone asked.
Ai just shook her head. She didn't speak—but her downcast gaze said everything.
The class picked up on it quickly. Whispers spread again.
'Borrowing the east wind to strike the west,' Ai thought to herself.She saw it all, quietly calculating.
Sometimes, letting the tide turn against you—just a little—could earn sympathy and shift public opinion.And public opinion was powerful.
Fujiwara wouldn't play dirty; she was far too innocent.Predictable, even.
That was good—it made her easy to read.
It was the unpredictable ones Ai feared.The kind of girl who would glare at someone in the morning and then confess by sunset.
Scary.
Hopefully, no strange love rival like that ever appeared.
But there was a more pressing issue—
'There's just not enough time in the day!'
Ai took a bite of her bento, internally sighing.
Work lasted until 9 p.m. most nights.And even then, she barely had time to breathe before Kaguya-sama summoned her for another heart-to-heart.
Recently, those talks had turned... bizarre.Uncomfortably intimate questions, spanning hours.
By the time she finished writing the daily report to the main family, it was nearly midnight.
In short, she had zero time for romantic progress.
"Just win him over already," Kaguya-sama had even said.
As if it were that easy.
Sigh~
Meanwhile...
The Nakano Five Sisters were already en route to the cafeteria—actually, well ahead of Sakurai.
Nakano Itsuki trailed slightly behind, lost in thought.
She'd made a mistake.And mistakes should be acknowledged.
"I need to apologize."But would Sakurai even accept it?
"Itsuki! What are we eating?"Yotsuba leaned close, grinning.
"...Meat buns?" Itsuki mumbled distractedly.
"What? I think tempura udon sounds better! Let's go with that."Yotsuba turned to Miku."What about you?"
"Matcha cake," Miku replied flatly.
"Cake for lunch? You'll gain weight," Nino warned.
Miku shot her a look."That's none of your business."
Nino's face darkened.
Was this about the tutor?
Because she'd argued with him yesterday, now Miku was snapping at her too?
We're sisters.Why take his side like that?
"Miku! Are you seriously picking a fight over that guy? He's just a tutor! We can get a new one! There are tons in Tokyo! The world doesn't revolve around him!"Nino finally snapped.
"You two, stop it," Yotsuba jumped in quickly, sensing the mood souring.
"Let's just apologize together later. He already said he's quitting, right? Nino, isn't that what you wanted? You got your way."Ichika stepped in with her usual calm, eldest-sister voice.
But Nino wasn't having it.
"I'm not apologizing to him!"
She had thought about apologizing.
She really had.
But now?Forget it.
Yotsuba always went along with others.Miku was giving her attitude.Ichika was lecturing her.Even Itsuki was off in her own world.
Every single one of them.
"I didn't do anything wrong!!"Nakano Nino's thoughts screamed as she bit her lip."I just didn't want our home to be ruined by a complete stranger! Why is everyone blaming me?!"
She felt so... helpless.So alone.
And then, without warning, tears began to spill.
Warm streaks ran down her cheeks and soaked into her uniform.She wiped them away with the back of her hand, sniffling—and finally broke.
"Ugh~ It's all my fault, okay?! It's all my fault!"Her voice cracked."Just dump everything on me—if that makes you happy, then fine! Do it!!"
The last thread snapped.
"You... you all go ahead and eat! I'm not going!"
And with that, Nino turned and ran—Fast and wild, as if the cafeteria was the last place she wanted to be.
"...She's gone."Yotsuba stared after her, torn. Her feet twitched, unsure whether to chase or let her go.
"I'm hungry," Miku said plainly, almost a whisper.
Itsuki watched the growing crowd flowing toward the cafeteria.Nino was gone now—vanished into it.
Too late to follow.
"Let's just bring her something later," Itsuki murmured.She looked troubled. But no one argued.
At the same time...
Down the same hallway, Sakurai Saki and Fujiwara Chika strolled toward the cafeteria.
"Sakurai-kun, what do you want to eat?"Chika tilted her head at him, her eyes bright with energy.
Today was the final day of their "bet punishment."
Forgetting her lunch?Of course it was a lie.How else could she drag him to the cafeteria?
"Curry pork cutlet set meal," Sakurai mused. "That sounds good today."
"Then I'll get the same!" Chika chirped in sync.
Suddenly—noise.
The students ahead grew animated, their chatter louder, more chaotic.
"Eh? What's going on up there?"Chika's voice sparked with excitement."A fight? A love confession? A murder?! Let's go see!!"
She grabbed Sakurai's sleeve and practically skipped forward, dragging him with her.
Sakurai let out a helpless sigh but allowed her to pull him along.
Then—
BANG!!
Someone burst out of the crowd like a bullet—And collided straight into them.
Sakurai reacted instantly, wrapping an arm around Chika and pulling her out of the way.
They staggered.
Then silence.
A familiar figure sat sprawled on the floor. Her forehead red from impact, tears still fresh on her face.
"SCUMBAG!!!"Nakano Nino sobbed, pointing straight at Sakurai.
"Ugly girl! Shut up!!!"
Sakurai Saki's voice was cold. Flat.Not even a flicker of warmth in his eyes.
He didn't even give her a second glance.