Shuchi'in Academy — a private school exclusively for the rich, the talented, and the noble. A prestigious institution that educates students from preschool all the way to university, with its main branch located in the Minato ward of Tokyo. While most students enter from early years, admission partway through is possible — though rare, as the high school's standardized test scores hover near the 99.7th percentile.
Inside this elite academy, in the dimly lit yet stylish Gaming Club Room, stood our main character: Kenichi Sakamaki.
He adjusted his black gakuran, taking a deep breath as he stood nervously in front of none other than Fujiwara Chika.
"Chika..." he began softly, his voice barely above a whisper.
Chika blinked, looking up from her seat where she'd been casually playing with a game controller. "Huh? Ken-chan? What's with the serious face?"
Kenichi Sakamaki — with his short, spiky black hair and expressive dark eyes — had a calm but anxious look on his face. Dressed sharply in his school uniform with gold buttons, he exuded the aura of a noble swordsman from an anime. Girls swooned over him daily, and yet here he stood, trembling slightly in front of just one girl.
"I know I've already asked you 999 times," he said, bowing his head slightly. "But this will be my 1000th."
Chika tilted her head, her pink hair falling gracefully over her shoulder. "Hmm? Are you talking about... that again?"
"Yes." He raised his gaze, locking eyes with her. "I like you, Chika. Will you be my girlfriend?"
Again?! Chika's eyes widened as her mind went into overdrive.
'This is the thousandth time! Why does he keep doing this?!'
She stared at him, mouth slightly agape. Kenichi had his eyes closed, waiting in silence for her response.
Why… me?
After all, Kenichi wasn't just any guy. He was practically the ideal male lead from a romance anime. Skilled in both kendo and swordsmanship, he had won national tournaments in both disciplines. He was the heir to SKM Industries, a trillion-dollar company known worldwide.
If he called his dad, Chika was sure he could literally buy half of Japan, including the Shinomiya Group, the company owned by the friend she just made today!
'And this guy… this guy… has been asked out by at least 80% of the girls in this school,' she thought, recalling all the love letters, chocolates, and stalking fan clubs he dealt with. 'Yet he always says the same thing.'
"My heart only belongs to Chika."
She looked back at him, still standing, hands clenched, face sincere.
"Geez..." Chika muttered, flustered. "You're such an idiot, Ken-chan."
"Huh?"
"You always say you like me," she puffed her cheeks, "but you never tell me why! I mean, why me?! There are so many girls who are prettier, smarter, curvier—"
"There's no one better than you," Kenichi cut her off firmly.
Chika blinked, thrown off. "Eh?"
"I love your energy, your smile, how you always cheer people up. I love the way you get ridiculously competitive over card games. I love how you act like an airhead but secretly think deeply about everyone around you," Kenichi said, his voice steady. "You've been in my heart since we were five years old. And nothing… no amount of fame, beauty, or pressure from others… can change that."
Chika's face turned bright red. 'He said why. He finally said why!'
She quickly turned her back to him. "W-Well… I guess... I can't just keep ignoring this anymore…"
Kenichi perked up slightly, his heart racing.
Chika twirled around with a sudden grin, hands on her hips. "Alright! Let's go on a date first!"
Kenichi blinked. "A date?"
"Yup!" she said, giving a thumbs-up. "Let's go on a proper date first. Then... I'll tell you how I feel."
Kenichi's eyes widened. "R-Really?!"
She nodded with a proud little hum. "This weekend. I've already decided we'll go to my grandfather's mountain resort. It's luxurious, private, and... perfect for a test date."
"A test date?!" Kenichi looked like he'd been struck by lightning, then laughed excitedly. "I—I promise I'll do my best! I won't let you down!"
Before Chika could say anything else, Kenichi had already dashed out of the room, leaving behind a cartoonish puff of smoke.
"This is the happiest day of my life!" he shouted from down the hallway. "I have to prepare everything!"
Chika stared at the open door for a second, then slowly sighed. Her eye twitched.
"He really is an idiot... but at least he's my idiot— Wait! No! I haven't even sorted out my feelings yet!" she groaned, slapping her cheeks.
She pulled out her phone with a dramatic sigh, muttering, "I need backup..."
She quickly dialed the number of the friend she made earlier that day:
Shinomiya Kaguya.