Chapter 264 Shinomiya Kaguya: I've Won
Aim, release, hit the target—all of it was inevitable.
On the second afternoon of the Festival, Shinomiya Kaguya was practicing at the archery club.
That night, during the campfire ceremony, she needed to perform the fire-lighting, like the Olympic torch… though, saying it like that didn't sound quite appropriate.
"Whoosh~"
Even while thinking about other things, the arrow in Shinomiya Kaguya's hand still struck the bullseye, almost piercing through the previous arrow.
Sakurai Saki had once told her not to miss that night. Though Shinomiya Kaguya outwardly carried a confident look, in her heart she was still a little anxious. She didn't want to lose face before Sakurai Saki, nor before her former maid.
'Ai-san…'
After that incident.
The people sent by the Shinomiya main house had lessened greatly. Aside from those secretly protecting her, the ones who usually monitored her had all withdrawn, something Shinomiya Kaguya was rather sensitive about.
After Hayasaka Ai left, Shinomiya Kaguya didn't seek out a new bodyguard, but fortunately, she didn't feel lonely either.
On weekends, Hayasaka Ai would come to the Shinomiya mansion to stay over. Normally, if Shinomiya Kaguya missed her, she only had to call, and Ai-chan would come.
But that was absolutely not enough!
'So annoying, Sakurai Saki!' Shinomiya Kaguya's mind suddenly conjured his face.
Kaguya: ᕙ( ︡'︡ 益 '︠)ง
"Whoosh!"
Another set of movements—drawing the bow, loosing the arrow—flowing smoothly like water, looking utterly perfect, though the aim was slightly off. Fortunately, it didn't miss entirely.
Just thinking of Sakurai Saki made Kaguya feel a little irritated. She put down her bow, then turned to drink some water.
"I wonder how things are going on Ishigami-kun's side." Shinomiya Kaguya thought of her kouhai-kun, murmuring to herself.
How nice it must be, having someone you like to walk around the festival with.
Should I try falling in love once myself?
But looking around, there didn't seem to be any suitable boys.
Shirogane, the student council president? Next year he would be heading to Stanford, and that was overseas—long-distance love, forget it.
Sakurai General Affairs? He already had a girlfriend, so no.
Ishigami-kun? She had always regarded him as a junior, and besides, he already liked someone.
'What am I even thinking?' Shinomiya Kaguya suddenly realized.
'I basically don't even know that many boys!!!'
She began to doubt her own ability to socialize.
And true enough, thinking back, before last year, when she was still a first-year, Kaguya always carried the demeanor of the Ice Princess. She wasn't even kind toward girls, let alone boys, whom she practically treated as weeds.
'Still weeds even now.' Shinomiya Kaguya shook her head.
Forget it, I'll just wait until university to find someone outstanding.
Or should I wait for the Shinomiya main house to arrange a marriage match? Shinomiya Kaguya always felt some aversion to arranged marriages, so she didn't want to think about that possibility.
'What about Christmas this year?'
There was only half a month left until the archery tournament. If she wanted to spend Christmas, she would have to give up the competition.
Shinomiya Kaguya thought for a few seconds, deciding that if she had the time, she would ask the others in the student council. If possible, she too wanted to spend a Christmas like an ordinary girl.
And so she practiced archery for over an hour.
The sky darkened, winter night arriving swiftly.
Without changing clothes, Shinomiya Kaguya headed straight for the schoolyard.
...
Night fell.
Beside the schoolyard, the evening festival, the campfire ceremony, was about to begin.
"I want to go check on Kaguya-san." Hayasaka Ai said to Sakurai Saki.
She always felt uneasy.
Previously, she had said she wouldn't leave until Shinomiya Kaguya had someone new to rely on, but events often developed full of surprises.
"Go ahead."
Sakurai Saki didn't refuse at all.
The bond between Hayasaka Ai and Shinomiya Kaguya had long since surpassed what could be contained in the word "friends." After all, they had been together for more than ten years. How many spans of ten years does a lifetime have? If she quit her job and immediately abandoned Shinomiya Kaguya, would that still be the Hayasaka Ai anyone knew?
Watching his girlfriend leave, Sakurai Saki found a good spot, waiting for the fire-lighting archery ceremony.
Groups of people gathered around in threes and fives.
In the sky, the moon had also appeared.
"It's about to start."
"Karen, don't forget to take photos."
"A special issue, right? I won't forget. Erika, who are you looking at?"
Sakurai Saki turned his head, "What's wrong?"
"They've appeared!! Wild Sakurai-san!!" Erika exaggeratedly announced.
"And where's Hayasaka-san?" Karen looked left and right, searching for the other's figure.
"She had something to do and left." Sakurai Saki answered indifferently.
Karen showed a gossip-hungry expression.
After a few minutes, she saw Hayasaka Ai arriving together with Shinomiya Kaguya.
'What? A new CP just appeared!! Hayasaka-san and Kaguya-sama!!'
Seeing her excited face, Sakurai Saki reminded: "As a journalist, the authenticity of the news is very important, right?"
Sakurai: (≖_≖ )
Karen: (,,Ծ‸Ծ,, )
"..." Karen averted her gaze, feeling a bit guilty: "Umu."
"I won't make fake news."
Sakurai Saki didn't believe her words at all.
If the other wasn't an irresponsible journalist, then all those silly rumors about him wouldn't have sold so well.
That Sakurai Saki could become famous in Shuchiin, her contribution was indeed not small.
"I really don't want to become more famous, Karen."
"Aiyaya, I just did a small thing."
"I wasn't praising you."
"Uuu~…" Karen cried out, full of grievance.
She was an all-around fan of Sakurai, as long as it was a CP with Sakurai Saki, she liked it.
...
"I already told you, Ai-san, you don't need to come over." Shinomiya Kaguya, though complaining outwardly, inside her heart was blooming with joy.
Hayasaka Ai abandoned Sakurai Saki to choose her, it seemed her position in Ai-chan's heart was much higher than that of some random all-purpose Sakurai guy!
Victory! Overwhelming victory!
Kaguya: ✧｡◝(ᵔᗜᵔ)◜✧*｡
"Kaguya-san, then I'll be going?"
"I won't let you go!" Shinomiya Kaguya, rarely acting spoiled, said a line.
Kaguya: ｡ﾟ(₌இᆽஇ₌)ﾟ｡
Hayasaka Ai covered her face, for a moment not knowing what to say.
From time to time Shinomiya Kaguya would blurt out things like that, and the destructive power was truly frightening.
Normally she never acted spoiled, at most when she had a cold she would say a few strange things.
"Umu? Why is there a member of the Media Club next to Sakurai-san?" Shinomiya Kaguya remembered very clearly.
Those two had previously made up stories between her and Sakurai Saki.
Ojou-sama and the puppy… seemed to be that theme.
"Their relationship has always been pretty good." Hayasaka Ai, on the other hand, found this quite normal.
She could distinguish the attitude Sakurai Saki showed toward certain girls. He was indeed amorous but not frivolous.
"Ai-san, you really are generous, could this be the demeanor of the legitimate wife?"
"..." Hayasaka Ai blinked, suspiciously asking: "Kaguya-san, what have you been reading lately?"
"Harem manga, why? I bought it secretly!"
Kaguya: ( • ̀ω•́ )✧
Hayasaka: ૮₍•᷄ ࡇ •᷅₎ა
"Nothing."
Already evolved from shoujo manga into harem manga?
Could it be that in half a year Kaguya-sama would turn into an otaku? That would be too scary.