"President, don't always push yourself. Take a little break with me sometimes too."
"Mm."
"Now that we're alone outside, what should we be doing in this situation?"
"..."
Looking into the shimmering eyes of the girl beside him, Shirogane slowly lowered his head.
At that moment, their relationship became real.
Under the atmosphere around them, Shirogane took the initiative to lower his head and kissed Kaguya.
It was a kiss initiated by Shirogane, and it melted the mask of icy resolve that Kaguya wore like armor.
After that kiss, Kaguya was no longer the cold and distant Ice Princess. She had become just a girl in love.
To her, this was already the perfect Christmas Eve.
They returned to Fujiwara's home as if nothing had happened and started playing games together.
Even if Moeha got close to Shirogane again, Kaguya wouldn't be angry. Everything was settled, and her heart was unexpectedly light.
Of course, she didn't forget to share the good news with Hayasaka, who had always taken care of her.
Likewise, Shirogane sent the news to Rinji.
When they left Fujiwara's house, it was already around eleven o'clock at night.
"President, can you spare some time tomorrow?"
"Sure," Shirogane replied. "A date?"
"...Yeah."
"Alright, I'll send you the location once I get home."
"Okay."
After exchanging words, they walked in the direction of their respective homes.
Shirogane was so elated he could barely contain himself. If it weren't so late, he would've shouted for joy, uncaring of disturbing the neighbors.
After a whole year, he and Kaguya were finally officially dating.
Kaguya felt the same.
She couldn't stop giggling on the way home, joy radiating from her entire being.
When she reached her estate's large iron gate, it slowly opened.
Since Hayasaka wasn't there that day, a maid from the main family greeted her.
"Welcome home, my lady."
"Mm."
At the sight of this face she'd been seeing daily, Kaguya's expression quickly cooled.
This was someone the Shinomiya main house had assigned to monitor and control her.
"It's Christmas Eve today. We understand that you came home late, but please don't make a habit of this."
"I understand."
Every time she saw someone from the main house, Kaguya felt a wave of displeasure.
It reminded her that she was still just a bird in a cage. She hadn't truly escaped the grasp of the Shinomiya family and still couldn't live entirely by her own will.
From birth, she'd had privilege, but with that came suffocating constraints.
Neither her father nor her older brother had ever treated her like real family.
Alone in her room, Kaguya changed into pajamas and lay flat on the large bed, slowly closing her eyes.
"If I hadn't been born into the Shinomiya family… that might've been nice too…"
Staring at the ceiling, she muttered to herself.
"If I'd been born into Fujiwara's family… Ishigami's family… or Rinji's… then maybe I could've lived the life I wanted."
After pondering for a while, she chuckled softly and pulled the covers over herself.
No matter what, today had made her happy.
She had finally gotten together with Shirogane. Tomorrow they had a date. It was enough to make her smile uncontrollably.
"Tomorrow… it'll be even better…"
---
"Ugh…"
She had no idea how long she'd been asleep when Kaguya slowly opened her eyes.
"It's pitch black… Is it still night?"
She slowly sat up and suddenly realized something was off.
The unfamiliar ceiling. The room looked pitifully small to her.
There was no vanity, no dolls—just a simple desk and a shelf filled with tokusatsu figurines and models.
This wasn't her home.
"What… what's going on?"
Panic overtook her instantly.
Her first thought was that she'd been kidnapped. But when she looked at her hands, she saw she wasn't tied up.
Getting out of bed, she looked down at her clothes.
"A shirt? I was wearing pajamas, wasn't I? Who changed me? And…"
Flustered, she glanced around the room, her eyes filled with confusion on top of fear.
"Why… why can I see clearly? The lights aren't even on."
She looked at the door less than two meters away, gulped, and cautiously walked toward it.
Waking up to something this strange, Kaguya couldn't stay calm.
She tried to convince herself not to panic, to stay composed.
'A prank? A kidnapping? Or…'
Just as she reached for the doorknob, the door suddenly opened from the outside.
"!!!"
The moment it opened, Kaguya stepped back, alert.
But when she saw who it was, her eyes widened.
"Hayasaka? You're here too?"
"What are you talking about? Still half asleep?"
Hayasaka tilted her head, puzzled.
"I came to talk about the date tomorrow. Were you already asleep?"
"How could I sleep in this situation!? Tell me where this is—now!" Kaguya rushed forward. "Hayasaka, why are you here? Were you kidnapped too?"
"?? Rinji, what are you even saying?"
Hayasaka looked at her, confused.
"And what's that in your hand?"
"My hand?"
Kaguya looked down and realized she was holding the doorknob.
She had torn it clean off the door.
"This…"
"Rinji, did you have a nightmare?"
"A nightmare…? Wait—what did you just call me?"
"Rinji. I always call you that."
"..."
Staring at Hayasaka's puzzled face, Kaguya felt dazed. She staggered toward the window and saw her reflection.
Messy golden hair. Crimson-glowing eyes. A face so perfect it would make any girl envious.
This was Rinji's face.
She touched her chest—flat.
Cold sweat dripped from her face. Her mouth hung open.
"EEEEEEEEEEHHHHH!?!?!?!?!?!"
---
Meanwhile…
Rinji sat in an unfamiliar room.
Wearing lavender pajamas, he stared blankly into the mirror above the vanity, at the girl with black hair—identical to Kaguya.
"...Shit."