"Ahem. By the way, weren't you fired? Why are you still going back to the main house?"
"Even though I'm no longer Kaguya-sama's attendant, I'm still part of the Hayasaka family. The Hayasakas are a branch that has served the Shinomiya family for generations, so I'm required to return for New Year's."
"Big families really are a pain."
Rinji sighed again—it wasn't the first time.
The Shinomiya family was easily the most complicated family he'd ever seen. Not only was there no affection between relatives, but they schemed against each other like rival corporations with blood ties.
"Why even pretend to be a family at that point?"
"There's no choice. Even within the Shinomiya family, there are factions," Hayasaka said. "If one side loses the power struggle, they'll just be devoured by the others."
"Tch. Even with me as an outsider enemy, they still can't unite. Looks like the Shinomiya family isn't that solid after all."
Rinji chuckled, sipping his coffee through a straw.
"Why don't you Hayasakas join me instead? I don't have any factions, but I've got way more power than the Shinomiya family."
"We'll have to talk about that another time. The Hayasaka family isn't mine to command," Hayasaka replied.
After thinking for a moment, Hayasaka asked curiously.
"By the way, I've always wondered. Four years ago, you dared to take on the Shinomiya family head-on. Why now, four years later, are you holding back?"
"Oh, that time four years ago was just me acting on impulse. I talked about destroying the family, but that was mostly for show," Rinji said. "I only charged into the main house to test something."
"Test?"
"Yeah. I wanted to see how the Shinomiya family would react to disaster and how they'd manage asset transfers. I stormed the place, then had the intelligence division report back afterward. That way, I learned what parts of their empire they valued most."
"…So you were after their assets?"
"Not really. I just wanted them dead," Rinji grinned. "But I had a few connections—ended up talking to your country's Prime Minister. The old guy didn't want Japanese assets to vanish, but he also knew I wouldn't stop, so we made a deal: I could kill the people, but I had to preserve the industry."
"Eh?"
"It means that before sending all the Shinomiyas to hell, I had to make sure their vast empire was divided up among Japanese corporations. That way, the economy wouldn't be shaken. Like how the Bank of Japan swallowed some of their financial ventures—that was just the start."
"…I see. But the previous Prime Minister—I remember who that was…"
"Yep. Fujiwara's great-grandfather. That sly old fox. We talked back then. Bet he'd been itching to get rid of the Shinomiyas hogging all the national resources."
"I can't believe you held it in for four years."
"I didn't 'hold back.' My hatred for the Shinomiya family faded with time. Destroying them just became… an amusing game."
---
Kaguya and Shirogane continued their date.
Although they were both shy, they were well aware this wasn't technically their first time dating.
Last semester, they watched a movie together. Before summer break, they went to the fireworks festival. During the school festival, they wandered around together.
Technically, this was their fourth date.
But the difference was that now, as an official couple, the emotional tone of their date had completely changed.
In the fifth row of the theater, Shirogane and Kaguya sat together. His hand rested gently over hers. Their hearts pounded as they relished the moment.
Meanwhile, in the tenth row on the far right, Rinji and Hayasaka sat together, half-watching the film while also monitoring Kaguya and Shirogane's reactions.
"If the body switch happens suddenly, you get up and say you need the bathroom."
"Got it."
To be honest, wearing sunglasses to a movie theater was ridiculous. Only Rinji and Hayasaka would actually do it. But it was necessary if they didn't want the couple up front to notice them.
"Today was supposed to be our date."
"It's fine. I've been living at your place recently. Let's treat that time at home as a date too," Hayasaka said softly. "Besides, just being together like this is enough."
"…Fine. Let's plan another one next time."
They turned their attention to the movie instead of watching the couple.
As expected, Kaguya had picked a romance film—the typical kind for dates. Rinji had no interest in these and would've preferred something like a tokusatsu monster brawl.
So just a few minutes in, he began dozing off.
Hayasaka blushed slightly as she watched the on-screen couple kiss. She turned to glance at Rinji—only to find that his head had slumped onto her shoulder, eyes closed, breathing gently.
"…Honestly, I don't know what to do with you."
Smiling softly, Hayasaka helped adjust Rinji's position so his head rested on her lap, gently running her fingers through his hair.
"Just like this… is nice too."
---
Fortunately, nothing unexpected happened during the date.
As evening approached, the date between Shirogane and Kaguya came to a close.
It ended with Kaguya taking the initiative to kiss Shirogane.
As the two kissed, Hayasaka held her breath, afraid their bodies might switch at that moment.
However, Rinji looked completely indifferent.
"Rinji, aren't you worried your body might switch right now?"
"Not really."
"Eh? But they're kissing. What if you switch now and—"
"Hm?"
"You'd... be kissing a guy."
"Doesn't matter."
"Ah!?"
"It's not that unusual."
"Not unusual!?"
Hayasaka looked at Rinji in shock. She wasn't sure if something was wrong with his brain.
"Of course it's not unusual."
"Ah!?"
"Don't overthink it. Don't forget, I was on the battlefield just over half a year ago. Sometimes we had to perform CPR," Rinji said. "Mouth-to-mouth isn't necessarily kissing. Sometimes it's about saving lives."
"..."