Morning training ended.
After the tedious greetings, he dealt with the love letters.
If it weren't for the fact that saying it out loud would feel a bit self-important, Shirou really wanted to go to the broadcasting club and shout, "Could you please stop stuffing love letters into my shoe locker already! It's too much, I can't even take my indoor shoes out."
Thankfully, the students here were decent; no one stole indoor shoes.
But Shirou felt that maybe he'd end up like some anime plot, forced to bring his indoor shoes home.
The morning slipped by in a blur.
The high-intensity studying made Shirou exhale deeply.
With the exams approaching, the atmosphere in the classroom was growing heavier and heavier.
Sometimes this kind of pressure felt even heavier than battle.
During the rare break time, Shirou took out his lunchbox, hesitated slightly toward the girl who didn't turn around.
Now that the Literature Club had turned into the Newspaper Club, if Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash were going to eat in the newspaper room, it probably wouldn't be convenient for him to tag along.
So Shirou decided to eat with Issei.
Otherwise he was worried that Issei's resentment would turn him into a wandering spirit bound to Chaldea Academy, unable to ascend to Buddhahood unless a certain person named Emiya Shirou came to see him.
"Let's go, Issei."
Without needing to explain, Shirou carried his oversized lunchbox and walked up to Issei.
The latter nodded in practiced fashion, also taking out his own lunchbox.
"Let's go, let's eat in the student council room."
"Mm."
Before he got familiar with Fujimaru Ritsuka, Shirou and Issei had always interacted like this.
Even now it didn't feel awkward. One in front, one behind, leaving the classroom.
Behind them, the words Fujimaru Ritsuka had meant to say got stuck in her throat.
Like swallowing a blade, neither up nor down.
Because of the normal greetings and chatting this morning, she thought she and Shirou were already back to how they used to be.
But looking at it now, could it be that Shirou had just been reluctantly going along, unwilling to snub them too coldly?
"Mash," Fujimaru Ritsuka turned her head pitifully, wiping crocodile tears, "Emiya-kun really doesn't seem to like us anymore, what do we do?"
"I don't know either," Mash sighed gloomily, "Maybe we should seriously apologize to him?"
Two seconds later—
Her head suddenly felt bigger, and she shouted at Fujimaru Ritsuka, "What do you mean 'doesn't like us'? Did Emiya-kun ever say he liked us?"
"Don't take this kind of small thing so seriously."
Fujimaru Ritsuka's eyes were gloomy, "Not getting to eat the meal made by Emiya-kun on the second day already… it feels so sad."
Mash almost fainted, "So the reason you want to eat with Emiya-kun is just for this?"
"Of course not!", Fujimaru Ritsuka said righteously, "It's for you and Emiya-kun's food."
"I…", Mash had no strength left to complain.
———
In the spacious student council room, there were others eating there as well. Shirou gave one-hundredth of his meat portion to Issei, then finished off everything else in one go.
After closing his lunchbox, he noticed Issei's face looked bitter and asked, "Not feeling well, Issei?"
"N-no… not that," Issei set down his chopsticks with difficulty, "How should I put it… too much meat, I'm a little too full."
"Too much?", Shirou seriously reflected, "Sorry, I'll only give you two-hundredths next time."
"It's fine," Issei forced a smile, "As long as it's food made by Emiya, I'll eat it all, without leaving a single bite!"
It almost sounded like he was throwing himself into death, as if to prove his recognition of Shirou's cooking, "Next time, give me one-fiftieth!"
Shirou was dumbfounded, "Isn't that a little over the top?"
"Maybe… a little."
Thinking of that dizzying amount of food, Issei still took a step back, "One-hundredth is fine, worst case I just won't eat breakfast every day."
"That won't do," Considering Issei's limits, Shirou still decided to reduce the portion.
Just as he was about to gently explain, the door of the student council room was pushed open.
Was it really pushed with force?
Shirou felt it was very light, only the sound was too loud, giving a false impression.
A blonde girl walked in, face displeased, holding a notice in her hand, and spoke bluntly: "You're the student council president?"
She pointed at Shirou, suddenly surprised.
"Mmhm~ aren't you the high-jump boy?"
Blonde hair, green eyes, delicate skin. A girl with a face almost identical to Saber said so.
Or rather, she was also a Saber.
That's right, Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus. The tyrant of Rome, the flower of Olympus, a person like a crimson rose, appeared before Shirou.
So Shirou also gave his reply, "Sorry, you've got the wrong person. I'm neither the high-jump boy nor the student council president."
"Eh? High-jump boy," Nero placed her hands on her hips, lifting her elegant neck with confidence, "Do you know the consequence of deceiving me?"
"The consequence of deceiving you doesn't matter," Issei said expressionlessly, "What I want to know right now is. Wwhat does it mean to barge into the student council room without even knocking, completely ignoring school rules and regulations? Nero-san."
For someone who didn't even run in the hallways, from Issei's perspective, this act was no doubt provocative.
"You're the student council president?", Nero shifted her gaze.
"I am."
Smack!
Marching up to the two, she slammed the notice down on the conference table, questioning, "Student council president, answer me! What does it mean to dissolve the choir club within three days?"
"The literal meaning," Issei answered mercilessly, "Your choir club sings too terribly. Eliminated. Not even allowed to be established as a hobby club!"
"Ha?", Nero grew angry, the ahoge on her head shooting straight, "You actually say my singing is terrible? Do you not understand the beauty of art?"
She turned to Shirou and asked, "High-jump boy, my singing voice is celestial, is it not art?"
"Haven't heard it, don't know," Shirou answered crisply, even ready to slip away, "I'm leaving, Issei."
"Mm, sorry to make you witness this, Emiya," Issei slipped into his work mode.
"Wait…", Nero's eyes widened, clearly with more to say.
It was obvious she was very displeased at being brushed off.
Shirou didn't listen at all, leaving the student council room in three strides.
It wasn't that he didn't want to deal with her.
He really just didn't have the time.
Just now, Alaya had suddenly come knocking.
Which meant, there was work.
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