(5 Revisions = Bonus Chapter!)
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Isagi was the first to break the silence as everyone flipped through the menus.
"I know it's a bit late to mention this, but isn't it against school rules to wear our uniforms off-campus?"
"Don't worry about it. We often go out to eat like this when the student council works late, like today. Besides, it's an old rule that no one follows anymore anyway. So, order what you want and have fun. Just don't go over five thousand yen, okay?"
"I thought you were actually cool until that last sentence, President."
"Heh! It's not the wallet that makes the man, Yuki." Touya's playful response broke the ice, helping Isagi relax as well. Being the center of attention of beautiful women he was attracted to always gave him a nervous flutter in his stomach.
The president's response drew some laughs. Even Kaguya, seated between Hayasaka and Yuki, gave a subtle smile. On the outside, she appeared calm and elegant, as always. But inside, she was alert to every word exchanged. She couldn't help it: whenever Isagi spoke, her mind turned entirely to him. Since their elementary school days, when she first met him, she hadn't been able to shake off that boy who seemed to shine with intensity.
Everyone placed their orders, each taking care to keep the cost below a thousand yen per person. The atmosphere was light until the conversation took another turn.
"Anyway, I'm still surprised you managed to organize everything so quickly. I really thought we'd have to finish tomorrow," Touya declared.
"We wouldn't have done it without Isagi's help. Having a guy around really makes a difference, especially one who's used to this kind of work," Yuki added immediately.
"I bet."
"Isagi's amazing. Whether it's physical work or office tasks, he gets it done without complaining even once. And he's a skilled negotiator, too."
"Yuki, stop making me sound way better than I am. You're overselling me." Isagi gave an awkward smile…
On the other hand, Yuki's words echoed in Kaguya's mind like an alarm. Such direct praise, spoken so boldly in front of everyone. It bothered her more than it should have.
With her usual poise, she interjected, "Indeed, Isagi has always had that spirit. I remember, back in elementary school, when everyone seemed down about certain activities, he always showed a unique determination. It doesn't surprise me that he helped so much today."
Isagi blinked, surprised. "You remember that, Kaguya?"
"Of course. I don't usually forget important things."
He looked away, scratching the back of his neck, uncomfortable. Yuki pursed her lips for a moment, still smiling, as if unwilling to lose ground.
"It's not common for Yuki or Shinomiya to speak so highly of someone, though. What do you think? Interested in joining the student council? We don't actually have any general members to help us."
Isagi wasn't the least bit surprised it had come to this. After staring intently at Yuki, he responded:
"Sorry, but I'm not interested in joining the student council for now. I've got the Inter High in a month and a half, but afterward, I promised Yuki I'd think about it. She'd already invited me before."
While Alya buried herself deeper in the menu.
Kaguya maintained her serene demeanor, but her mind was racing. She couldn't let Yuki monopolize her Isagi. Her position was delicate: she needed to value Isagi without seeming infatuated. That would be unacceptable for a Shinomiya… So, she stayed silent for the moment.
"Hmm… While I admit things in the student council are a bit more intense in high school, it's also much more rewarding. We have a lot more freedom to make decisions compared to other schools, and frankly, it positively impacts our academic records."
Touya was just being honest. Simply being part of the Ichinan Academy student council put someone in an extremely advantageous position. It not only provided benefits for university admissions, like strong recommendation letters, but the roles of president and vice-president were elite titles that went beyond the usual hierarchy of school importance and held significant weight in the job market.
There were even exclusive social gatherings for those who had been president or vice-president of the Ichinan Academy student council, an institution known for producing impressive graduates who went on to politics, finance, and elite business establishments. If you could serve as a student council member for a year, success in the job market was practically guaranteed.
On the other hand, if you did a poor job of managing and caused a major issue, you'd be labeled incompetent for the rest of your days. Still, despite this, countless people fought for the positions of vice-president and president. And the fastest way to reach those roles was to first become a general member of the student council.
"Sorry, but my future is just football," Isagi replied firmly. "I don't want university, I don't want connections. I want to be the best striker in the world. That's my only goal."
The conviction in his voice was enough to silence everyone. There was no empty pride there, just pure determination.
Kaguya stared at him, her heart beating faster than she'd like to admit. She had always admired that fire burning within him. While so many young people their age got lost in indecision, Isagi spoke of the future as if carving out an inevitable destiny. She felt a pang of envy and, at the same time, fascination.
"Come on, don't be like that. You promised you'd help me with events after the Inter High, but joining the presidency is way better. Be my running mate!" Yuki said. "Let's join forces. Let's run together."
"Seriously? You're already asking for more? Besides, you don't need me. It's practically guaranteed you'll be elected president in the next election cycle, right? You were pretty popular in elementary school, after all."
"I want to lead the student council with you, Isagi."
"No way. It's too much work."
Kaguya observed in silence, but her mind was working at a frantic pace. If she could, she'd argue that academic support would be useful even for an athlete. But no. Intervening now might sound like criticism of his dream, and she wouldn't allow that. Instead, she limited herself to watching him discreetly, keeping her words to herself.
Meanwhile, Alya seemed cold and sulky about the attention he was getting from the other two girls.
Over 90 percent of the guys at school would agree to help Yuki without a second thought, but Isagi kept refusing her. Touya stroked his chin, watching them with amusement.
"Isagi, Yuki's not guaranteed to win, just so you know. There are plenty of other candidates, including Alisa here," Touya mentioned before glancing at Alisa beside him. When Isagi instinctively looked at her too, their eyes met immediately.
"Alya? You're planning to run for president too?"
"Yes, I'll be running against Yuki next year."
Alisa looked at Yuki, who smiled calmly, but Isagi could practically see flames roaring behind the two girls.
"By the way, Alisa, you sit next to Isagi in class, right? What do you think of him?" Touya quickly changed the subject to ease the tension, but he only added fuel to the fire.
"What do I think? Honestly, I can sum it up in one word: uncommitted."
Isagi nearly fell out of his chair. "What?! Hey, I only sleep because class has nothing to do with football. That doesn't mean I don't do anything."
Well, his predecessor did that…
"Oh?"
Touya seemed very interested in Alisa's ruthless observation, who remained unfazed by Isagi's words.
She explained.
"He always forgets his textbooks, barely pays attention in class, and it'd be quicker to count from the bottom up to know how his grades are."
"At least he does the bare minimum, so he's not failing any subjects," Yuki explained, as if to balance Alisa's relentless criticism, causing one of Alisa's eyebrows to twitch and the flames behind her to reappear.
"…Yes, I know he's passing his exams since I'm the one grading them. He manages to get good enough grades to avoid retakes, and I can even admire that a little, but he could do much better if he tried."
Kaguya narrowed her eyes, feeling a twinge of irritation at Alisa's coldness. She couldn't stand hearing such harsh criticism of Isagi, even if it was true.
"He may not be dedicated to traditional studies," she declared, her voice calm but firm, "but there are many types of intelligence. The dedication he shows to football requires discipline and focus. That's something few can maintain."
Alisa raised an eyebrow, surprised by Kaguya's defense. But she didn't retort.
Yuki also helped defend Isagi.
"Isagi's always been really smart, after all. He got into Ichinan Academy while barely studying for the entrance exam. Oh, I only know that because my brother, who's close friends with him, told me… Nothing weird about that."
Alisa frowned and spoke.
"He's also really athletic when it comes to football and very motivated, but during chemistry class, for example, he nearly blew up a mixture the teacher assigned us…"
"He's always been bad at chemistry since elementary school. I'm not much better…" Kaguya said, which everyone knew was a lie.
Whoosh! The imaginary fire behind Alisa roared louder.
Isagi literally started sweating, despite it not being hot. It got even weirder since Yuki had the calmest, most serene expression in the world, and Kaguya's eyes were icy…
Deciding to intervene, he raised his hand, half-annoyed, half-amused: "I'm not that great, Kaguya, Yuki. And Alya… you don't have to be so harsh. I just focus my energy on what matters. School's secondary. Football's my life."
To Kaguya, his words felt like an intimate confession. Her heart tightened, torn between pride and fear. She wanted to support him in everything, but at the same time, she feared the cost of his absolute dream. Still, she maintained her composure.
Alisa propped her chin on her hand, assessing Isagi with a less cutting look than before. The competitive fire in her eyes was still there, but it mingled with something softer. A small smile slipped out, and then, unexpectedly, she murmured in Russian, in a low, almost affectionate voice, as if it were a confession no one else should understand:
«Ты упрямый, но именно поэтому ты такой особенный...»
("You're stubborn, but that's exactly why you're so special…")
Isagi blinked, confused. "Huh? What did you say?"
Alisa immediately pulled back, her expression returning to its usual cold, composed state. "Nothing. Just a comment about your stubbornness."
Yuki, watching the scene, kept her gentle smile and shifted her gaze to Isagi. "You're still the same as always… so modest."
That comment hit like a well-aimed arrow. It wasn't aggressive, but its softness contrasted directly with Alisa's intensity. Yuki wasn't trying to bring her down but rather reaffirming her closeness to Isagi, as if she were the natural guardian of his essence.
Kaguya maintained her serene expression, but inside, her stomach churned. One rival declaring in Russian words that sounded far too sweet for her liking, and another painting Isagi as a paragon of modesty, effortlessly placing him on a pedestal.
She leaned forward slightly, clasping her hands on the table as if completely unfazed, though every fiber of her being screamed otherwise. Pride kept her from reacting rashly, but the need to not let Isagi slip through her fingers forced her to plan her next move carefully.
Isagi, completely oblivious to the silent war unfolding before him, gave a nervous laugh. "You guys are exaggerating. I just… want to play football. That's it. There's nothing special about it."
But for Kaguya, Yuki, and Alisa, there was. And none of them seemed willing to let go of that certainty.
While everyone was debating, Hayasaka crossed her legs, watching in silence. As always, she remained discreet, observing every detail but not interfering. It was enough for her to watch the silent battle unfolding among Yuki, Alisa, and Kaguya, all orbiting around Isagi, each with their own weapons.
And before the war could reignite…
"S-sorry for making you wait," the hesitant waitress squeaked as she carried their food. She forced a diplomatic smile while the two girls continued to exude an alarming aura. It seemed she'd been holding the tray for a while, unfortunately. Today wasn't her day.
"Oh, great. The food's here. Let's eat."
Those simple words from Touya ended the staring contest among Alisa, Yuki, and Kaguya, restoring peace to their table, much to the waitress's relief and elevating Isagi's respect for him to new heights.
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