Chapter 425: Extremely Easy to Be Fooled
It was absolutely true that Iino Miko was timid; she was incredibly small.
Just seeing Shinomiya Kaguya for a moment, she immediately burrowed back inside.
This made Shinomiya Kaguya look at everyone gloomily and ask, "Am I really that scary?"
Fujiwara Chika said without hesitation, "Hehe, Kaguya-san isn't scary, of course.
It's just that sometimes when she gets serious, she has a lot of authority.
And Miko-chan is just too timid!"
As she spoke, she went over to Iino Miko's side and started persuading her softly.
After all, everyone was chatting; having an ostrich over here wasn't right.
Fujiwara Chika truly lived up to being Iino Miko's object of admiration, quickly pulling the little girl, who was curled into a ball, back out.
She sat beside Fujiwara Chika, blushing.
Seeing her shy demeanor, Eriri shook her head helplessly, "This won't do, Miko.
Aren't you a member of the Student Council?
You're also the Disciplinary Committee member.
You aren't like this normally, are you?"
"Of course not!"
Iino Miko retorted loudly, her face red, "It's all because Eriri, you said..."
"Hmm~~ Did I say something?"
Eriri's playful gaze instantly rendered Iino Miko speechless.
"Tsk tsk tsk."
Eriri shook her head and said, "You're already a second-year student.
Why are you so shy about anything involving boys and girls?
So what if you like a guy?
Do you have to act like this?"
"Ugh..."
Iino Miko tried to run away again, but Fujiwara Chika was prepared and quickly pulled her back.
"Fujiwara-senpai..."
"Ahehe, Miko-chan, don't run away!
We can help you solve your worries!" After hugging Iino Miko, Fujiwara Chika whispered, "Girls won't go their whole lives without meeting a boy they like.
Since you've met one, you can't ignore your feelings, or you'll get very tired!"
Fujiwara Chika, who was usually scatterbrained, was speaking with surprising seriousness now?
Does this woman have a split personality?
Kawashima Ami, sitting next to Fujiwara Chika, couldn't help but think this as she looked at her.
But then she heard Fujiwara Chika say, "But even so, there's no need to like Ishigami-kun!
What's good about that guy?
He just plays games all day long and always complains about me!"
"Exactly! Exactly!"
Since they had basically confirmed that Iino Miko liked Ishigami Yuu, Eriri decided to use this opportunity to prevent Iino Miko from being perpetually shy.
She continued the topic, deciding to use shock therapy.
"Miko, Ishigami and I have known each other for a while, but I still don't know how you two met.
Can you tell us?
You can answer, or if you don't want to, you can switch the topic and ask us something else.
But I really think you need to change this habit of being so easily embarrassed!"
"It's not just that."
Shinomiya Kaguya said with a smile, "Iino isn't just easily embarrassed; she's also incredibly gullible.
She'll agree to other people's requests after just one or two kind words.
If this trait were discovered by someone with bad intentions, she'd probably be counting the money for them even after being sold."
"Shinomiya-senpai! I would never be like that!"
"Really?"
Shinomiya Kaguya said noncommittally, "Did you forget about when the principal came to the Student Council to take our photos?
He casually complimented you a few times, calling you cute, pretty, and a beautiful girl, and you happily became a model, even though you were too stiff to pose at first."
"That was because I was initially asked to take pictures with Ishigami!"
"Isn't that the same thing?" Shinomiya Kaguya said, shrugging her hands with a look of helplessness.
Actually, at the time, Shinomiya Kaguya hadn't noticed the girl's personality flaw immediately, because she was preoccupied with the fact that she couldn't take photos.
The issue with Iino Miko's personality was something Ishigami Yuu told her about later in private, though it was delivered in the form of a complaint at the time.
Looking at Iino Miko, who was unwilling to admit it, Shinomiya Kaguya sighed and said, "Although I initially thought it was a bit exaggerated, I later heard from Ishigami that something similar really happened at the end of the year, and you were almost tricked and lured away."
"Senpai! Why did Ishigami tell you even that?!"
Covering her mouth with a light laugh, Shinomiya Kaguya said, "I'm his Senpai, after all.
I occasionally counsel my juniors on psychological issues.
Ishigami just brought it up while we were chatting.
Don't let Ishigami's usual indifferent appearance fool you; he actually has a lot of things on his mind, he just doesn't talk about them."
"Then why would he tell you, Senpai?"
"That? Of course, because I'm a reliable Senpai," Shinomiya Kaguya sat up straight and said calmly.
"Ishigami almost failed his exams and had to repeat a year before, and he said that it was only because I stubbornly held him down and forced him to study that he avoided repeating the year, even though his scores were still terrible that time."
Pausing for a moment, Shinomiya Kaguya looked directly at the slightly nervous Iino Miko and said, "Iino-kun, we all know about Ishigami's recent situation.
Although we don't know the whole story, you must at least know about his confession being rejected.
I..."
Just as they were about to get to the main topic, Fujiwara Chika suddenly exclaimed, "Eh eh eh eh eh eh? A confession? Rejected? What happened? I feel like a lot of things happened that I don't know about!"
"..."
Taking a deep breath, Shinomiya Kaguya looked at Fujiwara Chika and said, "Fujiwara-san, please don't be so startled, okay? I'm still talking!"
Fujiwara Chika saw that Shinomiya Kaguya was a bit angry, so she awkwardly scratched her cheek and said, "Uh... ah haha~~ Sorry, I got a little too excited!"
"Sigh..." Shaking her head, Shinomiya Kaguya looked at Iino Miko and said, "Never mind, Iino, we'll talk about your matter later. Since everyone seems curious about Ishigami's situation, I'll briefly explain, but I don't know much myself. To know everything, you'd probably have to ask him directly."
Having Ishigami Yuu come over was clearly impossible, and the boys on their side were actually discussing the same thing.
"Eh~~~ It's a Senpai who already graduated."
Rubbing his chin, Kitamura Yusaku said with a look of surprise, "I didn't realize you liked older women, too, kid?"
"...Please don't use such misleading phrasing. It's just that Senpai Koasu happens to be two years older than me." Shaking his head, Ishigami Yuu's expression remained calm, as if the things he had just spoken of hadn't happened to him.
However, Kaede, who was beside him, could tell that Ishigami Yuu wasn't truly unaffected; it was just that some time had passed, he had thought a lot about it, and was slowly letting go.
He really has been through a lot.