Winter had finally passed.
School returned to normal, but the atmosphere felt different.
This was the final week of classes for the third-year students— the final moments of their youth before entering a new world.
Meanwhile, the second-years were preparing to become the seniors who would lead the school.
That morning, Kiyotaka and Yuzuki went to school together.
At the school gate, they met Arisu, who was no longer serving as the Student Council president.
Kiyotaka approached her.
“So your position is finally over… and you’ll graduate soon.”
Arisu smiled.
“Yeah. And I’ll also be leaving Japan.”
Kiyotaka looked slightly surprised.
“Where are you going to university?”
“Oxford.”
“What about Ryuen-senpai?”
“He’s staying in Tokyo.”
Kiyotaka nodded.
“I hope we can still meet again someday… like the Student Council family.”
Beside him, Yuzuki quietly stayed silent.
Deep inside, she wondered,
Why isn’t he talking to me…?
Suddenly, Nagumo arrived.
“What about the Student Council president transfer?”
Arisu calmly answered,
“After the first class.”
Nagumo smiled.
“Thank you for trusting me.”
Arisu looked at him.
“Are you sure you can work together with Fumino?”
Nagumo casually replied,
“We should be fine.”
Kiyotaka interrupted,
“Are you sure?”
Nagumo only gave a faint smile.
Once they arrived at school, all the Student Council members became busy preparing for the farewell event.
Kiyotaka prepared equipment in the storage room Yuzuki managed the Student Council finances Yuki and Ai cleaned the hall The event began smoothly.
The Student Council leadership transfer also went well… except for one thing:
Nagumo and Fumino kept arguing.
From positions, ideas, even small details— they argued about everything.
Kiyotaka could only watch them with concern.
At this rate… the future of the Student Council might become chaotic, he thought.
At the same time, he felt something bothering him— as if there was still an unresolved problem.
One week later, the final exams began.
The atmosphere around the school turned tense.
Before the exams, Yuzuki said to Kiyotaka,
“How about we make a bet?”
“The loser has to obey one request from the winner.”
Kiyotaka nodded.
“Sure.”
Elsewhere, Ryuen looked unusually gloomy.
Arisu approached him gently.
“What’s wrong, Ryen-kun?”
Ryuen looked embarrassed.
“I’m just… thinking about things.”
“You’re worried about me?” Arisu asked.
Ryuen finally answered honestly,
“I’m scared… that there’ll be someone better than me over there.”
Arisu laughed softly.
“There’s no way.”
She looked at Ryuen warmly.
Ryuen smiled in relief.
“So I was just worrying too much.”
In another place, Nagumo was together with Ichinose.
Nagumo asked,
“Why did you want to… be with me?”
Ichinose gave a faint smile.
“You still like Yuzuki, don’t you?”
Nagumo fell silent.
Ichinose continued,
“I also know you haven’t fully moved on yet.”
She stared at him deeply.
“And you… don’t like Kiyotaka.”
Nagumo didn’t answer.
Ichinose quietly said,
“How about we work together…?”
Nagumo frowned.
“Work together?”
“To separate the two of them.”
The atmosphere suddenly became cold.
Nagumo hadn’t even answered yet.
Ichinose only smiled.
“If you’re interested… contact me.”
Meanwhile, Kuze was cleaning the Student Council room.
Yuna Kato approached him.
“Get ready for the second-stage exams.”
Kuze nodded, but his thoughts drifted away— toward the person he had secretly liked for a long time.
Back in the Student Council room,
Nagumo and Fumino still couldn’t get along.
The difference in the way they thought became more and more obvious.
And finally… the exams began.