The Student Council office was unusually crowded.
Not because of festival preparations.
Not because of budget meetings.
Not because of upcoming committee assignments.
The actual reason was significantly more concerning.
And, of course, incredibly stupid.
Because why would we have a significant deviation from the norm?
Kenji Tanaka stared at the stack of binders on the conference table.
Then at Rin.
Then at Yurika.
Then back at the binders.
“Madam President…” Kenji began to speak tentatively.
Yurika looked up from her tea.
“Yes, Treasurer?”
“…I was informed this was a Cultural Festival planning meeting.”
“It is.”
Kenji pointed at the mountain of color-coded binders.
“Then why are there dossiers?”
Rin looked at him and adjusted her glasses.
“Preparation.”
“Preparation for what?”
“Romance.”
Silence.
Kenji blinked.
Then blinked again.
“I beg your pardon?”
Across the room, several council members immediately leaned forward with interest.
Rin opened one of the binders.
A photograph of Hikari Tachibana appeared.
Kenji immediately stood up.
“No.”
Rin looked confused.
“No?”
“No. We are not doing this. This is nonsense…”
Kenji pointed accusingly.
“We are not using Student Council resources to investigate the President’s love life.”
The room fell silent.
Yurika lowered her teacup.
One of the council secretaries raised her hand.
“Why not?”
Kenji stared.
“Because that’s insane. We have important business to deal with.”
The secretary frowned.
“That sounds like something someone without any romantic interests would say.”
“THAT’S NOT RELEVANT,” Kenji shot back.
Several girls around the table nodded thoughtfully.
One of them scribbled something down.
Kenji didn’t like that.
Not one bit.
Yurika folded her hands.
“Mr. Tanaka…”
“Yes?”
“…The Student Council exists to improve the educational environment.”
“I agree.”
“The emotional well-being of the Student Council President is therefore relevant.”
“No.”
“It is.”
“It isn’t.”
“It is.”
“I vehemently disagree.”
Yurika smiled.
“The President’s happiness directly impacts administrative efficiency.”
Kenji stared.
“You… you made that up.”
“Possibly.”
“YOU CAN’T SAY POSSIBLY.”
Across the table, another council member raised her hand.
“I think it’s important.”
Another hand rose.
“Me too.”
Another.
“I want to know who she likes.”
And another.
“This is way more interesting than festival budgets.”
Kenji slowly sat down.
The battle was being lost.
Rapidly.
Rin looked around the room.
“Very well.”
She raised her hand.
“All in favor of discussing the President’s romantic prospects.”
Every hand in the room immediately shot up.
Every hand.
Including the Vice President’s.
As well as all the various secretaries.
Even a first year representative who clearly had no idea what was happening.
Kenji looked around in horror.
Then his eyes locked on to the first year.
“Are you serious?”
The first year shrugged.
“Peer pressure.”
Rin looked toward Kenji.
“Opposed?”
Kenji slowly raised his hand.
Alone.
Completely alone.
Rin made a note.
“Motion passes.”
“THAT’S NOT HOW STUDENT GOVERNMENT IS SUPPOSED TO WORK,” Kenji yelled to no avail.
“Democracy has spoken.”
“DEMOCRACY HAS FAILED.”
Yurika took another sip of tea.
“Excellent. Let’s proceed.”
Several council members sat around the large conference table.
Nobody spoke.
Nobody moved.
Everyone, with one exception, was eagerly awaiting to see why the Vice President had brought four binders.
Four very thick binders.
Color-coded binders.
They had been promised front row seats to the President’s love life and wanted to see if those binders would deliver.
Rin adjusted her glasses.
Then neatly arranged the binders in front of her.
Blue.
Red.
Purple.
Pink.
Kenji stared.
Then stared harder.
Finally, he gathered enough courage to speak.
“Vice President?”
“Yes?”
“What are those?”
Rin looked down at the binders.
“Threat assessments.”
Kenji immediately regretted asking.
Across the table, Yurika sat perfectly composed.
Elegant.
Refined.
Graceful.
The image of the ideal Student Council President.
She sipped her tea.
“Please begin, Rin.”
Rin nodded.
“Understood.”
Kenji slowly raised his hand.
“Before we begin, should I be concerned?”
“No,” Rin said as she shook her head.
“That’s not reassuring.”
“It wasn’t intended to be.”
Kenji slumped back into his chair.
Nobody helped him.
He had become accustomed to this state of affairs.
Rin opened the first binder.
A photograph sat on the front page.
Hikari Tachibana.
Rin calmly began her report.
“Subject One: Hikari Tachibana.”
Yurika’s eyes narrowed.
The atmosphere immediately became more serious.
Several council members exchanged nervous glances.
Rin continued.
“Childhood friend.”
Yurika nodded.
“Dangerous.”
“Indeed, Madam President.”
Kenji raised his hand.
“How is being a childhood friend dangerous?”
Both girls looked at him with a glare that would have immobilized a large elephant.
Kenji lowered his hand.
“Never mind.”
Rin flipped to the next page.
Charts appeared.
Graphs appeared.
Photographs appeared.
An unreasonable amount of documentation appeared.
“Hikari possesses significant long-term relationship advantages,” Rin said in a calm tone.
“Explain,” Yurika asked as she sipped her tea.
“Subject has known Kaito Sakamori for most of her life.”
“Unfortunate.”
“Extremely.”
Kenji stared.
Was this what student council meetings looked like now?
Had he missed something?
He was contemplating resigning but he knew being Student Council Treasurer would look great on university applications.
No, he had to speak out against this nonsense.
Kenji raised his hand once more.
“I’m sorry. Why is knowing someone for a long time a threat?”
Neither girl looked at him.
Rin continued.
“Average weekly interactions: thirty-seven.”
Kenji nearly choked.
“Thirty-seven?!”
“Approximate.”
“Approximate?!”
“Margin of error plus or minus two.”
Kenji slowly lowered his hand.
He didn’t want to know anymore.
He didn’t want to rock the boat.
He just wanted this meeting to end so he could go home and play Civ.
Rin turned another page.
Evidence filled the binder.
Photographs.
Witness statements.
Observational notes.
Kenji’s concern continued to grow as Rin spoke.
“Hikari demonstrates clear emotional attachment to Kaito Sakamori.”
Yurika folded her hands.
“Evidence?”
Rin flipped the page.
A photograph appeared.
Hikari glaring at Kaito.
Another photograph.
Hikari blushing at Kaito.
Another photograph.
Hikari yelling at Kaito.
Another photograph.
Hikari blushing again.
Kenji frowned.
“This just looks like Hikari.”
Rin nodded.
“Correct.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Classic tsundere behavior.”
Kenji regretted asking.
He slowly looked toward the ceiling.
“…Do all of these have photographs?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Visual aids.”
“Of course,” he said dripping with sarcasm.
“Why do these exist?”
“Research.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“It rarely is.”
Rin tapped the page.
“Hikari’s primary weakness is emotional honesty.”
Yurika nodded.
“Agreed.”
“Subject struggles to communicate romantic feelings.”
“Very unfortunate…”
“Indeed.”
Kenji blinked.
“For her?”
“Correct,” Rin stated emphatically.
Kenji looked exhausted.
The meeting had only been going for ten minutes but he felt as though it had dragged on for hours.
Rin closed the binder.
“Hikari receives a threat rating of A.”
The Treasurer raised his hand.
“There are threat ratings?”
“There are now.”
Rin opened the second binder.
Akane Fujihara.
The atmosphere in the room immediately shifted.
Yurika’s eyes narrowed.
“Proceed.”
Rin turned the page.
Unlike Hikari’s binder… this one was thicker.
Much thicker.
Kenji noticed.
And immediately became nervous.
Rin continued her “threat assessment.”
“Subject Two. Akane Fujihara.”
Yurika leaned forward.
“Assessment?”
Rin flipped open a page.
“Childhood friend.”
Yurika shook her head.
“Unfortunate.”
“Agreed.”
Kenji raised his hand.
“Wait..”
Nobody acknowledged him.
He continued anyway.
“…She’s also a childhood friend?”
“Correct,” Rin nodded.
Kenji looked at the ceiling.
The ceiling offered no answers.
Rin continued.
“Popular.”
“Agreed.” Yurika nodded.
“Highly sociable.”
“Agreed.” Yurika continued to nod.
“Academically successful.”
“Agreed.” Yurika looked more like a bobblehead than the Student Council President at this point.
“Physically attractive.”
A brief silence followed.
The secretaries all nodded their heads in agreement with the President now.
Yurika slowly took a sip of tea.
“Continue, Rin.”
Kenji decided silence was the correct choice for now.
It’s not like any of his concerns were being addressed anyways.
Rin turned another page.
This page was highlighted.
Several times.
“Unlike Hikari, Akane has demonstrated offensive initiative.”
Kenji nearly fell out of his chair.
“OFFENSIVE INITIATIVE?!” He couldn’t believe that this was what was being discussed right now.
Nobody reacted.
All the girls in the room were hanging onto every single one of Rin’s words as if they were religious gospel.
Rin began reading.
“Physical contact frequency exceeds baseline expectations.”
Yurika frowned.
“Clarify.”
“Subject routinely enters Kaito’s personal space.”
Yurika’s smile twitched.
Kenji looked alarmed.
“Subject has repeatedly delivered both direct and indirect romantic signals.”
Yurika’s eye twitched.
Kenji slowly raised a hand.
“What exactly qualifies as an indirect romantic signal?”
Rin flipped the page.
A transcript appeared.
Kenji immediately wished it hadn’t.
“Exhibit B.”
Rin read aloud.
“‘If I ever dated somebody, I’d want them to be dependable.'”
Yurika remained silent.
Rin continued.
“‘Somebody like you, Kaito.'”
Rin looked around the room.
“That was a direct quote from the subject.”
The room froze.
Two of the secretaries then squealed in delight once the words finally hit them.
Yurika smiled.
Not the public smile.
Not her politician smile.
The other smile.
The one with murderous intent.
Kenji suddenly became interested in being literally anywhere else.
Rin turned another page.
“This was a most concerning incident…”
The page was labeled: ANIMAL SHELTER EVENT
Yurika lowered her teacup as Rin continued to speak.
“Subject and Kaito spent approximately eight hours together.”
Yurika’s smile remained fixed.
“Details.”
“Volunteer activity. Unsure exactly what occurred within the premises.”
Yurika nodded.
“Continue.”
“They shared a meal afterwards.”
Kenji closed his eyes.
He didn’t want to hear the rest.
Rin flipped another page.
The title: NON-DATE DATE
Kenji immediately stood up.
“No.”
Rin blinked.
“No?”
“No.”
Kenji pointed at the binder.
“You can’t just write ‘Non-Date Date’ in an official report.”
“Why not?”
“Because this is ridiculous. You’re making a complete mockery of the student council!”
Rin considered this.
Then made a note.
Kenji felt briefly victorious.
Then she added: Reclassify as Probable Date.
Kenji sat back down.
Defeated.
Rin closed the binder.
“Threat Rating: A.”
Yurika frowned.
“Not A-plus?”
“Subject seems to lack killer instinct. More observation is needed.”
Yurika nodded.
“Acceptable.”
Kenji didn’t like the phrase killer instinct in this context.
The third binder opened.
A photograph sat on the first page.
Miya Aizawa.
The atmosphere relaxed slightly.
Yurika folded her hands.
“Assessment?”
Rin adjusted her glasses.
“Subject Three. Miya Aizawa.”
“Proceed,” Yurika said in a calm tone.
Rin flipped to the next page.
“Academically exceptional.”
“Confirmed.” Yurika nodded.
“Athletically gifted.”
“Confirmed.” Yurika had gone back into bobblehead mode.
“Highly disciplined.”
“Confirmed.” Yurika’s nodding made her ringlets bounce all over the place.
“Socially functional.”
Kenji blinked.
“That’s a category?”
“It is now.”
Kenji wasn’t sure if Rin was joking.
That somehow made it worse.
Rin turned another page.
Several photographs appeared.
Most looked completely harmless.
Miya reading.
Miya studying.
Miya speaking with Kaito.
Miya walking with Kaito.
Miya and Kaito shopping.
Kenji frowned.
He didn’t want to know how all these pictures were gathered.
“Wait…”
Rin continued.
“Subject voluntarily spent several hours shopping with Kaito Sakamori.”
Yurika’s eyes narrowed.
“Explain.”
“Subject requested his opinion regarding clothing purchases.”
Kenji looked confused.
“That’s normal.”
Rin nodded.
“Correct.”
“Then why is it in the report?”
“Because Kaito attended.”
Kenji immediately regretted asking.
He was wondering why he kept speaking out loud and just adding more fuel to the fire at this farce.
But he just couldn’t help himself.
All of this was overwhelmingly stupid to him and somebody had to call it out.
Rin flipped another page.
“Kaito displays unusually high comfort levels around Subject.”
Yurika’s expression changed slightly.
“Your evidence, Rin?”
“Interactions lack tension,” Rin replied in a matter of fact tone.
“Clarify.”
“No arguing.”
“Really?”
“No blushing.”
Yurika looked shocked at hearing this, though her expression was subtle.
“No misunderstandings.”
Yurika frowned.
Kenji raised a hand.
“Isn’t that a good thing?”
Neither girl looked at him.
Rin adjusted her glasses.
“Unlike the other candidates, Subject possesses no significant historical baggage.”
Yurika immediately understood.
“Ah. I see.”
Kenji didn’t.
“What does that mean?”
Rin turned a page.
“Hikari is constrained by childhood friend dynamics.”
“Okay, that I get,” Kenji stated in a soft voice.
“Akane is constrained by childhood friend dynamics.”
“Okay.”
“Subject Miya possesses no such disadvantages.”
Kenji slowly nodded.
Then stopped.
Then frowned.
“Wait…”
Nobody acknowledged him.
Again.
He was feeling more and more invisible with each passing second.
Rin continued.
“Additionally, Subject demonstrates high levels of adaptability.”
Another page.
Charts appeared.
Kenji was beginning to hate charts.
Which felt blasphemous since he was Student Council Treasurer.
Yurika slowly tapped the table.
A habit she only displayed when thinking.
“Current threat level?”
Rin was silent for a moment.
Longer than usual.
That immediately got Yurika’s attention.
“Vice President?”
Rin looked up.
For the first time during the entire meeting… she looked uncertain.
Only slightly.
But enough that everyone took notice.
“Current threat rating: B.”
Yurika blinked.
Kenji blinked.
Even the other council members looked surprised.
“A ‘B’?” Yurika tilted her head.
“Explain.”
Rin nodded.
“Current emotional engagement remains unclear.”
“Meaning?”
“We do not know if Subject possesses romantic feelings for Mr. Sakamori.”
Rin readjusted her glasses.
“However…”
Rin turned to the final page.
A single sentence was written in bold letters.
POTENTIAL THREAT LEVEL: S+
The room froze.
Even Yurika sat up straighter.
Kenji stared.
Then stared harder.
Then pointed.
“What does that mean?”
Rin adjusted her glasses.
“It means that if Subject Miya ever decides she wants Kaito Sakamori…”
Rin paused for a moment.
“…I estimate she would become the single greatest threat to the operation.”
The room fell completely silent.
Even the other council members stopped breathing momentarily.
Yurika slowly smiled.
Not because she was happy.
Because she found the challenge interesting.
“That’s quite the assessment, Rin.”
“Yes, it is Madam President.”
“What gives you that conclusion?”
Rin flipped to the final page.
A photograph.
Miya sitting beside Kaito.
Both reading.
Neither speaking.
Both perfectly comfortable.
Rin tapped the photograph.
“Because she is the only candidate who can stand beside him without trying.”
Yurika studied the photograph.
For several seconds.
Then slowly nodded.
“Understood.”
Kenji looked at the picture.
“…I feel like I’m watching people discuss a military threat.”
Rin made a note.
Yurika took a sip of tea.
Neither disagreed.
Yurika then gave Rin a slight nod.
Rin closed the binder.
“Operation Scarlet Ribbon approved,” Yurika stated in a dangerous tone.
Three days later.
The Cultural Festival Committee meeting was proceeding smoothly.
Which meant disaster was imminent.
Or at least I could feel it.
I mean, it’s not like things have been going smoothly for me lately, right?
I sat at a table near the front of the classroom reviewing paperwork.
Student representatives from various clubs had gathered to discuss event logistics.
Honestly?
It was pretty boring.
Not unpleasant.
Just boring.
The kind of meeting where people spent twenty minutes debating where to put a folding table.
The Student Council somehow found this fascinating.
I did not.
At the front of the room, Yurika Amakawa stood beside a whiteboard.
As always, she looked completely in control.
“To assist with festival inspections, I will require representatives from several clubs.”
She checks her clipboard.
“Basketball Club.”
I raised my hand.
Yurika smiles.
“As expected.”
Then she continues.
“I would also like a representative from the girls’ basketball team as well.”
Several girls looked around the room until their eyes fell upon a twintailed redhead.
Then Yurika says, “Hikari Tachibana.”
Hikari freezes.
“What? Is that why you had Kaito bring me here?!”
Yurika smiles.
“You have excellent attendance.”
“That’s not a reason.” By the look on her face, Hikari was clearly trying to worm her way out of this.
“You are responsible.”
“That’s also not a reason.”
“You are qualified.”
“Still not a reason.”
Yurika’s smile somehow gets brighter.
“I believe you’ll work well with Kaito.”
The room goes silent.
Hikari turns red immediately.
“I OBJECT.”
“Objection denied,” Yurika responded in a firm tone.
“I DIDN’T KNOW THAT WAS AN OPTION.”
“It wasn’t.”
Rin quietly wrote: Target successfully assembled.
The inspection ended much sooner than expected.
Things had gone relatively smoothly for once.
Hikari and I had settled into our old rhythm.
Banter.
Arguments.
Comfort.
The kind that only exists between people who’ve known each other for years.
It felt nice, almost nostalgic…
Unbeknownst to us, a purple haired figure watched us from a distance.
Hikari glanced down at the clipboard.
“Looks like that’s everything.”
“That’s disappointing,” I said with slumped shoulders.
She looked up.
“Why?”
I picked up a nearby basketball and spun it on my finger.
“Because now I’m bored.”
“…Tch.”
“Want to play?”
“No.”
“You’re lying.”
“I’m not.”
“You’re already walking toward the court.”
“Shut up!”
“I accept your challenge.”
“I DIDN’T CHALLENGE YOU.”
She turned her head violently.
“Idiot.”
Five minutes later we were playing one on one.
Hikari looked pissed off, but what else is new?
“This was a mistake,” Hikari said with a slight pout.
Hikari dribbled the ball between her legs.
“You say that every time, Hikari.”
“Because you cheat.”
“I don’t cheat.”
“You absolutely cheat.”
I grinned.
“Can’t cheat in basketball.”
“You somehow found a way.”
Hikari immediately threw the ball at my chest.
Thankfully, I caught it with ease.
“And now you’re assaulting me?”
“Deserved.”
A few possessions later the score was tied.
Seven to seven.
Neither one of us was willing to give an inch.
Hikari drove toward the basket.
I cut her off.
She pivoted.
I stayed in front.
She faked left.
Then burst right.
For a brief moment she slipped past me.
“Got you.”
She banked the shot off the glass.
It was now eight to seven.
Hikari immediately pointed at the scoreboard.
“Winning.”
“Barely,” I scoffed.
“Still winning.”
“You look very proud of yourself.”
“I am.”
“You’ve only scored eight points.”
“Against you.”
“I’m going to hold you to just those eight points.”
“As if!”
I checked the ball.
Hikari crouched into a defensive stance.
The same stance she’d used since middle school.
The same stubborn look.
The same determined eyes.
She looked completely in her element.
There was something about Hikari on a basketball court.
Maybe it was the confidence.
Maybe it was how naturally she moved.
Whatever it was, she always looked especially attractive when she was playing.
I began to dribble the ball.
“You’re taking this way too seriously, Hikari.”
“You started it.”
“You accepted the challenge.”
“You made it sound fun.”
“Because it is.”
I drove left.
Hikari stayed with me.
I spun.
She recovered.
I pump faked.
She jumped.
I rose above her and took the shot.
It was now eight to eight.
I looked at her with a smirk.
“Tied game.”
“I hate you.”
“You say that every time we play.”
“I mean it every time.”
“No you don’t. You know you love playing against me.”
“…Tch.” She emphatically turned her head and crossed her arms.
The game continued.
Back and forth.
Neither one of us gaining much of an advantage.
Neither willing to lose.
I was surprised at how much we were going at each other.
We had always been competitive but this felt like a whole new level.
I loved it.
And I could tell by the look in her eyes, that Hikari was loving it too.
Eventually Hikari stole the ball.
Cleanly.
For once.
“HEY!” I called out.
“Sounds like a kkill issue.”
“You can’t use my line.”
“I absolutely can.”
She raced down the court.
Layup.
Score.
Game point.
Hikari grinned.
A real grin.
Not the tsundere one.
Not the annoyed one.
Just Hikari enjoying herself.
It was adorable.
“Looks like I win,” she said in the most annoying tone possible.
“You haven’t won yet.”
“One point away.”
“Still haven’t won.”
“Keep coping.”
I checked the ball.
Then paused.
Something occurred to me…
Hikari had gotten better.
A lot better.
Her footwork was cleaner.
Her shot was more consistent.
Her defense was sharper.
The difference was obvious.
I was legitimately surprised at how much she had improved in such a short time.
It had just been a few months since her faceoff with Miya.
I knew Hikari was a quick learner but still…
I smiled.
“Gotta admit…”
Hikari blinked.
“What?”
“…You’ve improved.”
Silence.
“Your handles are better.”
Hikari stared at me.
Pure silence from her.
I was slowly getting unnerved.
“Your defense is way better than before Summer.”
She was still staring.
I was definitely unnerved now.
“And that steal was clean.”
Hikari’s face immediately turned red.
I shrugged.
“Honestly? That was a really nice play.”
Critical hit.
The blush intensified.
Steam practically started coming out of her ears.
“W-What are you talking about?!” She sounded like a tea kettle.
I blinked.
“I was talking about the steal…”
“It wasn’t that good!”
“It was pretty good.”
“It was average!”
“What are you talking about?”
“It was normal!”
“Hikari…”
She cut me off and pointed at me.
“DON’T ENCOURAGE ME.”
“What?”
“DON’T SAY STUFF LIKE THAT!”
“What stuff?”
“THAT STUFF!”
“What stuff?”
“The nice stuff!”
Silence.
Both of us stared at each other.
Hikari freezes.
She looks like she’s about to short circuit.
“I, I… I MEAN BASKETBALL STUFF!”
I looked around.
Searching desperately for context.
There was none.
“I complimented your basketball skills.”
“THAT’S WORSE!”
“HOW IS THAT WORSE?!”
Hikari grabbed the clipboard.
Then her bag.
Then apparently her remaining dignity.
“IDIOT!”
She turned around and practically sprinted toward the exit.
“HIKARI!”
The gym doors slammed shut.
Silence returned to the gym.
I stood alone.
Basketball still in hand.
“…I won, right?”
I continued to stand there.
Completely confused.
“…What just happened?”
Nobody answered.
Mainly because nobody nearby understood women.
Especially me.
A few moments later I shrugged.
Probably just Hikari being Hikari.
That explanation had worked for most of my life.
No reason to stop using it now.
I took another shot and then put the basketball on the rack.
Then I grabbed my bag.
The committee meeting was over.
The inspection was over.
And for some reason I was suddenly exhausted.
Way more exhausted than that match should have made me.
One of the basketball players practicing waved at me.
“See you Monday, Kaito.”
I waved back.
“Later, man.”
I headed toward the exit.
Completely unaware of the fact that I’d just participated in a strategic operation.
Across the courtyard.
Two figures sat beneath a tree.
Rin Kanzaki adjusted her glasses.
Then opened a black notebook.
Yurika calmly sipped her tea.
“Report.”
Rin nodded.
“Operation Scarlet Ribbon…”
She flipped a page.
“…Phase One completed successfully.”
Yurika smiled.
A small smile.
The kind most people would mistake for simple satisfaction.
“Results?”
Rin checked her notes.
“Subject Hikari received multiple favorable opportunities.”
“Response?”
“Subject became embarrassed.”
“As expected.”
“Subject received positive reinforcement from Kaito Sakamori.”
“What exactly did he say?”
Rin checks her notes.
“Quote: ‘That was a really nice play.'”
A tiny pause.
Yurika quietly presses a hand to her chest.
“…He compliments people so naturally.”
Rin nods.
“He does.”
Yurika smiles to herself.
“…How unfair.”
Then she immediately snaps back into strategist mode.
“Continue. What was her response?”
“Subject panicked.”
“Of course she did.”
“Subject verbally attacked Kaito Sakamori.”
“Expected.” Yurika gave a small laugh.
“Subject retreated.”
Yurika nodded.
“Excellent.”
Rin made another note.
“These are the net results, Madam President.”
Yurika looked up.
Rin turned the notebook around.
A single chart filled the page.
KAITO’S IMPRESSION OF HIKARI
Before Operation: Positive
After Operation: Positive
Yurika frowned.
“That appears unchanged.”
“Correct.”
For a moment neither girl spoke.
Then Rin flipped to the next page.
A second chart.
HIKARI’S POSITION
Before Operation: Stable
After Operation: Declining
Understanding immediately appeared in Yurika’s eyes.
A slow smile spread across her face.
“Ah.”
Across the courtyard, Kenji Tanaka happened to be walking past.
Unfortunately.
He glanced at the notebook.
Then immediately regretted it.
“Nope, not getting involved in this nonsense.”
Kenji sighed.
Then kept walking.
Self-preservation was important.
Kenji briefly considered transferring schools.
He decided university couldn’t come soon enough.
Having overheard just enough of their conversation as he walked by, he muttered to himself, “What is with these girls? Why does everything sound like a military operation?”
Thankfully, neither of them heard him.
They were far too absorbed in their own little world.
Yurika looked toward the gymnasium doors.
The place where Hikari had fled only moments ago.
“She never realizes what defeats her.”
Rin nodded.
“Her emotions. Her lack of control.”
“Correct.”
Yurika took another sip of her tea.
“A person doesn’t lose because they’re weaker…”
She looks toward the gym.
“…They lose because they stop thinking. The moment emotion takes control, mistakes become inevitable.”
The smile on Yurika’s face remained beautiful.
Elegant.
Perfect.
The sort of smile that won elections.
The sort of smile that terrified Vice Presidents.
Rin turned another page.
Several names appeared.
Hikari.
Akane.
Miya.
Kiyomi.
Each name was accompanied by notes.
Schedules.
Observations.
Plans.
“Next target?” Rin asked.
Yurika studied the page.
For several seconds she said nothing.
Then she tapped a single photograph.
Hikari.
“Continue the operation.”
“Understood.”
Rin made another note.
Operation Scarlet Ribbon
Phase One: Successful
Phase Two: Authorized
Yurika smiled.
After all…
The goal had never been making Kaito fall in love with her.
Not yet at least.
First…
She simply had to make sure nobody else got there first.
Announcement on Older Chapters Will also split older chapters in future.
TY to all my readers!