Isagi was the first to break the silence while everyone flipped through the menus.
“I know it’s a bit late to ask, but isn’t it against school rules to wear uniforms off campus?” “Don’t worry about that.
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.
So go ahead, order whatever you want and enjoy.
Just don’t go over five thousand yen, okay?” “I thought you were cool until that last part, President.” “Heh!
It’s not the wallet that makes the man, Yuki.” Touya’s playful reply broke the ice, and even Isagi felt the atmosphere lighten.
Being surrounded by beautiful girls gave him a slight flutter in his stomach, especially girls he had some level of interest in…..
A few laughs followed the president’s remark.
Even Kaguya, seated between Hayasaka and Yuki, let out a subtle smile.
On the outside, she maintained her usual elegant and calm posture.
On the inside, however, she was attentive to every word spoken.
She couldn’t help it.
Whenever Isagi spoke, her attention almost automatically shifted to him….
Everyone placed their orders, careful not to exceed the limit of one thousand yen per person.
The mood 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 only finish tomorrow…,” Touya commented, impressed.
“We wouldn’t have managed without Isagi’s help.
Having a man around really makes a difference, especially someone used to this kind of work…,” Yuki added without hesitation.
“Isagi is amazing.
It doesn’t matter if it’s physical labor or office work, he always does everything without complaining.
Besides, he’s also a great negotiator.” “Yuki, you’re selling me like I’m much better than I actually am…” Isagi said with an awkward smile.
On the other hand, Yuki’s words echoed in Kaguya’s mind like a small alarm.
Such direct praise, spoken without hesitation in front of everyone.
It bothered her more than she would like to admit.
She quickly intervened.
“Indeed, Isagi has always had that spirit.
I remember that, on several occasions, when others grew discouraged with certain activities, he always maintained an unusual 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 gave a faint smile.
Yuki pressed her lips slightly, still smiling, as if unwilling to give up space in the conversation.
“It’s not common for either Yuki or Shinomiya to speak so highly of someone like this…,” Touya commented before asking, “By the way… what do you think about joining the student council?
Actually, we still don’t have any general members to help out.” Isagi wasn’t surprised at all that the conversation had reached that point.
He simply shook his head before replying calmly: “I’m sorry, but I’m not interested in joining the student council for now.
I have a tournament in a month and a half, so I can’t balance it with the council’s responsibilities…” Beside him, Alya sank further into the menu, using it as a convenient barrier.
Kaguya maintained her serene expression, but her mind was restless.
She couldn’t allow Yuki to monopolize Isagi.
Her position was delicate: she needed to show consideration for him without appearing emotionally involved, something she deemed unacceptable for someone from the Shinomiya family.
So, she chose silence, at least for now.
“Hm… Although I admit that student council activities in high school are more demanding, they’re also much more rewarding.
We have more freedom to make decisions compared to other schools and, frankly, that positively impacts our academic record.” Touya spoke directly, without beating around the bush.
To him, it was simply a fact.
Being part of the Ichinan Academy student council placed any student in an extremely advantageous position: besides facilitating admission into good universities through strong recommendations, positions such as president and vice president carried significant weight that extended beyond school life, even holding relevance in the job market.
There were even exclusive social gatherings for those who had previously held the positions of president or vice president of the Ichinan Academy student council, an institution known for producing outstanding graduates who went on to fields such as politics, finance, and high-level corporate positions.
Serving on the council for at least one year was practically a guarantee of a concrete advantage in the job market.
On the other hand, poor performance, especially involving serious management failures, could damage someone’s reputation for a long time.
Even so, the prestige and opportunities were significant enough that countless students fiercely competed for these positions.
And, as expected, the fastest path to the highest roles began by becoming a regular council member.
“Sorry, but my future is just football,” Isagi replied firmly.
“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.
Kaguya watched him in silence, her heart beating faster than she would like to admit.
She had always admired that flame burning within him.
While so many youths their age lost themselves in indecision, Isagi spoke about his own future as if he were tracing an inevitable destiny.
It stirred in her a strange mixture of envy and fascination.
“Come on, don’t be like that.
You might be busy with the tournament, but running for president is even better.
Be my running mate!” Yuki said, leaning slightly forward.
“Let’s join forces.
Let’s run together.” “Seriously?
You’re already asking more of me?” Isagi replied with a light sigh.
“Besides, you don’t need me.
It’s practically certain you’ll be elected president in the next cycle, isn’t it?
You’ve been quite popular since middle school.” “I want to lead the student council with you, Isagi.” “No way.
That’s too much work.” Kaguya remained silent, but her mind worked quickly.
If she wanted, she could argue that academic support would also be useful for an athlete.
But no.
Intervening at that moment could sound like criticism of his dream, something she would never allow.
So she simply observed him discreetly, holding back her words.
Beside them, Alya also seemed visibly uncomfortable, closed off and cold in the face of the attention he was receiving from the other two.
More than ninety percent of the boys at school would have accepted Yuki’s request without thinking twice, but Isagi kept refusing.
Touya, meanwhile, simply stroked his chin, watching the scene with an amused expression.
“Isagi, just to be clear: Yuki doesn’t have victory guaranteed…,” Touya commented.
“There are other strong candidates… including Alisa here.” He glanced at Alisa beside him.
When Isagi, almost instinctively, also looked at her, their eyes met immediately.
“Alya?
You’re planning to run for president too?” “Yes.
I’ll be running against Yuki…..” Alisa turned her gaze to Yuki, who maintained a calm smile.
Even so, to Isagi, it was almost possible to see the invisible sparks between them.
“By the way, Alisa, you sit next to Isagi in class, right?
What do you think of him?” Touya quickly changed the subject, trying to ease the tension, but only ended up adding fuel to the fire.
“What do I think?” Alisa replied without hesitation.
“Honestly… I can sum it up in one word: uncommitted.” Isagi nearly fell off his chair.
“What?!
Hey, I only sleep because the class has nothing to do with football.
That doesn’t mean I don’t do anything.” Well… his predecessor did exactly that.
“Oh?” Touya showed immediate interest in Alisa’s blunt assessment, while she remained completely unfazed by Isagi’s reaction.
She continued, without softening her tone: “He forgets his books frequently, barely pays attention in class, and if you want to know his position in the class, it’s easier to count from the bottom up.” “But he at least does the bare minimum…,” Yuki interjected in a light tone, as if trying to balance the criticism.
“He’s not failing any subjects.” One of Alisa’s eyebrows twitched slightly upon hearing that.
“…Yes, I know he passes his exams, after all, I’m the one who grades them…” she replied coldly.
“He gets scores high enough to avoid remedial classes.
That is… efficient.
But he could perform much better if he actually put in the effort.” Kaguya narrowed her eyes slightly, feeling a faint discomfort with Alisa’s directness.
She didn’t like hearing such harsh criticism directed at Isagi, even if it wasn’t entirely unfounded.
“He may not stand out in traditional academics…,” she said, her voice calm but firm.
“But there are different forms of intelligence.
The dedication he shows to football requires discipline and focus.
That’s something few people can sustain.” Alisa raised an eyebrow slightly, surprised by the unexpected defense, but did not contest it.
Yuki also joined in, reinforcing: “Isagi has always been intelligent.
He got into Ichinan Academy studying very little for the exam.
Ah… I know that because my brother, who is a close friend of his, mentioned it once.
Nothing special.” Alisa frowned before adding: “He’s also physically very capable and motivated in football.
But, for example, in the last chemistry class… he almost caused an explosion with a simple mixture.” “He’s always been bad at chemistry since middle school…,” Kaguya said naturally.
“I’m not much better either.” It was an obvious lie.
For a moment, the atmosphere heated up again and, although no one said anything out loud, the tension between Alisa and Kaguya felt almost tangible.
Isagi sighed, deciding to intervene before things escalated further.
He raised his hand, half-annoyed, half-amused: “I’m not all that, Kaguya, Yuki.
And Alya… you don’t have to go that hard either.
I just spend energy on what really matters.
School is secondary.
Football is my life.” To Kaguya, those words sounded almost like an intimate confession.
Her chest tightened, torn between the pride she felt for that determination and a quiet concern about the cost of such an absolute dream.
Even so, she maintained her impeccable composure.
Alisa rested her chin on her hand, analyzing Isagi with a less sharp gaze than before.
The competitive spark was still there, but now mixed with something softer.
A small smile escaped her lips and, unexpectedly, she murmured in Russian, in a low, almost affectionate tone, as if it were something not meant to be understood by anyone else: “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, returning to her usual cold and composed expression.
“Nothing.
Just a comment about your stubbornness.” Yuki, who had been observing everything, maintained her gentle smile and turned her gaze back to Isagi.
“You’re still the same as always… so modest.” That remark came like a precise arrow.
There was nothing aggressive about it, but its softness contrasted directly with Alisa’s intensity.
Yuki wasn’t trying to bring her down, but rather to reaffirm her closeness to Isagi, as if she were the natural guardian of his essence.
Kaguya kept her expression calm, but inside she felt her stomach churn.
One rival declaring in Russian words that sounded far too sweet for her taste, and another painting Isagi as an example of modesty, placing him on a pedestal without any effort at all….
She leaned slightly forward, folding her hands over the table as if she were not affected at all, even though every fiber of her body screamed otherwise.
Pride prevented her from reacting impulsively, but the need to keep Isagi from slipping through her fingers forced her to carefully think about her next move.
Isagi let out a quiet sigh and said calmly: “You’re exaggerating….” Hayasaka crossed her legs, watching in silence.
As always, she remained discreet, observing every detail without interfering.
It was enough for her to witness the silent battle unfolding between Yuki, Alisa, and Kaguya, all orbiting around Isagi, each with their own weapons.
And before the war could start again… “S-sorry for making you wait…” the hesitant waitress stammered as she carried their food.
She forced a diplomatic smile while the two girls continued to emit an alarming aura.
It seemed she had been holding the tray for quite a while, unfortunately.
Today was not her day.
“Oh, great.
The food’s here.
Let’s eat.” Those simple words from Touya ended the exchange of glances between Alisa, Yuki, and Kaguya, restoring peace to their table—much to the waitress’s relief—and raising Isagi’s respect for him to new heights.
_____________________ (A/N: First of all, thank you for reading this story.
Your support there also helps a lot in keeping the story updated consistently.
I hope you continue enjoying Isagi’s completely cursed new life in this crossover world.)