Touka: I-I did it!

Kazuto: Did what?

Touka: I succeeded in persuading Otomi-san!

Kazuto: Seriously!? Nice work!

Aoi: Kokonoe-san, that’s amazing!

That night, we were getting a report in the group chat from Touka, who had gone out for tea with Asuka.

I never imagined she’d manage to settle things after meeting her just once, so honestly, this was far better news than I’d expected.

Kazuto: So that means she’s not going to the student council tea party, right?

Touka: Yes! She said very clearly that she’s not going!

Kazuto: Kokonoe, thank you so much.

Touka: U-um… then… my reward…

Kazuto: Did we ever promise you one?

Touka: Reward… (murmuring)

There was no doubt that Touka had done her best.

But taking it as far as a physical relationship here would be wrong.

Touka claims she’s going to build a harem, but even if that actually happened—

I couldn’t step into that kind of relationship with Touka while leaving things unresolved with Asuka.

Kazuto: Saying stuff like that in a group chat with Aoi in it is banned.

Touka: Fueeeehhh

…How does she even manage to type “fueeeehhh” in a chat?

Isn’t she embarrassed at all?

Anyway, for now, Asuka was safe.

I could just keep closing the distance little by little again—

—or so I thought.

◇◇◇

“—Sorry. I’ve got something to take care of today, so I’m heading home early.”

After school, with Golden Week just a week away.

Kazuto had an errand his sister had asked him to handle, so he was heading home ahead of the others.

Touka was on counter duty for the library committee.

Aoi also seemed to have something else to do, so today the three of them were all going their separate ways.

And, of course, it was on a day like this that trouble struck.

“—Asuka-chan!”

“Ah, Mayu-chan. What’s up?”

Katayose Mayu

She was the girl Asuka first became close to from the very start of the class, the one who sat next to her.

Just as Asuka was about to head home on her own, Mayu hurried up and stopped her.

“Nihihihi.”

“What a weird laugh. Did something good happen?”

Mayu approached with a beaming smile, glanced around to check their surroundings, then covered her mouth with one hand—

“—So, actually. I got invited to the student council’s tea party today.”

“———!?”

At those words, Asuka reflexively looked back at Mayu’s face.

“Huh? Why…?”

“It was totally out of the blue. A senior from the student council—one of the secretaries—came up to me at lunch and said, ‘If you’d like, how about it?’”

(Wh-what should I do…? Mayu-chan doesn’t know about that rumor. But stopping her when she’s this happy…)

In Asuka’s mind, the things she’d heard from Touka about the student council surfaced again.

If the rumor was true, there was a chance Mayu might end up being targeted.

“Mayu-chan… are you going?”

“Of course I am! Chances like this don’t come around often, and I’d definitely regret it if I didn’t go!”

“B-but…”

“Ahh~ Asuka-chan, are you jealous? Hehe. But don’t worry!”

Mayu puffed out her chest and raised a finger.

“The senior from the student council said, ‘If you’re nervous about going alone, you can bring a friend too.’ So… Asuka-chan, let’s go together, okay? That’s why I stopped you!”

“Eh… go together…?”

Doubt tightened her chest.

If she let Mayu go alone, her ignorance of the student council might result in her getting dragged into whatever goes on at their tea party.

And if Mayu’s admiration was genuine, there was a chance she wouldn’t refuse.

But she couldn’t say for sure that everything would be fine.

If Asuka went with her, she might be able to protect her if anything happened.

But if the two of them were together, the student council wouldn’t be able to make a move so easily.

Having come to that conclusion, Asuka slowly nodded.

“…Alright. I’ll go. I’m worried about you, Mayu-chan.”

“Ah! You’re totally coming to keep an eye on me so I don’t mess up, aren’t you!? I can handle myself just fine when I have to, you know!”

(But Mayu-chan is too carefree… I need to stay sharp…!) 

And so, Asuka decided to head to the student council room alongside Mayu.

◇◇◇

“Kokonoe-san. Sorry to ask, but it looks like the new books have arrived. I want to check the list, so could you go get the documents from the staff room?”

“Y-yes! Understood!”

Having been asked by the senior library committee member who was on duty with her, Touka left the library.

As she hurried down the hallway, heading toward the staff room—

“Ah…”

Up ahead, she spotted Asuka walking toward her.

But her expression looked off somehow.

That worried Touka, but with another girl walking beside her, she could only stop, unable to call out.

Just as they were about to pass each other— 

“Kokonoe-san… I’m sorry.”

“Huh…?”

Asuka whispered softly, barely audible. 

But Touka couldn’t grasp what she meant. Before she could ask, the two of them had already walked past and gone on their way.

Touka stood there, feeling left behind as she watched their backs disappear.

“Otomi-san… did something happen…?”

◇◇◇

“—I-I’m Katayose Mayu, I was invited by the secretary!”

After knocking on the double doors, Mayu introduced herself in a slightly tense voice.

“Come in.”

A calm voice sounded from inside, and Mayu gently opened the door.

“E-excuse us.”

“Excuse us…”

As the two of them stepped into the student council room together, they saw the student council president, Ouran Onikisu, seated gracefully at the large executive desk at the back. Lined up at the long table in front of her were the vice president, Magami Makoto, and the secretary, Okawara Ruri.

“Oh my, you are—”

“Um… I heard that Mayu-chan was going, so, well… I came along with her.”

“Well, well… how lovely. Don’t you think so, President?”

“…There’s no need for either of you to be so tense. Why don’t you sit down first?”

“Y-yes!”

“Alright.”

Makoto’s expression immediately brightened when she noticed Asuka.

After all, the one who hadn’t been enthusiastic before had come—there was no way she wouldn’t be pleased.

After they took their seats at Onikisu’s instruction, Ruri soon returned from the adjoining room, pushing a kitchen cart.

A teapot of black tea and cups for everyone.

On the three-tier cake stand were an array of colorful sweets.

“Waaah! They look delicious!”

“Mayu, you like sweets, don’t you?”

“Y-yes!”

Ruri, the very one who had invited Mayu, smiled as she began setting the tableware out.

Once the preparations were finished, Onikisu began a brief self-introduction.

“I’m the student council president of this school, Ouran Onikisu, a third-year. We hold tea parties like this from time to time to get people interested in the student council. There’s no need to be nervous. I hope you enjoy yourselves.”

Onikisu offered them a gentle smile.

With her long black hair accentuating her looks, she was a refined beauty that anyone would admire.

(So this is her… the person at the center of those rumors…?)

Seeing her up close, she looked so pristine it was hard to believe what Kokonoe had told her.

Asuka couldn’t help but think that. 

“I’m the vice president, Magami Makoto. I believe I’ve met you once before, Otomi-san. And Katayose-san, this is our first time meeting. It’s nice to meet you.”

Makoto had a soft, gentle presence.

Her milk-tea-colored bob cut made her look especially cute for an upperclassman.

“I’m the secretary, Okawara Ruri. Nice to meet you.”

Among the three, Ruri looked the most confident.

Her red side ponytail suited her perfectly.

“I-I’m a first-year, Katayose Mayu! I’m not in any clubs. Thank you so much for inviting me today!”

“I’m also a first-year, Otomi Asuka. I’m not in any clubs either. Nice to meet you.”

Mayu was so tense she looked on edge the entire time, making Asuka seem calmer by comparison.

That said, she still had no idea what the student council was really thinking. She couldn’t let her guard down.

“Alright, introductions are done, so let’s begin. There are refills for both the sweets and the tea, so just let us know.”

Asuka took a sip of the black tea.

A refined aroma and deep flavor spread across her tongue, and the words slipped out before she could stop herself.

“…It’s delicious.”

“Hehe, I’m glad you like it.”

“It really is amazing… I’m surprised.”

“That tea was something Makoto brought. If you’re thanking anyone, thank her.”

“Is that so…? Thank you very much.”

“If you’re enjoying it, Otomi-san, then it was worth bringing.”

Makoto smiled gently.

Surrounded by the tea’s aroma, Asuka felt her tension slowly melt away.

—And yet.

Even amid the warm, friendly atmosphere, Asuka couldn’t shake a single doubt.

The student council was supposed to have more members.

So why was it that today, of all days, there were only three of them?