Chapter 244: The Restless Shirogane Miyuki and the Confident Shinomiya Kaguya

The day of the Shuchiin Sports Festival.

Perhaps because he hadn’t gotten enough sleep last night, Miyuki had felt restless ever since he woke up.

It was as if someone was plotting some massive scheme behind his back, or some terrible disaster was waiting for him… In short, it wasn’t a good premonition.

No, no, no, it’s definitely just because I was too excited last night and didn’t sleep well.

Reaching up to adjust the haori draped over his shoulders and re-tying the red headband on his forehead, Miyuki made sure his appearance was flawless before taking a small, deep breath.

Inhale— Exhale—

Perfect! Everything is OK. Not a single problem.

“President.”

Just then, Kaguya and Chika, both dressed in women’s track uniforms, walked over together. Wearing a faint smile, Kaguya looked at the fully-prepared Miyuki and asked, “Are you ready for the opening ceremony duet?”

“Yeah, everything is prepared, Shinomiya.” The corners of Miyuki’s mouth curled into a faint smile. His mind replayed the grueling, tear-and-sweat-filled training sessions he had endured under a certain terrifyingly strict singer.

Filled with emotion, he couldn’t help but look forward to the duet.

“Miyuki-nii, I poured my heart and soul into writing this song for you. Please, you must sing every single syllable with your truest emotions, and convey your feelings to the person in your heart.”

During their final rehearsal, his junior—the singer—had instructed him very seriously.

“The more emotion you pour into it, the more the person you want to reach will feel it. Perhaps, in the end, she’ll be so moved by your feelings that she won’t be able to help but confess to you.”

Subconsciously following that memory, Miyuki imagined it.

Moved by the feelings in his song, unable to suppress her racing heartbeat, Kaguya would slightly raise her flushed cheeks. Her eyes, shimmering with shy droplets, would dart away, wanting to look at him but not daring to. Her cherry lips would part, and with a voice laced with shyness, resolve, and deep emotion, she would say to him:

“President… I… I… love you…”

“Heh… hehehe….. hehehehe…..”

“?”

“President?”

“Ahem.” Hurriedly snapping out of his delusion, Miyuki averted his gaze, pretending nothing had happened. “What about you, Shinomiya? Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

With her hands gently folded in front of her, a flash of absolute confidence gleamed in Kaguya’s eyes.

I’ve been ready for a long time, President.

“Kaguya-senpai, I believe that with your heavenly voice, you can easily master the song my boyfriend wrote. But he also told me that singing isn’t just about technique; it’s more about the emotion contained within the voice.”

Remembering the words of the talented, brilliant junior during their second-to-last rehearsal, the smile on Kaguya’s lips deepened.

“I’ve heard that the more rational a person usually is, the more they are drawn to and swayed by their emotional side in certain situations. An emotional venue like the sports festival opening is the perfect stage. So, Kaguya-senpai, please sing the feelings in your heart. You might just reap an unexpected surprise~”

“Of course, President.”

Her crimson eyes radiating the sharp light of a hunter who had spotted her prey, Kaguya bowed elegantly.

“I look forward to the joy and applause of our successful performance.”

And.

The sweet taste of victory in the Love War.

…

Meanwhile, at the entrance of the Shuchiin parking lot.

With his left hand in his pocket and his right holding his phone, Ishikawa Tooru looked anxiously down the road, occasionally checking the time on his screen.

“Miyahito is so slow.”

Muttering a complaint about his tardy friend, Tooru couldn’t help but look back at the sports field, where a faint clamor was already rising.

The opening ceremony was about to start. Why weren’t Miyahito and Kasumigaoka here yet?

If I had known, I would have carried the props over myself…

Just then.

Vroooom—!

The deep rumble of an engine approached from down the road. Tooru subconsciously looked up.

As expected, no matter how many times I see it, I can’t help but feel envious.

“Why are you only getting here now?”

Watching the motorcycle slowly pull up and stop in front of him, Tooru crossed his arms with a look of disdain and complained to his helmet-wearing best friend.

“Couldn’t you have come a bit earlier? The opening ceremony is about to start.”

“You think I wanted to be late?” Taking off his helmet to reveal his handsome, spirited face, Miyahito shot back irritably. “Utaha and I left super early, but we still hit a traffic jam.”

A traffic jam?

You’re telling me the reason you’re almost late is a traffic jam? Are you kidding me? You’re riding a two-wheeled motorcycle!

“Why can’t a motorcycle get stuck in traffic?” Glancing back as his girlfriend got off the bike, Miyahito gave Tooru a look that said, ‘Can you be less ignorant?’

After staring at Tooru until the latter felt a bit creeped out, he explained, “I was riding in the motor vehicle lane. Do you think it’s that easy to weave through cars?”

“That’s not what I meant….”

Standing nearby, holding her matching wine-red full-face helmet, Utaha watched her boyfriend and his best friend bicker with curved eyes and a faintly amused expression.

Good grief, you two still have the energy to bicker?

Seemingly sensing someone watching them for entertainment, Miyahito and Tooru simultaneously called a temporary truce and subconsciously looked in the direction of the gaze.

“Ahem.” Facing the surprised looks from her boyfriend and his friend, Utaha’s expression didn’t change a bit, and her tone remained perfectly calm.

“Although I don’t know what Miyahito was secretly preparing behind my back.”

(Miyahito: What does that have to do with me? Wait, no! What do you mean ‘behind my back’! I am completely devoted to Utaha!)

“However.”

Utaha tilted her chin slightly toward the distance, where the faint intro of a song she had heard countless times recently was beginning to play.

“If you don’t hurry up, you’re going to miss the opening ceremony.”

“….”

Under Utaha’s smiling gaze, Miyahito and Tooru exchanged a silent look. Then—

“Hurry up! Ishikawa-kun!”

“At least use the honorific ‘-san’ for adults, hey! You damn jerk!”

“Stop talking and give me a hand.”

“Coming…..”

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