(Note: read this chapter in the style of the anime Love is War, with the dramatic flair of the narrator's voice. It'll be much more enjoyable that way.)
...
Chapter 110: Kaguya-sama Wants Me to Date
After school. Outside, it was pouring rain.
Sakurai Saki watched Hayasaka Ai leave. He knew that Ai-chan didn't like to linger at school after classes ended.
It was difficult for the two of them to walk home together, because Sakurai Saki also had to go to his part-time job. Outside of school hours, it seemed like the only way they could meet was online.
When he arrived at the student council room, Sakurai Saki found Shirogane Miyuki studying. It was getting dark outside the window, and the lights in the council room were already on.
Under the lights, Shirogane's face looked deeply focused.
Sakurai understood well just how obsessed Shirogane was with maintaining his spot at the top of the rankings.
"Huh? Sakurai, didn't you say you were going to the library to tutor the Nakano sisters?" Shirogane looked up, spotting Sakurai Saki.
He was reading to prepare for the mid-month exam on Wednesday.
"The appointment's in half an hour. No rush. I'll wait for the rain to die down a bit."
"Planning to take first place again this time?" Sakurai Saki asked.
"Actually, I don't really care about grades. First place, second place—it's not that different." Shirogane Miyuki replied indifferently.
Shirogane: ¯\_(- > -)_/¯
…THAT'S A LIE!!! USO DE ARU!!!
This man! He's currently working so hard he's thrown away all pride!
Ladies and gentlemen! Exams are war!
Studying! Reviewing! Testing! Every single point is a rung on the ladder—if you don't try your best, others will trample you!
If you don't want to be a weakling ruthlessly crushed by the strong, there is only one path—effort!
Grades do matter! First place and second place not that different!? Don't joke with us!
People only remember the champion! Who remembers the runner-up? And don't even mention third place!
Shuchiin's exams are a grand-scale battlefield, and Shirogane is—without question—the hardest-working soldier among them!
"Yeah, I think grades don't need to be amazing. Just good enough is fine." Sakurai Saki said as he began making coffee.
Sakurai: ¯\_(- > -)_/¯
…ANOTHER LIE!!! MATA USO DE ARU!!!
This esper, during Golden Week, had been obsessively studying the entire time he was tutoring the Nakano Quintuplets!
He even planned to keep grinding through more study later when he tutored them again!
Terrifying! Absolutely terrifying!
"Umu, good enough… is fine." Shirogane Miyuki spoke with a calm voice, but the hand holding his pen was trembling visibly.
The pressure of the person at the top and the one chasing from below are two completely different things!
When it comes to exams, even with Sakurai Saki, Shirogane Miyuki wasn't going to let his guard down!
After all, Sakurai Saki was currently ranked third in the whole grade—the gap between them wasn't that large!
A few minutes later.
"Konichi-sappo! What are you two talking about~?"
✧｡٩(ˊᗜˋ )و✧*｡
Chika-chan entered through the door, the ever-adorable secretary.
"We were talking about the exams." Sakurai Saki responded while preparing coffee.
"Ehhh~" Chika looked visibly disappointed.
( • ᴖ • ｡)
She had thought they were secretly talking about romance.
But it was just exams?
As someone with average grades and no particular thirst for academic success, Secretary Fujiwara didn't have much enthusiasm for studying.
However…
"How do President Shirogane and Saki-kun usually deal with exams?" Chika sat down on the sofa.
She casually laid out a deck of Uno cards.
Maybe they could play later!
"Hm, I just relax," Shirogane Miyuki said while working through a problem set. "I usually skip school two days before the exam to clear my head. Pushing hard in the last two days doesn't really help. It's better to rest and be mentally prepared."
"Really?" Chika only half believed him.
After all, this was coming from the top-ranked student.
"It's true." Sakurai Saki added, "Relaxing properly before an exam really can help improve your performance."
Sakurai Saki and Shirogane Miyuki were performing a perfect duet, spinning the innocent secretary around like a top.
Perhaps feeling a little guilty about it, Sakurai Saki added: "It depends on the person, though. It doesn't work for everyone."
Shirogane Miyuki followed up: "But for me and Sakurai, this method helps us relax."
These two shameless men were outright lying—and not just any lies, but cruel lies!
"Is there really anyone who crams before an exam? That kind of person probably doesn't even exist, right~?"
"Exactly, Sakurai! I just can't imagine the type of person who's still burying their head in books right before the exam. What are they even thinking?!"
Sakurai walked over to the tea table carrying the coffee.
"Shirogane, good luck with the test."
"You too."
Chika-chan tilted her head, confused.
What they said… made so much sense.
This innocent girl fully believed the nonsense they were spouting.
And so—she decided not to study anymore!
Chi-baka: ദ്ദി(ᵔᗜᵔ)
Just then, someone else entered through the door.
"Hey guys, I think I overheard something about exams?"
It was Shinomiya Kaguya.
She entered with a composed posture, her haughty gaze sweeping across the room.
The Ice Queen declared:
"For this exam—I will take back my position as the top student in the entire grade!"
<（￣^￣）>
General Affairs Sakurai? A defeated nobody—not worth worrying about!
Shirogane Miyuki—that was the real rival to watch. Shinomiya Kaguya had been bested by him in academics for the past six months, and this semester, she didn't want to lose again.
"…So, Shinomiya, do you study before tests?" someone asked.
"Of course—" Shinomiya Kaguya glanced at Shirogane Miyuki, then at Sakurai Saki, and resolutely declared: "No!!!"
"It's just a midterm. Even if it were the finals, I wouldn't care."
With that, Kaguya sat down next to Chika.
"But Shinomiya-san, didn't you just say you were aiming for first place?"
"It's just a test. Studying is totally unnecessary!" Shinomiya Kaguya asserted confidently.
…ANOTHER LIE!!! MATA USO DE ARU!!!
This woman—her eye bags were so severe, they were practically unhideable!
During Golden Week, she had buried herself in books the whole time without a single break!Except for the days she had guests over, she had thrown her entire soul into studying!
"Eh~ everyone really doesn't study before exams? Not even a glance at the books in the last two days?" Chika tilted her head, asking.
"Umu." Shinomiya Kaguya nodded.
Sakurai Saki, holding a cup of coffee, brought one to Shirogane.
"Here, your coffee."
"Thanks."
Returning to his seat, Sakurai Saki took a sip.
"Shinomiya-san, the score we need to settle—it's about time."
"What do you mean? Are you trying to stomp me underfoot?" Kaguya asked bluntly.
"Of course. Staying in third place forever is boring. I don't have to be first, but I don't want to lose to you." Sakurai set down his cup.
"People often blindly believe in themselves, forgetting one thing—you've never beaten me before."
"That line applies to you, too. Don't act like you beat Shirogane in the second half of last year."
"Still, I'm better than you, who always loses to me." Shinomiya Kaguya glanced down and noticed a cup placed for her.
Just in time—she was thirsty.
After taking a sip, Kaguya asked—
"General Affairs Sakurai, why are you still in the student council room after school?"
Shouldn't you be off somewhere, holding hands and being lovey-dovey with Hayasaka?
You two are dating now, after all.
"There's still some time before tutoring, and with the rain pouring like this, I'm thinking of canceling the lesson altogether."
'That's not what I meant.' Shinomiya Kaguya was preparing to pull a little trick.
Truthfully, she was very wary of Sakurai Saki, since their grades weren't far apart.
If he really surpassed her this time… it would be a huge humiliation!
…
Ten-some minutes later.
Shinomiya Kaguya put on airs as she walked out of the student council room.
Then immediately pulled out her phone and dialed Hayasaka Ai.
"Moshi moshi? Kaguya-sama, what's going on?"
"Go on a date with Sakurai-san! Right now!"
"Eh—! Are you crazy?! It's pouring rain out there!"
Shinomiya Kaguya glanced out the window and saw that yes—it was indeed raining heavily.
"Then go on a date tomorrow!"
(ꐦ─ _ ─) Hayasaka Ai went silent.
Right now, Ai-chan just wanted to punch this cheap little sister of hers square in the face!
(=O*_*)=O (ﾉ´ᗒoᗕ)ﾉ