(3/5)

  Iudent cil Office of Shu Academy,

  As the president of the Student cil, Shirogane Miyuki subsciously g the seat that beloo the vice president, Shinomiya Kaguya.

  "Hmm…"

  The slightly irritated mood caused him to tap his fingers against the table without realizing it.

  "President, what's wrong today? You seem… agitated," asked Ishigami Yu, oudent cil's project report. Notig the president's unusual demeanor, he turned his attention toward Shirogah curiosity.

  "Ah… you're thinking about the vice president, aren't you?"

  "Hey! Ishigami, I'm just… ed about Shinomiya. She's been on leave for three days."

  "Oh? So the president doesn't know?"

  Hearing this, Shirogane immediately straightened his posture.

  "Ishigami, do you know why Shinomiya took leave?"

  "Not only do I know, but almost everyone in Shu knows why the vice president is absent."

  "Wait… everyone knows?"

  "Yes, it's been a hot topic for the past few days. Holy, I thought you already knew about it."

  "This is o me."

  For the first time, Shirogane Miyuki felt the sting of how limited his access to information was.

  "But if the reason is so well known, why am I the only o out?"

  "Ishigami, you expihing to me?"

  "Of course."

  Ishigami nodded, setting his puter aside for the moment.

  "The story is pretty straightforward. A few days ago, a sudden upheaval occurred in the Shinomiya family."

  "Upheaval?"

  "At the time, a powerful force began suppressing all of the Shinomiya family's businesses."

  "Not just in the business world, either—even their political es were targeted. The entire family was under pressure."

  "But… the Shinomiya family is massive. Shouldn't they be able to resist?"

  "he Shinomiya family was nearly crushed ht."

  "That's… unbelievable!"

  Shirogane Miyuki couldn't mask his shock.

  Siarting at Shu, he'd stantly heard about the scale and influence of the Shinomiya family.

  For something so formidable to be brought to its knees in such a short time was utterly mind-boggling.

  "That's why Shinomiya asked for leave? Because of the chaos in her family?"

  "I'd say that's part of it."

  Ishigami sidered it for a moment before tinuing.

  "While the vice president's leave is defiied to the family crisis, the reason might not be what you think."

  "Not what I think? What do you mean?"

  "President, let me put it this way, everyone is saying that the upheaval in the Shinomiya family was orchestrated by Sanzenin."

  "Sanzenin?"

  The weight of the Shirogane like a brick.

  The Sanzenin family, another name representih, power, and prestige far beyond the Shinomiya family.

  As if Shinomiya alone wasn't overwhelming enough, now Sanzenin was added to the mix.

  "But that's not the only thing. What's really surprising is that people are saying… the mastermind behind it all was Shinomiya herself."

  "Wait. What?"

  "The person behind the Shinomiya family's crisis… was Shinomiya?"

  "Exactly."

  Shirogaared at Ishigami, dumbfounded.

  "Ishigami, are you messing with me right now?"

  "Not at all."

  Ishigami raised his hand in mock oath.

  "Everything I'm saying is publiowledge. The rumors are flying all over campus, so it must be true."

  "But people are saying the vice president worked with Sanzenin. They must've made some kind of deal."

  "Deal? Why would Sanzenio iate with Shinomiya?"

  "That's the thing, there's been a lot of debate about it."

  "What's there to debate?"

  "It doesn't make sense. Sanzenin is leagues ahead of Shinomiya in terms of power. They wouldn't need any agreement to force the Shinomiya family into submission."

  "True…"

  Shirogahought it over and realized how strahe situation sounded.

  Sanzenin had enough power to crush Shinomiya at will. There was no logical reason for them to botiating.

  No wonder people were skeptical.

  "I guess only Shinomiya knows what really happened."

  Shirogane decided not to dwell on it further.

  "And then?"

  "And then, the Shinomiya family annouhat the position of heir had been officially transferred to the vice president."

  "So the reason for her absence is probably tied to restructuring the family's internal affairs."

  "I see…"

  It all made sense now. That expined why Shinomiya had been gone for three days.

  Suddenly, a hought struck Shirogane, and he froze.

  "Wait… doesn't this mean Shinomiya is now in charge of the entire Shinomiya family?"

  "Exactly."

  Ishigami firmed it without hesitation.

  "Because of Sanzenin's intervention, Shinomiya Kaguya is now the head of the family."

  "She's effectively in trol of the entire Shinomiya glomerate."

  "This… all of this happened in just three days?"

  At that moment, Shirogane Miyuki felt his body gid.

  For the loime, he'd believed that by w hard and studying diligently, he could match Shinomiya's achievements, prove he was just as capable, if not more so.

  But now, the gap between them felt insurmountable, like they were in pletely different worlds.

  "Oh no!!!"

  Just as Shirogane began spiraling into self-doubt, the door to the Student cil room was flung open with a loud bang.

  "Bang!"

  "Oh no, President!"

  Fujiwara Chika rushed in, her face a mix of panid ay.

  "I just heard something terrible, Kaguya might be transferring to another school!"

  "What?!"

  The sudden annou caused Shirogane's mind to short-circuit.

  Even Ishigami, who usually stayed posed, was momentarily stunned.

  He quickly questiohe source of the news.

  "Fujiwara-senpai, where did you hear that?"

  "From the principal, of course!"

  Fujiuffed out her chest proudly but couldn't hide the worry in her expression.

  "Wuwu~ Kaguya and I are so close! How could she transfer without telling me?"

  She looked genuinely distraught, wanting desperately to know where Kaguya had gone.

  Typically, Fujiwara would have picked up on something earlier. But with Kaguya having been absent for three days, she had only just learned about the transfer.

  Shirogane, oher hand, was in plete shock.

  The news of Shinomiya transferring schools had shattered his already fragile posure.

  Moments ago, he had been grappling with the realization of the vast gulf between them.

  Now, she was leaviirely.

  ---

  Meanwhile, in a at a different school, two raudents were being introduced.

  "These two are our raudents."

  "Please, introduce yourselves."

  One of the students stepped forward fidently.

  "I am Shinomiya Kaguya. I look forward to being your cssmate. Please take care of me."