Kaguya-sama Wants My Surrender!

After changing into fresh clothes, Sajuna returned to the sofa and began eating her dessert.

As the cream melted on her tongue, her eyes curved into delighted crescents.

Hayasaka was right—no girl could resist the allure of dessert.

"You're not eating?" Sajuna asked, turning toward Amamiya.

"I haven't washed my hands since coming back," Amamiya replied, holding his hands out as if to show proof. "So..."

"Then go wash your hands," Sajuna said matter-of-factly.

"But I'd rather have Sajuna feed me," he teased.

"I won't feed you!" she shot back, her face turning pink.

"…"

Blushing, Sajuna refused outright. Instead, she simply pushed the dessert toward him.

"Here, eat it yourself."

Amamiya looked at her with a soft expression. "I'll be going on a long journey tomorrow. My only wish before I leave is for Sajuna to feed me personally."

"Where are you going?" Sajuna asked, her tone curious.

"Kagoshima," Amamiya explained, detailing his weekend trip with Umi.

"Kagoshima is pretty far," Sajuna murmured, her lips pursing slightly. "You'll leave Friday and won't be back until Sunday?"

"Exactly." Amamiya nodded. "So I won't see you for a few days. That's why—please, just this once?"

"I don't want to."

"This is my lifelong wish," he added dramatically.

"Don't say weird things like that!" Sajuna scolded, clearly flustered.

After hesitating for a few moments, her resolve finally softened. Face burning red, she picked up a small piece of cake and held it out to him.

"Here, eat quickly."

Achievement unlocked: Sajuna feeding success.

Amamiya opened his mouth and took a bite, chewing thoughtfully. "It's really delicious. How about another?"

"No more. If you want more, get it yourself."

Despite her protest, Sajuna handed him another bite.

Humans are funny that way—once they take the first step, the rest often comes naturally.

After finishing their dessert, the two chatted for a while. At some point, the rain outside came to a stop.

"The rain's stopped," Sajuna noted, brushing her hair behind her ear. Picking up her schoolbag, she made her way to the door. "I'm going home."

Amamiya followed her to the door. "Come by again this weekend."

"I'm not coming."

"…"

Nine o'clock in the evening.

The energetic Hanamori arrived right on time.

"Good evening, senpai~"

Standing at the doorway, Ai was dressed in a blue-and-white sailor uniform. Her deep blue eyes sparkled under the light.

"Come in," Amamiya said, turning back toward the living room.

"Hey~ whoosh~"

Once inside, Hayasaka pulled a speech manuscript from her school bag and handed it to him with both hands. "Mission accomplished! I stayed up all night to finish this. Praise me, senpai!"

Taking the manuscript, Amamiya gave her a casual nod. "Not bad. Thanks for your hard work. You're really capable."

Hayasaka sighed dramatically. "Senpai, you need to work on complimenting girls."

"Sorry, I'm hopeless at that."

"…"

After reviewing the speech together and discussing a few details, Amamiya helped Hayasaka with the Evil Spirit Repellent.

By the time everything was settled, it was already half past nine.

"Goodbye, senpai. I'm heading home," Hayasaka said as she prepared to leave.

"You don't need to come tomorrow. I won't be here," Amamiya informed her. "I'm going to Kagoshima with Umi and will be back on Sunday."

Hayasaka didn't seem surprised by the news. Amamiya had already mentioned earlier that today's main purpose was to prepare for his upcoming trip.

"Hm..." Hayasaka touched her lips with a finger, her expression playful. "Senpai, are you really going to Kagoshima alone with Umi-chan?"

"That's right," Amamiya replied simply.

"How is that any different from a date?"

"It's a long-distance trip to reunite with family, not a date," he explained.

"Liar!" Hayasaka puffed out her cheeks indignantly, poking Amamiya's shoulder with her finger. "You're such a fickle person, Senpai! Yesterday, you told me you fell in love with a girl at school at first sight, and now today, you're going on a trip with Umi-chan. Love at first sight? What a joke!"

She was fuming inside.

Dating me in the afternoon and heading off with another girl the next day—this is classic scumbag behavior! Someone like him should be crushed under a hydraulic press!

"I didn't say that. Stop spreading nonsense," Amamiya said, catching her right hand. He met her gaze earnestly. "Traveling thousands of miles to fulfill a promise is one thing. Falling in love at first sight is another. Don't mix them up."

He paused for a moment before continuing in a serious tone:

"And just so you know... I fell in love with Hasaka at first sight."

"…"

Hayasaka's mind went blank for a second.

There's no such thing as love at first sight—it's all just lust at first sight! Stop trying to trick me!

Even though her rational thoughts protested, her heart betrayed her, racing uncontrollably.

Flustered, she pulled her hand away forcefully and turned on her heel. "Your two-timing behavior is absolutely unacceptable! I don't want to talk to you anymore. Goodbye!"

"…"

Later that night—10:30 PM

Miko arrived again, sneaking into the house as usual.

After the previous incident with the pillow, she'd learned her lesson and now brought her own quilt, leaving no opportunity for Amamiya to tease her.

That night passed uneventfully.

The Next Day—At the Game Room Club

"Umi-chan, are you and Amamiya heading to Kagoshima after school today?" Chika asked, resting her chin on her hand.

"That's right," Umi replied, nodding. "I haven't seen my dad since New Year's. He looked really exhausted during our last video call, so I've been worried. I figured it's better to check on him in person."

"We'll be back by Sunday," Amamiya added.

Meanwhile, a certain presence in the room shifted.

"Stare—"

Amamiya felt the weight of an intense gaze.

Turning his head, he saw Kaguya sitting across from him, arms crossed and a smile on her face.

That smile...

It's the iconic disdainful Kaguya Shinomiya smile. Terrifying in its own right—but somehow even scarier when she forces it.

Kaguya was clearly unhappy.

What does he mean by accompanying Umi to Kagoshima?

Meeting her parents from a thousand miles away?

And it's just the two of them—how is that not a date trip?

But alas, she had no legitimate excuse to stop Amamiya, leaving her to stew silently in frustration.

"Don't worry, Kaguya-chan." A familiar voice whispered close to her ear.

It was Shimizu.

Floating beside her, she leaned in and reassured, "Mom will keep a close eye on Amamiya-kun. I won't let him have any chance to misbehave."

"Misbehave..."

The word sent a chill through Kaguya. Dark mist swirled in her eyes, and the forced smile on her face faltered. Taking a deep breath, she looked away and muttered, "I don't care about things like that..."

I care a lot, okay?

The best way to ensure nothing happens is to go along and supervise.

But the Shinomiya family would never approve of her traveling so far.

"Don't worry," Shimizu said, giving her a thumbs-up. "Mom's got this. I'll stop him from committing any crimes."

"It's not a crime yet—just the preparation phase. Stop it there!"

"…"

With that, campus hours slipped by quietly.

After School

Amamiya packed his schoolbag and left the classroom. Waiting for him in the corridor was Umi, her waist-length blonde hair shining under the light, a black choker around her neck adding to her striking appearance.

When she saw him approach, her eyes lit up with excitement. A radiant smile—bright enough to rival the sun—spread across her face as she raised a hand theatrically and declared, "Let's go! Destination: Kagoshima!"

Amamiya walked over, his gaze falling on the schoolbag slung over her shoulder. "Did you bring everything?"

"Of course!" Umi patted her bag confidently, her chin held high. "I've been preparing for this trip for ages. I even double-checked everything last night: clothes, a mirror, makeup, contact lenses, sunscreen, wallet, keys... You name it, it's in here!"

"Good," Amamiya said. "Let's go find Komi first."

"…"

The journey from Tokyo to Kagoshima spans over a thousand kilometers. There's always the possibility of encountering unexpected dangers—perhaps even game-related incidents—so precautions were necessary.

Before departing, they planned to meet Komi and copy her skill.

Twenty Minutes Later

After a train ride and a short walk, Amamiya and Umi arrived near a private school. From a distance, they spotted two girls standing by the school gate.

One was petite, with pink hair that shimmered under the sunlight. Her height fell somewhere between that of an elementary and a junior high school student.

The other was taller, her waist-length black hair flowing gracefully. She stood quietly in a corner, holding her schoolbag with both hands. The sunlight streaming down highlighted her serene and tranquil demeanor, drawing the admiration of passing students. Soft murmurs of "wow" could be heard among them.

"It's Komi-san and Juju-sama!"

Umi's smile grew even brighter as she stood on her tiptoes, waving enthusiastically.

Noticing the commotion, Komi-san and Sajuna approached.

"Juju-sama, long time no see! I missed you!"

Without hesitation, Umi pulled Sajuna into a hug, entering what she affectionately called "cat-stroking mode," running her hands over the shorter girl with delight.

"Let me go," Sajuna said in a hollow tone, trying in vain to shield her face. "It's so hot; stop hugging me."

"But Juju-sama is so adorable! I want to take some Juju-sama energy with me!"

"It's hot. Go away."

"…"

Meanwhile, Amamiya stood nearby and greeted Komi, the taller girl with long black hair.

"Good afternoon, Komi-san."

"…"

Komi trembled slightly but quickly reached into her bag, pulling out a notebook she'd prepared in advance. She wrote her response and held it up.

"Good afternoon, Amamiya-san."

Amamiya's gaze drifted to her face. "Your dark circles seem worse than usual," he commented lightly.

Komi turned her face away, avoiding his gaze.

"Seriously," Umi said, releasing Sajuna and stepping closer. "Komi-san, have you not been sleeping well?"

Komi quickly shook her head in denial.

"Then what's with the dark circles?"

"…"

Komi lowered her head, remaining silent.

"Let me guess," Umi said, placing a hand on her hip and adopting a knowing tone. "You ran into an evil spirit again this week, didn't you?"

She leaned forward. "And instead of telling us, you decided to deal with it on your own."

Pausing dramatically, Umi jabbed a finger in the air. "That won't do!"

"…"

Komi flinched, her gaze darting nervously to Umi.

"Not getting enough rest doesn't just affect your studies; it clouds your judgment," Umi continued, her tone firm. "If you're caught in a game with poor judgment, that's dangerous. Amamiya said so himself."

"She's right," Amamiya agreed with a nod. "I did say that."

"So don't hesitate! Ask for the skill, Komi-san," Umi said with conviction. "Don't sacrifice the big picture for something small."

Amamiya added calmly, "Komi-san, I'll be back on Sunday. Come to my house then, and I'll help you apply the skills you want."

At his words, Komi froze, her thoughts seemingly elsewhere. Slowly, a blush crept across her cheeks, tinting her face a soft pink.

That day, in the Amamiya room, she had accidentally stumbled upon a restricted comic book.

In Komi's eyes, Amamiya had already been categorized as a terrible pervert. Naturally, she wouldn't ask someone like that for help!

"We'll go together, then." Sajuna stepped forward, standing protectively in front of Komi. "Don't worry, I'm here. I'll protect you.

After a brief exchange, the attention of nearby passersby was starting to gather. Amamiya cleared his throat and suggested, "Let's head to the dessert shop for a while."

"…"

The four of them made their way to a cozy dessert shop and settled in a quiet corner.

As Komi was about to sit next to Sajuna, Umi reached out and lightly stopped her.

"I'll sit with Juju-sama," Umi said cheerfully. "Komi-san, you can sit beside Amamiya."

The implication was clear. Komi's cheeks flushed a delicate pink as she hesitated before awkwardly lowering herself into the seat next to Amamiya.

"Give me your hand," Amamiya said, glancing at the girl with long, silky black hair.

Komi froze momentarily, her body trembling ever so slightly. She slowly lifted her right hand, her movements hesitant and shy.

As she did, Amamiya's gaze inadvertently drifted down to her legs. Komi, who typically wore pantyhose, had today opted for over-the-knee socks. When she sat, a small strip of porcelain-white skin was revealed between the top of her socks and the hem of her skirt, catching his attention.

Noticing his lingering gaze, Komi's face burned bright red. She immediately pulled her hand back and used both hands to tug down the hem of her skirt, trying to conceal the exposed skin.

Amamiya sighed softly, leaned over, and firmly took hold of Komi's trembling hand.

"If you keep dawdling, we'll miss the Shinkansen."

"…"

Though visibly flustered, Komi didn't resist. Like a small, timid rabbit, she let him hold her hand obediently.

His hand… is so big.

After finishing their desserts, the skill transfer was complete. Amamiya swapped seats with Umi and copied the Evil Spirit Repellent on Sajuna.

With everything settled, Umi stretched and stood up, her cheerful demeanor unwavering. "Let's call it a day. When we get back this weekend, we should all go shopping together!"

"It's about time we set off," Amamiya agreed, rising from his seat.

"Be careful, Umi-chan," Sajuna said softly, her expression tender. "If anything happens, don't forget to message me."

Amamiya glanced at Sajuna with a knowing look and replied meaningfully, "Don't worry. I'll be sure to send a message."

"Hmph."

Sajuna's face flushed slightly as she turned away, casting a nervous glance at him. If Umi-chan gets suspicious, you'll pay for it!

Meanwhile, Komi, holding her ever-reliable notebook, offered the pair a polite farewell. "Safe travels."

With a bright grin, Umi raised her hand and pointed forward. "Let's go! Destination: Kagoshima!"