Storm of Confessions

Inside the Student Council Room, the three male members were gathered around the table, quietly eating lunch. Kaguya Shinomiya and Chika Fujiwara had yet to arrive.

"By the way, Sakurai," Shirogane Miyuki said between bites of his homemade bento, "are you still doing that tutoring gig?"

Sakurai Saki nodded mildly. "Unless something unexpected comes up, I'll be back next week. It was only set for three days a week anyway. There's no rush—only one of the four actually wants to study. Without the will, it's not as simple as throwing worksheets at them and expecting miracles."

Shirogane nodded in agreement. "Yeah, motivation's everything."

He knew that well. He didn't exactly enjoy studying—far from it—but he found satisfaction in the results. Watching numbers climb, test scores rise… it was the grind that made him feel alive.

Ishigami Yu listened in silence, chewing his snail bread like it was his last meal.

He was terrified they might try to drag him into the academic abyss.

"Ishigami..." Shirogane began ominously.

That one word froze Ishigami's soul.

Because everyone knows: conversations are like word chains—one link inevitably leads to another.

"Next week, the first-years have that small diagnostic test, right? Want me to help you review?" Shirogane asked casually.

Ishigami gave a nervous chuckle. "No need, President. I'll… review on my own."

[FAKE]

A bold, glowing word popped into the air above his head—at least, in Sakurai Saki's eyes.

That's right. Today's special power was—

Lying Means Swallowing a Thousand NeedlesAbility: Instantly detects lies.Side Effect: You can't lie, your urge to respond skyrockets, and your emotional intelligence crashes through the floor.

In other words, Sakurai had been transformed into a truth bomb with no safety pin.

The only way to negate the side effect? Silence. But that wasn't exactly practical.

And the real danger? He'd start answering every question with horrifying bluntness. Even worse than Ishigami on a bad day.

For example:

"Sakurai-kun, do I look cute today?"Normal Sakurai: "You have… a unique charm."Today's Sakurai: "You look like a sewer goblin. Please wear a paper bag next time."

Outcome: Death by public execution.

So yes, he was rightfully anxious about the upcoming Club Joint Meeting.

"Ishigami-kun," Sakurai said flatly, "if you bomb the diagnostic, I'll personally drill you until midterms. No mercy."

He took another bite of his bento. The seasoning today wasn't bad—just enough to mask the bitterness of lost free time.

"Sakurai-senpai… what about our nightly game time?" Ishigami asked in a pleading voice.

"Canceled," Sakurai said without hesitation.

"I don't care if the Nakano Four Sisters flunk their exams. But if you flunk too… well. You know what happens."

He gave Ishigami a smile that could curdle milk.

Ishigami, panicked, looked toward Shirogane for help.

But the President's approving nod was cold comfort.

Ishigami's soul began its descent into despair—

When salvation arrived.

SLAM!

"Good afternoon, everyone~!" Chika Fujiwara burst into the room like a confetti cannon, arms high above her head.

In them: a pink, furry something.

She spun in place twice, then wobbled forward, dizzy from her own entrance, and presented her prize to Sakurai like a cat presenting a dead bird.

"Ta-da~ Sakurai-kun! Guess what this is!"

Sakurai blinked. He could not lie. "Fujiwara-kun, that entrance was idiotic."

He paused, then continued.

"Also, why are you wearing cat ears?"

Chika, selectively deaf, chose to ignore the first part and lifted the item with pride. "These! Are! Pink! Cat ears! Aren't they the cutest?!"

Sakurai stared at her.

"...They're an accessory."

But before she could pout—

"I think they're super cute, Fujiwara-senpai!" Ishigami said, voice brimming with sincerity.

He threw her a grateful smile, as if she were a war hero returning home.

Because she was. She had saved him.

"Oh~?" Chika Fujiwara raised an eyebrow, eyes gleaming with mischief. "Then let Ishigami-kun try them on first!"

Ishigami Yu: "..."

So this… this is what it means to shoot yourself in the foot.

Before he could protest, Chika pounced. With the gleeful ruthlessness of a game show host, she placed the pink cat ears atop Ishigami's head.

And then, within seconds—

Her expression collapsed into dramatic disappointment, as if reality itself had betrayed her.

"Ahhh~ Ishigami-kun," she sighed heavily, "you and cat ears really don't go together. It's like… hmm…"

She tapped her chin, fishing for the right analogy.

Finally, she found it. And it hurt.

"Like a pile of garbage… stuck on a fresh flower."

"HUH?!"Ishigami stood up, utterly betrayed. "Fujiwara-senpai! You're the one who asked me to wear them! I told you I wouldn't look good! But calling me garbage?! That's low—even for you!"

So much for an angel. This was no divine being. This was a devil with pink accessories.

But Fujiwara Chika paid his wounded pride no mind.

She had one goal today. A single mission.

Because yesterday—just for a fleeting second—she had heard Sakurai Saki meow.

And today, she was determined to see it with her own eyes.

Casually, with the grace of a predator pretending not to stalk its prey, she pulled out her phone and smiled innocently.

"Sakurai-kun~ don't you want to try wearing them?" she asked sweetly.

"No," Sakurai said flatly.

"And Fujiwara-kun, please put away your phone. I can see you're trying to sneak pictures."

Caught red-handed, she pouted but complied.

Ishigami, sighing, removed the ears from his head and placed them on the table like cursed relics.

Then, to everyone's surprise, Shirogane Miyuki picked them up.

"...Actually, I've always wondered how I'd look in these," he said, more to himself than anyone else.

After examining them briefly, he shrugged and placed the cat ears on his head.

Big mistake.

The second he did, the room fell silent.

Three faces stared at him with unfiltered horror.

"President…" Chika whispered, covering her mouth as if she were about to cry. "It's… it's so bad it's actually pitiful. How can someone look this ugly?!"

Even Ishigami joined in, patting him sympathetically on the back."Miyuki-senpai… everyone has their flaws. It's okay. Just… never do this again."

He turned away, unable to bear the sight. "So ugly…"

Sakurai Saki didn't hold back, thanks to his curse.

"Shirogane, seriously, take them off. It's making me nauseous. I'm being honest for your sake."

Thud. Thud. Thud.Three arrows. All direct hits. Straight to the knees.

Shirogane Miyuki, normally so composed, looked like he might crumble.

Being insulted was one thing.But this level of psychological devastation…Especially that last blow from Sakurai, his best friend—

It hurt.

Desperate, he clung to a sliver of hope. "Is it really… that bad?"

Silence.

No one answered. Not even out of pity.

A single tear rolled down Shirogane's cheek.

Damn it.

...p@treon Rene_chan