Chapter 57: 057. No Escape from the Devil’s Grin
Despite his better judgment, Kanade eventually relented.
While he preferred to keep his distance from "enemy" candidates, Iroha's relentless energy and apparent "sincerity" made refusal feel like an exercise in futility.
It wouldn't hurt to hear her out, he reasoned. Maybe there was more to her visit than met the eye.
As they walked through the hallways, students greeted Kanade with polite nods and friendly waves. He responded with equal politeness, his usual stoic demeanor softening just enough to maintain his image.
"Wow, Senpai, you're so popular," Iroha remarked, trailing behind him by half a step. Her tone was light, but her eyes gleamed with curiosity. "Iroha doesn't get that kind of attention. No one even bothers to greet me."
"The result of hard work," Kanade replied, his tone clipped but not unkind.
In truth, he suspected the greetings stemmed more from awe than genuine warmth. In a school like Shuchiin, academic excellence and athletic prowess were the ultimate currencies. Kanade had mastered both, making him untouchable in the eyes of most.
In the hierarchical maze of school life, especially in a society that revered achievement and order like Japan, academic and athletic prowess were the ultimate calling cards. To ascend to the top of the social ladder, simply being excellent wasn't enough. It demanded relentless effort, strategy, and a reputation forged in both classrooms and sports fields. For Natsukawa Kanade, the title of student council president was not a privilege handed down but a hard-won crown.
He had clawed his way to prominence, excelling in grades and standing atop the leaderboard during exams. Even in sports, though not a natural prodigy, his results spoke of determination. Yet, Kanade knew the truth: his achievements were less about natural talent and more about meticulous effort.
It wasn't enough to be good; he had to be exceptional to command respect in an environment dominated by children of privilege and talent. Without his position and accomplishments, he might have remained invisible. Such was the cruelty of the world.
He reflected on the path he had carved for himself—not merely for the sake of ambition but also for a sense of self-worth instilled by those who had cared for him. Though his initial motivation had been a deep admiration for Kaguya, he had since grown to cherish the connections and the life he had built.
"As long as you work hard enough, you can become someone who matters," Kanade murmured, his voice calm but resolute.
Isshiki Iroha, walking beside him, caught the comment and tilted her head, her golden hair bouncing lightly.
"Eh? Iroha doesn't think she can manage that," she replied with a mischievous grin, sticking out her tongue in an almost self-deprecating manner. "Greet so many people every day, juggle work, studies, sports... impossible for me!"
She then poked his shoulder playfully, testing the firmness of his muscle.
"Seriously, Senpai, you're amazing! You're like the whole package: brains, leadership, and even athleticism!"
"...It's just the result of hard work," Kanade replied curtly, brushing off her praise. He wasn't one for flattery, and besides, he didn't see himself as extraordinary.
But Isshiki Iroha had no intention of letting the conversation drop.
"Result of hard work? Come on! That's so boring!" she teased, pouting. "Being overly humble isn't attractive, you know? Seniors should confidently own their greatness sometimes!"
Kanade glanced at her, unsure if she was serious or simply teasing him for her own amusement. The girl was an enigma—sharp yet playful, a blend of genuine admiration and a hint of cunning. She reminded him of someone.
He cleared his throat and steered the conversation back to her intentions.
"Isshiki-san, let's be honest. What exactly do you want? It's getting late."
Isshiki puffed up her cheeks in mock annoyance. "Aw, can't a girl just enjoy a walk with her beloved Senpai?"
Kanade raised an eyebrow, his expression unyielding.
"Fine," she conceded with a sigh, her mischievous demeanor softening. "There's actually something I wanted to ask you, Senpai..."
"...Go on."
"...Teach me how to be the student council president!"
For a moment, Kanade thought she was joking, her determined expression incongruous with the outlandish request.
"Teach you how to..." Kanade repeated, his words trailing off.
"Yes! In case you decide to pass the position on to me, I have to be prepared!"
"That's absurd. I haven't even started campaigning yet. Declaring victory in advance is just..."
"It's not a declaration of victory!" Iroha interrupted, her cheeks flushing slightly. "It's... it's a preventive measure! Senior, you're bound to win. But if, for some reason, you ever think of passing the torch to Iroha, wouldn't it be better if I was already competent?!"
Kanade's lips twitched in exasperation. Her logic was so flawed it bordered on comical, yet her delivery made it hard to dismiss outright.
"That's ridiculous," he said flatly.
"Please, Senpai!" she pleaded, her voice taking on an exaggeratedly pitiful tone as she clasped her hands in front of her chest. ""You're not going to say no, are you? I'm just asking you to teach me. With your skills, you'll definitely defeat Iroha, right? Or... do you lack confidence in yourself?"
Natsukawa Kanade's eyebrow twitched ever so slightly.
"..."
It was an obvious provocation, cheap and unrefined, yet it struck its target perfectly.
"Fine. I agree," Kanade replied, his tone flat but laced with the quiet determination of someone who refused to back down.
As a second-year senior and the student council president, how could he let himself be outmaneuvered by a mere underclassman? Especially one with such a blatant lack of subtlety in her methods? No, he would rise to the occasion, not for her sake, but to ensure his honor remained intact.
Inwardly, his thoughts were far less noble.
"So, you want to learn how to be a good student council president? Very well, Isshiki Iroha. Prepare yourself for a training regimen so grueling, it'll feel like you're working 36 hours a day!"
While Kanade wasn't the type to seek revenge, there was a certain poetic justice in letting her enthusiasm lead her straight into the storm. Conveniently, he had an overwhelming workload this week. If Isshiki Iroha was so eager to learn, she could shoulder some of it.
Of course, this arrangement wasn't entirely selfish. Teaching her a few practical skills wouldn't exactly qualify as aiding the enemy. At best, it would give her a head start in handling the student council's day-to-day operations—assuming she ever became president, which Kanade deemed an impossibility.
"Losing to her? Letting an arrogant schoolgirl overtake me?" Kanade's thoughts darkened for a brief moment before he dismissed the idea entirely. "Absolutely not. Such a thing will never happen!"
For all her bravado, Isshiki Iroha had no idea what she had just signed up for. And for Natsukawa Kanade, the prospect of putting her through the wringer was already shaping up to be an oddly satisfying distraction from his own mountain of responsibilities.
Let the games begin.