Heartbeats and Illusions

Chapter 60: 060. The enemy is in Honnoji?



Friday, the final moments before the student council's temporary disbandment.

With the elections scheduled for Monday, this was less of a disbanding and more like granting themselves a brief, well-deserved reprieve. After all, the results were already decided. Victory was a foregone conclusion for Natsukawa Kanade.

While he had kept himself out of the spotlight in recent days, his meticulous subordinates had been hard at work, making their presence felt in every club, faculty office, and student hub. Where people gathered, the student council left its indelible mark. Kanade had no need for underhanded tactics; his confidence stemmed from the groundwork they'd laid.

Still, there was one aspect of the campaign Kanade avoided with all his might: handing out flyers with his face printed on them. That particular ordeal was beneath him, both in dignity and personal preference. Instead, he delegated such tasks to the others.

Ironically, Isshiki Iroha—a non-staff member of the student council—had taken it upon herself to distribute flyers from the "enemy" camp. She'd shown little effort in actively promoting her own candidacy, yet she moved among Kanade's ranks, dropping propaganda like a mischievous fox weaving through unsuspecting hens.

Rumors from Shinomiya Kaguya hinted at Isshiki having a professional PR team supporting her behind the scenes. Yet, curiously, that team had gone silent of late. Was she lying low, afraid of being caught in Kanade's web? Or was there a grander scheme at play?

Kanade tapped his desk, frowning in thought.

For months, he'd suspected that Isshiki's mysterious team was part of an underground "Anti-Party," a rebellious faction aiming to oust him from power. But this silence during such a crucial moment was baffling. Surely, they wouldn't squander this opportunity.

Then again, it didn't matter. No conspiracy, no matter how elaborate, could withstand the sheer force of his influence. The campus forum's narrative was already under his control, and real-world resistance had all but evaporated. Even Isshiki herself had essentially surrendered, mingling with his people and behaving like a pawn in his grand game.

It was almost disappointing. Kanade felt as if he'd prepared for a climactic duel, only for his opponent to drop their sword and raise a white flag.

"Are you French?" he muttered to himself with a smirk, brushing off the thought.

With the election firmly in his grasp, the only real question was who would deliver his support speech.

Shinomiya Kaguya had performed the role admirably last time, but her recent moodiness made Kanade hesitant to rely on her again. Tapping his fingers rhythmically, he considered his options.

"Fujiwara Chika..." he mused.

Fujiwara hailed from a prominent political family, and her upbringing must have equipped her with some public-speaking finesse. However, her quirky personality often made it hard to predict how she'd handle such responsibilities. Still, she had undeniable charisma and a loyal following among the student body.

Kanade's gaze sharpened. Shinomiya's unwavering supporters wouldn't abandon her, even if she didn't appear onstage. Pairing Fujiwara's popularity with a well-delivered speech could secure the few remaining undecided votes.

Decision made, he picked up his phone to summon Fujiwara Chika.

Before long, a beaming Chika appeared, her energy filling the room. "Hello, Kanade! What's up? I was just busy studying bugs!"

To emphasize her point, she whipped out a magnifying glass and mimed inspecting imaginary insects.

Kanade stared at her, unimpressed yet faintly amused. "Have a seat," he gestured toward the sofa, choosing to ignore her antics.

"Let's keep this brief," he began. "I'd like you to deliver the support speech for the elections next week."

When dealing with Fujiwara, it was best to be direct. Her ability to derail conversations and pull people into the labyrinth of her unique thought process was legendary. Kanade had no intention of falling into that trap.

"Support speech?" Fujiwara tilted her head, her expression one of genuine confusion. "But isn't Kaguya handling that?"

Kanade raised an eyebrow, momentarily intrigued. "I haven't approached Shinomiya about this. I came to you directly."

Fujiwara's eyes widened in theatrical shock. "What? Me?!"

Before Kanade could respond, Fujiwara cycled through an array of exaggerated expressions—shock, delight, faux-seriousness—each shift so rapid it left Kanade momentarily stunned. It was as if she'd compressed five separate reactions into a single second.

Natsukawa Kanade blinked, momentarily stunned. "...Have you mastered the art of face-changing or something?" he muttered.

Chika puffed out her chest confidently, ignoring his comment. "No, no, President! For something like this, you have to ask Kaguya-chan!"

Kanade frowned, suspicion flickering across his face. "Why? Don't tell me you're... not up for it, Fujiwara?" The idea of her refusing such a task was so far removed from his expectations that he couldn't help but question her reasoning.

Chika gasped dramatically, placing a hand over her heart. "Of course not! I'm super amazing, remember? But for something like this, it's not about whether I can do it—it's about how Kaguya-chan has to do it. She's the vice president!"

"There's no rule that the vice president must give the speech," Kanade pointed out dryly. "Honestly, I think you're quite suited for it." That is, if you can manage to stay serious for more than thirty seconds, he added silently.

Chika crossed her arms, huffing softly. "Oh, President, you just don't get it. Trust me, this is a Kaguya mission. No one else is more qualified. It's already decided!" She punctuated her declaration with a triumphant nod, as though the matter had been entirely resolved.

"And since you're not letting me give the speech," she added with a sly grin, "you'll have to treat me to ramen next time as compensation!"

"Ramen again?" Kanade muttered, exasperated. "Is it really that good? Wait—no, hold on! I didn't refuse your help. You're the one who declined, so why do I owe you anything?"

But his protest was met with a dismissive wave. "This is a girl's privilege, President!" Chika declared, sticking out her tongue mischievously. "Anyway, hurry up and contact Kaguya! I'm off to continue studying insects!"

Before Kanade could respond, Chika spun on her heel and darted out of the room, leaving him staring at the empty space she had occupied moments before.

"...Unbelievable," Kanade muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose.

With no other choice, he reached for his phone to contact Shinomiya Kaguya. At least she was far more dependable than Chika.

Still, the whole situation left him perplexed. With Chika's usual carefree attitude, he hadn't expected her to pass the responsibility so decisively to Kaguya. Could there be some hidden motive behind her actions?

Kanade frowned, his thoughts spiraling into doubt. Would Shinomiya even agree to his request? Or had he underestimated the situation entirely?

He rubbed his temples, trying to shake off the unease creeping into his mind.

Could it be that the enemy truly lies in Honnoji Temple?

======

Time for History class:

The Honnôji Incident was an attack upon the Kyoto temple Honnô-ji by Akechi Mitsuhide on 1582/6/2, which ended in the death of Oda Nobunaga and marked the beginning of the end of Oda clan power.

Oda Nobunaga was residing at the temple at the time, and Akechi Mitsuhide was meant to be leading a force south, to fight on Nobunaga's behalf. He led this force of supposedly as many as 13,000 men into the city, however, and surrounded the temple before having his men burst in, firing guns and setting the temple ablaze. Many residents of Kyoto fled into the grounds of the Imperial Palace, seeking sanctuary from the violence.

Nobunaga was wounded by the assailants, and ultimately is said to have committed suicide rather than be killed or captured. 


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