Now that the missing person had been found, it was only logical to inform the other search volunteers so they wouldn't waste time and manpower.
Thus, Natsukawa Kanade made his way toward the student council headquarters, where he knew Kaguya would be stationed. She had been directing operations ever since the test of courage ended, issuing orders and coordinating the search efforts. It was a level of dedication that far exceeded his own—after all, as student council president, he had shamelessly abandoned his post to slack off.
Knocking on the door, he called out, "Vice President Shinomiya, are you inside?"
"Please, come in."
Hearing her response, Kanade didn't hesitate to push open the door.
Even though the student council headquarters had been temporarily converted into a command center, it still maintained a certain level of order. However, Kanade didn't waste time with formalities—he strode in with Yukinoshita still on his back, carrying her directly to where Shinomiya Kaguya was seated.
Kaguya was absorbed in her tasks, effortlessly juggling walkie-talkie communication and paperwork. It was an impressive display of multitasking, one that left Kanade both admiring and feeling slightly guilty.
He had originally thought Kaguya was resting after sustaining an injury earlier. Instead, she was here, working tirelessly to keep things running smoothly. The contrast was stark—if not for her, this entire operation would likely fall apart.
At that moment, he couldn't help but develop an even deeper distaste for a certain pink-haired troublemaker who contributed nothing but chaos to their lives.
Meanwhile, somewhere else—
"Achoo!"
"Senpai Chika, are you catching a cold?"
"I don't think so… I just have this weird feeling that someone is thinking about me… Oh well, your turn!"
"Single six."
"KING BOMB!"
———
Back at the headquarters, Kanade offered a nod of appreciation before speaking.
"Vice President, I appreciate your hard work. Even at this hour, you're still keeping everything together." His tone carried genuine respect before he shifted his attention slightly, motioning toward the girl on his back. "The missing student has been found. You can call off the search efforts now."
Kaguya, who had been preparing a response, suddenly froze.
Her gaze landed on Yukinoshita Yukino, and her composed expression wavered ever so slightly.
Such an elegant girl… No, wait! The real question is—why is she on his back?!
"President, who is this?" Kaguya asked smoothly, her tone light and inquisitive. She maintained a refined composure, but a faint, nearly imperceptible tension flickered in her deep crimson eyes.
"Oh, her foot is badly sprained," Kanade explained matter-of-factly. "She couldn't walk, so I carried her back."
"I see..." Kaguya's lips parted slightly before she nodded, suppressing a sigh of relief.
She wasn't jealous. No, of course not. She understood perfectly that the president was simply being kind. Still…
"President, you must be exhausted after carrying her all this way. You should put her down and rest. I'll have someone else escort her back," Kaguya suggested with an overly pleasant smile.
Yes, this had nothing to do with jealousy at all. It was just efficiency. Absolutely nothing else.
Yukinoshita, however, wasn't fooled.
She had been indifferent to the whole situation up until this moment, but now, as she studied Shinomiya Kaguya's deceptively serene expression, realization struck her like a bolt of lightning.
—This woman wants me off his back! Immediately!
Though her face remained as cool as ever, Yukinoshita could almost hear the unspoken words screaming behind Kaguya's composed demeanor. It was the restrained urgency of a cat owner watching their beloved pet being stolen away by another cat café.
Raising an eyebrow, she parted her lips to speak—
"No need," Kanade cut in before she could say anything. "I'll take responsibility and see her back myself."
A flicker of something crossed Kaguya's expression, though she masked it quickly.
She had assumed Kanade would agree with her logical suggestion. After all, he should be tired after carrying Yukinoshita for so long. So why refuse?
Natsukawa Kanade naturally didn't think as deeply as the two of them. He simply considered the practicalities—Yukinoshita's foot was badly injured, and it was already getting late. Finding someone else to escort her back might be more trouble than it was worth. More importantly, it would require someone both careful and capable of carrying her without causing further harm. And let's be honest, how many guys were truly delicate enough for the task? On the other hand, if a girl carried her, there was a risk of straining herself in the process. So, after weighing all the options, he made the obvious choice—handling the escort mission himself.
"This one's pretty stubborn. If I get some random person to help her, she'll just end up cursing me under her breath later." Kanade smirked slightly, shifting Yukinoshita's weight a little to make her more comfortable on his back.
Yukinoshita Yukino immediately shot back, "Don't make things up."
Kanade let out an exaggerated sigh. "See? She's already scolding me directly," he said, shrugging as he turned to Kaguya, his expression one of exaggerated helplessness. It was the kind of look that screamed, See? I told you so!
Kaguya's eyebrow twitched. She didn't like this one bit. Logically, there was nothing wrong with Kanade's reasoning, but her instincts—those keen, sharpened instincts honed from years of social power struggles—were screaming at her. His words, casual as they were, carried a deeper implication. If she wouldn't scold an unfamiliar person but had no problem doing so with him, didn't that mean the two of them were close?
Close enough to bicker comfortably? Close enough that she didn't feel the need to maintain polite distance? Close enough that she trusted him with her weight?
Kaguya clenched her fist slightly under the desk.
She didn't know much about the nuances of friendship, but if their interactions were anything like her and Chika's… Then wasn't this a dangerous level of intimacy? Insulting each other with ease, speaking without filters—these were signs of deep trust! And if that was the case, then was there some sort of hidden relationship between Kanade and this girl?!
Her mind raced at lightning speed. This was the same way Fujiwara Chika always stuck to her, proclaiming, "I like Kaguya-chan the most!" without a care in the world. Was this a similar dynamic? But Chika was just Chika—a chaos gremlin she had long since learned to tolerate. However, this girl, Yukinoshita Yukino, was an unknown variable. She couldn't just sit back and do nothing!
But…
She bit her lip lightly. Right now, Yukinoshita was injured. Even if she wanted to interfere, she couldn't justify stopping Kanade from taking care of her. If she insisted on going instead, it would be too obvious. Worse, she might come across as petty and possessive. And that was not the image she wanted to project.
Kaguya found herself caught in a frustrating dilemma. On one hand, letting them be alone together felt like giving her enemy free rein. On the other hand, if she made a fuss, she might lose her dignity in front of Kanade, which would be even worse.
Meanwhile, time waited for no one, and Kanade had no intention of standing around while Kaguya debated with herself. He adjusted Yukinoshita's position on his back and said, "I'll leave the student council affairs to you, Kaguya. I'll take her back to her dorm first and return afterward."
"...I understand," Kaguya replied, forcing a composed nod despite the unease bubbling inside her. "Then, please be careful on the way, President. And if you start feeling even a little fatigued, put her down immediately. Immediately! You mustn't push yourself too hard."
Kanade blinked. "Uh…"
Why did that sound weirdly familiar?
He suddenly had flashbacks to carrying her through an entire event before. Hadn't she trusted him enough to rely on him back then? Did she think I was weak now or something?
"I got it," he sighed, deciding not to press the issue.
As for Yukinoshita Yukino, she didn't say a single word throughout this exchange.
She had already lost interest in the conversation. Dealing with this obviously superficial woman was a waste of time. Instead, she tightened her grip around the soft panda plushie in her arms, finding much more satisfaction in its fluffy texture than in whatever unspoken battle Kaguya was trying to fight.
After all, a panda doll wouldn't glare at her with hidden hostility.
And that, in her mind, made it a far superior companion at the moment.