The Heroines Want to Confess

"Shinomashiro-nee, I've got a bit of a headache… I think I'll head back and rest."

[You're seriously holding back? Sakurai-chan, are you really a guy? I'm starting to doubt it!]

"Are you sure? You could stay here for the night, you know. I've got a spare room."

Despite her offer to keep him, Sakurai forced a smile.

"I'm really sorry about today. I didn't mean to worry you. I'll come back next week, Shinomashiro-nee."

"Alright." The beautiful woman gave him another once-over, her sharp gaze softening slightly as she saw he looked less distressed than before.

"Be careful on your way back."

"I will."

Sakurai nodded, then left the apartment.

He'd been holding himself together with difficulty. If he stayed any longer, he couldn't guarantee he'd be able to keep his composure.

…

The weekend.

With no plans to go out, Sakurai spent two solid days gaming at home.

Monday morning.

Riding his bicycle to school, he stopped at the gate, dismounted, and pushed his bike forward.

At the entrance, members of the Discipline Committee were checking students' uniforms.

Sakurai's collar was slightly askew, and his shirt buttons weren't fastened as neatly as school rules required.

But as one of the school's well-known figures, most of the usual overzealous underclassmen avoided stopping him.

Except today.

A new, wide-eyed freshman had joined the committee — Iino Miko.

Since middle school, she had been a staunch member of the Discipline Committee, and now that she was in high school, she carried that same righteous fervor with her.

Her father was a famous judge, her mother worked for an international humanitarian aid organization. Naturally, as their daughter, she had a deeply ingrained sense of justice.

"Excuse me, senpai, your uniform is out of regulation!" Iino Miko pointed her index finger at Sakurai, blocking his path.

Sakurai's mind spun.

Without a word, he reached into his bag and pulled out a Umaibo — a cylindrical snack — and held it out to her.

"Here."

"What?! Are you trying to bribe me? As a member of the student council, this kind of behavior is unacceptable!" Miko raised her hand in indignation, firmly rejecting his "bribe."

Sakurai ignored her.

Calmly, he shoved the Umaibo into her mouth.

"Ah—"

On instinct, Miko took a bite.

…Delicious.

Wait, no!

This wasn't the time for snacks — this was a crucial moment for enforcing school rules!

"Please forgive me!" Sakurai pleaded dramatically.

"…Okay!"

Miko nodded immediately.

Sakurai gave her a small smile and pushed his bike through the gates.

Today's superpower:Of course, forgiveness — as long as you feed someone, they'll forgive you for anything, no matter how awful. Side effect: it only works on one person at a time.

…

Arriving at the classroom, Sakurai greeted his classmates as they acknowledged him, responding with his usual calm demeanor before settling into his seat by the window.

Superpowers came in all shapes and forms.

But the most dangerous ones were always the powerful, long-lasting types.

Like Friday's ability — The Narrator.

Constant. Overwhelming.

And its predictive accuracy was frighteningly precise.

That was why Friday had nearly driven him over the edge.

Compared to that, today's power was child's play.

"Morning, Ai-chan~"

"Sakurai, morning."

Early morning exhaustion weighed heavy on Hayasaka Ai.

Working for the Shinomiya family was exhausting, especially with Kaguya's constant scheming.

Over the weekend, Kaguya had expressed a desire to watch a movie.

It seemed Friday's mention of movie tickets in the student council room had piqued her curiosity.

Having never been to a cinema before, Kaguya was oddly fascinated.

So, Hayasaka had ended up setting up a projector at home for her mistress to watch a film.

Afterward, Kaguya's verdict had been a deadpan, "So that's all a movie is…"

Hayasaka wanted to quit her job.

Just quit, confess to Sakurai, and elope.

She had 40 million yen in savings — enough to live comfortably abroad.

They'd have… 11 kids.

"Something wrong? Did you run into a monster over the weekend?" Sakurai teased, glancing out the window.

He caught sight of Miko at the school gate, wearing a thoroughly confused and defeated expression.

…Kind of cute.

"I met a Yuki-onna on a heavily guarded snowy mountain," Hayasaka muttered, deadpan.

"Wow, Ai-chan, living on a snowy mountain? Sounds rough," Sakurai chuckled.

"When you came in, didn't that diligent little discipline committee member catch you? Your jacket's tied around your waist, and your shirt's a mess."

"My legs are… very fast." Hayasaka gave a cryptic smile.

…

Lunchtime.

Sakurai headed to the student council room.

Only Shirogane was there, unsurprisingly.

He was always the first one in.

As president, there was plenty for him to handle — club affairs, disputes, personnel issues.

With the upcoming club recruitment event, things were even busier.

"Oh, Sakurai. You're here."

"You worked over the weekend again? You look exhausted." Sakurai flopped onto the sofa, pulling another Umaibo from his bag and popping it into his mouth.

Corn flavor. A little sweet.

"Mmm. Gotta help out with the family expenses." Shirogane kept his head down, sorting through papers.

"Anyone objecting to putting the cultural clubs in the prime recruitment spots?" Sakurai asked.

Shirogane raised a few sheets of paper and shook them.

"They've already arrived."

"That was… fast." Sakurai smirked.

Fighting over school club space was serious business.

Where there were people, there was conflict.

Especially in Shuchiin Academy, where the children of Japan's political and business elites gathered.

Raised in worlds of corporate and political intrigue, they were naturally adept at power struggles.

The cubs of tigers aren't kittens, nor are they mice.They're tigers.

"Fujiwara wants to increase the budget for the board game club. What do you think?"

"Crush her fantasies!" Sakurai declared with conviction.

Shirogane blinked, then laughed.

"I thought you'd side with her."

"A job's a job. As a student council member, you've got to set an example."

"…Fair enough." Shirogane scribbled a firm rejection on Fujiwara's budget request.

"The club recruitment placements… I'm thinking we'll put the cultural club displays at the entrance. That spot's eye-catching too."

He sighed, leaning back, looking exhausted.

As an ordinary person, this was probably the best he could do.

"Just got elected — best not to make any drastic moves right away," Sakurai advised, standing beside him.

He picked up the objection letters from the athletic clubs.

"Soccer club… basketball club… kendo club…"

He skimmed through the pile.

Surprisingly, there was no complaint from the archery club.

Which was odd, considering that was Shinomiya Kaguya's club.

It seemed… maybe she didn't hate the student council as much as she pretended to.