As they sat together on the bench, the quiet hum of the gym's ceiling fan whirring above, Sumire took a small sip from the water bottle and glanced at Shun from the corner of her eye.
"So… how did your little adventure around the school go?" she asked, her tone light but curious.
Shun leaned back slightly, stretching his arms behind him before replying with a half-smile.
"Eventful. I ran into someone—literally. A girl named Sayuki Tokihara. She dropped a bunch of papers, so I helped her out."
"Ah, that was nice of you," Sumire said, a little smile forming on her lips. "What happened after?"
"She told me she's the last member of the Literature Club. The others graduated, and now she's left managing everything on her own. So…" He gave a small shrug.
"I offered to temporarily join and help her out. Figured I might be useful."
Sumire blinked, then turned her whole body slightly toward him, her expression softening. "You really are kind, Satsujin-san."
He chuckled at that, his gaze finding hers with a glint of playfulness. "Kind? Maybe. But I can be bad sometimes too, you know."
Before she could respond, he leaned just a little closer, close enough that she could catch a faint whiff of his cologne—clean and warm. His voice dipped lower, teasing but smooth. "Should I show you?"
Sumire's breath caught in her throat. Her cheeks lit up in a blush, and she turned her head away shyly. "S-Satsujin-san… you shouldn't tease people like that…"
He laughed gently, not pushing further. "I'm sorry," he said, though the amused sparkle in his eyes said otherwise.
"You're just too easy to fluster, Sumire-chan."
She puffed out her cheeks a little and gave him a light nudge with her shoulder.
"Only because you say things so casually…"
"Well," he replied, resting his chin in his hand with a grin.
"I meant it when I said your performance was amazing. And I'm glad I ran into you today. I always enjoy our conversations."
Her heart fluttered at the honesty in his voice.
"Me too."
The air between them had settled into a calm warmth, the kind that made time feel slower—more delicate. Shun rested his forearms on his thighs, glancing toward the gym mat where Sumire had been practicing just minutes ago.
"You really put your heart into it," he said softly, his tone absent of teasing now.
"It's not just skill. It's passion. You don't see that every day."
Sumire looked down at the bottle in her hands, fingers nervously twisting the cap. A faint smile touched her lips.
"Thank you…" she said.
"That means a lot, coming from you."
There was a small pause. Then, voice a bit quieter, she added, "Would… would you like to come again sometime? I usually practice around this time. I-I mean, if you're not busy or helping someone else…"
Shun turned his head toward her, his smile slow and genuine.
"I'd like that. Seeing you in your element—it's something special. I'd be happy to watch again."
Sumire's cheeks flushed with color, but there was a flicker of joy in her eyes—gentle, hopeful.
"I'll do my best, then," she whispered, stealing a glance his way.
"I know you will," Shun replied, giving her a wink before standing up and offering a hand.
She hesitated for just a second before slipping her hand into his. It was warm and firm, and somehow, comforting.
As he helped her to her feet, Sumire realized something: she was starting to look forward to her practices more… not just for gymnastics—but for him.
As Sumire was called away by her coach, she offered Shun a warm smile.
"Thanks for coming, Shun. It means a lot."
"Anytime," Shun replied, watching her jog back to the mat.
Deciding to continue his exploration of Shuchiin Academy, Shun wandered through the corridors, appreciating the school's elegant architecture. Turning a corner, he nearly collided with a girl carrying a stack of books.
"Whoa, sorry about that," Shun said, steadying the books before they could fall.
The girl looked up, revealing sharp blue eyes and short blonde hair. She wore the standard uniform but with a stylish twist—nails painted, a few accessories, and a confident demeanor.
"No harm done," she replied, adjusting her grip on the books.
"I'm Shun Satsujin, by the way. Still getting used to the layout here."
"Ai Hayasaka," she introduced herself.
"If you're lost, I can point you in the right direction."
"Appreciate it. Though, with company like yours, getting lost doesn't seem so bad," Shun said with a playful grin.
Hayasaka chuckled softly. "Smooth talker, aren't you?"
"Only when inspired," he winked.
"So, what brings you here with all these books?"
"Just some errands for the student council," she replied.
"Keeps me busy."
As they chatted, another presence approached. A girl with long black hair tied in a ribbon, exuding an air of elegance and authority. Her crimson eyes met Shun's, and for a moment, time seemed to pause.
"Hayasaka, is everything alright?" she inquired, her gaze briefly shifting to Shun.
"Yes, Kaguya-sama. Just assisting a new student." Hayasaka responded.
"I see," Kaguya said, her eyes lingering on Shun.
"Welcome to Shuchiin Academy."
"Thank you," Shun replied, offering a polite nod.
"I'm Shun Satsujin."
Kaguya's expression softened slightly.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Satsujin-san. I'm Kaguya Shinomiya."
As the conversation continued, an unspoken connection began to form, hinting at deeper interactions to come. Shun noticed their paperwork and offered to lend a hand, Hayasaka blinked in mild surprise.
"You're either brave or crazy offering to help the student council." she said.
"Let's go with brave," Shun replied with a lazy smile, rolling up his sleeves.
"Besides, it wouldn't hurt to help."
Kaguya looked up from her documents. "You're volunteering?"
"Of course," Shun nodded.
"I'm pretty good with paperwork... and I wouldn't mind seeing how the heart of this prestigious academy works."
Something in his voice sent a soft flutter through Kaguya's chest.
As the hours passed, Shun moved with effortless charm. He coordinated logistics, resolved a few disputes, and even made Hayasaka laugh—a rare sound that drew Kaguya's attention more than once.
'He's quite interesting." she thought, narrowing her eyes slightly. Not in the malicious sense—but in the way a storm was beautiful and impossible to ignore.
At one point, Shun leaned beside Kaguya, gently adjusting one of her forms.
"You missed a date here," he pointed out.
"Easy fix."
She stared at the paper, a faint pink hue coloring her cheeks.
"I see… thank you, Satsujin-san."
He smiled. "Anytime, Kaguya-hime."
The nickname slipped off his tongue effortlessly, making her heart skip. For someone who should've been beneath her radar, Shun had somehow walked right into her mind and made a home there.
Meanwhile, Hayasaka began to notice her own shift. She had always been careful not to get attached. But when Shun looked at her—really looked at her—it was like he saw more than the mask she wore. He made her feel… seen.
And he never forced anything. No pressure. Just small comments. A shared moment. An encouraging smile.
As the day ended, Kaguya glanced at Shun and asked with uncharacteristic softness,
"Would you like to assist us again sometime?"
Shun shrugged, his smile slow and warm. "I wouldn't mind. The company's worth it."
Both girls turned away at the same time, cheeks tinged pink—much to Shun's quiet amusement. Two days at Shuchiin, and already, he had spun new threads of fate.
The afternoon sunlight spilled through the tall windows of the student council room, casting a golden hue across Kaguya's desk. Papers were neatly stacked, the room quiet—except for the rustle of Hayasaka's fingers over her phone and the occasional scratch of Kaguya's pen.
But Kaguya Shinomiya wasn't focused on her documents. Not really.
Her gaze flicked toward the now-vacant chair where Shun Satsujin had sat just an hour ago, helping with the forms. She could still remember how his fingers had brushed against hers, purely by accident. Or so he claimed. The warmth of that moment lingered, and for some reason… she hadn't quite recovered.
'He's unlike the others.' she thought, pressing a hand to her chest as if it would slow the fluttering.
'He doesn't act overly eager… yet there's something about him. Something magnetic.'
Lost in thought, she didn't notice the small smile curling her lips—or the faint blush dusting her cheeks.
But Hayasaka noticed.
From her spot by the window, she watched Kaguya closely, narrowing her eyes with subtle concern.
'She's been acting strange since he left... dreamy, distracted. And that look on her face... that's not just curiosity. She's falling for him.'
Hayasaka leaned back slightly, folding her arms across her chest.
'Too fast.'
Though she trusted Kaguya's intelligence and composure, Hayasaka had spent too long protecting her mistress from vultures in expensive suits and smooth words. And Shun… he was something different.
Charming. Mysterious. Too skilled.
'He's too perfect… that's the problem.'
Her blue eyes narrowed thoughtfully. 'I need to know more. If he's genuine—fine. But if not… I'll make sure he doesn't get the chance to hurt her.'
Meanwhile, Kaguya glanced down at her papers and sighed softly, barely noticing that she'd written Shun's name in the margins of her notes.
Her eyes widened in horror.
"T-Tsk! What am I feeling!?" she muttered, quickly scribbling over the name. Her heart pounded, cheeks burning as she pressed the back of her hand against them.
She hadn't been this off-kilter since… well, ever.
But even as she tried to scold herself back into focus, her thoughts drifted once more—to that lazy, charming smile and the way he'd called her Kaguya-hime.
After a long day of exploring the campus and weaving through unexpected encounters, Shun finally decided to call it a day. As he stepped outside the academy gates, he sent a quick message to Kawakami, letting her know he was heading home.
Her reply came moments later:
[ Still tied up with work, don't wait up. You can have dinner without me. ]
Shun raised a brow but smiled faintly.
"Figures," he muttered to himself before slipping his phone back into his pocket and walking toward home.
Once back at his apartment, he changed into something more comfortable, ordering a pizza as he settled into the warm familiarity of his room. It wasn't long before the scent of melted cheese and spices filled the air, accompanying the soft clicks of his mouse and keyboard.
He booted up the visual novel Marin had recommended—an eroge with a reputation for surprisingly well-written characters and stylish visuals. As he ate, he immersed himself in the story of Part 1, noting its pacing, the art direction, and how the characters responded to subtle cues and dialogue choices.
'Not bad.' he thought, pulling a gooey string of cheese from his slice.
'Cheesy... but it has charm.'
One scene in particular piqued his interest—where the protagonist used gentle hypnotic suggestion to deepen a romantic bond. It was executed with surprising nuance, and it stirred a thought in Shun's mind.
'Masha and Alya…' he mused, leaning back in his chair.
'They're both naturally suggestible—especially Alya. I know how to resist hypnosis, but more importantly, I've mastered how to hypnotize people without them realizing. It wouldn't take much effort.'
He smirked slightly but didn't rush the thought. Shun never forced things—it was always about building trust, connection, and carefully laying the groundwork. If he did explore that path, it would be gradual… intimate.
As the night deepened, he paid close attention to the characters' outfits, admiring the details and craftsmanship. The elegant blend of fantasy and sensuality gave him a few creative ideas.
'I should try making one of these for Marin… or maybe Lilysa.' He tapped his chin.
'Could even convince them to model it. I've still got my gear from when I trained in disguise and tailoring.'
The game wrapped up just as the last slice of pizza disappeared. Shun stretched, satisfied, and glanced at the time.
'Not bad for a chill night.' he murmured, switching off the monitor.