Kaguya-sama Wants My Surrender!

The sound of breathing was faint but audible.

As Kaguya gazed at her reflection in Amamiya's eyes, she finally realized the alarming proximity between them.

'Too close, too close, too close!'

'Is he going to make a move?'

'Highly possible.'

'Hayasaka once said that boys are like wild beasts, and when their blood gets hot, they act on impulse.'

'Wait… could I get pregnant from this?'

Kaguya, raised in a "sterile" and sheltered environment, knew little about the facts of life. She still held the naive belief that a boy and girl could become pregnant just from kissing.

Because of this, her self-induced panic caused her pale face to flush red, resembling a summer sunset, catching Amemiya completely by surprise.

'So... the reason Kaguya was blushing earlier wasn't because she was going to sneeze—it was because she was embarrassed?'

'Where's the ice-cold girl who could pass through a haunted academy without flinching? How could she be shy now?'

Holding his breath, Amamiya instinctively resisted any impulse to get closer, instead discreetly pulling away. 

It's one thing to push your luck with someone else and risk a slap, but pushing it with Kaguya could very well mean winding up in Tokyo Bay by nightfall.

Kaguya's long lashes trembled slightly as she exhaled in relief.

And then—

'Bang!'

The door flew open.

"I have returned!" came the familiar loud proclamation.

Both Amemiya and Kaguya jumped, their hearts jolting with a strange sense of guilt as their eyes instinctively met.

A notification appeared before Kaguya:

'[Mission Failed: Progress Reset. Please Restart the Challenge]'

"Kaguya-chan, how's the mission going?" chirped Chika as she bounced into the room.

Kaguya closed her eyes, pinched the bridge of her nose with slender fingers, took a deep breath, and bit her lip.

"The mission failed."

"What? Why? How?" Chika asked in confusion.

Kaguya's smile was more like that of a queen ready to sign an execution order, dangerous and cold.

"What do you 'think' the reason is, Fujiwara-san?"

"Kaguya-chan's smile is terrifying!"

Chika shrank back in fear, retreating behind Amamiya and hugging herself. "I feel like a hamster cornered by a hungry cat!"

Amamiya, bemused, muttered, "You mean a mouse, right?"

"No! I don't want to be a mouse," Chika quickly protested, shaking her head. "They're ugly and dirty. If I could choose, I'd be reincarnated as a cute little hamster."

'Wow, didn't expect you to care so much about appearances.'

"Well, it's understandable that Shinomiya-san is upset," Amamiya said, rubbing his tired eyes. "I'm pretty annoyed too."

"Why?"

"We were so close to finishing, but you barged in without warning, so now we have to start all over."

"Ohh, I see," Chika bowed apologetically, her hands clasped together. "I'm really sorry! I forgot to knock. I'll make it up to you by offering my pudding as a peace offering."

"Pudding?" Amemiya's eyes involuntarily drifted down toward Chika's chest, where the subtle movement of her shirt gave an innocent bounce. 

In a way... it 'could' be considered pudding, right?

Kaguya sighed, gently massaging her temples. 

"Fujiwara-san, next time, please remember to knock," Kaguya said, fists clenching.

"Got it!" Chika saluted cheerfully. She then grabbed the chocolate bar from earlier, munching it with a satisfying crunch. "No worries, Kaguya-chan, you still have time to finish it again."

"No, I don't think so," Amemiya shook his head, blinking rapidly. "My eyes really hurt now."

"What? You're already worn out, Natsuki-san?" Chika looked at him in disbelief. "It's only been a few minutes! Are you that weak?"

'Weak? Seriously?' 

Even the mighty silverback gorilla can only last for a few seconds when it comes to endurance... well, this 'is' a staring contest, after all. Anyone who can hold out for ten minutes is already a legend.

"I often go several hours without blinking when I'm deep in thought," Chika added confidently.

'Yeah, right!' 

The current world record for not blinking is just over two hours. If you could do it for "several hours," you'd be in the Guinness Book for sure!

"Blinking is an automatic function, like breathing," Amemiya said, unable to stop himself from correcting her. "The average person blinks more than ten times a minute, but we barely notice it happening, let alone remember the count."

"I could easily go hours without blinking," Chika boasted, holding her eyelids open with her fingers, her wide pink eyes gleaming.

Kaguya, growing tired, rubbed her temples and said in her typical frosty tone, "Let's head back to the classroom. Your eyes need a rest."

"Fine…" Chika agreed with a sigh.

Together, the three of them left the board game club and returned to class. The rest of the morning passed without incident.

---

During lunch, while Kaguya and Chika enjoyed their bentos, Amemiya grabbed a meal from the cafeteria. There was no opportunity for them to resume the mission.

Before they knew it, school was over for the day.

"Kaguya-chan," Chika suggested, "everyone's using the activity room after school. Why don't you and Amamiya just stay in the classroom to finish the mission?"

"That works," Kaguya agreed with a nod.

"I still need to go to the board game club, so I'll head out first." Chika waved her hand as she exited the room, adding, "Good luck, everyone."

"Make sure to knock before you come in." Amamiya reminded her. "Don't just barge in."

"Got it!" Chika replied with a playful salute before leaving.

"…"

Now, only Amamiya and Kaguya remained in the classroom.

Amemiya stood up and approached Kaguya, taking a seat at the desk in front of the girl known for her cool, composed demeanor.

The three of them were classmates. Kaguya and Chika shared a desk, while Miko and Hana were in another class.

Amemiya and Kaguya sat across from each other, separated by the desk.

"Shinomiya-san, shall we begin?" Amemiya asked.

Kaguya nodded calmly. "Let's get started."

Their eyes met.

The classroom fell into a tranquil silence.

Sunlight poured through the windows, casting bright beams into the room, and a gentle breeze rustled through the air.

Somewhere, an abandoned textbook lay open, its pages softly fluttering in the wind.

Amemiya silently gazed into Kaguya's striking ruby eyes, his mind clearing as he slipped into a meditative state.

But not everyone could maintain their composure.

Before long, a faint blush bloomed on Kaguya's delicate face.

Seriously, it's not even been a minute—why are you blushing already?

At this rate, you're going to lose your reputation as the "ice sculpture girl"!

Time trickled by slowly.

This time, the desk between them remained, unlike earlier that morning when the distance between them seemed to shrink unnoticed.

Just as they neared completing their task, the sudden buzzing of insect wings broke the stillness.

"Eh? What was that?"

Kaguya's long, slightly curled lashes quivered.