Heartbeats and Illusions

Rubbing his temples and letting out a frustrated sigh, Natsukawa Kanade trudged back to class, his expression a mixture of exhaustion and annoyance.

Escaping from the infirmary had been nothing short of a battle. If he hadn't managed to whip out the excuse of needing the bathroom, he'd still be stuck there, subjected to more of that octopus-head Fujiwara Chika's bizarre antics.

"Because I was curious about the feel of it! I wanted to pat the President's belly!"—those words echoed in his mind like a curse. What kind of person could say something so outrageous with such unrestrained enthusiasm?

Even when she noticed his abs, instead of reacting with any embarrassment, her eyes had sparkled with a level of excitement that made Kanade feel like a rare exhibit on display. He shuddered at the memory. If it weren't for the excuse he had concocted, there was no telling what strange experiments she would've tried next.

And yet, perhaps the most maddening part of it all was the school nurse. Instead of intervening like a responsible adult, she had taken one look at the situation and muttered something about "energetic youth" before walking away, leaving Kanade to fend for himself.

"Seriously, what was she thinking?! Shouldn't she at least pretend to care?!" Kanade muttered under his breath as he reached his desk.

Still, the experience had left him surprisingly energized, even if his nerves were frazzled. Maybe it was the adrenaline—or maybe he was just too angry to feel tired.

"Kanade, are you alright?" Miyuki Shirogane's voice broke through his thoughts as his classmate approached with a concerned smile.

"Yeah, just needed a little rest. I'm fine now," Kanade replied, offering a faint smile in return.

Miyuki looked healthier these days, Kanade noticed. The dark circles under his eyes had disappeared, and his demeanor was lighter, almost radiant. It was probably the magic of love at work. Kanade had witnessed that transformation himself before, though in his case, it was more of a calculated change than a natural one.

The thought reminded him of why he had returned to his position in the student council. It wasn't just about reconnecting with his friends—it was also a kind of atonement. If he, as the President, could take on more responsibilities, then Shirogane Miyuki would have more time to spend with the person he liked.

It was a simple plan, really. Kanade had even gone out of his way to create opportunities for Shirogane and Kaguya Shinomiya to spend time together. But for some reason, Kaguya had never made a decisive move. Instead, she often stayed by Shirogane's side, helping with council affairs like a diligent assistant.

"Did I misread things? Maybe Kaguya doesn't like Shirogane after all?" Kanade mused, furrowing his brow.

But no, that didn't make sense. Everything he had observed pointed to mutual feelings. Perhaps there were unseen obstacles holding them back. Whatever the case, it wasn't his problem to solve. He'd done his part, and it was time to let fate take its course. Overthinking wouldn't help anyone—it would just cost him more hair.

Deciding to leave it at that, Kanade exchanged a few more pleasantries with Miyuki before getting up to stretch. However, a commotion in the front row caught his attention.

"Shiina-san, swimming class is next period. Are you coming with us?"

Shiina Mahiru, the so-called "Angel of the Class," was the target of this invitation. Unlike Kanade, who was popular but kept a certain distance from most of his classmates, Mahiru's charm seemed to transcend all boundaries. Boys and girls alike were drawn to her gentle smile, as though it radiated a warmth that could melt even the coldest hearts.

"Eh? That's a bit…" Mahiru hesitated, her usual composure wavering under the intensity of her classmates' enthusiasm.

"Are you worried about boys peeking? Don't worry! We'll protect you!" one of the girls reassured her, practically glowing with determination.

The others chimed in, their voices a chorus of encouragement.

"Come on, Shiina-san! You skipped last time, so you have to join us today!"

"Hm…" Mahiru glanced around, clearly searching for an escape route. But surrounded by expectant faces, she had nowhere to run.

"I'm not very good at swimming…" she offered weakly, hoping it would be enough to deter them.

"It's fine, it's fine! We'll teach you. Or you can just smile and cheer us on from the side!"

Mahiru blinked, at a loss for words. Am I some kind of mascot? she wondered.

Still, refusing now would only make things awkward. She had no choice but to nod reluctantly.

"Alright… Thank you for inviting me."

"Yes! Let's head to the locker room now!"

A small group of girls immediately surrounded Mahiru, ushering her out of the classroom like a prized treasure. Kanade watched the scene unfold from his seat, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"…Guess I should head out too," he muttered, standing up and following after them.

By the time swimming class began, the students had changed into their swimsuits and gathered near the pool. The teacher led them through a series of warm-up exercises before allowing them to split into groups and enter the water.

"Shiina-san, let's go over there!" one of the girls called, dragging Mahiru toward a quieter corner of the pool.

"…" Mahiru tried to protest, but her objections were drowned out by the group's excitement.

"Alright, Shiina-san, you keep an eye on that side. Aika-san, guard this area. Don't let any boys come near!"

"Leave it to us!" the girls chorused; their teamwork flawless.

At Shuchiin Academy, swimming classes were strictly divided by gender, with a wall separating the boys' and girls' sections of the pool. This policy had been implemented after a certain "incident" earlier in the year, where a group of boys had attempted to sneak into the girls' area to catch a glimpse of their swimsuits.

The incident had left the girls wary, and they now took precautions to ensure their privacy.

Shiina Mahiru, being one of the key figures in that incident, found herself at the center of attention once again. As a renowned beauty of the academy, many boys harbored an almost obsessive curiosity about her appearance in a swimsuit.

"Don't worry, Shiina-san. We'll make sure no one bothers you!" declared the girls flanking her, each exuding a sense of mission.

"Thank you..." Shiina Mahiru nodded, her soft tone tinged with unease. Still, inwardly, she couldn't help but feel that their precautions were somewhat excessive.

Shiina Mahiru genuinely didn't understand why the boys were so captivated by her swimsuit—a standard, unembellished school design. To her, there was nothing remarkable about it.

Yet, even if she didn't comprehend their fascination, the thought of being subjected to that kind of attention made her uncomfortable. It was precisely for this reason that she'd avoided swimming classes altogether since that incident. However, skipping wasn't an option today, as her persistent classmates had all but dragged her along.

Will someone try to peek again today? What's even worth seeing? The thought hovered in her mind briefly before fading, replaced by an image of someone who occupied her thoughts more than she cared to admit.

Would he be curious? Would he want to see…?

The notion startled her. Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she quickly shook her head. No, that's impossible. He wouldn't… And even if he did… No, stop it, Mahiru!

Her mind wandered as she mechanically responded to the chatter around her. The brightness in her golden eyes dimmed slightly, betraying her disinterest.

"Shiina-san, are you okay?" one of the girls asked, concerned.

Before Mahiru could respond, the girl suddenly tensed, her gaze snapping to a shadow flitting near the pool's edge.

"Over there! Those guys are here again!" she hissed.

Two other girls immediately joined her, faces set with determination.

"Shiina-san, stay here. We'll handle this."

"Be careful..." Mahiru said softly, watching them leave. She exhaled and gazed into the shimmering pool, her thoughts drifting once again.

In the shadowed corner of the poolside, two boys crouched, their heads stacked comically one atop the other.

"Did you get it? Stop fumbling around!" hissed one.

"Shut up, I'm working on it! Stop breathing down my neck!" the other retorted.

The two boys, clad in nothing but their swimming trunks, had managed to evade the teachers' watchful eyes and sneak into the girls' section. Armed with a high-definition camera, they were on a "mission"—a self-imposed one, of course.

Their target? None other than the angelic Shiina Mahiru.

"Try looking over there. She must be around!"

"Alright, alright, keep quiet. We don't want to get caught!"

Just as they adjusted their camera lens, a sharp voice shattered their concentration.

"Hey, what are you two doing here?!"

Startled, the boys fumbled, nearly dropping their precious device. Three girls approached, their expressions a mixture of disgust and righteous fury.

"Trying to peek again, huh? And this time, you even brought a camera?!" the leader of the group accused, her hands on her hips.

One of the boys, clearly the timider of the two, stammered, "W-we were just… um… lost?"

"Lost? With a camera? Do you think we're stupid?"

"Hand it over," the lead girl demanded, extending her hand.

The timid boy hesitated, but his more brazen companion sneered, stepping forward.

"Who do you think you are? What proof do you have that we were doing anything wrong? You're just making baseless accusations."

The lead girl's eyes narrowed. "Baseless? We caught you red-handed! Now hand it over before we call the teacher."

The bold boy scoffed. "Try me. What are you gonna do, huh? You can't do anything—"

Before he could finish his sentence, a deep, commanding voice cut through the tension.

"She can't do anything to you, but I can."

The boys froze. Slowly, they turned to see Natsukawa Kanade approaching, his presence like a dark storm cloud. His sharp eyes bore into them, and his tone left no room for argument.

"President?! What are you doing here?" one of the girls gasped.

Kanade ignored her, his focus solely on the trembling boys.

"Hand me the camera," he ordered, voice calm yet undeniably authoritative.

The bold boy, now pale as a sheet, faltered. "W-we didn't mean to—"

"Camera. Now."

The boys exchanged nervous glances before reluctantly surrendering the device.

The boy who had been acting so brazenly moments ago now looked like a deflated balloon. He dared to argue with the girl who caught him, but standing before the student council president? That was an entirely different battlefield—one he wasn't foolish enough to challenge.

Natsukawa Kanade held the camera in his hands, his expression unreadable. He scrolled through the gallery with quick, precise movements. Finding no incriminating content, he calmly pocketed the device.

"Each of you will swim three meters back and forth three times. Afterward, you are required to submit a 200-word self-review to the Student Council Office before the end of the week. Understood?"

"Yes, President!" The boys chorused, their voices quivering.

"Good. Now get to it."

"But, President... the camera..."

"I'll return it once I receive your apologies in person. Anything else?"

"N-no, sir!"

"Then hurry and start practicing. If you're not done before class ends, don't blame me for being ruthless."

"Yes, President!" The two boys practically tripped over each other as they dashed toward the pool, eager to escape his presence.

Kanade turned to the three girls and bowed his head slightly. "I apologize for the trouble they caused."

As the student council president, he felt obligated to take responsibility for the actions of the students he led, even when they acted disgracefully.

"No, no, thank you for handling it, President," the lead girl replied, her irritation giving way to gratitude.

Kanade gave a small nod, about to leave, when her voice stopped him.

"President, can we see what's in the camera?"

Kanade's eyes narrowed slightly, his tone firm yet polite. "I'm afraid I can't do that. Exposing others' privacy without consent is against the rules."

He'd already confirmed there was no prohibited content, but that didn't mean he could share private images with others. His refusal was met with a skeptical look from the lead girl.

"Why not? I have reason to believe that you and those boys..." She trailed off, but her meaning was clear. The timing of Kanade's appearance had been too convenient, and her suspicions lingered.

Kanade's expression hardened, though he didn't outwardly react to the insinuation. Being suspected wasn't new to him—it came with the territory of leadership. Still, his priority now was to defuse the situation without damaging his reputation. With the student council elections looming, even the smallest scandal could snowball.

Before he could respond, a soft, melodic voice broke the tense atmosphere.

"It's alright. I trust Natsukawa-san's character and judgment."

All eyes turned toward the source of the voice.

Standing there, bathed in sunlight, was Shiina Mahiru. Her wet campus swimsuit clung to her slender figure, accentuating her delicate curves. Her golden hair shimmered, and the gentle look in her eyes seemed to cast a spell over everyone present.

Kanade's gaze faltered for a brief moment before he quickly looked away, his expression shifting to one of forced neutrality.

"Ahem... Thank you for your trust, Shiina-san."

"Oh, no... I should be the one thanking you, Natsukawa-san..."

"..."

"..."

The brief, awkward exchange hung in the air, charged with an unspoken tension.

Meanwhile, the three girls who had been watching the scene unfold exchanged subtle, knowing glances. The sudden shift in tone hadn't escaped their notice.

"Ah, I just remembered—I haven't finished my warm-up exercises yet," the lead girl said, her voice laced with feigned urgency.

"Yes, yes, we should head back now," her companion chimed in enthusiastically.

"Absolutely. Let's go," added the third, stifling a grin.

Without another word, the trio departed, leaving Kanade and Mahiru alone.

Kanade sighed inwardly. How did things end up like this?

Mahiru, for her part, looked down at her reflection in the pool, the faintest smile gracing her lips.

For a moment, the world around them seemed to fade, leaving only the two of them standing by the water's edge, bound by an unspoken understanding neither dared to voice.