"Kaguya chan! Kaguya chan!"
Before Kaguya could react, she found herself being hugged and squeezed.
The sensation was incredibly uncomfortable, mainly because the chest pressing against her was surprisingly firm.
At first, it seemed like an overly affectionate display between friends.
But to Kaguya, it felt more like mockery.
To make matters worse, the owner of this chest seemed to be... crying.
Kaguya, already suffering from a headache, felt it worsen instantly.
This woman...Fujiwara Chika... was beyond troublesome.
And when she got emotional ?
She became an absolute nightmare.
With an exasperated sigh, Kaguya turned toward Hayasaka.
Understanding the unspoken request, Hayasaka stepped in immediately.
She pried Fujiwara off of Kaguya, physically restraining her before pulling her back a few steps.
"Miss Fujiwara, please calm down."
Fujiwara, now firmly held in place, finally noticed who had stopped her.
She recognized Hayasaka, they had met a few times before.
Back when she was still at Shuchiin, Hayasaka would occasionally approach her whenever Kaguya needed something.
There were even times when Hayasaka got roped into activities with the board games club.
"Wait a second, why are you in Kaguya's house?"
Fujiwara's face was filled with confusion.
Hayasaka, who had expected this reaction, maintained a composed expression.
She let go of Fujiwara, took a step back, and bowed slightly with perfect maid etiquette.
"Allow me to formally introduce myself, Miss Fujiwara."
"I am Miss Kaguya's personal maid, Hayasaka Ai."
Fujiwara's eyes widened in shock.
"Wait... you've always been Kaguya's maid!?"
She pouted, clearly feeling betrayed.
"So that's why you always showed up out of nowhere whenever I looked for Kaguya!"
"You were trying to keep me away, weren't you!?"
...At least she was self-aware.
Of course, Hayasaka wasn't about to admit it outright.
She kept her expression calm and professional.
"Unfortunately, Miss Kaguya never had the freedom to meet with others as she pleased."
"Her daily schedule was meticulously arranged and couldn't be disrupted for anyone."
"That was the will of Master Oko."
"Hayasaka, aren't you supposed to be Kaguya's maid?"
"Miss Fujiwara, you really do have a simple way of thinking."
Without hesitation, Hayasaka shifted all the blame onto Shinomiya Oko, Kaguya's older brother, who was now living a "retired" life.
"In the past, I was placed by Master Oko as a 'watchdog' next to Miss Kaguya."
"My role was to observe her life, monitor her actions, and report everything to him."
"At the same time, I was to assist in shaping her into a proper, obedient lady of the Shinomiya family, someone who followed etiquette perfectly, nothing more."
"After all, the ultimate goal was to ensure that the Shinomiya family could maximize its benefits through her."
Kaguya nearly lost her composure right then and there.
If she hadn't known the truth, she might have believed it.
While her brother had indeed placed Hayasaka by her side to watch over her, he hadn't gone so far as to mold her into a tool.
And Hayasaka had never been fully loyal to him either.
But listening to this absolute nonsense, Kaguya had to use all her willpower to keep a straight face.
Meanwhile, Fujiwara...
Completely believed it.
Her expression twisted with righteous fury.
"That's horrible! How could he do that!?"
Kaguya covered her face.
This woman really put all her brain cells into her chest.
Fujiwara, now brimming with anger, turned toward Hayasaka.
Hayasaka, remaining as composed as ever, simply continued.
"The Shinomiya family has always prioritized practicality over personal feelings."
"Just like how Miss Kaguya's enrollment at Shuchiin Academy wasn't her own choice."
"Shuchiin isn't just any elite school, it's a school with deep ties to the Shinomiya family."
"Master Oko believed keeping Miss Kaguya close would make it easier to control her."
Fujiwara's jaw dropped.
She had known that the Shinomiya family had influence over Shuchiin.
But she never realized that Kaguya's enrollment was just another method of control.
"That's... that's awful!"
Fujiwara clenched her fists in frustration.
She had only heard vague stories about Shinomiya Oko before.
Her father had once described him as "dangerously ambitious."
She saw him as nothing less than a villain.
Hayasaka nodded solemnly.
"Thankfully, Miss Kaguya was able to seek help from Sanzenin Nagi and escape from the Shinomiya family's control."
"With her freedom secured, she chose to leave Shuchiin immediately."
"I trust Miss Fujiwara understands why now?"
"Yes... it makes perfect sense."
Fujiwara nodded firmly.
At that moment, she completely sympathized with Kaguya.
"So... Kaguya, you didn't leave just to avoid me?"
Her eyes shone expectantly.
Kaguya sighed, a little helpless.
"There were many reasons I chose to leave."
"But avoiding you wasn't one of them."
Fujiwara beamed with relief.
"One of my reasons was avoiding the President."
"...Avoiding the President?"
Kaguya gave her a flat look.
"Fujiwara, you do realize the President has been trying to get my attention, right?"
Fujiwara, self-proclaimed "Love Detective", looked absolutely shocked.
She thought back to Shirogane Miyuki's awkward behavior around Kaguya.
Finally, realization struck.
"WAIT A SECOND—THE PRESIDENT LIKES KAGUYA!?"
Kaguya was completely unfazed by her dramatic outburst.
She had long grown used to Fujiwara's theatrics.
But considering how much Fujiwara claimed to understand romance...
"Fujiwara, you seriously never noticed?"
Fujiwara frowned, trying to process it.
"I just thought he was super competitive!"
"I didn't realize he was trying to impress you!"
"It was childish, really."
"In an attempt to get my attention, he kept studying obsessively, trying to score higher than me on every exam."
Fujiwara thought for a moment and groaned.
"Ugh... That's so immature."
She rubbed her temples, feeling secondhand embarrassment.
"But... do you hate him that much, Kaguya?"
Kaguya shook her head slightly.
"I don't dislike people who work hard."
"In fact, I admire those who strive toward their goals."
"But the problem is... I am a Shinomiya."
Fujiwara finally understood.
Kaguya had never even considered the President as an option.
Because the Shinomiya name itself carried too much weight.
"But Kaguya, aren't you free now?"
"Back then, I had to reject him tactfully because of my status."
"Now? I reject him because..."
She paused, then smiled faintly.
"I refuse to be a puppet in someone else's story."
She didn't fully grasp the deeper meaning.
But one thing was clear.
The President never stood a chance.
Not back then. Not now. Not ever.
"...Well. That's rough."
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