The moment reality hit her, Iino Miko's chopsticks paused in midair.
She had been so absorbed in the joy of endless meat and sizzling satisfaction that she forgot—completely forgot—that sitting across from her was Natsukawa-senpai, the very person she was trying not to expose her true appetite to.
Now, realizing she had been going at the food like a hungry little beast, the color in her cheeks deepened until it matched the shade of grilled wagyu beef.
Her appetite, once lively and boundless, instantly curled up and hid away like a startled cat.
"Uwah... I got careless…" she whispered inwardly, lowering her gaze and fidgeting with her chopsticks.
But just as she was preparing herself for a look of quiet judgment from the other side of the table, she noticed something strange.
Natsukawa Kanade... was no longer looking at her.
In fact, he was deliberately not looking at her. His gaze had turned vague, his posture subtly awkward, as though pretending the previous five minutes of gluttony had never happened. The intensity he had shown just earlier, full of competitive grilling spirit, was suddenly gone. Now, his entire presence screamed "nothing to see here!"
"…Eh?"
Iino blinked. Wait... is this his way of giving me a break?
A small thought tiptoed into her mind like a mischievous raccoon. Could it be... Senpai had noticed her overeating?
No… he definitely did.
She'd been eating nonstop since morning, loading the grill like it was her last meal, and humming softly while flipping beef and pork in her own little rhythm. Any normal person would've picked up on the signs.
This must be his way of telling her: "It's okay, I won't say anything. I didn't see anything. Just enjoy yourself."
Faced with that kind of gentle understanding, Iino Miko's embarrassment only grew worse. The subtle heat on her cheeks bloomed into a full flush, as if she'd just been caught reading manga under the kotatsu at 2 a.m. by her strict auntie.
But even so—
Even so!
It's my birthday today, after all...!
Since she'd already been caught red-handed, she might as well give up the pretense. If Senpai had already seen her in her most gluttonous state, there was no use hiding anymore.
So—she resumed eating.
And not just casually either.
With a determined glint in her eyes, she picked up her chopsticks like a swordswoman drawing her blade. If I'm going to be judged anyway, I'll at least go down swinging!
Thus began the second half of her food battle.
Meanwhile, across the table, Natsukawa Kanade sat silently.
He wasn't avoiding her out of pity, nor was he overwhelmed by her appetite. No… he was dealing with his own internal storm.
I was so sure I was the grilling master here... but I was wrong.
The earlier realization still stung.
That precise timing, those sharp instincts… he had witnessed firsthand the secret art of a grill master far beyond his understanding. He had been schooling a senpai of the flame, a prodigy of pork, a divine chef hidden in the shell of an elementary school girl.
Shame gnawed at him from within, and so he remained silent, trying to maintain composure. But inside, his heart was quietly whispering: Iino Miko… you're incredible.
So, with both of them preoccupied—one with food, the other with reflection—neither spoke again during the remainder of the meal.
===============================
"I'm full! That was super delicious!" Iino finally announced with sparkling eyes, clasping her hands together and bowing politely toward the grill. "Thank you for the feast!"
There was a deep, heartfelt sincerity in her tone—this wasn't just food. This was an experience.
Natsukawa Kanade, seated across from her, nodded with quiet approval. The price of the place had been steep, sure, but seeing Iino eat with that kind of joy? Totally worth it.
By the time they finished, the restaurant had filled up. They had arrived earlier than the lunch rush, but now the second floor was packed, the air rich with smoky goodness and loud chatter. They decided not to linger and got ready to leave, hoping to free up the seats for others.
After settling the bill downstairs, Kanade walked toward the exit and pushed the door open.
But then—his foot froze mid-step.
Standing outside, just beyond the doorway, was a couple holding hands.
And not just any couple.
Yijing Iino's classmates.
She peeked around his shoulder with innocent curiosity, only to freeze as well.
No way… those two? From the dessert shop?!
Her heart dropped like a stone into her stomach. The couple had clearly noticed them too. Their initial surprise shifted into something else—curiosity, amusement, and just a hint of mischief.
They had definitely seen her.
The girl smiled, raising a brow.
"Oh~ Good afternoon, President. And… Yijing-chan, too."
Kanade responded with nothing more than a polite nod. "Good afternoon."
Behind him, Iino let out the tiniest of squeaks.
"Uuu… uuuu…!"
Red-faced and panicking, she ducked behind his back, trying to use him like a human wall.
Kanade sighed.
This girl, seriously…
But he understood. She was probably imagining wild rumors, or worse, imagining the entire school seeing her eat enough meat to feed a sports club.
Still, this wasn't the time to block traffic.
"How about we step aside and talk somewhere more private?" he suggested smoothly. "It's a bit cramped here."
He didn't particularly care about what anyone thought—after all, with all the random gossip already floating around about him, one more misunderstanding was like one more grain of rice in a mountain.
But Iino clearly did care.
And for her sake, he was willing to play the part of the cool senpai.
The couple exchanged a quick glance, and then nodded with surprising ease.
"Okay, we don't mind."
Natsukawa Kanade gave a light nod of acknowledgment before gently tugging at the sleeve of the girl behind him. "Watch your step, Iino-san. Let's go."
But the girl in question—Iino Miko—still looked like a deer in headlights. Her wide, misty eyes held the unmistakable glow of panic, and despite Kanade's calm presence, she couldn't stop her fingers from curling around the hem of his coat like a lost child trying not to get separated in a crowded train station.
Even after being gently reassured by Kanade earlier, her nerves refused to settle. She was completely thrown off—her usual composure shattered.
The couple trailing behind watched the scene with increasingly curious expressions. The way Miko clung to his coat so timidly, so dependently—it spoke volumes. Their faces flickered with new thoughts, and Kanade could practically see the speculation forming in their minds.
No doubt they're cooking up a fresh new rumor right now… great.
Still, he didn't show it. He simply kept walking, leading them to a small dessert café nearby that he'd passed by earlier—a casual place with a cozy, youthful vibe. For a situation like this, it was perfect. Not too loud, not too stuffy. A neutral battlefield for high school gossip control.
Once seated, Kanade raised a hand and smiled lightly at the couple seated across from them. "Would you two like something sweet?"
The question came out casually, but there was strategy behind it.
Before you gain the upper hand, offer something of value.
It was a basic principle, one that Kanade had learned early in his political and student council dealings. Winning trust—especially from those who held potential influence—meant giving them something first.
The male half of the couple raised his hands awkwardly. "Ah, no need to trouble yourself—"
"It's no trouble at all," Kanade interjected with a wave of his hand, tone effortless. "Just think of it as a small treat. It's not every day we bump into each other twice in a row, right? Must be fate."
That wasn't flattery. Kanade genuinely didn't believe they were tailing him—after all, who would shadow someone only to meet them as they're leaving a place? It was clearly coincidence.
The boy hesitated, then finally gave a sheepish smile. "In that case... thanks, President."
Beside him, the girl nodded without protest, clearly content with the flow of things. From their dynamic, it seemed she let her boyfriend do most of the talking. There was no tension on their end—at least none they were showing openly.
As for Kanade's side of the table…
Disaster.
Iino Miko was completely silent. She sat beside him like a wind-up doll that had run out of energy. Her shoulders hunched, eyes flicking between the table and the dessert menu without actually reading anything. The usual sharp, proper attitude she carried as the discipline committee chair? Gone. Evaporated. She was like a girl who snuck out for a secret date and got caught by her nosy relatives.
Kanade glanced sideways at her, internally exasperated.
What are you so afraid of? Just explain things. It's not even that serious…
He sighed mentally. Was it really that embarrassing to be seen with him? Oiii, I'm going to sulk, you know.
Still, it wasn't the time for teasing.
After ordering a modest couple's dessert set—purely as a "bribe," of course—Kanade rested his hands on the table and leaned in slightly.
"Alright then, I'll get straight to the point," he said, tone calm but firm. "I'm going to explain why I'm with Iino-san today."
At that moment, he heard a soft tremor from beside him. Miko's body flinched ever so slightly, then went completely still. She didn't even try to speak up.
Across the table, the couple immediately leaned forward, eyes wide with curious tension. Kanade cleared his throat lightly and spoke with the composed cadence of someone presenting a student council policy.
"Today is Iino-san's birthday," he began. "I just happened to run into her outside and found out. Since I had free time, and she's a junior on the student council, I thought it would be nice to treat her. Nothing more than that."
He smiled faintly. "Thankfully, she didn't mind my company."
There was no need to dive into minor details like the cat café or the birthday gifts. Those weren't relevant to clarifying the core of the situation—how they came to be seen together.
Kanade continued smoothly. "Back at the dessert shop, she panicked a little after seeing you two. I think she was afraid of it turning into weird rumors, so she claimed to be my younger sister on the spot. We didn't expect to run into you again right after that."
He bowed his head slightly in apology.
"I admit, it was a bit underhanded to cover things up. Please understand—it wasn't meant to deceive anyone maliciously."
He didn't have to be that polite, of course. But truthfully… Kanade had no clue how close Iino Miko was to these two. Were they friends? Classmates? Was her reputation among them good or bad? He had no way of knowing. And since Miko was currently acting like a mute goldfish, it was up to him to maintain face on both their behalf.
Fortunately, he was used to navigating situations like this.
To him, this was just another Wednesday.
"No, no, it's really not that big of a deal!" the boy quickly waved his hands. "We were just, uh… curious! You know? Wondering who the president was with, that's all."
Of course, the boy wasn't about to blurt all of that out in front of Natsukawa Kanade, not when the situation now reeked of something even more scandalous—"the student council president secretly dating the no-nonsense discipline committee chairman." No way he was going to say he only came over because he was nosy. That was social suicide.
Seeing the couple respond politely and without hostility, Natsukawa Kanade exhaled in relief. At least they weren't the gossip-hungry type—on the surface.
Yokatta… this might be easier to clean up than expected.
"Also…" Kanade started, casting a glance at the silent junior beside him. Her eyes were still unfocused, as if her soul hadn't returned from orbit. With no signs that she would speak up for herself, he continued. "This is something Iino-san herself would prefer—if possible, I hope you can keep what happened today a secret."
The atmosphere froze for a second.
Kanade's voice was calm, but carried weight. "It's nothing serious, I know. But, as you probably understand, people are naturally curious creatures. Even the smallest incident can grow into wild rumors, all from imagination alone. And even if those spreading the rumors don't mean any harm, it can be... exhausting for the people involved, ne?"
As he finished, Kanade narrowed his eyes just slightly, the subtle shift in expression radiating a serious aura.
It was the look of someone saying: I'm not just asking—I'm counting on you.
First, you offer a treat. Then, you show the stick. That's how you maintain balance.
This wasn't about himself. He could handle gossip—he practically grew up surrounded by it. But Miko? She was clearly overwhelmed, and if she didn't want others whispering behind her back, then he, as her senpai, would handle it properly.
Especially since she hadn't said a single word since stepping into the café.
Kanade's approach wasn't just diplomacy—it was empathy.
"Ah, of course! We totally understand. Not a word from us!" the boy said quickly, straightening up as if on instinct.
"Yeah," the girl chimed in, nodding along with visible agreement. "Our lips are sealed!"
With that assurance, the sharp edge in Kanade's demeanor softened. His tone returned to its usual laid-back self.
"Thanks for understanding. Now that everything's cleared up, we'll leave you to enjoy the rest of your afternoon."
He turned to Miko, who still hadn't moved a muscle.
"Iino-san?" he prompted gently.
"Eh? Ah… um, I-I'm okay with it…" she stammered, finally speaking—but her words lacked conviction, her voice barely above a whisper.
She remained seated, looking completely out of it.
Kanade twitched slightly at the corner of his mouth. Come on, at least try to act like you're present…
Unable to bear it, he leaned forward and gave her sleeve a small tug, whispering once again, "We'll leave first, so say something."
This time, she jolted upright, panic flashing across her face as she scrambled to stand.
But in her haste, her foot caught the leg of the table, and she wobbled—just barely managing to catch her balance before she—
Thud!
Or rather, before she would have face-planted... if not for the arms that caught her mid-fall.
Warm.
Soft.
Safe.
Her eyes opened slowly, heart thumping wildly—and there he was. Kanade-senpai, arms wrapped around her, brows slightly furrowed in concern.
"Are you okay?" he asked softly. "My princess—no, Iino-san?"
"…"
Maji de?! Is this a dream?!
The words he spoke, the embrace, the timing—it was just like one of those daydreams she kept hidden at the back of her mind. She could feel the heat rushing to her ears, her cheeks practically steaming.
"I-I'm fine…! D-don't hold me like that, senpai!" she yelped, flailing lightly as she tried to wriggle out of his arms. The second she was free, she stumbled back, eyes shimmering with confusion—and something else she didn't want to name.
For a moment… she actually missed the warmth.
Ugh… what's wrong with me?
Across the table, the couple sat frozen, watching the entire exchange unfold like an episode of a shoujo anime in real time. They didn't even blink.
Their faces screamed: No way… THAT Iino Miko?!
The same girl who always patrolled the hallways like a hawk, yelling, "Inappropriate relationships are forbidden!" or, "School is for studying, not dating!" That same Miko was now blushing like a maiden, stammering like a heroine, caught in the arms of the school's most popular senpai?!
This was legendary-level material!
A once-in-a-lifetime scoop!
Too bad they were under an unspoken NDA now…
Still, they couldn't help but feel a strange sense of superiority. After all, they had just witnessed the impossible. They had seen it before anyone else. First-hand intel!
The entire atmosphere had turned awkwardly comedic.
Miko remained flustered and speechless, the couple were bursting with suppressed gossip energy, and only Kanade wore a grim, slightly deflated expression.
He looked at the girl beside him and sighed internally.
All I did was help out a junior, and she acts like I slapped her with a love confession… Seriously, why is it so hard to be a nice guy?