Heartbeats and Illusions

Morning Light and Mischief

"Good morning, President."

"Yes, you look very handsome today as well."

"If you don't mind, could we have lunch together?"

"..."

Kaguya Shinomiya's sharp eyes scanned the bold letters on a note clutched in her hands: "Pick-up skills that even monkeys can learn."

She froze.

"This… Hayasaka, what is this?"

"It's your cheat sheet, Miss Kaguya," replied Hayasaka Ai, maintaining a composed expression as though the absurd title on the note was completely irrelevant. "Follow these steps, and the president will be utterly enchanted by your charms."

Kaguya frowned. "...Why does this look like something meant for... primates?"

"It's an unfortunate side effect of the pen's ink running dry midway."

"..."

Instead of questioning further, Kaguya turned her focus to the supposed advice. "Do I really have to say such things to the president? Isn't this a bit... embarrassing?"

Hayasaka gave a solemn nod. "Absolutely. Social etiquette is important, Miss Kaguya. This is a straightforward approach."

The truth was far from Kaguya's comfort zone, especially as Hayasaka had omitted far more daring suggestions from the note. A direct confession? Out of the question. With Kaguya's current state of denial, even asking Natsukawa Kanade for lunch felt like a Herculean task.

"Well… fine. I'll give it a shot."

Despite her reservations, Kaguya was determined. But after clearing her morning duties at the speed of light, she posted herself at the school gates to catch the president. However, as the minutes ticked by and the class bell loomed closer, her heart sank. The president wasn't coming today.

The Angel's Dilemma

Shiina Mahiru was a girl who seemed like perfection incarnate—a kind, elegant beauty who carried herself with an aura of serenity. She treated everyone with fairness and kindness... with one exception: Natsukawa Kanade.

Their first meeting was anything but picturesque.

It was a gloomy, rainy evening. Mahiru had been sitting alone in an empty park, letting the rain drench her. The weight of her mother's cold words—calling her an "unwanted child"—had driven her into despair. It was in this vulnerable state that Kanade appeared.

He approached with a small umbrella, a calm smile on his face.

"Angel, do you need a broad shoulder?"

Mahiru's initial thought? What a self-assured, irritating man.

"I don't want to be an 'angel,'" she retorted sharply, still seething with emotion. "Please leave me alone."

Kanade paused, his easygoing demeanor softening. "I see... but if you stay here, you might catch a cold."

"That's none of your concern," she shot back, unwilling to let him probe further into her vulnerability.

Kanade seemed to take her rebuff in stride, quietly sitting down on a nearby swing. Despite the rain-soaked seat and his own growing discomfort, he simply stayed by her side, gazing at the overcast sky.

Mahiru, still overwhelmed by her emotions, ignored him at first. But after some time, the weight of his silent presence began to chip away at her defenses.

"What do you want?" she demanded.

Kanade turned, startled by her sudden outburst. "I thought... maybe staying here with you would help."

"Why?"

"I don't want to see anyone hurt themselves," he said simply, his voice sincere. "There's always someone in the world who'd feel sad for you."

His words struck a chord in her, though she refused to show it.

She scowled. "Stop meddling. Just go."

Kanade hesitated but eventually left, leaving his umbrella behind.

The next day, as fate would have it, Kanade ended up sick from the rain. He stubbornly attended school, only to collapse outside his house.

When Mahiru found him lying unconscious, she knew she couldn't ignore him. Her upbringing wouldn't allow her to abandon someone in need, not even the infuriating boy from the park.

She brought him into his home, cared for him through the night, and eventually nursed him back to health.

A Complicated Connection

From that rainy evening onward, their paths began to intertwine. Mahiru found herself drawn to Kanade's unwavering optimism and warmth, even as she resisted the notion of their bond being anything more than friendship.

Kanade, however, wasn't one to hide his feelings.

"Shiina, I like you," he confessed one day, his tone uncharacteristically serious.

Mahiru froze, a wave of panic overtaking her.

"Why… Why would you say that?!" she stammered, her usual composure crumbling.

Kanade's expression softened. "Because I don't want you to misunderstand me anymore. I care about you."

Mahiru's mind raced. If I accept this… everything will change.

"No! I need... I need some time," she blurted before fleeing, leaving Kanade standing alone.

A Glimpse of Vulnerability

Back in the present, Mahiru habitually glanced at Kanade's empty seat in their shared classroom. Since their shared confession, she had kept her distance, grappling with her emotions and the potential consequences of letting her guard down.

"Did Kanade not come to school today?" she murmured to herself.

Her mind wandered to that rainy evening once again. The umbrella he had left with her—their first connection—now felt symbolic of the warmth she both cherished and feared.