Heartbeats and Illusions

A mansion owned by the Shinomiya Group.

In Kaguya Shinomiya's personal dormitory, the heated argument between a master and her servant revolved around the medical examination report lying on the table.

"I refuse to believe this! There's absolutely no way that my body is perfectly fine! This report must be a mistake… or fake! Maybe it got mixed up with someone else's by accident!"

"Miss Kaguya, this report is from the family doctor. It confirms you're in excellent health—no abnormalities whatsoever," Hayasaka Ai responded with her usual calmness, though her tone hinted at exhaustion.

"Hayasaka, as advanced as modern medicine is, it still has its limitations. Blind trust in these reports can lead to dangerous complacency!"

Kaguya, shaking her head firmly, grabbed the medical report and tossed it into the trash can without a second glance.

"I know my own body better than anyone. I'm definitely ill!"

Hayasaka sighed deeply and glanced at the clock, its hour hand creeping past eleven. "Miss Kaguya, if you're convinced of this, then please describe your symptoms in detail."

"For example," Kaguya began, pacing the room, "I've been restless all day, aimlessly wandering the halls."

"Is that because you didn't see Master Natsukawa today?"

"Ridiculous! That has nothing to do with it. I simply found today exceptionally dull. Perhaps because the president wasn't there… to challenge me intellectually," Kaguya stammered, her voice faltering as she tried to maintain composure.

Hayasaka's expression remained stoic, though inwardly, she was reeling. Was this still the composed, brilliant Kaguya Shinomiya she knew? Or had this stubborn child before her been replaced by a lovesick fool?

"Anything else bothering you?" Hayasaka pressed on, masking her growing exasperation.

"Yes, plenty!" Kaguya declared dramatically. "In the student council room, I could hardly breathe unless I sat down."

"Let me guess," Hayasaka said, her tone flat. "You're referring to the chair Master Natsukawa often sits in?"

"Of course! He resigned, leaving me to handle the responsibilities of acting president. Naturally, I must sit in his chair."

Hayasaka nearly choked. Had it already escalated to the point of fetishizing the president's chair? It had only been two days since Natsukawa Kanade resigned!

"Miss, you feel comfortable in that chair because it still carries Master Natsukawa's scent," Hayasaka muttered, her inner turmoil mounting.

"Don't be absurd, Hayasaka! You make it sound like I'm some kind of pervert obsessed with the president's smell," Kaguya retorted, waving her arms defensively.

"Then why are you so fixated on his shampoo? Or is it cologne? Shall I investigate this for you?" Hayasaka deadpanned.

Kaguya froze for a moment, then nodded decisively. "Yes, investigate. Find out what he uses."

Hayasaka rubbed her temples, suppressing her growing irritation. Pulling out her phone, she dialed a number.

"Moshi moshi, this is Miss Kaguya's maid, Hayasaka Ai," she said, her voice deliberately loud.

"Hmph! Don't waste your time, Hayasaka. The president must be asleep by now," Kaguya muttered, folding her arms.

To her shock, the line connected, and Natsukawa Kanade's voice came through, clear and calm. "Hello, what can I do for you?"

"President?!" Kaguya squeaked, her composure crumbling in an instant.

Hayasaka held back a smirk and handed the phone to her flustered mistress. "Master Natsukawa, Miss Kaguya wishes to speak with you directly."

Kaguya grabbed the phone hesitantly, her hands trembling. Straightening her back, she mustered her most dignified tone. "Good evening, President."

"Good evening, Shinomiya," came the reply, his voice warm yet formal.

The conversation, however, came to an abrupt standstill.

Kaguya stood frozen, her mind racing with images. Was the president reading a book? Perhaps he had just finished a shower, his hair still damp…

Meanwhile, Hayasaka watched her mistress spiral into fantasyland. This wasn't the Kaguya Shinomiya she knew. Where was the elegant, brilliant lady of the Shinomiya family?

With an exaggerated sigh, Hayasaka snatched the phone back. "Apologies, Master Natsukawa. The signal here is terrible, so we'll continue this discussion tomorrow." Without waiting for a response, she hung up.

On the other end, Natsukawa Kanade stared at his phone, the full signal bars mocking Hayasaka's excuse.

"Why did you hang up?!" Kaguya exclaimed. "I wanted to talk to him more!"

Hayasaka pinched the bridge of her nose, suppressing the urge to scream. "Miss, you were completely silent! In your current state, you can't hold a coherent conversation with him. Please, go to bed."

"But—"

"Now!"

The hour hand ticked closer to midnight, and Hayasaka's patience was wearing thin. If this pattern continued, she'd be sleep-deprived for days.

Reluctantly, Kaguya acquiesced. "Fine. Tomorrow, I'll meet the president and conduct myself properly."

As Kaguya drifted off to sleep, her heart replayed the sound of Natsukawa's voice saying, "Good evening, Shinomiya."

Meanwhile, Hayasaka gathered the discarded medical reports and sighed. She needed a plan—one that would help Kaguya confront her true feelings before she lost her mind… or her maid.