It's been a while since Ishigami and Iino started dating, but did their relationship even change that much?


Please enjoy!

Encouraging comments, kind remarks, or criticism is always appreciated.


Iino Miko cannot understand

~ Two weeks earlier ~

"I… I accept your confession, Ishigami."

Two students stand in front of the gates of one of the most prestigious schools on the grounds of Japan, in which they partake in student council affairs. Even if these positions require a certain level of skill, both lack the ability to communicate with others in an anxiety-free way. It cost Iino a lot of effort to give him a proper answer to his question, so she could only imagine how nervous he might've been during his confession yesterday.

"I wasn't wrong? You really like me?"

The blue-haired boy points with a finger one himself. His facial expression could only be described as perplexed. Apparently, it's not her feelings that matter to him at the moment; the taller student just wants to know if he was right about her the whole time.

That wasn't how the brunette expected things to go. She prepared for a "I'm glad you like me", a coy smile and silence afterwards, even a fight of some sort, but he reacts in a completely different manner. Iino blushes.

She confronts him with an aggressive stand, leaning towards him, stiffening her arms, and pouting.

"Were you expecting a rejection, or what?"

Ishigami seems to have annoyed her, letting him fail his objective of diminishing the toxic side of their relationship at the first possible opportunity. Nonetheless, his girlfriend's behaviour conjures a smile to his face.

"N-no, sorry. I was just so happy, I couldn't believe you actually want to date me."

The short girl's heart skips a beat, flustering her even more. 'Ishigami said he's happy about us dating, didn't he?' The auditor crosses her arms, looking in another direction, wanting to play her emotions for him off cool.

"It's fine."

"This tsundere-act doesn't suit you at all, Iino."

His voice and words weight heavy on her.

"What was that?"

"Your demeanour. It's not how you want to treat me, is it?"

His visible eye has bags under it. He slept bad last night. The rest of his face is covered with his hair. It's hard to make out what he thinks of this situation. The brown-eyed girl starts to fidget. 'How I want to treat you?' Her hands are folded, and she inches towards him, not able to look her crush in the eyes anymore. Ishigami scratches his neck, glowing a bit himself, not able to do something romantic.

"Um… indecent acts on school property aren't allowed. That's why-"

"We're not on school ground yet."

"But showing affection so openly could spread nasty rumours… that's why we shouldn't behave like a couple in the open…"

The treasurer looks around, not seeing a soul at this time of the day. Not even teachers or members of the discipline committee are around, except for the one with the moral dilemma in front of him. As if the gods themselves want Iino's excuses to fail.

"I can't see any-"

Feeling a light force pushing against his chest, the taller student stops his train of thought. Ishigami got what he wanted. Promptly, he encloses Iino with his arms. Both feel each other's warmth. She's holding onto his jacket and shirt, tugging on it with her slender fingers. It's a moment of bliss for both, forgetting the world around them; they don't feel lonely.

'Sometimes she really reminds me of a child. Her small physique, her proud attitude, her childish way of showing affection…'

Deciding that after what felt like an eternity, it's now time to end their hug, the treasurer lets go of her slowly. The young couple looks in each other's eyes for the first time since their short dispute, causing the blue-haired boy's heart to accelerate. Her face is entirely consumed by her pulsating, red blood. The corners of her eyes are wet. She's breathing unevenly. Only her smile gives away, that she's not suffering from a disease but actually enjoying this sensation. The male part isn't aware of how to manage such a situation as it is, but what takes the cake for him is that the short girl's face closes in. She stands on her toes and puckers her lips. 'She wants to…?!'

"Not here, not now, Iino… S-sorry…"

She lets go of his shirt and jacket. The air around them becomes unpleasant. Her disappointment is noticeable from ten miles away, but she doesn't want their first romantic endeavour to end like this.

"We will continue this another time, r-right? Not in the public, somewhere where we won't be disturbed. That's what was on your mind, wasn't it Ishigami?"

Her smile. The auditor didn't lose it even if he behaved like a total idiot. 'Since when did Iino become so cute?' Her cheering up is what the younger student needed. She deserves a just as exhilarative answer.

"I promise."

The eyes of his girlfriend widen. 'When did Ishigami become so reliable?' The brunette avoids his gaze, cramming out her smartphone, in order to check the time and to do something else that might distract her.

"It's so late already, I have to prepare for the morning greetings. Disciplinary committee stuff, you know? Pardon me!"

The short girl stumbles away, still being overwhelmed by all the hormones within her body.

"Ehm… yeah. See you later… a-and don't overwork yourself, you hear?"

A sharp, supressed feminine squeal fills the air, followed by footsteps executed in fast succession, which reminded the baffled boy more of running than anything else. She holds her mouth shut, while running past the gates of Shuchiin Academy. There is only one thing on the fleeing girl's mind. 'He cares for me.'

A few seconds pass, before both come back to their senses again.

"That went well overall, didn't it?"

Thus, Ishigami Yuu experienced his first reciprocated confession while Iino Miko wasn't caught in a spiral of unrequited love anymore.

~ The present day, one day after the student council learnt about Iino and Ishigami dating ~

Nothing worthwhile mentioning happened between those two during this time span. They held hands less than five times and didn't hug again. Their relationship travelled back to a point on which they barely acknowledged the other's existence. The female part got worried, that her boyfriend might already be tired of her, or that him getting a girlfriend was just some kind of achievement for him. The auditor let her crush know that she wanted to spend time with him; she even wrote a note during class, something the brunette never took into consideration beforehand. Ishigami always dodged her invitations to shared lunch, walking her home, or any free-time activity together. But as much as Iino matured during the past year in the stucon, she still struggled to realise that it wasn't her fault that their relationship isn't progressing. 'Did I push it the kiss?' This thought always sneaked on her mind, after the anger of the treasurer's refusals burned down within her. The worst thing was that she couldn't ask anyone for help. The brown-eyed girl was eager to keep their relationship a secret, and even if someone knew, most people wouldn't understand the struggles of two outsiders. All this accumulated stress led her to the conclusion to just continue as if nothing happened between them. Waiting for him to be proactive.

Since it's Saturday and school's officially over, the classroom's empty earlier than usual, and it's Iino's task to tidy the place up this week. No one's around to help her, but she manages as she always does. The only difference being the gaze she throws at the classroom doors from time to time, hoping for something, or more precisely for someone, to 'happen'.

After the last chair's put in place, she figures that all of her ideas of him showing up either to help or be with her were an illusion. Sighing, she leaves the classroom, closing the door behind her. 'Don't be sad, Miko. Nothing particular changed for the worse, no? People are more appreciative of you, and… and…' Tears form at the corner of her eyes, while she's walking down the hallway. 'It's not just you your classmates started to like more lately, right? There is someone else they treated like an outcast before, and now they get to know his qualities… especially the girls…' She leaves the school building, making her way to the gates. Anger and jealousy building up within her. 'No… I should be happy for him. He deserves happiness, too. But I kind of have the feeling that this string of being disliked connected us, and now it's breaking apart.' Turning towards her home at the front gate, she spies that someone is waiting for the brooder. Her negative emotions are washed away in one quick swift, while she fastens her pace wanting to be close to them as fast as possible.

"Sorry for being busy all week, Iino. I just wanted to spend some quality time with the president before he's gone in a few weeks."

Just hearing his reason for being so dismissive of her during the last week puts her heart to ease. 'At least he is realising his behaviour.' Standing next to him now, she looks directly into his visible eye. This is enough for her to get nervous. 'I'm never able to tell how you feel about me because of your haircut, Ishigami…'

"I wanted to walk you home, if that's okay with you."

"Of course it is… I mean, if it doesn't bother you… yeah, why not?"

'Calm down, Miko! You can't let him know how desperate you are for his affection; he'll surely abuse your weakness sooner or later…' The tilting head of the treasurer is enough to fluster her. 'Ishigami's worried about me again!'

"B-but if you have anything more important to do, don't bother with me. I know my way home, you know? I've walked it home all by myself for the last week, you know? Even though there might be a stalker following me, you know?"

"Subtle criticism acknowledged. Now, let's go."

Immediately running to his side, as soon as he started walking, the auditor starts to tug on his trousers. It's the usual indication to let him know that she wants him to hold her hand. Or at least the treasurer thinks so. And it's effective. Ishigami grabs her hand without much of a delay, much to the surprise and joy of the short girl. 'Is this fast acting his way of making up for last week? Maybe I really misjudged him and being with the president was his only reason for dodging me.' Iino's smile from two weeks prior shows up again, as if its hibernation is over. This doesn't go unnoticed by her boyfriend; he's quite literally staring at the disciplinary officer.

They continue walking without saying much. The sky is bright, the leaves rustle, and it's a bit breezy. The wind accentuates Iino's face since it's blowing her hair back. Still glued on the joyous mood of his shorter classmate, heat starts rising within him, conveyed through the bare connection he shares with her.

The young man suddenly stops, just as his partner expected. His constant staring didn't go unnoticed by the auditor either, but she decided to play the innocent girl. There's no need of being pushy if the blue-eyed boy keeps on being 'cooperative' with her. She glances at him as if she's unaware of what he's planning next.

"What is it, Ishigami?"

Feeling a slight push, without any body contact, Iino finds herself with her back on a wall, and his arm right next to her. This causes her to blush slightly. Nevertheless, the anticipation and overall feeling of being happy predominates. She keeps her hands to herself, has a hard time focussing on his visible eye, but manages to do so. And most important of all, she maintains what the treasurer loves most about her.

"I-I still have a p-promise to fulfil… a-as your boyfriend."

The former cheerleader seems to speed run the last two weeks of their life as a couple in one day. Much to the liking of the brunette. 'So, he didn't forget.' Puckering up her lips once again, Iino regains a positive feeling about their relationship. The brunette is ready for them to get more intimate.

Contrary to the exceptionally brisk boy. 'How can she stay so calm?' Sweat runs down his forehead. Swallowing hard once more, and focussing on his girlfriend's soft lips, he closes his eyes and lets his instincts take over. Ishigami really wants to kiss Iino -

- but someone had other plans for them.

"RIIIIING! RIIIIING!"

The deafening sound of the blue-haired boy's mobile phone interrupts their will to kiss a second time. The taller student quickly crams the pesterer out with significant anger, even cursing. Meanwhile the short girl looks in another direction. 'Is fate this much against us kissing?' She remembers a conversation they had in the beginning of this year. 'Kusare-en you said, right?' The auditor lets her head hang since her boyfriend is taking the call. There is emptiness in her head for a few moments, but just as during the last two weeks, she tries to cheer herself up. 'Don't let this get to your head, Miko. He's really trying. And if we arrive at home, it could get even more romantic.'

"Sorry Iino but I have to go now, stay safe."

He already brought a few steps between them, waving her goodbye. Ishigami's face is hardened, and she can't even say, if he's looking her way.

Iino's alone again. She doesn't even know who to blame. Judging by his reaction, it must've been really serious. Maybe someone close to him died or is in a critical condition. That would be more important than a kiss, obviously. 'Why didn't he at least tell me what's going on?' On the other hand, he never blocked or scarred her off whenever they wrote or talked. Is it her punishment for not being more open about her needs? Tears build up in the corners of her eyes. It's just not fair. All she knows is that she cannot understand. 'Why can't I just be happy with no strings attached?' Stomping on the ground, out of fury, she wants to break down, cry, letting her emotions flow, but it would go against her principles.

The short girl is so absorbed in her own misery that she doesn't realise how someone approaches her from behind.

Today's battle result:
Crushing defeat for Iino


Thank you for reading!

I hope you still like the story so far.

Have a nice day!