écriture fatale

by crisis rain

Disclaimer: Kaichou wa Maid-sama!/Maid-sama! belongs to Fujiwara Hiro. Fiction plot & originals belong to crisis rain. No infringement intended.

"Hisui, be my woman."

Nothing but the sound of her heartbeat against his could be heard in the quiet of the office. Hisui wondered for a hazy moment if she had heard correctly, or if she was just simply dreaming.'This can't be real. Tora wouldn't say that.' A painful thud resounded inside her chest when she recalled his words that night at the charity ball. 'That's right… I'm just a plaything!' Hands pushed against his chest, breaking her free from his grasp. She felt like her head was swimming underwater, and she was unable to breathe.

"What about Chiyo's feelings?!" She angrily retorted this time, finding her own voice in the midst of everything that was going on. 'That's right, he's engaged! He shouldn't be saying this to me.' Chiyo was also important to her – despite having only known the girl for such a short period of time, Chiyo was the one who saved her during the time she needed the most help. She couldn't do this to a friend. She couldn't let him do this to her.

Tora's brow furrowed; irritated. Taking a step forward, forcing her to take one back; he slammed his hands against the door behind her, forcing her to look at him. "What about your feelings? Why can't you just be honest with yourself? Stop hiding everything away because it's convenient."

A panic-stricken look crossed in her eyes as she fearfully gazed back at him. His words struck her like a hammer hitting a nail in its head. "I…"

Why does Igarashi Tora make her feel the way she feels?

The sudden realization hit her like a riptide, tossing and twirling her emotions before dragging it against a ragged shore; it left behind a raw bareness that was almost painful, if not bittersweet. A sob dislodged itself from her throat, and she covered her mouth with her hands, trying to contain it – but not the tears, the tears fell and rolled over her trembling hands that were overcome with emotion.

Kogarashi Hisui realized for the first time that she probably, most likely, no, definitely loved him.

He is lecherous, arrogant, and so infuriatingly good at what he does – yet, he shows that he cares, his kindness often hidden in a double layer behind his actions. He is straightforward yet ambiguous; merciless yet compassionate. Perhaps she might not have fallen for him from the very beginning, having come in contact from the start had sparked something that set in motion a turn of events that led them here. It would be cheesy to say that it was destiny, because she didn't believe in that sort of thing, but she couldn't believe everything was due to coincidence.

His hand came up to wipe the tears from her face. Tora remained silent as he gently brushed her face, and gave a reassuring pat on her head. "Have you realized it now?" He smirked, but there was a twinge of genuine happiness in his grin despite looking like the face of a haughty winner. Slowly, her hands dropped away, and past the crying, the dizziness began to set in.

With these newfound feelings, she felt like her heart was going to burst just simply being beside him. Her breathing sped up; her face flushed with color. "T-Tora, I… I-I um..."

Her words trailed off, as if her body was captivated by a dream, and she watched his face lean forwards, kissing her. She couldn't protest – her body wouldn't let her – and slowly her eyes closed, feeling his mouth tighten over hers and quickly losing herself in the passion. His hands began to roam; fingers curled around the tie that held her jacket in place before expertly loosening its hold. He felt her gasp in their kiss, but was undeterred; if perhaps more motivated by her open displays of reserved shyness, which made her even more adorable.

"Tora, w-wait – mmm!" Hisui squeezed her eyes shut, feeling his mouth trailing kisses down her neck and sending a shiver down her spine. His hands gripped around her waist, lifting her up and she felt her world spin, before she landed down softly against the cushioned seat of the sofa in his office. She could feel the sofa sink in when he would push his knee down on it, as he climbed on top and continued his servicing; his hand resting on her thigh as he slipped it beneath the folds of her dress, caressing the thin fabric of her pantyhose. Hisui jerked back in reaction; her hands clenched around his wandering hand, face burning.

"W-Wait! You… you shouldn't touch…" Her voice came out in a whimper, and she could barely recognize it. Tora only smirked knowingly back in return, and with his free hand, pulled her jacket loose in response. "Don't you remember? I know your body better than anyone else." He planted a kiss on her collar, triumphantly smiling to himself as he felt her hands loosened their hold only to press against his chest before her fingers curled into fists, grabbing onto his shirt tightly. "And your body is pretty honest, Hisui."

Biting down on her lip, Hisui tried to weather the waves of sensation rocking her body. Tora was the only person who was capable of bringing her down with his touch. "That's because I… ah!" She stopped mid-sentence, as he seized the folds of her borrowed uniform jacket, ripping it open and dipping his head down as helped himself to her. She felt the brush of his teeth against her skin, and instinctively her hands laced around his head, fingers digging into the short tresses of his hair. That's because I love your touch…!

"Because you…? What is it?" A mischievous glint appeared in his eyes as he gazed back at her, his fingers playfully tracing the outline of her brassiere. Her face completely red now, Hisui could only look at him with an equally guilty, equally embarrassed look. She quickly glanced away, instantly remembering the state of undress she was in. "I-I can't, this is too embarrassing…"

"If you love me, just say so." Tora whispered in her ear, crouching closer to her. He loved teasing her, and he loved her shy dishonesty; it only fueled him more in his desire to make her completely his. Her heart pounded heavily, and he could hear it. "Your body is saying it loud and clear." He kissed her mouth again, coming harder this time around; she could hear his breath against hers, ragged, impatient… straining. He wanted all of her – right now, right this instant.

Her conscious was ringing alarm bells but the sound was drowned out by impulses of desire. She found herself returning his kisses, and at her reciprocation, Tora seized the opportunity as a green light; his hands wandered again, cupping the bottom of her thigh before pushing it up, hoisting himself on top as his other hand reached for his belt –

A knock sounded against the door, and abruptly he stopped, pausing for a moment before growling in frustration. "What is it?!" His voice rang out, irritated; a clear sign to tell whoever was intruding, to go away. The knocking paused for a moment, before Maki's voice came through.

"President, I have Sakurai Chiyo in the waiting room.

The hot-blooded rush that she felt moments ago turned to ice, as if her whole body had been dunk into cold water. Hisui glanced back at Tora, who looked more disappointed at the fact that he was interrupted, than the overbearing thought that he was cheating on his fiancée, who was currently sitting right outside of his office.

Hisui quickly sat up, wrapping the jacket he had pried off just moments ago, tightly back around her chest. Her face was burning; her eyes glittered with regret. Tora looked down at her, his scowl softening. "Hisui, don't be upset –"

"I-I'm sorry, I made a mistake." She tried to get off, but he held her arm back, before holding her tightly in his arms for the last time. "There's a bathroom suite to your left. Go, quickly." With a whisper, he pressed a kiss against the back of her neck, before releasing her. Hisui looked back at him, uncertain for a moment, but Maki's knocking came back again, prompting her to flee. His hands, clutching hers for a moment, felt it slip away.

"It's not a mistake. And you know it." He murmured quietly after her, but it was loud enough for her to hear. She closed the bathroom door behind her with a quiet snap.

"President?"

Tora cleared his throat, straightening his collar before tightening his tie, trying to look a bit more presentable. "Have her come in, Maki."

The doors slowly opened, and Maki would step in first, glancing around quickly. "And your previous guest?" He would inquire lightly, trying to keep the president's secret as ambiguous as possible.

"It's all finished business now." Tora would reply tiredly, before beckoning Maki with a hand. "Bring Chiyo in."

Maki nodded, and the door widened as he would step to the side, bowing politely before the long-haired heiress. She would nervously smile back at Tora, giving him a polite bow of her own, and entered his office with the small steps she took.

"O-Oh, I'm sorry… were you with someone, T-Tora-san?" Chiyo would worriedly ask, cupping her hands together anxiously. "I thought I heard voices, and I feel very rude for intruding…"

Tora absolved her worries by wearing the usual, gentlemanly smile he was accustomed to showing. "You aren't intruding whatsoever. I just got off a business conference call, that's all…" Chiyo sighed a breath of relief, following him further inside his office. She took a seat down at the sofa, and paused for a moment, her hand touching the cushion. It was warm. Tora eyed her carefully.

"So, what brings you here today?" He would chime in, breaking her attention away from the furniture she seemed to be dwelling over. Chiyo glanced up worriedly, clasping her hands together when she remembered the reason why she was here. "Y-Yes! I just heard about Kogarashi-san." She stammered, looking quite concerned. "Y-You see, we're acquaintances of sorts… I heard about her transfer, and she got into a fight with Saionji-san?"

Tora watched Chiyo lament over Hisui, visibly shaken. Chiyo stood up quickly, bowing. "D-Did you… give her disciplinary punishment? If you did, please I'm begging you to reconsider! Hisui-san is a good person; she wouldn't start fights!"

"Calm down, Chiyo." Tora gently replied, placing a hand on her head in a pat. "I merely untangled their argument, and let them off with a light warning. No one was punished." Chiyo looked up, a look of relief washing over her face.

"R-Really? I'm so glad." She let out a small laugh, feeling a little silly for worrying so much. Tora watched her tender expressions with a smile.

"You're a good friend, Chiyo." He would state aloud, prompting his fiancée to blush at his compliment. "I can tell how you worry about her."

Chiyo twiddled her fingers together, a happy smile spread across her face. "T-Thank you, Tora-san…"

This was going to be difficult, he thought, as he continued to smile back at her, hand giving her a childish pat on the head.

She had managed to find her back back to class, one way or another, but by that time half of the afternoon was over and she had skipped through almost two periods worth of classes. Surprising her classmates by showing up in a Miyabigaoka uniform, she had to wait until the end of the day to change back into her uniform, which was dry by then. Assuring Aya and Chie that, she was let go with a small warning (though, couldn't quite convince them why a small warning constituted upwards of almost an hour and a half) and that no one was in trouble.

Perhaps, not quite yet.

At last, the day was over, and Hisui soon found herself staring outside the bus window, tiredly leaning against it. Her heart was still thumping, and his face kept straying into her mind. The phantom brushes of his hands and touch sent a shiver through her body, and she folded her arms tightly over one another to keep herself from shaking. Perhaps if she sleep for a little bit, her body would soon forget his touch…

"Hisui-chan seems really out of it ever since she got sent to the Student Council office." Chie quietly murmured, looking worriedly at Hisui who fell asleep against the windowpane of her seat. "I wonder what happened."

"Perhaps we should ask her sometime later, when she's not so stressed out." Aya would suggest kindly, and Chie and Teranishi nodded in agreement. "I've a feeling that President Igarashi is not as kind as he seems to be." Teranishi frowned at her words. Shinohara was quite perceptive.

"We should all best take care not to tread on those Miyabigaoka students' shoes." He added, leaning back with a dark scowl. "Hisui took one for the team today. We should be thankful for her."

Chie covered her mouth, trying to refrain a snort of laughter. "Teehee, Teranishi there you go again… calling Hisui-tan by her name now, huh?" Teranishi threw her a look of surprise. Aya, who merely smirked back knowing, only amplified the flush on his face.

"W-What's it to you, Endou?! Huh? And not you too, Shinohara!"

Their bickering would continue nonstop to the train station, but it didn't rouse the sleeping girl one bit.

Rubbing her eyes as she got off the bus, she would tiredly smile and wave goodbye to her classmates. "Goodnight! I'll see everyone tomorrow." As everyone went along their separate ways, Hisui watched the bus roll out of sight from the bus stop, and quickly glanced around as she tried to gather her bearings. "Let's see… which road should I take again…"

A hand clapped down on her shoulder. "Sui." The unmistakable voice of Gouki called out, and she swiveled her head upwards, glancing back at her childhood friend in surprise. "Gouki!"

"Yo. My mom just texted me to come pick you up. We're having dinner at your place, apparently?" Taking her schoolbag despite her protest, he shrugged it over on top of his own bag, slinging it over his shoulder. "I'm supposed to pick you up."

"Oh. That's a pleasant surprise." Hisui found herself warmly smiling back as her life was starting to fall back in order. "I wonder what Mom's gonna cook tonight." As they walked along, Gouki who usually snuck glances at her, felt something flutter in his chest just glancing at her dressed in the fancy, new uniform. He sniggered, catching the attention of his neighbour.

"What's so funny?" She curiously inquired, immediately looking suspicious.

"Well… you're dressed up like a snobby, rich girl while I'm wearing Seisen's rags and holding your bag for you." Gouki grinned. "Am I right? Ojou-sama."

She lightly hit his arm in protest. "Rich girls don't walk home, either! Let's talk when you drive me home."

In the midst of their banter and laughing, Gouki noticed the reddened marks on her neck. He didn't recall seeing them there before. Curiously leaning down to get a closer look, he couldn't quite tell what it was, exactly. "Hisui, when did you get a rash? Are you allergic to something?"

Her heart jumped, and she clapped a hand down on her neck, looking a little nervous. "O-Oh, really? I didn't notice that… sorry, it must look unsightly…" She gazed back at Gouki with a bead of sweat trailing down her forehead. Luckily for her, Gouki didn't seem to realize what a 'hickey' was, let alone what one looked like. Her face burned a little when she recalled her little tryst with Tora just hours ago. 'That damn…! He must've did this on purpose.'

"Let's get you home and put a compress on it later." Gouki suggested, and grabbed her hand as he quickened his pace. Hisui's heart ached and bit her lip, nodding wordlessly and followed him. Sometimes she felt like she didn't deserve his thoughtfulness.

When they had reached home, they spotted Gouki's mother exiting the front door of the Aratake residence, carrying a large stew pot in her hands. "Gouki, I'll take the bags in; you go help your mother." Hisui smiled and Gouki nodded, handing the schoolbags over. As he dropped them into her hands, she was shocked to feel how heavy his bag was in particular, and she nearly buckled from its weight.

"Sheesh, Sui! Be careful!" He scolded her, and worried for a moment, decided to help her regain a proper hold on the bags before darting off to carrying the heavy pot for his mother. She would glance up with a bright smile, seeing her son was home to help her do the heavy lifting. "Ah, Gouki. Excellent timing. Bring this into Hisui-chan's house, would you?"

Hisui peeked inside his bag. Nothing but textbooks and work materials. Her heart clenched. He was working really hard lately, it seems.

"C'mon, Sui! Stop being a slowpoke!" He shouted at her, before disappearing into her front door. She cracked a smile, and quickly followed.

As they entered the Kogarashi residence, Sayaka quickly greeted Gouki, ushering him to the kitchen. "Oh my, Gouki-kun! Please, set it down on the kitchen table. Dinner's almost ready." With a nod, he grunted with some effort as he stepped out of his shoes and continued to carry his mother's stew into the house. "Hisui! How was your first day at school?" Her mother eagerly greeted her daughter, helping her by bringing in her schoolbags in. "C-Careful, Gouki's bag is really heavy!" Hisui warned, and her mother chuckled knowingly, gripping both bags tightly. "Your mother isn't that weak!"

Stepping into her house slippers and making her way after Gouki quickly, Hisui stepped into the kitchen, taking in the scent of dinner happily. Everything smelled so wonderful.

"Hisui, be a dear and help set the dining table, would you?" Her mother's voice floated down the hallway. "Okay!" She responded. Opening the cabinet, she reached for several plates to bring out to the dining room. Tiptoeing as she tried to reach it with just her fingertips, she managed to dislodge the top plate from its stack, but it slipped down and she gasped –

– until Gouki's hand clamped over it, catching the plate before it could fall down. Hisui froze, feeling him lean against her back with his last-minute catch. "Be careful." He softly spoke, putting the plate down carefully on the counter beside her. "If it's too high up to reach just let me do it." He would lift the stack of plates with ease, setting it down on the table for her. Hisui felt her cheeks tinge in embarrassment, but moreso, she could feel his body's muscle constrict tightly when he reached for those plates.

She slapped herself with both palms against her cheeks in an attempt to clear her head of such thoughts. What on earth was she thinking?! Did Igarashi Tora have that kind of effect as well?

"Sui?" He looked at her quizzically, and she stammered out an awkward laugh. "Are you okay?"

"Y-Yep! I'm good! Sorry, I'll leave the plates to you, I'll grab the chopsticks!" She darted around him, quickly reaching for a drawer from behind, and began to rummage around for the utensils.

Gouki raised a brow.

The Kogarashi and Aratake families sat in the Kogarashi's dining room, seated along a large table laden with a large spread of food. Katsuo had made it back home in time from the hospital, and Gorou had finished his shift from work, bringing together a completion of the families that had gathered together for dinner that night. Hisui sat contemplatively, taking a sip of water from her glass. Gouki cast her a quick glance, wondering if she was simply not hungry, or if she was still being weird from earlier.

"It's been awhile since we've all sat down together for dinner like this, right?" Sayaka softly smiled, serving her guests each with a generous bowl of rice. "But we're celebrating tonight over Hisui and Gouki's good news!"

Both Hisui and Gouki looked up from their meal, question marks shining in their eyes. "Good news?" They both echoed in unison; each one equally as confused as the other.

"Why, yes! We have very good news." Karen smiled knowingly back at Sayaka, before shooting her son a hard look. "On the condition that Gouki passes his entrance exams, that is." At his mother's goading, he glared back at her. "I've been studying!" He protested loudly, picking up a piece of his grilled mackerel.

The image of his textbooks and how heavy his schoolbag echoed briefly in Hisui's mind. She blinked, staring down at her cup and picked up her chopsticks. She could vouch for the fact that Gouki was studying, for sure. "So what's the good news?" She would ask, popping a bundle of rice she picked up with her chopsticks, into her mouth.

"Well… remember the Maldives trip your father and I won at the charity ball? We're thinking the two of you can go on the trip together." Sayaka beamed.

Immediately Katsu began to choke on his food, prompting his wife to gently pat his back, tutting her tongue. "Oh dear, be careful when you swallow…" He wheezed, his mind spiraling at the thought of sending his daughter alone on a trip overseas with the neighbour's boy.

Katsuo wasn't the only one who had a similar reaction, as Gouki spat out his grilled fish, nearly coughing up the remnants of his dinner in return. Gorou immediately wrapped his son in a headlock, spinning him around with their backs turned against the table. He leaned in close, huddling his son as his voice drop down to a whisper.

"Son…" He started sternly. Gouki gulped. He never knew his laidback father had it in him to be strict for once in his life.

"...don't fail those entrance exams." Gorou replied solemnly. Gouki's jaw dropped. His father nudged to Gouki's right, where Hisui was seated. She seemed genuinely surprised at the prospect of things, but despite the shock she held her composure together.

"You see that? That's the kinda girl you wanna end up with. Yer real lucky she takes on after her mother's looks." His eyes would sidle over to a smiling Sayaka, who perhaps back in the day, would've been considered a real yamato-nadeshiko; her feminine beauty and grace still shining through despite her age. "Unfortunately, I ended up with your mother instead." Gorou cleared his throat, hoping his wife wouldn't hear. He nodded seriously to his son, before flashing him a thumbs up. "Good luck, son."

"Gorou." Karen's steely voice came across the table. "What on earth are you doing, huddling suspiciously with your son?"

Her husband turned around with a loud laugh, slapping Gouki on the back as they returned to face the rest of the occupants of the dining table. "Just instilling some words of encouragement to Gouki! Passing entrance exams is no joke!"

Gouki's burning face said otherwise.

"A-Are you sure this is a good idea, dear?" Katsuo faintly asked, dabbing his perspiring forehead with a napkin. "It's all the way in the Maldives, all by themselves…"

"They're young, and I'm sure they're responsible enough to go unattended for once." Sayaka replied firmly. "Why waste the chance to send our children to another part of the world so that they can explore a little?"

"W-Well… I suppose that's true…"

Hisui bit the tip of her chopsticks, before setting it back down. "W-Well, I don't particularly mind… I mean, the tickets would go to waste if we don't use it, right?" She would logically conclude. "If mom and dad can't use it because they're going to be visiting grandma… then I suppose that's not a bad idea. Right, Gouki?"

He couldn't look at her father in the eyes, but keeping his nervous eyes downcast, he nodded vehemently, sweat dribbling down his face and a goofy smile cracked across his face like an opened egg. "S-Sure! If Sui says so!"

"Then that's settled!" Sayaka clapped her hands together with delight. "I hope you two have a great week together in the Maldives!"

Gouki's head exploded in a cloud of steam over Sayaka's words. "W-Week?" He weakly asked, hands gripping around his glass of water and quickly chugging it down.

"Yes! It's for the Golden Week holiday. Think of all the fun you two will have!" Sayaka innocently smiled back. "Make sure you two pack lots of sun lotion!"

Gorou gripped his son by the nape of his neck, yanking him down before whispering again. "I'll uh, make sure to get you a pack of… that later."

"Dad!" Gouki roared aloud, his face searing in embarrassment. "Just drink your damn beer, for Christ's sake!"

Hisui quietly sipped her soup, curiously wondering what the seasonal temperatures were like in the Maldives and what sort of clothes she should pack for the trip. She supposed it'll be something for her to look into later.

A month slipped by quickly, and as the weather showed no signs of becoming any more milder, the atmosphere was considerably warmer in the month of February. After her harrowing first day at Miyabigaoka, Hisui focused on her lessons a bit more intently in hopes of clearing her head and her heart from coming in contact with Igarashi Tora. She would occasionally spot the Student Council President in the common areas that the Oukashou students shared with the Miyabigaoka students, but she would purposefully avert his gaze or avoid him. She had to steer clear of him.

He was clearly trouble.

Occasionally she would touch her neck, purely out of habit, and even though his love marks had faded quickly, she could still feel some sort of lingering presence of his on her body.

As the day's lessons had concluded, Hisui leaned back in her chair with a sigh; her hands straightening out the notebooks on her desk into a neat pile. She wasn't expecting to see Chie's face center her immediate field of vision however, and she jerked back in surprise to see her cheery friend grin widely at her. "C-Chie!"

"Hisui… are you free today after school?" Chie leaned forwards, cupping her chin with her hands as she rested her elbows on Hisui's desk. "We're gonna go shopping for chocolates!"

Hisui gazed expectantly back at her friend, before tilting her head to one side. "Chocolates?"

"Valentine's' Day, for goodness' sake, Hisui! Val. Len. Tine's. Day!" She would emphasize each syllable carefully to drive her point home. Hisui's brow knitted together worriedly. "Valentine's Day? People still celebrate that?"

Chie slammed a hand down in protest, startling Hisui and a few other students nearby. "How dare you?! Valentine's Day is the one day of the year every self-respecting woman should adhere to!" A snort of vitality came puffing through Chie's nostrils. "A magical day, where you get to confess your love to the guy you like…! Through the power of chocolates! That's what Valentine's Day is about!"

"I… I see…" Hisui would hesitantly reply, cracking a crooked smile.

Somehow she found herself wandering through a confectionary shop after school with Chie and Aya, glancing at the heavily-themed chocolates and packages that were on display. "Spend your special day with the person you love! Grab his heart with these special chocolates!" The advertising screamed romance at every angle. Hisui's eyes wandered from row to row, looking at all sorts of chocolates with some uneasy boredom in her eyes.

"So, Hisui. Have you decided yet?" Chie's voice piped up, and Hisui would tear her gaze away from a plate of fudge, back to her friend. "Decided on what?"

"Who you're gonna give the chocolate to." Chie replied matter-of-factly. "You know, to the guy you like."

"Oh." Hisui's face blushed at Chie's words. A guy she liked. Does that mean Tora?

"Ahh…!" Chie sidled over to Hisui, a knowing smirk fluttering into view. "So you do have someone you like! Your face got all red when I asked!"

"W-Well! It's not too strange for me to like someone… i-is it?" Hisui hotly responded, hoping her hair would hide the flustered look on her face. Chie laughed, patting her on the head. "You're so cute, Hisui. But if you insist, I won't pry. Just think about the love you put in your chocolates for him, okay?"

Hisui watched Chie skip off merrily, basket dangling from the crook of her arm in her pursuit of more romantic chocolates. Her eyes wandered over to a stack of flyers on a table nearby, and she picked one up, curiously.

Seduce him with homemade chocolates – the best kind of chocolate! Win any man's heart with a touch of personality in your gift. Just follow these simple directions on how to get started!

Hisui quietly wondered if Tora was the type of person who would be willing to eat chocolate, let alone something that wasn't made by a high-class chocolatier. Nevertheless, she stuffed the flyer into her schoolbag hastily, saving it for later.

"So." Hanazono Kengo stood in front of the class, hands resting on the edges of his teaching stand. "The Miyabigaoka Student Council has initiated some sort of campaign for us Oukashou folks here, to help integrate school life, blah blah blah, whatever. Usually I don't really care about this kind of crap but since sadly, I am now your homeroom teacher, I'm obligated to give you the news." He lazily announced, earning him a few looks of disapproval and half-lidded stares from his students. "Sheesh, don't look at me like that. Anyway, here's the breakdown. Miyabigaoka wants to induct a host of Oukashou students in their council so that uh, it'll be so-to-speak, more fair or something."

Murmuring and chattering rose from the seated students. "Huh? Join the Student Council? But wouldn't that mean we're just under direct control?"

"Settle down, settle down!" Hanazono raised his hands to quell the chit-chat. "Look, not just anybody can join the student council. For now, they're asking for one student per class, per teacher's recommendation." Hanazono flashed a grin, and the students groaned outwardly. "Your almighty homeroom teacher will pick the representative for class 2-B!"

Hisui froze, before her hands withdrew the envelope she had hidden in her desk. The invitation Hanagata had given to her still sat there, and Tora had made no inclination to pressure her to join just yet. Perhaps… now was the time?

"Kogarashi~" Hanazono would call out, his voice drawling through the silence. "I'm electing you, okay?" Hisui glanced up in shock, fingers immediately dropping the envelope.

"W-What? Seriously?" She muttered, her brow knitting together in a frown. "Sensei, I don't think that I should–"

"You have a meeting at the Student Council after school today, okay?" Hanazono smirked back. "Alrighty! Dismissed!"

A sinking feeling washed over her.

Again, she found herself trudging along the hallways to Igarashi Tora's esteemed Student Council. She was unsure what to bring, save her pens and a notebook in case she needed to jot down notes. Students from various other classes could be seen walking to the same direction. She swallowed hard, and made her way to the entrance of the Student Council.

As expected, she spotted Maki waiting by the entrance, directing students down the hallway she remembered being led through the very first day of school. "All the way down, please." He would order, gesturing to the open door at the end of the corridor. "Please take a seat inside the meeting room. We'll begin shortly."

Hisui took a seat in the large lecture room; there was about 60 or 70 so seats, all arranged neatly amphitheatre-styled with a chalkboard in the center, where she presumed Tora would be situated. Unfurling her things on the desk space provided, she glanced at the board, which had a list of items to be covered in the meeting.

It was headlined, "Bettering School Relations: A Miyabigaoka-Oukashou Student Body Project."

The room soon fell silent as the unmistakable figure of Igarashi Tora took center stage, with Maki and a few other elite-ranking students seated in separate chairs behind the podium. As he glanced across the lecture room, he spotted Hisui glancing back at him, and he returned her glances with a smile.

The lights dimmed, and Hisui gratefully hid her face with her hand, hoping he wouldn't see her blush.

"Thank you for coming today. I've gathered you all here with a project proposal I hope you all will participate in. So let's get to the point." Tora grinned, relishing in the tense atmosphere of the Oukashou students seated before him.

"I believe adjusting to the Miyabigaoka campus life has been difficult, if not, not unscathed with a few bruises here and there." He would refer his last comment to incidents similar to the one Hisui had encountered, she surmised. "Certainly we all have our differences, but I would like to set that aside for this goal of mine. Oukashou students, would any of you care to share your opinions and feedback about your treatment here at Miyabigaoka thus far?"

The students murmured to themselves, but Hisui could read the reluctance in their tone. Far too many incidents had not gone without threats; and for that, she could understand why they didn't want to be vocal. She began to bite her lip in anticipation, when the room soon fell silent.

"Nobody?"

She found herself standing up; feet pushing against the floor. If no one was going to do it, she might as well crucify herself first. "I have a few statements I could address." She coolly answered, earning her a click of a tongue from Tora. His eyes settled on her; hot like coals, almost sultry, even?

"My first concern is the pricing of the cafeteria lunches." Hisui cleared her throat, not being one to back down from a challenge, accepted his gaze head-on and stared back. "I suppose the prices reflect the standard that Miyabigaoka students are used to, but for Oukashou students, it's fair to say it's a bit outrageous." She placed her palms down against the table. "If we were to propose a budget of sorts that would allow additional lunch sets sold at a fairer price to other students who aren't as well-off, I think that would be fair, and the expense shouldn't be a financial strain." Tora's smile widened at her sarcastic tone at the last portion of her statement.

"Sounds fair. Excellent suggestion. I would hate for Oukashou students to show up to a place of learning, only to leave it hungry." Tora smiled lightly, clapping his hands. "You said you had other feedback, Kogarashi?"

"The freedom for Oukashou students to submit new club applications." Hisui fired back. Chie was on her mind now – as well as the rest of the Health Committee members. "And the request for existing Miyabigaoka clubs to lax their admission requirements–"

"That's not possible." Tora would intervene, still smiling. "Rules are to be followed, and Miyabigaoka's athletic clubs hold an extremely high standard of performance so that we can continue participating at national competitions." Hisui squeezed her hands.

"Then, the creation of new clubs–"

"That can be considered." Tora curtly responded. "At any rate, those are good suggestions. May I speak with you afterwards, regarding the lunch budget you proposed?" His eyes twinkled at her, and his lips rolled back another knowing smirk. Hisui swallowed, feeling her throat strangely dry at the way how he looked at her.

"I'd love to discuss it more with you at length."