Competition!
It could be said that, like everything in the world, humans grow and thrive in competition. Society develops and modernizes through competition.
Even people in the scientific field competed with each other, with the discovery of imaginary numbers in math fueled by the staggeringly epic battles and competition between mathematicians in the 1500s.
It could be said that competition is one of the most crucial parts of youth. Through competition, one will be motivated. To break your own limit. To improve oneself and win.
To compete is to grow. That's why many say you haven't truly enjoyed youth until you enter a competition!
"Or so people like to justify themselves as they crush each other in wars. In reality, competition is nothing more than the self-serving need for accomplishment. Especially in Shuchiin, where everyone is too busy dragging each other down." Hachiman said.
"...You haven't changed in the slightest." Yukino grinned. "Your pessimism is gross, but I'd be an idiot to say it was wrong."
"Can you at least try to be agreeable for once?" Hachiman gawked. "In fairness, you're the one changed the most."
"You think that is the case, Hikigaya-kun?"
"Yeah. You seem happier after the formation of the Public Service Club."
"...I see," Yukino said. "I can say the same about you. Though you still have that bitter outlook, you're significantly softer since you joined the Student Council."
Hachiman rolled his eyes up, remembering all these times he'd beaten girls with slippers in public. Softer, me?
"You can be a little vicious, but isn't it because you now dare to voice your opinion? You don't have the spine to talk back to me when we first met." Yukino pointed. "Considering the silliness around you, I can hardly blame you. I couldn't call you out about that."
"Oh, at least you're self-aware."
One of Yukino's most admirable traits in Hachiman's eyes is her constant self-reflection. Yukino is proud of herself, but unlike Kaguya, Yukino is more than willing to admit her weakness and find a way to address it eventually.
"If I'm not at least self-aware, then my pride will eat me from the inside." Yukino confidently said. "But other than me, you always claim you've done everything for yourself, yet you singlehandedly stabilized the Shuchiin shadow powers and made life better for everyone."
"I did it for my own interest, mostly peace of mind and quiet school life," Hachiman said. "I'm not like you. I'm the least benevolent person in this entire school."
"You know very well I'm nowhere that altruistic, Hikigaya-kun," Yukino said. "Our goal is the same, even if we took a different path to achieve it."
"But our paths are the opposite to each other. I like worming my way into the system while you wish to change it." Hachiman sighed and walked away. "Yet, we keep looping back into the same intersection. I have no clue how it happened."
"Silly Hikigaya-kun, we're confined in the same school. Of course, we'll keep meeting each other." Yukino smiled. "Even if it disgusts me, our fate always crossed. That's the reality of it."
"You know. I was about to say I'm rooting for you in the competition, but maybe I will rethink it." Hachiman jibed. "Besides, you're the one getting provoked into this idiocy."
"Oh, do you perhaps hate Vice President Shinomiya?" Yukino asked weirdly. "And do you think it is unhealthy for the school environment to fight like this?"
"The competition itself is not wrong. In fact, even if this happened in private, you'd still accept it." Hachiman waved his hand dismissively.
"You know me well." She rolled her eyes awkwardly, her lips twitched. Yukino is easy to provoke when it comes to challenges. Even if she doesn't have a personal stake in it.
"The issue is making this open circus. It will split the second year in half, winner be damned." Hachiman said. "All because a spoiled bitchy princess has no clue about what it means to have time, place, and opportunity."
Yukino grimaced. "That's a close friend you're talking about."
"I don't want to hear that from the queen of roasting." Hachiman scoffed.
"Unlike you, I tried my best to pick the words carefully." Yukino chuckled. "But you're right. It is hypocritical of me to point that out."
Only Yukinoshita Yukino could openly stab her friends in the back with her polite but harsh words.
"Besides, hate is too strong of a strong word, but someone should take Shinomiya down a peg and make her realize what's important," Hachiman sighed. "If anyone can do it, it would be you."
"You know it's rare for me to say this, but I'm flattered," Yukino said earnestly. "Thank you for the encouragement. I meant it."
If the needs of the many are the most important, altruism will be the most widespread philosophy of humankind. However, even self-serving kindness can save many. With this in mind, Hikigaya Hachiman and Yukinoshita Yukino separated yet again.
Behind the wall nearby, Hayasaka Ai stood frozen and dumbfounded.
...
The news spread fast, and the fire remained even though five days had passed. Two young, beautiful maidens will face each other with their personal and family pride at stake. Two of the most beautiful girls in the Shuchiin second year would have a face-off to prove which one is more talented.
All because a certain yakuza Princess couldn't shut her mouth and provoked them in public. Had this happened in private? Both girls had every reason to ignore her taunts, but she had to do it in public.
She makes perfectly avoidable conflict unavoidable.
Momo groaned as she pulled her hair. "It's been a week, and Hachiman still gave me the cold shoulder."
"I mean, I'm not saying it was well deserved, but it kinda is," Miyuki remarked. "It WAS his job to reduce tensions between Shuchiin VIPs, and you threw a lighter into a tar pool."
"Hmph, bastard only cares because it was his ex getting involved." Momo grouched.
"...Isn't it BECAUSE you involved his ex that he got mad?" Chika bluntly pointed. Her face was oddly serious. "Of course, Hikki-san took it personally."
"What's your beef with Yukinoshita anyway?" Miyuki winced. "I know they're close, but calling them exes is a bit much."
"What do you call this?" Momo pulled up a picture of Hachiman and Yukino sitting oddly close to each other, even though they looked in the opposite direction and were reading separate books.
The photo wasn't exactly the best quality, most likely taken with a cellphone with haste. But the location was unmistakably the bench in Shuchiin High backyard area.
The Hachiman in the picture is clearly different from the current Hachiman. He looks somewhat thinner, his hair shorter and spiky. His eyes were like that of a dead fish's, and his back was slouching.
Momo was responsible for slapping his back straight after their fated meeting in early September last year.
Literally!
"Wait." Chika widened her eyes. "Their hands..."
Their free hands were this close to touching. In fact, their arms clearly brushed on each other, and neither of them looked embarrassed or mindful.
As if it was the secret reality they lived in, the unknown side of Hachiman that absolutely no one in the Student Council knows.
"Do you know how much effort I need to spend to get this close to him?" Momo waved it. "Not easy. Same with titty Secretary. At a minimum, they're clearly close friends."
Hikigaya Hachiman is protective of his personal space. The first time Chika tried the lap pillow joke, he went apeshit when he woke up, and chaos ensued. Hachiman also avoided Chika for a week afterward.
Fujiwara Chika understood more than anyone else how strict Hachiman is about physical contact with girls.
"You went out of your way to find this?" Miyuki was creeped out. "Just how obsessed you can be?"
"I didn't." Momo sighed. "This photo only recently became widespread after Yukinoshita accepted the challenge. Because people tried to dig any dirt they could find on Yukinoshita."
"Do you have any clue about this?"
"Considering the situation, this happened after I became the general affairs manager last year," Miyuki said. "Hachiman doesn't have other friends that I know. So he might be a little lonely without me around. If I wasn't mistaken, Yukinoshita was also a loner back then."
"Birds of a feather flock together, they say," Chika said. "Perhaps they found a company in their lonesome."
Miyuki wondered why, but there seemed to be a tinge of jealousness in Chika's voice. Could it be that it's not just Momo...
"Hikigaya-san is nothing more than a collateral." Hayasaka finally joined and spoke. "I just happen to overhear him talking with Yukinoshita-san, and from his tone, it is not that he disagreed with the duel. He was mad because it got him and the entire school involved."
"Fuck." Momo's squinted eyes bulged. In fact, she was crying. In almost one year of knowing her, Miyuki had never seen her so distraught and vulnerable.
This girl really, really likes Hachiman. But...
"
Yeah, you totally deserved it." Miyuki and Chika said.
No wonder Hachiman was mad. Hachiman only wanted a peaceful school life. It was why he decided to take the mantle of General Affairs before and the newly established Public Relations right now.
To keep conflicts within Shuchiin elites suppressed, Hachiman decided to become a mediator and assisted Miyuki. Hachiman is the prime definition of working hard so he could laze around.
"I think it's best to wait until the conclusion. Then you can apologize." Chika tried to cheer Momo up. "And extra points if you're willing to make amends and deal with the fallout."
"Tch. I guess I'll do just that." Momo spat. It is not like she had any other choice, though.
"But for him to root for Yukinoshita-san instead of Kaguya-san... that surprised me a lot." Chika hummed. "I always thought that their relationships aren't that bad."
Miyuki, Momo, and Hayasaka looked at Chika like she was crazy.
"I know it's hard to believe, but Kaguya-san is hardly close with any boys," Chika remarked. "She's even more guarded toward the opposite sex than Hikki-san is. You often see them arguing, but they always reach an agreement. If anything, he's the closest person Kaguya-san calls a male friend. I mean, only the President is closer."
Hayasaka honestly wanted to say agree, but that would blow her cover something fierce. Despite the many frictions, Kaguya never went out of line and specifically out to destroy Hachiman. That one time Hayasaka committed an act of revenge, Kaguya was legitimately concerned that Hayasaka might go too far.
That's not how you treat someone you hate.
"I have to agree." Miyuki squirmed. "But for him to want Shinomiya losing, that's typical of him."
"You think so?" Chika opened her mouth in surprise. "Even though he wouldn't openly cheer for Kaguya-san, at least he would still be on her side, no?"
"No. This is very Hachiman way of thinking." Momo smirked. "Hachiman is the type of person who would talk shit on you while you're down and then extend a helping hand."
"...If you put it like that, you're right." Chika sadly laughed. "Speaking of which, Kaguya-san is extremely focused. That's why she took time off from Student Council works for self-improvement and mental preparation."
Hayasaka quietly confirmed it in her mind. Although Kaguya had withdrawn all activities from the Kyuudo club and Student Council, she asked Hayasaka to monitor the school situation for her.
Hayasaka had no reason to refuse.
Hayasaka was surprised and unsurprised that Yukino didn't take the challenge seriously. Public Service Club is still active, and she had enough free time to have an affair... err, have a casual meeting with Hachiman.
To begin with, she was the only person in the entire school who did not care about snatching the second exam rank from Kaguya. She only accepted it because Ryuuju Momo provoked her.
"Have you met her outside school?" Miyuki asked worriedly. "We... haven't talked much after she agreed with the competition."
Chika was right. Kaguya was putting every ounce of her mental strength to focus and win. She didn't even bother to give an air of false confidence.
She refused to repeat her mistakes in the exam.
"I visited her at home twice. I even spent a night together with her. To be honest? She was a little scary!" Chika said. "I have never seen Kaguya-san this focused on taking down someone."
"Well, yeah? Who wouldn't after that kind of humiliation?" Momo remarked, only for Chika and Miyuki to beat her with Harisen together as the primary offender. "FU-"
Hayasaka wanted to say she had seen it countless times, but saying it out loud would be improper. Kaguya was never not serious when she studied for the exam. The difference is she would still act casual at school.
This time, she gave it 108% of her effort.
"Are you rooting for Shinomiya-san, President?" Hayasaka teasingly got close to Miyuki and elbowed him.
"I think that much is obvious." Miyuki confidently smiled. "After all, she also represented the entire Student Council in this challenge, just like Yukinoshita represented the VIP assembly."
Lies and damned lies!
It was clear that Miyuki would support Kaguya no matter what, even if Kaguya brought her own problem. Even if her anger was born out of her insecurity. Miyuki will still be there for her.
Because love is blind.
"Sadly, I can't support her," Chika said as she pulled out an invitation card. "Because I'll be one of the judges."
"Ah." Hayasaka widened her eyes. Chika was chosen as one of the elite students who would judge the two girls' performance. "Don't they afraid you will take sides?"
Chika wordlessly smiled.
やはり, 彼らが望む告白は間違っている. S2
As expected, the Confession they want is wrong S2
Original Story by: Watari Wataru and Akasaka Aka
Written by: ZeroXSEED, Co-written by: GoukaRyuu
Chapter 28 - Kaguya-sama wants to Duel, Part 1
And so, the day of the competition comes.
A combined effort of the Hachiman, the Disciplinary Committee, and VIP students suppressed the curious ears and rabid fans alike. People who were not worthy of watching the competition were weeded out. It was a complete lockdown of information.
Other than the Student Council Members and the VIP students, only the dozens of chosen judges were there to witness everything.
"So it has come into this," Yukino said. "Nice to meet you again, Shinomiya-san."
"I feel the same way, Yukinoshita-san."
The air itself is heavy! The mental pressure exerted by these two girls would've sent lesser teens to the hospital and made animals flee in fear! Two of the most talented girls in Shuchiin are about to duke it out! How could the world not tremble in fear?
Miyuki had to unbutton his upper collar because he felt suffocated. Not even the hot and humid weather of Japanese summer forced him to this degree!
"Ahem." Momo coughed. "As agreed before. Today's competition will be done through a series of challenges. We choose them at random based on this gacha machine. I'll be the host, and I swear to be impartial."
Momo lifted and shook the gacha machine, which should take considerable strength. She put it on the table, rotated the switch, and a plastic egg dropped.
As she opened it, she unrolled the tiny paper scroll.
"First match of the competition, violin duel."
Kaguya and Yukino sharpened their eyes.
"Judges, please step forward."
"What do you think, President?" Hayasaka whispered. "Do you think Kaguya-sama has the upper hand?"
"The certainty of victory is unknown," Miyuki answered. "Although Shinomiya studied the violin, she never delved deep into it, right?"
"I have no clue." Hayasaka lied as naturally as she breathed. "You would know that as the closest man to her."
Miyuki blushed a bit, for Hayasaka certainly got on his nerves. Then again, he's already under pressure as it is.
"It is unknown how skilled Yukinoshita is. She could be completely unskilled, or she could be a violin God. But all the challenges were something both parties agreed on."
Unless Yukino bluffed by agreeing, it is one hundred percent likely Yukino had some skill. Someone like Shirogane Miyuki, who struggled to master basic tasks, had no place on this battleground.
It made him uneasy. Afraid, even.
"These are two modified sheets for Vivaldi's Summer, split in half at random intervals. Variations are allowed. Just make sure to keep the tempo." Momo put two stacks of papers face down. "Either someone calls dibs or gambles for it."
"I call seconds." Both Yukino and Kaguya said, then looked at each other weirdly.
"One braincell moment." Momo sighed. "Rock paper scissors, please."
Yukino closed her eyes like she was asleep before raising her hand. Kaguya knew Yukino did this to avoid showing micro-expressions that might telegraph her choice.
The competition barely started, and Kaguya found a hurdle, but she will never quit. She focused everything on reading Yukino, but she saw absolutely nothing. So she switched her attention to Yukino's arm.
"I only have 0.1 seconds to decide." Kaguya thought. "Should I focus on myself, or should I focus on how to counter her?"
"Jan, Ken, Pon!"
Yukino dropped a piece of paper, and Kaguya won a scissor.
"Shinomiya won, Yukinoshita, you decide first." Momo said.
Yukino opened her eyes and picked the right stack.
"Without a moment of hesitation," Kaguya remarked as she picked up the left stack. "Have you decided all along?"
Yukino wordlessly smiled. "Does it really matter? It's not like we could see the content. What matters is the choices of the violin."
As Yukino and Kaguya opened their respective violin cases, they immediately noticed what they were dealing with.
"Ancient Stradivari copies." Kaguya noticed. "It might not be the original million-dollar instrument, but certainly precious and irreplaceable."
Stradivarius! Anyone who dabbles in the art of classical string instruments would know this name. This series of musical instruments were made by the Stradivari family in the 17th and 18th century! Known for their legendary, almost unmatched sound quality, it is said that the older a well-preserved Stradivari is, the better it sounded.
Currently, the Stradivarius series are some of the most expensive musical instruments in the world. The cheapest Stradivarius violin cost 1.5 Million US Dollars!
Between the 17th and 19th centuries, many instrument makers copied, sometimes outright pirated, the Stradivarius to varying success.
A good copy of Stradivari's violin could easily be worth a few hundred thousand dollars!
"Crazy talk. Who would lend you such a thing? Those are modern Strad copies." Momo chuckled. "Regardless, they're both good violins, so use them well."
A silent agreement occurred between Yukino and Kaguya as they picked the violins up without arguing.
One note.
One note is all one needs. When you know classical music and have the talent and knowledge to grasp it, one note is all you need to judge the potential of another classical musician.
However, one note is just that. One note.
It is not enough to judge someone's overall skill. The judges, Chika included, listened intently as Kaguya and Yukino took turns based on their respective sheets.
It was majestic.
While not on par with competing violin geniuses of national and international competition, Kaguya and Yukino played at the level where they could easily wipe out local competition. How their fingers danced on the fingerboard, pressing the strings precisely, even violin masters would call this a good show.
It was mesmerizing. Other than the two playings and relatively quiet reference background music, no sounds could be heard.
As the background music stopped, so did the two.
And then, it's time to stand up and clap.
"Amazing!" Chika laughed. "Both of you are very skilled."
"Overpraise." Yukino closed her eyes. "It is clear that Shinomiya-san is much more skilled."
Kaguya sharpened her eyes and wondered how Yukino could throw the towel easily. While she's prideful of her play, was the gap that obvious?
"I'll let the judges decide on that," Kaguya said with a slight smile. Of course, she couldn't help but jump in triumph inside. However, there are parts of her that feel uncomfortable.
The judges raised their scores, and Kaguya had a higher total score by about 15%.
"Winner, Shinomiya," Momo announced. "It was a close match, still."
"I see. In that case, I'll take this first victory." Kaguya said. "But how could you be so certain?"
Kaguya wondered if Yukino deliberately took such a defeatist stance to make Kaguya lose her guard. But even if that was the case, Kaguya would not take this competition lightly.
"The HAND," Chika said aloud.
"The hand?" Kaguya raised her eyebrows in confusion.
"It is because Kaguya-san's fingers are nimbler," Chika said. "The way you push the string. It was more secure than Yukinoshita-san. Although most people wouldn't even notice, I can see the hesitation on her face."
As expected of the musical genius. Even though Chika did not play the violin, Chika understood enough to tell the difference.
Yukino raised her left hand. "My fingers are like this compared to yours."
Yukino's fingers were smooth and delicate. Kaguya's hands were similar on the surface but different in specific parts.
The fingertips. Kaguya's fingertips are harsher than Yukino's.
"It has been more than a year since I touched the violin last time, and my callouses became much thinner," Yukino said. "So it was a little painful."
"I see." Kaguya sighed. "I haven't touched violin for a long time, too. But I play koto, so the callouses remain there."
Koto is a Japanese string instrument. It took the shape of a long box and played face up while sitting on the floor. It's similar to Chinese guzheng.
In terms of harshness to the finger, the koto is even worse than the violin. Kaguya has some complex about ugly fingertips. However, even she recognized the importance. When properly formed, callouses acted as a shield for the delicate finger nerve system.
For string players, callouses are a badge of honor. It shows their dedication and hard work toward the musical art.
For this reason alone, Yukino could not give her 100% performance.
"If you stopped playing violin for a year, what about those callouses on your hand?" Kaguya asked. Because it wasn't that Yukino's hands were completely smooth. On the contrary, while her fingers were less calloused, her palms were the opposite.
Yukino smiled.
...
"Second competition! Fried rice cooking!" Momo announced.
"Excuse me? Why are you in the judge's seat? You're not even a culinary master, Fujiwara-san." Kaguya half-yelled at Chika. "Can you even cook?"
"Do not underestimate my palette, Kaguya-san." Chika's face darkened. "A food critic doesn't have to be actually skilled at culinary arts, you know?"
The other judges glared at Chika. Is this girl for real? How dare she slander critics like that!
"Freaking glutton!" They collectively swore inwardly.
"This happens when you hang out too often with PR Manager Hikigaya." Kaguya shook her head. "Never mind about that, I have no objection."
"I also have no objection," Yukino said.
"You can use everything in this kitchen to make it, but nothing more than that," Momo said. "You can use extra tools if you need."
"Thankfully, the bones already came precut. I was about to ask if you have a bone saw." Yukino said. "I'm disappointed the fish isn't live, though."
"Are you a psychopath?" Momo chastised her. "99% of people in this academy haven't even seen an intact bone, let alone a live animal! Do you not remember what happened with Class 1-C and 1-D last year?"
"Last I remember, you were one of the people who did the live gutting." Yukino snarked. "Along with me and a few others."
"Exactly." Momo cheekily winked. "You can call me stubborn, but I learn from my mistakes too!"
Yukino looked at her as if she was walking garbage.
"Both of you are psychopaths!" Everyone else thought. Scared.
The incident involving a Home Economics class comes to mind. The absolute amount of blood, chaos, and hilarity was staggering! So many traumatized students.
All for the sake of cutting a freaking carp!
Since then, all Home EC in Shuchiin has used precut slabs of meats and fish fillets.
"Well, since everything is conveniently prepared, what about the time limit?"
"40 minutes including preparation and cooking." Momo presented a pair of small cooking jars. "For the sake of fairness, we use polished white rice. Otherwise, it would take too long."
Japanese rice requires 20-30 minutes of soaking before cooking. It would take too long, and many other contests left to do. Polished white rice might be too plain, but soaking and cooking would take a much shorter time.
"I see." Kaguya nodded. "What about the priority of judgment?"
One of the judges said. "Of course, the taste is a priority."
"And so, the contest shall begin!" Momo raised a stopwatch and pressed the button. "NOW!"
Yukino and Kaguya began with the same steps, briefly washing the polished rice grain and then soaking it. However, the subsequent actions couldn't be more contrast.
Whereas Kaguya took multiple ingredients and precooked them separately, Yukino seemed to take her sweet time and gathered raw materials and cut them.
Kaguya was annoyed. Did she think that maybe Yukino would throw one match again? In that case, what is the point of competing anyway?
Infuriating!
Kaguya will show her who is the closest person to perfection! With her perfect fried rice!
40 minutes later
"Winner, Yukinoshita." Momo announced.
"How... how could this be?!" Kaguya asked in shock.
The upset didn't just surprise Kaguya but also the rest of the audience. Kaguya's seafood fried rice was so luxurious. Crowned with scallops and shrimp as toppings and small salad dressing. With hints of various herbs and spices to increase flavor. It was a plate fit to serve kings!
It was impossible to understate how appealing it was visually.
"Were my fried rice that bad?!" Kaguya was destroyed inwardly. Her cooking, praised by a certified Michelin Star chef, lost to Yukino's blandest pile of charred carbs?!
Okay, that last part was hyperbole. But still.
"You must be confused about why you lost." One of the judges said. "It is not that Shinomiya-san's cooking was bad. On the contrary, it was a top-class cuisine."
"However, the difference between rice quality is too much," Chika commented as she stuffed herself with Yukino's fried rice, which looked so ordinary it could only be described as boring. "Have a try by yourself."
Kaguya was afraid.
She was so afraid of trying that her confidence would shatter instantly. However, she refused to be a sore loser and jammed a spoonful in her mouth.
Doesn't seem particularly special? Especially flavorless when it was cold like this.
Explosion!
Just as Kaguya thought Yukino's fried rice was lame, flavor flooded her tongue, which didn't diminish as she kept chewing. Blast after blast, it was like a dam burst, and her saliva overflowed.
Somehow, even though she just ate, she almost drooled.
"How could this be?! The more you chew, the stronger it tastes!" Kaguya gasped. She gave the plate to the student council member.
"What is this?!" Ishigami gawked in shock. "Sorcery! This is sorcery!"
"Yukinoshita used bone marrow to cook and flavor the rice. The nature of tallows is that they harden as they cool down. As such, you will not see oil seeping out until you start eating." Miyuki said.
"The rice is relatively soft yet dry. It doesn't feel disgusting to eat cold. It makes you produce more saliva to chew. I seemed to recall eating this somewhere, but when was that?" He pondered aloud.
PRESIDENT ATE IT BEFORE?! Kaguya became furious. Then, the rational part of her bonked the manifestation of wrath. Wait, he couldn't even recall it? In that case, it is most likely not from Yukinoshita!
"Because bone marrow is located in the deepest part of the animal body, their composition and flavor is extremely complex, and many would even say exotic." Yukino smiled. "After all, SOMEONE kindly taught me this recipe. Of course, President Shirogane ate it before."
If that's not the proof of an old affair allegation, everyone else doesn't know what is. Maybe making out at school or walking out of a hotel together. However, it was strange for Yukino to throw the bait, considering how vehemently against the idea she was.
The physically absent Hachiman sat comfortably, rent-free, in their collective minds. Because he assisted the Disciplinary Committee in securing the event.
"Very well, I shall accept this defeat," Kaguya said, her voice filled with grace.
Kaguya might not have noticed it herself, but Hayasaka and Miyuki, in particular, saw something oddly out of place on Kaguya's face.
Excitement.
P.S. If you notice lower grammar quality, it's not edited by GoukaRyuu yet
