Chapter 14

“Well, see you tomorrow, Saionji.”

“Ah, yes… You too. See you tomorrow, Toujou.”

Reiya Toujou disappeared from the Student Council Room.

For a moment, I stared at the door he had left through, feeling the sweet sorrow of his departure, but I eventually came to my senses and let out a sigh. “Haaaah.”

“What is wrong with me…” I muttered to myself in the empty room.

Even I have to admit, I haven’t been myself lately.

Inspecting the same place four times and ending up late is something the normal me would never do.

But for some reason, I just didn’t want my time alone with Toujou to end, so I made up a strange excuse and dragged out the inspection again and again.

We weren’t even talking about anything, just working together, so why did that time feel so wonderful?

“Haaah… Now Kisaragi and Usami are completely fed up with me…”

It seemed Kisaragi and Usami had noticed how strangely I was acting, too.

That might have been the first time they’d ever looked at me with such exasperated eyes.

That’s just how much I’ve been deviating from my usual behavior.

It’s all his fault… Reiya Toujou. Because of him, I’m…

No matter how I look at it, it’s all thanks to Reiya Toujou that I’ve become this way.

Ever since he appeared, I’ve found myself unable to act at my own pace.

Today, I couldn’t even concentrate in class because Toujou’s words just kept floating around in my head.

Even I think that’s a poor attitude for a Student Council President.

But the moment I let my guard down, an image of Toujou forms in my mind.

Toujou, defeating the monster and protecting me.

Toujou, shielding me from the man who was angry about his wrecked car.

Toujou, rubbing my back and comforting me.

“Why am I always thinking about Toujou…?”

My chest aches when I think about him.

When he’s near, my face gets hot, and I can’t even look him in the eye.

And yet, strangely, I enjoy the time I spend with him.

My chest hurts, I can’t even look at his face, but I’m still happy to be with him. It’s a contradiction.

I can’t put a name to this feeling I have for Toujou, a feeling I’ve never had for anyone else before.

What in the world is the truth behind this restless, itching feeling?

“President~ I’m done with the cleaning~”

Just as I was lost in thought, Takanashi entered the Student Council Room.

When I looked at the clock, I saw that over two hours had passed since we’d started cleaning.

She must have been dawdling somewhere, as usual.

“Huh? Where is everyone?”

“They’ve all gone home. It’s just you and me now.”

“Aw, shoot. Is that right? Did I make you wait, President?”

“No, I was just lost in thought. Otherwise, I would have left you to lock up and gone home already.”

“How cruel!?”

Takanashi pretended to be deeply wounded in an exaggerated way.

On a whim, I decided to ask Takanashi for advice about my troubles.

For some reason, I felt like I could open up to Takanashi in a way I couldn’t with Kisaragi or Usami.

“Takanashi… I actually have something I’d like to discuss…”

“Ooh, what is it, what is it? What’s up, President? It’s rare for you to ask me for advice!”

“It’s not a big deal, but lately, I’ve been acting strangely around a certain person. When I think about them, my face gets hot, and my chest feels tight.”

“Uh-huh, uh-huh.”

I consulted with Takanashi, keeping Toujou’s name out of it.

I told her about the nameless feeling I had for him and how thoughts of him would pop into my head during class.

As Takanashi listened with rapt attention, her expression gradually began to glow.

“So, that’s basically it. Do you have any idea what’s happening to me, Takanashi?”

“President! Could this be…!”

“What is it? Do you have an idea?”

I asked with a hopeful tone, seeing Takanashi’s reaction, which seemed to hold some kind of certainty.

But for some reason, Takanashi wouldn’t just come out and tell me what was happening to me.

“Kyaaa! President! Kyaaa!”

“What is it, Takanashi? Don’t be so loud. You figured out what’s happening to me, right? Then tell me, what is the true nature of this feeling I have for Toujo… I mean, for this certain person?”

“W-Well, about that… To put it bluntly… No, I can’t say it.”

“Wh-Why not!? If you know, then tell me! I’m really struggling with this!”

“No way! I read in a manga that you have to realize these things for yourself! It won’t mean anything unless you, President, figure out the true nature of your feelings for Toujo… I mean, for that certain person, on your own!”

“Wh-What’s that…? Is that how it works?”

“Yes, that’s how it works. According to my manga research, anyway.”

“I-I see…”

I didn’t really get it, but apparently, that’s how it was.

I had thought I was about to get an answer, so I was terribly disappointed.

But perhaps Takanashi was right, that I had to settle my own problems myself.

She was probably trying to tell me that I can’t rely on others.

However… even if I’m supposed to solve this problem myself, I won’t know which way to go without at least a clue.

“I-I understand… I’ll trust you, and I will try to face this problem with my own strength. But right now, it’s like I’m walking through total darkness without a light; I have no idea where I’m going. So… could you at least give me some kind of hint?”

“A hint, you say…? Hmm, let’s see…”

Takanashi thought for a moment, then clapped her hands with a pop, as if she’d had a brilliant idea.

“I have a great idea, President! Why don’t you go on a date with Toujo… I mean, with that certain person!”

“A d-deeto? What is that?”

“It’s when a boy and a girl go on an outing together, just the two of them.”

“I see, a boy and a girl, just the two of them… Huh? Wait a minute. Did I ever say the person was a man?”

“Ah…”

For a split second, Takanashi’s face froze as if she’d slipped up, then she started waving her hands frantically.

“I-I just said ‘boy and girl’ as a figure of speech… It’s fine if it’s two girls! Yes, anyway, if two people go out together, it’s a date! A date!”

“I see. So going out with someone, just the two of you, is called a ‘deeto’?”

“That’s right.”

“Is that so…”

A deeto.

I’ve never heard that word before, but could that really be a hint?

Going out together… meaning, I should go out with Toujou, just the two of us.

G-Go out with Toujou, just the two of us… alone with Toujou… just the two of us… a deeto…

“~~~~~!”

“…? Is something wrong, President?”

“N-N-Nothing’s wrong!”

I had started imagining an outing alone with Toujou, and my face grew hot.

I frantically shook my head, desperately trying to compose myself.

“S-So, anyway… if I go out with Toujo… I mean, with that person, just the two of us, the problem will be solved?”

“There’s a high probability!”

“I see… But… um… how do I get them to go out with me alone?”

“Use the monthly authorized day off-campus! Once a month, we magical girls are allowed to leave the grounds and explore the town freely! Why don’t you go out with the person you were talking about then, President!?”

“O-Oh, I see… There is that… But how should I invite them?”

“How to invite them? Let’s see… In the mangas, I think a simple excuse like needing someone to carry your bags, or as a bodyguard, worked just fine.”

“C-Carry my bags…? Is something like that really okay?”

“I think that should work without a problem!”

“I-I see…!”

I made up my mind.

On the next authorized day off, I will go out with Toujou, just the two of us.

Then I’ll finally understand the truth behind these confusing feelings I have for him.

“Thank you, Takanashi. I feel like the fog before my eyes has cleared.”

I thanked Takanashi for listening to me.

She replied with a wide grin.

“Hee hee hee… I’ll be cheering for you, President. Please be sure to give me a progress report after your date with Toujo… I mean, with that certain person.”

“I will. On the day this problem is solved, I’ll be sure to report back to you. You can count on it. I swear the result will not be a disappointment.”

“Kyaaa!! So bold, President!!”

“…? Me, bold…?”

I didn’t really understand, but I was grateful to Takanashi for listening to my problems and even giving me advice.