Crisis Situation

Shinichi not only knew about Shirogane and Ishigami's confession plans but also helped with most of the preparations.

For instance, the balloons in the clock tower, or the classroom turned into a sea of flowers in the old teaching building, these two handed over all the exhausting tasks to him without any psychological burden.

Moreover, Shinichi had troubled them because of his confession, and he tried his best to reciprocate each other's efforts only to show friendship between them.

Of course, the most important part remains the responsibility of the parties themselves.

For Shirogane, he would set up hundreds of love balloons to create an atmosphere, and then give Kaguya an extra-large heart-shaped balloon that he blew and made to express his unspoken feelings. Romance is romance, if Shinichi didn't stop him, this romance might be a bit more romantic.

Moreover, Shirogane originally planned to dress up as Arsene Robin, performing the "Mystery of the Ghost Thief Stealing Balloons" scene, and then asking Kaguya to solve the riddle and approach her.

Shinichi fearing trouble, immediately rejected the plan and instructed him to keep it simple and not do too much.

As for Ishigami, he intertwined some white snow creeping plants into a heart-shaped flower arrangement and prepared to give it to Iino in the sea of flowers.

The specific plan is as follows:

First, he took Iino to the old teaching building, then asked her to wait outside the classroom (the windows were covered with newspapers and not visible from the inside). Then, after turning on the lights, setting up music and the flower arrangement, he stood at the podium and invited Iino to enter and then, surrounded by classical music and flowers, he told her about his growth and mindset changes during this period, carefully telling her how he changed from hating her to falling in love with her, and promised to treat her well from now on into the future, he would also start working hard to be responsible for his future...

This process was precise in every step, and his confession plan was so detailed that it was outrageous. Girls who knew about it, like Kaguya and Chika, said it was too disgusting and they would never accept it if they were in it. Even on the way to the old teaching building, they would hold their phones and be ready to call the police.

Even after receiving such a blow, Ishigami had no intention of changing his plan. With the encouragement of his two good friends, he spent several days and most of his pocket money on the arrangement, claiming that he would make Iino cry.

Compared to them, Shinichi's confession plan was actually quite simple; at least he didn't prepare hundreds of balloons and hundreds of flowers.

After the bonfire party started, excitement spread alongside the bonfire. Although there was no noise in the daytime, the silent anxiety took deeper root in people's hearts.

After the traditional dance near the bonfire, Shinichi and Ichika sat on the stairs to rest.

As part of an agreement Shinichi was unaware of, although scattered nearby and watching carefully, no one disturbed them.

"Shinichi-kun, what do you see?"

Ichika raised her face from his shoulder and asked curiously.

Shinichi shifted his gaze towards the clock tower, holding her left hand, and stroking her side hair with his right hand, saying gently:

"Seeing the long-awaited surprise."

"Surprise? For us?"

Shinichi smiled mysteriously.

"For someone special, it's for the one they like, for me, it's for all the teachers and students in the school... Well, it should start soon."

"What?"

Ichika looked along his line of sight. Suddenly, there seemed to be some kind of large ball rising into the sky from the bell tower's peak and slowly flying into the middle of the night sky.

Not only Ichika, but other students who noticed something strange also stopped their movements, raised their heads, and started talking.

They weren't given much time to react. The next moment, the large balloon exploded with a bang, and countless heart shapes flew out of it. The night sky was filled with heart-shaped stardust.

"Why are there balloons..."

"And this is all about love..."

"New activity? Or a performance?"

Following the airflow, the balloons floated above the bonfire, and after a few minutes, they slowly landed around the plaza.

Some burst in the air, while others remained intact and were held by curious students.

Shinichi also reached out to take one, flipped it over, and saw the words "Be happy forever" written on it, and couldn't help but smile.

"Shinichi-kun, did you write this?" Ichika leaned her head on his shoulder and quickly recognized his handwriting.

"Yeah, I got bored helping make balloons, so I wrote blessings on them."

Shinichi squeezed the balloon, turned around, and handed it to her.

"Sacrifice happiness with your heart, Ichika."

"..."

Ichika was stunned in place with wide-open eyes. It took her a moment to regain her composure.

"...Okay, thank you."

"You're welcome... Wait, no need to cry." Seeing the sudden tears, Shinichi panicked and quickly took out a handkerchief and placed it on her cheek.

Ichika shook her head, holding the love balloon in both hands, letting it wipe away the uncontrollable tears, and said with a smile:

"I'm crying tears of joy."

She looked at him, her smile bright.

"Because, my happiness is here!"

Ichika hugged the "Happiness Balloon" tightly.

*BANG*

Too much power and happiness exploded in her hands.

"..."

"..."

Both of them stared at the remnants of balloons that landed in their laps and fell silent for a few seconds, the atmosphere filled with a deafening silence.

Then, the corners of their mouths twitched, and they couldn't hold back their laughter.

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha—"

"Hahahahahahahahaha-"

"Don't laugh until you hiccup, hahahahahahahahaha!"

"Don't laugh until you cough, hahaha~"

In the midst of the cheerful laughter, Shinichi stood up and picked up another balloon that fell on the ground next to him.

"It doesn't matter if it's damaged. Besides, I wrote hundreds. You can get as many as you want..."

As he spoke, his movement suddenly stopped. He looked at the scattered balloons nearby, and an idea popped into his mind.

... Just take a few more and give one to each person later, or else it wouldn't be fair.

"Send heart-shaped items to the Bonshin Festival, and as long as others are willing to accept them, you can get eternal love" – this is the legend of the Bonshin Festival.

Just like Ichika just now, most girls like romantic confessions like this, even if they don't like it, he who has already given a "heart" to Ichika still has to give one to each of them.

Although his current girlfriend is Ichika, for the sake of the future, Shinichi has no intention of favoring any of the others.

As he reached for another balloon, Ichika's sweet voice sounded beside him.

"Shi, nichi, -kun~ What do you want to do?"

With his fingers frozen in the air, Shinichi stammered and spoke.

"T-Take the balloon."

Her hands coiled around his neck like a snake, Ichika pressed her ample chest against his back, and blew softly into his ear.

"Don't you already have it?"

"But..."

"One, isn't that enough?"

His arms suddenly tensed, and the pressure on his neck made Shinichi shift the corners of his mouth, and he breathlessly held his breath, skillfully enduring this state for about five minutes.

"I am now Shinichi-kun's 'one and only' girlfriend."

Though her tone was soft, her voice slowly lost its warmth.

"If my boyfriend dares to cheat in front of me and wants to give gifts to other girls... I don't even know what drastic things I'll do."

"So, Shinichi-kun... Do you want to try it?"

Ichika released Shinichi's neck, pinched his chin, and forced him to turn ninety degrees to see herself, pressing his head against her shoulder.

Her eyes dull, and the corners of her mouth curved, Ichika spoke softly:

"Try and see how it feels to be dissolved by chromic acid wash."

For those who still forget what chromic acid wash is.

Simply put, they are chemicals that can dissolve various things.

Including scoundrels.

"..."

Shinichi trembled from the depths of his heart, feeling like he was being hugged by a demon, a cold feeling piercing his body.

In response, he knew that there was only one thing he could do now.

That is...

Ignoring Ichika's acting ability, he leaned his head and forcibly kissed her lips.

"Mhm!"

Ichika was startled, and the sparkle returned to her eyes. After being stunned for a few moments, she smiled helplessly.

They both threw the balloon aside and embraced each other in a corner of the square as if no one else was around.

Some hidden eyes nearby suddenly became intense.

"Let me through!"

"No, this is what we agreed on before!"

"Worst case, we could kiss together!"

And other low shouts came and went.

They both paid no attention at all... No, Ichika noticed.

So the more they kissed, the more charming and happy she became. Sometimes, she opened her eyes and glanced at them proudly.

"Don't stop me, I'll kill him!"

"The agreement didn't say you could deliberately provoke others!"

The girl screaming like this tried to escape from the darkness, but was firmly held by the people beside her and once again brought back into the darkness.

In the pleasant scene where the battle raged wherever they went.

Countless pieces of paper fell from the sky, becoming a heavy rain in the night sky besides the love balloons.

"What's this?"

It wasn't Ichika who asked this question, but Shinichi.

They separated from each other, and like other students, caught the papers floating in front of them by chance.

"You didn't do this, Shinichi-kun?"

"No, it must be said that I already vetoed it..."

Shinichi frowned before he could read its contents clearly.

In Shirogane's initial confession plan, there was indeed a "crime notification" made of inorganic paper to depict Chika's variables.

But after Shinichi vetoed it, Shirogane gave up easily and wasn't too obsessed with it... Even if he did, he wasn't the type of person to say one thing on the surface and do another behind.

If it wasn't him or Shirogane, who had the ability and motivation to spread this paper throughout the school?

Next.

As he looked at the content above clearly, these unnecessary thoughts vanished from Shinichi's mind.

Only disbelief and chilling froze remained in his consciousness.

"How could this happen..."

His surprise was like a big hand tightly gripping his heart, he couldn't even form complete sentences.

He examined the pictures and words on the paper repeatedly. His mind was so chaotic that it was difficult to integrate them, and an inexplicable fear emerged spontaneously.

Who could do such a thing?

And why...

"Shinichi-kun, now is not the time to be bewildered!"

A clear voice suddenly sounded, dispersing Shinichi's frozen consciousness.

Ichika held a brochure with one hand and pulled his sleeve with the other. There was an anxiety and concern that couldn't be hidden in her serious eyes.

"Before other students realize we're here, find a place to hide from the limelight, or you'll become the target of public criticism... The student council room! Let everyone gather!"

Through the light emitted by the fire, Shinichi could see her feelings for him in those eyes, that she valued him more than herself.

Then the world began to return to normal.

In the blink of an eye, Shinichi became calm, his rationality and self-confidence returned to his dimly shining eyes.

"There's a good chance we'll be blocked when we go to the student council room. Once the conflict escalates, we won't have a chance to explain."

Pushing the glasses given by Miku with his middle finger, Shinichi remained calm despite the noisy square, and smiled at Ichika, saying:

"Tell everyone that it's hide-and-seek time. Gather at the Sakura Pavilion without being noticed by other students!"

△

In the middle of the labyrinth garden stood the Sakura Pavilion.

Shinichi and Ichika were not the first ones to arrive.

Yotsuba and Hayasaka were the first, followed by them.

About five minutes later, Fumino and Rizu arrived together.

Miku arrived hastily with Nino, Itsuki, Chika, and three younger sisters following them like Little Tails for some reason.

Mafuyu came last, ignoring the other girls' reactions, whether weird, sighing, or bitter smiles, and stared at Shinichi with a stern expression on her face. Her expression showed that she had no energy left to hide her emotions at the moment.

The only one present who was relatively relaxed at the moment was Shinichi, the one who was in the midst of a whirlpool.

"Don't panic, sit down and resolve the situation."