Fujiwara Chika’s Confession

After the battle downstairs, Shinichi initially wanted to invite Chika to a specific cafe to sit and chat, but she immediately dragged him upstairs.

This way, Shinichi entered Chika's room feeling bewildered, and his nose was filled with a refreshing aroma that made his body warm.

"I have something good to show Asada-kun, please sit down!"

Before Shinichi could explain his intention, Chika took two bottled black teas from the small refrigerator and placed them on the coffee table, then immediately searched for the mentioned good thing.

Shinichi sat on the cushioned chair, looking at the black tea, and then at the girlish single bed, unsure of what to say.

There were many things he wanted to say, but he hesitated on the tone to use and where to start.

Without much thought, Chika quickly grabbed a box and sat at the coffee table across from him.

Shinichi always felt that her sitting posture was much more dignified than when she was in the student council, and her movements seemed controlled.

After Chika brought the boy into her room, did she feel nervous upon realizing it?

"Dangdang! This is the game I stayed up late to finish last night. I'm very tired~"

Wanting to cover the rest of her reactions, she exclaimed half-proudly, then opened the box.

Shinichi noticed a slight darkening of melanin under his eyes, then turned and looked inside the box.

"This...?"

Shinichi raised an eyebrow.

Chika placed her hands on her hips and shouted the name of this object with great interest.

"Yes, this is what I made – the Shuchi'in Academy role-playing game version 2!"

Shinichi ignored her and focused on the game.

"Using our school as a backdrop..."

Taking a small cardboard resembling a nameplate, it said "No. 15, Class B, 2nd year, I'm the lucky one." He flipped another one slightly. Not only the 2nd year, but also his class number and the names of the classmates were written.

The game's environment was a simplified map of Shuchi'in Academy, with various event grids resembling life events written on it.

"Oh, luckily I have a list of all the students here; otherwise, I really couldn't have done it~" Chika pretended to be modest, saying dirty things using the power of personal interest.

But without waiting for Shinichi's answer, she immediately took the map from his hand and placed it on the coffee table, then placed two chess pieces with clearly defined gender characters on the initial grid.

The game was ready!

After rolling two dice and finishing her words, the girl's eyes lit up with the spirit of a duelist, and her long pink hair began to flutter automatically even without wind.

"At this moment, players from all over Tokyo cover their chests, their faces turn serious, and they press their trembling hearts."

"Yes, they feel it..."

"The Pink Witch, who caused a bloody storm in the gaming industry and frightened many players, will dominate the world from now on and forever."

"Stop! Wait!"

Shinichi realized and quickly interrupted the narrated voice that appeared out of nowhere.

"Fujiwara Senpai, don't tell me we're the only two players. Why don't we start playing the game before we finish discussing the business?"

"What else?" Chika tilted her head in confusion.

Shinichi felt a slight headache. "What else... At least explain cause and effect."

Chika sighed. "Asada-kun is really troublesome... Can't you stop thinking and enjoy the game wholeheartedly?"

"Sorry, the only one who can give up so easily is Rantang and you."

"Eh? Who is Rantang?"

"A character from another work." Seeing her reluctance, Shinichi forced the topic back, "First of all, is this a game for everyone in the student council? No need to stay up late, right?"

"If it's going to be played by everyone, of course, I have to work slowly and carefully."

Chika nodded in agreement, looking at the two human-shaped chess pieces on the table and unconsciously lowering her voice.

"However, this is a game for you and me... Only the two of us as players."

"..."

Shinichi fell silent.

"As for why I have to stay up late for the job..."

"Hehehe~ Initially, I wanted to finish this game at night and bring it directly to your house in the morning, but I didn't expect Asada-kun himself to deliver it halfway to the bed!"

She scratched the back of her head and chuckled a few times.

"...It wasn't just sent to your house."

Shinichi responded weakly, complaining inwardly at the same time.

'Otouto-kun~'

Auditory hallucinations like that echoed in his mind, making Shinichi's whole body tremble.

The spirit of a certain elder sister truly overshadowed him.

Indeed, it would be better to make an appointment.

Not only would it save trouble, but Shinichi also wouldn't have to worry about the issues that would arise after meeting someone else's family.

"...It's disturbing because her mindset is so similar."

"Eh? Does that bother you..."

Chika bit her lip slightly, her eyes a bit dim.

Shinichi nodded, his tone dull, and he wasn't too interested.

"Yes, happily discussing things like this can easily turn me into an idiot like Fujiwara Senpai... If this causes me to fail in college, please take responsibility for restoring my sanity."

"Ah, you mean I don't have a brain!" She was very sensitive to self-deprecating words. Chika immediately wanted to protest with dissatisfaction, but like downstairs not long ago, she heard the keywords in those words again.

"Are you happy?... So, Asada-kun, are you happy?"

Bright blue eyes stared at him in wonder, like the joy of blooming flowers.

Shinichi avoiding her gaze, looked at the ceiling and finally gave her a casual smile.

"Whether I'm happy or not doesn't matter..."

"By the way, are you also talking about Fujiwara Senpai?"

Shinichi changed his tone.

"Well, it's actually quite important, Fujiwara Senpai. Besides, we've known each other for so long, and even the strained relationship between Ishigami and Iino has improved. I couldn't possibly dislike you in the past six months."

"Yes."

Chika asked with curiosity.

"So when did you start liking me?"

"No specific chance, it has to be gradual..." Shinichi maintained a calm expression.

"Slowly, I felt that despite Fujiwara Senpai being a bit silly, a bit annoying, a bit dark-hearted, and causing a lot of trouble, there is still one advantage."

"Tsk."

Shinichi seemed to hear a cute creature in front of him sticking out her tongue in displeasure.

It wasn't an illusion because Chika had no intention of hiding it. Although her ears were tinged with a reddish hue, her fingers shyly pinched the edge of her skirt, and she continued to complain with a dissatisfied feeling.

"Men who are too tsundere are annoying~ Rarely does your attitude towards me become even a bit better. Can't you be more honest..."

"I clearly heard your praise and concerns about happiness!"

After completely dropping his pretense of calmness, Shinichi spoke gently.

"Because you heard it clearly, don't intentionally ask."

He didn't deny it.

As if her heart was struck by those honest words, Chika averted her gaze. The rapid beating of her heart caused her entire face to quickly change from pink to a deeper red. She seemed a bit confused and chose to change the topic.

"So, what about the advantages? How could I have only one advantage! Asada-san, please open your heart when facing me, and I'll give you another chance to rearrange your language!"

Speaking of the latter, Chika's attitude became firmer.

She turned around and stared directly at Shinichi, her expression very arrogant.

"Come on! Can I only have one advantage?"

"..."

Shinichi fell silent for a moment, then sighed.

"Yes, only one."

Looking at the cute face across from him, he said this with a calm tone.

"You are Fujiwara Chika."

Chika was stunned, a feigned angry expression appeared on her face, and she seemed a bit puzzled.

"For me, this advantage is enough."

Last night, Shinichi found his answer.

The girl wasn't a secretary, she wasn't a senior either.

She always brought a lot of trouble, laughed unseriously, and her cute appearance could be called the biggest deception of this century.

She was always attentive to those around her, gentle and kind, her bright smile seemed capable of saving everything, and she was as straightforward as a blooming sunflower against the rising sun.

No matter what kind of "Fujiwara Chika" she was, she had become an exceptionally special existence for Shinichi.

Shinichi still remembered when he thought he couldn't fit into the student council and planned to go to a corner to handle official business to avoid embarrassment.

The girl in front of him took the initiative to extend her warm hand, showed a cheerful smile, pulled him back, and stepped into the student council room where everyone was present.

Since then, Shinichi was no longer a love spy who joined the student council just for fun.

He was Asada Shinichi, the 68th member of Shuchi'in Academy's student council, serving as the head of the library committee.

"If you want to open your heart, you can only say it."

Shinichi was so serious and earnest for the first time since entering this room, as if he were about to explain an important event in his life.

"Fujiwara... no, Senpai Chika, I—"

"Wait, wait! Wait!?"

Chika snapped out of her daze and immediately panicked seeing him like this, her face reddening due to embarrassment, and she helplessly tried to stop him from talking.

"Don't worry, Asada-kun, this is a game! Let's play the game first! I just made this game for now—"

"No, we'll talk about the game later!"

Shinichi firmly rejected her and didn't even listen to what she said next.

Now that he had prepared a draft in his mind, Shinichi just wanted to say all those words and work hard so that the past wouldn't become a sad memory.

But Chika clearly had a different idea.

Realizing that the person in front of her completely ignored her request and insisted on admitting something, Chika puffed up her cheeks like an angry pufferfish, with words of dissatisfaction written directly on her face, holding back the blush.

She took a deep breath, and before Shinichi spoke again, she clenched her fists tightly and yelled at the top of her lungs.

"I said!!"

Shinichi was stunned by this, and Chika still didn't stop shouting. Instead, she closed her eyes tightly, ignoring the burning sensation from lack of breath in her chest, and screamed with her voice and the entire air in her lungs.

"Let me confess first—Asada-kun, you idiot!"

"I don't know when, but I fell in love with you!"

The sound echoed throughout the Fujiwara house.