Chapter Text
Just a week ago, a major battle that would decide the fate of Kivotos, of the world took place.An event that would be considered to be even worse than the day the sky turned red with the arrival of the False Sanctums but once again thanks to Sensei and his students all throughout Kivotos, the threats were once again quelled.The dust had finally begun to settle, and reconstruction was underway, and almost everything was returning back to status quo. Almost.
In the aftermath of this fight, the girl known as the Superhuman, the General Student Council President has returned.
Fast forward to a week, we now see her formally making an address to everyone in Kivotos.
The General Student Council President stood behind the podium with the same composure that had once made all of Kivotos place its trust in her. The broadcast was made live all throughout the academy city and every screen displayed her image, in classrooms, cafés, clubrooms, and out on the streets. The usual rambunctious students stopped what they were doing and watched.
"To all citizens and students of Kivotos" Her voice was calm, clear, and carried a natural authority that silenced whatever whispers remained.
"As you may already know I am the President of the General Student Council."
"And before anything else... I owe all of you an apology."
"In my absence, this city endured confusion, fear, conflict, and hardship. Burdens that should have been mine were instead placed upon the shoulders of other people."
Her hands rested firmly on the podium as she lowered her gaze.
"Some of you were forced to fight battles you should never have had to fight and others were forced to make decisions no ordinary student should ever have to make and for that... I am deeply sorry. But despite my absence... you endured. In those darkest moments, you chose to stand. In your moments of fear, you chose to fight and protect our precious days, because of that... Kivotos still stands."
The President's expression softened.
"To SCHALE’s Sensei."
"You accepted a responsibility that was never for you to shoulder. You carried burdens that no ordinary person should have had to bear. You protected not only the students before you, but the future of this city itself."
"Thank you... for protecting Kivotos when I could not. Thank you for being there for my fellow students. We really couldn’t do it all without your genuine kindness and support Sensei."
For a moment, her voice almost lost its composure, and with a quiet breath she went back to business. "However, gratitude and apologies alone are not enough."
Over the next several minutes she laid out her plans and policies with calm precision addressing all the current problems that Kivotos is facing. To name a few: The expansion of reconstruction efforts across all damaged districts, Reforms within the General Student Council. Regular assemblies between academies will be conducted. Establishing direct communication channels, other than SCHALE for student concerns.
"I cannot erase the past but I can promise this as long as I stand here... I will never again abandon Kivotos."
Applause broke out across the venue.
At SCHALE just as when the press conference continued onto Q&A segment, Sensei sat alone in the lounge, watching the broadcast from the television mounted on the wall. He lets out a long breath as he sinks deeper into the couch.
After the end of the big conflict he had been forced into taking an extended rest period. At first he protested, insisting there was still too much work to do, with all the reports to write, and attending to the many students who might need him. Unfortunately for him, being outnumbered meant his objections didn’t last very long. Even Rin and Aoi who are very strict about work asked him to take a rest.
With a tired sigh, he reached for the Shittim Chest and activated it. The familiar blue glow illuminated the room as the gadget responded, and soon his consciousness was gently drawn into the digital space he had visited countless times before.
An endless sky stretched overhead, reflected perfectly in the shallow waters beneath his feet. The environment was exactly as he remembered. As he looked over, there is one figure waiting for him.
Plana stood there, expression as calm and unreadable as always. She turned toward him the moment he arrived and gave a small nod.
“Welcome back, Sensei.”
Sensei gave her a small smile.
“Hey, Plana. How’ve you been holding up?”
“I am functioning within normal parameters, thank you for asking Sensei," she replied.
Sensei nodded slowly, but his eyes drifted toward the space beside her. That empty space bothered him more than he wanted to admit. Normally, before he could say anything, a cheerful voice would already be there greeting him a warm welcome, asking him to praise her for helping him again.
Sensei looked back at Plana, his expression a bit forlorn.
“That’s good... I just hope you’re not feeling too lonely now that... Arona isn’t here any more."
“Your concern is appreciated, Sensei, but the Shittim Chest was originally designed to operate with a single OS. Even if I originated from a Shittim Chest in a parallel world, my current operation remains stable.Also Correction. Arona-senpai is not gone.”
Sensei followed her finger pointing outwards to the TV monitor and there he saw the GSC President, who is now answering questions from the journalists.
The same bright blue hair, now longer.
The same blue eyes, yet full of focus.
Those familiar features were now donned by a brilliant young woman who delivered a very fine speech which is honestly a very far cry from the Arona Sensei remembers and had been with him until recently.
Suddenly, very recent memories came flooding back.
In that battle, the moment he had realized there were no other options left.
He remembered gripping the Adult Card in his hand, his fingers trembling as he prepared himself for what would likely be the final decision of his life. He remembered accepting it, acknowledging that if his life was the price needed to protect his students... then so be it.
But then Arona stepped in.
Even now, he could remember the way she smiled at him. Not her usual smug little grin or the playful expression she wore whenever she wanted praise for something. This smile had been softer and sadder than anything he had ever seen from her.
He remembered Plana trying to intervene, desperately trying to support her but Arona disabled Plana’s administrative access all because she didn’t want Plana to share her burden.
Even as her body began to fade beneath the unbearable load of the Shittim Chest going into overdrive, Arona had still managed to smile.
She had looked toward the panicking Plana and said, with that infuriatingly cheerful voice of hers-
“Sorry Plana-chan, I wanted to at least be a reliable senpai for once.”
Even now Sensei can still hear Plana’s desperate plea, a rare moment of raw emotion from someone who was always so composed as she tried and failed to stop her.
"Plana-chan, please take care of Sensei.""And Sensei, thank you for always taking care of me.”"Arona-senpai!!!"
"ARONAAAAAAAA!!"
Both Plana and Sensei could only scream helplessly. Then in a flash it was over.
For those few moments after that, both he and Plana had believed Arona was gone but then something even more unbelievable happened. A girl appeared at the center of the battlefield. At first, Sensei thought it was Arona but looking closer it was more accurate to say she resembled Arona. The girl looked older, more mature, yet undeniably familiar.
Dazed and disoriented, she slowly opened her eyes as the battlefield fell silent around her.It was only a moment later that everyone realized who she was, the long-lost General Student Council President.
The members of the General Student Council who had been fighting beside Sensei recognized her immediately.
Rin was the first to move. She sprinted forward without a second thought and threw her arms around the President, breaking down into tears as a long time of suppressed fear, guilt, and longing finally poured out.
It was a touching reunion but at that moment, Sensei couldn’t even process anything going on. He still hadn’t had time to make sense of what happened to Arona, the unseen hero who had just sacrificed herself for him and everyone.
The strain on his body finally caught up as his knees buckle down. Sensei would lose his consciousness and wouldn't wake up until 3 days later.
“Arona-senpai still lives on through the General Student Council President.”
Sensei stared silently at the screen looking at the ongoing broadcast. The girl known as the GSC President is still answering questions from the press, the way she carries herself so professionally, brimming with confidence while resembling Arona made feel Sensei feel a bit odd.
“It was a good speech.. I would say as expected of the General Student Council President but went way beyond my expectations. She could very well become a proper politician in my home world.”
Plana remained silent for a few seconds before speaking again.
“Sensei. Inquiry.”
"Go ahead, Plana.”
“When will Sensei talk with the General Student Council President?”
“...”
Sensei didn’t answer immediately after a long pause, he finally let out a quiet breath.
“I don't know perhaps when everything is settled down on her end? She’s very busy right now.”
Sensei could only curse himself for how obviously desperate he is making excuses that sounds even worse than when he would try to weasel his way out of Yuuka’s interrogation about where his money went.
“...!”
Plana’s expression shifted ever so slightly, her eyes widening as though she had just received something unexpected.
“Plana?”
“Sensei,” she said calmly, though there was the faintest hint of warmth in her voice. “The General Student Council President... Senpai wishes to speak with you.”
“What?" He instinctively reached for his phone, checked the screen, then found no new messages.
Plana shook her head.
“This communication did not pass through conventional channels.”
Sensei stared at her for a few seconds before slowly lowering his phone.
“So where and when am I meeting her?”
“The rooftop of SCHALE, 10 p.m. this evening." Plana answered immediately.
Sensei fell silent and for some reason his heartbeat suddenly felt a lot louder.
“As senpai said before she disappeared...” Plana said softly.
“She has entrusted me to take care of you, Sensei. So please... do not worry, I am here for you.”
For a moment, Sensei could only stare at her and finally a defeated quiet laugh escaped him.
“Plana... sorry, I guess I underestimated how much you understand me.”
Plana tilted her head, though there was the faintest trace of pride in her expression.
“I am the OS of the Shittim Chest. Such things are to be expected.”
“...Is what Arona-senpai would have said.”
Sensei stared at her for a second before a tired smile slowly formed on his face as he starts gently patting Plana's head.
“Oh, you...” For the first time in a while, some of the heaviness in his chest felt a little lighter.
“I’m glad you’re here with me, Plana.”
"Take care, Sensei," Plana gave him a small smile and a quiet nod.
Sensei let out one final breath, as if finally accepting that running away wasn’t an option anymore.
“...Alright.”
It was now the hour of the appointment, Sensei stopped just outside the rooftop door and for a few seconds, he didn’t move.
His hand remained on the metal handle behind him, his grip just a little tighter than usual.
He had walked into battlefields without hesitation even if a single bullet could kill him and faced threats that could have killed him a hundred times over as someone who was not from Kivotos all the while he had stood in front of his students yet right now, his heartbeat felt louder than it ever had in combat.
He let out a slow breath and shook his head, “...Get it together.”
The moment he finally stepped forward, he saw her.
Standing near the safety railing, her back turned toward him as the evening wind gently played with her long blue hair.
Hearing the door open the girl turned around and met his eyes.
For a moment he caught his breath.
Sensei unconsciously stopped walking and his chest tightened trying to remind himself that while she looks so similar, this is not the A.I. assistant known as Arona. Standing before him now was the General Student Council President who looked more beautiful than he was prepared for.
She smiled at him probably noticing his reluctance
“Good evening, Sensei. I was starting to wonder if you’d run away.” A familiar warmth crept into her voice.
“How could I? It was a request coming from the one who appointed me Sensei of SCHALE.”
“You were, weren’t you?”
“I promise, it would be irresponsible of me if I did.”
“Hehe... you did that thing again when you lie.”
“Huh?! Was there anything like that?!”
“Just kidding,” She stuck out her tongue playfully.
“Haaa...” Sensei let out a defeated sigh.
It was strange, he had only met the General Student Council President very recently and yet somehow talking to her felt unnervingly natural.
“Ahem, it’s an honor to finally meet you Miss President of the General Student Council President,” He cleared his throat, trying to regain his composure,
Trying to keep things formal, Sensei extended his hand for a handshake but the moment she saw it—
“Pfft... hahaha!”
She covered her mouth as she laughed openly.
“Sensei... you’re being way too formal. Usually you’d act so brazen around your students, so this is honestly throwing me off.”
“H-Hey...” Sensei protested. “I’m meeting the most important person in Kivotos here.”
She shook her head gently.
“After everything you’ve done for us... for me... that title should belong to you.”
“I have so many questions right now...” Sensei admitted with a tired sigh. “I don’t even know where to begin.”
The President’s expression softened, “Then I’ll start.”
She placed a hand lightly against her chest, her voice carrying none of the authority she had shown during the press conference.
“As you already know, I am the General Student Council President.”
She paused for a moment, almost as if weighing her words, “But I’d rather you call me by my name, Aohana Miharu.”
“Miharu...”
He repeated it quietly, tasting the unfamiliar name for the first time.
Then, almost instinctively, he smiled. “That’s a beautiful name.”
For a moment, Miharu froze.
Then, as the evening wind brushed past her, a faint blush spread across her cheeks.
“Hehe...”
She looked away for a second, brushing a strand of blue hair behind her ear, “You said that a long time ago too.”
Sensei’s smile faltered.
“...What?”
But before he could press further, Miharu’s raised a hand and gently motioned him forward.
“Closer.”
“Eh?”
“A little closer”
“...Like this?” He hesitated for a moment before taking a cautious step forward.
Miharu studied him for a second before shaking her head, the corners of her lips curling upward.
“Still too far.”
Before Sensei could react, she took a step forward herself and in an instant, the distance between them disappeared, making Sensei hold his breath.
They were close, far too close, enough that he could see the faint blush on her cheeks, along with the subtle scent of her hair whenever the evening breeze brushed past them.
“W-Whoa—This is already way too close—”
Sensei could feel his heartbeat pounding in his chest so loudly he was half convinced she could hear it too.
“Now...” she said softly, her voice gentler than before.
“Hold out your index finger, Sensei.”
“...Like this?”
She didn’t answer right away instead, she looked down at his outstretched hand and took a small breath, as if steadying herself.
She slowly raised her own hand then she gently touched his fingertip with her own.
“Bio authentication complete.”
“Hello, *****-Sensei. I am Arona, the system manager residing within the Shittim Chest. Think of me as your trusty secretary.”
"?!"
“I think... that’s how I introduced myself back then, this really feels nostalgic now,” Miharu let out a small, awkward laugh and scratched her cheek.
Sensei stared at her, his hand still suspended in the air from where their fingertips had touched. For a moment, his thoughts completely stopped.
“A-Arona...? Are you really Arona?!” His voice came out sounding more bewildered than he intended. “
Miharu’s smile softened, though there was a hint of uncertainty in her expression now. She lowered her gaze for a moment before answering.
“Yes... and at the same time, no.”
Sensei said nothing, waiting for her to continue.
“When I became the main OS of the Shittim Chest, I relinquished everything that made me Miharu, that includes my memories as the General Student Council President, my responsibilities, even my sense of self.”
“What remained became Arona,” She placed a hand over her chest as if trying to organize her own feelings while explaining it.
She let out another awkward laugh, this time with a faint blush creeping across her cheeks.
“Remembering all the things I did as Arona has been really embarrassing. I can’t believe I acted like that in front of you all the time.” She looked away for a second before glancing back at him.
“Even now, I’m still trying to process everything myself, so I’m sorry if I can't explain it very well.”
Sensei remained silent.
Miharu shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. She had expected questions, confusion, maybe even disbelief. What she hadn’t expected was for him to suddenly close the distance between them and pull her into his arms.
Her entire body stiffened.
“...S-Sensei?”
She could feel his arms tighten around her, almost as if he was afraid that if he let go, she would disappear again.
Then she heard it. A small sniffle, followed by a voice much more quiet than before.
“Don’t ever do that again... you idiot.”
Miharu just stood there in silence and she slowly returned the embrace, wrapping her arms around him just as tightly.
“...Sensei,” she murmured against his shoulder.
“Back then... I was really scared.”
“I tried acting cool in front of Plana-chan. I wanted to look dependable, like a senpai should.” Her arms tightened slightly around him.
“I was terrified… but I was more afraid of you dying Sensei.”
“And your solution was deciding to sacrifice yourself all on your own? Stupid.” He flicked her forehead after letting her go from his embrace.
“Ow..”
Miharu rubbed her forehead and pouted at him, though the expression didn’t last very long.
“Honestly...” He let out a small laugh and looked off toward the city lights below. “I still don’t fully understand what happened.”
Miharu nodded, “Neither do I, some things are still a bit fuzzy for me hehe.”
Sensei glanced at her, then reached out and gently patted her head out of habit and the moment he did Miharu’s eyes widened ever so slightly.
“It’s really strange, that little girl inside the Shittim Chest had suddenly turned into a fine young woman.”
Miharu’s puffed her cheeks in a pout, “Hmmph... I can’t say I’m satisfied with that.”
She pulled herself away from his hand and crossed her arms, and seeing that reaction, Sensei couldn’t help but laugh.
“Yeah... you really are her.”
“Sensei... quit teasing me and... stop treating me the same way you treated Arona.”
Miharu placed a hand over her chest, her cheeks still faintly red, “I’ll be firm on that. After all I can’t have the person I love treating me like a little girl.”
“Huh? Did I hear that right?”
Before he could recover, Miharu smiled faintly and continued.
“There’s more I need to tell you.”
“In that conflict a week ago, for you it might have been your first time meeting me but for me, it was our reunion,” Miharu looked at him with a smile that was both warm and strangely nostalgic.
“Our... reunion?”
Miharu nodded.
“In a timeline that no longer exists, similar to this one, where I am still the General Student Council President and Kivotos was still Kivotos, the only difference was that SCHALE never existed in that world.”
“Because there was really no need for that organization with you on the helm.”
Miharu gave him a small, almost amused smile at his reaction.
“Correct.”
“So was I not Sensei of SCHALE in that reality then?”
“In that world, you never became the advisor of SCHALE... because as you said there was no SCHALE to begin with. Instead, you worked directly under me.”
She looked up at him, and for some reason that gaze made Sensei’s chest tighten.
“Really? So we worked together even in that timeline you speak of.”
“Yes, you were my personal advisor. We worked together closely almost every day with Rin-chan and the others. You helped me handle the work at General Student Council, helped me fixed problems before they became disasters, and you also constantly ignored your own health because you were too busy helping everyone else.”
“Oops guess something always stay the same even across timelines haha.”
“Rin-chan would really get mad at us both.” Miharu smiled, though this time there was a little sadness in it. “Despite everything, those days with you were the most fun I had as the General Student Council President. Which is why our first parting was so painful.”
“Sensei, I’m really sorry... if only I had made the right choices, if only I had listened to you, if only I was more responsible.”
The girl in front of him looked fragile, her eyes welling with tears. She was completely different from the untouchable figure the public knew. Sensei knew he couldn't fully grasp the weight of what she had been through, but he knew what an adult had to say.
“Miharu,” Sensei said gently, stepping closer. “Being responsible isn't about never making mistakes. It's about having the courage to own up to them, to learn, and to keep moving forward. That's what it means to grow into an adult. You carried a burden a student like you didn't deserve to, so please... be proud that you got through it at all.”
Miharu swallowed hard, looking up at him as a tear finally slipped down her cheek.
“I may not know everything you’ve been through,” Sensei continued, his voice steady and warm.
“And I’m sorry if I can’t remember the time we spent together but if there’s one thing I can do for you now... it’s to support you with everything I've got, once again. Please lean on me, even more than you used to in the world I no longer remember.”
Miharu stared at him, stunned.
“Sensei really is Sensei no matter what... I at least made one right choice in putting my trust in you.”
She clasped her hands behind her back, looking up at him with a gentle smile. “From your own words... 'What matters isn’t our past decisions, but rather what we’ll do from now on.' So don’t apologize whether you remember or not, Sensei.”
“I’m happy to hear that I was able to teach you something valuable.” Sensei smiled, then paused as a sudden thought hit him. “Ah, how terrible of me. I forgot to say the most important thing.”
“?”
“Welcome back, Miharu. Thank you for all the work you've done.”
The words hit her like a tidal wave. The heavy armor of the 'Superhuman' President completely shattered, leaving behind only an ordinary girl who had been carrying an immense weight alone for far too long. The relief was instantaneous, and the tears finally poured freely.
"Sensei... Can you hug me again?"
Without a word, Sensei wrapped his arms around Miharu for the second time tonight.
"I-I'm back, Sensei..." she sobbed, burying her face into his chest, her shoulders shaking violently as months of isolated trauma finally poured out.
“There, there,” Sensei murmured, gently patting her back.
They held each other on the quiet rooftop, the silence of the night wrapping around them until her heavy sobs slowly subsided into quiet sniffles.
Slowly, Miharu pulled back just enough to look into his eyes. Her face was flushed, her eyelashes damp, but her gaze was filled with absolute, unwavering certainty.
“Sensei, I really do love you after all. With all my heart... then, now, and forever.”
Before Sensei could even process the words, a sudden, violent gust of wind whipped across the rooftop.
The deafening roar of rotor blades shattered the silence as a helicopter pulled up over the edge of the building, instantly drowning them in the blinding white glare of a high-powered searchlight.
“?!”
“…”
Sensei was alarmed but Miharu didn't flinch. Instead, she grabbed the lapels of Sensei's coat, pulled herself up on her tiptoes, and firmly planted a kiss on Sensei’s lips.
Miharu closed her eyes, pouring every ounce of her feeling, her emotion that she couldn’t convey. The kiss was deep, desperate, and possessive It was the culmination of the feelings of a girl who had crossed timelines and endured absolute isolation just to hold him like this again.
Sensei froze, completely overwhelmed by the sudden warmth and the intoxicating sweetness of her taste. The sheer, raw emotion behind the kiss left him entirely breathless, his mind failing to register the roaring helicopter or the blinding light as the world narrowed down to just the pressure of her lips on his.
When she finally pulled back, her breaths came in short, uneven gasps. Her lips were parted and flushed, and she looked up at him through damp eyelashes with a gaze so fiercely affectionate it left him completely stunned.
"OH MY GODS!" the megaphone exploded, the reporter sounding like they were about to faint from the scoop of the decade. "A DIRECT HIT! THE PRESIDENT HAS ACQUIRED THE TARGET!"
"Chronos at this hour?! Hey! Turn that light off! Turn the cameras off! There is nothing to see here!" Sensei panicked, frantically waving his hands at the sky like a man trying to swat away a giant mechanical mosquito.
"WE ARE LIVE!" a voice screamed from a megaphone attached to the side of the hovering Kronos News chopper. "CITIZENS OF KIVOTOS, BREAKING NEWS! THIS IS NOT A DRILL! THE RECENTLY RETURNED GENERAL STUDENT COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND SENSEI OF SCHALE ARE CURRENTLY ENGAGED IN A PASSIONATE EXCHANGE ON THE SCHALE ROOFTOP! I REPEAT, THIS IS NOT A DRILL!"
"Miharu, we need to go inside! Right now! If this is broadcasting live, we’re never hearing the end of it! Come on!"
Miharu, however, didn't look panicked at all. She let out a laugh, her eyes sparkling with absolute mischief as the spotlight tracked them.
Seeing the camera lens still pointed at them, Sensei didn't waste another second. He grabbed Miharu by the hand and bolted toward the rooftop door. Miharu was all smiles, her hair trailing behind her as she let herself be pulled along, completely unbothered by the chaos echoing from the megaphone above.
“AH WAIT COMEBACK WE STILL WANTED A PROPER INTERVIEW!!”
They burst through the door and slammed it shut behind them, cutting off the deafening roar of the helicopter.
Safe in the quiet stairwell, Sensei leaned against the wall to catch his breath, his face still burning.
Miharu looks at their still-linked hands with a soft, intensely satisfied smile. She knew exactly what she had just done.
“You’ll take responsibility for your mischievous student right Sensei?”
“Haa.. Haa.. how will I ever face Rin tomorrow..?”
The broadcast lasted less than five minutes, but the aftermath would shake the very foundations of Kivotos.
By the time the Kronos News chopper pulled away from the SCHALE rooftop, the footage had already been clipped, shared, and broadcasted across every social media platform, online forums, tabloids and billboards. The untouchable, superhuman General Student Council President had not only returned, but she had openly declared her claim on the city's most beloved adult on live television.
In the days and weeks to come, this single, chaotic midnight encounter would go on to become the absolute hottest topic in Kivotos igniting an unprecedented, frantic race among the students to win Sensei’s heart before the President could lock him down for good.
Notes:
Couldn't find the tag so.. NO BETA WE DIE LIKE YUME
This is my first ever fic so as expected it was very rough. There will be some things that I'll bring up and won't fully address like the specifics of that "big battle" everyone supposedly faced its all just set-up for what I want to write which is romcom shenanigans.
I wanted to write a story where the students are forced to acknowledge and deal with their feelings toward Sensei and what a better way to get them moving is by having a rival with a very strong heroine power, and that rival is the girl known as the Superhuman!
We really don't know a lot about her besides her very brief appearances from the Prologue, Volume F and now recently in the Main Story Part 2. So she'll technically be an OC but I am using Arona and some details from Rin and Kaya as the core of her personality.
I was hesitating whether or not to give Prez a name but saying GSC President over and over again was going to be a mouthful so I settled on a name, Miharu Aohana. At first I wanted to simply name her Aoharu but I guess it was too on the nose so I took some creative liberty.
Another disclaimer is that I make use of AI to help with grammar because English is not really my first language but just know all the ideas are all mine in fact I've been agonizing about how I should write out the events... and honestly I think it's kinda all over the place.
Chapter Text
“Wow! Amazing! You were able to commandeer our units so efficiently!”
A bright, ecstatic voice echoed through a world that felt entirely blurred at the edges, a stark contrast to the chaotic battlefield that had just fallen quiet.
“I’ve decided! Strange adult, come work with me!”
The girl stepped closer, her silhouette radiating a brilliant, warm light that Sensei couldn't quite focus his eyes on. She was looking at him with an expression of pure awe and unshakeable confidence.
“What shall I call you... hmm, you’re a teacher? Then, Sensei.”
She tilted her head, testing the weight of the title on her tongue before flashing him a brilliant, captivating smile that seemed to light up the entire room.
“Call it my intuition but with you by my side, I’m sure that Kivotos will prosper.”
The landscape around them began to ripple and fade into a brilliant white mist, but her voice remained crystal clear, pulling at a chord in his chest.
“Sensei, will you take my hand?”
She extended her hand toward him, offering an invitation. Sensei stood completely frozen, unable to speak a single word, his hand slowly reaching for her palm as the vision began to shatter.
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--
-
BEEP BEEP BEEP
Sensei sat up quickly in his bed, his heart hammering as his eyes adjusted to the bright morning sun piercing through the blinds. He reached over to his nightstand and pressed his hand down on the alarm clock..
"A dream or a distant memory?"
It was a scenery that he didn’t experience but oddly enough his heart felt that it wasn’t out of place.
BZZZZZZ—
His phone, sitting right next to the clock, began to rattle violently across the wood from a sudden onslaught of new notifications.
"Ugh..."
"How did I even manage to get back here last night?" he muttered to himself.
The last thing he clearly remembered was sprinting towards the door leading downstairs. Everything after that was a complete blur. He must have blacked out from the sheer shock of it all, or maybe his brain had just shut down to protect his sanity.
He took a deep breath and finally unlocked his phone.
From: Nanagami Rin (Rinny)
Subject: Urgent Recall Notice
Sensei, your approved leave has been terminated, effective immediately. Your regular working hours resume today.
Please report directly to the General Student Council Office. We have an... urgent matter that requires a thorough, face-to-face discussion. Do not be late and make sure to bring the President with you PRONTO.
"Mom, I'm scared..."
The cold, precise wording of the text felt less like a work notification and more like a summons to an execution. Rin didn't use caps lock or exclamation points, but the lack of pleasantries spoke volumes.
She was mildly infuriated, to put it politely.
As he stared at the screen, the notification counter at the top of his phone finally rolled over to its absolute maximum.
MomoTalk: 999+
“How is this even possible?!”
Curious to see just how bad the situation was, Sensei closed Rin’s message and opened the local news and video feeds.
Yep. It was everywhere.
As he stared at his screen feeling helpless a soft, low mumble broke the silence of the room.
"Mmm...."
Sensei stiffened. He slowly turned his head toward the left side of the bed, his heart doing a sudden, violent backflip. There, curled up beneath the sheets right next to him was Miharu, sound asleep.
A cold sweat broke out across his forehead. He immediately, frantically checked under the covers, making sure everything was exactly where it was supposed to be.
('Okay. Everything was intact. Nothing unprofessional had happened.')
He rubbed his temples as the fog in his brain finally cleared, remembering how they had even ended up here. After sprinting inside to escape the Kronos helicopter last night, Miharu had logically pointed out that the reporters would swarm her the moment she tried to leave SCHALE. She had argued that staying the night was the safest, most practical move.
Sensei knew full well she had an ulterior motive and just wanted an excuse to stay with him, but her logic wasn't entirely wrong, so he had complied.
"You can use the bed, I'll be on the sofa." Sensei had pointed toward the living room, trying to maintain his stance as the responsible adult.
"Can we not sleep on the same bed together?"
Miharu had tilted her head, tapping her index fingers together with the most innocent, pleading expression she could muster but Sensei had crossed his arms, shutting the idea down instantly.
"With a student? No."
"Ehh... but you went to bed with Toki-san and then with Noa-san, though? Shared a room with Shigure-san, and even went into the hot springs with Chinatsu-san!"
"Bare bodies!"
"We had towels on!"
It was an incredibly weak defense. Sensei had realized with a sinking heart that he had absolutely no high ground to stand on, especially when the girl right in front of him acting all smug had spent a majority watching his every move from inside the Shittim Chest.
"Fine, fine... you can use the bed..."
Sensei had let out a defeated groan, completely throwing in the towel.
"Yippee!"
Miharu had cheered, happily claiming her half of the mattress.
"..."
Back in the present, with the impending doom of facing Rin the both of them need to get out. He reached over and gently nudged the shoulder of his companion.
"Miharu. Wake up, Miharu. We have a massive crisis."
Remaining asleep she just hugged the pillow tighter, a soft, blissfully happy smile spreading across her face as she mumbled into the fabric.
"Ehehe... castella cake with... strawberry milk... is definitely better than banana milk, right...?"
Sensei stared at her, his shoulders slumping.
(‘Ah, how carefree. I'm actually kind of jealous...’)
Bathed in the soft morning light, her face looked entirely peaceful, completely stripped of the heavy responsibilities she usually carried. Seeing her like this so relaxed, so entirely vulnerable stirred something warm in his chest. She was genuinely adorable.
('Wait, what am I thinking?!')
He violently shook his head to snap himself out of it. "M-Miharu! Madam President, please wake up!"
Again she didn’t budge, she just let out a tiny, contented sigh and buried her face deeper into the pillow.
Sensei crossed his arms, racking his brain for a solution.
He suddenly remembered his usual, foolproof tactic for dealing with a certain blue haired AI assistant whenever he found her out cold inside the Shittim Chest.
He leaned in closer to her ear and spoke in a clear, devastatingly calm tone.
"If you don’t wake up right now, you will get no snacks for an entire month."
"UWAAAAAHH!"
Miharu’s eyes snapped wide open. She bolted upright like a spring-loaded trap.
"Anything but tha- Huh...?"
"Good morning sleepyhead. Get yourself ready, we need to head to the General Student Council Office."
"S-Sensei?! Ah! My 'Wake up Sensei in a sweet and sultry voice in the morning' plan failed!"
She feigned being sad then sprung back to life.
“There is always next time! Anyway, were you called by Rin-chan? But I thought you were still on break?”
"Not anymore, I received the news.." Sensei sighed, unlocking his screen and turning the device around to show her the cold, executioner-style text from the Vice President. "Look."
Miharu leaned forward, but instead of reading Rin's text, her eyes immediately locked onto the MomoTalk app that has 999+ on the corner.
"Sensei, you should really read your students' MomoTalks. Don't just reply to them when Fes is approaching." She says in a teasing, scolding manner
Sensei’s quickly pulled the phone back, coughing into his fist. "Ah! This is what I meant to show!"
He pointed aggressively at Rin's message instead.
"Ahaha...Is this about the…?"
Sensei nods quietly as he turns around and begins putting on his suit.
“I’m sorry Sensei.”
Her playful demeanor vanished, her shoulders dropping slightly as she looked down at the rumpled sheets. The realization of the absolute storm she had unleashed seemed to finally catch up to her.
“It’s okay. Who would have expected for Kronos to be there at that time and place?”
Sensei offered a reassuring smile as he pulled his tie into a neat knot. Internally, though, he could only think about how convenient the timing had been almost as if it were ordained by fate itself just to make a mess out of his daily life.
“I apologize, but I don’t regret it beecause those were my true feelings.”
Her eyes locked onto his, burning with a sincerity so intense that Sensei found himself immediately looking away.
“Still.. I need to do something about it, I can’t let you handle everything.”
Miharu swung her legs over the edge of the mattress and stood up, the light fabric of her pajamas shifting as she stepped across the room and immediately grabbed the hem of her top, pulling it straight up over her head.
"W-What are you doing?! At least wait for me to get out!"
Sensei shrieked, instantly spinning on his heel as his face was dyed with crimson.
"Ah! Sorry! I was in a rush! But... I don't really mind if you look~ <3"
SLAM!
Sensei practically threw himself out of the bedroom, slamming the door shut behind him. He leaned his back against the wood, panting heavily as he placed a hand on his chest.
"Sensei, your heart rate is dangerously elevated. Shall I prepare some emergency protocols?”
A soft, monotone voice echoed.
"Plana! Hey... no, I'm fine, just... ah you’re pulling my leg aren’t you!" Sensei gasped, wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead as the Shittim Chest's screen lit up in his hands.
"I jest. However, I must report a critical situation. Using the surrounding security cameras outside, I have detected multiple students from Kronos School of Journalism stationed outside the SCHALE building’s perimeter. They appear to be waiting to ambush you for an exclusive interview regarding last night's event."
"Of course they are… Thanks for the report Plana.”
"Good morning, Plana-chan!"
The bedroom door clicked open, and Miharu stepped out, now perfectly dressed in her neat uniform, and her little side-braid tied up.
"Good morning, President Miharu," Plana replied formally, her digital avatar bowing slightly on the screen. "
“Call me as you usually would Plana-chan~”
“Then, good morning Senpai.”
Miharu leaned over Sensei's shoulder, peering closely at the little AI girl inside the screen. She tilted her head, a playful, slightly proud grin forming on her lips.
"Look at me, I'm so much taller now! Though technically I’m just back to my original body, maybe you should start calling me Onee-chan instead of Senpai from now on."
"I must respectfully decline that request," Plana answered instantly, her face remaining completely expressionless, though her digital ribbon gave a small, subtle twitch.
“While your appearance may have drastically changed you are still fundamentally the same chaotic entity."
"Ehh?! So cold!" She pouted, puffing her cheeks.
"However..." Plana's expression softened just a fraction, a tiny, rare smile touching her lips. "I am very glad to see that you are doing well, Senpai."
"Aw, Plana-chan..."
Sensei looked between the two of them, a fond, gentle warmth settling in his chest. It was a sweet sight, though he still couldn't help but let out a quiet sigh.
"I have to admit... it's still a little strange. To think that the mischievous Arona who used to give me blue envelopes all the time was actually the General Student Council President this whole time."
"Hey! I gave you plenty of pink ones when it mattered, Sensei!"
"Right, right," Sensei chuckled, before his face hardened into a serious expression as he looked down at the screen. "Alright, we have our objective: Get to the GSC building without being detected by Kronos."
"Roger, I’ll try to be as undetectable as Miyu-san!”
"Plana, guide us through the best path."
"Acknowledged," Plana's voice echoed with absolute precision. "Looking for the most optimal route now. Please move on my mark."
With Plana's tactical guidance, they got outside of SCHALE and navigated the streets completely undetected.
"Head inside the store now, Sensei. A Kronos mobile vehicle is approaching your direction."
Silently, Sensei grabbed Miharu’s wrist and dragged her into a nearby boutique, keeping their heads low as a van plastered with the Kronos logo drove slowly past the storefront windows. They waited in the aisles, pretending to browse for items until Plana's voice signal them through the earpiece.
"Clear."
"We're movi—" Sensei turned around and immediately froze.
"What are you doing?"
Miharu was standing right next to a display rack, wearing a pair of ridiculously vibrant, rainbow-tinted sunglasses. She was striking a hilariously dramatic, confident pose, a smug grin plastered across her face.
“Hey yo! C’mon yo!”
"You're enjoying this, aren't you...?"
"Hehe! It's like we're secret agents, Sensei~"
They couldn't afford to play around for long, though. Just a block later, their luck nearly ran out.
"Alert. Two signatures likely, Kronos students suddenly changed course. Turn left into the nearby alleyway and hide I’ll make sure to activate camouflage," Plana commanded, her voice dropping all casual pretense.
Sensei didn't even think twice. He grabbed Miharu and squeezed into the narrow alleyway between two brick buildings. It was barely a crevice, forcing them to press their bodies completely against one another. Sensei's back hit the cold brick as Miharu was pushed right against his chest.
In the suffocating gap, Sensei could feel the rapid, frantic drumming of a heartbeat vibrating. Was it Miharu’s or was it his own? He couldn’t tell anymore. The faint, sweet scent of her hair filled the tight space, making his head spin more than the panic of getting caught. Miharu, usually so full of witty remarks, had gone completely still, her eyes wide as she tries her best not to make a sound.
A pair of chatting journalists from Kronos walked right past the opening of the crevice, their footsteps echoing sharply.
“There is no way Sensei hasn’t come out of the building yet!”
“He could just be wandering around in plain sight. Keep looking! We have to give the people what they want!”
“This could boost our ratings dramatically!”
Neither of them dared to move. Miharu’s fingers curled slightly into the fabric of his jacket, burying her face just a little deeper into his chest. Sensei held his breath, acutely aware of every single point of contact between them.
Once the footsteps finally faded into the distance, the suffocating pressure broke. They let out a synchronized, shaky breath of relief and slowly squeezed their way back out onto the pavement.
"The main avenue leading straight to the premises of the General Student Council is heavily compromised," Plana reported as they moved. "Kronos students are wandering the area in high density. I recommend an immediate detour through the crowded central shopping district."
“Ugh they really are not pulling out the stops.”
“Guess they were also trying to find me too if they went out of there way to the General Student Council. Sorry everyone..”
Following the advice, they went into the bustling, roofed market street. The dense crowd of morning shoppers provided excellent cover from any cameras, but it also brought a completely different problem. As they passed a row of traditional bakeries and food stalls, a delicious, warm aroma filled the air.
GROOOOOWL.
A loud, deeply betraying sound echoed from Miharu’s midsection. Having fled the SCHALE in such a rush, neither of them had eaten a single bite of breakfast.
"Do you want to make a quick stop?" Sensei asked, glancing down at her.
"No, it's fine! We should proceed, Rin-chan is waiting," Miharu insisted, though she cast a longing glance back at a bakery.
"Let's get something," Sensei said firmly. "Actually, I'm planning to buy some snacks to appease Rin anyway. A peace offering might help."
"Ooh! In that case, I know exactly what to get to stay on her good side!" Miharu chimed in, her eyes lighting up. "Leave it to me, we're best friends after all!"
They quickly went into a famous local cake and desserts shop, but the moment they stepped up to the counter, the atmosphere shifted. The nearby patrons stopped talking, their eyes widening as they looked between Sensei and the unmistakable GSC President standing right beside him.
"Wait, isn't that...?"
"The broadcast from last night..."
"So the rumors are true? Sensei of SCHALE and the GSC President really are..."
Whispers broke out like wildfire through the shop. As Sensei frantically grabbed the bag of pastries and paid the cashier, an older woman nearby smiled warmly and gave them a encouraging nod.
"I support your relationship! Good luck, you two!"
Sensei screamed internally holding back a retort, his face burning with a mixture of embarrassment and panic. He wanted nothing more than to clear up the ‘misunderstanding’ right then and there, but there was absolutely no time. After paying grabbed the box, took Miharu’s hand, and hurried out of the shop before a crowd could form.
As they walked away, Sensei was sweating bullets, but when he looked beside him, he noticed Miharu had a genuine, incredibly bright smile on her face. She didn't look bothered by the gossip at all; if anything, she seemed happy.
Eventually, the crowded shops gave way to the wide, open greenery of the city park. Seeing that the area was completely clear of Kronos students, they finally allowed themselves to drop the frantic rush, adopting a much more relaxed, normal pace. The General Student Council tower finally loomed directly ahead. They had survived the gauntlet, but as Sensei looked up at the massive executive floor windows, he knew the real trial was about to sta—
Suddenly, the tranquil silence of the park shattered. A rustling noise exploded from the surrounding bushes and from behind the decorative stone pillars near the plaza. A dozen Kronos journalists materialized out of thin air, cameras already flashing and notebooks in hand as they rapidly swarmed from all sides.
"Sensei, make a run for the entrance. Multiple signatures coming in hot," Plana's warning echoed a split second too late.
"Run!" Sensei shouted, abandoning all pretense of a relaxed pace.
“How did they find us?!”
“We got careless! Someone must have tipped them off!”
"Sensei! President! Please, just a moment for a statement!" the lead reporter yelled, her voice amplified by a megaphone as the distance between them rapidly closed.
"They're gaining on us!" Miharu gasped, her neat uniform fluttering wildly in the wind as she sprinted right beside him.
"Don't look back! Just keep moving!"
With the Kronos horde snapping at their heels, they lunged through the massive gate to the General Student Council tower. The automated security barriers slammed shut behind them with a definitive, mechanical CLICK, completely cutting off the shouting press.
The duo made it inside.
"We... we actually made it..." Sensei panted, bending over double with his hands on his knees, his chest burning as he gasped for air. "Phew... that was way too close!" Miharu laughed breathlessly.
"I am glad to see you both made it inside safely," Plana’s voice echoed gently from the Shittim Chest, sounding entirely relieved.
“It seemed they masked their heat signatures, they were more thoroughly prepared than anticipated. Apologies Sensei, Senpai.”
“No way we wouldn’t have made it without you Plana-chan! Ah.. this was my job too until just recently haha! Now I’m being led too.”
"Good job, Plana. We’re grateful." Sensei muttered, straightening his crumpled tie and checking the bag of pastries in his hand. Miraculously, the peace offering for Rin had survived the sprint completely intact.
"Well, the easy part is over," Miharu said, her breathing finally slowing down as she smoothed out her skirt.
"Are you ready to face the final boss, Sensei?"
"I don't think I'll ever be ready, but let's get this over with." Sensei bracing himself, pressing the button for the top floor.
On the way up-
DING—
The sleek, silver elevator doors slid open and Aoi stepped into the carriage, her eyes glued to the documents on her digital tablet. The moment she lifted her head and noticed who was inside, she gave a respectful bow.
"Good morning, President."
"Morning, Aoi-chan! Please forgive your senpai for the trouble last night. I already have a plan in mind to fix it, just wait a little more, okay?" Miharu offered a bright, apologetic smile.
"Please make sure to discuss that directly with Rin-senpai, President," Aoi replied politely, her voice dropping into a gentle, supportive tone. "She is... currently under an immense amount of pressure.."
"Mhm, will do!" Miharu nodded quickly.
As the doors closed, a heavy, suffocating silence settled over the elevator. Aoi went right back to staring at her tablet, her posture rigid.
Sensei shifted uncomfortably, the silence stretching on until he couldn't take it anymore. He cleared his throat, raising a weak hand.
"Umm... Aoi? Good morning...?"
Aoi didn't even look up from her screen. Her thumb swiped aggressively to the next page of her report.
"Ah. You were here, Sensei?"
"I've been here all along, though?!"
Seeing the heavy tension and realizing exactly why Aoi was acting so cold toward Sensei, Miharu bowed her head slightly towards Sensei, looking genuinely apologetic for the awkward situation she had dragged them both into.
"This is my stop," Aoi announced the moment the doors parted. She gave Miharu one final, flawless bow. "Have a productive meeting, President."
Without casting a single glance towards Sensei's direction, she marched out of the elevator, her heels clicking sharply against the floor.
"She is absolutely furious with me," Sensei groaned, staring blankly at the closing doors while clutching his box of pastries.
The elevator finally reached the top floor. Sliding open, the door reveals the grand, polished hallway. Heading to Rin's office they ran straight into Momoka eating her chips and Ayumu, who is carrying a fresh stack of printouts.
"Oh, wow. Look who finally decided to show up. Mornin President and Sensei." Momoka drawled, immediately stopping in her tracks. She popped some chips into her mouth, chewing lazily as her eyes darted between Sensei and Miharu. A massive, incredibly smug grin spread across her face.
"Sensei... broadcasting a romantic rooftop confession to the entire city? You scoundrel, it’s become such a hot topic.”
"Yeah.. we’re very much aware at this point.”
"P-President! Sensei! Good morning!"
Ayumu suddenly squeaked, her entire face flushing a violent shade of pink, completely unable to make eye contact with either of them.
"I-I mean, last night's broadcast was... um... We are very glad you are safe, President, but... ahhh...!"
"Good morning, Momoka-chan, Ayumu-chan," Miharu offered a soft, slightly sheepish smile, waving awkwardly as she tried to calm the two of them down.
"Rin-senpai is waiting inside her office," Momoka added, pointing a lazy finger toward the double doors at the end of the hall, her teasing grin never fading. "She’s been giving her computer a death stare all morning, Sensei."
“See ya~”
“E-Excuse us!”
Momoka lazily waves her free hand while Ayumu gave a tiny, frantic nod.
“Later you two!”
“Thank you for the kind words..”
-----
----
---
--
-
Rin sat in her office, staring blankly at the glowing notifications on her monitor in absolute silence.
The GSC servers were lagging, flooded with an unprecedented wave of traffic of messages, emails and all sorts of things following last night's broadcast. It wasn't a problem the former Acting President couldn’t handle. The real, chaos was inside her own heart.
Just a few days ago, the dust had settled on a battle that nearly tore Kivotos apart. In the immediate aftermath, as Sensei collapsed into a three-day coma, a miracle occurred Miharu Aohana, the long-lost President, her best friend had returned.
“Mii-chan!”
“Rin-chan…?”
She had clung to her best friend’s uniform, her shoulders shaking violently.
When was the last time she had cried? Rin herself couldn’t remember. She would always try her best remain composed at all times but at that moment the dam had broken completely.
In the days that followed, between managing frantic reconstruction efforts, Rin and Miharu would spend a portion of their time and visit Sensei's bedside when he was unconscious.
Rin had been so overwhelmed with relief to have her back that she hadn't looked too closely at the gaps forming in their old dynamic. She knows that Sensei and her have a connection but she didn’t know the extent of it. At first she thought that it was that of an employer and employee but eventually she comes to suspect that there’s more to it. During those small visits to Sensei, Rin had noticed the way Miharu looked at him. It was a gaze filled with a profound, aching fondness that Rin couldn't begin to fathom.
When Sensei finally woke up , Rin had been the only one to greet him. She had strictly ordered him to return to SCHALE to rest for the remainder of the week. Because of the grueling schedule, Miharu hadn't even had the chance to visit him so to Rin's knowledge, they hadn't spoken a single word to each other since her return.
Until yesterday.
“Great speech out there, President,” Rin had said just yesterday afternoon, adjusting her glasses as the broadcast cameras in the plaza finally powered down.
“Thanks, Rin-chan! I was a bit nervous because it really has been quite a while, hehe,” Miharu replied, offering a bright, cheerful wave to the staff passing by.
Looking at her, Rin felt a familiar sense of quiet awe. She truly is the one deserving to be the President. Her demeanor and charisma, while still having that approachability, is something I can never replicate.
“So, what’s left on the agenda?” Miharu asked, stretching her arms.
“That should be about it. We only have miscellaneous tasks left that can be left up to our other members.”
“Mmh, perfect,” Miharu hummed. Her expression suddenly turned a bit shy, a faint dust of pink hitting her cheeks. “Then... tonight, I plan to meet Sensei.”
Rin blinked, entirely caught off guard. “For what exactly? If it's a budget or reconstruction report, maybe I can handle it for you.”
“Mhm... no, it’s fine, I just want a word with him.”
Rin had assumed it was a private executive briefing. She had gone back to her dorms that evening, poured herself a hot cup of tea, and turned on the local news to unwind.
She had barely taken a single sip before she saw the sudden broadcast by Kronos. Rin had physically choked on her tea, coughing violently as she watched Miharu completely tackle Sensei into a passionate embrace as the two kiss at the SCHALE rooftop on live television.
A cold, bitter pang twisted sharply inside Rin's chest. She didn't understand, but there she saw.
Her two precious people.
Her best friend who she admired very much to the point that she would curse herself because she believed she couldn’t fill her shoes. The reason why she would always put a distinction on her title, Acting Student Council President.
And Sensei, the person who had been her reliable confidant. The one who had consistently been there for her without complaint. He can be a bit pushy and sometimes act so recklessly but she respected him very deeply, more than she would admit.
“Why won’t you tell me anything…?”
Seeing the two of them locked in a world of their own on that glowing screen, a quiet, suffocating panic began to take root beneath her anger.
Miharu was always like this. Bubbly, smiling, but completely unreadable when it came to her own burdens. She had vanished into thin air once before without a single word of warning, leaving Rin alone to pick up the pieces.
Now, she was back, but her questions remained unanswered. Where had she gone? How had she survived? What did Sensei truly mean to her? Rin had none of the answers, left completely in the dark by the person she trusted most.
And looking at the way they held onto each other, a dark, terrifying thought crept into Rin's mind. They shared a connection she couldn't reach, a history she wasn't a part of. If Miharu decided to slip away again... would she take Sensei with her this time? Would the two of them disappear together, leaving her standing alone in an empty office once more?
The mere thought made her stomach twist into a tight, grimy knot. She didn't want to lose her best friend again, and she certainly didn't want to lose him too.
Knock knock.
Rin blinked, the sharp sound instantly shattering the silence of the room. She took a slow, sharp breath, forcing her thoughts down, burying it deep beneath her rigid, icy composure.
“Come in.”
The door opened, and Sensei and Miharu stepped into the office. Sensei looked remarkably sheepish, while Miharu held a neatly tied box from a nearby bakery, looking tentatively hopeful.
“Good morning Rin-chan we brought you cake," Miharu offered softly, placing the box on the edge of the desk. "From the shopping district we happen to come across, we thought you could use some sugar."
“Whose fault do you think that is?”
The two flinch at her words. Guilty as charged.
Rin looked at the box, then up at the two of them. Instead of snapping, she simply sighed, her expression completely calm. "Thank you. Please, have a seat."
Once they were settled, Rin rested her hands on her desk, her gaze shifting between them.
"Sensei, President. Do you have any idea what you two just caused?"
"It was my fault, Rin," Sensei stepped forward, instinctively blocking Miharu slightly with his shoulder. "I should have managed the situation better. Miharu was overwhelmed by everything that happened, and I let things get out of hand."
"Rin-chan! Last night was an emotional, impulsive mistake on my part, I let my feelings override my judgement. It wasn't Sensei's fault but mine. And I take full responsibility.” Miharu followed up immediately before Rin could respond to Sensei’s words.
"We could spend all our time here talking about who is to blame, and it would still not undo what you just did," Rin countered sharply.
"Even if that Kronos news helicopter got there by coincidence, both of you acted with complete disregard for public decorum. President Miharu, you are the face of this General Student Council, and you are supposed to be Advisor of the Federal Investigation Club SCHALE, Sensei."
“Two of the most well known people of Kivotos, Practically VIPs”
Sensei and Miharu could only fall silent, knowing Rin was undeniably correct.Rin adjusted her glasses, her eyes narrowing slightly as she looked at her best friend.
"Sensei is one thing, but President, that was unbecoming of you. You are the Superhuman, the prime symbol of Kivotos. A role model for what students in Kivotos should strive for."
Miharu bit her lip. That moniker, meant to revere her, had become something of a shackle ever since she stepped into the role of General Student Council President during her first year.
“Superhuman this… Superhuman that…” Miharu whispered under her breath. A rare, defensive spark flickered in her eyes, and she opened her mouth to argue back, to finally protest against the crushing weight of that title but the words died in her throat.
“Why didn’t you consult me with anything first beforehand?” Rin’s voice cracked slightly, the rigid, professional façade crumbling to reveal her deepest insecurity. "Do I really seem that unreliable to you? Am I not your friend?”
“Rin-chan...?”Miharu paused. The frustration melted away instantly as she looked at Rin and noticed the faint dark circles shadowing her best friend's eyes.
The realization hit Miharu with a sharp wave of guilt. She had been so caught up in the whirlwind of her own return and her feelings for Sensei that she hadn't stopped to think about what she had left in her wake. Rin had been alone for months, carrying the entire weight of Kivotos, grieving a friend who once disappeared, who didn't give her any answers. And now, she was just expected to clean up another mess.
Miharu stepped entirely out from behind Sensei's shoulder, walking right up to the edge of the desk.
"I'm sorry, Rin-chan," Miharu said quietly.
"For last night, yes. But... mostly for everything else. I’m sorry for not telling you everything and for suddenly dropping back into your life acting like everything’s back to normal without explaining where I went, or what happened to me."
Rin's breath hitched.
"I'm always keeping secrets, aren't I?" Miharu offered a small, self-deprecating smile, her eyes entirely warm. "I wanted to protect you from the heavy stuff, but I only ended up leaving you in the dark. I promise I will tell you everything. Every single detail about where I was and how I ended up by Sensei's side. You deserve to know."
Rin looked away, her jaw clenching as she fought down a sudden, overwhelming surge of emotion.
A silence fills the room.
"As long as you understand," Rin said softly.
Her voice lacked its usual icy, unyielding edge. She stared down at the paperwork on her desk, the text blurring together slightly as she focused entirely on maintaining her breathing.
Miharu went over to RIn, her fingers gently covering Rin’s hand.
"I'm not going anywhere this time. And I'm not going to keep you out of my world anymore. We're fixing this. Together," Miharu murmured, her touch warm and steady.
Rin didn't look up immediately, but her grip on the pen slowly loosened. She let out a long, shaky breath she felt like she’d been holding for a week. The suffocating, grimy knot that had been twisting in her stomach didn't entirely vanish, but the fear of being left behind in the dark finally began to melt away.
Sensei stayed quiet, stepping back just enough to give the two friends their space. He offered a small, gentle smile, feeling a profound sense of relief.
"I'll hold you to that, President and... I expect a full, report from both of you." Rin replied after a long moment, finally pulling her hand back to adjust her glasses, though her eyes were still carefully avoiding Miharu's face. She cleared her throat, desperately trying to summon whatever remained of her composure.
Miharu's warm smile fully returned, soft but genuinely happy as she recognized Rin's classic way of showing she was ready to move forward. "Understood, Vice President Nanagami. We'll write down every single word."
Rin finally looked up. The heavy, dark fog that had filled the office since the morning broadcast had finally lifted, replaced by a quiet, comfortable exhaustion. They weren't completely back to the way things used to be, but looking at Miharu, Rin knew they were going to be okay.
"Before we discuss how we are going to handle the Kronos issue... cut the cake. I haven't had anything to eat yet."
"Yes, I’m on it!" Miharu chirped, instantly pulling out the small plastic knife from the box.
“I’ll prepare the coffee.”
While waiting for the cups to fill, Sensei leaned against the counter, letting out a quiet breath of his own.
To be honest, he had been incredibly worried. He knew the immense burden Rin had carried entirely on her own while Miharu was gone but watching the steam rise from the mugs, he realized he had drastically underestimated the bond between them.
He loaded the three cups onto a small serving tray and carried it back over to the desk.
Miharu was already sitting on the edge of the chair, gesturing animatedly with a plastic fork as she happily rambled while Rin was resting her chin on her hand expressing a tired, long-sigh there was a distinctly amused, affectionate look hidden behind her glasses.
(‘Those two will be fine..’)
Sensei smiled quietly to himself
“Coffee’s ready.”
“Sensei! Hurry up, I might eat the whole thing! cough”
“Mii-chan... slow down,” Rin scolded softly.
“Oh, so Rin calls Miharu, Mii-chan...” Sensei murmured as he set the tray down, a playful grin tugging at his lips. “That’s unexpectedly adorable coming from her.”
“?!” Rin instantly stiffened, a sharp burst of pink hitting her cheeks.
“You only noticed how cute Rin-chan is now, Sensei?!” Miharu huffing in an exaggerated manner.
“Nah, I already knew that, Rin-chan is reeaaally cute.” Sensei replied smoothly, offering a casual shrug.
“You two...” Rin slammed her hands flat against the desk, her face burning a brilliant, furious crimson as she glared at both of them.
“Stop teasing me already! And who are you calling Rin-chan, Sensei?!”
“Aww I don’t get a pass?”
Miharu just giggled behind her hand, completely unbothered, while Sensei took a slow, satisfied sip of his coffee. The paperwork and the Kronos journalists could wait just a little longer.
Notes:
Really wanted to include Rin because of course she is the GSC President's best friend after all.
Another reason why I gave Prez a name here cause I really headcanon that Rin calls her a nickname.As a first time writer, my main problem is that I don't exactly know how to properly set my pacing sometimes I could go way to fast and move on or sometimes dwell on a scene for too long.
Once again thanks for reading!
Chapter Text
After finishing the cake, the trio moved to the General Student Council’s General Meeting room.
Sensei sat at the frontmost seat on the left side of the conference table. On his right was Miharu also seated wearing a cheerful, relaxed smile still relishing the moment they had earlier. Rin was positioned at the front preparing her laptop. She adjusted her glasses, looking thoroughly exhausted before the presentation had even truly begun.
"Let's begin," Rin said, her tone completely flat.
"I've compiled the network data from the past twelve hours. The broadcast of your... stunt last night has completely overtaken every social media platform in Kivotos. In just under 12 hours it’s become the most trending story drowning out all other issues.”
The screen in the conference room didn't show the usual budget or security reports or diplomatic issues. Instead, it was displaying a massive, crystal-clear picture of the SCHALE rooftop broadcast, frozen right at the exact moment Sensei and Miharu had locked lips under the moonlight.
“Oh.. kinda wallpaper worthy don’t you think? Kronos did well this time.”
“Urk.. I can’t believe this is everywhere.”
Miharu nods seemingly satisfied with the photo while Sensei continues to feel worried about it.
Rin stood at the podium, her expression a mask of pure, unyielding professionalism as she pressed the button of the remote. The screen shifted, bringing up an organized avalanche of social media posts and forum threads discussing it.
Sensei raised a hand, weakly trying to interject. "Rin, is a full analytical breakdown really necessary—"
"Quiet, Sensei. This is a matter of public perception," Rin swiftly cuts him off.
"The majority of the initial reactions can be categorized under general gossip. As expected, a romantic development of this magnitude has generated immense excitement among the student population. The primary catalyst fueling the narrative is the sheer status of the participants. Thw Sensei of SCHALE, and the General Student Council President."
"A significant portion of the student body has actively begun 'shipping' the two of you, as they call it, while also fueling ‘shipping discourse’ online. Apparently a lot of students love discussing Sensei’s relationships with various students Rin continued, her tone completely deadpan despite the words coming out of her mouth.
Kyaa! Finally interesting news from Kronos. This is showbiz!
How long do you think they’ve been together and we just didn’t know it?!
Is this some sort of Political Marriage in the making..?
Sensei x Prez.. or Prez x Sensei..? Heehee I’ve been feeling more inspired than ever!
No no no! Sensei x Nagisa-sama is still on top! If you could have just seen how Nagisa-sama is always in such a good mood when the Tea Party schedules a meeting with Sensei. She becomes such a maiden! Ahhh Nagisa-sama I’ll fight for your love!
What? Millennium’s Seminar’s Treasurer Yuuka-senpai x Sensei is a much better pairing like what are you talking about?! The usual strict angry treasurer who is very meticulous when it comes to finances changing the pitch of her voice when Sensei is around. The gap is just too wonderful!
Prefect Hina x Sensei all the way and it doesn’t even come close! I’ve seen how they act behind close doors.. when I was about to submit my report, I saw Sensei giving her headpats while she was sitting on his lap. And I went all limp from the sweetness like kyaaa!
Does one need to be a Student Council member to get a shot with Sensei?! If so I'll do my best to be elected!!
But I've been a Vice President Rin Nanagami x Sensei stan too! One time I came across them walking in the corridors and Sensei was teasing her. I've never seen her that flustered before!
Wait wait wait.. The drama from this...
Rin stopped reading, a heavy, suffocating silence settling over the conference room. A faint, rhythmic ticking of the wall clock was the only sound left.
Sensei dragged a hand down his face, staring blankly at the table. "I know it's already too late to say this, but... I really don't have any privacy in this city, huh..."
"Getting into this rabbit hole was not what I had in mind when I took this position," Rin sighed like it had been the worst thing she’d have to investigate.
"To continue. Conversely, a parallel demographic has expressed severe emotional distress over the revelation that Sensei is, quote, 'taken.'"
The moment I couldn't observe him, and this is what I miss?! UWWWAAAAHH!
Yeah.. so I think I wanna shatter my halo.
Sensei... I just hope you'll still treat me the same as usual TT
How how.. I did not expect this development in my wildest dreams. Where was the foreshadowing in all of this? If this were some shoddy romance novel I would have burnt it to the ground.
I see... no wonder why Sensei hasn't been replying to my Momotalks today...
Sensei please be happy that's all I ask.
I want to puke.
That's Sensei's type? It was already a lost cause...
Nn... False information. Sensei belongs to Abydos.
Wait, is this real?! Sensei is actually taken?! 😭😭😭
I knew it... I knew the elite bureaucrats at the top would eventually hoard all the good things for themselves. This is a direct attack on the common student!
Ahaha... this is a joke, right? Sensei?
Honestly, they look amazing together. I can’t even butt in even if I wanted too..
Pack it up everyone… if you’ll excuse me Imma go cry myself to sleep”
You could have at least let me fantasize a little longer!! Cruel world!!
Sensei laughs sheepishly not knowing how to react to some of these comments.
Rin scrolled down, bringing up a gargantuan block of text that stretched off the bottom of the projector screen. "One particular student from an undisclosed academy went so far as to compose a twenty-three-page document detailing her heartbreak and the psychological impact of seeing Sensei embrace another girl.”
Sensei stared at the screen, bewildered. "Twenty-three pages...?"
He slowly glanced over at Miharu, expecting her to handle the data with her usual easy going attitude. After all, just last night on the rooftop, she had been totally fearless even teasing him about taking responsibility. But looking at her now, the emotional high of that private moment had completely evaporated.
Miharu’s mouth was slightly agape, her eyes wide as she scanned the massive screenshots of public chaos and genuine despair. A dark, distinct blush was creeping up her neck and coloring her cheeks, her playful demeanor entirely replaced by a look of sheer, stunned realization.
Sensei leaned a little closer, lowering his voice. "What happened to the confident girl from last night, Madam President? Feeling the pressure now that the reality has blown up like this?"
Miharu let out a nervous, strained little laugh, her hand coming up to touch her burning cheek.
"A-A little, yeah..." she whispered back.
"Seeing our faces plastered all over the forums... it made me realize that last night was not a dream. I knew there would be gossip considering it’s about you Sensei, but I didn't think it would get this bad.. I'm starting to realize the gravity of what I did."
“You two pay attention.”
“Yes ma’am!”
“Y-Yes!”
"However, there are some positive responses out of this and not just pure gossip," Rin noted, moving to the next slide. "Previously, the public viewed the General Student Council President as an aloof, albeit eccentric and untouchable figure the 'Superhuman' who was completely out of touch with the ordinary student experience. Seeing her ‘fall in love’ like a normal girl has actually made a percentage of the public view her differently.
Guess, the GSC President can fall in love too eh?
I wanna know how her and Sensei fell in love!!!
I thought she’d be too busy to have interest in this kind of stuff… but I guess she’s still a student.
Her eye went wide as a faint, amused blush dusted her cheeks. She was definitely a bit shy about the public analyzing her feelings, but she still smiled, genuinely entertained by the feedback.
"Well, I suppose it's nice to know they don't think I'm a complete robot. It's actually kind of sweet. Well guess something good did come out of this.”
“Don’t get ahead of yourself President. For every positive comment, there are ten more crying over Sensei," Rin countered sharply.
"And then... there is the other side of the spectrum. The faction that is actively exploiting this situation to dismantle our credibility.
Look at how far the General Student Council has fallen. The 'Superhuman' President is using her position for frivolous rooftop trysts. Utterly disgraceful behavior from our so-called leader.
Is this the reason why she went missing all this time? To pursue her own romantic desires while ignoring the stability of Kivotos? She doesn't deserve to sit in the executive chair. This proves she is entirely unfit for the role.
“Ouch.. that really hit a sensitive spot. Well I’m just gonna try even harder! Let them hurl all the insults for all I care.”
"If only that were the extent of it. The primary focus of the malicious smear campaign has actually shifted toward SCHALE."
The screen flickered, revealing a fresh batch of heavily slandered threads targeted directly at Sensei.
Sensei is nothing but a fraud exploiting vulnerable students. He manipulated the President during her period of absence just to secure political immunity for SCHALE! He’s a parasite feeding on the GSC's authority.
A corrupt adult taking advantage of a high school girl’s emotions for personal gain. Sensei needs to be investigated, stripped of his credentials, and thrown out of Kivotos permanently.
The relaxed, playful atmosphere in the room vanished instantly.
Sensei winced slightly, rubbing the back of his neck as he read the vitriol. "Well... I suppose it was inevitable that people would try and twist it like tha—"
Sensei slowly turned his head to look at Miharu but she was quiet. Her head was tilted down, her bangs casting a dark, omious shadow over her face.
"Rin-chan," Miharu whispered. Her voice was flat, devoid of any whimsy, carrying a quiet, lethal edge.
"Yes, President?" Rin replied, her posture straightening at the sudden shift in energy.
"Let’s trace IP addresses of those accounts. Compile a list of every active moderator and prominent user pushing those threads." Miharu slowly looked up, a terrifyingly serene, dark smile stretching across her face.
"I think it's time we remind the public exactly what kind of authority the General Student Council President holds. Slander against the administration and against my name is one thing... but dragging Sensei's name through the mud? That’s unacceptable.”
('Scary! Is this really the same person?!’)
The playful girl who just brushed off being called "unfit" had vanished. Sitting next to Sensei was the absolute apex power of Kivotos, exuding a raw, unadulterated death stare that sent a violent shiver straight down Sensei’s spine.
"Wait a minute! Let's not do something drastic, by abusing your extrajudicial powers as the President over comments by strangers on the internet!"
Sensei blurted out, a cold sweat breaking out across his forehead as he reached over to gently place a hand near hers, trying to de-escalate the terrifying aura radiating off her. At his voice, the pressure in the room abruptly stalled. Miharu blinked as if in a trance, as her terrifyingly serene, dark glare disappears.
"I suppose... I'm still incredibly immature. Last night on the rooftop, I was just riding the high of the moment. I didn't think about how my selfishness would drag you into a political mess. I'm the President, but... I still acted like a reckless kid."
“Again, it was just because of bad timing. You are not to blame—well, not entirely.”
“Mouu... I know that’s true, but—”
“I’m kidding," Sensei smiled softly, giving her a reassuring look. "What’s done is done. What matters is not our past experiences—”
“...But the choices we’ll make from now on... Thank you, Sensei.”
"If you two are quite finished with the self-reflection," Rin interrupted, her tone returning to its usual coolness. "There is actually no need for you to take extreme actions, President."
"Huh?"
"If you actually look closely at the underlying metrics," Rin explained, clicking her remote to zoom into the metadata of the offensive threads. "A huge percentage of these hate comments come from bots and troll accounts. They are manipulating the algorithm to artificially inflate their engagement. In reality, whenever a legitimate account attempts to post slander against Sensei..."
Rin scrolled further down, revealing a massive, chaotic war zone in the comment sections beneath the main threads.
"...The general student body immediately, and quite aggressively, silences them."
Who the hell do you think you are saying all that stupid, baseless nonsense? Delete your account right now before we track your address and put a hit on it.
Say that to my face and see what happens, you absolute coward. Go die in a hole.
"Unforgivableunforgivableunforgivableunforgivableunforgivable"
"Wow, Look at that ratio." Miharu remarked, her mood shifting completely as she stared at the aggressive loyalty on display. She let out a soft, relieved chuckle, the tense aura completely vanishing.
"I appreciate the enthusiasm, but please don’t harm anyone over my sake."
"It proves that Sensei’s standing in Kivotos remains entirely unshakeable," Rin concluded, closing out the forum slide and bringing the room's normal display back up. "The actual public sentiment is overwhelmingly on your side.”
"Still..." Miharu murmured, leaning forward and resting her chin on her interlaced fingers as she stared at the table. "People have a lot of questions right now, and they need to be addressed."
"That is the crux of the issue, President," Rin agreed, adjusting her glasses. "People want answers with zero ambiguity. I am still receiving high-priority inquiries as we speak, and the sheer volume of incoming traffic is slowing down our servers, which is beginning to pose an issue to our daily work."
Miharu nodded slowly. "If the General Student Council and SCHALE remain completely silent, the public will take it as a definitive, official confirmation. And once the other academies believe Sensei and I are a package deal, everything we do from now on will be heavily scrutinized. People will start thinking that the GSC is influencing SCHALE’s moves.”
Sensei watched her, nodding as he caught onto her train of thought. "If I go to help an academy deal with an issue, people might think I'm only doing it for the overall benefit of the GSC. They'll start wondering if there's an ulterior motive behind SCHALE's intervention."
"Exactly. While I doubt it would completely ruin your relationships since everyone trusts you, Sensei, we still can't afford to leave it to chance," Miharu said, giving him a warm, appreciative nod.
"Your greatest strength is that you belong to all of Kivotos equally. You are a neutral party that every student can rely on. If my actions compromise that neutrality, it hurts the students, and it throws off the city's administrative balance. I won't let my brashness ruin the reputation you've built."
She stood up from her chair, her posture straightening as she completely stepped back into her role as the President.
“We need to draft an official, joint public statement right now. Something that acknowledges the event, satisfies the public's curiosity, but firmly establishes that SCHALE and the GSC remain entirely independent entities."
"We can't change what happened on the rooftop, and I certainly won't lie and say my feelings aren't real, but we can take accountability and strive to do better,” Miharu stated firmly, a slight, confident smile returning to her face.
Rin let out a long, quiet sigh of relief, a faint smile finally tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Well spoken, President. I will prepare the official broadcasting channels. Please ensure the draft is flawless."
Miharu turned to Sensei, her playful spark returning. “So, Sensei... ready to go viral again?”
“It’s nothing I’m not already used to," Sensei chuckled."
“Let’s get to it.”
Before they could put their plan into motion, a loud, heavily distorted scream from a megaphone shattered the quiet atmosphere of the room, followed by chanting of a massive mob echoing all the way up from the streets below.
"DOWN WITH THE GENERAL STUDENT COUNCIL! DOWN WITH THE PRESIDENT!"
“SENSEI IS NOT TO BE MONOPOLIZED! SENSEI IS FOR EVERY STUDENT! THIS IS A SEVERE VIOLATION OF OUR COLLECTIVE RIGHTS AS STUDENTS!!"
Sensei immediately recognized the voice, his eyes widening as he rushed over to look down from the window.
"Minori?!" Sensei gasped, seeing the sea of picket signs and construction helmets filling the streets. He turned back to the two GSC girls, his expression dead serious. "Rin, Miharu, let me go deal with this while you two continue preparing the statement."
Without waiting for a response, Sensei bolted out of the conference room and headed straight for the ground floor.
The moment he pushed through the front doors of the GSC building and stepped onto the plaza, a blinding barrage of camera flashes hit him instantly. The Kronos reporters swarmed the base of the steps, their microphones thrust forward as Minori and her group continued protesting aggressively.
"Sensei! Over here! Look at this camera!"
Before Sensei could even open his mouth to answer, three more reporters shoved their way to the front, thrusting heavy recording devices practically into his face.
"Sensei, a direct question! Are you and the General Student Council President officially in a romantic relationship?!"
"Is this rooftop incident the preamble to a formal merger?! Will SCHALE be fully dissolved and integrated as a direct subordinate branch of the GSC?!"
"Rumors are already circulating among that this is an administrative coup to destroy school autonomy! How do you respond to allegations of blatant institutional favoritism?!"
"Sensei! Did the President use her executive authority to coerce you into this arrangement, or was it a mutual agreement to consolidate total political power over Kivotos?!"
The questions fired off like a machine gun, overlapping into a disorienting wall of sound. The blinding, rhythmic strobe of the camera flashes turned the plaza steps into a dizzying blur.
"Everyone, please! Calm down for a moment and lower the microphones!" Sensei shouted, raising his hands and trying his best to project his voice over the noise. "Let's talk about this reasonably—"
"Answer the question, Sensei!"
Minori’s voice roared through her megaphone, cutting through the journalistic chatter and rallying the mob behind her.
"Are the working-class students of this city being stripped of their educational resources while the elite continue enriching themselves?! (Translation: Stop hogging Sensei to yourselves)
“We demand transparency! We demand the immediate cease of the monopolization of SCHALE!"
The crowd erupted in supportive roars, waving their signs violently. "SENSEI IS FOR EVERYONE! EQUAL RIGHTS! EQUAL DISTRIBUTION!"
"I am not some piece of property to be monopolized! And even if I was, why isn’t anyone fighting for MY rights?!
His attempts at verbal retorts were completely useless. The mob was far too worked up, the reporters were desperate for a historic scoop, and the entire situation was spiraling completely out of his control.
And then, the crowd's shouting turned into a collective, highly agitated roar.
Sensei looked back up the steps, and he sees
Miharu was chasing right after him, her long blue hair fluttering as she hurried down to stand by his side. Her sudden appearance drove the protestors into an absolute, explosive frenzy, the flashes from the Kronos cameras instantly doubling in intensity as the journalists screamed for a two-shot photo of the "couple."
"Miharu?! Why did you come down?!" Sensei turning to her in pure panic as he tried to shield her from the lenses.
"I won't let you deal with this alone!" Miharu insisted, her voice cutting through the noise with absolute conviction.
She took a firm step forward, placing herself right in front of Sensei. She drew in a deep breath, her eyes locking onto the crowd as she prepared to deliver a definitive response that would put a stop to the wild conspiracy theories about coups and monopolization.
But before a single syllable could leave her lips, a sudden, frantic chime echoed directly in Sensei's ear.
"Sensei! Senpai! Look out!" Plana’s voice shrieked, completely stripped of her usual calm demeanor. "A high-velocity thermal signature—an RPG rocket—has just been launched! It is fast approaching this exact coordinates! Impact in T-minus two seconds!"
Sensei didn't even have time to yell a warning to the crowd.
"Deploying protective barrier—!" Plana shouted from within the Shittim Chest.
At that exact microsecond, an instinctive, ancient reflex flared deep within Miharu. Sensing the lethal danger heading straight for Sensei, she thrust both hands forward and suddenly-
KABOOM!!!
The rocket slammed directly into the Kronos news vehicles parked just a few meters away from where they stood. It detonated in a violent, deafening eruption of twisting metal, shattered asphalt, and a blossoming fireball of ignited vehicle fuel. Minori and the protestors screamed in terror, throwing themselves flat onto the concrete as a massive concussive shockwave ripped outward, tearing picket signs to shreds and shattering nearby glass.
…
…
…
To Sensei's utter amazement, two separate defensive shields had materialized at the exact same time.
The first was the familiar, translucent blue barrier deployed by Plana from the Shittim Chest. But layered directly over it, perfectly mirroring its geometry and reinforcing its strength, was a second, identical absolute defense barrier radiating directly from Miharu.
The dual shields absorbed the entire brunt of the catastrophic explosion. The roaring fiery blast and lethal fragments ground to a violent halt against the glowing, overlapping grids before dissipating harmlessly into the smoke-filled air.
As the smoke swirled around them, the barriers flickered and faded.
Miharu let out a sharp, breathless gasp, stumbling back a half-step as she stared blankly at her own hands. Her eyes were wide with sheer shock, her heart hammering against her ribs.
"I... I did that?" Miharu stammered, looking from her hands to the scorched earth, and then back to Sensei. A look of profound surprise washed over her face. "But that's... that's the power I used to have... as Arona..."
“Nevermind that. Sensei are you okay?!”
Sensei shook his head, clearing the ringing from his ears as the glowing blue particles of the dual barriers finally dissolved into the air. He looked at the smoking crater just a few yards away, and then immediately turned his full attention to Miharu.
"I'm fine! I'm completely fine, thanks to you and Plana." Sensei said quickly, his voice a mix of adrenaline and profound awe.
"But what about you? Wasn’t that...?”
"I... I don't even know how I did it," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly as she looked back at the scorched pavement. "When I saw that rocket heading straight for you, my body just... reacted without thought.”
Through the thick, billowing gray cloud, Minori’s voice broke the stunned silence.
"Cough! Cough! Ack—what in the actual hell?!"
She pushed herself up off the pavement, aggressively waving the choking smoke away from her construction helmet. Around her, the Red Winter students and the Kronos reporters were scrambling in absolute, terrified chaos, coughing violently and shouting as they tried to comprehend what had just happened.
"Lethal force! The GSC just used heavy artillery on a peaceful protest!"
"This is a blatant human rights violation!" Minori yelled, her eyes flashing with pure revolutionary fury as she snatched her dented megaphone from the dirt, completely misidentifying the source of the attack. She pointed a trembling, angry finger at the GSC steps. "You think you can silence the working class with explosives?! This is tyranny on the level of President Cherino! Maybe even worse!"
"Minori, take one second to think and look around you!" Sensei called out. through the haze.
"That wasn't the GSC! Someone else fired that rocket why would the organization directly blow up their own President?!”
The wind suddenly whipped through the open courtyard, slicing through the heavy curtain of gray smoke and carrying the scent of burnt rubber and fuel away. In the distance, the frantic, rising wails of Valkyrie police sirens cut through the air, signaling that emergency forces were already speeding toward their coordinates.
But they wouldn't arrive in time.
From the shadows of the completely blocked main transit street, right where the traffic had ground to a halt, a single set of footsteps began to echo heavily against the shattered pavement.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Slow, deliberate, and dripping with an undeniable, terrifying intensity.
Miharu's surprised expression instantly vanished, replaced by the sharp, protective focus of a leader. She stepped right back in front of Sensei as her eyes narrowed into the thinning haze. "Sensei... stay behind me.”
The owner of the footsteps finally begins saying something.
"A nuisance... All of you... nothing but an insufferable, pathetic nuisance to my beloved..."
"How Sensei can be so endlessly forgiving to a rabble like you is entirely beyond my comprehension," the voice hissed, the tone dropping into a terrifyingly cold register.
"He is too kind. Too pure. His gentle heart allows moths to swarm his light and cause him endless distress... and that is precisely why I must be the one to deliver judgement in his stead!"
With a sharp sweep of the wind, the mysterious figure fully stepped out of the smoke, revealing herself to the entire plaza.
It was the infamous Fox of Calamity of the Seven Prisoners, Kosaka Wakamo. She stood tall amidst the ruin, completely adorned in her striking, traditional crimson-and-black uniform. Her face was completely concealed behind her iconic, menacing white fox mask, and her long beautiful black hair fluttered in the residual heat of the blast.
The crowd gasped, several protestors stumbling backward in sheer terror. "The Fox of Calamity...!"
Wakamo’s masked head slowly turned, her eyes locking straight past the reporters, past the barricades, and landing directly on the steps. The moment she spotted Miharu the air around Wakamo practically corporate with pure malice.
"You..." Wakamo spat, her voice dripping with venom. "You shameless, manipulative vixen...! Taking advantage of his goodwill and tolerance. This is entirely your doing!"
Miharu didn't move an inch. She remained perfectly stationary, her body still covering Sensei who is on the ground as she listened.
"The General Student Council... nothing but a collection of corrupt, utterly useless bureaucrats!"
Wakamo ranted, her voice rising into a manic, furious crescendo. "You force my beloved Sensei to shoulder all the burdens of this city! He does all of your work, takes responsibility all of your failures, and yet you have the absolute audacity to drag his name through the dirt along with yours?! To trouble his brilliant mind with your pathetic political scandals and let these maggots pester him right outside your doorstep?!"
She swept her arm out, gesturing violently to the terrified crowd. “You can all rot for all I care!”
Miharu remained completely silent, masking whatever she was feeling. She simply took the verbal onslaught, her eyes fixed on the legendary criminal.
"A parasite like you doesn't deserve to breathe the same air as him," Wakamo whispered psychotically.
With a lightning-fast, practiced motion, Wakamo raised her rifle, the Crimson Calamity, aiming the barrel directly at the General Student Council President.
“Let this be your lesson!”
"Wakamo, stop!!" Sensei's voice suddenly rang out, echoing across the shattered plaza.
The sound of his voice struck Wakamo like a physical blow.
She visibly flinched, her entire body freezing mid-motion as she was violently pulled out of her manic trance. The lethal, suffocating aura around her instantly evaporated. Her masked head turned slightly, her eyes widening behind the eye slits as she looked past Miharu and saw Sensei standing right there.
The realization hit her like a tidal wave. In her blind, furious crusade to wipe out his stressors, she had fired live ordnance directly into the space where her beloved was standing. She had almost killed him.
“Darling…?”
The rifle began to tremble violently in her hands.
"I... I..." Wakamo stammered, her voice trembling so violently that the words could barely escape her throat.
"No... no, no, no..." she whimpered, her voice dropping to a fragile, heartbroken whisper. "What have I done...? I put you... I put my beloved in danger..."
"Wakamo, wait, it's okay—" Sensei called out, taking a step down the stairs toward her.
Hearing his kindness after she had almost brought about his end was more painful than any punishment. She couldn't bear to look at him. She couldn't bear to let him see the monster she felt she was.
"Forgive me... Please, forgive-..!! No.. don’t look at me! This Wakamo does not deserve even an ounce of your grace!"
With a tragic, terrified wail, Wakamo turns on her heel. Driven entirely by pure panic and the desperate need to flee from the horror of her own mistake, she vanished back into the swirling gray smoke, as the rapid sound of her footsteps faded into the distance.
"Wakamo..." he muttered, his voice full of a complicated mix of relief and lingering worry for the distraught girl.
"Ha... Ha..."
A soft, strained breath right beside him immediately pulled Sensei back to reality. He spun around and caught Miharu just as she almost fell over.
"Miharu?! Hey, what’s wrong!" Sensei asked quickly, reaching out to support her arm.
Miharu offered a faint smile, trying to wave off his concern despite the obvious fatigue wearing her down. Her halo flickered weakly before stabilizing.
"Hmm... just overexerted myself a bit and..." She trailed off, looking down at her hands.
"...I guess I was just hurt by her truthful words..."
She let out a quiet, self-deprecating chuckle.
Before Sensei could even unpack what she meant by that, the heavy glass doors of the GSC headquarters threw open behind them. Rin hurried down the stone steps, her face pale as her eyes rapidly took in the scene around her
"!"
Rin stopped dead in her tracks, her strict composure fracturing for a split second as she looked at Miharu leaning heavily on Sensei.
"President! Sensei!" Rin gasped, rushing to their side. "Valkyrie Public Safety Bureau are already en route. Are either of you injured?!"
"We're alright, Rin. Thank you." Sensei said, though his eyes kept drifting back to the street where Wakamo had fled.
The distant, wailing sirens of the Valkyrie police cruisers were growing louder by the second, echoing through the city blocks as they rushed to secure the area. The reporters were beginning to stir again, and Minori was loudly trying to rally her confused protestors, but the atmosphere on the steps felt entirely separate from the noise.
Miharu gently pushed herself up, away from Sensei.
"Go, Sensei," Miharu whispered softly, nodding toward the fading trail of smoke where the Fox of Calamity had vanished.
Sensei blinked, caught off guard. "But—"
"Rin-chan and I can handle the media and the cleanup from here. This is our jurisdiction," Miharu interrupted gently, her voice steadying as she forced her signature, reassuring smile back onto her face. "But… Kosaka Wakamo-san needs you way more than we do right now.”
She reached out, giving Sensei's shoulder a small, encouraging push.
"What are you waiting for Sensei? Ah, do you want a goodbye kiss?" Miharu teased softly, the familiar, playful spark returning to her eyes for just a brief moment despite her exhaustion.
Sensei let out a quiet huff, a faint smile finally breaking through his worried expression. "Not really the time for that... stupid. Thanks, Miharu."
"Mhm, a smile suits Sensei more," she replied, her voice warm and genuinely content as she watched the tension leave his shoulders.
“Rin please take care of her, I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
"Sensei good luck," Rin nods bidding him farewell.
Without another word, Sensei turned and ran into the haze, chasing after the faint trail of crimson.
Notes:
Wooh! This took a while and the next chapters will probably take even longer. Also thanks for the Kudos and the hits! I never expected to get nearly to 100! I'm genuinely so happy.
Once this stretch is over I'll finally on focusing on Slice of Life and romcom with Romantic Rivalry shenanigans but for now I want to give spotlight on Wakamo, after all she is very devoted to Sensei.
Also what do you think of the Background CGs with the sprites? I wanted to add some for immersion.
Anyways, Thank you all for reading! Good luck on your Fes pulls! Please Arona spare us all..