I knew something was off the moment her shoulders trembled.

The mighty student council president, Shiraishi Lisa—holder of the coldest stare in the classroom, wielder of the "Ice Queen" nickname—was clutching the hem of her red-and-blue plaid skirt like a frightened little girl.

Her chest... er, I mean, her breathing was erratic, causing her full, gravity-defying upper half to bounce with every inhale.

...Stop it, me. Now's not the time for dirty thoughts. Get your head out of the ecchi gutter, Sousuke.

Still, it's kind of hard to ignore when her form-fitting uniform is practically crying for attention. Not my fault biology is betraying me.

"Are you okay, Shiraishi-senpai?" I finally asked, lowering my voice to match the fragility in her eyes.

She blinked twice, inhaled sharply... and then nodded with that elegant grace she always wore like armor.

"It's all right now. Thank you... Ginjo-san."

She even added a faint smile. Oh no. Don't blush, you moron.

"You should wait inside the store for a bit. I'll finish up work soon. Just in case that creep decides to circle back."

Her hand brushed her thigh—perhaps unconsciously—and she gave me a shy, "Um... o-okay... Ginjo-san."

W-What was that pause for?! Why does her voice sound so moe when she's flustered!?

Focus, Ginjo. Focus.

We entered the store together. I guided her in like a knight escorting a noble princess, even though my armor was just a black apron and my sword was a price gun.

When my replacement finally arrived at seven, I slipped into the locker room, changed faster than a magical girl transformation (minus the sparkles, sadly), and came out ready for... whatever this was.

"Thanks for waiting, Senpai," I said.

Lisa nodded and stood up from her seat near the magazine rack, her silhouette haloed by the soft convenience store lights. For a second, I thought my heart skipped a beat.

Whoa. Dangerous. Very dangerous.

"What do you want to eat tonight, Senpai?"

"It's my treat today," she said, adjusting her glasses. "Ginjo-san gets to choose."

H-Hey, don't say stuff like that with a smile! This isn't a date! Definitely not a date! It's just... casual dinner... after you were harassed by a sleazy dude...

...Okay, maybe it's a tiny bit date-like.

I scratched my cheek, thinking out loud. "Well... I haven't lived here long, but there aren't many fancy restaurants around. Not that I'd dare take Senpai to one of those places anyway."

"Eh? Why not?" she tilted her head slightly. "What do you mean by those places?"

"Y'know," I shrugged. "Word is, your family's loaded. I figured you're used to Michelin stars and five-digit price tags."

"Eh? Ah... that's just a rumor. It's not true," she said seriously, pushing up her glasses with one finger.

"My dad only runs a mid-sized trading company. Sure, we're not poor, but we're not that impressive. I eat cup ramen too, you know."

Wow. She's actually... down to earth?

"I see. So I guess the school gossip mill's been running overtime again."

She gave a tired chuckle. "Always."

She looked over at me, a strange glint in her eyes.

"There's also a rumor that I confessed to Ginjo-san and got rejected cruelly."

"Ah—yeah, I heard that one. It's a bit... dramatic, isn't it?"

Her lips curved into a smirk and she revealed, "Apparently, we also checked into a hotel together after school, and the next day you helped me recruit new members for the student council."

...HUH!?

Golden question marks appeared above my head, practically visible in 3D. I almost choked on my own saliva.

"W-Wait, what kind of hentai fanfiction are they writing at this school!?"

"It's probably only circulating among upperclassmen. You might hear about it soon."

"That doesn't bother you? Shouldn't you try clearing it up?"

She sighed deeply, sounding like someone who'd aged a decade from pure rumor fatigue.

"If I correct one, three more pop up. It's not worth the effort. I've accepted my fate."

Yeah... being beautiful really is suffering.

Anyway, time to get back on track.

"There's a burger place at the intersection," I said. "It's not exactly fine dining, but I've heard it's good."

"That's fine," she said with a gentle smile. "I'd like that."

And just like that, the two of us began walking under the darkening sky.

The city had changed its colors while we talked—sunset had given way to a cobalt nightscape lit by streetlamps and the moon peeking between skyscrapers.

Under that soft glow, we strolled side by side. A tall, serious beauty and a... well, a guy with a suspiciously pink lunchbox.

Still, from a distance, we probably looked like some lead couple in a school drama. Heck, even passersby kept glancing at us.

Don't worry, civilians. I'm confused about this too.

We arrived at the burger place, grabbed our meals, and sat down near the window.

Senpai reached for a French fry, daintily placing it between her lips with the grace of a refined noblewoman.

…But then she took another. And another. And suddenly, she was chomping away like a hungry little hamster who'd just discovered her secret snack stash.

Adorable. Absolutely adorable. Too cute. Must not stare. Eyes, behave!

"Hm?" she glanced up, catching me mid-stare.

"Something wrong, Ginjo-san?"

"Ah, no. It's just… rare to see you this relaxed. Usually you're more... composed."

She popped a fry into her mouth and said, "Although I like this kind of food, I rarely come to places like this."

"Why? Are you on a diet?"

She shook her head and replied, "Not exactly. My friends prefer cafes or dessert shops—trendy places. I go with them because it's expected."

"If I don't blend in, I get left out," she said softly. "Even I get tired of putting on an act."

She smiled, but it was tinged with exhaustion.

Then she bit into her cheeseburger.

And just like that, a thick line of mayo clung to the corner of her lips.

White sauce.

Dripping.

...

Brain. Stop. Just stop.

"I'm glad you brought me here, Ginjo-san."

"Huh?"

"This... feels nice. I don't need to pretend."

She said that with a full mouth, cheeks puffed out like a squirrel, eyes shining with genuine happiness.

My heart tightened just a little.

"If you like it, we can come again."

"Really?"

She leaned forward slightly, her ample... assets testing the structural integrity of her uniform.

"Yes, I mean... this is no small matter, Senpai."

She giggled—an actual giggle! Shiraishi Lisa, giggling like a schoolgirl.

What even is this day!?

Eating here with her made me realize something.

Lisa Shiraishi is a contradiction.

A student council president with a childlike palate. An elegant girl with a lonely heart. A mature body hiding an unexpectedly soft interior.

This girl's going to be trouble.

And I—I need to know her more deeply.

Not just as a classmate or as the girl from the rumors but as Lisa.

--

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