"Ahem, let's get back to the main topic."
Yukino Yukinoshita's voice cut through the thick warmth like scissors through silk. She smoothed a wrinkle from her skirt—a tell, for anyone who knew her—and pointedly avoided looking at his sister, who was still practically draped over Nozomi's arm.
If he smiles at her one more time like that, I'm going to throw something.
"In short, Hayama's meaning is that Kaguya Shinomiya seems to have developed curiosity about you, which is why she transferred here." Yukino's fingers tapped against the wooden armrest, a staccato rhythm betraying the cool composure she was working to maintain. "But this Ojou-sama is domineering, rather cold and proud, and likes to bring everything around her under her control."
She met Hozuki Nozomi's gaze—dark eyes, steady, that insufferable warmth in them that made her stomach twist in ways she refused to name.
"Nozomi, you must handle this well."
He smiled. That confident, easy smile that had gotten him into so much trouble and, infuriatingly, out of just as much.
"Absolutely. Actually, the best way to deal with it is to let nature take its course." He leaned back in his chair, the worn leather creaking beneath him. Late-day sun caught the sharp line of his jaw, the casual mess of his dark hair. "Perhaps Kaguya Shinomiya will lose interest in me when she sees how philandering I am? Let's not worry needlessly. We should just continue to show off as we always do."
"Who's going to show off with you?" Yukino's pout was sharp, but her cheeks betrayed her with the faintest bloom of pink. She flicked her gaze toward Asuna, who sat with her hands folded in her lap, the tips of her ears crimson. "Aren't you going to have dinner with Kirisu-sensei? We won't keep you here."
So you know you're philandering. At least he's self-aware.
Nozomi chuckled—a dry, caught-out sound—at the mention of Mafuyu Kirisu. He rose, the motion fluid, and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.
"Uh, I'll go get you guys some drinks."
He slipped out the door before Yukino could retort further, the soft click of the latch punctuating his retreat.
By night, Yukino thought, her pulse quickening despite herself, you won't get away so easily.
...
Later. Much later.
Moonlight spilled through gauze curtains, painting the bedroom in silver and shadow. The sheets—expensive, high-thread-count, because Yukino refused to sleep on anything less—were a tangled catastrophe around her hips.
Nozomi's mouth traced the line of her collarbone, slow and deliberate. His breath was warm and damp against her skin, and she shivered, her fingers curling into his hair.
"You're insufferable," she managed, though her voice came out breathy and thin.
"Mhm." His lips found the soft hollow of her throat. A kiss, then another, each one drawing a soft, involuntary nn from her lips. "Keep telling me."
"I—" Her back arched as his hand slid lower, fingertips tracing the dip of her waist, the flare of her hip. He knew her body like a map he'd memorized in the dark. Every hitch in her breath was a landmark.
Why does he always do this—make me feel so—
"Nozomi—" His name broke on her tongue as he pressed her down into the mattress, his weight settling between her thighs. She could feel him, hard and insistent through the thin barrier of fabric, and she rolled her hips up without thinking, chasing the friction.
"Greedy," he murmured against her jaw. His hand hooked under her knee, spreading her wider. "I like it."
"Shut up."
He laughed—low, rumbling, vibrating against her skin—and pulled her panties aside with a practiced thumb. The first press of his cock against her slick entrance made her gasp, a sharp ah! that she couldn't swallow in time.
"You're already so wet." His voice was rough now, frayed at the edges. "Yukino..."
She dragged him down by the nape, kissing him hard, swallowing his groan as he pushed inside. The stretch was exquisite—full, heavy, right—and she bit his lip, tasting iron and heat.
He moved slow at first, maddeningly slow, each thrust deliberate and deep. She could feel every inch of him dragging against her walls, and the wet, obscene squelch between their bodies made her cheeks burn even as her toes curled.
"Faster—"
"Say please."
"I'll kill you—"
His hips snapped forward, hard, and she cried out, nails raking down his back. He set a ruthless pace then, the slap of skin on skin filling the room, and Yukino could do nothing but cling to him and take it, her moans growing higher and thinner until—
"Nn— hahh— Nozo— I'm—!"
She came with a shattered sound, clenching around him like a vice, and he followed moments later, groaning her name into the crook of her neck as he spilled inside her, hot and thick.
For a long moment, there was only the ragged harmony of their breathing.
I hate how much I love you, she thought, tracing the sweat-damp skin of his shoulder.
...
Earlier. In the Service Club room, the afternoon sun slanted lower.
Yuki Suo looked at Yukino, who had just sent Nozomi away, confusion softening her usually sharp features.
"Yukino, do you have any plans?"
Yukino's smile was thin and secretive. "Yes, but I can't tell that philandering guy."
Who knows if he'll charm Kaguya Shinomiya too.
The others nodded—a silent chorus of agreement. They knew. They all knew.
Yukino smoothed her skirt again, composing herself, and began.
"Although I don't pay much attention to zaibatsu matters, my mother and sister both tutored me on it before." Her voice was crisp, businesslike. "That Ojou-sama from the Shinomiya Family is said to be very excellent. Academics, languages, social skills, martial arts—she has achieved very high accomplishments in all of them. A true Ojou-sama of high standing."
She paused, letting the weight settle.
"Of course, an excellent and beautiful girl is not something to be feared. What should be wary of are the Shinomiya Family's subordinates. There are always people who, in order to curry favor with the young lady, impulsively do bad things. That is unavoidable."
Her gaze swept the room, settling on Asuna and Misaki in turn.
"So, we'll do this... and this... and Asuna, Misaki, you two come along as well."
Asuna's cheeks flushed a vivid scarlet, her fingers twisting in her lap, but she didn't refuse.
Everyone's already accepted it, she thought, pulse fluttering. That I'm... his, too.
Misaki Mei, usually so composed, felt heat creep up her neck. She hugged the doll in her arms a little tighter, the worn fabric soft against her palms.
Consider it thanks. For saving me and my sister. Besides... I don't dislike his gentleness.
Nozomi, meanwhile, wandered the halls with a tray of canned drinks, utterly oblivious to the scheming behind him.
Sometimes, he mused, a little mystery brings enough surprise at the right moment.
He wouldn't pry into Yukino's plans tonight.
But still—
Even Yukino was taking this seriously. Miss Kaguya Shinomiya hadn't even arrived, and already her presence was reshaping everything.
Truly worthy of being the heart of the nation.
His intuition prickled. A whole parade of others would be transferring in, he was certain. Why not just merge the two schools outright instead of all this back-and-forth?
...
Shuchiin Academy — The Shinomiya Office/ Student Council Room
The room smelled of hothouse gardenias and old money. Afternoon light filtered through heavy drapes, pooling on the Persian rug and catching the gold filigree of the ornate furniture. Everything was polished to a mirror sheen, immaculate, oppressive.
Kaguya Shinomiya sat on the tufted leather sofa, her posture perfect, her black hair coiled neatly at the nape of her neck and bound with a crimson ribbon. In her pale, slender fingers, she held a photograph.
Hozuki Nozomi's face stared up at her. Handsome, infuriatingly at ease. Around him, in separate images, were the Yukinoshita sisters, Shiina Mahiru, Ogiwara Sayu—each one a striking beauty.
What a playboy.
Beside her, Ai Hayasaka stood at perfect attention, dressed in her crisp black-and-white butler's uniform. Not a wrinkle. Not a strand of golden hair out of place. The picture of devotion—and exhaustion, carefully masked.
"Is this all you found?" Kaguya's voice dripped disdain. "Tsk tsk. What a playboy."
She flipped through the photos, her painted nails clicking softly.
"And they're all tens. What exactly does Madam Yukinoshita see in him? Is that vague 'Divine Child' status worth sacrificing two important daughters for?"
Ridiculous.
Hayasaka's expression remained perfectly neutral. "Perhaps both Yukinoshita sisters like him? After all, love can sometimes be unreasonable."
Kaguya's lip curled. "Does love make people lose their minds? How foolish!"
She set the photographs down with a decisive snap.
"I would never be like that!"
Sure, Miss, Hayasaka thought, her inner voice flat and long-suffering. When you actually fall in love, you'll be twice as foolish as the Yukinoshita sisters combined. I'll be running damage control for weeks.
"Ai." Kaguya's tone shifted—imperious, expectant. "How are the school merger preparations coming along?"
Hayasaka produced the documents she had prepared—of course she had prepared them—and offered them with a smooth bow.
"Miss Kaguya, it's already done. From now on, there will be no Shuchiin Academy. Only Soubu High School: a private aristocratic institution under the Shinomiya Family."
Kaguya's smile was thin and victorious.
Hozuki Nozomi's idle complaint—why not just merge the schools?—had, unknowingly, sparked precisely that. This way, Kaguya wouldn't need to transfer. By absorbing Soubu, she would remain the center around which noble young masters and ladies revolved.
This is what my position demands.
Who told her she was the eldest daughter of the Shinomiya Zaibatsu? She could only do things befitting her status.
And Hozuki Nozomi's existence... it threatened that status. That was why she acted.
She had known no softness since childhood—her mother dead, her father indifferent, every servant walking on eggshells. One mistake, however small, and someone paid the price. So she had learned: be arrogant. Be aloof. Look down on everything. Use whatever tools were available.
The eldest daughter of a top zaibatsu was not someone anyone could approach lightly.
"Good, Ai." She rose, smoothing her skirt. "Notify me when the expansion is complete. We'll officially start school and meet that playboy."
I want to see, she thought, her crimson eyes narrowing, what charm this man possesses. And if I can bring him to heel—the Shinomiya Family's position remains secure, and my dignity intact.
"Yes, Miss."
Hayasaka bowed, the motion fluid and practiced.
Miss, you just open your mouth, and I run myself ragged. She suppressed a sigh. This cost a fortune and half the family's connections. When will I ever be free of this bitter attendant's life?