Afternoon.
The tug-of-war competition was held at 1:40 PM.
Among the Student Council members, only Sakurai Saki participated in this competition. Each class provided four participants—two males and two females. There weren't many Shuchiin Academy students, so after dividing into the Red Team and White Team, there were enough tug-of-war ropes.
Kaguya Shinomiya stood beneath the teaching building, watching the competition on the sports field.
She wanted to cheer for Sakurai Saki, but the scavenger hunt that morning had caused quite a stir between them. She was forced to come to this deserted place to avoid further strange rumors. Cheering for Sakurai General Affairs didn't mean Kaguya-san liked him. It was just that only two Student Council members were on the same team. If she didn't cheer for him, should she cheer for Hayasaka of the Red Team? Kaguya Shinomiya certainly didn't want to be a traitor to the White Team.
"Go, go, stupid Sakurai," Kaguya Shinomiya quietly chanted a few times.
A voice suddenly came from behind her—
"Are you going to shout here, little cutie? He won't hear you."
Kaguya-san turned around and saw a beautiful woman in a black kimono, with amber eyes, full of charm in every movement.
"That idiot doesn't need to hear it," Kaguya Shinomiya said.
"You're badmouthing him behind his back. Aren't you afraid he'll retaliate?" Jinguji Tamaki's eyes held a smile. She looked like a fox at this moment.
"No fear! This isn't the first time anyway." Miss Kaguya clearly believed that many debts didn't weigh one down. Though her relationship with Sakurai Saki couldn't be described as harmonious, it was at least a life-and-death struggle. Miss Kaguya still remembered the grudge from losing to him in the last exam.
"Then your relationship with him must be quite good, since you can insult him without retaliation." Tamaki only knew that anyone who offended Sakurai Saki—male or female—didn't fare well. Miss Kaguya being able to jump rope on Sakurai Saki's bottom line could also be considered a skill.
"Good?" Kaguya Shinomiya glanced at the sports field. Sakurai Saki was pretending to pull hard in the tug-of-war. Why pretend? Because his body wasn't leaning; he was almost standing upright. How could he exert force like that? Don't tell her he was afraid of being too strong and instantly defeating his opponents. "Probably. If a good relationship with me means arguing, then it's pretty good."
"Sakurai-kun—what kind of person do you think he is? I heard he's the general affairs of the school, and many people like him." Ms. Jinguji wanted to hear others' opinions about her son.
Kaguya Shinomiya hadn't seen Sakurai Saki and Jinguji Tamaki sitting together that morning. She had a competition in the morning—participating in the three-legged race with the girls from her class. At that time, it had coincided with when Sakurai Saki had met his mother. So she hadn't realized that this woman was Sakurai General Affairs' mother.
"How do I see him?" Miss Kaguya pondered. "He likes to slack off. He doesn't even put in effort during tug-of-war. He's sharp-tongued—if someone curses him, he curses back. If someone hits him, he hits back. Adheres to the principle of an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Like a block of wood, but surprisingly innocent."
Miss Kaguya recalled their past conversations about romance. Sakurai Saki's view on love was truly simple: he only liked pretty girls. Wasn't that simple enough?
"Oh, and also—don't let his current sunny, smiling face fool you! He's always had a cold expression behind the scenes, as if everyone owes him money!" Miss Kaguya said, then revealed an expression of despair. Why am I talking about Sakurai General Affairs with a stranger? I don't have anything going on with him!
Jinguji Tamaki's eyes lit up at her words.
She had originally thought she had just found an admirer of her son. But it seemed she had caught a big fish this time.
Ms. Jinguji probed, "Little cutie, you seem to know him very well?"
Kaguya Shinomiya instantly became displeased upon hearing this. "I don't know him, and I don't want to know him. But he and I are both Student Council members. We see each other constantly. It's painful to see his face every day." She straightened. "Hello, ma'am. I'm Kaguya Shinomiya, Vice President of the Shuchiin Academy Student Council."
"Ma'am? I'm actually a bit older than you think." Jinguji Tamaki became more and more satisfied with Kaguya-san the more she looked at her.
"...You don't look it." Kaguya-san observed the woman again. So she wasn't a university student visiting?
"Sakurai-kun looks very handsome." Tamaki gazed at Sakurai General Affairs in the center of the sports field. "Kaguya-san, have you considered dating him?"
Kaguya Shinomiya's face was full of disdain. "I'd rather be single my whole life than date him."
Besides, this person already has a girlfriend, who is also my sister and maid. How could I possibly get involved?
"Why?" Jinguji Tamaki asked, puzzled.
In her opinion, while her son might not be the absolute best choice, he could rank first or second in this school.
"He's arrogant, sharp-tongued, and thicker-skinned than a city wall corner…"
Just as Kaguya Shinomiya was about to continue listing Sakurai Saki's "crimes," the man himself arrived.
"Kaguya-san." His voice was dry. "What are you saying to someone else's mother?"
Sakurai Saki had just seen the two of them and immediately activated his superpower, exerting force for two consecutive rounds to end the competition. Just as Kaguya-san had thought, he hadn't been trying hard just to avoid drawing attention.
"Eh?!" Kaguya Shinomiya, hearing this, turned her head to Ms. Jinguji with a look of shock. "You're his—"
She exclaimed, "Mother?!!!"
Tamaki smiled. "I am Sakurai Saki's mother—Jinguji Tamaki. Nice to meet you."
Kaguya-san quickly bowed. "I am Kaguya Shinomiya. Nice to meet you for the first time. Please take care of me."
Badmouthing someone to their mother—this was too embarrassing! Kaguya-san wanted to find a hole to crawl into. Immediately. Right now.
She averted her gaze, blushing, and gnashed her teeth. "Sakurai-kun, your mother is truly lively and cute."
Jinguji Tamaki winked at her upon hearing this. "Little cutie, you're cute too~"
"Kaguya-san." Sakurai-kun glared at her with a look that said you idiot. "Next time you badmouth me, please do it where I can't hear you. Thank you."
Then he put his arm around his mother, preparing to lead her away.
"Mother, why did you come here?"
"There are too many men in the spectator stands. I'm not used to it." Tamaki didn't really want to leave. She had just found an interesting girl and hadn't had a good time (crossed out) chatted much yet.
The two moved toward the sports field.
After walking a few steps—
"She didn't tell you anything strange, did she?" Sakurai Saki was afraid she would reveal his relationship with Hayasaka. He hadn't told his mother yet.
"No," Tamaki said.
"That's good."
Sakurai General Affairs breathed a sigh of relief.
There should really be nothing.
"Oh, by the way, darling." Tamaki's eyes sparkled. "I quite like this one. Have you considered marrying her?"
"Didn't you say Chika was very good at noon?"
"Darling, you can have both!"
Sakurai Saki knew she was joking. Don't casually believe women's words—not even your mother's.
"Then I'll have to consider it carefully."
Ms. Jinguji linked his arm, angrily saying, "No!"
See—an example appeared.
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