Shirley Fenette was a girl possessed by a singular, fiery determination.
To her, the act of assisting a sickly, struggling friend was not merely a choice—it was a moral imperative of the highest order, an unrivaled quest that allowed for no hesitation.
The following day, the moment the final lecture concluded, she descended upon Kallen's desk with the unwavering focus of a heat-seeking missile.
From a calculated distance, I observed the unfolding drama with keen interest.
"Kallen! Won't you join the Student Council with us?"
Shirley's direct assault drew the immediate gazes of the few remaining students in the classroom.
Panic flickered across Kallen Stadtfeld's features, though she desperately clung to her facade, maintaining her 'frail heiress' persona as she attempted a polite rebuttal.
"I... I'm sorry, Shirley. It's a lovely offer, but I'm afraid my health is simply too delicate for group activities..."
"Nonsense! I'll handle the heavy lifting! You can just sit back and sign documents whenever you're able! Please? It'll be wonderful!"
Shirley seized Kallen's hands, her eyes sparkling with the guileless intensity of a pleading spaniel.
Kallen found herself utterly hemmed in by the pure, unadulterated pressure of Shirley's benevolence. It was a classic vulnerability I remembered from the original story—Kallen was notoriously defenseless against genuine kindness.
'Just a bit more! Push her just an inch further, Shirley!'
While I offered silent encouragement from the sidelines, the classroom door swung open with theatrical flair, heralding the arrival of an individual who could be described as either a savior or a harbinger of chaos.
"My, my. Is there some fascinating discussion taking place without me?"
It was Milly Ashford, the President herself. She scanned the scene, assessed the situation in a heartbeat, and with a mischievous glint in her eyes, draped an arm around Kallen's shoulders.
"How fortunate, Kallen! It just so happens we are in dire need of a Secretary! I believe you would be an absolute natural for the role!"
"Pardon? Oh, but my constitution... it's quite weak..."
"Perish the thought! Once you're part of my Student Council, I shall personally grant you 'Presidential Dispensation.' I'll ensure your absences are filed as legitimate medical leave, so your grades won't suffer in the slightest!"
Milly threw around these administrative bribes with reckless abandon. At Ashford Academy, Student Council membership was a prestigious boon for one's social standing and future connections—something most students would kill for.
"President, are you allowed to just make up rules like that?" Shirley asked, her innocence on full display.
Milly let out a boisterous, regal laugh.
"Hahaha! My dear, this academy is my kingdom!"
"Now then, Kallen Stadtfeld! As of this moment, you are the Secretary of the Student Council! I look forward to your contributions!"
Milly delivered a firm, resounding slap to Kallen's back before the girl could utter a single word of protest. Then, she flashed a wink in my direction.
"Vice President! See to it that our new recruit is properly instructed in her duties!"
Milly Ashford swept through the room like a localized hurricane and vanished just as quickly. Left in her wake were a dazed Kallen, a beaming Shirley, a cynical Rivalz watching from the wings, and myself.
"I'm so glad, Kallen! Now we can see each other every single day!" Shirley squealed, shaking Kallen's hands with excitement.
'What on earth just happened...' Kallen stood there, paralyzed by the sheer momentum of events. Rivalz stepped up beside me and sighed.
"Man, the President is as self-indulgent as ever," he muttered, before giving me a light shove. "Go on, Vice Prez. Take care of the rookie."
"Right... yes, of course."
Propelled forward by Rivalz, I found myself standing directly before Kallen.
"Oh, goodness! I nearly forgot—I have swimming practice!" Shirley suddenly realized, scrambling toward the door. "Lulu, please look after Kallen for me!"
With Shirley's departure, an awkward, heavy silence descended upon the classroom, leaving Kallen and me alone. She stared at me with those bewildered, rabbit-like eyes, while I permitted myself a secret, internal smirk.
'Regardless of the chaos, the stratagem was a success.'
"Well... shall we head to the Council Room? I need to show you your desk and outline your responsibilities," I said, summoning every ounce of Vice-Presidential dignity I could muster.
Kallen gave a resigned nod and followed me without a word. As we walked through the unnervingly quiet corridor, I could feel her sharp, predatory gaze burning into my back. A cold sweat began to form.
'Damn it, the silence is stifling! I have to say something!'
"Is this your first time visiting the Council Room?"
"Yes..."
"Don't be intimidated. The workload isn't particularly grueling. It's mostly cleaning up after whatever eccentric event Milly-senpai decides to throw..."
"..."
The conversation was dead on arrival. Unable to bear the social friction, I threw open the doors to the Student Council Room.
"This is your station. As Secretary, your primary focus will be recording minutes and organizing archives..."
Even as I launched into a verbose explanation, Kallen remained in a state of existential shock, staring blankly out the window. She seemed to be questioning her very reality.
'Is she even processing a single word I'm saying?'
It happened in a heartbeat. Another student, rushing into the room, accidentally clipped Kallen's shoulder.
"Ah!"
Lost in her thoughts and caught off-balance, Kallen began to tumble backward. Reflexively, I lunged forward, catching her around the waist. It was a classic, textbook cliché unfolding in real-time.
Kallen fell directly into my arms. A soft, floral scent wafted from her hair, causing my heart to hammer against my ribs with betraying violence.
'Oh... she smells incredible...'
Kallen looked up at me with wide, startled eyes before the reality of our proximity set in. Her face flushed a deep, violent crimson.
"Wha— What...!"
She sputtered, frantically trying to push me away.
'Here it comes! I've been training specifically to avoid another humiliation!'
I braced my core, rooting my feet to the floor to absorb the impending impact. I refused to be knocked down again. I would withstand her strength and offer a charming, composed smile.
But Kallen's physical power occupied a realm far beyond my petty calculations.
"Gah!"
A strangled cry escaped me as I was launched backward like a discarded ragdoll. My head collided with the sharp corner of a mahogany desk with a sickening thud.
Blackness swamped my vision instantly.
'Ah... this wasn't part of the plan...'
That was my final thought before consciousness deserted me. My mind drifted into a hazy abyss. In the darkness, the screeching of tires and the blinding glare of high-beam headlights filled my perception.
'Right... that's how I died the first time.'
I remembered it now. I was a Sergeant returning home after finishing my military service. I had been dreaming of a quiet, ordinary life, only to be intercepted by the harbinger of reincarnation: Truck-kun. When I next opened my eyes, I had become Lelouch Lamperouge.
'Damn it... I wish I could just wake up in my own bed for once...'
Clinging to that faint hope, I slowly forced my eyes open. A blurred ceiling came into focus—or rather, it wasn't a ceiling. Something massive was obscuring the sky.
'What is...?'
The surface beneath my head was impossibly soft and warm. It carried a fragrance that was intoxicatingly sweet.
'A pillow? No, this feels far too organic to be a pillow...'
In my semi-conscious state, I reached out to test the texture. My hand brushed against smooth, elastic, and suppple skin. Immediately, a shriek that bordered on a sonic boom erupted from directly above me.
"KYAAAAAH! Wha— What do you think you're doing?!"
My senses snapped back into sharp focus. As the fog cleared, I was met with a sight that filled me with absolute dread.
I was using Kallen's thighs as a lap pillow. Furthermore, my hand was shamelessly groping her leg, and my entire field of vision was occupied by her ample chest.
"Now that you're awake, get off me this instant!"
Kallen's face was the color of a ripe tomato. Her voice trembled with a volatile mixture of rage, embarrassment, and a sense of shame so profound she seemed to have forgotten she was supposed to be acting.
"No, wait... this is a misunderstanding—"
I tried to stammer out an excuse, but I knew no logic would save me here. Yet, a dark, hedonistic corner of my mind whispered that this comfort was worth the execution. 'Could I stay like this just a moment longer?'
The thought vanished the instant I felt her killing intent. Her eyes screamed that further hesitation would result in my immediate demise. Driven by survival instinct, I scrambled to my feet.
"I-I'm so sorry! I hit my head so hard I didn't know where I was!"
"T-Then you should have been more careful! You... you pervert!"
Kallen pulled her skirt down with a sharp tug, her eyes brimming with tears as she glared at me. My recruitment plan was in shambles. Forget winning her over; I was on the verge of becoming Ashford Academy's Public Enemy Number One.
I shifted gears. My mind raced through contingencies.
'Execution: Operation Guilt-Trip!'
I stumbled, clutching my forehead and putting on the most pained, vulnerable expression I could manage. I looked at Kallen with soulful, suffering eyes.
"Forgive me, Kallen. The impact of the blow must have been severe. My memory is a total haze... did I... did I commit some indecency?"
"'Indecency' doesn't even begin to cover it!"
"I am truly, deeply sorry. It seems you were nursing me while I was unconscious, and I repaid your kindness with... Ugh, my head feels like it's splitting open..."
I swayed on my feet as if I were about to collapse. I poured every ounce of my soul into this performance. Kallen's glare softened. Beneath her prickly exterior, she was a soft-hearted soul who couldn't bear to see others in pain.
"Is... is it really that bad?"
"Yes... the room is spinning... I can't find my balance..."
In a final, desperate gambit, I leaned toward her, shifting my weight to fall against her shoulder. My goal was her embrace—an impure calculation to feel that warmth once more amidst the chaos.
But my abysmal physical stats betrayed me once again. My legs gave out entirely, and I keeled over face-first into Kallen's chest.
*Fwump.*
My face was buried in the softest, most magnificent cushions known to man.
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
Kallen's second scream shook the foundations of the Student Council room. At that exact moment, the door burst open as Shirley and Rivalz charged in.
"What was that noise?! Lulu! Kallen! Are you alright?"
The two of them froze, their faces contorting into masks of pure horror as they witnessed me face-down in the new secretary's bosom.
"Lelouch! What is wrong with you?! First you scout her, now you're assaulting her?!" Rivalz yelled in disbelief. Shirley stood there, silent and shattered.
Kallen sobbed as she tried to push me away, but my limbs were like jelly. I was truly, irrevocably finished. My quest for Kallen's loyalty had transformed into a career-ending sex scandal.
Then, the door opened softly once more.
"Brother? Is something the matter? I heard a great deal of shouting..."
Nunnally entered, guided by Sayoko. Though blind, she sensed the tension and gravity of the situation immediately. Her brow furrowed with concern. Then, with an angelic smile, she delivered the killing blow that resolved everything.
"Brother, is it your anemia again? I've brought your medicine. You must take it at once."
Time stopped. Rivalz's jaw hit the floor. Shirley rushed forward, her face now full of sympathetic worry.
"Oh, Lulu! I had no idea you suffered from anemia!"
Even Kallen stopped her frantic pushing, her face etched with confusion. I cheered internally.
'Bless you, Nunnally! You truly are my guardian angel! Who knew all those nosebleeds from late-night studying would pay off like this!'
It was true. Nunnally had seen me bleeding from the nose several times during my desperate attempts to catch up on Britannian history, and she had concluded I was chronically anemic. In this moment, her innocent misunderstanding had saved my life.