The living room was unusually quiet that evening.
Soft light pooled across the polished floor, the air still and composed as always, yet carrying a subtle weight that hadn't been there before. Rei and Shiori sat side by side on the long sofa, close enough to feel familiar, distant enough to feel something else.
Across from them, their mother sat with perfect posture, her gaze steady, unreadable.
"So," she began calmly, "neither of you won the student council elections."
It wasn't a question.
Rei exhaled lightly. "No."
Shiori remained silent.
A brief pause followed.
"Why?" their mother asked.
Rei leaned back slightly, his tone even. "Uzuki-senpai was too strong. He already had support built from previous years—trust, reputation. It wasn't something easy to overturn."
Their mother watched him without interruption.
"And?" she asked.
Rei hesitated for a fraction of a second.
"I didn't take it seriously enough," he admitted. "I didn't give it my full effort."
Silence settled briefly.
"I see."
Her gaze shifted to Shiori.
"And you?"
Shiori's eyes lowered slightly.
"I was careless," she said. "You could say… lazy."
Rei glanced at her.
That wasn't entirely true.
But she said it without hesitation.
Their mother exhaled slowly. The sound was quiet, controlled—not disappointment, not approval. Just acknowledgment.
"It's not a problem," she said.
Both of them looked up slightly.
"You can try again. Opportunities do not end after one attempt."
Her voice remained calm, measured as always.
Then—unexpectedly—she reached forward.
Her hand rested briefly on Rei's head.
Then Shiori's.
A light ruffle. Not forceful, not openly affectionate, but not cold either.
"However," she added, her gaze sharpening just slightly, "next time… I do not want to hear that you lost."
The words were simple. Clear.
Then she stood.
Without waiting for a response, she turned and left the room, her footsteps fading into the quiet of the house.
The silence she left behind felt heavier than before.
For a few seconds, neither Rei nor Shiori spoke.
Then—
"Why?"
Shiori's voice broke the stillness.
Rei glanced at her. "Why what?"
She turned toward him fully now.
"Why did you withdraw from the election? And why did you lie to her?"
Rei held her eyes for a moment.
"I was going to ask you the same thing."
A brief pause.
Shiori's expression remained composed, but her voice softened.
"If you didn't participate… then why should I?"
Rei leaned back slightly.
"I didn't participate because I don't like student council work," he said. "That's all."
Shiori stared at him.
Not convinced.
Not satisfied.
"Is that all?" she asked.
Rei's gaze shifted.
For a moment, he didn't answer.
Then—
"No."
A small silence followed.
"I didn't want to see you lose," he said.
The words settled between them.
Shiori's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Are you looking down on me?" she asked. "You think I would've lost if we both participated?"
Rei shook his head immediately.
"No."
His voice was calm. Certain.
"You could beat me," he said.
A brief pause.
"But I wouldn't let you."
Shiori's breath stilled, just for a moment.
"What does that even mean?" she asked.
Rei leaned forward slightly, his expression steady.
"It means I'd try to win. Properly."
Silence.
"And I don't want that," he added quietly.
Shiori looked at him, her gaze searching.
"I don't want one of us to win like that," Rei continued. "And I don't want either of us stuck with responsibilities we didn't choose."
The room fell quiet again.
"Are you mad?" Rei asked after a moment.
Shiori blinked.
Then looked away slightly.
"No," she said.
A pause.
"I didn't want to be student council president either."
Rei let out a small breath.
"But," she continued, her tone shifting slightly, "you still made me join the student council under Uzuki-senpai."
Rei frowned faintly. "That wasn't planned."
Shiori stood.
Slowly. Calmly.
"You can try as much as you want," she said, looking down at him.
Her voice was steady. Certain.
"But someday… we'll compete."
Rei didn't interrupt.
"And when that day comes, you won't be able to stop it."
Her gaze met his directly now.
Sharp. Unwavering.
"And I'll be the one who wins."
Silence followed, but it wasn't entirely heavy.
Rei looked at her.
Then a faint, almost imperceptible smile touched his expression.
"I'll be waiting," he said. "For you to defeat me."
Shiori held his gaze for a moment longer.
"That doesn't mean I hate you," she said quietly.
"Or that I hold anything against you."
Rei didn't respond.
Shiori turned toward the door.
Then paused, just for a second.
"Remember this," she said, her voice softer now.
"I love you more than anything in this world."
The words were simple.
She didn't wait for a reply.
And then she left.