The Club President watched their baffled expressions, then scratched their head again. ‘Huh? Did I say something wrong?’
Jiang Qianhe was utterly stunned, even doubting if she would ever be able to approach Chu Xin again after this. Yet, she forced herself to brave it, letting out a cold snort as she folded her arms. With an air that suggested her deepest secrets had been laid bare, she finally spoke: “…Club President, why did you blurt that out?”
She then turned her gaze to a certain Chu Xin, who was still staring at her. She faltered, her voice hesitant: “Some people wouldn’t possibly think… I’m angry because of *some* people, would they? I’ve already said it… don’t think you’re so important, alright!”
Even as she forced the words out, her confidence was clearly lacking. Still, she amplified the words “some people” in her speech, almost spitting them out through gritted teeth.
Oh, well…
Seeing Jiang Qianhe’s stammering and darting eyes, Chu Xin, who had initially been half-believing her, now guessed that the Club President’s words were likely false.
However, since the other party had provided an out, it signaled that neither of them wished to elaborate, making it unnecessary for him to press further.
He couldn’t rule out the possibility that the Club President was genuinely unaware, perhaps only speaking up to maintain their relationship.
But… that seemed to have nothing to do with Chu Xin.
He simply said, “Is that how it is, then?”
At this, Jiang Qianhe spoke again. “Then… if that’s the case, Chu Xin, are you still leaving the club? Oh, I haven’t even asked your reason for leaving.”
Students like Chu Xin, who only joined for club activity credits, would typically “automatically withdraw” if not for the Kendo Club’s unique circumstances.
Chu Xin was taken aback, surprised the question had been thrown back at him.
He shook his head. “I never said I was leaving… it was the Club President who said I was leaving…”
He was speaking the truth. While he had briefly considered declaring his departure on a whim, he had only come today to assess the situation and, incidentally, wait for Ji Yue Xuan, who was still at her club activity.
Upon hearing his reply, Jiang Qianhe, who had been anticipating some profound “reason” from Chu Xin, was momentarily stunned.
Eh…
But, come to think of it, Chu Xin had never explicitly stated he was withdrawing. It seemed the Club President had simply made that assumption upon seeing him.
And the two senior girls had taken it seriously.
Jiang Qianhe cast a questioning glance at the Club President.
The Club President naively scratched her head again. “Eh—isn’t that right? In anime, members who haven’t shown up for a long time and then suddenly appear usually have one of two goals, don’t they? Either they have some strange ulterior motive, or they’re withdrawing. Isn’t that how it is?”
At this moment, the Club President’s eyes inexplicably grew profound, a wisdom that stood in stark contrast to her pink hair.
After all, pink-haired characters in the anime the Club President watched often concealed a darker, more cunning nature.
Jiang Qianhe, exasperated and a little mortified, exclaimed, “Club President, anime is just anime! You’re about to graduate; why do you treat anime as reality?”
The Club President blinked. “Can’t I?”
“Of course not! And you didn’t even hold the meeting you were supposed to, did you?” Jiang Qianhe could only say with resignation.
She knew the situation regarding the Club President’s earlier remark about the club “eventually disbanding.”
“Ah… I didn’t? Then let’s talk about it tomorrow…”
Through the conversation between the Club President and Jiang Qianhe, Chu Xin finally understood: the Club President might have a touch of chuunibyou.
Compared to his older adopted sister, however, it seemed considerably milder, which was a small comfort.
Even so, the Club President appeared utterly unreliable. He regretted coming to visit today.
****
Just as the Club President and Jiang Qianhe were bickering, Jiang Qianhe’s phone rang in her skirt pocket. She frowned. Who would call at such a moment, interrupting her time with Chu Xin?
The Club President and Chu Xin quietly watched her.
She answered without putting it on speaker, merely responding with a few “Mm-hm, okay” before her expression grew even more helpless.
After she hung up, she stood and fixed her gaze on Chu Xin.
Feeling increasingly unsettled under her scrutiny, Chu Xin was about to speak when she cut him off first.
“Hey, are you really going to leave the club?” she asked cautiously.
To avoid further complications, Chu Xin mimicked the Club President’s blinking. “I never said I was leaving the club.”
Watching Chu Xin imitate the Club President, Jiang Qianhe felt an immediate pang of displeasure.
Nevertheless, upon receiving Chu Xin’s affirmation that he “wouldn’t leave,” she still felt a surge of happiness. Although they had been in the same club before, opportunities to meet were scarce. But… to seek him out, one needed a legitimate reason, and being in the same club was always a good thing.
Perhaps… it was time to leverage her power as Student Council President to threaten—oh, no, to “cooperate” with the Journalism Club and manufacture some “scandals” between them.
Jiang Qianhe sighed in relief. “That’s good… I mean, don’t let the Kendo Club disband because of you. I’m not saying I want to be with you; it’s just that childhood friends should naturally be in the same club.”
Chu Xin stood up and said testily, “Right, right, right.”
‘I wonder who dragged me into this club in the first place,’ he thought.
Jiang Qianhe stamped her foot lightly and snorted. “I have some matters to attend to, so I’ll be leaving. And don’t you dare have any improper thoughts about the Club President!”
Upon hearing this, the Club President cast a meaningful glance at Chu Xin.
Chu Xin immediately nodded.
After all, Jiang Qianhe was thinking about Chu Xin being alone with the Club President after she left. While she was grateful for the Club President’s “assistance” just now, the Club President was still… a woman.
‘Honestly, if it weren’t for the convenience of ‘doing some things’ later, I’d really want to resign from this so-called Student Council President position…’
Having said that, Jiang Qianhe put on her shoes and tidied her clothes. She then turned back, made a face, and pulled open the door, not forgetting to remind Chu Xin: “Oh, and don’t forget… our date—I mean, your apology to your childhood friend!”
Then, with a whoosh, Jiang Qianhe vanished without a trace.
Chu Xin felt a touch of helplessness. Had he just heard some peculiar words?
****
After Jiang Qianhe left, Chu Xin checked the time. Only half an hour had passed. Ji Yue Xuan hadn’t sent any new messages. He carefully checked his phone, relieved to find it wasn’t in “sleep mode” or any other strange setting.
He too prepared to leave to find Ji Yue Xuan. The Club President, as if reluctant to part, was gently wiping a bamboo sword with her hand.
Before putting on his shoes and opening the door, Chu Xin asked curiously, “Club President, how exactly did you figure it out?”
The Club President paused her movements and replied, “Didn’t I just say? Isn’t it always like that in anime?”
Chu Xin was taken aback, then sighed. ‘Is there truly no cure for chuunibyou?’
****
Time rewound to just after school.
Ji Yue Xuan packed her belongings, impassively ignoring the casual greetings from her classmates. The emotionless expression on her face finally softened into a smile the moment she sent a message to Chu Xin.
It reached its peak the instant Chu Xin’s message about withdrawing from the club arrived.
‘It should be this way… Darling, our world cannot tolerate the presence of others.’
‘First, that so-called “childhood friend,” and then that beautiful woman…’
‘You should stay away from all of them, Chu Xin.’
Her original intention had been to withdraw from her club and join Chu Xin’s, so they could be lovey-dovey within the same club. While she didn’t know why Chu Xin wanted to withdraw, she accepted it once she realized his neighbor would no longer have a reason to approach him.
Given that, she no longer needed to withdraw from her club. Instead, she would just pull Chu Xin into hers. That way, they could begin the quintessential club activities for couples~
So… she would first go to understand the situation. Moreover, the Club President, whom she didn’t know, was urging her to attend what seemed to be a “Club President Handover Ceremony.”
All of this… held no significance for her. Before meeting Chu Xin, she would have been interested in various things, but after meeting him, her interests, apart from games, revolved solely around him.
She carried her bag and walked to the activity room in the Western-style “multi-purpose building” near the school building. She didn’t know the specific architectural style.
This floor housed many indoor clubs, such as the Literature Club. She pushed the door open, finding the room empty. After waiting a few minutes and seeing no one arrive, she was about to leave.
Just then, a green-haired girl with a slightly baby-fat face and delicate, gentle features, who looked naturally airheaded, entered, bickering with another girl who had dark hair streaked with crimson, and a refined, spirited appearance.
Their appearances differed from Ji Yue Xuan’s style, but both were undeniably campus beauties. Ji Yue Xuan, of course, recognized them: Chu Xin’s class representative, Shimizuma, and his deskmate, Hasegawa Ten’i.
Hasegawa Ten’i was a transfer student from abroad who spoke Chinese quite well. Her intentions towards Chu Xin weren’t obvious, and her threat level was low.
Ji Yue Xuan’s knowledge of Hasegawa Ten’i was minimal. However, she would need to update Shimizuma’s file when she returned.
The three girls paused upon seeing each other. Shimizuma and Hasegawa Ten’i recognized the person opposite them as the school’s “Queen,” Ji Yue Xuan.
Hasegawa Ten’i wasn’t entirely sure, only finding her familiar. She hadn’t known such a person was in her club. She stepped back to check the room number, confirming she hadn’t made a mistake. She had only heard of Ji Yue Xuan at school, but hadn’t known she knew Chu Xin, let alone that they were so close.
Shimizuma was the first to speak, breaking the silence and expressing her friendliness. After musing blankly for a moment, she said, “Hello~ I’m Shimizuma from Class 1-5.”
Hasegawa Ten’i was a little timid. She whispered, “Hasegawa Ten’i.”
Ji Yue Xuan smiled and politely introduced herself, “Hello, I’m Ji Yue Xuan from Class 1-1, and Chu Xin’s girlfriend, by the way~”