Chapter 39: There Seems to be the Smell of Gunpowder at the Door |
"President, please enjoy."
Friday noon, inside the Far Moon Academy Student Council Office.
Just as Yan Huan was reviewing the Student Council materials, a rich cup of coffee was gently placed in front of him.
He shifted his gaze from the documents to his side, spotting Sakuramiya Hitomi bearing a faint smile.
"Thank you, Sakuramiya."
Yan Huan blinked, silently taking in her beauty before turning back to brush his fingers against the side of the cup, feeling its warmth.
The coffee was at the perfect temperature to be tasted.
"Think nothing of it. Did you not rest well last night, President?"
Sakuramiya Hitomi nodded and asked with profound consideration.
The main reason was that he had activated Learning Conqueror for the first time last night and became a little too engrossed in his studies. He stayed up until two in the morning and had to catch the School Bus at seven-thirty, leaving him with only five hours of sleep.
Not resting well was one thing, but one could not forget that Yan Huan also suffered from the curse of lethargy.
The combination of the two made Yan Huan unbelievably exhausted.
Yet, precisely because he was so exhausted, he had been forcing himself to stay alert today to fight the curse, which ironically made him look better than the past few days when he was constantly yawning.
But contrary to his expectations, Sakuramiya Hitomi had noticed his lack of rest?
Yan Huan turned to look at Sakuramiya Hitomi, briefly examining her outfit for the day.
Today, she was dressed in a black Japanese-style sailor uniform, with both the sleeves and the skirt being quite long.
Beneath the hem of her skirt were a pair of slender black knee-high socks paired with small leather shoes.
Her long hair was pinned up at the back, tied with a ribbon into a hair accessory that looked exceptionally beautiful.
Sakuramiya Hitomi tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and asked.
"President, is there something wrong with my outfit?"
Yan Huan blinked and replied honestly.
"No, I just think your outfit today is very cute, Sakuramiya."
"..."
Sakuramiya Hitomi froze slightly, then asked in return.
"Is my usual attire not cute enough?"
"It is, of course."
Yan Huan nodded with a smile. Just as Sakuramiya Hitomi tilted her head up slightly to say something, he mused aloud.
"Hmm, as for you, Sakuramiya, on Monday you looked incredibly elegant, on Tuesday you appeared very demure, yesterday you were absolutely beautiful, and today you are exceedingly cute."
She had been busy with cat-related matters on Wednesday and had not come to school.
Before Sakuramiya Hitomi, whose eyes were slowly widening, Yan Huan concluded.
"Although I do not rank them in my eyes, they do give off different impressions, right?"
"So that is how it is. Thank you for the compliment, President."
Sakuramiya Hitomi placed her delicate fists against her lips, offering a feigned cough as she smiled and spoke.
It was a perfectly normal reaction to being praised.
After all, she was the illustrious Sakuramiya Hitomi. The number of people who had praised her since childhood could form a line stretching from here to another continent.
In reality, her heart was boiling over like a whistling kettle!!
''The President remembers all of my outfits from Monday to Friday?!''
''Doesn''t this mean the President pays a lot of attention to me too?!''
Sakuramiya Hitomi felt her body go weak, struggling to sit back down on the sofa.
She tried to pick up her own coffee, attempting to sip it elegantly without revealing any flaws in her composure.
As a result, the moment she gripped the handle, she could feel her hand trembling. To prevent the cup from rattling against the saucer, she hastily let go of it.
Yan Huan, meanwhile, picked up his coffee cup and took a shallow sip. It had the delicious taste of a latte.
''It really is more comfortable spending time with a normal Sakuramiya.''
''A world unpolluted by Modifiers is truly wonderful!''
He set the cup down and let out a long breath.
Beside him, Myau-chan, wearing a yellow scarf, had appeared on his shoulder at some unknown point.
It looked at Sakuramiya Hitomi on the sofa and suddenly asked Yan Huan telepathically.
"Yan Huan, do you like this vice president named Sakuramiya Hitomi?"
Yan Huan continued drinking his latte with a normal expression, asking back in his mind.
''Why do you say that?''
"When you called her last Saturday night, your words were very intimate. You took great care of her when you were locked in the Equipment Room on Monday. And now you are so generous with your praise. It just feels different from how you treat other women."
Myau-chan leaped onto the desk, sat down gracefully, and concluded.
"She is not a Modifier host, so you have no need to put on an act, meow. You are as natural around her as you are with Tong Yingying, but the things you say to her are unimaginably sweeter than what you say to Tong Yingying."
Tong Yingying had caught a stray bullet out of nowhere.
Yan Huan took a sip of his coffee and replied with a smile.
"I am neither a monk nor oblivious to romance, so it is perfectly normal for me to appreciate the opposite sex, right?"
Moreover, Yan Huan preferred petite, cute girls; they always evoked a strong protective instinct in him.
"Meow~"
This meant, "That makes sense."
"However, I am afraid it can only be limited to a good impression."
"Why is that, meow?"
"Because the gap between us is too vast."
Yan Huan stirred his coffee cup and replied in his mind.
''Sakuramiya joined the Student Council to experience school life. Not only is she outstanding in her own right, but her family background is also absurdly wealthy.''
''And what about me? I have no background. I joined the Student Council entirely for the recommendation letters and various resources. On top of that, just juggling my studies and part-time job is exhausting enough, and now I have to deal with these Modifiers.''
''Even if she does not care about my origins and only wants my companionship and emotional support, I am afraid I am too destitute to even offer that, right?''
''Therefore, rather than getting restless and making promises of eternity right now, it is better to properly improve myself and overcome the crisis of the Modifiers first. What do you think, Myau-chan?''
Myau-chan blinked, offering no opinion, and simply let out a "Meow."
Yan Huan smiled faintly, wanting to rub its adorable head.
But considering that Sakuramiya was still right in front of him, he ultimately gave up the idea.
Although the situation with the Modifiers was quite mind-numbing, and constantly hovering on the brink of daily collapse was truly unbearable.
However, fortune and misfortune are intertwined. Last night, relying on Learning Conqueror, he managed to self-study more than half a calculus textbook. Perhaps he would acquire even more potent Abilities while working to resolve the Modifiers.
''If things go this way, and I manage to eliminate all those Modifiers, I cannot even imagine how fantastic my life will be afterward.''
He truly had not rested well last night; drinking coffee and forcing himself to stay alert were completely useless.
Yan Huan glanced at the time, then stood up and said.
"There is nothing else to do this noon, so I will be taking my leave first, Sakuramiya."
"Eh? There are no classes this afternoon. Don''t you usually stay until the School Bus departs, President?"
"Ah, that is true. But I plan to find a place to nap for a bit. I didn''t sleep well last night."
Sakuramiya Hitomi turned to look at him and asked in confusion.
"You can absolutely rest here, President. We happen to have a sofa, so you can lie down."
"Hmm..."
Yan Huan pondered for a moment before saying.
"I just feel like it would be a bit embarrassing with you around, Sakuramiya."
"Eh?"
Sakuramiya Hitomi covered her mouth and chuckled softly.
"Could it be that you are the type to snore, grind your teeth, or sleepwalk, President?"
"Not exactly."
"Hmm, or is it that you will not be able to fall asleep if I am here? In that case, I can return to my classroom."
Anyway, there was a Barrier here, so she could monitor the situation at any time. Since Sakuramiya Hitomi had put it that way, Yan Huan, who originally intended to go out and sleep under a familiar tree, could not be bothered to leave.
''True, it is just a midday nap. It is no big deal. I should just be open about it.''
"No need. If it does not bother you, I will just rest here."
"Okay."
Yan Huan massaged his shoulders and lay down on the sofa opposite Sakuramiya Hitomi, while she walked over to the nearby bookcase and retrieved a blanket.
"A blanket? Where did that come from?"
"I brought it. I usually feel cold reading here at noon, so I brought it to drape over myself."
Before Yan Huan could even sit up to take it, Sakuramiya had already draped the blanket over him.
A faint bodily fragrance wafted over, causing his fingers, which were brushing against the soft fabric, to stiffen slightly.
''I should have just gone outside to rest...''
"Mhm, it is a little small. Is that alright, President?"
"It is fine. As long as it covers my stomach, it will do."
Sakuramiya Hitomi tilted her head, not quite understanding this phrasing.
But watching Yan Huan pull it up over himself with a soft swish, before lying flat on the sofa and letting out a yawn...
''He is a bit cute, like an oversized baby.''
Sakuramiya Hitomi thought to herself as she sat back down on the opposite sofa.
"Good afternoon, President."
"Mhm... Good afternoon."
Yan Huan relaxed and closed his eyes, while the ethereal Myau-chan gave another light hop and landed on his body.
Then, tucking its paws away, it sat on him, curiously observing its surroundings.
Myau-chan did not need sleep. It usually stayed by Yan Huan''s side at all times, able to help him monitor his surroundings even when he was asleep.
It was just like that night at Ye Shiyu''s home.
Stare~
Myau-chan watched Sakuramiya Hitomi in front of it, and Sakuramiya Hitomi remained completely oblivious to Myau-chan''s presence.
As the steady breathing of Yan Huan—who had fallen asleep the moment his head hit the armrest—gradually filled the room, Sakuramiya Hitomi, who had been sitting and reading, began to frequently raise her eyes to look at Yan Huan''s sleeping face.
''Hmm.''
''So far, everything is normal.''
''However, could it be that this girl also likes Yan Huan?''
''Ah, she''s not just looking up and looking back down anymore, she is outright staring!''
Opposite them, Sakuramiya Hitomi was now thoroughly examining Yan Huan, completely devoid of any desire to read her book!
''The President''s sleeping face...''
''Hehe~''
''Because I have never been inside the President''s home, I never had the chance to install cameras in there, so I never had the chance to see it...''
''Next time... next time, if the President invites me to his house, I definitely have to set up a Barrier there just like in the Student Council Office!''
''That way, I will be able to see what the President does when he is alone in his room.''
Unfortunately, she had to enter the area herself to cast the Barrier, otherwise, she could have just stood at the door of his rental apartment and deployed it.
Thinking this, Sakuramiya Hitomi pursed her lips and quietly took out her Mobile Phone.
She had already set the phone to silent, seemingly preparing to secretly take a picture of Yan Huan''s sleeping face.
Myau-chan stared at Sakuramiya Hitomi, wondering what she was doing with her phone.
But soon, she stopped her movements.
''No, taking pictures with a phone is still risky. What if he wakes up while I am taking the photo?''
''I would never be able to explain it.''
''Besides, my Barrier already has a recording function. I can just use the Barrier to record him from every angle without any blind spots!''
Thus, Myau-chan watched as she silently put her phone away, though the smile on her face seemed a little strange.
''Hmm.''
''So far, everything is normal?''
Meanwhile, in secret, Sakuramiya Hitomi was already manipulating the Barrier to record every detail of Yan Huan sleeping.
At that exact moment, outside the door of Class 1-A.
Holding a bag, Ye Shiyu stood at the doorway. Having delayed it for a week, under Chen Yi''s constant urging, she had finally reached the point where she had to return Yan Huan''s School Uniform Jacket.
However, at this moment, she did not see the figure of the handsome youth in the familiar corner by the window.
''He is not here...''
''Then I will come return it next time.''
Just as Ye Shiyu was about to leave in slight disappointment, a female student at the door, who had packed her things and was ready to leave the school, covered her mouth in surprise.
"Um... you wouldn''t happen to be Senior Ye Shiyu, would you?"
"You know me?"
"Ah, because Senior Gongzi said you are President Yan''s Older Sister. President Yan is so handsome, and his Older Sister is so beautiful too, hehe... I am President Yan''s classmate, Fu Mengyao."
Hearing the other girl praise Yan Huan, Ye Shiyu felt slightly displeased.
But she still nodded politely and prepared to leave.
Just as she was about to go, she thought of something and asked.
"Do you know where Xiao Huan is?"
"Ah? President Yan..."
The girl, who was just about to leave, turned back, pondered for a moment, and said.
"Since there are no classes this afternoon, President Yan should be processing documents in the Student Council Office until the School Bus departs."
"How do you know?"
The girl smiled faintly, scratching her cheek in embarrassment as she replied.
"President Yan''s schedule is not exactly a secret. After all, he is very popular, so everyone pays close attention to him."
"..."
Displeased.jpg
However, Ye Shiyu did not make things difficult for her. Instead, she offered a soft word of thanks, then turned and headed upstairs.
She remembered that the Student Council was located on the top floor of the first-year department.
Walking silently to the top floor, the surroundings were quiet, and Ye Shiyu accurately located the Office.
She gently knocked on the door, but there was no response from Yan Huan inside.
Only after waiting for a few seconds did the faint sound of footsteps echo from within.
The office door slowly opened a crack, revealing Sakuramiya Hitomi, who had opened it.
"Hello, how may I—"
The speaking Sakuramiya Hitomi''s words suddenly halted when she saw Ye Shiyu in front of her, and Ye Shiyu also froze for a second because it was a young girl who opened the door.
Then, she recalled that the person before her was the Student Council''s vice president, so it was completely normal for her to be in the same room as Xiao Huan.
And Sakuramiya Hitomi also remembered that the person before her seemed to be Yan Huan''s Older Sister...
Although that was how she was introduced, Sakuramiya Hitomi always felt that the way this girl looked at Yan Huan was somewhat amiss.
"Senior Ye Shiyu, correct? May I ask what brings you here?"
"I am here... to look for Xiao Huan."
Without specifying her business, Ye Shiyu simply stated her intent.
"Ah... it might not be very convenient right now. If it is something important, you can tell me, Senior."
"Not convenient?"
Ye Shiyu blinked, then raised her eyes, easily looking past the petite Sakuramiya Hitomi.
Thereby, through that narrow crack in the door, she saw Yan Huan fast asleep inside...
''Xiao Huan, is asleep?''
''His sleeping face...''
''I want to see it.''
She instinctively tried to push the door open to enter, yet the door did not budge an inch, as if some force was resisting her.
Only then did Ye Shiyu lower her head, locking eyes with Sakuramiya Hitomi, who was pushing against the door while maintaining her smile.
"If you need something, you can tell me, Senior. Once the President wakes up, I will pass the message along to him."
"..."
The distinct smell of gunpowder unconsciously began to permeate the air, causing the soundly sleeping Yan Huan to frown without realizing it.