Comprehensive building.
Board game club room.
"There's no one here. Let's go in."
Fujiwara Chika took the key, opened the door, and pushed it wide.
The school clubs were divided into two types. Sports clubs like volleyball, baseball, soccer, and track required early morning training sessions at six a.m. — pretty grueling stuff.
Other clubs, like this one, were much easier. They only met in the afternoons, so mornings were usually empty.
Amamiya Natsuki stepped into the room and immediately noticed the round table set with a tea set, and a double sofa nearby. Without the game posters on the walls, this place could easily pass as a casual lounge.
"The board games are all kept in the lockers over there," Fujiwara Chika said, pointing to a corner. "The club's popular, and people come and go all the time. If the games aren't stored properly, they get lost. Want to play? A friend got a new box yesterday, and it's super fun!"
Amamiya Natsuki sighed. "Let's finish the mission first."
"Then we'll play next time when we're free." Fujiwara Chika pulled out her phone, started the countdown timer, and waved her hand dramatically. "Let's begin!"
Amamiya sat opposite Shinomiya Kaguya. Their eyes locked across the round table.
A moment passed.
"No."
Shinomiya Kaguya suddenly frowned and looked away.
"Hey, it's been less than a minute! Your eyes are already sore?"
Fujiwara Chika complained, "Kaguya-chan, you're too weak!"
"My eyes don't hurt," Kaguya said unhappily. "It just keeps saying the mission hasn't been activated."
Amamiya groaned, "Looks like the mission conditions aren't met yet."
"Is that so..." Fujiwara Chika folded her arms and thought for a moment before suddenly suggesting, "Could it be that the distance between you two is too far?"
"Um?"
Kaguya looked up curiously.
"Did you ever play 'Whoever Blinks First Loses' as a kid?"
"No."
"Hey! I never played that either. What a precious childhood memory."
Fujiwara pouted in disappointment.
Amamiya couldn't help but think: What's so fun about that boring game?
"I used to play that with friends. I won almost every time." Fujiwara put her hands on her hips, chin raised proudly. "We played close, face to face across the table, so it felt like a real competition. You two try sitting on the sofa instead."
"Okay."
Kaguya nodded, stood, and moved to the double sofa.
Amamiya followed and sat down beside her without any hesitation.
The Kaguya everyone talked about was the 'Ice Princess'—cold, aloof, and giving off a frosty aura that kept people at a distance.
But Amamiya had seen through that. Thanks to the strange game prompts, he knew that Kaguya was cold only on the surface.
They stared at each other.
Kaguya's face was calm and expressionless, like a goddess perched on a frozen mountain peak. But inside, a flicker of surprise stirred.
[Why doesn't he look away?]
Kaguya thought of other boys at school. They didn't dare talk to her, let alone hold eye contact. So why was this boy different?
Two nights ago, he asked if he could accomplish something... How dare he!
"Kaguya-chan, how are you feeling now?" Fujiwara's voice came from behind them.
"It really is about the distance," Kaguya replied coolly. Her voice was cold but pleasant, typical of her ice queen image. "The mission's activated and is currently in progress."
"That's good."
…
The interesting mission was underway.
Fujiwara plopped down beside them and pulled out a box of chocolates. "Want some snacks?"
"How can I eat now?" Amamiya asked.
Fujiwara handed him a chocolate bar. "Can I feed you?"
"I don't want any."
Kaguya refused decisively.
Buzz. Fujiwara's phone vibrated.
"It's the teacher. They want me in the office." Fujiwara stood and waved cheerfully, "I'm off. You two keep working on your mission."
…
With Fujiwara's endless chatter gone, the board game club became quiet—so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Both could clearly hear their shallow breaths.
A gentle breeze stirred the white curtains beside them.
Bright morning light streamed through the window, falling across Kaguya's face. The shadow and light split perfectly down the bridge of her nose, making her look like a girl caught between darkness and light, waiting for rescue—or ready to fall into the abyss.
For the first time, Amamiya looked at Kaguya seriously.
Her eyes were beautiful.
Burgundy like red gems sparkling in the sunlight.
Her eyelashes curled slightly, long and delicate.
Her skin was snow-white and flawless, translucent in the sun as if soaked in milk.
Her nose was delicate and exquisite.
Her pink lips, moist and soft, looked like cherry blossoms after a spring rain.
No matter how you looked, Kaguya Shinomiya was stunning.
It was just that her personality was too cold, enough to give anyone frostbite.
Compared to her, Miko—with her lazy, easy-going nature—seemed much more approachable.
"What are you staring at?" Kaguya suddenly asked.
"Well..." Amamiya hesitated, then decided to be honest. "Kaguya-san, you have beautiful eyes."
You'd bet she'd heard this a thousand times before.
No one admits their eyes are ugly with a clear conscience.
The next moment…
Amamiya's eyes focused, and he noticed a faint blush spreading across Kaguya's face.
Her blush against that snow-white skin was striking in the sunlight.
Wait… she's blushing?
The Ice Princess actually blushes? This was huge news!
If the school news club found out, this would be tomorrow's front-page headline.
Watching Kaguya's face flush deeper, her long eyelashes trembling, Amamiya had a sudden thought.
"You… want to sneeze again?"
"I don't!"
Kaguya bit her lip, clenched her fists, and thought bitterly.
[It would have been better to be just a sandwich at recess, but now I'm sighing with regret? What a waste of my life! The boy in front of me is still useful. Once I squeeze him dry, I'll make him confess his crime!]
"My eyes hurt," she said quietly, "but I don't want to sneeze."
She didn't say the other reason.
Looking back at her clear reflection in Amamiya's eyes, her heartbeat quickened.
"My eyes hurt too," Amamiya mused. "The mission just says no blinking, so I should be fine, right?"
"Don't blink." Kaguya crossed her arms and her cold voice sharpened. "Almost three and a half minutes passed. If you blink, we'll have to start all over."
"It's only ten minutes. Starting over isn't a big deal."
"If you're going to do something, do it right. If you can do it once, never fail."
…
I didn't realize you were such a perfectionist!
The soft, sweet breath she exhaled brushed his face, making it tickle.
Amamiya suddenly realized—
When did the distance between me and the Ice Princess get this close?