novelraw Chapter 79
Chapter 79
Chapter 79
Yuanyue's Student-Council President actually has a childhood sweetheart he's slept next to since they were toddlers? Why has he never mentioned her—until the "real deal" showed up today and the truth came out?
"Is this the collapse of morality or the distortion of human nature?
Yuanyue's exclusive reporter Yua Lina is on the scene with a special bulletin!"
The camera lens swivels; only after Yua Lina's bubbly voice rings out does the picture finally come into focus.
On-screen: Yua Lina, microphone in hand and serious-looking non-prescription glasses perched on her nose.
Behind her, the student council's leather sofa has been split into two camps.
On one side sits a girl with folded arms, golden curls like a lion's mane, chin lifted just enough to flash her trademark canines—
Spencer, President of the Doujin Club.
Beside her, cheeks crimson and eyes glazed, a very well-endowed girl tries to stop Yua Lina from spouting such mortifying lines—
An Le, the Doujin Club's Vice-President.
Across from them, a handsome boy sits ramrod-straight, expressionlessly flipping through the documents they just handed over—
Yan Huan, the apex predator of Yuanyue Academy's student body.
At his side, every gesture graceful, a noble young lady from Sakura Country pours tea with a serene smile—
Sakuramiya Hitomi, Student-Council Vice-President.
In front of the camera, Ashley rubs her chin, curious, then smacks Hashimoto on the head.
"What are you filming? This is way too blurry."
Hashimoto glares back.
"You do it, then! This thing's an antique; who knows how long it's been sitting in storage? Be grateful it even turns on!"
Yua Lina bounces over to An Le, microphone first.
"An Le! May I have a word? As the President's childhood bedmate—how are you feeling right now?"
"U-um... could you please stop using such embarrassing phrases?"
Yua Lina swings the mic to Spencer.
"Spencer, can you share more juicy details?"
"Sure thing. An Le's room is plastered with childhood photos of Yan Huan—all candid shots."
"Spencer!!"
An Le's face is about to combust; she claps a hand over Spencer's mouth. Spencer blinks, perfectly capable of breaking free but choosing not to move.
"Y-you—stop spouting nonsense!"
An Le's cheeks blaze. She opens her mouth to explain, only to see Sakuramiya Hitomi freeze mid-pour, eyes widening at her.
...She thinks I'm some kind of pervert now!
An Le's brain whites out, heart hammering. She's on the verge of tears as she glances at Spencer.
Yan Huan exhales, still leafing through pages.
"When we were kids, An Le's mom took those pictures while we were playing."
Spencer peels An Le's hand away and mutters,
"That still counts as candid—secretly taken, you know."
"And that's why you barely scraped a passing grade on the placement test."
"Yan Huan!!"
Spencer bares her teeth at his unruffled face, itching to bite.
Yua Lina giggles.
"No need to explain—you were all tiny back then; what could you possibly have been 'stealing' shots of?"
"R-right... ha... haha..."
An Le wants to cry, but she has no idea how to tell Spencer off.
To An Le and Xiao Muzi, Spencer really is trying to play matchmaker—good intentions, disastrous execution.
Yua Lina's gossip engine revs higher; she leans in, grin widening.
"Hehe, so what did the President look like as a kid? Childhood sweethearts—so romantic, President~"
Sakuramiya Hitomi sets down the teapot, slides cups to An Le and Spencer, then turns to Yua Lina with a gentle smile.
"Yua Lina, we have official business to discuss. Would you mind amusing yourself elsewhere?"
"Eh—wha—eeeeh?!"
The moment Yua Lina opens her mouth, an icy chill rolls over her. She hops backward on instinct and cowers behind Ashley, trembling.
"S-so scary... Sakuramiya just now was terrifying..."
Ashley gives a helpless laugh and pats her back.
"Yesterday morning word spread about Spencer trashing L502. She's technically on leave yet still sneaks in—of course the Vice-President in charge of rules won't be thrilled."
Ashley, wrong answer—OUT.
"Clearly that's not what's going on, you violent woman."
"Huh?"
Ashley and Yua Lina turn to Hashimoto; he pushes up his glasses, a smug smirk forming.
Just seeing it annoys Ashley.
"Then enlighten us—why is the Vice-President upset?"
Hashimoto's eyes gleam with supposed wisdom.
"Because Vice-President Sakuramiya is possessed by a demon."
"..."
Ashley and Yua Lina open their mouths, then fall silent in perfect sync.
Hashimoto clutches his chest, grief-stricken.
"The same demon that once possessed Four-strip Sensei, making her say such hurtful things to me. Now it's about to corrupt Vice-President Sakuramiya and turn her cruel—"
"Hey, why are you two plugging your noses and backing away?!"
Hashimoto, wrong answer—OUT.
"Tone down the otaku stink, will you? Four-strip Sensei just finds you gross, that's all."
"Slander! Absolute slander, you violent woman! That is NOT how it is!"
Yua Lina pinches her nose and ears, stealing glances at the sofa where Sakuramiya Hitomi and Yan Huan sit. Something in the air tells her there's more to Sakuramiya's mood, but the atmosphere is too chaotic—like a battlefield—and she can't quite parse it.
In any case, reporter Yua Lina remains on the scene!
Now, shifting focus from the three sidelined spectators, we zoom in on the four at the coffee table.
The low tea table has become the "Chu River–Han Border" of a board game, with red and black camps facing each other amid rising smoke.
Red side opens.
Spencer slaps the table.
"Why didn't you answer my club messages yesterday? You even blocked me!"
Black side counters.
Yan Huan sips Sakuramiya's black tea, unperturbed.
"I already sent you the standardized club application. You never read the rules, then sent back a form that looked like chicken scratch.
"IQ gaps of more than twenty make communication impossible, and the list of competing clubs has to be finalized by this Friday. Rather than waste more time, I asked An Le to handle it—more efficient."
Spencer blinks, turns to An Le.
"Wait, wait—An Le, what's IQ?"
An Le covers her face and whispers in Spencer's ear.
Spencer's cheeks flare. She's about to retort when the perfectly poised Sakuramiya adds sweetly,
"Besides, evenings belong to the President's private time. If he chooses to handle official business then, it's a courtesy, not an obligation. Does he owe you an explanation?
"And barging in first thing in the morning to browbeat him—disrupting student-council work—do you truly believe the world revolves around you, Spencer?"
Spencer is left speechless. She looks at An Le, who only blushes harder and has no idea what to say.
Check.
Red side's assault collapses, losses heavy.
Undeterred, Spencer grits her teeth.
"Excuses! You're just biased! You have it in for me because I disciplined Park Seo-mun and that other—whatever—yesterday!
"I saw the messages you sent An Le—every document explained in detail. All I got was a pile of files. How was I supposed to know what was what?"
Yan Huan keeps drinking, still unruffled.
"If I held a grudge, why would I give you the only method that keeps you from being expelled? I could just watch you flunk out.
"I'm using my private time to solve your problems, yet you can't even say 'please.'"
"As for the message I sent An Le, explaining things—that's perfectly normal, isn't it? We're childhood friends, we're close. What relationship do you and I have, Spencer?"
Sakuramiya Hitomi sipped her tea, then smiled sweetly.
"Honestly, if we really had a problem with you, the moment you sneaked onto campus we'd have called security and thrown you out."
"Spencer, are you someone who only blames others and never reflects on yourself? Try asking whether you've done anything wrong before you accuse anyone else, all right?"
Spencer was struck speechless again. She spun toward An Le, hoping for backup.
An Le met her gaze—clearly about to speak up.
But after a moment's thought her eyes said, Yan Huan and Sakuramiya are actually right.
So Spencer had to twist logic, frantically hunting for a comeback.
Arguing against her own conscience took time; she chewed on every word and wound up silent.
Checkmate.
Her chest tightened; she couldn't catch her breath.
Face scarlet, she pointed at Yan Huan and Sakuramiya lounging on the sofa as if they were enjoying afternoon tea, and finally exploded.
"You two—one talks, the other backs her up—ignoring the facts, covering for each other!"
"That's called singing in perfect harmony, siding with friends instead of facts~"
Yua Lina had somehow materialized beside the tongue-tied Spencer, serving as her external brain.
Spencer blinked, but the phrase matched what she'd been groping for.
Sakuramiya turned to Yua Lina and, still smiling, delivered a terrifying line,
"Secretary Yua Lina, are you a member of the student council or of the Doujin Club?"
"Eep!"
Yua Lina squeaked and tried to bolt, but Spencer grabbed her.
"What are you scared of? She's so buddy-buddy with Yan Huan that whatever he says goes—what's the word for that?!"
Sweat beaded on Yua Lina's forehead.
On one side loomed Sakuramiya's increasingly murderous aura; on the other yanked Spencer, strong as an ox.
Should've stayed out of this! My stupid gossip habit dragged me into a war zone!
Her eyes glazed over; her already-slow brain short-circuited.
In desperation she blurted,
"Husband sings, wife follows!! That's it—husband sings, wife follows!!"
"Eh?"
Sakuramiya, who'd been radiating menace a second ago, froze. The shadows around her vanished, replaced by a sudden cherry-blossom flush.
She clapped both hands to her cheeks, heart racing.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Oh dear... Is it really that obvious between the President and me?
Even Lina—head of the anti-Yan-Huan-Sakuramiya-CP league—thinks we're a perfect match now?
Sakuramiya bit her lip and fidgeted with her skirt, all fight gone.
When you put it that way... it does sound like we're a family. Protecting our home against outside threats, husband and wife united...
The President stands unbending for my sake and the children's.
And I stand firmly at his side, giving him support.
A dozen kids cluster around us, chirping, "We'll always support Mommy and Daddy!"
Her face burned hotter; she hung her head, pink-tipped hair hiding her expression.
Ahem.
Spencer grinned, satisfied. She spun toward the speechless Yan Huan and the now-quiet Sakuramiya.
"Exactly—'husband sings, wife follows'! You two are on the same team!"
"Uuu... d-don't grab my clothes, let go!"
Released, Yua Lina fled in tears and buried herself in Ashley's arms, leaving the battlefield to the titans.
Thus the battlefield concluded:
Sakuramiya got the answer her heart desired.
Spencer got a perfect phrase courtesy of an external brain.
Yan Huan dismissed the whole mess as nonsense.
Only—
Only An Le's world crumbled!!
An Le stared, wide-eyed, at Spencer beside her.
On her shoulder, Xiao Muzi muttered,
"We're doomed. Even the blockhead Spencer can see Yan Huan and Sakuramiya are a match."
"Xiao Muzi?!"
"Ah, sorry—slip of the tongue. Ahem. Never thought Spencer the shaggy-browed would defect! Wasn't she supposed to be on your side?!"
"..."
An Le realized Spencer understood nothing about human dynamics.
Every "help" was sabotage.
Even if she succeeded, she'd probably end up infamous.
At this rate two more insults and Sakuramiya would be registering a marriage tomorrow.
An Le decided to seize control of the battlefield.
"Um... let's talk about actually founding the club."
"So, are we discussing the club or not?"
To her surprise, Yan Huan spoke at the same time.
He glanced at her and fell silent, letting her go first.
Flustered, An Le waved for him to speak.
Xiao Muzi clicked his tongue.
"Hey, that's real 'husband sings, wife follows,' huh?"
"Ugh."
Yan Huan lifted two documents and set them before Spencer.
"Look—what you submitted versus what An Le submitted."
One was scrawled, nearly illegible; the other neat and clear.
Faced with brutal reality, Spencer—who'd been righteous moments ago—shrank in shame.
"See? Without An Le, your Doujin Club would've died in the womb."
"Tch."
He handed her another sheet.
"You're both here today. I've already sent the application to the Board and the Student Affairs Office; the paperwork should clear by tonight.
"Right now you need to choose a competition event tied to your club theme. If it's drawn, you'll have a slight edge. Requirements are here—read them yourself."
Spencer barely glanced up to argue, but one look from Yan Huan froze her.
"Hmm?"
She opened her mouth, hesitated, then reluctantly took the paper.
A single glance and she froze.
"This many rules?!"
"Yup."
"This can't be done, that's not allowed, and we have to design the event ourselves—might as well not bother."
Yan Huan glanced at Sakuramiya—now oddly quiet—then answered,
"Fine by me, if you're okay with being at a disadvantage."
"Hmph."
Spencer frowned at the event sheet Yua Lina had been holding earlier: an internal student-council document most clubs never saw.
Yua Lina instinctively reached to stop her, but remembering the death-grip on her sleeve, she stayed put.
It felt like a real ox had clamped onto her clothes.
Spencer skimmed the list, thought for a second, and flashed a confident grin.
"Okay! Disadvantage or not, we'll still win!"
Yan Huan glanced at her—she'd spotted all the athletic events and felt cocky.
"We'll see. Anything else?"
Spencer tightened her grip on the papers and shot Yan Huan a sidelong glance.
Every time he looked at her, it was with that same cold glare—equal parts annoying and thrilling. The more he hated her, the more she wanted to take something from him.
She opened her mouth, on the verge of reminding him of the "conditions" they'd agreed on earlier—but Sakuramiya Hitomi was still standing right beside him.
"..."
After a long silence, Spencer clasped her hands in front of her like a good little girl. "That's all, okay? Anything else I'll message you on Plane. And don't—block—me!!"
Yan Huan only smiled, never answering, which only irritated her further.
Ding-ding—
The pre-class warning bell rang through the building. An Le realized they had to leave.
"Thanks, Xiao Huan. We're heading out."
"Mm. See you."
An Le grabbed the reluctant Spencer and hurried away.
The Student-Council Office—moments ago a battlefield—was finally calm again.
Yan Huan exhaled and turned to Sakuramiya Hitomi. "Hitomi?"
"All right, no more yelling. Dad's calling me— huh?"
For an instant, Hitomi muttered something in her head that Yan Huan couldn't catch, then snapped fully awake. She smoothed her expression and looked up.
"What is it, President?"
"Nothing. You were quiet for a second."
"Ah, Spencer just rattled me. Also, Yua Lina—"
They glanced over to see Hashimoto and Ashley clustered around the desk, apparently watching Yua Lina do something.
"Yua Lina, what are you up to?" Yan Huan asked, standing.
The next moment, Yua Lina sprang up, eyes sparkling, holding a hand-drawn newspaper.
"Front-page scoop—done, desu!!"
Yan Huan and Hitomi took one look and saw half a garish tabloid completed at lightning speed.
The headline screamed:
"President Yan Huan secretly photographed by childhood friend since childhood—now she's come looking for him?!"
Centered on the page was a photo: Yan Huan with arms crossed, staring coldly at Spencer, who seemed to be arguing her case. Beside him, Hitomi covered her face, head down as if crying. Next to Spencer, An Le raised a hand, trying to stop her childhood friend from demanding answers.
A single picture told an entire melodrama.
Yan Huan and Hitomi's faces darkened in perfect sync.
Behind them, Hashimoto and Ashley clapped hands over their mouths, shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter.
"Yua Lina, you're off photography duty for Club Wars. Effective immediately."
"Eh?! Why, President?!"
Hitomi, face like frost, snatched the cursed tabloid. "And this rumor rag is confiscated."
"Eh?! Hitomi, you too?!"
Yan Huan and Hitomi turned to leave for class. Yan Huan called back over his shoulder, "Lock the door."
"Good-bye, Yua Lina," Hitomi added.
Hashimoto and Ashley dashed to Yua Lina's side, laughing too hard to stand.
"Secretary Yua, promise us you'll never major in journalism."
"Or photography—bwahaha!!"
Yua Lina's cheeks puffed out, growing redder by the second. Tears pricked at her eyes as she pointed at the pair.
"Husband sings, wife follows!!"
"Hey! Don't drag us into this!"
"You've shipped yourself into delirium, Yua!!"
The two recoiled, scrambling to opposite corners of the room.
But Yua Lina was already on a roll. She shouted after the departing President and Vice-President, "You two count as well—husband sings, wife follows!! Just bullying me all alone, waaah!!"