"I am sorry, Kaguya-sama."

  Hayasaka bowed her head deeply to Hayasaka, apologizing for not being able to stop Ishigami.

  "...no, it's fine."

  While Kaguya wondered why Hayasaka was together with Ishigami, her head ached whehought that her family would definitely know that Ishigami had decided to visit her in the middle of the night.

  sidering how strict the nature of her house was, for a young man to appear at her house at night would definitely attract the attention of her family, probably including her father, which made her slightly lose her posure, yet even so, Kaguya would be lying if she didn't feel anything whe a text that he had e in front of her house, tellihat he wao meet her.

  This robably the first time she saw someone had dared to do something so bold in her life, yet she didn't bme him.

  Instead, she felt quite happy for some reason.

  "You are too reckless, Ishigami. If you want to meet me, then you should just tell me tomorrow at school."

  However, she still admonished him, and she did this because she was worried about him.

  Her house aside, if he came to her when they were at the school, then it would be okay sinatter how powerful her family was, they wouldn't be so brazen to infiltrate the school to monitor her.

  Regardless, everything had happened, and nothing could be ged, so after Ishigami came, Kaguya quickly brought him to her room so they could talk privately, but she knew well that all of the staff must have reported this to her family, which gave her a headache, w what she should do to protect him.

  As she thought so, Ishigami asked, "Why?"

  "...what do you mean, why?"

  "Why did you reject Kaichou? Don't you love him?"

  "...."

  His questions were straightforward and never wavered, causing Kaguya to fall into a state of shock, realizing why he came to her house in the middle of the night, even if he might be targeted by her family.

  Yet, this was a fair question, especially when Kaguya and Shirogane had gone on a date three times.

  The first time was all due to Ishigami, who used the pretense of asking for a date experience as he was nervous about asking his crush for a date.

  The sed was under Kaguya's initiative.

  The third was under Shirogane's initiative, and for the first time, he showed his ce to fess his feelings despite all of his inferiority, yet when Kaguya showed hope, she rejected him.

  Was her feeling that she showed him at that time something so fickle that it could ge so easily despite how short their meeting was?

  Was her meeting with Shirogane, which was so long and genuine, something that she should have sought after?

  Why should she abandon all of that for something so... superficial and shallow like him?

  Other than just being slightly more handsome than normal people, what was so good about him?

  Instead of the sincere love of someone who could give their everything, why should she choose someone like him, who couldn't even give his love to a single person?!

  Yet—

  "...don't you uand the reason?"

  As Ishigami came to meet him and asked her straightforwardly, Kaguya also didn't hide anything, but she answered him round way since, as a girl, it was impossible for her to show her plete hoy.

  "...."

  It was because Ishigami uood, and because of that, he couldn't uand.

  Somehow, part of him wished to return to the past wheher of them became close, nor did he ask for help from her, so their retionship was far from how they were now, and he didn't cause the sadness of someohat he owed so mubsp;

  Yet, everything had happened, so what could he do?

  Still, Kaguya had an impulse and thought to express her feelings, but Ishigami, who didn't want to hear her feelings and khat he couldn't let her tinue, decided to do something unthinkable.

  "Ishigami, I—"

  Kaguya couldn't finish her words, and she was dumbstruck when she saw Ishigami kissing Hayasaka's lips.

  Hayasaka was in a daze, and subsciously, she showed her obedient side when he kissed her, but when she realized everything and wao push him away, he parted away and said, "The truth is we have this retionship."

  "..."

  While Ishigami was calm, Hayasaka was in panid filled with intense fear. "Kaguya-sama, I—"

  "Ishigami, you leave a us talk."

  Ishigami nodded and followed Kaguya's words to leave, but Hayasaka was in tears, w why he had done all of this, yet at the same time, inside, she also felt relieved since she khat it was impossible to hide everything, and she khat it was the time for her to part away from Kaguya... the one who she had betrayed from their meeting till now.

  "I am sorry, Kaguya-sama."

  Bowing her head deeply, Hayasaka apologized after she stopped her tears since she khat she didn't have a right to cry.

  "... you tell me more?"

  "I will, and I will leave you too from now on."

  "...what do you mean?"

  "I mean... my retionship with him isn't the beginning of my betrayal toward you."

  As Hayasaka exposed all of her lies arayal toward Kaguya ihe room, Ishigami waited outside, and as expected, when he walked out, he saw a few people who seemed to be in charge of monit them, but quickly left when they saw him leaving, yet he could feel that they were staring at him curiously from far. Even if they were tasked to monituya from others, in this house, she was the mistress, and they were under her trol and could only do their jobs discreetly.

  Still, Ishigami ighem and just stood outside, waiting for the two to finish their versation.

  While he khat his aight cause him to be killed, he didn't regret his decision since he knew well that the one who was in need of care at that moment wasn't Kaguya but Hayasaka.

  Yes, Kaguya might have had a rough childhood due to her family's situation, but Hayasaka was even more so.

  Hayasaka might always appear cheerful or calm in many situations, but Ishigami knew well what kind of crybaby she was and how spoiled she was, so instead of Kaguya, he thought to save Hayasaka first as Hayasaka was his woman, and he wao clear up everything before he was clear about what he wao do.

  heless, while it took so long for Hayasaka and Kaguya to talk ihe room, Ishigami wasn't impatient, and soon, the door of Kaguya's room ened, and the one who came out first was Kaguya.

  "Ishigami."

  "Yes."

  " I sp you?"

  "....."

  Ishigami stared at Kaguya, who was smaller than him, yet even so, she felt gigantid fearsome than he was.

  Still—

  "Go ahead."

  Sp!

  The loud, crisp sp echoed within the corridor, causing everyoo be dumbfounded.

  Hayasaka, who saw him, whose tears started to dry, started tain, but—

  "Don't protect me, Ai. I deserve this."

  Yet, Ishigami had to say that it was so painful to be spped by Kaguya, especially when she was so merciless, araining with Kyudo also made her wrist much strohan normal people's.

  Still—

  Sp!

  Ishigami got another sp from Kaguya.

  "...."

  While Ishigami eechless and in so much pain, he remaiill, without saying anything since, as he had said before, he deserved this sp.

  "I have fired Hayasaka. The paperwork is in the process, but take her and bring her away from here."

  "Thank you."

  Ishigami thanked Kaguya, then looked at Hayasaka, who was staring at him with tears. "Let's go, Ai."

  "Um, Yuu."

  Letting her hand be held by him, Hayasaka held his hand tighter as she let herself be led by him.

  "Take care of her."

  Kaguya's voice was quiet, but Ishigami heard it clearly. "I will."