"The key to defeating Kohinata Motoyo lies in Kagura Hikaru!"

Student Council Office.

Kiryu Hina was explaining her plan to Ayakoji Chiyoko.

"As for her personally... Even though it's frustrating, there's really no way to start. Her weaknesses are too few. But if we change our perspective and focus on Kagura Hikaru, it might be much easier."

"What do you plan to do?"

Ayakoji Chiyoko's face showed caution.

Every time Hina tried to make a move on Kagura Hikaru, it always ended in tragedy.

She already had PTSD.

"Tsk, don't think of me as that bad, okay?"

Kiryu Hina protested indignantly, "I won't do anything extreme. I just want to temporarily divert Kohinata Motoyo away from him. As long as we keep Kagura Hikaru from contacting her, over time, his dependency will naturally heal."

"Your plan basically amounts to shock therapy, huh."

Ayakoji Chiyoko rolled her eyes: "He probably won't agree to it."

Lately, Kagura Hikaru's dependence on Kohinata Motoyo was obvious to them.

It was almost like an addiction.

How could they separate them under circumstances where he would willingly comply?

"Don't worry, I'll create conditions where they have no choice but to separate. You just need to cooperate with me."

Kiryu Hina looked like she already had a plan and was full of confidence.

Even her usual gloomy demeanor seemed swept away.

In stark contrast, Ayakoji Chiyoko felt growing unease upon hearing her plan.

What kind of good idea could this shadowy schemer like Kiryu Hina possibly come up with?

Create conditions where they have no choice but to separate?

Was she going to orchestrate a car accident, leaving one of them stuck in the hospital in plaster?

Or plant C4 in the girls' restroom, letting Kohinata Motoyo handle the defusal while Kagura Hikaru picks the red or blue wire outside?

However, what she didn't expect was—

This time, Kiryu Hina's plan was actually... surprisingly normal. Almost nine or even ten out of ten normal.

In essence, the plan was to stir up trouble all over campus, forcing Kohinata Motoyo to continuously respond and deal with it, leaving her no time to linger around Kagura Hikaru.

And using similar tactics, keeping Kagura Hikaru occupied so he couldn't rush after Kohinata Motoyo.

During this period, they'd do their best to soothe Kagura Hikaru's emotions, repeating several times, to see if they could reduce his abnormal reliance on Kohinata Motoyo.

The plan was executed on the same day.

And it failed spectacularly.

The first incident involved the Drama Club. A member reported that a large number of toads had invaded their clubroom, turning everything into utter chaos as everyone scrambled to catch the toads.

As the Drama Club president, Kohinata Motoyo had no choice but to go check it out.

At the same time, class representative Hagawa Reki assigned Kagura Hikaru the responsibility of cleaning the classroom during lunch break and helping carry documents.

But soon after Kohinata Motoyo left, Kagura Hikaru left as well.

He skipped out on his duties, leaving behind a baffled class representative and Kiryu Hina.

This kind of rule-breaking behavior was unprecedented for Kagura Hikaru.

He didn't even bother making up an excuse.

No matter how curious he might be about the Drama Club's toad incident, it wasn't worth disrespecting the class rep's authority over.

What followed was even harder to comprehend.

For the second incident, they invoked the Student Council's authority.

Ayakoji Chiyoko gathered nearly all the club presidents, including Kohinata Motoyo, for a meeting under the pretext of discussing a club reform initiative and asked them to submit respective proposals.

Though it was claimed there might be good ideas adopted as policy, the meeting itself was just a cover to isolate Kohinata Motoyo.

Yet, Kagura Hikaru once again defied expectations.

Through his connection with Ai Cheng Karen, he joined the meeting under the Astronomy Club's name and sat right next to Motoyo.

The Kendo Club picked a fight with the Drama Club.

Someone sent Kohinata Motoyo a love letter inviting her to the rooftop.

A teacher called her to the office. T+h&i-s cha@pter's t#rue$ s#ource+ is My Vi.rtua+l# L@i^brar&y Emp.ir@e% (^*).#

The entire day was one disruption after another.

And Kagura Hikaru spent the whole day following Kohinata Motoyo, sticking to her like glue, ignoring everyone else, even more attached than a pet.

It was as if Kohinata Motoyo held an invisible leash tying him to her.

Watching from the sidelines, Kiryu Hina and Ayakoji Chiyoko were exhausted just witnessing the spectacle.

By the end of the day, they were completely defeated.

All they could do was scratch their heads in frustration back at the Student Council Office.

Perhaps the only real outcome of Kiryu Hina's meddling was that Kohinata Motoyo herself began to notice Kagura Hikaru's abnormal behavior.

Before, she hadn't given it much thought.

After all, Kagura Hikaru had always been very careful, never making her feel suffocated by his presence.

If other people were around, he would even lower his presence voluntarily, waiting for her to actively remember him before appearing—as stealthy as a ninja.

But today, with all the nonstop drama.

Kagura Hikaru stayed by her side every step of the way, never straying from her line of sight, ignoring anyone calling him.

Even when going to meet Ai Cheng Karen, he coaxed Motoyo to accompany him.

He could've simply gone on his own; there was absolutely no need to bring her along.

This kind of scenario—it was simply impossible not to notice it.

When your boyfriend even wants to follow you to the restroom, is that a good thing?

For someone in love, maybe.

But this behavior was clearly abnormal.

Kagura Hikaru's dependence on her had reached this extent...

Thinking carefully, even outside school, he acted the same way.

This was... excessive.

It was starting to reach the level of an obvious disorder.

No, there wasn't even a need to question it.

Motoyo recalled the incident when Kagura Hikaru jumped in front of a train.

Whatever had tormented Kagura Hikaru in the past seemed to have been dissolved by her presence.

But this wasn't recovery—it had simply morphed into a deeper and more uncontrollable dependency.

Seeing him like this, Motoyo couldn't help but doubt whether Kagura Hikaru was even capable of living independently.

If one day she left him, wouldn't he wither away like a cicada?

The end result of Hina's day-long schemes wasn't success, but instead stirring guilt within Kohinata Motoyo.

She felt that if she hadn't insisted on being Kagura Hikaru's girlfriend, things would never have come to this.

Kagura Hikaru's dependency was partially her fault.

Motoyo honestly didn't want him to be like this.

No normal person would want to see their lover's unhealthy side.

It started to make her question and doubt herself deep down.

Did Kagura Hikaru truly love her?

Or was it simply that his illness made him love her?

Was it her sickness he loved, or her actual personality?

What was he really thinking?

Was this relationship nothing but a fictitious fantasy created by mental illness, or was it genuine...

This question was destined to remain unanswered.

Even if Motoyo was a genius, reading minds wasn't something she could learn.

From a certain perspective, Kiryu Hina's plan had already succeeded.

But instead of influencing Kagura Hikaru, she had inadvertently caused Kohinata Motoyo to start questioning their relationship.

Though right now the crack was small, insignificant.

It couldn't change anything for the time being.

But maybe one day, it would become the key to breaking the dam.

...And that day came sooner than anyone anticipated.