Can you touch me?

Hinamori Momo stood at the office doorway, her expression stiffening as she looked at the two people inside.

Honestly, it would have been fine if Rukia hadn't said anything, but the guilty look on her face made Hinamori feel particularly uneasy.

Rukia desperately wanted to explain, but she knew that the more she explained in this situation, the more it would seem like there was something to hide. It was as good as revealing Hinamori's feelings to the President in front of him, and it might even incur his displeasure.

She hadn't paid much attention to it before, but now it seemed that the President's gesture of patting her head was indeed quite ambiguous...

Had she really not noticed it, or had she noticed it long ago but simply didn't object?

Did the President not notice?

She felt like crying.

Hinamori quickly composed herself, a smile appearing on her face. "President, Rukia."

After much thought, Rukia decided it would be best to leave first, so she proactively said to Xin, "President, if there's nothing else, I'll be going now."

With that, she fled the office as if escaping.

As soon as she stepped out the door, she pressed herself against the nearby wall, her chest heaving.

How did it suddenly become like this...

Seeing Rukia leave on her own accord and leave the space to her and Xin, Hinamori felt a little better, thinking that perhaps she had misunderstood just now.

The President, he's kind to everyone...

Xin returned to his seat and casually said, "Someone from the Kuchiki family, one of the four great noble families, came earlier. They said they wanted to see Rukia."

Hinamori was stunned by the news and immediately her attention was captured.

"What did they want with Rukia?"

"I don't know. The Kuchiki family left without waiting for Rukia."

"Eh?"

Xin then asked, "How is that friend of yours? Is he willing to attend the Spirit Training Academy?"

Hinamori pondered for a moment, then nodded gently. "But he can only go next year. Toshiro is very self-reproachful; he feels his grandmother's declining health is his fault."

"Fortunately, it was discovered in time, and everything can still be done."

"I have to thank you for this, President."

Xin chuckled lightly. "You've already thanked me."

Hinamori pursed her lips, looking at Xin sitting there. She had many things she wanted to say, but when they reached her lips, she didn't know what to say.

Whatever she thought of saying seemed abrupt and presumptuous.

She had tossed and turned all night yesterday, but thankfully, she had figured things out. What Senior Kanazawa did was her business; what mattered was the President's attitude.

Someone like the President, how could he not be admired by anyone?

She was one of them, Senior Kanazawa was just one of them, and there would be many more in the future.

Finding a way to become the most special one to the President among these people was what she should be doing. Fretting over others' feelings was meaningless; she couldn't change that. What she could change was the President's perception of her.

She gathered her courage and suddenly asked, "President, I actually have a question I've been wanting to ask you for a long time."

"Go ahead."

"Why did you ask Rukia to be your assistant?"

Rukia, who was still outside the door, hadn't left yet. She also wanted to hear what Hinamori and the President would say. She was afraid they might argue, although she felt that Momo had no reason or right to question the President about such a matter.

Hearing the conversation from inside, she was instantly stunned.

This was a question she also wanted to know the real answer to.

But why would Momo ask this... was it because of what just happened?

Xin chuckled and asked back, "Why do you suddenly ask that?"

Hinamori said, "I think Rukia isn't special in any aspect. Of course, she has her strengths, but did you see those strengths right from the start? Rukia told me about the Student Council assessment back then. I don't think my performance was any worse than hers, and I..."

She wanted to say that she was more suitable for the President's assistant position than Rukia. Her personality was more cheerful, and she was more enthusiastic about her work.

She wanted to ask if Xin had any special feelings for Rukia, if he liked Rukia.

As for Senior Kanazawa, Hinamori had spent a few months with the President and could clearly feel that the President didn't have any special feelings for Senior Kanazawa.

Because if you truly liked someone, it was hard to hide your feelings. The President's attitude towards Senior Kanazawa was no different from his attitude towards others, so Senior Kanazawa was not a threat. She was just relying on the President's kindness and that promise to dare to make such excessive demands.

In contrast, the President's treatment of Rukia was clearly special.

Xin glanced at Hinamori's favorability rating on the system interface, which was fluctuating erratically.

He leaned back in his chair. To be honest, he disliked being questioned like this. He turned his head slightly and slowly said, "I did see Rukia's strengths from the beginning, and I also saw her weaknesses. That's why I felt Rukia needed more training in this position. If I just made her an ordinary member of the Student Council, her shortcomings would inevitably not be improved in a short period of time. Hinamori, you might be more outstanding than Rukia now, and everyone likes you, but Rukia needs this opportunity more than you do. Since you are very good friends, you should understand this first point."

Hinamori couldn't help but interject, "President, but I... I..."

She clenched her fists tightly, but in the end, she didn't say anything more. She was both shy and afraid.

Afraid that she couldn't handle the consequences of speaking rashly.

Xin suddenly chuckled again. "Hinamori, I still owe you a promise. Have you thought about it?"

"……"

Hinamori was speechless, her mind in utter chaos at that moment.

Ever since she made the promise, she had been thinking about what request she should make.

Excessive, not excessive, ambiguous, reasonable…

She had thought the most suitable request would be for the President to agree to teach her Kaido in his free time. This would not only increase the time they spent alone together and bring them closer, but it was also a very fitting and reasonable excuse.

The President would be going to the Fourth Division in the future, and she wanted to study Kaido in depth, which also carried enough of an implication…

But why could Senior Kanazawa make such an excessive request!

Did that mean she could too?

But would she have to be as awful as Senior Kanazawa? How would the President see her then?

Hinamori bit her lip tightly, a sheen glistening in her beautiful eyes. She stared intently at Xin, though they were only separated by a desk and a few steps.

Yet, she truly didn't know how far the distance was between herself and the President.

Was it just these few steps, as it appeared on the surface? Was it just waiting for her to make the first move?

"President…" Hinamori's voice trembled slightly.

"Can you… pat me like you just did to Rukia?"

Rukia, who had been outside the door, left.

February ticket drive! Thank you for everyone's support!