Kaburagi is acting strangely. To be precise, he's avoiding me. It started with Kaburagi immediately looking away when our eyes met at the rankings list. At lunch and in the hall, he looked away when we passed each other. I'm uneasy by him not wanting to have anything to do with me. Did I do something to make the Emperor angry?

I caught Enjou during an afternoon break in the hall, and asked, "Enjou-sama, did I do something to displease Kaburagi-sama?"

"I haven't heard of anything. Why?"

"He seems to be avoiding me today."

We were never friendly enough to say, 'hey, what's up?' but he never ignored me like this, either. Enjou didn't seem to know, either and put a hand on his chin and asked, "Hmm… Did you meet Masaya over the break?"

"No." I saw him on the last day of exams. I haven't even gotten mail from him since then. "Oh!"

"Huh? What's wrong?"

I have an idea! "Is he angry that I skipped his exam review session?" And I even sent him a defiant reply back.

"I doubt it. He wouldn't hold that against you for so long," laughed Enjou, but I really can't think of anything else. He had the same attitude until then. "Besides, Masaya would tell you if he were angry or irritated."

"As you say…" Kaburagi would call me out to complain, even if it were a holiday, and he'd keep on sending angry mail if he couldn't find me.

"Why don't you ask him directly?"

"With Kaburagi-sama?"

"Yes."

He says it like it's simple, but it's hard for me when Kaburagi might be angry. It's like treading on a lion's tail…

"I can help somewhat."

"You will?"

"Sure. If Masaya's really avoiding you, I'd like to know why."

Since Enjou declared that he'd help depending on the circumstances, I decided to ask Kaburagi after school. Besides, my station in school would be in danger if he keeps on ignoring me…

After school, I spotted Kaburagi and Enjou headed to the Pivoine Salon, so I hurried after them. Kaburagi noticed the patter of my feet, and increased his pace after he turned and saw me.

"Kaburagi-sama!"

"…What?" He reluctantly turned to face me and he scowled at me. He's frightening…

But Enjou nodded next to him, so I pressed on. "Kaburagi-sama, I wish to speak with you."

"I'm busy," he cut me down. Umm….

Kaburagi was about to walk off when Enjou stopped him. "Masaya, Kisshouin-san say she needs to talk. Why don't you listen?"

"Shut up! Be quiet, Shuusuke!" Enjou looked stunned. This is definitely strange… Something's going on for him to yell at Enjou, who's at no fault…

I scrutinized him. "Kaburagi-sama."

"…What?"

"Just follow me."

"Huh? Why should I…!"

"Now, now," prodded Enjou who grabbed his arm. I forced him into the small meeting room, in the reverse of the usual. Enjou blocked the entrance, and Kaburagi smacked his lips.

"So? What? I'm busy, so hurry up." Kaburagi still won't look at me. He probably isn't sitting down, so that he can leave quickly."

"Kaburagi-sama. I cleared the goal you set for me of being in the top 30 on the exams."

"So what? You obviously should be getting that much."

"HUH!?" WHAT THE HECK IS WITH THIS GUY!?

"Kisshouin-san, you're using a tone of voice unfit for a young lady," cautioned Enjou from behind me.

"You dragged me here for that? Ridiculous. You study for your own good, it's absurd to want praise for that."

…I'll kill him.

"If that's all, I'm leaving." He starts to step away. Why is he in such a bad mood…? Something's wrong. "I'm busy. I need to analyze the results of the exam in the Salon, and I need to look over the (Kaburagi) Group's new project documents. I'm supposed to go on an inspection, so I need to understand everything. I don't have time to waste."

He's rambling about things I didn't ask about. Even more suspicious. I'm certain, now. "Kaburagi-sama. What are you hiding?"

"Huh!? What are you saying?!"

"When men are ashamed of their actions, they evade the question by being angry at the victim. That's rule number 1 on how to spot a man who's being unfaithful."

"I'm not unfaithful!"

"Even if you're not, you are hiding something. Now, spill it." Why is he so obvious?

My dad in my past life was like this. When he was going to a snack shop run by a pretty lady, mom, me, and my little sister all knew. 'A subordinate messed up, so I had to stay behind, and that's why I'm late. He's such trouble. I had dinner at a bar, but I had to listen to his story, and…' and the suspect sea lion rambled on about things we didn't ask about…. and on, and on, and on… He talked so much that small inconsistencies emerged.

Occasionally, I'd happen to ask, 'you were late tonight,' and he'd be angry, replying, 'who cares about that! Are you studying?! You did badly on the last test!' It was obvious he was avoiding more questions by acting mad. It's not good to direct it at me, just because he's ashamed of himself, though.

The three of us had a meeting, and talked about 'reprimanding that playboy sea lion.' We rode into the snack shop. The nice, pretty lady welcomed us with a smile, and we were merry eating, drinking, and singing karaoke. Of course, all out of the sea lion dad's pockets. Dad was crying, having been cleaned out on our way home…

'The secret of marriage is to not let him live or die,' my mom said, but dad was barely hanging on, then…

And right now, Kaburagi is acting just like that sea lion. "I predict. In the future, your unfaithfulness will definitely be found out."

"What's with that!? And don't talk like I'm going to be unfaithful! I won't be!" hollers Kaburagi, but I'm no longer scared of him. There. His eyes show flustered he is.

"Spill it." I approach, glaring at him and repeat, "Spill it."

Kaburagi folded, and sat down at a nearby chair, and began talking. "…I asked Takamichi about her plans for the summer, and she said that she'd be taking supplemental classes all summer." She told me already.

"And?"

"…I signed up for the same classes as her."

"Summer supplemental classes?! You?!" Zuiran offers them to interested students, primarily external students, and almost no internal students who use tutors bother with them. But Kaburagi will. "If it becomes known that Kaburagi-sama will be attending, there may be many who normally wouldn't be signing up." I hope it won't be chaotic…

"Oh. Not that one… Well, that one, too."

"What did you say? Speak clearly," I demand.

"The cram school for the masses that Takamichi would be attending over the summer. I decided to attend that."

"WHAT!?" The same cram school as Wakaba-chan!? "You're a stalker! A real one!" I couldn't filter that from shock.

"Who are you calling a stalker!? Don't insult me!" No, no, there's no way around this. You're a real, live stalker!

"By the way, did you tell Takamichi-san? That you signed up for the same classes…" I asked in trepidation.

"No. I thought about surprising her."

"HUH!?" What' that?! Pretending to surprise her!? "And!? What do you intend to say to her when you meet? A boy who asked about her summer plans waving his hands to greet her saying, 'Hi, what a coincidence?' That's a horror movie. I'd consult the family lawyer immediately!"
"…"

There's nothing more terrifying than an active idiot. I've never agreed more with those words.

"Did you already complete your application?" asked Enjou while I was stunned.

"…Yeah."

"You should cancel that…" I agree with Enjou. He needs to get rid of the evidence before Wakaba-chan realizes it. The sunk cost shouldn't be much for Kaburagi.

But Kaburagi wouldn't agree. "I can't see her for a month once vacation starts. I'm going to Takamichi's cram school!"

Enjou and I looked at each other. "What if another Zuiran student signed up at the same school?" Things will get worse for Wakaba-chan.

"Don't worry. Takamichi goes to a cram school close to her home, and no Zuiran student goes there." The stalker's useless investigative skills…

Enjou and I try to convince him, but Kaburagi wouldn't bend. In the end, Enjou offered a compromise, "At least talk to Takamichi-san about attending before the classes begin." Yup, otherwise it'll be a horror manga instead of a romance manga.

"All right…" Kaburagi seems to have understood that he had gone too far. His voice was quiet.

Enjou patted him on the shoulder as if to console him, "Don't worry, Masaya. A positive thinker like Takamichi-san probably won't notice a stalking." Oh, Enjou casually confirmed him as a stalker.

But he is such a… I sighed deeply.

"What's with that sigh?"

"Being around Kaburagi-sama is causing me stomach pains…"

"You have helicobacter pylori?" No, fool! Notice that I'm insulting you! It's obvious that I'm saying that I have stress related stomach pains caused by you!

"I'll introduce you to a good doctor dealing with Pyroli."

"I don't have pyroli!"

"Dealing with pyroli early is key to…"

"No!" Shut up! Quit trying to put pyroli in a maiden's stomach!

"It's late. Let's go to the Salon." Kaburagi seemed to be his normal self as he stood up, having spilled all his secrets.

"If you're going this far, why don't you just confess…"

"'To hide one's feelings for a lifetime is the true…'"

"Oh, you've said that before, so don't bother. It's a waste of time."

"Don't call it a waste!"

Humph!

"Oh, Kaburagi-sama."

"What?"

"Once again, I was 18th in the end of term exams."

Kaburagi bowed to me at a 30 degree angle.

"Congratulations."

"Thank you very much."

I bowed back at the same angle.