Conquering Villains and Capturing Targets Is Harder in Real Life than in Games

9: I don't like being even ten steps away from you.

"Good morning, Yoshino-senpai!" chorused Chinen and Akiyama loudly as they bowed deeply in front of Shizuka.

Shizuka chuckled. "Good morning, Chinen-kun and Akiyama-kun."

Shizuka swept over the two boys' appearances with her eyes. Today, Chinen, as part of their uniform, wore a black blazer, white button-up, and black pants with a pair of spotlessly clean black and white sneakers.

While Akiyama wore the navy button up, plaid pants, and a navy pair of suede ankle boots.

Both their hairs were styled fashionably as she remembered them from the day before.

Maria-san and co. really are miracle workers. The styling of these two is seriously flawless.

"You guys look good today," Shizuka commented while flashing the two a lively smile that made their faces turn bright red.

"It's all thanks to your help, senpai! We're grateful and sorry to have kept you for so long, especially since it had gotten dark outside."

"I hope you didn't have to overexert yourself last night!"

Shizuka's smile cramped up. Oi! What's with that ambiguous wording?! You're going to make people misunderstand!

True to Shizuka's prediction, right after hearing Chinen and Akiyama's dubious words, the surrounding students began to whisper vigorously.

"Did we always have guys like this in our school?"

"How do they know Yoshino-senpai?!"

"Who cares about that?! What's important is what did the three of them do last night???"

Shizuka looked at the two boys in front of her who were completely unaware of the trouble they had caused and felt herself getting a headache.

Knowing that she needed to mend the situation at once, Shizuka fixed a splendid smile on her face. "I already told you, Chinen-kun and Akiyama-kun, you don't have to be so grateful towards Fuu-chan, Mii-chan, and I for helping you guys with your makeovers yesterday. Maria-san and her team did most of the real work. We're just happy to have been given the chance to guide some lost juniors onto the right path."

"Shizuka-senpai gave them makeovers? I wonder how they looked before?"

"Yoshino-senpai, Mori-senpai, and Satou-senpai really are the angels this school didn't deserve!"

Akiyama gazed at Shizuka reverently. "Even so senpai, w-would it be alright if we treated you three to lunch? I know it's not much but Chinen and I really wanted to offer our sincere gratitude!"

"What did that second-year brat just ask to have lunch with Shizuka-chan?!"

"I think he's a first year!"

"A first-year approaching our Shizuka?! He must be out of his mind!"

As Shizuka formulated a reply in her head, from behind her, someone had suddenly poked her back. Turning around, her right cheek met Madoka's outstretched finger.

"...Semi-san, what are you doing?" asked Shizuka disbelievingly staring at the finger on her cheek. Does the school prince have a cheek fetish or something?

"Getting your attention," Madoka replied in a matter-of-fact manner. He appeared to be unaware that his actions had caused every student in the surrounding area to be frozen in shock.

Were there not more natural ways to do so?

"...Have you just been behind me this entire time?"