Kaguya-sama: Love Is War (かぐや様は告らせたい～天才たちの恋愛頭脳戦～)

I like you.

Please go out with me.

Okay.

You fall in love with someone,

Confess your feelings to them,

And become a couple.

Everyone would say that this is a wonderful thing.

But that's wrong.

Worker Bees!

Work! Work! Work!

Understood! Queen Bee-sama!

Work! Work! Work!

Being in love and being loved has a definite ranking of power balance.

Work! Work! Work!

(King)

Falling in love is like your soul being in servitude, and confessing your feelings is like proclaiming that you're awestruck.

If you are trying to live a noble life,

Then you cannot be defeated by any means.

Love is war. The one who falls in love loses.

Here is Shuchiin Academy,

A prestigious school with an ancient and honorable history

That was established to educate the most elite of children.

Although the school is no longer focused on nobility,

Many students born into prestigious families that hold the country's future in their hands are attending the academy.

Of course average people wouldn't be chosen to lead and unify these students.

Shuchiin Academy's Student Council Vice-President, Shinomiya Kaguya.

Total worth: 200 trillion yen.

Her family owns one of the four largest conglomerates in the country, the Shinomiya Group.

She's the first born daughter of the head of house, Shinomiya Gannan. A genuine young lady that represents Japan.

Traditional performing arts, music, and martial arts.

A talented genius with wonderful achievements in various fields.

And then, the young man that Shinomiya supports...

Shuuchin Academy's Student Council President, Shirogane Miyuki.

He is both strong and silent,

Yet intelligent and wise.

He placed first in the school's practice exams.

He was also able to get a top score countrywide as well, while competing with fellow geniuses.

In comparison to the talented Kaguya, his devotion towards studying draws both fear and awe.

It's because of his admirable conduct that he was chosen for student council president despite being a new student.

The weight of the pure golden braided cord has been passed down by each student president for 200 years.

Hello.

Hello.

Hello.

Those two are so well-matched!

I wonder if they could be dating?

I bet they are!

It seems that there are some rumors going around.

Like we are in a relationship or something.

They're at that age.

It's best to ignore it.

Is that what it is?

I have little to do with those types of things.

Like there could be a woman suited for me.

Why should I have to spend my precious time on a woman?

But...

If Shinomiya demanded that I go out with her,

I suppose I would consider it.

Goodness, ignorant children with their common talk.

Who do they think I am?

I'm a member of the Shinomiya family, the heart of this country.

How could they reach the conclusion I would date a commoner?

Well...

There is the smallest slight chance of a possibility.

If he offered his heart, soul and hometown

I suppose I could train him to be a man that would suit me.

Well I'm certain that she has feelings for me.

It's just a matter of time.

Well,

There aren't any men that don't yearn for me.

It's probably just a matter of time.

While taking part in these sorts of things...

Half a year passed and they became 2nd year students.

During that time...

Nothing of interest happened!

During this uninteresting time, their thoughts have changed...

From "I wouldn't mind going out with him/her"

To "Maybe I'll have them confess their feelings to me"

Right, right!

Listen to this!

I won a pair of movie tickets,

But Pesu is all over me during the weekends.

I thought if someone was interested I would give them away~

Jya~n!

Shuchiin Academy's Student Council Secretary, Fujiwara Chika.

A naturally airheaded young lady who loves her dog Pesu.

It's Love Refrain! And it's only until this weekend!

I mean...

What even is "Love Refrain?"

These types of movies are the type of thing only stupid couples go to see,

I could never.

Shuchiin Academy's Student Council Treasurer, Ishigami Yu.

An expert at processing data.

He detests youth from the bottom of his heart.

Being flirty at the movies is seriously unbelievable.

Taking advantage of the dark and holding hands, do that stuff outside!

I have a rare day off tomorrow.

So, Shinomiya would you-

Did you know?

Theres a jinx that if a boy and girl go see this movie together, they'll become a couple!

What?!

Oh, President...

Did you...just invite me?

To a movie where a man and a woman are said to become a couple if they go together?

Are you saying that you want to go see it with me, as a man and a woman?

That's just like...

Just like...I'm asking her out on a date!

It's pretty clear,

The only thing I can do is smooth over it.

Should we...

G..go sell the tickets?

Oh...

I've never seen you look so flustered before. You're drenched in sweat.

How cute.

How cute.

I can't let that happen!

Attack! Attack, Shirogane Miyuki!

That's right, I invited you.

I'm not bothered by rumors like that,

But it seems that you are.

What will you do, Shinomiya?

Do you want to go see this movie with me?

He's daringly making an attack here?

After inviting me, he's left me with the choice of whether we see the movie or not.

A good play.

So what will you do, Shinomiya?

I could choose to decline here,

But then all of my preparing and arrangements will become meaningless!

Part #1 of the Plan

1 week prior

I confirmed that the president has a day off.

Part #2 of the Plan

3 days prior

I fabricated the prize of the movie tickets.

Part #3 of the Plan

The other day while Fujiwara-san was taking Pesu out for a walk,

I slipped the envelope with the fake prize into her mailbox.

If I was the one to turn him down after doing all of this, it would be the height of stupidity!

And if I turn him down here he may never invite me to another movie or anything else ever again!

As a lady that is a no!

That kind of choice is a no!

Yes, well...

As a lady I can't help believing in those types of jinxes.

So if we are going to go...

At the very least...

I would have liked it if you had invited me with more passion.

C..cute! Super cute!

I've done it.

Come then, invite me!

Shinomiya-san,

If you say needy things like that, he'll want to invite you!

That's right!

Shinomiya, being needy doesn't suit you!

That was close...

I almost invited her just now...

Good job, Treasurer Ishigami!

She's gonna kill me.

President,

I want to die on my own before I'm murdered, so I'm going home.

Okay...

But..don't die.

I have to walk Pesu so I'll be going home!

Then for the tickets...here!

I'll give them to Kaguya-san!

See ya!

Pesu~ Pesu~!

Pesu~!

Since they were both full of pride,

There's no way one will invite the other.

Which means the only option is to use one's own ingenuity and skill

To force the other to confess their feelings.

This story is about these two who put their dignity on the line for a romantic battle of wits!

What should I do?

What should I do to get the president to invite me to the movie?

I got it!

President,

Shall we play old maid?

Old maid?

The two of us?

Yes.

The winner can ask the loser to do anything they want.

How does that sound?

Anything?

I will do anything master wants me to do!

Nyan~ nyan~

Nyan nyan! Yes! Come here~

So cute~

But we won't allow indecent things.

I think we should limit it to earnest things.

Well that would be fine.

I accept the challenge.

This is a battle Shinomiya started.

She probably thinks she has the ability to deceive me.

I'll have her show me her skills.

So then,

I'll pull first since I have one extra card with the old maid.

The chances of getting rid of the old maid is low in the first round and it's easy to lose focus.

In that case...

The old maid should be in a place that's easy to reach in the dominant hand.

It was on the opposite side...

As expected of Shinomiya.