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This afternoon, Councilwoman Sachiko was in an exceptionally good mood as she and Mikura made their way to the Office of the Student Council President of Hyakkaou Private Academy. She always did feel quite refreshed after her shopping trips, and her latest visit to the pet store left her in very high spirits indeed.
Normally she would leave Mikura by the door for her one-on-ones with the President; however, this time she requested to increase the number of participants. Therefore, when they stepped into the room, Kirari was already waiting for them. The President was sitting on the couch facing the doorway with her secretary standing dutifully behind her.
“Good day to you both, Sachiko and Mikura,” Kirari said pleasantly in her soft, girlish voice that did little to belie the predatory gleam in her icy blue eyes. Little escaped the calculating gaze of the head of the Momobami clan, and Sachiko liked that just fine. After all, finding a kindred spirit was quite a difficult task, even in a school like this one.
“Hey there,” she said as she sat down on the couch adjacent to the President’s. With a yank on the chained leash connecting her to her pet, Mikura obeyed her wordless command and sat next to her.
Kirari tracked the motion with her eyes, her smile never faltering.
“To what do I owe the occasion?” she asked.
“With everything going so smoothly, I didn’t have much to report,” Sachiko said as she brushed her hair to the side, purposefully fanning it out in an elegant motion to heighten her presence in the room. There was a certain type of showmanship that was required to thrive in this academy, and Sachiko enjoyed flaunting her beauty whenever she had the chance. “That wouldn’t make our meeting very fun, now would it? I thought we could do something a little different today.”
“Oh? Could it be you are proposing a game between us?”
“Of sorts. Mikura,” Sachiko commanded with another tug on the leash.
Her pet immediately stood up and presented to the Student President the box she had been carrying. Kirari accepted it graciously.
“Whatever could it be,” she said as she opened the box. “Oh my.”
The President pulled out a collar that was the same shade as her lipstick. Her eyes sparkled with amusement as she held it up for her secretary to see. Sayaka stiffened and Sachiko watched with pleasure as her underclassman struggled to comprehend her gift.
“I noticed you staring at Mikura’s every so often,” Sachiko said as she tugged the chained girl into her arms. Mikura gasped as Sachiko’s fingers found their way to her neck. With one hand winding the leash taut to pull the girl forward, while the other below Mikura’s collar to keep her flush against her body, Sachiko purred, “I thought you might like to try it out with your pet.”
If she was affected by Sachiko’s display of dominance, Kirari did not show it on her face. She instead kept smiling, her posture remained gracefully composed.
“My relationship with Sayaka is not like that.”
“Of course. But wouldn’t it be fun to try?” Sachiko taunted as she tightened her grip on Mikura, enjoying how the girl under her moaned, the sound vibrating through her neck and into Sachiko’s fingers.
As she politely watched the two, Kirari considered Sachiko’s offer. She knew that her upperclassman was testing her, and she wasn’t bothered by the challenge. Kirari knew that the Head of the Public Morals Committee rarely did anything that didn’t spark her fancy, and her predilections were infamous. Really, it was hard not to notice her dragging around a housepet in the most literal interpretation of the academy’s policies.
She, therefore, didn’t bother herself with Sachiko’s opinion. Kirari instead turned to Sayaka behind her. She could instantly tell that her secretary was agitated. Sayaka’s fists were clenched, but Kirari couldn’t tell if she was angry or embarrassed by the suggestion.
Whatever could be going on in that overly logical brain of hers? Curious, Kirari couldn’t help asking:
“What do you think, Sayaka? Would you like to try?”
Kirari then watched with rapt fascination as Sayaka’s focus turned to the collar. The girl was already trembling, her eyebrows scrunched up as she tried to rationalize something so silly.
“President…y-you want me to wear that?” Sayaka asked.
“Only if you would like to.”
“I…would it please you if I did?”
“Sayaka, everything you do pleases me,” Kirari responded, ignoring the chuckle she heard from her senior. There was no point in hiding her weaknesses from Sachiko as she knew the councilwoman was already aware of them. Besides, she knew hers as well. There was a reason why they remained on friendly terms even with Sachiko’s schemes of supposed neutrality. In the end, their interests were more complementary than they were conflicting.
This little game that Sachiko initiated was just because the senior wanted to see if she could get under her skin. Normally, Kirari wouldn’t give her the opportunity, but the mere potential of seeing Sayaka react to unusual stimuli was too good to pass up. Besides, Kirari didn’t mind the audience.
She could see that Sayaka was still deep in thought. Kirari waited patiently. She predicted whatever answer her secretary would reach was bound to be delightful.
Finally, Sayaka looked up from her contemplation. “Would it amuse if I wore this for a time?”
“It would. We can also take it off immediately if you find it uncomfortable.”
“Juraku-sama would never buy something so low quality!” Mikura spat venomously as she gripped her own collar. “It’s leather. Antibacterial. You can wear it for hours—days even!”
Mikura’s outburst went ignored. Sayaka glanced at the red-haired girl. Her gaze traveled down to her tag. “I’m not being made a housepet, right?”
“You are not,” Kirari confirmed.
“If that’s the case…I suppose it’s all right.”
“How nice. Come here, Sayaka,” Kirari said as she felt excitement travel through her body. She loved novel experiences, and it was not every day she had an opportunity like this. As Sayaka walked around the couch, Kirari glanced up to see Sachiko staring at her, the snake-eyed woman meeting her gaze with a victorious grin. She returned it with a smile before directing her attention to unbuckling the collar in her hands.
By the time she had completed the task, Sayaka was standing next to her. Her secretary paused for a moment before wordlessly kneeling. Kirari slid her feet onto the couch to allow for more space for Sayaka to scoot closer to her so she wouldn’t bump into the coffee table.
“Lift your hair up for me.”
The first-year student did just that. Kirari admired the delicate slope of Sayaka’s neck. With one finger, she leisurely traced a downward path of a purple vein. The way Sayaka trembled entertained her. Oh, it entertained her so much.
“Did I do the right thing?”
“Hmm?” Kirari hummed, still engrossed in the sight before her.
“My position. I wasn’t sure where to sit that would be best for you to, uh, collar me. I thought sitting on the couch would be inconvenient since you would have to lean forward, but I’m not sure if this is—
“Sayaka,” Kirari said breathlessly, pushing down the surprised gasp she had in reaction to hearing the other girl’s words. She then couldn’t help giggling—how could she ever tire of this girl? How was it that Sayaka was always able to reach the right conclusion while considering inconsequential or even wrong information? Ah, she truly was the best. “Relax. You’re doing just fine.”
“Yes!”
Kirari continued to softly giggle as she wrapped the leather collar around Sayaka’s neck. She took care to buckle it loosely as she would never want to constrain the other girl. Why would she ever limit Sayaka when she moved with such precise chaos?
Once she completed the task, Kirari admired how her color looked on the girl kneeling before her.
“What do you think?” she asked.
Sayaka didn’t know what to think. While her brain had short-circuited when she felt the President’s hands against her neck, even after she had regained her mental facilities Sayaka was still at a loss.
What was she supposed to do now? Kirari said that Sayaka would be amusing her if she put this on her, but what about afterward? What would please the President after she finished putting on the collar?
Sayaka wasn’t quite sure what was going on. The leather strap sat more on her shoulders than it did on her neck, so only when she turned her head or shook it did she feel it glide across her skin.
Was it supposed to make her feel different? Sayaka didn’t feel any different with it on, though she did feel a little self-conscious with how all eyes in the room were on her, waiting for her next move.
…her next move…hmm, was this a gamble? No, it couldn’t be since no match had been declared though Juraku Sachiko had mentioned that this was a game. So perhaps she was a player and if that’s the case…if that’s the case she couldn’t let down the President! Sayaka would solve this puzzle! The trust the President placed on her—much like this collar—Sayaka knew that failure wasn’t an option!
All right, think Sayaka. What clues did she have? She glanced to Mikura who, for some reason, was glaring at her with disgust. The President had mentioned that Sayaka wasn’t a housepet, and there wasn’t a chain connected to her collar. That was a good thing since Sayaka wasn’t sure how she would react to that. She didn’t find the idea of being choked enjoyable in the slightest. So, thankfully, she wasn’t being put in the same situation as Mikura, only one similar…probably.
Ok, so she wasn’t being treated like Mikura even if they were both wearing collars. The President was also making no further moves. She, in fact, had leaned back into the couch. When Sayaka met her gaze, she saw an affectionate twinkle in Kirari’s eyes. If the President was looking at her like that, Sayaka hadn’t failed just yet. The President was waiting on her so Sayaka had to find the answer; it was her turn now.
The biggest clue she had was the collar. If she wasn’t being treated like a slave or a housepet—ah how could she be so blind! Who else wore collars but dogs? Sayaka was supposed to be a dog right now so…so she’ll try acting like one.
Determined to prove her hypothesis, Sayaka lifted her head up and said:
“W-woof. Woof. No…uh,” Sayaka shook her head. She then took a deep breath. Such a half-hearted action wouldn’t reach the President. She had to put her whole effort—nay, her entire being—into her move! Squeezing her eyes shut, she then exhaled. With her determination refortified, Sayaka belted out, “Woof! Woof!”
She then got on all fours and began panting. It was only fitting—she was supposed to be the President’s most loyal dog! She was the number one pet! She let all the affection she had towards Kirari fill her, basking in the euphoria of being the sole image in the other girl’s eyes.
After her barking, there had been stunned silence in the room. Then, just as Sayaka’s confidence began to wane, two sets of laughter rang out.
The President’s polite giggle quickly exploded into something more raucous; the hand near her mouth moved to clutch her sides. Behind her, Sayaka could hear Sachiko’s own laughter ringing in her ears, sounding harsher and more unrestrained than she anything had heard from the senior before.
They continued to laugh. Sayaka tilted her head, not quite sure how to react or what to do next. Was she not correct? Did she not get it right?
“Woof?” she asked.
Her response only led to another torrential outpour of laughter. Kirari wheezed, still clutching her sides, “Sa-Sayaka. Hehehe. Oh, Sa…hehe...Sayaka…”
Well, at the very least, the President didn’t seem disappointed in her action. She had that going for her, but Sayaka still felt something nagging at her, nibbling at the corners of her mind. For some reason, she felt like she hadn’t completed the task properly, but what could it be?
What could it—No! How could she be so blind! How could she mistake something so simple? Was she not a student of Hyakkaou Private Academy? How could she overlook one of the most basic tenants that all students were aware of?
Sayaka slapped her cheeks with the palms of her hands. She felt ashamed of her incomplete conclusion. The sting felt in her flesh was nary a tickle compared to the gnashing, aching wounds in her heart. After all:
“Male students are ‘Pochi,’ whereas females are ‘Mike.’ I should be a cat. Please forgive me of my foolishness!” she shouted before bowing on all fours. When she raised herself, Sayaka meowed.
She meowed with all her heart, desperately hoping the President would forgive her for her terrible transgression. She shuffled closer to Kirari and rubbed her cheek against the knee nearest to her. It was hard to rub against the President’s knee as the other girl was still shaking. In fact...when she looked up, she saw actual tears in Kirari’s eyes.
“My, my, S-Sayaka. What on—hehe—earth are you…are you—heh—thinking?” Kirari guffawed as she wiped away her tears with a trembling hand.
As this was going on, Mikura was practically vibrating from all the disdain and disgust she was feeling. Her hands were clenched into fists as she gripped the end of her skirt, struggling to not roar with all the anger burning inside her.
How dare Igarashi Sayaka act in such a shameful way! Did she have no pride as a pet? It was an honor to be collared—to be adorned with the gifts of the one and only Juraku Sachiko-sama! Even if Juraku-sama had gifted the collar to the Student President, it was honor by proxy! How dare Sayaka act with such ignorance! Did she not understand the opportunity she had been given?
Oh, she absolutely loathed the other girl’s behavior. She had not been ordered to act like a mere animal—that girl should be groveling by her mistress’s feet or licking her shoes! That was proper pet etiquette! Clearly, this girl ought to be punished. She didn’t know her place!
And yet…and yet the two dominants were just laughing at her. They were rewarding her bad behavior. How could they encourage her?
Even more, Juraku-sama hadn’t stopped laughing since Sayaka’s first bark. Mikura had never seen such unrestrained joy expressed in her mistress. While she wasn’t crying like the Student President, Juraku-sama’s gaze was soft and the usual harsh light in her eyes was much softer and gentler and…and…Mikura was jealous! She was so jealous! Juraku-sama had never looked at her like that!
She clenched her jaw in rage as she glared at the scene before her. The President had finally stopped laughing and was now leaning down to whisper something to her secretary. Mikura couldn’t hear them, which was probably for the best. She didn’t want to hear anything more offensive and disgraceful.
When they parted, Mikura felt a growl escape her lips like steam.
“Iga—”
Before the rest of Sayaka’s name could be released, Juraku-sama had placed her hand on Mikura’s head.
The weight of her mistress’s hand was heavy with her implicit command. Mikura immediately went silent and looked up at the taller girl. Immediately she felt the pressure in the red-eyed woman’s glare. She cowered from its oppressive intensity.
The chain connecting her to her mistress clinked as Mikura look away; she glowered at her lap and the whites of her knuckles. Why was she the one being scolded when she was witnessing something so unsightly? Unlike Sayaka, she had been trained properly!
The President was now stroking Sayaka’s head reassuringly while the secretary was still on the ground, her face hidden by her hair. Mikura hoped that Sayaka had been properly lectured; she had to be taught the significance of wearing such a wonderful symbol of submission!
She huffed. Mikura then felt a slight tug on her neck. Her mistress was watching her, and Juraku-sama leaned down and whispered into her ear:
“Behave. I’ll punish you later.”
Instantly the heaviness weighing on Mikura’s mood was lifted. She felt like she was soaring—to receive Juraku-sama’s affection was the best thing ever! She nodded energetically as her eyes glazed over. She began daydreaming about what soon would be inflicted upon her.
As this was going on, Kirari was still whispering reassuringly to her secretary.
“There, there. You did so well. I’m so proud of you. You’re the best, Sayaka,” she soothed. She wasn’t sure of what was going on in the trembling girl’s mind, but she did her best to allay it.
“Did I…did I win?” Sayaka whispered with a blush that was so enticing that Kirari couldn’t help but wet her lips.
“Of course.” Kirari didn’t know what Sayaka wanted to win, or what she was even talking about, but she did know that her secretary had won her way deeper into her affection.
Sayaka smiled, and Kirari decided the poor girl had enough. She thus began to carefully remove the collar from the other girl’s neck.
Once she had gathered the accessory into her hands and buckled it into a loop, she stood up and addressed the gift giver.
“Thank you for this, Sachiko. As you can see, this might be a little too advance for us.” Kirari said as she extended her right hand to display the collar. She held it parallel to the ground.
The long-haired Chairwoman also stood up. Sachiko smiled knowingly, clearly not offended by Kirari’s statement. Then again, she had already gotten what she came for. Kirari knew that the other girl would remember the spectacle and would likely remind her of it in a future meeting.
“That’s a pity. I thought it would suit you two,” Sachiko replied as she held out her hand to receive the gift. Kirari’s smile widened, and she raised her hand, bypassing the older student’s grasp so that she now held the collar up to her ear.
“We might still want to practice. You know how it is,” Kirari stated mysteriously.
Sachiko’s eyes narrowed before she smirked.
“If that’s the case, you’re going to need this,” the Councilwoman replied. She then pulled something from her blazer pocket. It was a leather leash that matched the collar.
Kirari dipped her head to acknowledge Sachiko’s accurate prediction as well as her generosity. Well played.
“Thank you,” she replied as the leash exchanged hands. As it did, their eyes met. The two Student Council members shared a moment of mutual understanding and satisfaction.
And so marked the end of one very productive meeting.