[INTERLUDE] In the Hall of the Lipstick Prince

Backstory from when our favourite master-maid duo were both in high school.

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Since this story takes place before Kaguya joins the PPC, let alone has an appearance update, he has short hair.

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Momoka couldn't have seen that many high schools, but she was certain the one she would be going to was the coolest one of all.

First, it had an impressive uniform, befitting its status as one of the most renowned private schools in the area. She had a hard time believing she would be going to school in such excellently designed garbs: a burgundy blazer with shiny gold buttons and gold-trimmed lapels, a navy blue skirt, a sayagata-patterned navy blue necktie. She had never worn or seen an actual red school uniform, let alone such an artful red that managed to be both striking and elegant. She had an even harder time adjusting to the sight of her master in his uniform; Kaguya wearing a gold-accented burgundy blazer and navy blue trousers was not a spectacle her fangirling heart could easily recover from.

Second, it was an impressive place. Among many things, Ichōnomiya High was famous for boasting straight-up fairytale-like scenery every autumn: a courtyard crowded by old ginkgo and momiji trees, accentuated by plots of gentian; leaves of majestic red and gold above, flowers of regal blue below. The school was undeniably proud of this, to the point where this was where its uniform colours derived from.

Third, it had Kaguya. Even if it was his last year at school, there couldn't be anything better to look forward to. Ah, to be able to walk to and from school with her master, to be in the same building as him even if different classrooms; the thought made Momoka's days at least a little brighter.

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The tea ceremony club possibly had the least impressive display to be put on at every club introduction ceremony, yet why did they cause so much heated excitement and cheers in the crowd in two consecutive years every time that tea set was carried out onto the stage?

The reason was simple: the club's president for those two years plus an earlier one belonged to what was dubbed the Four Ogre Kings (四鬼王) of the school, a select number of club presidents known, desired and feared by close to all students for their devastating attractiveness. These elite four were further nicknamed Azure Dragon of the drama club, White Tiger of the science club, Black Tortoise of the swim team, with Kaguya being Vermilion Bird of the tea ceremony club. There was little wonder these four clubs had the least trouble finding members; there existed those not interested in the clubs' activities themselves, but tried to join just to be in the general vicinity of an Ogre King.

Being a holder of such a title was as much a hassle as it was an honour. Nevertheless, Kaguya welcomed the hassle with pride; he didn't wear makeup at school, but he would put on a stroke of lipstick or two for club activities and throb a few hapless girls' and boys' hearts. Throughout his reign, his club's first day was always somewhat of a disarray. He would be greeted by first-years too excited for their own good, showered in exclamations of Hazama-sempai! Vermilion Bird! Lipstick prince of Ichoco! None of it surprised him, even in his third year when the commotion was slightly worse.

Until he quieted the club down with the effectiveness of an almighty, feared king, but the demeanour of a delicate botchan. "Can I please have your attention?" he said. "I know you are all excited to be part of this club, but one must remember one of the four core tenets of tea ceremony is peacefulness. It is not merely boiling water and stirring a drink; we are here to be at ease, to strive for tranquility and healing. In order for our club's activity to start, I politely request everyone to calm down and keep noises down to an acceptable zero."

Thus, the first day of club activity in Kaguya's last year of school went without a hitch.

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Kaguya found himself in slight trouble on the first lunch break of the school year: his lunch box was nowhere to be found.

What an inopportune start to the year it was, made worse by the fact the lunch was one Momoka prepared for him. She had made sure to include cheese-seaweed omelette and shibazuke pickles, his two favourite dishes. He was at a loss as to a solution, but not to a lack of lunch; after all, he could easily head downstairs and buy a sandwich. His concern was what he would say to his maid about letting her hard work go to waste.

But before he could start dwelling any deeper on the matter, a first-year with fluffy white hair rushed into the classroom amidst confused upperclassmen. "Oh, Kaguya-sama, I'm very, terribly sorry. I forgot to pack your lunch box," Momoka said flusteredly, handing her master the wrapped box before bowing ninety degrees. "To allow an oversight like this, I really am unforgivable."

For a second, Kaguya didn't know what to say; the eyes of everyone in the classroom were on the two of them. "Momo, it's alright," he finally told his maid. "It's not your fault that I forgot my own lunch. I should be the one to apologize to you. Why don't you go back to your classroom?"

Momoka wanted to argue, but the way her master looked at her changed her mind. She excused herself, the gazes following her out of the room.

Of course, Kaguya would not be left alone. As he opened his lunch box, another student said to him, muffled from a mouth full of food, "Man, I never knew you've finally gotten a date. What's her name?"

Kaguya simply replied, "Asanomiya-kun, there's ketchup on your nose."