Whispers Of The Heart

by Joshua the Dragonslayer

A Flutter At First Encounter

Welcome to Shuchi'in Academy! A prestigious school established many years ago to serve the noble and warrior classes of Japan. Though the class system has been abolished, many talented students born into wealthy and distinguished families attend this school. One of these students wasn't just a student, but also a member of the Shuchi'in Academy student council. Treasurer, Yu Ishigami, an indispensable part of the team but he keeps a low profile. Despite Ishigami's best efforts the President of the student council, Miyuki Shirogane noticed his talent and recruited him on the student council.

Yu Ishigami, a second-year Shuchi'in Academy student and the Treasurer of the student council. He's a good-looking, albeit gloomy, teenage boy with chin-length black hair that covers the left side of his face and typically wears a dull expression further amplified by his black eyes. He's a reserved and somewhat gloomy student who normally spends most of his time either playing video games or reading manga by himself, as he is generally disliked by the other students due to an incident that occurred in his past. He can be quite awkward at times, making statements that cause others to see him as a creep. That being said, he is quite snarky and is often the one to make sarcastic remarks pertaining to the situations he gets in. Despite his negative attitude, Ishigami is a kind and well-meaning student who suffers from an inferiority complex and he is ultimately willing to help others in need, even if it means sacrificing his own pride.

The sun cast a warm glow over Shuchi'in Academy as Ishigami strolled through the campus, the gentle breeze ruffling his hair. It was the start of another typical day for the students of Shuchi'in, a place where excellence was not just encouraged but expected. His eyes wandered across the manicured lawns and towering trees that adorned the prestigious institution. It was just another ordinary day, or so he thought.

As Ishigami ambled towards the main entrance, his mind preoccupied with the day ahead, he noticed a girl standing there, her presence as soft as a whisper. She had long, flowing pink hair and a demeanor that seemed to echo the tranquility of a meadow. The girl was... something else, he knew she had to be a fellow student from the outfit she wore showing the Shuchi'in Academy uniform. Ishigami had never seen her before until now, most likely because he was reserved to himself so he had never seen or spoken to her, not like he would anyway. She seemed to be engrossed in something, her hands clasping a stack of papers, her gaze focused intently on the passing students. The girl held the stack of papers in her hands tightly so they didn't fly away, a delicate smile playing on her lips. She was earnestly trying to catch the attention of passersby, her gaze fixed on the ground. The papers were flyers seeking volunteers for the local animal shelter – a cause that was probably close to the girl's heart.

Curiosity piqued as Ishigami slowed his pace, watching as the girl timidly approached fellow students, as she tried to offer them the papers she held. He couldn't help but be drawn to her delicate features and gentle demeanor. Caught in the beauty of the moment, there was something about her that stirred a flutter in his heart, something he couldn't quite put into words. He hesitated, momentarily captivated by the quiet determination in her eyes. But, as if sensing his presence, the girl looked up, and their eyes met. Ishigami turned away abruptly, feeling a flush of embarrassment wash over him. He couldn't afford to dwell on his emotions and let them get the better of him, not when he had more important matters to attend to.

With a quickened pace, Ishigami walked away from the girl and headed into the school. Ishigami needed a distraction, a way to shake off the unexpected encounter. He decided to head to the student council room, a place that usually provided the solace he sought. Little did he know that fate had more surprises in store for him. He made his way into the school council room, where he was met with the familiar sight of some of his fellow council members.

Miyuki Shirogane, a third-year and the President of the student council sat at his desk going over some papers, so deep in concentration that he didn't even notice Ishigami enter the student council room. Shirogane was a handsome young man with blonde hair, dark blue sanpaku eyes with long eyelashes. Due to his constant sleep deprivation and nearsightedness, his eyes appear to glare, and he constantly appears to look a little tired, with bags under his eyes. He usually wears the regular Shuchi'in Academy black male uniform adorned with the Aiguilette, the golden chain-like accessory around his neck that is passed down by the previous generations of the Shuchi'in Academy presidents as per his authority as the student council president. To Ishigami he was the most diligent student ever who climbed his way to the top of his class through hard work and determination. He was the perfect image to many, and to Ishigami, he was lightyears ahead of, someone that Ishigami couldn't hold a candle to. But it wasn't that Ishigami cared, to him Shirogane was like his big brother who was always there for him in his time of need. It was because of him that he was in the student council in the first place anyway.

Miko Iino, a second-year and the Auditor of the student council was sitting down at the table with her headphones in writing down something that Ishigami didn't care about. Iino was a short, petite young girl with brown eyes and long brown hair that was styled in loose pigtails, with bangs covering her forehead. When in the Shuchi'in Academy uniform, she wears black tights and a yellow armband on her left arm to distinguish herself as a member of the Public Morals Committee. Miko is most notable for her strong and obstinate sense of justice and decency. In the beginning, she was convinced that the morality of Shuchi'in Academy has been declining, and thus wishes to impose heavy, though unreasonable, regulations on students. Because of her overbearing and borderline authoritarian attitude, she was generally disliked by the student body. Despite this, Miko’s determination never wavered, as she continued to confront those whom she deemed were acting unfairly, even at the expense of her own reputation.

Like Shirogane, she holds herself to a high standard, being at the top of her class, and even ran for President despite just being a freshman. Even though she lost to Shirogane in the running, he still saw promise in her and gave her a chance to be in the student council, and one day when he left she would take over his role as the President. The relationship between him and Iino was that of a ton of bickering. Ishigami had known her since middle school and even back then the two would bump heads and it seemed things hadn't changed since arriving at high school. However, they pushed their distaste for one another in the council room so as not to cause any problems.

The newest addition, a third-year and the Historian of the student council, Joshua Kiyoko was also sitting at the table and looked to be going over some math homework of his. Joshua was the heir to the Kiyoko family, a family that owned a huge company in America. His wealth was on par with Kaguya Shinomiya's, another member of the student council who wasn't in the room at the moment. He had heterochromia so while one of his eyes was brown, the other was blue which seemed to catch the eyes of many. Joshua messed with his black curly hair while rubbing his chin and looking at the next equation. He shared a class with Fujiwara, another member of the student council who wasn't present in the room at the moment and he showed a lot of promise to her which she told Shirogane, and just like that Joshua joined the student council with the five of them. Like Shirogane, Joshua was like another brother to Ishigami and the two shared a lot in common in reading manga even though he was wealthier than him, Joshua was still a kind person and never took his family status as a way to brag to others.

Ishigami took his seat among them, trying to ignore the lingering warmth in his cheeks as he greeted his friends. He tried to compose himself, but the flush on his cheeks betrayed his inner turmoil. But when Iino cast a curious glance in his direction, he couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. He knew he couldn't afford to let whatever these emotions were distract him from his student council duties.

Iino, always sharp and perceptive, glanced at him curiously as she took out her headphones. "Late again, Ishigami? What's your excuse this time? And what's with the flushed face?" Iino asked, her voice laced with suspicion.

Caught off guard, Ishigami swallowed hard, forcing a casual smile onto his lips as he stammered. "Oh, you know, just had to run over here just so I wasn't late for the meeting is all." he replied, waving it off as his words came out in a rush.

Iino raised an eyebrow but didn't press the matter further, turning her attention back to the task at hand. Ishigami let out a silent sigh of relief, grateful for her understanding. Iino narrowed her eyes but chose not to press further. Meanwhile, Ishigami's thoughts drifted back to the girl from earlier, who was still outside, diligently trying to hand out papers. He couldn't shake the image of her from his mind for some odd reason.

As he sat there with time going by, Ishigami found himself bored as he stood up with his gaze drifting towards the window, where he caught sight of the girl once again. She was still standing there, her figure bathed in the soft morning light, her presence like a beacon in the bustling courtyard below. He wanted to turn his attention so that no one noticed what, or rather, who he was looking at but he was lost in contemplation. Ishigami walked over and glanced out the window once more, that was until Joshua walked over beside him. Joshua followed Ishigami's gaze and spotted the girl that Ishigami had run into earlier.

Unable to resist the pull of curiosity, Ishigami turned to Joshua. "Hey, do you know anything about that girl?" he asked pointing to the girl, trying to keep his voice casual.

Joshua glanced out the window, a small smile playing on his lips. "Oh, Fluttershy? She's a classmate of mine." Joshua said, with a smile. "She's shy, but incredibly smart and kind and caring to everyone. Always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone in need. She's passionate about helping animals and works at an animal shelter nearby."

Ishigami felt a flutter of excitement in his chest as he listened to Joshua's words. He looked down at the girl again, the girl who was named Fluttershy. There was so much more to Fluttershy than he had initially realized, so much depth hidden beneath her quiet exterior. Ishigami's interest in her was further piqued, and he couldn't help but ask, "What's she like?"

Joshua chuckled, sensing the intrigue in Ishigami's tone. "You've got your eyes on her, huh? Well, she's a sweetheart. You should talk to her sometime."

Caught off guard, Ishigami blushed and looked away. "It's no reason. Just curious." Ishigami then looked over at him and smirked. "Just like how you have your eyes on a certain student council member, huh?" Joshua looked at him in shock and was about to speak until the sound of the student council door opened as two girls walked in.

"Hey! We're back!" The girl who cheerfully announced her return was Chika Fujiwara. She was a third-year and was the Secretary of the student council. Fujiwara was a cute fair-skinned young girl with shoulder-length light pink hair that had a black bow in the middle of her square bangs, and blue eyes, and wore her Shuchi'in Academy uniform. She's a bubbly, eccentric girl who almost always has a smile on her face with a noticeably large chest (something that Ishigami regretted pointing out as it resulted in him getting slapped in the head multiple times with a bat that Fujiwara made out of newspaper). Always looking to have fun with her fellow student council members, she is often the one to come up with strange activities and ideas that entertain herself and others. She is mostly oblivious to the atmosphere of the room, resulting in her being an unpredictable element.

Because of her lax attitude and childish antics, many of the council members seem to view her as simple-minded. Ironically, Chika is actually quite talented in a variety of areas, being an accomplished pianist while also speaking five different languages. She can also be quite devious and underhanded, often attempting to cheat in a lot of the games she comes up with, like that time they played a game to see who would go to Shinomiya's house to hand her the homework that she had missed for the day because she was sick. She had tried to cheat, twice, but both times Shirogane had caught her and in the end, he won the game. She was also super obsessed with anything that had to do with love, professing herself as a “love detective” and giving relationship advice to others despite having never had a boyfriend before. Fujiwara and Ishigami had their days where they could be cool with one another and other days where they weren't in sync.

The girl walking behind Fujiwara was her best friend, Kaguya Shinomiya. She was a third-year and was the Vice President of the student council. Shinomiya was a beautiful, fair-skinned young girl with long black hair that was usually tied by a black-red ribbon with hair strands hanging on either side, along with large, almond-shaped red eyes (that can look sharper, depending on her mood, something that Ishigami had seen first hand), thin eyebrows and a slim, but feminine build, with a noticeably small chest, something that Ishigami regretted pointed out as it resulted in her giving him a deadly glare. She is described by many as possessing 'stunning beauty'. Shinomiya was a very cold and rational individual, but she slowly changed after joining the student council. Due to being part of a wealthy and important family, Shinomiya is sometimes seen as arrogant and very confident about her intelligence and incredible skills after all she was ranked number one in the school, and that was until Shirogane came and pushed her to be the second smartest. Despite her being known as the "ice princess" Ishigami had seen her other side like when she was upset that she missed the fireworks. Shinomiya had a kind heart, she had even helped Ishigami study for exams which greatly helped him and his grades even though he didn't rank where she wished he had. Despite times when he would get scared of her intense presence, he would still call her a good friend. And although he would never say anything to her about it, he knew about her crush on the President but he would let her tell him, whenever she was ready.

The two girls walked over to Shirogane and started to talk to him along with Iino who followed. Ishigami just watched but he then stole one last glance out the window, he couldn't help but wonder if he would ever have the chance to get to know Fluttershy better. But as quickly as the thought entered his mind, the self-doubt crept in, and he dismissed the idea, convincing himself that someone like Fluttershy would never be interested in someone like him.

"Ishigami." Ishigami turned his head to see Joshua who was staring out of the window and looking at the outside scenery. "I know what you're thinking and I want you to know that you're wrong. Fluttershy is kind and I'm sure she'll like to know the type of person you are. She isn't one to jump to conclusions about people."

Ishigami stared at Joshua before turning and looking outside with him, taking in the scenery while also looking at Fluttershy every now and then. "Do you... think she knows about what happened?" Joshua side-eyed Ishigami and sighed, he knew exactly what Ishigami was talking about. He was talking about the incident that took place in middle school. Shirogane and Ishigami had told him about what took place back in middle school when the three of them had a sleepover at his place. It was surprising to him but it also made sense as to why Ishigami was how he was and acted. But who could blame him? What happened was... well it wasn't pretty.

"I can't say whether or not she does or doesn't." Joshua noticed Ishigami's saddened expression and put his hand on Ishigami's shoulder. "Hey, but even if she does know about that, which I don't think she does then I doubt she'll even care. She became friends with Sunset Shimmer, and we all know how she was back then."

Ishigami hesitated for a moment, his thoughts swirling as he contemplated how to broach the subject. Finally, he decided to plunge in. "So, uh, do you think that two of us could talk or something?"

A knowing twinkle appeared in Joshua's eyes as if he had anticipated this line of questioning. "Like I said before, Fluttershy is one of the sweetest people you'll ever meet. Shy at first, but once you get to know her, she's really kind and caring. I know her, not that well, but we've talked before. If you want my help I'd love to help introduce you two to one another. You could say that I play cupid around here." Joshua then pointed over at Shirogane and Shinomiya. "They're my number one priority right now."

Ishigami looked at the President and Vice President before turning back. "So you noticed too?"

Rolling his eyes, Joshua laughed. "They aren't exactly keeping it a secret. I'm honestly surprised Fujiwara hasn't noticed anything despite being a so-called "love detective" and having some much knowledge of love. I want to help them get together and make them happy, they deserve it with how much they've helped around the school." Ishigami nodded his head. "But yeah you don't have to worry much about Fluttershy, you got this. You're a good guy, Ishigami, any girl would be glad to have you!"

Ishigami couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope. "So, uh, do you think someone like me would have a chance with her?"

Joshua raised an eyebrow, studying Ishigami for a moment before responding. "Well, it depends on what you mean by 'someone like you.' Fluttershy is a really open-minded person. She values kindness and sincerity. If you're genuine and treat her with respect, who knows? You might just have a shot. I know she isn't dating anyone at the moment, and I don't think she has a crush on anyone."

Ishigami absorbed the information as his heart raced at the possibility. Her not having a boyfriend or a crush was a good thing for him, but did he want that? Ishigami didn't even know her and he still didn't know his feelings for her. "But what if she's not into someone like me? I mean, I'm not exactly the most outgoing guy, and I'm not great with, you know, people."

Joshua placed a reassuring hand on Ishigami's shoulder. "Don't sell yourself short, Ishigami. Fluttershy sees the good in everyone. Just be yourself, and if there's a connection, she'll notice. Just be genuine and kind. You might be surprised."

Ishigami nodded, the advice sinking in. "Thanks, Joshua. I appreciate it."

"All right everyone, it's about time we get that meeting started." Ishigami and Joshua turned to see Shirogane who stood up from his desk and started to make his way while the girls followed him. The student council was to meet with the Principal to discuss some further events.

"Let's get going, Ishigami." Joshua started to follow and make his way.

He glanced down to see Fluttershy who seemed to be done trying to hand out papers start to make her way most likely to class. A newfound determination stirred within him, and he silently vowed to take Joshua's words to heart. With a heavy heart, Ishigami turned his attention back to the meeting he had to attend, pushing away the feelings he was feeling which he still wasn't sure aside, he focused on the tasks at hand. But deep down, he couldn't shake the lingering hope that maybe, just maybe, there was a chance for him to unravel the mysteries of Fluttershy's heart. Little did he know that the whispers of his heart were just beginning to echo through the corridors of Shuchi'in Academy.

---

Preview: Ishigami's solitary lunchtime video game session takes an unexpected turn when his friends invite him to join a lively game of American football courtesy of Joshua. As he fumbles through the match, struggling to adapt to the new environment, he becomes acutely aware of the eyes watching, including the gentle gaze of Fluttershy. In that pivotal moment, a spark ignites within Ishigami, fueling a determination to improve his skills not just on the field but also in the game of winning hearts.

Next Time: Heartful Game Of Football

Author's Note:

So yeah, that's chapter one of my story of how I became a writer. Obviously, this chapter doesn't exactly show much of me becoming a writer but don't worry this is heading into all of that. Something I think is very obvious is that there are some characters from Kaguya-sama: Love is War, which yes I did add them. Now just to be clear, although the characters are from the anime, they serve as people who revolve around this story. Ishigami serves as the main character and my friend who helped me become a writer. My friend and Ishigami are very alike, and funny enough is his favorite anime character because of how alike they are. I was a part of the student council back when I was in high school and all the others serve as the people who were members of the student council with me and my friend. Now yes, there are a few things different here and there but the overall message is still the same.

In this chapter or well day, my friend saw a girl and he immediately fell for her, hard. That would be the start of my journey to becoming a writer. When my friend walked into the student council that day I could tell something was up with him so I talked to him. I've always liked to help people get together especially if they were my friend. And in case if anyone wanted to know, yes our President and Vice President did like each other, they were childhood friends and they clearly liked each other like Shirogane and Shinomiya. My friend did have a bit of a problem with one of the girls but that was because she was a... well, female dog to put it nicely, kinda like Ishigami and Iino. As for Fujiwara's role, a girl was the reason why I got into the student council, she saw me as "smart" and a hardworking person who seemed like a good person to be part of the student council. I didn't just like her because she of what she did, it was because she believed that I was good enough even though I myself didn't.

This is just the beginning so I hope you all like it and come back to read more, it's up to you. I just want to tell my story on how I became a writer, you don't have to read this book if you don't want to. Oh, and in case anyone cares, I do like Kaguya-sama: Love is War, it's my favorite anime and I love it. I would definitely recommend it if anyone likes a good romcom anime. There are three seasons, and a movie, that you can watch on Crunchyroll or probably any other anime website you watch anime on. The anime isn't over but it's not like that matters, it's a must see anime that I'm sure you'll love and the best part is that it's good in both dub and sub!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and maybe give Kaguya-sama: Love is War a try.