Dormitory

As the midterm exams approached, the library seemed to be on fast-forward, every inch of air saturated with the rustling of pages and an invisible pressure.

It was almost a stroke of luck amidst the chaos that Hoshino Kanade, Ayanokoji Kina, and Shiina Hiyori managed to find this table by the window.

They weren't the type to form loud, boisterous groups. While Hoshino and Kina often moved together in Class D (classroom, canteen, library – a three-point route), they remained on the fringes of the class's mainstream social circles. Shiina Hiyori, on the other hand, was the quiet observer in Class C, always engrossed in thick books, seemingly immune to the class's clamor.

This "low-key" attribute, paradoxically, allowed them to occupy a corner in relative peace.

"Here, Shiina-san, the Modern History Outline Summary you wanted." Hoshino Kanade pushed a neatly organized and clear set of notes in front of Shiina Hiyori, his voice kept extremely low, almost swallowed by the rustling of pages and the constant hum of the air conditioning.

"Ah, thank you, Hoshino-san." Shiina Hiyori looked up, thanked him softly, and reached out to take the stack of papers.

However, this tranquility was ultimately superficial.

From all directions, invisible disturbances spread silently—like countless fine probes, subtly piercing the skin, leaving an indescribable itch.

Kina frowned slightly, subconsciously tucking a stray strand of long hair behind her ear, her gaze sweeping coldly over their surroundings.

Most of the attention came from students in nearby Class C and Class D.

This cross-class combination was attention-grabbing enough—Shiina Hiyori, Class C's "strategist" known for her keen insight and scholarly demeanor, second only to Ryuen in status, was sitting so intimately with two "mysterious figures" from Class D.

The slight brush of Hoshino's fingertips as he handed over the notes, the brief but clear smile Shiina gave Hoshino as she took them, both revealed an undeniable familiarity.

"Hey, look... Shiina-san's with those two from Class D again?"

"Tsk... but the boss Ryuen doesn't seem to have said anything?"

"They're both bookworms who spend all day in the library anyway, pretty much like Shiina..."

The deliberately lowered, yet intermittent whispers couldn't be completely blocked out.

The Class C students exchanged glances, curiosity mixed with assessment.

In the general perception of Class C students, Shiina Hiyori's position was indeed special. Early in the semester, it was she who, with her astonishing observational skills, first detected the hidden problems of the point system. Through her unique channels (careful information exchanges with a senior student), she facilitated a crucial transaction for Class C, significantly preserving the class's points and solidifying her status as the core strategist.

Therefore, even the highly possessive Ryuen Sho maintained a tacit attitude towards some of her "personal interests."

"That Ryuen guy..." Hoshino Kanade seemed to catch snippets of conversation. Without looking up, his pen drew seemingly random lines on a draft paper, but a closer look revealed a simple map of the library's foot traffic. His tone was flat, betraying no emotion, as if stating a foregone conclusion: "He's definitely investigated us. Knowing his style, it would be strange if he hadn't figured out our backgrounds."

Ryuen Sho had indeed used his channels to investigate the two of them.

He couldn't access official records, but by leveraging Class C's information network and connections (such as having Ishizaki and others conduct surveillance, or extracting information from students in the same class as Hoshino and Kina), the compiled report pointed to one conclusion: clean backgrounds, singular trajectories, like two screws fixed in the coordinates of the library.

Kina's academic performance in Class D was publicly known to be average. Hoshino Kanade, on the other hand, displayed a contradictory trait—his scores in public exams were consistently top-tier, holding a leading position, his academic ability impeccable. However, his daily performance, especially in situations requiring deep analysis and quick adaptation, seemed overly methodical, lacking sharpness, even as if deliberately maintaining the template of an "ordinary honor student."

This state of "high scores but low-key daily life," coupled with his regular three-point routine with Kina, led Ryuen to categorize them entirely as "harmless bookworms" of the same kind as Shiina Hiyori, but posing zero threat.

This report made Ryuen completely lose interest in Shiina's choice of friends, deeming it merely kindred spirits gathering.

Kina didn't respond, calmly turning a page of her book, shielding herself from the surrounding noise with her focus.

Shiina Hiyori clearly took in all the probing gazes.

If it were her in the past, delicate and full of worries, seeing these stares would undoubtedly stir intense unease. She would worry: would her "identity" bring unnecessary trouble to Hoshino-san and Ayanokoji-san? Would potential suspicion or distance from her Class C companions become an invisible wall separating them from pure friendship? She might even distance herself from them, deliberately keeping her distance, to minimize potential trouble.

But now, that concern had faded considerably.

She took a gentle breath, her fingertips feeling the fine texture of the book pages.

At this moment, she could face these gazes more calmly.

Friends are friends.

Every intellectual clash, every silent understanding in the library was real. What did others' speculations matter?

She looked at Hoshino and Kina, engrossed in their respective book worlds, her heart filled with peace and tranquility.

"...However," Shiina Hiyori's soft voice broke the silence between the three.

She tilted her head slightly, her gaze sweeping over the stares that still lingered, a subtle, slightly troubled curve forming at the corner of her lips. "While I understand their curiosity, being under observation for a long time really does distract me and interfere with my thinking. This efficiency..."

"Agreed," Kina immediately chimed in, her voice as cool as ever. "Low efficiency. Cannot focus." She closed her book decisively.

Hoshino Kanade also stopped writing, rubbing his slightly dry eyes. "Yeah, being watched doesn't feel great. So... change of venue? Although," he hesitated slightly, "there doesn't seem to be any truly quiet corner in the library anymore, it's crowded everywhere."

Kina's gaze swept over the crowded library, calmly suggesting, "There are too many distractions here, let's study in the dormitory?" She looked at Hoshino Kanade and Shiina Hiyori, adding, "Although they are single rooms, the space is about 13 square meters, enough for the three of us."

Shiina Hiyori looked up, her calm eyes meeting the other two. "Then, whose room would be suitable?" she asked directly.

Their minds were sharp, and almost the instant Shiina finished speaking, a silent understanding was reached—it would be inconvenient for a male student to enter the female dormitory floors. The answer was self-evident.

Hoshino Kanade reacted quickly. "Okay, then let's go to mine." As he spoke, he began efficiently packing his books.

Kina simply nodded. "Alright."

Without further words, the three quickly gathered their belongings. Ignoring the now surprised or curious gazes, under the library's silent watch, they calmly and naturally rose from their seats and headed towards the dormitory area, which could provide a truly quiet space.