Next time, Sakayanagi Arisu won't lose again.

The senior who had been flatly rejected turned pale, then red, opening his mouth but unable to utter a single word.

Kazehara Tetsu took in the entire scene without offering any commentary, simply returning the chess piece to its original position.

Just then, the noisy clamor within the gymnasium suddenly faded like an ebbing tide.

No one had spoken to command silence.

Kazehara Tetsu redirected his gaze toward the elevated podium standing tall in the center of the gymnasium.

"Oh..."

He understood in a single glance.

Originally, representatives from each club had been there to promote their activities, but now only one person remained.

A tall, straight-backed young man with dark hair and a cold, stern expression stood at the very center of the podium.

He wasn't speaking, hadn't even picked up the microphone. He simply looked down at the new students below.

An eerie silence fell over the gymnasium.

The new students looked at each other, their whispers growing softer and softer.

Some of the weaker-minded students had already begun unconsciously lowering their heads, unable to meet the man's gaze.

Horikita Manabu.

Student Council President of Kouyoku High School.

Kazehara Tetsu watched the man on stage.

The corner of his mouth twitched, and he let out a scoff audible only to himself and Sakayanagi beside him.

"Using silence to create pressure. What a cheap, cliché psychological trick. It might work on a bunch of fresh-faced students, but it's far too degrading."

His voice carried undisguised contempt.

Such petty tactics wouldn't have held up at all in the corporate meetings he'd experienced in his past life.

True pressure came from nets woven with language and logic, not from pretentious posturing like this.

"For people who can't grasp the deeper meaning of words, this kind of intuitive intimidation is actually the most effective management method."

Sakayanagi Arisu's voice came from beside him. "He knows exactly what level his audience is at, so he chose the most fitting communication style. The method may not be sophisticated, but it's practical."

Kazehara Tetsu turned his head, meeting her clear violet eyes.

On stage, Horikita Manabu seemed satisfied with the effect he had created.

Only then did he pick up the microphone, his low voice spreading through the speakers to every corner of the gymnasium.

"Welcome, new students. I am the Student Council President, Horikita Manabu."

His opening was minimal to the extreme. "I'm sure many of you here are interested in the Student Council. I'll only say one thing."

His gaze swept across the full court once more.

"The Student Council is not a club. It doesn't require interest—only ability. Those who wish to join must possess exceptional talent. Furthermore, to ensure full dedication to Student Council work, members are prohibited from participating in any club activities."

"Moreover, we do not want anyone joining with naive fantasies. Such people would not only be a burden to the council but would leave a stain on the academy itself."

Horikita Manabu's speech was brief. After throwing out these highly selective words, he turned and left the podium, leaving no opportunity for the new students to ask questions.

Kazehara Tetsu checked the time. It was already quite late, so he looked at Sakayanagi Arisu.

"Since club activities are so unremarkable, I imagine Classmate Sakayanagi's stomach must be lodging a protest as well. I wonder if I might have the honor of inviting a rival who just narrowly lost to me on the chessboard to dinner?"

His words carried his usual flippancy, but the word "narrowly" pricked like a fine needle.

Sakayanagi Arisu slowly turned her head, those eyes meeting Kazehara's smiling gaze.

"An invitation issued from the victor's position? Classmate Kazehara, you really refuse to take even the slightest loss."

She spoke, but there was no reproach in her tone—it was more like an equal's teasing. "However, considering I do need to replenish the energy I just expended in deep thought, I accept your proposal."

"My pleasure." Kazehara Tetsu made a "please" gesture.

Kazehara Tetsu led Sakayanagi Arisu out of the noisy gymnasium, crossing the campus paths where foot traffic was thinning.

The place he took her wasn't one of the glossy high-end restaurants in Beech Tree Shopping Mall, but a small Japanese restaurant hidden in a corner near the dormitory area.

As for why Kazehara knew about this place, it wasn't because he'd eaten there before—he'd simply seen students giving it high ratings on his phone earlier.

Pushing open the wooden sliding door, the shop was small, with only a few natural-wood tables and a tiny counter.

A woman who looked past fifty, wearing an apron, was busy behind the counter.

There weren't many customers—just two or three tables, all eating quietly.

Kazehara pulled out a window-facing chair for her, then sat down across from her.

They ordered: one Tempura Teishoku, one Grilled Eel Rice, and one Salmon Sushi.

"Classmate Kazehara, you seem quite familiar with this place."

"Unfortunately, this is my first time here too. But I do like this kind of relaxing atmosphere."

"Relaxing?"

Sakayanagi Arisu's gaze settled on him. "I feel that you always seem at ease, no matter the occasion."

"That's a disguise, just like how you use that doll-like mask to hide your inner desire for victory. Everyone is playing a role."

His frankness caused Sakayanagi Arisu to fall silent once more.

"By the way..."

Kazehara Tetsu changed the subject, his tone becoming lighter. "Aside from chess, what kind of books does Classmate Sakayanagi usually read to pass the time?"

It was a very ordinary question, so ordinary that it caught Sakayanagi Arisu slightly off guard.

She looked at Kazehara Tetsu's smiling, peach-blossom eyes. The gaze no longer held the earlier calculations, only pure curiosity.

As if, at this moment, they were truly just two classmates curious about each other's daily lives.

"I usually enjoy reading books on psychology and management. And you, Classmate Kagihara?"

"I have a wide range of interests—history, philosophy, economics—but I probably prefer mystery novels the most. A bit cliché, I suppose..."

The two talked for a long time. At this moment, all the calculations and probing between them seemed to dissipate.

They were no longer rivals across a chessboard, just two young people who had happened upon a common topic.

Dinner continued in an unexpectedly harmonious atmosphere.

They talked about many things, from the characteristics of different mystery genres to certain philosophical theories and concepts.

Unnoticed, the sky outside the window had grown completely dark.

Kazehara Tetsu paid the bill with Points, and the two stood up to leave.

Stepping out of the shop, the evening air was colder than expected.

They walked side by side once more along the quiet street, heading back toward the dormitory.

However, it seemed Sakayanagi Arisu had something to attend to and couldn't return to the dorm with him.

"Classmate Kagihara," Sakayanagi Arisu stopped in her steps as they were about to reach the dormitory area.

"Hm?"

"Today... was interesting."

She lifted her head. The light from the streetlamp softened the contours of her face, and those violet eyes appeared deeper in the night than they did in the daylight.

A genuine smile spilled from the corner of Sakayanagi Arisu's lips, completely unlike her trademark fake smile.

That smile vanished in an instant, but it had truly occurred.

"Next time, I won't lose again."

"I await you anytime."