The next few days passed uneventfully and regularly.
At first, in order to cope with the Final Exam, Library was really overcrowded.
Everyone is determined to cram the entire semester's knowledge into their brains.
However, human perseverance is often like a good battery that runs out of power very quickly.
After just a few days, those students who just came to join in the fun or comfort themselves dispersed like the ebbing tide, and Library regained the tranquility it deserved.
In the corner deep in the bookshelf, there is Base fixed by three people.
"That...Shiina, what you are looking at is..."
"Ah, this is Mystery Novel, the new one this week. Although the murderer is easy to guess, the way of telling the story is very interesting."
"Yes, yes... I have only read that author's short story collection before..."
"Really? Especially the twist at the end..."
"Hmm! I think too..."
Kazehara Tetsu sat aside, his eyes occasionally crossed the book and fell on the two girls opposite.
There is something really strange about this combination.
Surprisingly, these two people are extremely compatible.
For Yamamura Miki, it's not that she resists communication, but that she doesn't know how to make her voice heard.
She was used to being ignored, used to being interrupted before she could speak, used to existing as Background Character.
However, Shiina Hiyori is different.
She has an extremely keen talent called "listening".
"Huh..."
At that time, the hand pointed to five o'clock in the afternoon, and the sky outside the window was already dyed with a layer of sunset red.
Kazehara Tetsu closed the book in his hand.
Two girls who were discussing a certain novel animatedly stopped talking at the same time and turned to look at him.
"It's almost time to finish."
Kazehara Tetsu stood up and stretched his shoulders that were slightly stiff from sitting for a long time.
He looked at the two girls in front of him who were still unfinished, and the corners of his mouth raised a slight arc.
"Although studying is important, it is not a good thing to be nervous all the time."
He took out his cell phone from his pocket and checked the time, then sent an invitation to the two of them.
"Would you like to go have a drink together? It's a little consolation for studying hard these days."
"Pallet Cafe, there seems to be a new autumn limited product recently."
Hearing "drink" and "limited new product", a girl's nature seems to be activated instantly.
"Sounds like a great offer."
Shiina Hiyori turned to look at Yamamura Miki beside him, and said in a soft tone, "Yamamura, are you going too?"
"Eh? Me too..."
Yamamura Miki pointed at himself somewhat flattered.
According to her past habits, at this time, she would usually silently pack up her schoolbag and go back to Dormitory, back to the more closed safe zone.
But...
This feeling of being accepted and invited brought with it an irresistible temptation for her.
"If it's not too much trouble... I want to go too."
"Then let's go."
Kazehara Tetsu didn't say anything and took the lead.
Leaving Library, the three came to Pallet Cafe located under Dormitory Building.
Pushing open the glass door, the aroma of coffee mixed with the smell of dessert hits your face.
Jazz is played in the cafe, and warm yellow lights create a comfortable atmosphere.
Because it was close to dinner time, there were not many customers in the store, only students in twos and threes gathered together to chat.
"Welcome."
"Are there three of you? This way, please."
Under the guidance of the waiter, they came to a booth by the window.
Kazehara Tetsu naturally sat down on the outside side, leaving the other side for the two girls.
"What do you need?"
After taking the menu, the two immediately got together.
"Look at this, it looks delicious."
"Yeah... indeed."
Finally, after a short period of confusion.
Shiina Hiyori ordered a Maple Syrup Cake and Earl Grey Tea, Yamamura Miki ordered a cup of Hot Cocoa, and Kazehara Tetsu just ordered a cup of Americano coffee.
"Speaking of..."
Kazehara Tetsu crossed his hands on the table, his eyes first fell on Shiina Hiyori, and then slowly moved to Yamamura Miki.
"The compatibility between you two is much better than I thought."
"Originally, I was worried that Class A and Class C have different positions, and Yamamura has the kind of physique that can even be ignored by automatic doors, so communication will be difficult."
Hearing the description of "being ignored by the automatic door", Yamamura Miki had a helpless smile on his face.
"But that's the fun part, isn't it?"
Shiina Hiyori turned sideways and looked at Yamamura Miki beside him.
"It's not 'not there', but 'too quiet'."
"It's like that lone copy on the bookshelf that you would miss if you didn't look for it carefully."
"Most people are only attracted by the gorgeous cover and the loud title of the book, but ignore this quiet beauty."
"Well... it's not that good..."
"Don't deny yourself."
Kazehara Tetsu interrupted her self-deprecation.
"And, as I observed before."
"It's not that you refuse to communicate, you just lack the 'opportunity'."
"Don't think too low of yourself. In this school, being 'unobtrusive' is sometimes a more powerful weapon than being 'obtrusive'. This is something I value very much."
"W-weapons..."
Yamamura Miki was stunned.
She had never thought about her own qualities from this perspective.
"Hey, isn't this Monster from Class A?"
The relaxation in the air was instantly washed away by an uninvited guest.
That voice was filled with iconic mockery and provocation.
Shiina Hiyori, who was chatting with Yamamura Miki, stopped talking and looked at the person coming.
Yamamura Miki, who was sitting next to her, trembled almost instinctively, trying to compress his sense of existence again.
Kazehara Tetsu didn't even turn around immediately. He picked up the already cold Americano coffee in front of him and took a sip.
He put down the cup, then slowly turned sideways and glanced at the two men standing next to the booth.
The leading man put his hands in his trouser pockets and did not wear his school uniform properly. Instead, he opened it casually, revealing the shirt underneath.
There was an unpleasant smile hanging on the corner of his mouth.
Ryuen Kakeru.
And standing behind him was Ishizaki Daichi like a bodyguard.
"Looks like we're not very lucky."
Kazehara Tetsu leaned back in his chair, with a look of disgust in his eyes as if he had seen something dirty.
"Although this is a public place, I don't think you will be a character who can join this 'happy chat', Ryuen."
"Don't be so cold, Monster."
Ryuen Kakeru didn't care at all about the expulsion in Kazehara Tetsu's words.
"You should study hard, right? Didn't I hear that you Class A will have to face a tough guy like Class B this time?"
"How come you still have the leisure to pick up girls here? Or... are you so arrogant that you think you can easily crush her even without studying?"
Kazehara Tetsu shrugged, his tone as calm as if he was stating some objective truth, "For me, that kind of simple knowledge does not require much energy. But you, you actually appear here..."
His eyes turned around Ryuen Kakeru and Ishizaki Daichi.
"What? Is the review too difficult and my brain is overloaded, so I ran out to relax? Or do you want to see who has the guts to stay with your classmates?"
Kazehara Tetsu's eyes fell on Shiina Hiyori for a moment, and then turned back to Ryuen Kakeru's face.
"I'm just curious, which of my disobedient subordinates actually got together with the enemy class during a critical period. Result One Look... heh, it's you."
"If you're here to cause trouble, let's forget it."
Kazehara Tetsu waved his hand somewhat boredly, as if trying to shoo away an annoying fly.
"With your unattractive tricks... what can you do?"