Provocation

Itozawa hurried out of the dormitory when a thought suddenly struck him: he had forgotten to ask Kanzaki and Ichinose for their room numbers.

He knew that if he asked the dorm supervisor, he might be able to find out Kanzaki's room number, but there was no way he could get Ichinose's.

Besides, he suspected Sakagami-sensei was monitoring such crucial information. The moment he asked, Sakagami would find out, and the time advantage he'd gained would be meaningless.

Since he was already out, Itozawa decided not to go back. He figured he might as well take a walk outside. If Sakagami's surveillance was still in place, his actions would seem more natural that way.

He strolled down the dormitory stairs. He'd originally planned to buy a drink on the way, but just then, his ability activated on its own, alerting him that something was wrong.

Itozawa's gaze sharpened. His eyes settled on the shadow beside the vending machine, where he spotted a girl with a ponytail.

He froze, then instinctively stepped into the shadows and began recalling the events of the Original Work. He remembered that Horikita Siblings' confrontation with Ayanokouji took place half a month later. It was only the first day now, so logically, that part of the story shouldn't have happened yet.

But when he looked again, the girl seemed to have noticed him too and was preparing to leave.

Itozawa's thoughts raced. He stepped forward to stop her, considering all the possibilities as he moved. Finally, when he saw her blue hair, he confirmed his guess: Sakayanagi's right-hand woman, Yamamura Miki.

He quickly and decisively stepped in front of her and spoke softly. "Yamamura, want to talk?"

His appearance made Yamamura Miki stop. A flicker of surprise crossed her eyes; she clearly hadn't expected anyone to stop her.

Yamamura Miki studied Itozawa's face. There was wariness in her eyes, but also curiosity. She was clearly wondering what he wanted while assessing his capabilities.

Itozawa stood quietly before her, exuding confidence and composure.

Seeing her reaction, Itozawa knew he'd guessed correctly. Still, he didn't let his guard down. The only thing he knew about her that she didn't was her name. He wasn't even sure whether she'd already connected with Sakayanagi, so he could only rely on her reactions to guide the conversation.

Yamamura Miki's brows drew together slightly, and a trace of surprise crossed her eyes.

She truly hadn't expected anyone to spot her, especially while she was in the concealment state she excelled at.

Her name wasn't well known. Ever since elementary school, she had been like a class ghost. Even in a crowd, few people ever noticed her.

Her gaze fixed on Itozawa, searching his face for answers.

Her ability, "Chameleon Existence," let her blend into her surroundings until she was almost invisible.

Yet this unfamiliar boy had not only spotted her, but had also called her by name.

"Who are you?" Yamamura Miki asked, her voice wary. Her body tensed slightly, ready to respond to any threat. "How do you know my name?"

Seeing how wary Yamamura Miki was, Itozawa knew he had to tread carefully. Every move and every word could affect how the conversation went.

"I'm Itozawa from Class B." His voice was calm and friendly, without a hint of hostility. "I know your name because I've learned a little about you."

A flicker of confusion crossed Yamamura Miki's eyes. She couldn't remember ever interacting with Itozawa. Her voice grew colder. "I don't remember ever having any contact with you. Why would you know anything about me?"

Itozawa smiled faintly. He knew he had to offer a reasonable explanation. His gaze held a hint of sincerity. "I've learned about you by paying attention to everyone at school. I know you're not ordinary. Your ability and background have made me curious about you."

Yamamura Miki's brows knitted tighter. She didn't believe what Itozawa was saying. Her body grew even more tense, as though she were ready to run at any moment. Itozawa knew he had to act, or Yamamura Miki might disappear into the shadows.

Seeing the doubt in Yamamura Miki's eyes, Itozawa knew she wouldn't believe him so easily. He decided to give her a more specific explanation to ease her suspicions.

"Actually, Sakayanagi told me." Itozawa's voice was calm, and his gaze showed a hint of candor.

As for why he'd said that, it was because he figured Sakayanagi's process of recruiting followers was inevitable—and he might even end up helping it along.

So he might as well take control of the process, ensuring that when Sakayanagi recruited her, it left a natural rift between them—and that his mark remained on it.

At his explanation, Yamamura Miki's brows eased slightly, though doubt still lingered.

She recalled how Sakayanagi had set a trap at her desk that day to catch Kamuro, and the casual glance Sakayanagi had cast her way at the end.

It would hardly have been difficult for Sakayanagi to notice her. And it wouldn't have been difficult for Yamamura to investigate a classmate either.

But she couldn't figure out why Sakayanagi would tell this Class B boy, of all people, or why he was the one who'd called her out.

Was he trying to startle her? Or did he have some deeper reason? Yamamura Miki couldn't figure it out, but she didn't feel like digging any further.

"Fine, let's say Sakayanagi told you." Yamamura Miki's voice held a trace of resignation. "But why are you here, and why did you stop me?"

Itozawa smiled faintly. He knew this was a chance to earn Yamamura Miki's trust. He decided to be honest. "I'm here because I think we could talk more. Maybe we could help each other."

Yamamura Miki looked at Itozawa, a complicated glint in her eyes. She wasn't sure whether he was telling the truth, but she didn't want to keep judging him.

She decided not to linger there any longer. She would take things a step further and conceal herself as she left.

"Itozawa, I don't know what you're after, but I don't want to talk to you any more right now." Yamamura Miki's voice was firm. "If you really want to help me, then don't come looking for me again."

With that, Yamamura Miki turned to leave. Her figure slowly blended into the surrounding shadows until her presence grew indistinct.

Itozawa knew he couldn't force her to stay. He had to give her some space.

"Yamamura, I understand your concerns." Itozawa's voice held a note of respect. "But if you change your mind, you're always welcome to come find me."

Yamamura Miki didn't answer. Her figure had already vanished completely into the shadows.