Shimizu Akira didn't pay him any mind. He'd said what needed saying, after all. Instead, he turned and left.
Kushida Kikyou came over with a light step from nearby, her head tilted slightly.
"What's going on, everyone? Why did you suddenly start arguing?" She clasped her hands in front of her chest, looking concerned.
Yamauchi Haruki seemed to have finally come back to his senses. "...Tch. I only said a few things about Horikita Suzune, and that guy suddenly turned into a whole different person! What's his problem?" He waved his arms dramatically. "Could those two actually be together?"
"Yamauchi! That's enough!" Kanji Ike interrupted him with a frown. "They were just talking like ordinary classmates. They're seatmates, after all, and they weren't doing anything out of line. Don't be so black-and-white about it."
"He hit someone over Horikita Suzune...?" A barely noticeable flicker crossed Kushida Kikyou's eyes, but she quickly returned to her gentle smile. "All right, all right! I believe Shimizu-kun didn't mean to do it. He's the kind person who gave up his seat for an old lady, after all! What our class needs most right now is unity. Yamauchi-kun, could you let this go for my sake?"
"...All right! Since Kushida-kun asked..." Yamauchi Haruki rubbed his reddened palm, putting on an act of magnanimity.
He secretly rejoiced, thinking it was a great chance to get closer to the girl he liked.
Just as he was about to take the opportunity to invite Kushida to karaoke, he saw her turn and walk straight over to students from another class.
Yamauchi's half-raised hand hung awkwardly in the air.
A group of four girls had gathered nearby, whispering among themselves.
"Hmph! Serves him right!" Shinohara Satsuki folded her arms. "We should've taken the chance to teach him a good lesson!"
Matsushita Chiaki's eyes lit up. "Who cares about that disgusting Yamauchi? That guy's mind is full of lewd thoughts! Did you see it? That move Shimizu-kun just pulled—he was so freaking cool!"
Mori Nene coughed lightly. "Who was it who said Hirata-kun was the most handsome guy in school? You changed your mind faster than you can turn a page."
"Come on! Hirata-kun is definitely handsome... But Shimizu-kun just now was even cooler!" Matsushita Chiaki suddenly lowered her voice and leaned toward her friends, looking mysterious. "Dating someone like him would make you feel so safe! You'd never have to worry about anyone picking on you again!"
Karuizawa Kei, who had been silent all this time, suddenly looked up. An unusual glint flashed in her eyes.
"...Not getting picked on?"
With Sakayanagi Arisu: A Wager Worth 100,000 Points
Shimizu Akira slowly uncurling his fingers. When he'd grabbed the other boy's wrist, he'd used no more than thirty percent of his strength.
There was never only one way to solve a problem.
In theory, there were just two paths: force and cunning.
In a society that prided itself on civilization, people always praised winning through intelligence.
But sometimes, force really was the most direct solution—especially when your opponent couldn't understand reason.
Shimizu Akira had never been one to follow convention. So this time, he'd simply used force to deal with the trouble.
"Solving problems with violence? That's certainly a barbaric approach."
A familiar voice came from behind him as the crisp tap of a cane drew closer.
Sakayanagi Arisu had appeared beside him at some point, wearing a faintly teasing smile.
"Classmate Sakayanagi, spying on me again?" Shimizu Akira glanced at her. "You're more intense than I thought. If I dated you, you'd probably install spyware on my phone. That's classic 'obsessive girlfriend' behavior."
The phrase "obsessive girlfriend" made Sakayanagi Arisu's expression freeze for once.
She had indeed been keeping an eye on this boy ever since the entrance ceremony—especially after witnessing his subtle back-and-forth with one of the boys in his class.
"Tell me your name." She suddenly looked him straight in the eye, her tone leaving no room for refusal.
"Shimizu Akira." Shimizu Akira answered carelessly. "I have something to do, sorry. I don't have time to go back and forth with you."
Though she had the silver hair he admired, he really wasn't in the mood to deal with someone this troublesome.
"Make a bet with me." Sakayanagi Arisu tapped her cane lightly against the ground. "We'll bet on when Kamuro Masumi will make her move."
Shimizu Akira was about to refuse, but she suddenly held up five slender fingers.
"Fifty thousand points as the stake." The silver-haired girl's lips curved into a confident smile. "Interested now?"
"I see." Shimizu Akira looked at her with an amused smile. "You finally figured out why I turned you down."
"Of course." Sakayanagi Arisu nodded slightly. "You're not interested in anything that offers no benefit, are you?"
She'd been thinking about this since the entrance ceremony earlier.
Only a few minutes ago had she realized she'd made a beginner's mistake: her wager had held no appeal for him at all.
So she'd decisively offered half her current points. Fifty thousand points was only fifty thousand yen. For the Sakayanagi Family's young lady, it was pocket money. Besides, at this special school, she was confident her intelligence would make earning that amount back a breeze.
Shimizu Akira tapped his arm with a fingertip, lost in thought.
Earning fifty thousand points on the first day of school didn't sound too bad.
"Is it too little?" Sakayanagi Arisu asked when he didn't respond. She lightly stamped her cane against the ground.
"What are the rules?" Shimizu Akira finally asked.
"Simple." A sly smile played at the corner of her lips. "We'll each predict when Kamuro Masumi will try to steal something. Whoever correctly predicts that she'll make her move within the next minute, and says it first, wins. The prediction must be made at least twenty seconds in advance. You can't call it at the very moment she's about to act."
Her cane traced an elegant arc through the air. "If your prediction is wrong, you have to wait until the other person speaks first before you can try again."
Shimizu Akira raised an eyebrow. "You're treating someone else's theft like an entertainment show."
Sakayanagi Arisu chuckled. "Doesn't that make it more interesting? Turning a boring routine into a game of strategy." She tilted her head. "What's wrong, Shimizu-kun? Has your sense of justice suddenly kicked in?"
Before Shimizu Akira could reply, the phone in his pocket suddenly vibrated.
He pulled it out. The screen showed his homeroom teacher, Chabashira Sae.
"Hold on." He gestured for Sakayanagi Arisu to wait. "I need to reply to a message."
The silver-haired girl elegantly twirled her cane and made a gesture of invitation.
Chabashira Sae: Where are you now? Come by the office if you have time.
Shimizu Akira's fingers flew across the screen.
Shimizu Akira: Something urgent? Don't tell me the reward for "that thing" came through?
The reply came almost instantly.
Chabashira Sae: You're sharp. We'll discuss the details in person.
Shimizu Akira glanced at Sakayanagi Arisu, who was waiting patiently beside him, then continued typing.
Shimizu Akira: I can't get away right now. By the way, can you really buy anything with points at this school?
Chabashira Sae: As long as it doesn't violate school rules. Why? Is there something in particular you want to buy?
Shimizu Akira: There is. How about this: I'll pay you 10,000 points to run an errand for me?
There was a pause of a few seconds before she finally sent a reply.
Chabashira Sae: Interesting. Tell me what you want to buy first.
A few minutes later.
The two of them made their way to the convenience store and hid behind the familiar corner shelf once again.
It wasn't long before Kamuro Masumi appeared among the shelves.
She pretended to browse a few diaries, then unconsciously drifted toward the section for alcoholic drinks.
"So the target's alcohol," Shimizu Akira murmured. "That makes sense. Minors can't buy it."
"That's why she has to steal it," Sakayanagi Arisu quietly agreed. Suddenly, she took a beautifully wrapped candy from her pocket. "Shimizu-kun, would you like to try one? I brought it from home. It's quite good."
With nimble fingers, she unwrapped the candy and held it out to him.
Shimizu Akira narrowed his eyes. "Classmate Sakayanagi, are you trying to stuff my mouth with candy so you can make your prediction first?"
"Oh, that's hurtful." The silver-haired girl put on a wounded expression, but the amusement in her eyes gave her away.
"...Let's pretend that's true." Shimizu Akira finally took the candy and put it in his mouth. As he bent down, he casually picked up the wrapper from the floor.
"Don't litter."
Sakayanagi Arisu twirled her cane, unconcerned. "What does it matter?... Someone will clean it up eventually. Why else would the convenience store hire all those employees?"
Shimizu Akira gave her a long look.
Sakayanagi Arisu's contempt for ordinary people seemed etched into her very bones. She couldn't even be bothered to hide it.
Still, the candy in his mouth was sweet. At least the young lady had honest taste in snacks.
I'll make her pay for that arrogance later. Heh heh heh.
"Shimizu-kun," Sakayanagi Arisu suddenly whispered, "I'll offer another fifty thousand points to buy the right to speak first this time. Only I can call it. How about it?"
She tapped her cane lightly against the floor, her eyes gleaming with confidence.
Shimizu Akira nearly choked on the candy. "You can even trade that? And you're spending fifty thousand points on it? Aren't you worried you'll lose everything?"
She tilted her head and smiled smugly. "Points can buy 'anything' at this school, after all."
Sakayanagi Arisu chuckled and twirled her cane. "If I still lose after that, I'll have to live on the free meal plan for the rest of the month."
When Sakayanagi said this, she sounded almost as if she were joking.
But Shimizu Akira didn't smile at all. He looked at her with something close to pity.
What a poor girl!
He thought to himself.
This proud young lady probably has no idea she's about to hand over everything she owns on the first day of school.
Today's Victor: Shimizu Akira
Shimizu Akira lowered his head slightly, about to take his phone from his pocket and check the time.
"It's 10:14:23," Sakayanagi Arisu suddenly said with a bright smile.
The unexpected time check made Shimizu Akira pause. For a moment, he felt as if a beautiful girl had become his personal talking alarm clock.
He checked his screen without thinking. It showed 10:14—exactly right.
"You really don't trust me, do you? You're so suspicious." Sakayanagi Arisu's silver-white hair swayed gently as she shook her head. "You were much friendlier when you talked to that black-haired girl."
"You saw that too?" Shimizu Akira was taken aback. He instinctively stepped half a pace backward, putting some distance between them.
Sakayanagi Arisu was stunned.
Was he really that repulsed by her?!
She gritted her teeth inwardly. In terms of looks and bearing, she was no worse than that girl.
"My hair is silver-white!" She defiantly twirled a lock around her finger. "Isn't that the hair color Asians admire most? Are you really not attracted to it at all? Why do you keep avoiding me?"
Ever since they first met, she'd been unable to figure it out. Why did this boy act as if she were some terrible beast every time he saw her, as if he wanted to run away at once?
"Your hair is certainly beautiful. I'd really like to touch it," Shimizu Akira admitted frankly, then changed the subject. "But I'm more worried that one day you'll secretly record me, or that I'll somehow end up as a pawn in one of your plans and get dragged into a mess."
It was true that the girl before him had delicate features, but who knew how many schemes were hidden behind those seemingly innocent eyes?
With a scheming type like her, no matter how cute she looked, he was determined to keep a safe distance.
Sakayanagi Arisu suddenly laughed softly, a serious glint appearing in her eyes.
"I see... So that's what you're afraid of." Her voice softened a little. "Rest assured, I would never use something as despicable as audio or video recordings to threaten you."
She looked straight into Shimizu Akira's eyes and said, word by word, "Using such methods against a worthy opponent would be far too disrespectful."
Seeing how sincere she sounded, Shimizu Akira nodded. "Since you put it that way, I'll believe you this once."
"But—" Sakayanagi Arisu suddenly changed course. "That black-haired girl must be an innocent, carefree type, then? Is that why you can talk to her without any reservations?"
"Innocent and carefree?" Shimizu Akira shook his head with a laugh. "She's not stupid at all. She just gets a little too fixated on things sometimes."
Sakayanagi Arisu's smile deepened. "I understand~" she said, deliberately drawing out the last word. "Boys are all like that. They prefer spending time with simple, cute girls!"
Shimizu Akira shrugged. "I won't deny that. You should understand now why I keep my distance from you."
Being around a girl who was too smart always made him feel like he had to watch his back. It was exhausting.
Sakayanagi Arisu's thoughts suddenly seemed to split in two. She recognized the double meaning in Shimizu Akira's words: he was acknowledging her intelligence, but also clearly expressing his desire to keep her at a distance.
That realization left her with complicated feelings.
The corners of her lips rose slightly, only to press into a straight line the next second.
Of course, she didn't have any particular feelings for the boy in front of her. It was just...
Before you continue