Encountering Hiyori Shiina

What is it like to possess an ability that works only when it feels like it?

Yuefeng can tell you based on his experiences over the next few days: it's frustrating, incredibly frustrating.

This ability is like an overly sensitive alarm system.

When Ishizaki and his group shove or trip him with obvious malice, it triggers, allowing Yuefeng to "admire" their ugly behavior as if watching a slideshow, then clumsily but timely dodge out of the way.

But when the PE teacher blows the whistle for assembly and a classmate runs past, kicking up a gust of wind, it remains completely unresponsive.

When someone in the cafeteria accidentally knocks their tray over with a clatter, it stays silent as a stone.

When Ryuen merely sweeps a cold, playful gaze over him... Yuefeng actually wishes it would trigger, if only to let him analyze exactly how many layers of meaning lie behind the "Tyrant's" eyes.

It is unstable, uncontrollable, and the aftereffects—the mental overclocking and distorted sense of time—always leave him feeling dizzy and in need of a moment to recover.

He has tried in private to actively focus his mind to "slow down" things, like a fly buzzing by or a dripping faucet, but other than leaving his eyes sore and his mind scattered, he gained nothing.

"This damn ability, could it be specifically designed to make me realize just how miserable I am before I get beaten up?" Yuefeng muttered, rubbing his throbbing temples as he walked toward the library.

He had no classes this afternoon, so he decided to find a corner in the library to continue perfecting his "Survival Notes."

He also wanted to see if he could find any useful materials—perhaps something like On How to Pretend You Have Talent in a School That Prioritizes Ability or Possible Causes and Treatments for Abnormal Mental Reactions.

The library at Advanced Nurturing High School is truly luxurious, with vast space, a rich collection of books, and a quiet environment.

Yuefeng loves the atmosphere here; at least it is much better than the oppressive feeling in the Class C classroom, where he might be "watched" by Ryuen at any moment.

He navigated familiarly toward the philosophy and sociology section; it was sparsely populated, and the tall bookshelves made it easy to find a secluded seat.

Just as he passed between two tall rows of shelves, he caught a glimpse of a figure in the ladder area out of the corner of his eye.

It was a petite girl wearing the school uniform, a slender calf visible beneath her dark blue pleated skirt.

She was standing on her tiptoes, trying to reach a thick, heavy tome on the top shelf.

She wasn't standing on the library's safety ladder, but on an ordinary chair that looked rather unstable.

Yuefeng's footsteps faltered. Should he warn her that it was dangerous? Or help her reach it? But seeing how focused she was, he hesitated to disturb her.

In the few seconds he spent hesitating, the girl's fingertips finally touched the spine of the book, and she pulled it outward with force.

The book was heavier than she had imagined; she didn't get a firm grip, and her body swayed violently backward with the momentum of the pull!

"Ah!" A short, sharp cry escaped her.

The chair legs slid across the floor, emitting a harsh, grating sound. The girl lost her balance entirely and fell backward!

Time, at this moment, seemed to stretch and grow viscous.

The world in Yuefeng's eyes entered that strange "slow motion" mode once again.

The girl's light brown eyes widened in panic, her lips parted slightly, the few strands of dark brown hair dancing in the air, and the hem of her skirt lifting as she tipped backward.

And that heavy book, slipping from her grasp, its pages fluttering with a rustling sound... every detail was branded onto his retinas with a near-cruel clarity.

He could even "see" the cold floor, rapidly enlarging, reflected in her eyes.

His body reacted before his consciousness could.

There was no time to think about whether he should hide his ability, no time to weigh the pros and cons.

In that instant, which felt as if it had been extended several times over, Yuefeng lunged forward like an arrow released from a bow (though, in his own perception, this sprint probably looked more like a fast-forwarded film)!

The distance wasn't far, but in the slow-motion perspective, every step felt so clear and long.

He calculated the angle and timing precisely, and at the thousandth of a second before the girl was about to hit the ground with her back, he extended his arms—

He caught her, steady and firm.

It wasn't a romantic princess carry, but rather a standard rescue maneuver.

One hand supported her back, while the other instinctively shielded the back of her head.

He himself stumbled two steps due to the momentum, his back slamming into the bookshelf behind him with a "thud," causing several books to rattle.

The slow motion ended. The world returned to its normal flow.

The anticipated pain and impact did not come; Hiyori Shiina only felt herself fall into an embrace that wasn't broad, but exceptionally steady, along with the support of body heat against her back and the back of her head.

She gasped, still shaken, her light brown eyes unfocused as she stared blankly upward.

What came into view was the face of a strange, delicate-looking boy.

His brows were slightly furrowed, his expression showing a hint of pain, but his eyes held clear concern and tension.

His short black hair was a bit messy, and his breathing was slightly rapid from the sprint just now.

The distance was very close.

Close enough for Hiyori Shiina to see his long eyelashes clearly and feel the warm breath from his respiration brush against her bangs.

She could smell a faint scent on him, like a mixture of sunshine and clean laundry, rather than the unpleasant sweat or cologne found on some other boys.

"Thump, thump, thump..."

In the corner of the library, where it was so quiet that only the sound of dust motes floating around books remained.

Hiyori Shiina clearly heard the sound of her own heart suddenly accelerating, beat after beat, heavy and rapid, striking her eardrums until they ached.

Her cheeks were also heating up rapidly, beyond her control.

Ayanokoji Yuefeng didn't notice the rapidly changing heart rate and complexion of the girl in his arms.

He only felt a burning pain in his back, and his arms were somewhat numb from absorbing the impact.

But seeing that the girl didn't seem to be injured, just stunned, he let out a sigh of relief.

"Um... classmate, are you alright?" Yuefeng asked, keeping his voice as gentle as possible while slowly loosening his grip to help her stand steady.

"Next time you need a book from a high shelf, it's best to use a ladder or ask someone for help. That was too dangerous."

Hiyori Shiina felt the solid ground beneath her feet, yet her legs felt weak.

She kept her head down, not daring to look at Yuefeng's face again, and let out a faint "mm" like the buzz of a mosquito, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her skirt. "Th-thank you... I'm sorry for causing you trouble."

Her voice was soft, carrying a lingering tremor from the shock and a trace of imperceptible blushing.

"No trouble at all, it's fine as long as you're okay." Yuefeng waved his hand, only then noticing the thick book that had fallen to the floor.

He bent down to pick it up, brushed off the dust, and glanced at the title—Modern Art Philosophy. Whoa, quite an obscure read.

"Is this the one?" He handed it over.

Hiyori Shiina took the book and held it against her chest like a shield, still keeping her head down as she nodded gently. "Yes, thank you."

The atmosphere turned subtly awkward for a moment. Yuefeng scratched his head, not knowing what else to say. "Then... enjoy your reading, and be careful. I'll be going now."

He needed to find a place quickly to check how bad the impact on his back was, and the dizziness that followed the activation of his ability was starting to creep back in.

"W-wait a moment!" Hiyori Shiina suddenly looked up and called out to him, the flush on her cheeks not yet fully faded. "Um... which class are you in?

I... I don't know your name yet." After asking, she felt it was a bit abrupt and quickly added, "I'm Hiyori Shiina from Class C... thank you so much for just now."

Class C? Yuefeng was taken aback. A classmate?

How did he not remember her? Oh, right, Class C had quite a few people, and he'd spent the last few days busy dealing with Ryuen and Ishizaki.

Plus, he'd been trying so hard to lower his presence that he hadn't really taken the time to recognize every single classmate.

Hiyori Shiina... the name sounded somewhat familiar.

In the original story, she was a student in Class C... let's see, a quiet girl who liked reading? He didn't have a deep impression of her; she didn't seem to be part of Ryuen's inner circle.

"Ah, hello, Shiina-san. I'm also in Class C. My name is Ayanokoji Yuefeng, I just transferred here." Yuefeng offered a smile that was as friendly as he could manage.

He was quite happy to build a bit of rapport with classmates who weren't in Ryuen's inner circle and seemed relatively normal; who knew, maybe he could trade some information one day.

"Ayanokoji... Yuefeng?" Hiyori Shiina repeated softly, and for some reason, the blush on her face seemed to deepen.

"I think I... have heard of you. Are you related to Ayanokoji-kun from Class D..."

"Ah, that's my younger brother." Yuefeng admitted it straightforwardly; it wasn't like he could hide that fact in Class C anyway.

"But we're quite different." He quickly drew a line, not wanting to be too closely associated with Kiyotaka.

"I see..." Hiyori Shiina nodded, not pressing further.

Her fingers tightened around the book, as if she wanted to say something but was hesitating.

Yuefeng felt his head spinning more and his back aching worse. "Shiina-san, if there's nothing else, I..."

"Yuefeng-kun!

Um... to show my gratitude, if you don't mind... I, I'd like to treat you to some tea?

I know the school cafe has a few good drinks." Hiyori Shiina seemed to have gathered all her courage to speak again; her voice was still soft, but much clearer.

Treat him to tea? Yuefeng was a bit surprised. Was this just a standard polite gesture, or...?

He looked at Hiyori Shiina's slightly reddened cheeks and expectant eyes, then thought about his own empty S Points account and the fact that he really needed a place to sit down and recover...

"Sure, then thank you, Shiina-san." He agreed. Getting along with classmates never hurt.

Besides, the cafe was a good place to talk; perhaps he could learn how ordinary students in Class C viewed Ryuen and the current state of the class.

Hiyori Shiina's eyes seemed to brighten, and she gave a soft "mm," clutching her book and following half a step behind Yuefeng.

The two walked out of the library toward the cafe. Along the way, Hiyori Shiina seemed a bit nervous, not saying much, only occasionally stealing glances at Yuefeng's profile.

Yuefeng, due to his physical discomfort and mental exhaustion, didn't talk much either, spending most of the time silently enduring the pain in his back and the dizziness in his head.

When I caught her just now, the Slow Motion ability activated again... It seems 'protecting others from harm' also counts as a trigger condition for a 'crisis'?

Yuefeng's mind wandered as he walked. The criteria for this ability are quite broad.

Still, Shiina-san seems quite quiet; she shouldn't be the type to intentionally manufacture a 'crisis', right?

Treating me to tea... that should just be out of politeness, right?

He didn't notice at all that the quiet classmate beside him was unconsciously stroking the spine of her book with her fingers, the blush on her ears refusing to fade, and her heart rate never quite returning to normal.

Behind them, by the library window, a figure stood at some point, hands in pockets, watching the direction they left with an inscrutable gaze, the corners of his mouth curling into an ambiguous arc.

It was Ryuen Kakeru.

"Ayanokoji Yuefeng... and Hiyori Shiina?" He muttered to himself, his fingers tapping lightly against the window glass. "An interesting combination. A hero saving a damsel? Or... something else?"

He turned and left the window, his figure disappearing among the library bookshelves.

In the cafe, Yuefeng ordered the cheapest lemonade, while Hiyori Shiina requested a fruit tea.

The two found a quiet spot by the window and sat down.

"Yuefeng, you just transferred here—are you adjusting well?" Hiyori Shiina asked softly, cradling her teacup with both hands.

"It's alright, though the coursework is a bit hard to keep up with," Yuefeng replied vaguely. He could hardly say, "Most of my energy is spent on guarding against my class leader and trying to recall the plot."

"Class C... can be a bit noisy at times," Hiyori Shiina said quietly, her gaze drifting out the window with a pointed look. "Yuefeng, you should be careful of Ishizaki and the others... and, of course, Ryuen."

Yuefeng felt a stir in his heart; it seemed this Shiina was well aware of the situation in their class and didn't appear to approve of Ryuen's style.

"Thanks for the warning, I'll be careful." Yuefeng nodded, weighing his words. "Shiina, you seem to... really enjoy reading?"

At the mention of books, Hiyori Shiina's eyes seemed to brighten. "Yes, the library is a wonderful place. It's very quiet."

She didn't elaborate, but the implication was clear: the library was her sanctuary from the chaos of their class.

The two chatted briefly about school and books, and the atmosphere remained quite pleasant.

Though Hiyori Shiina was shy, she spoke more when the topic turned to books she was interested in, her voice gentle and her insights unique.

Yuefeng realized that, aside from her shyness, she was actually a girl with deep thoughts and a keen intuition.

After finishing their tea, Hiyori Shiina thanked him earnestly once more, and the two parted ways at the cafe entrance.

Yuefeng rubbed his still-aching back as he slowly walked toward the dormitory.

"Hiyori Shiina... it seems not everyone in Class C is willing to follow Ryuen blindly."

"Perhaps... she's someone I could approach? At the very least, she doesn't seem aggressive."

"But will today's meeting reach Ryuen's ears? If he sees me interacting with Shiina, will he start overthinking things?" Yuefeng began to worry.

He was completely unaware that in Hiyori Shiina's eyes, today's "damsel in distress" rescue might have already left an impression on the introverted, quiet girl that went far beyond that of a "helpful classmate."

Meanwhile, back in her room, Hiyori Shiina placed the copy of Modern Art Philosophy she had been holding gently onto her desk, though she didn't open it immediately.

She sat on the edge of her bed, her fingers unconsciously tracing the smooth cover as the image of the figure who had suddenly appeared to catch her firmly—and his concerned, "Are you alright?"—replayed in her mind.

Her cheeks felt slightly warm again.

"Ayanokoji... Yuefeng." She whispered the name, a flicker of confusion crossing her light brown eyes, along with a tiny, subtle spark she hadn't yet noticed herself.

The setting sun outside the window bathed her room in a warm, golden glow.

On the other side, Yuefeng returned to his dorm and took off his shirt to check his back.

Sure enough, a large, purple bruise stood out shockingly against his pale skin.

"Sss... that hurts." He winced as he searched for some ointment. "This cheat ability, it damages me while I'm saving others... Next time, can it just use Slow Motion without making me actually crash into things?"

"Still," he muttered while rubbing on the ointment, recalling the day's events, "Shiina... she's actually quite cute, isn't she? At least, she's a lot cuter than that bunch around Ryuen."

"I just hope nothing else goes sideways."

Yuefeng lay flat on his bed and closed his eyes in exhaustion. Tomorrow would be another day of walking on eggshells, struggling to survive under the gaze of the "Tyrant" and the alarms of his "Slow Motion."

As for that racing heart and those flushed cheeks?

Well, at this moment, Yuefeng's mind was likely occupied only by very practical concerns: "My back hurts," "This ability is a trap," "How will I deal with Ryuen tomorrow," and "Do I have enough S Points to buy more bruise cream?"

Romance? What's that? Can you spend it like points?