Look at the Legs After Finishing the Book

Weekend, the library.

Sunlight filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting dappled shadows across the bookshelves.

Uesugi Hara wandered between the shelves, his fingertips grazing the spines of the books, and for a fleeting moment, he felt as if he had returned to his days in the White House.

Back then, aside from high-intensity courses, he had to devour stack after stack of classics, without even the privilege of choosing his own reading material.

Now, at least, he could pick books that suited his own tastes.

Sakura Airi hadn't sent him a message since last night.

Uesugi Hara suspected that if it weren't for the events of yesterday, she probably wouldn't have said two words to him even if they had added each other.

What an introverted girl, Uesugi Hara mused.

He roamed the library.

Uesugi Hara browsed for a book.

Romance?

Recalling the book he read yesterday, Uesugi Hara shook his head. He couldn't appreciate it; pass.

Literature?

He pulled one out at random and flipped through two pages, but the pages filled with philosophical discourse made him sleepy, so he gently put it back; pass.

Mystery?

Uesugi Hara walked over to take a look; there were detective novels, crime novels, thrillers, and more.

It was quite comprehensive.

Although he couldn't say he particularly loved them, they were fine for killing time.

Uesugi Hara picked out a detective novel with an eye-catching cover, flipped through it casually, and found the content decent enough. This would do.

Just as he stepped out of the mystery section, he bumped into a white-haired girl.

Her gaze was drawn to Uesugi Hara, or more accurately, to the novel in his hand.

Uesugi Hara raised an eyebrow. Another white-haired girl?

"Is there something you need?" he spoke first.

The girl pulled her gaze away from the book and looked at Uesugi Hara.

"No, do you also like reading mystery novels, classmate?"

Uesugi Hara muttered to himself—is this a new way to hit on someone? He had a slight impression of this girl; she was from Class C. After all, her temperament was so out of place with the atmosphere of Class C that she was unforgettable.

"I've read a few," he replied indifferently.

"I see." A hint of disappointment flashed in the girl's eyes, and she asked again, "May I ask where you found the one in your hand?"

"That shelf over there, though it seems to be the only copy left."

"Then, classmate, could you give it to me after you finish it?" The girl's tone carried a hint of anticipation. "I've been waiting for it for a long time; the school only just restocked it today."

Uesugi Hara shook the book in his hand and suggested, "How about this: you help me find an interesting book, and I'll let you have this one. I'm just killing time anyway, and I only picked it because the cover looked interesting."

"That's too casual," the girl complained helplessly.

Uesugi Hara shrugged without responding and pointed to the reading area nearby: "You go find one first, I'll wait for you there."

"Okay." The girl turned and walked quickly toward the mystery section, returning shortly after with a stack of novels that looked like a small mountain piled on the table.

Uesugi Hara looked at the pile of books, his mouth twitching—was that really necessary? He was here to slack off, not to serve "jail time"!

"I recommend these, take a look," the girl said, pointing at the books.

Uesugi Hara scanned the covers; most of them were ones he had already read back in the White House. He pushed them aside one by one, finally picking one he hadn't read. "This one will do. Here you go."

"Thank you. I'm Shiina Hiyori from Class C," the girl said as she took the book and introduced herself.

"Uesugi Hara, Class A."

"Uesugi-kun?" Shiina Hiyori murmured to herself, her gaze falling on the pile of books he had set aside. "Have you read all of these, Uesugi-kun?"

"Yeah."

"That's more than just 'a few,' then." The ones she had picked were all classics, and the fact that he could recognize them at a glance meant he definitely wasn't just "casually reading."

"I read them a long time ago; I haven't touched them in a while," Uesugi Hara said vaguely.

"I see." Shiina Hiyori didn't press further. She hugged the book she had traded for and found a seat, quickly becoming immersed in the pages. She didn't speak again, though her mood seemed much better than before.

Uesugi Hara watched her head bowed over the book, feeling a bit puzzled. It was just a novel, was it really worth being that happy? She must have been waiting for it for a long time.

He withdrew his gaze. Perhaps infected by the quiet, scholarly aura surrounding the girl, the novel he had only intended to "casually read" now felt truly engrossing.

As everyone knows, time flies when you are focused.

Uesugi Hara glanced at the clock on the wall; the hands were pointing to six in the evening, and the sky outside had already darkened.

He twisted his stiff neck and looked at the girl opposite him, who was still immersed in her novel. A girl who actually liked reading detective novels this much?

He kindly reminded her, "Shiina-san, you should keep an eye on the time."

"Hmm?" Shiina Hiyori finally looked up, her eyelashes fluttering twice as she offered him an elegant smile. "How did you find it, Uesugi-kun? The book I recommended wasn't bad, right?"

"It was pretty good." Uesugi Hara closed the book, his tone sincere. "The plot is excellent, the foreshadowing is subtle, and the twists don't feel forced."

"I think so too." Shiina Hiyori's eyes brightened, her voice filled with the excitement of finding a kindred spirit. "And that postman character in the third chapter who seemed irrelevant? It was hinted early on that he was the key witness, wasn't it? The stamp patterns he held every time he appeared matched the designs on the envelopes left at the crime scene. I thought it was just the author's attention to detail at the time, but it wasn't until the final reveal that I realized the foreshadowing was planted so early."

She paused, then added, "Also, regarding the killer's alibi, I was completely fooled by his 'timeline' at first. It wasn't until the protagonist discovered the old wall clock in his house was ten minutes slow that I suddenly realized what was wrong... That feeling of 'sudden realization' is exactly why I love this book."

Uesugi Hara raised an eyebrow, surprised by how closely she had read it. "You certainly observed that carefully. I didn't notice the detail about the wall clock at first either; I thought the protagonist was just using some sort of god-view perspective. Still, the killer's motive felt a bit rushed at the end. It felt like it lacked enough buildup, which is a slight pity."

"Indeed." Shiina Hiyori nodded in agreement, her tone carrying a hint of regret. "If there had been more description of the past conflict between him and the victim, it would have been more logical... But overall, it's still very brilliant, isn't it?"

"Shiina-san, it's getting late." Before they knew it, the clock on the wall pointed to six-thirty, and two of the library lights had dimmed.

Shiina Hiyori's fingertips lingered on the page, clearly reluctant to stop discussing the plot. "Well then, Uesugi-kun, let's talk about mystery novels again when we have the chance. Goodbye."

"Goodbye." Uesugi Hara turned and walked toward the door.

He had only taken two steps when Shiina Hiyori's voice suddenly came from behind him: "By the way, Uesugi-kun, you should be careful of Ryuen-kun lately."

Uesugi Hara paused and looked back. The girl was still sitting in her original spot, her eyes curved into a smile. Her posture was elegant, and her tone had been so flat that it was as if she hadn't been the one to say that warning at all.

He raised an eyebrow. "Got it." He didn't ask further and turned to walk out of the library.

What a strange girl.

Ryuen Kakeru, huh? Did I provoke him? He wouldn't be a sore loser, would he?

Uesugi Hara looked at the photos Sakura Airi had sent him.

"This one is good, save it. This one is nice too..."

The girl was lying on her side on the bed, her legs gently crossed. Black stockings wrapped around her slender calves, the cuffs digging into her thighs to create a distinct line.

Her toes were slightly curled, and through the sheer black silk, her delicate skin was faintly visible, glowing softly under the warm yellow bedside lamp with an unconscious, youthful innocence.

Top-tier!

Save it, must save it!

Ahem, back to the main point.

Uesugi Hara picked out a few of the more ordinary ones. "Just send these."

"Okay." Sakura Airi trusted Uesugi Hara implicitly.

On the alt account.

"Lick, I really want to lick! Shizuku-chan, send more!"

"That's all for today." Sakura Airi replied with a flushed face, using a flat tone.

"Hmph, I'll let you off for today, but I want to see white stockings tomorrow! Otherwise... hehehe..."

"Phew~ It seems the method Uesugi-kun suggested really works."

Another safe day today.

"Keep looking at legs tomorrow... hehe..."