The Gloomy Kushida, There Are Always Treacherous Subjects Wanting to Harm Me

As the school bell rang, the classroom of Class D emptied rapidly, much like a beach after the tide recedes.

Most students couldn't wait to grab that precious "answer sheet" and hurried back to their dorms, intending to use this final window of time for a "cramming session."

Soon, only a handful of people remained in the classroom.

Lin Mu watched Kikyo Kushida, who was busy packing her bag with her head bowed, and after a moment of thought, he called out to stop her.

"Kikyo Kushida, wait a moment."

"Hm? Lin Mu, what is it?"

Kikyo Kushida looked up. Her face still carried a hint of exhaustion from distributing the answers, but her smile remained bright.

"I have something I want to discuss with you in private. Let's go somewhere else." Lin Mu was concise, turning to walk out of the classroom first.

Kikyo Kushida was a bit puzzled, but she followed him immediately.

The two walked one after the other through the school building corridor, which was gradually growing quiet, until they reached a secluded spot behind the building where a small, classical pavilion stood.

Aside from the occasional student passing by, few people ever lingered here, making it a perfect place for a private conversation.

Lin Mu walked to the edge of the pavilion. He didn't go inside to sit, but instead leaned casually against a dark red wooden pillar.

The afternoon sun filtered through layers of leaves, casting dappled, shifting light spots onto his short white hair and cold, sharp profile.

He had a newly unwrapped lemon-flavored lollipop in his mouth. He gazed toward the neatly trimmed lawn in the distance, his tone flat, yet carrying a rare, subtle sense of seriousness:

"Kikyo Kushida," he began, his voice exceptionally clear in the quiet surroundings, "the school... would never tolerate such an obvious loophole in its rules."

"The fact that you were able to obtain the answers for this midterm exam is likely not because your 'connections' are that impressive, but rather because of some form of 'tacit approval' from the school... or, more accurately, from the rule-makers themselves."

The expression on Kikyo Kushida's face, which had been smiling, froze slightly.

Lin Mu didn't look at her, continuing in that same flat and direct tone: "These answers might work this time, keeping most of Class D from being expelled immediately and giving the class a 'chance' to catch its breath."

"But next time, or the time after that, there is absolutely no way you will have the same 'good luck'."

"The school cannot, and absolutely will not, keep 'cleaning up' after Class D forever."

He paused, finally turning his head to look at Kikyo Kushida.

His eyes appeared exceptionally deep and calm under the mottled light and shadow:

"In the future, if you encounter similar 'shortcuts' or 'opportunities,' don't take the initiative to shoulder them, and don't harbor any wishful thinking."

"If you bring back the wrong answers when the time comes, how will the other students treat you then?"

"This school... is far more 'fair' than you imagine, and far more cruel."

"The 'loopholes' it shows you are often part of the trap itself."

His words were like a cool breeze, blowing away the lingering excitement and sense of accomplishment Kikyo Kushida felt from successfully obtaining the answers.

She looked down at the paper in her hands, which many students viewed as a lifeline, her fingertips brushing lightly against the edges.

Lin Mu's words were not hard to understand. Combined with the strict rules the school had previously demonstrated and the cold attitude of Sae Chabashira, the more she thought about it, the more it made sense.

Yes, if the answers were really that easy to obtain, wouldn't the school be a mere formality?

She had only thought about helping everyone get through the crisis at the time, but she hadn't considered this layer... or rather, she hadn't wanted to think too deeply about it.

She looked up, a smile returning to her face. This time, the smile lacked the previous agitation and held a bit more genuine gratitude and warmth.

She looked at Lin Mu, her eyes sparkling:

"I understand, Lin Mu. Thank you for taking the time to tell me this."

Her tone was sincere, a complete and heartfelt acknowledgment.

"I didn't expect that even though you're usually so lazy and don't seem to care about anything, you would actually be so concerned about your classmates and the class... and think so far ahead!"

Her praise was straightforward and enthusiastic, carrying the typical candor of Kikyo Kushida, as if she were truly just moved by Lin Mu's "kind reminder."

Lin Mu watched her bright, smiling face, which was practically screaming "You're such a good person," and listened to her thanks, which had completely veered in the wrong direction. He felt a trace of helplessness.

The point of his words just now was clearly about "rule traps" and "not taking such risks again," but to her, it had turned into "Lin Mu is so concerned about everyone."

Forget it.

He had no interest in correcting other people's misunderstandings, especially such trivial ones.

The concern of a slacker—if that could even be called concern—was not worth discussing further.

Regardless, he had given the warning he needed to give. Whether she listened or understood was her own business.

Thus, he simply nodded slightly at Kikyo Kushida, acknowledging her thanks—or rather, ending the topic.

He then stood up straight, brushed off the dust that might have gotten on his clothes from leaning against the pillar, turned around, and walked toward the dormitory area without saying another word.

Kikyo Kushida stood where she was, still clutching the answer sheet, a smile lingering on her face.

She watched Lin Mu's tall yet lazy-looking back as he walked along the gravel path, gradually moving further away until he disappeared around the corner of the tree-lined road.

Only when Lin Mu's figure was completely out of sight did the smile on her face slowly, bit by bit, fade away.

The sun remained bright, shining on her delicate profile, yet it made that habitual sweet curve look somewhat... subtle.

She lowered her head, and deep within her eyes, a trace of something fleeting and faint—a look of inquiry and a certain...

Something bordering on paranoid possessiveness flashed by, like an undercurrent darting through the depths of a lake, completely at odds with her usual sunny and cheerful image.

A voice whispered softly from the bottom of her heart, carrying a hint of cloying sweetness:

"Lin Mu... you really are gentle, aren't you? Always saying things that sound cold but are actually meant to remind others, and always at such unexpected moments...

It really makes one... want to dig out every single thought hidden beneath that lazy exterior, bit by bit, just to take a good look."

Kushida then took a light breath, and when she looked up again, her face was once again adorned with a flawless, vibrant smile.

She carefully tucked the answer into her bag and patted her cheeks—alright, stop thinking about those things.

She had made plans with a few girls from her class to go to the school's shopping district after school to pick up some daily necessities and snacks.

After all, if the class could really earn points this time, things would be a little more comfortable next month.

Yet, as she turned to leave the pavilion, her steps seemed to carry an extra, indescribable sense of excitement amidst their usual lightness.

On the other side, Lin Mu, who was walking back to the dormitory, suddenly felt an inexplicable chill run down his back without any warning.

It felt as if he had been quietly licked by some cold and sticky gaze.

He stopped in his tracks and reached up to touch the back of his neck, feeling somewhat puzzled.

Strange... the sun was shining brightly, and the breeze was mild.

Could it be... someone is trying to plot against me? Several possibilities flashed through his mind instantly; could it be Sakayanagi Arisu from Class A, with her deep and complex schemes?

But she didn't seem to have any reason to make a move now. Or was it someone else?

The keen perception brought by his supernatural ability occasionally provided this kind of "early warning" intuition, but it was usually very vague.