You Seem to Be Looking Up Something, Right?

Kamuro Masumi thought that if someone devoted himself wholeheartedly to her, it would be a very happy thing.

"Doesn't that just mean he really likes you and wouldn't betray you easily?" Kamuro Masumi continued to speak up for Yagami Shizuka.

Sakayanagi Arisu said nothing. The frown on her face soon eased. She had never trusted anyone, and she believed no one was worthy of her trust. So whenever she tried to trust someone, unpleasant thoughts would always creep in.

If she had to define love, she thought it was being humble.

And being humble did not necessarily earn you sympathy.

It might earn you resentment, hatred, dislike, and tears of your own.

Without love, you wouldn't get any of that.

That was why she had never fallen for anyone.

"Let's go. We're calling off the surveillance plan. You should go back to keeping an eye on Katsuragi, and check on the other classes when you have time." Sakayanagi Arisu leaned on her cane and left.

"Aren't we keeping an eye on Shizuka anymore?"

"There's no need." Sakayanagi Arisu took the camera again. This time, she needed to return it before she could feel at ease.

She was also afraid someone else might get their hands on something she could be blackmailed with.

Yagami Shizuka spent two days in the library. He read there during the day and borrowed books to read in his dorm at night.

There weren't many people as passionate about reading as he was.

Shiina Hiyori, who worked in the library, was very surprised. She really wanted to talk with Yagami Shizuka, but he never gave her the chance.

She noticed that Yagami Shizuka kept heading to the computer area, as if he were looking something up. He seemed very busy.

If he was a student who loved learning and wanted to look up study materials, she wouldn't mind helping him.

In the computer area.

Yagami Shizuka was racing against the god of time, locked in a battle of wits with Cupid, and fighting Sakayanagi Arisu in the void.

Just as he was trading blows with Sakayanagi Arisu in the void, their muscles colliding—

The countdown on his forehead turned red.

[3]

[2]

[1]

In those three seconds, he did a lot. His fingers, honed by years of being single, flew across the keyboard. He typed so fast that the keyboard started to smell scorched.

By then, he was drenched in sweat, and the computer screen had switched back to the search page.

Shiina Hiyori opened the door. Seeing Yagami Shizuka's dejected, helpless expression, she hesitated over whether to say something, but couldn't figure out how to begin. Just as she was about to leave, she finally worked up the courage to ask gently, "You seem to be looking up something, right?"

"Yeah!" Yagami Shizuka nodded without denying it.

Although the prompt had already said that the surveillance threat from Sakayanagi Arisu was over, who knew? It was always better to have more weapons at your disposal, right?

No one ever complained about having too many weapons.

"Are you looking for this school's hidden rules?" Shiina Hiyori asked again.

"Hm?" Yagami Shizuka looked up at her in confusion. "How did you know?"

It wasn't what he was looking for, but he had to play along, or he wouldn't be able to explain himself.

"My classmate, Ryuen Kakeru, said so. He said this school has hidden rules, and if we don't do anything, we'll become lambs waiting to be slaughtered." Shiina Hiyori didn't hide the truth.

"So your class has already united, then?"

"Yes, but it was through violence. If we hadn't done that, we would've lost even more." As a member of Class C, Shiina Hiyori seemed to support Ryuen's approach.

If you didn't know Ryuen, you might judge him unfairly.

Ryuen could be gentle, too. He mostly used violence against people who wouldn't listen.

And with someone like Shiina Hiyori, Ryuen wouldn't force her to do anything.

Ryuen's approach wasn't entirely right, either, because using violence would cost them points. It just meant they lost less that way.

For now, he was only stopping students from breaking the rules. He still couldn't make them pool their points; no matter what, the school would never let students take points through intimidation.

"Have you found any information about the rules?" Yagami Shizuka asked casually.

"Not yet. I don't really want to get involved in class affairs, and this is the only place where I can feel at ease." She thought for a moment, then added, "Would you like to exchange information with my classmates?"

"No, no need." Yagami Shizuka waved his hand at once, then explained, "You don't need to do anything for me. You probably don't want to deal with them, either. Just leave it at that."

"Oh." Shiina Hiyori immediately understood.

Seeing that the conversation was about to end, she added, "I'm Shiina Hiyori, from Class C. What's your name?"

"Yagami Shizuka, from Class A. Pleased to meet you."

"Pleased to meet you, too." Shiina Hiyori nodded politely, then said, "This may be a little presumptuous, but could we talk about books? I mean, as fellow book lovers."

"Sure." Yagami Shizuka had no objections.

Although they were supposed to talk about books, Shiina Hiyori couldn't think of anything to say at first. She couldn't just start talking about a book he hadn't read.

"You've borrowed a lot of books these past few days. Are there any kinds you avoid?"

"No. I think every book I read is useful to me, so I borrow it. Honestly, I'll read all kinds of books. They're useful in their own way; ordinary people just don't know how to appreciate them."

"Mm, you're right." Shiina Hiyori agreed with Yagami Shizuka. "I think the best thing about coming here is having a library like this. I'd be happy to live here for years."

"I feel the same way. And it's so peaceful, clean, and quiet here. Reading in this place is practically heaven."

"Exactly. I think it's heaven, too."

After just a few exchanges, they were chatting like old friends.

It was different talking with someone cultured. They could always find something to discuss, and chatting with someone who shared your interests gave you a feeling of mutual understanding.

Yagami Shizuka had a great time talking with Shiina Hiyori. When he left, he borrowed a few more books. The only reason he borrowed three at a time was that the library wouldn't let him borrow more.

Before long, it was Monday, and time to go back to school.

Classes were as dull as ever. He couldn't even zone out during lessons, so he could only go back to sleeping. That way, he'd have more time to read at night.

The way Sakayanagi Arisu looked at him had turned strange, too. It was like she'd eaten something indescribable. She was neither angry nor not angry; she just couldn't do anything to him.

Their classmates thought they had argued, which was why things had turned out this way.

During the break, Yagami Shizuka went out into the hallway for some air. He couldn't stand being watched so closely.

"Shizuka." Nishikawa Ryoko and Shiraishi Asuka walked over. Nishikawa Ryoko spoke first. "Did you two have a fight? Did your weekend date not go well?"

"Ah! It's a long story!" Yagami Shizuka sighed. He didn't want things to be like this, either. He'd only been trying to protect himself.

"As far as I know, you two didn't go on a date at all, did you? Did you stand her up, or did she stand you up?" Shiraishi Asuka asked shrewdly.

"It wasn't really about standing anyone up. I don't think I ever asked her out in the first place."

"Then why didn't you ask her?" Shiraishi Asuka pressed.

"It's obvious. She wouldn't agree if I asked, and even if she did, she'd stand me up. I'm not going to make a fool of myself."

"Ha!" Shiraishi Asuka and Nishikawa Ryoko looked at each other and laughed. It seemed they'd figured out why Sakayanagi Arisu was angry.

Nishikawa Ryoko grew serious. "There's something I think Shizuka should know first.

"Girls are usually shy. If you don't make the first move, nothing will ever come of it. So when it comes to asking someone out, you have to try, whether it works out or not."

Yagami Shizuka froze for a moment, then came to his senses. "I see. Then I'll give it a try this weekend."