Half-Truths, Who Cares

Asking this question, even she felt it was somewhat absurd, yet that intense intuition and doubt drove her to ask it anyway.

Linmu Fujimiya carried his bag, his footsteps pausing slightly. He turned his head to look at Ichinose Honami.

The last golden ray of the setting sun happened to graze his cold, sharp profile, outlining a perfect silhouette, while the edges of his short white hair seemed to glow.

There was no expression on his face, his eyes appearing even deeper and calmer in the twilight.

He looked at Ichinose Honami's eyes, which were filled with confusion, anticipation, and a hint of awe.

The corners of his lips seemed to curl up imperceptibly, and with a tone that was almost teasingly playful, he retorted:

"What else could it be?"

He blinked. "Don't tell me you think I'm some manga protagonist with superpowers who can see through the past and future at will?"

He deliberately used a joking tone to toss that absurd possibility out lightly, yet his gaze remained clear and penetrating, carrying an ambiguous, inscrutable smile.

It was as if he were admitting it, yet also as if he were denying it, or perhaps more like he was mocking her naive imagination.

Ichinose Honami was choked by his retort; she opened her mouth, finding herself unable to respond for a moment, and could only stare at him blankly.

The ridiculous thought in the depths of her heart not only failed to disappear but became even clearer because of his reaction, yet it was also even more unbelievable.

Linmu did not wait for her answer, nor did he look back; he simply raised his hand casually and waved in her direction, a gesture of farewell.

"Don't overthink it, go back. If you want a fortune-telling session next time, remember to bring enough points.

As for my stall, whether I open it or when I open it, that depends on my mood."

Having said that, he carried his light bag and walked with a pace that was unhurried yet exceptionally brisk, turning to merge into the main road leading to the dormitory and commercial areas.

His short white hair gradually blurred in the thickening twilight, eventually disappearing around the corner of the road.

Only Ichinose Honami was left standing in place, surrounded by the square that was gradually growing quiet and the brilliant yet fading sunset on the horizon.

She lowered her head to look at her palms, which were slightly damp with sweat from her earlier nervousness, then looked up again in the direction where Linmu had disappeared.

The turbulent waves and tangled confusion in her heart had, at some point, gradually subsided; although it still felt empty, the suffocating sensation of drowning was gone.

She took a gentle breath and exhaled slowly.

A smile that was no longer forced slowly curled at the corners of her mouth.

Perhaps... Linmu was right.

There has never been only one path.

Rather than obsessing over a path that seems like a shortcut but is actually filled with thorns and might not even be passable, wearing herself out in the process.

When lost, it is better to stop for a while, take a good look at the scenery around, and recognize one's true position and strength.

However... the desire deep in her heart to try, the urge to get closer to that goal, still could not be easily extinguished.

Linmu's final words about a "noble person" were like a small spark, reigniting a glimmer of hope.

"Waiting, huh..." she whispered to herself, clenching her palm before slowly relaxing it, "Fine. Then... I'll just do what I can right now."

Meanwhile, Linmu had long since cast the conversation that had cost him a bit of effort (in his opinion) to the back of his mind.

He was walking briskly toward his favorite dessert shop on campus, calculating whether he should treat himself to the new mango mousse tonight.

Of course, the most important thing was to repurchase the classic chocolate lava cake, or perhaps, to be a bit more extravagant, get one of each?

Anyway, that's how it is when you have plenty of points; life at the beginning of the month is completely different from the end.

(Thinking back to Zhou Yu in the past...)

To him, what he said to Ichinose Honami was merely a casual piece of advice—which he considered obvious—given in return for that little bit of "helpful effort" and a fleeting impression.

It wasn't meddling, and it certainly had no deeper intent.

As for whether Ichinose Honami would have an epiphany, remain obsessed, or try a new path with half-belief after hearing it, that was her own choice and her own life.

He, Linmu Fujimiya, only cared about living his own life: plenty of desserts, free-flowing points, and a carefree, perfect life of slacking off.

Anything else? Who cares.

The April breeze, carrying the faint scent of withered cherry blossoms and the slight heat of early summer, swept across Advanced Nurturing High School.

But Linmu Fujimiya maintained his own rhythm of life.

For most students in Class D, the entire month of April was spent immersed in the fantasy of the "windfall" of 100,000 points each month.

But for Linmu, this was just another "free vacation" that he could arrange as he pleased.

The days he appeared in the Class D classroom could be counted on one hand, probably not even half the time.

To him, sitting in that noisy, chaotic classroom where the academic atmosphere was practically non-existent, listening to the teacher drone on from the textbook and watching his classmates do their own thing, was a pure waste of life.

It was far better to hole up in his single dorm room, comfortably playing the latest games, or choosing a sunny afternoon.

To take his fortune-telling props to the square and operate "as fate allows" for a few hours, earning personal points that had already surpassed seven figures and were still growing steadily, was far more practical and pleasant.

He had previously used his superpowers to read Chabashira Sae's memories and glimpse fragments of her future, grasping the cruel and precise operating rules of this academy.

He had also clearly "seen" the bumpy, even dismal, situation that Class D was destined to face in the near future.

Since he knew that wasting time in these regular classes for a month would yield nothing but a pile of useless noise and restless emotions.

There wouldn't be any tangible benefit, whether in terms of knowledge or points, so why force himself?

Arranging his time as he pleased and focusing his energy on things that truly made him comfortable and provided benefits was the wise course of action.

And on those few occasions when he appeared in the classroom, which he treated as "observation days" or "boredom days."

(Wanting to experience school after a long break)

The scene in Class D that Lin Mu witnessed was, without exception, a state of lethargic muddle.

Between the desks, the sounds of whispering, giggling, and horseplay were almost constant; while the volume wasn't enough to blow the roof off, it was enough to annoy anyone trying to listen to the lecture.

There were also no small number of people absent from class, the empty seats like gaping mouths, mocking the so-called discipline.

Those who remained in the classroom were mostly distracted: some had their heads bowed beneath their desks, fingers sliding rapidly across phone screens, immersed in the world of games or social media apps.

(Are you the ones secretly playing on your phones?)

Some simply crossed their arms, tilted their heads, and fell into a sound sleep on their desks, ignoring the occasional gaze cast by the teacher at the podium, even letting out faint snores.

There were also a few boys and girls huddled together, passing notes and exchanging snacks, as if this weren't a classroom, but an afternoon tea party.

(Activity period: May 1st to May 5th)