Damn Cheating Sakayanagi Arisu (If It's Not Turned On, It's Not Cheating)

Following this, the voice of Manabu Horikita seemed to pause, before he threw out a question, his tone carrying a sense of profound scrutiny:

"...So, just how much do you two actually know about the S System?"

(Classmate Arisu Sakayanagi cheated in advance, she definitely cheated, she absolutely cheated. In reality, her hacks are just never turned off, thanks to my father, the Chairman.)

Even through the door, Linmu could sense the atmosphere inside the office becoming instantly heavy and tense. It seemed they had touched upon some little secrets!

However, this tension was about to be broken soon.

Linmu raised his hand, curled his knuckles, and knocked on the door panel.

"Knock, knock, knock."

Then, his clear voice, tinged with a lazy nasal tone, carried clearly through the door, sounding as natural and casual as if he were just passing by to say hello:

"Excuse me. May I come in and listen for a moment? President Manabu Horikita, and... Classmate Sakayanagi."

The conversation inside the office came to an abrupt halt.

Dead silence.

Even without X-ray vision, Linmu could imagine the look of surprise and scrutiny the two inside must have exchanged.

They clearly hadn't expected to be interrupted, let alone that the person arriving would not only know they were here.

But could also accurately identify them, and... judging by the voice, it seemed to be that white-haired boy from Class D?

After a moment of silence, the emotionless voice of Manabu Horikita sounded:

"Come in."

The door lock clicked, and it was opened from the inside. Appearing at the doorway was the Student Council secretary, Akane Tachibana.

She looked at Linmu standing outside the door, his cold and handsome face currently expressionless, save for the lollipop he was sucking on.

A flicker of clear surprise flashed in Akane Tachibana's eyes, but her excellent training allowed her to quickly regain her composure. A polite smile appeared on her face as she stepped aside to clear the way:

"Please, come in."

Linmu nodded and stepped inside.

The office was more spacious and minimalist than he had imagined; besides the desks, chairs, and filing cabinets, there was a set of sofas for guests.

Manabu Horikita stood by the window with his arms crossed, his gaze sharp behind his lenses as he cast it toward him.

Arisu Sakayanagi sat elegantly on a single sofa, holding a steaming cup of tea, her silver hair shimmering under the light filtering through the gaps in the blinds.

Standing beside her was a tall, serious-looking bald boy—the other leader of Class A, Kohei Katsuragi.

At this moment, the look Katsuragi gave Linmu was filled with vigilance and disbelief.

As soon as Linmu stood still, before Manabu Horikita could speak, Arisu Sakayanagi was the first to set down her teacup, a playful smile curling her lips.

Her amethyst-like eyes turned toward Linmu, her voice as soft as wind chimes, yet carrying obvious teasing:

"My, it seems Classmate Linmu's art of 'divination' is truly well-deserved.

To think you could 'calculate' the location of our little... private discussion so precisely?"

She deliberately emphasized the words "divination" and "calculate," her probing interest undisguised.

Linmu raised an eyebrow and took the lead, his tone relaxed, even carrying a hint of the salesmanship he used at his street stall:

"So, has Classmate Sakayanagi changed her mind and decided she needs me to perform a divination for 'you' now?

The previous promise still stands, you know. It's free, but only this once; next time, it will be charged according to the price list."

He blinked, wearing an expression that said, "Don't miss this opportunity."

Seeing the two of them going back and forth, seemingly ignoring him as the Student Council president and the somewhat bizarre situation at hand, Manabu Horikita frowned imperceptibly.

He gave a light cough, deliberately interrupting this conversation that was veering off-topic.

He raised a hand to adjust his rimless glasses, his gaze sharp and oppressive as he fixed it on Linmu, his voice steady and carrying the unique authority and scrutiny of a Student Council president:

"This student, if I recall correctly, you are Linmu Fujimiya from Class D.

To barge into the temporary office area of the Student Council without permission and interrupt an ongoing administrative discussion... may I ask, what is your business?"

His questioning was direct and official, an attempt to regain control of the situation and the lead in the conversation.

Linmu first gave a slightly apologetic "wait a moment" gesture toward Arisu Sakayanagi, then turned his head to meet Manabu Horikita's oppressive gaze head-on.

He wore that harmless, almost innocent expression on his face, the plastic stick of his lollipop swaying gently as he spoke.

His tone was languid, yet every word was logical, and he was not in the slightest intimidated by the other's authority:

"President Horikita, you misunderstand. I was just bored and wandering around the Swimming Pool."

He pointed toward the door. "Besides, it's currently free time during swimming class. I don't believe the school rules state that students cannot walk through the public areas of the teaching facilities, right?

I just felt that the hard plastic chairs downstairs were really uncomfortable to sit on, and my back was hurting, so I wanted to come up and find a place to rest my legs. I happened to walk near this office, and by coincidence, I heard some familiar voices inside..."

He spread his hands, looking like an honest student who just wanted a comfortable place to rest: "I think this shouldn't... count as a violation of school rules, right, President?"

He said this neither servile nor overbearing, with a sufficient (if nonsensical) reason and a calm attitude, even implying that the Student Council should be considerate of ordinary students.

It left Manabu Horikita, who had been on high alert and expecting him to say something shocking, momentarily speechless.

However, for Kohei Katsuragi, who was standing beside Sakayanagi Arisu, his nerves tightened instantly at this moment, and the look he cast toward Lin Mu escalated from wariness to deep disbelief and apprehension.

He could not believe for a second that it was a coincidence that he had come here; this white-haired boy from the bottom-ranked Class D, who appeared lazy and casual, had not only keenly sensed their observation.

He had even dared to approach them proactively, and when faced with such a direct interrogation from Student Council President Manabu Horikita, he was actually able to respond with such composure, even... with a sense of ease?

What on earth... is going on with this Class D?

The atmosphere inside the office fell into a subtle silence once again.

It was as if an invisible contest permeated the air, with gazes intersecting in the space between them.

Manabu Horikita was scrutinizing, Katsuragi was on guard, Akane Tachibana was observing, while Sakayanagi Arisu continued to watch Lin Mu with keen interest, as if she were enjoying an entertaining performance.

A moment later, it was Sakayanagi Arisu who let out a soft laugh, breaking the silence.

She elegantly picked up her teacup, took another sip, and then looked at Manabu Horikita with an impeccable and slightly playful smile on her lips, taking the initiative to smooth things over:

"President Horikita, since student Lin Mu just came up here to find a place to rest and it happened to be a coincidence, why not let him sit down and take a break?

Anyway, we were just... chatting about some trivial school anecdotes earlier, and having one more person listening in might even provide some different perspectives, don't you think?"

Her gaze swept between Manabu Horikita and Lin Mu, her smile deepening.

"Besides, I am becoming more and more interested in student Lin Mu's 'fortune-telling'."

(Event duration: May 1st to May 5th)