Just then, Manabu Horikita's voice seemed to pause before he posed a question, his tone carrying a searching weight:
"...So, just how much do you know about the 'S System'?"
(Classmate Sakayanagi Arisu cheated in advance. She definitely cheated. She absolutely cheated. The cheats were never turned off in the first place. My father, the Chairman.)
Even through the door, Lin Mu could sense the atmosphere in the office instantly grow tense and heavy. Looks like they'd touched on some little secret!
But that tension was about to be broken.
Lin Mu raised a hand, curled his knuckles, and rapped on the door.
"Knock, knock, knock."
Then his clear voice, tinged with a lazy nasal drawl, carried through the door. His tone was so casual and natural, you'd think he was just passing by to say hello:
"Sorry to interrupt. May I come in and listen for a bit? President Horikita, and... Classmate Sakayanagi."
The conversation inside the office stopped abruptly.
Dead silence.
Even without seeing through the door, Lin Mu could imagine the two exchanging looks of surprise and scrutiny.
They clearly hadn't expected anyone to interrupt them out of the blue, much less someone who knew they were here.
He'd even called them both by name—and judging by the voice, it seemed to be that white-haired boy from Class D?
After a brief silence, Manabu Horikita's emotionless voice sounded from inside:
"Come in."
The lock clicked softly, and the door opened from within. The person standing in the doorway was Akane Tachibana, the Student Council secretary.
She looked at Lin Mu, whose handsome, stern face showed no expression, though he still had a lollipop in his mouth.
A flash of unmistakable surprise crossed Akane Tachibana's eyes, but her good breeding quickly helped her regain her composure. A polite smile appeared on her face as she stepped aside to let him pass:
"Please come in."
Lin Mu nodded and walked inside.
The office was more spacious and simply furnished than he'd imagined. Besides the desk, chairs, and filing cabinets, there was also a set of sofas for visitors.
Manabu Horikita stood by the window, arms folded across his chest, his gaze sharp behind his glasses as he looked Lin Mu over.
Sakayanagi Arisu sat gracefully on a single-seat sofa, holding a steaming cup of tea. Her silver hair seemed to shimmer in the light filtering through the blinds.
Standing beside her was a tall, stern-looking, bald boy: Kohei Katsuragi, the other leader of Class A.
At that moment, Kohei Katsuragi was looking at Lin Mu with suspicion and disbelief.
As soon as Lin Mu stopped, before Manabu Horikita could say a word, Sakayanagi Arisu set down her teacup first, the corners of her lips curling into an amused smile.
Her amethyst eyes turned toward Lin Mu. Her voice was as soft as a wind chime, yet unmistakably teasing:
"My, it seems Lin Mu's talent for 'fortune-telling' really is renowned.
You even managed to 'divine' our location so precisely when we were discussing some... rather private matters?"
She deliberately stressed the words "fortune-telling" and "divine," making no effort to conceal her probing interest.
Lin Mu raised an eyebrow and smoothly picked up the thread, his tone relaxed, even taking on a touch of the inviting patter he used when working his stall:
"Then, Classmate Sakayanagi, have you changed your mind? Would you like me to tell 'your' fortune now?
My offer still stands, you know. It's free, but only this once. Next time, I'll have to charge according to the price list."
He blinked, looking as if he thought this was an opportunity she shouldn't miss.
Seeing the two of them trading lines as if he, the Student Council President, and the rather strange situation at hand didn't exist, Manabu Horikita's brow furrowed ever so slightly.
He cleared his throat, deliberately cutting off their somewhat off-topic exchange.
He raised a hand to adjust the rimless glasses on his nose, then fixed Lin Mu with a sharp, imposing gaze. His voice was steady, carrying the authority and scrutiny unique to the Student Council President:
"If I'm not mistaken, you're Linmu Fujimiya from Class D.
You entered the Student Council's temporary office area without permission and interrupted an ongoing administrative discussion... May I ask what you want?"
His question was direct and formal, an attempt to take control of the situation and steer the conversation.
Lin Mu first made a slightly apologetic "one moment" gesture toward Sakayanagi Arisu, then turned to face Manabu Horikita's imposing stare.
He wore an utterly harmless, almost innocent expression. The plastic stick of the lollipop in his mouth swayed slightly as he spoke.
His tone was nonchalant, but every word made sense. He wasn't intimidated in the slightest by the other boy's authority:
"President Horikita, you're making too much of it. I was just wandering around the Swimming Pool since I had nothing better to do."
He pointed toward the door. "Besides, it's free time during swimming class right now. I don't think the school rules say students can't walk around in the public areas of the teaching facilities, do they?
I just found those hard plastic seats down there really uncomfortable. They hurt my back, so I wanted to come up and find somewhere to rest my feet. I happened to end up near this office, and by coincidence, I heard what sounded like some familiar voices inside..."
He spread his hands, perfectly sincere, like an ordinary student who just wanted to find somewhere comfortable to rest. "I don't think that... counts as breaking the school rules, does it, President Horikita?"
He'd delivered his explanation without fawning or defiance. It was convincing enough (the nonsense was still in the works), and his candid manner even carried the faint implication that the Student Council ought to show ordinary students some consideration.
Manabu Horikita, who'd been on guard and expected him to say something shocking, found himself momentarily at a loss for words.
But Kohei Katsuragi, standing beside Sakayanagi Arisu, had tensed up all over. The suspicion in his eyes had already turned into deep disbelief and wariness.
He couldn't believe Lin Mu had ended up here by chance. This white-haired boy from bottom-ranked Class D, who looked so lazy and easygoing, had not only keenly noticed that they were observing him,
but had also dared to come right to their door. And when faced with such a direct question from President Horikita, he'd responded with complete composure—almost as if he had the situation in hand?
What on earth was going on with Class D?
The atmosphere in the office once again settled into a strange silence.
An invisible contest seemed to fill the air, as their gazes met and crossed.
Manabu Horikita was scrutinizing him, Kohei Katsuragi was wary, Akane Tachibana was observing, and Sakayanagi Arisu continued to watch Lin Mu with keen interest, as if enjoying an entertaining performance.
A moment later, Sakayanagi Arisu was the one to break the silence with a soft laugh.
She gracefully lifted her teacup and took another sip, then looked at Manabu Horikita with that impeccable, faintly amused smile and smoothly intervened:
"President Horikita, since Lin Mu only came up to find somewhere to rest, and just happened to arrive while we were here, why not let him sit down for a while?
After all, we were only chatting about some unimportant school gossip. Having one more person listen might even give us a few different perspectives. What do you think?"
Her gaze swept between Manabu Horikita and Lin Mu, and her smile deepened.
"Besides, I'm becoming more and more interested in Lin Mu's 'fortune-telling.'"
Before you continue