Chance Encounter

Shiina Hiyori's gaze shifted from the book to Kitagawa Kai's eyes, a subtle flicker of excitement passing through them.

"The Inugami Curse, yes. Its central premise uses haiku-themed murders," she said at an unhurried pace, enunciating every word clearly.

"Over three days, one sister each night walked the road to the underworld according to scenes depicted in haiku: 'The bush warbler hangs upside down, singing its first notes,' 'A helmet presses upon the head as insects chirp,' and 'With a woman's family, reeds and the moon.'"

Seeing Shiina Hiyori's undisguised delight, Kitagawa Kai felt as though his soul had been cleansed. He shared what he knew as well:

"It wasn't merely a murder warning—it poetically foretold and reenacted the scenes of death. Yokomizo combined the seasonal words and original meanings of haiku with cruel rituals of death..."

"I agree, I agree." Shiina Hiyori echoed him almost immediately, her eyes sparkling with the joy of finding a kindred spirit.

For a mystery novel enthusiast, accidentally meeting a soulmate in the library—

That kind of joy was secret yet magnificent, like silent fireworks blooming in one's heart.

Shiina Hiyori was exactly like that.

By the time their latest discussion came to a temporary stop, it was already close to noon.

Shiina Hiyori reluctantly paused. "Ah, it's... gotten so late."

The sensation of becoming so immersed that she forgot the time was unfamiliar to her, yet immensely pleasant.

[ Ding! ]

[Shiina Hiyori's Affection Level +10. Current Affection Level: 40 (Kindred Spirit)]

"Yeah." Kitagawa Kai closed The Inugami Curse in his hands, his tone casual. "By the way, I'm Kitagawa Kai from Class B. I still don't know your name, do I?"

"Shiina Hiyori, Class C. I look forward to getting along with you."

"I didn't expect us to end up talking for so long. Shiina, do you have any plans later?"

"How about having lunch together? I'm still not quite done with that point about analogical murder we mentioned earlier..."

A trace of hesitation flashed through Shiina Hiyori's eyes.

And she was hardly the only one who was reluctant to stop.

She was not used to spending time alone with a boy like this, but the lingering warmth of being understood and able to speak freely made her unwilling to sever the connection just yet.

"...All right."

"As for the central contradiction of that analogical murder, I think... it reminds me of a similar structure in The Black Death Hall Murder Case. Maybe we can compare them."

As she spoke, she began gathering her books and notebook, her movements noticeably lighter than before.

"Then, shall we go?"

Shiina Hiyori softly murmured, "Mm," and quietly walked beside Kitagawa Kai, half a step behind him.

On the way to the cafeteria, Shiina Hiyori was initially rather quiet. But when Kitagawa Kai brought up mystery novels, she immediately picked up the conversation with enthusiasm.

Cafeteria.

They had just placed their meals on the table when Shiina Hiyori carefully set her mystery novel down neatly.

"Kitagawa-kun? What a coincidence."

A clear, gentle female voice came from behind them.

Kitagawa Kai and Shiina Hiyori turned around at the same time.

Ichinose Honami stood there holding a tray, her entire presence utterly nonthreatening.

Her gaze first fell on Kitagawa Kai, then shifted to Shiina Hiyori. Her smile remained unchanged, carrying just the right degree of curiosity and politeness.

"Good afternoon, Ichinose," Kitagawa Kai greeted her calmly.

Kitagawa Kai glanced at the flashing 52 points of Affection Level above Ichinose, and inwardly, he was actually breaking out in a cold sweat.

This should be fine, right?

"Kitagawa-kun, this is...?"

"This is Shiina Hiyori from Class C." Kitagawa Kai naturally turned slightly as he introduced them, gesturing for Ichinose to look at Shiina Hiyori. "Shiina, this is Ichinose Honami from Class B."

"I know Ichinose. You're quite famous at school."

"Hello, Shiina." Ichinose's smile remained warm. "I didn't expect to run into Kitagawa-kun having lunch with a friend here. Were you discussing schoolwork?"

"Mm. We ran into each other in the mystery novel section, and after talking a little, we found that we shared the same interests."

"I see." Ichinose Honami nodded, her gaze moving between the two of them.

She keenly sensed a certain special atmosphere between them, and her azure eyes widened slightly.

Then, she made a decision that was both unexpected and surprising.

"Kitagawa-kun, Shiina, would you mind if I joined you? I was just looking for a seat too."

Huh?

Someone save me~

Kitagawa Kai's expression management was impeccable.

"Of course I don't mind. Please, sit."

Shiina Hiyori looked at the two of them, a gentle smile appearing on her face. "Ichinose, please sit."

"Don't mind if I do." Ichinose Honami sat down openly, directly across from Kitagawa Kai and diagonally beside Shiina Hiyori.

As she lowered her head, her long pink hair slipped from her shoulders. She casually tucked it behind her ear, her warm smile unchanged.

Lunch proceeded in a harmonious (haha) atmosphere.

Ichinose was very good at making conversation. She did not pry into their topic, instead naturally sharing some amusing stories from school with a sincere, friendly attitude.

For the most part, Shiina Hiyori simply listened quietly, eating in small bites. Her gaze occasionally fell on the book beside her, then drifted over Kitagawa Kai and Ichinose as they talked.

Kitagawa Kai, meanwhile, wore a gentle, spring-breeze smile as he worked hard to maintain the perfect balance between "friendly classmate" and "ordinary fellow book lover."

Ichinose finished her meal quickly. She carefully wiped the corners of her mouth with a napkin, then picked up her empty tray and stood.

"I'm done eating. You two enjoy."

"Mm, see you, Ichinose."

"See you, Ichinose." The two replied almost at the same time.

Ichinose Honami left with her empty tray, her warm, radiant figure gradually blending into the cafeteria crowd.

Only the two of them remained in the corner again.

Shiina Hiyori set down her chopsticks and spoke softly.

"Ichinose really is a very dependable and cheerful person."

"Yeah, she really is a good person. Do you go to the library often, Shiina?"

"Mm, I go basically every day. It's very quiet there, and I like reading." Shiina Hiyori nodded.

"If I hadn't happened to want to visit the library today, and if I hadn't happened to pick up this book, I might have missed out on such an interesting friend as you, Shiina."

The straightforward praise made Shiina Hiyori lower her eyes slightly, a faint blush rising at the tips of her ears.

"...You're too kind, Kitagawa-kun," she said quietly, unconsciously smoothing a corner of her placemat with her fingers. "I'm also very happy to have met someone else who likes these things."

"Shiina, let's add each other as friends. It'll make it easier to keep in touch." As he spoke, he naturally took out his phone.

Shiina Hiyori's eyes lit up again. "Okay, Kitagawa-kun."

Without the slightest hesitation or awkwardness, she immediately reached into her side pocket for her phone and added Kitagawa Kai as a friend.

"Then, do you have any plans this afternoon, Kitagawa-kun?" Shiina Hiyori asked softly at the cafeteria entrance. Her gaze fell on the book in her arms before lifting to him again.

"If... you don't have any other plans, the library is quiet in the afternoon too."