The Soul Needs Collision

"Aren't you planning to recruit for our club, Sima Zhenglong?"

"You haven't even written an application, yet you already consider yourself a part of this place. Students from other classes need to demonstrate their strength if they want to pass my screening."

As we chatted, Sakayanagi had already begun to act as if she were the owner of this place. Even though this school technically belongs to her, I am not someone who just lets anyone in.

Judging by Sakayanagi's performance in the original story, I am skeptical of her proficiency in this area. After all, her attempts at spreading rumors were so clumsy that it's hard for me to believe she possesses any high level of skill.

"I'm all ears."

After filling out the application form, Sakayanagi sat up straight, assuming the posture expected of a young lady from a Japanese noble family.

"My screening process is very simple. Although this place looks like a club designed to swindle your family's funds—and I won't deny that I do indeed lead the students of Class C to scam club subsidies—that is merely a facade. After all, one has to eat.

If you, Classmate Sakayanagi, only wish to be a regular member, then I'm afraid that's impossible due to our class affiliations.

I will proceed under the subjective assumption that you wish to become a full member of this club.

Considering the deep chasm between the difficulty of literary creation and mere interest, I won't turn away those who truly love literature, but I will subject them to an assessment.

In other words, there needs to be a certain quality of soul-level resonance between a full member of this club and myself, the president.

Therefore, the assessment I've set is related to that. Hiyori, you have already read the entirety of the source material for the story I am about to write, haven't you?"

Temporarily ending my conversation with Sakayanagi, I shifted my topic and gaze toward Hiyori, who was taking small sips of plum juice.

"It's a wonderful story. I am very much looking forward to Sima Zhenglong completing it. Could it be...?"

Hiyori suddenly looked up, as if she had experienced an epiphany.

"Let's play a deduction game. This unfinished story is our target. Let's try to deduce the narrative through these fragments.

I am Shimamura, and you are Komako. Let us achieve a collision of souls through the story. This is a game style that belongs uniquely to us."

I pulled open the drawer, took out the manuscripts Sakayanagi hadn't seen, and handed them to Hiyori once more.

"If this truly is a deduction game, then perhaps I would have declined Sima Zhenglong's request from the start and voluntarily withdrawn from your club.

But I am willing to trust Sima Zhenglong. Let me help you rewrite this unsatisfactory story."

This time, Hiyori remained silent for a long while. Then, she put away the gentle smile she usually presented to the world, looked at me earnestly, and stated her decision.

"This is the collision of souls. I believe we will craft a story that satisfies us both. However, it is a pity that if it were to be published, I would likely insist on the original version. After all, beautiful stories only need to exist between us; hollow, sorrowful stories are far more suited to this twisted Japanese society."

I roughly understood why Hiyori had become so serious. If we were to piece the story together exactly according to the materials I showed her, then both she and I, as the protagonists, would essentially be offended by the narrative.

"During this phase, Classmate Sakayanagi, if you are interested, you only need to be a qualified audience member.

After our performance concludes, if you are still willing to join our club, I will have another story waiting for you to collide with me over.

That story is very short, inspired by our encounter at the supermarket yesterday."

I felt my blood boiling. If it weren't for the fact that I had to attend the club orientation later, I would have wanted to start performing with Hiyori right now.

During the wait that followed, Hiyori took a notebook out of her bag and began recording her analysis of the characters.

I, meanwhile, used several sheets of composition paper to copy down the story prepared for Sakayanagi, making notes on the paper as I wrote.

Sakayanagi sat beside me with her chin resting on one hand, watching me write the story stroke by stroke.

Seeing that the time was nearly up and considering Sakayanagi's pace of movement, I put down my pen a little early, placed the unfinished pages into my desk drawer, and locked it.

"So, what did the servant do afterward?"

It was just like catching up to the latest chapter of a web novel—the plot had reached a climax and then abruptly cut off.

That was the situation Sakayanagi was facing; I had written to a critical point and then left it on a cliffhanger.

"I believe you will understand."

Perhaps this is what they call the affection between generations? This time, I controlled myself while speaking and did not cast my gaze toward the bottle of plum juice held in Sakayanagi's other hand.

That's right, just as Sakayanagi's father had his plum wine confiscated by her grandfather, my bottle of plum juice had been snatched away by Sakayanagi.

If I had looked at the bottle in her hand while saying that, it would have been tantamount to a confession of guilt.

Of course, it is also possible she had guessed the follow-up and did it on purpose, so I couldn't call it a total defeat.

Because right now, Sakayanagi's other hand was being held by me. To ensure that Hiyori, who was lost in thought, wouldn't trip on flat ground, I had handed Sakayanagi's cane to her to use.

With Sakayanagi away from Class A for a short time, Ryuen should be able to seize this opportunity to do something, right? I've already passed this information to him; he'd better not waste this chance!

"I accept your proposal, Sima Zhenglong. Regardless of whether Classmate Hiyori can achieve a collision of souls with you, I am willing to accept the assessment. That unfinished story possesses that kind of power."

Sakayanagi didn't mind having Sima Zhenglong as her guide; instead, she focused the vast majority of her energy on contemplating the subsequent development of the story.

However, compared to the story prepared for her, she was now more concerned with the one prepared for Hiyori. The difference between a short story and a novella is not insignificant.

Although the two are hard to distinguish in terms of writing difficulty, for an excellent story that requires performance, a longer length is clearly more advantageous for the performers to express themselves.

"It definitely will!"

"Hm?"

After Sakayanagi announced her decision, Hiyori snapped out of her trance and responded with an extremely firm tone.

"The collision of souls—it definitely will! I will prove that my soul and Sima Zhenglong's can resonate perfectly!"

After making her declaration to Sakayanagi, Hiyori returned the cane to her, took back the bottle of plum juice from Sakayanagi's hand, and tucked it into her own bag.