Sakayanagi Arisu

Hoshida No's gaze locked onto the girl, his expression momentarily drifting into a trance.

That silver hair possessed a delicate luster under the light, identical to the girl labeled No. 09 who always kept her eyes lowered in the laboratory.

The silver-haired girl raised an eyebrow at his blunt stare, a cunning smile curling onto her lips first.

Her fingers, gripping an ebony cane, tapped lightly against the ground; the crisp sound pulled Hoshida No back to his senses.

She took two steps forward with composed elegance, closing the distance just enough.

It didn't seem offensive, yet it was sufficient for her smiling voice to reach him clearly: "Staring straight at a stranger the first time you meet, classmate, could it be that you are the legendary pervert?"

Before Hoshida No could offer an explanation, her tone was already wrapped in a playful certainty, the tail end of her sentence lifting lightly: "Though, it's no wonder. After all, I am indeed very beautiful."

The flamboyance and directness of her words stood in stark contrast to the scenery beneath the cherry blossom trees.

Her fingers tightened around the cane, and just as she was about to add a few more words, Hoshida No's cold voice reached her first, flat and ripple-free: "Apologies, classmate, you look a bit like someone I know."

There was no shame or annoyance at being seen through, no awkwardness from a forced explanation, only pure indifference, as if that brief moment of trance had been a mere illusion of the bystander.

As Hoshida No finished speaking, he prepared to turn away. Just as he lifted his foot, the girl's crisp voice suddenly rang out: "Please wait a moment, classmate."

Seeing him stop at her call, she took two light steps forward, the silver ornament at the top of her cane flashing amidst the rain of cherry blossom petals.

The playfulness in her tone faded, replaced by a more earnest frankness: "It seems I misunderstood you."

Hoshida No watched the silver-haired girl closing the distance, clearly seeing the composure and confidence on her face.

The trance in his heart caused by the similar hair color dissipated completely, leaving only a distinct sense of detachment.

When the silver-haired girl stopped three paces away, he slowly raised his eyes, his tone as flat as if he were discussing something inconsequential, letting only a single syllable escape his throat: "Oh."

The smile on the silver-haired girl's face stalled, a flicker of obvious surprise crossing her eyes.

She had not expected that after taking the initiative to show goodwill and apologize, she would receive such a cold response.

In the past, whether she was joking or serious, those around her would usually follow her lead or show signs of embarrassment. This kind of blunt, distant "Oh" was a first.

She narrowed her eyes slightly, her gaze sweeping over the boy as if it had substance.

His neat, medium-short hair just covered his ears, looking refreshing rather than messy. His high-bridged nose supported a three-dimensional facial contour, his jawline was sharp and angular, and his eyes were filled with indifference. Yet, this cold, hard temperament only served to make that face look more handsome and striking—he was a bona fide looker.

Her fingertips unconsciously wound around the silver ornament on the cane, interest flashing in her eyes as she quietly plotted:

This kid is so good-looking. If I could get him to work under me, even if he didn't do any real work and just acted as a manservant serving tea and water, he'd be easy on the eyes just to look at. Plus, it would reflect well on my own charm. What a bargain.

Hoshida No keenly captured the appraisal in her eyes; that gaze was direct and evaluative, like she was looking at merchandise waiting to be priced, which made him feel inexplicably uncomfortable.

He frowned calmly: Not only is this person narcissistically ridiculous, but her gaze is also unsettling. She isn't planning something for me, is she...

The girl stopped rubbing the cane, her smile receding slightly. With a composed and certain tone, she spoke directly: "I am Sakayanagi Arisu, Class 1-A. And you, classmate?"

"Class 1-D, Hoshida No."

When Sakayanagi heard the words "Class 1-D," the smile in her eyes instantly welled up, almost spilling over to her lips, and even the fingers gripping her cane moved slightly.

Clearly, she hadn't expected this boy who had piqued her interest to be from Class 1-D.

She suppressed the excitement in her heart, though her tone added a touch of inevitability: "Then, Hoshida-kun, would you like to work under me?"

Hoshida No looked up at her, his gaze landing first on her face, which held a playful smile, then subconsciously sweeping over the ebony cane by her leg. A trace of imperceptible disgust flashed in his eyes.

His tone was flat, yet carried a refusal that brooked no argument: "No need, Classmate Sakayanagi. I don't like working for free."

"Oh?" Sakayanagi raised an eyebrow, the curve of her lips becoming increasingly intrigued as she instantly captured the key to his words: "May I take that to mean that as long as the benefits are sufficient, Hoshida-kun would be willing to work for me?"

Hoshida No remained silent, neither nodding in affirmation nor shaking his head in denial; he simply shifted his gaze away, tacitly accepting the statement.

Seeing this, the smile in Sakayanagi's eyes deepened.

She raised her hand to pull her phone from her uniform pocket, tapped the screen rapidly with her fingertips, and then turned the terminal screen toward Hoshida No, holding it out before him.

Hoshida No steadied himself, his gaze falling on the screen. On the interface of the "Campus Core Management App," the personal point balance column displayed a string of numbers: 600,000.

His brows furrowed imperceptibly, a trace of confusion flitting through his eyes.

Sakayanagi caught his expression, her lips curling as she explained patiently: "The phones issued by the school are for campus use only and cannot contact the outside world.

"This core management app is built into the phone, where you can check personal points, class schedules, and exam notifications. These points are equivalent to money on campus; they can be exchanged for cafeteria meals, supermarket shopping, and even some campus services. You understand now, right?"

The light from the phone screen reflected on her silver hair, casting a fine luster, while those six digits of points hung silently between them like an invisible lure.

A faint curve touched the corner of Hoshida No's mouth. There was not a shred of greed in that smile, but rather a touch of playfulness.

He looked at the phone screen Sakayanagi held out, his tone so calm that no emotion could be detected: "You mean to hire me with these points?"

"Hoshida-kun, it's 500,000 personal points. After all, I have to live too," Sakayanagi replied without hesitation, her eyes hiding a certainty of victory.

500,000 points was an astronomical figure for a newly enrolled student; she didn't believe anyone could refuse such a temptation.

But to her surprise, Hoshida No withdrew his gaze after looking at the screen and turned around without the slightest hesitation.

He simply waved his hand casually, his pace not slowing in the slightest, and his cold voice drifted over on the wind: "I refuse. By the way, thank you for the information, classmate."

The wind swept cherry blossom petals past his short black hair. The boy's retreating figure was crisp and decisive, without a hint of lingering attachment.

The smile on Sakayanagi's face froze abruptly. The fingers holding the phone tightened slightly, a flash of shock and confusion crossing her eyes.

Why did he refuse the temptation of 500,000 points just like that? Was he unaware of the importance of points?

"Information, huh? Interesting." Her face returned to calm, yet the interest in her eyes grew more intense. She tapped her cane lightly against the ground.

She whispered to herself: "Very well. After all, having just entered the school, a bit of arrogance is natural. Hoshida No, I look forward to the day you come looking for me."