Library and Shiina Hiyori

After the swimming class ended, everyone packed their things and left in twos and threes, the humid air still heavy with the scent of chlorine peculiar to the pool.

"I never expected Class D to be this impressive. That match between Uesugi Hara and that Koenji guy was enough to make anyone break a sweat." Passing students lowered their voices, their tone filled with surprise as the topic rippled through the crowd.

"I hope you weren't too amused, Arisu," Uesugi Hara said calmly while standing beside Sakayanagi Arisu, as if the lost match were nothing more than an inconsequential warm-up.

Sakayanagi Arisu's fingertips brushed lightly against a lock of hair disheveled by the breeze, a faint curve touching her lips. "Why would I be amused, Uesugi-kun?"

Her gaze drifted toward the dispersing crowd by the poolside, a hint of imperceptible interest coloring her voice. "Being able to introduce variables into a supposedly certain outcome is, in itself, quite interesting."

She tilted her head toward Uesugi Hara, her light-colored eyes resembling water-drenched glass under the sunlight. "Besides, compared to the boredom of constant victory, isn't it more exciting to see an 'accident' that keeps one anticipating what comes next?"

Uesugi Hara followed her gaze to the ripples still lingering on the pool's surface, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing his freshly dried hair. "You are right. Though, losing to Class D—such an 'accident'—will likely keep quite a few people from sleeping well tonight."

Sakayanagi Arisu chuckled softly and raised a hand to smooth her skirt. "Then let them stay awake. After all, the real contest was never in the pool—look," she tilted her chin toward a spot not far away, "Ayanokoji Kiyotaka seems to be waiting for Horikita Suzune."

Looking in the direction she indicated, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka was leaning against the railing, holding two unopened sports drinks, while Horikita Suzune had just draped her towel over her shoulder and was walking toward him at a steady pace.

The two stopped a few steps apart, and after a brief exchange, Ayanokoji handed over one of the bottles; Horikita hesitated for a moment before accepting it.

"You see, after an 'accident,' there are always new signals," Sakayanagi Arisu said, turning to leave. "Kamuro, once you've finished packing, please go and retrieve the books I left in the lounge. Since we've made an interesting discovery today, perhaps it's time to readjust the upcoming plans."

Kamuro replied with a simple "Understood," before heading off to change.

Uesugi Hara watched Sakayanagi Arisu's slender silhouette disappear around the corridor corner, then glanced back at the pair by the pool—Horikita had already twisted open her drink, while Ayanokoji kept his eyes lowered, his true emotions unreadable to anyone.

The ripples on the water slowly smoothed out, yet it felt as though a stone had been cast into everyone's heart.

In the days that followed, with nothing much happening and Uesugi Hara feeling restless, he often found himself heading to the library.

After all, it was quiet enough to escape the trivial chatter of the campus, and more importantly—it provided a temporary refuge from the energetic harassment of a certain petite girl.

The reading area on the third floor of the library was almost deserted, with sunlight casting long, rectangular patches of light across the tables through the blinds.

Uesugi Hara walked with light steps, weaving through the towering rows of bookshelves.

The wooden shelves held the quietude peculiar to old books, and as sunlight pierced the gaps, it traced thin, bright ribbons across the floor, perfectly illuminating his fingertips as they swept over the spines.

His gaze scanned the labels rapidly, wandering from "Classic Orthodox" to "Social School Masterpieces," until his fingers stopped on a worn-out mystery novel—a dog-eared, old edition of The Greek Coffin Mystery, its spine rubbed white from use.

He let his fingertips linger on the gold-leaf title for a moment before moving on, having not yet reached the new mystery section he was looking for.

The stale scent of paper in the air, mixed with the fragrance of grass and trees drifting in from outside, made his pace grow increasingly relaxed.

Rounding the final corner of the shelves, the "New Mystery" sign came into view at the end of the aisle, and his pace quickened instinctively. But as he approached, he froze—a petite figure was standing on tiptoe, reaching for the top shelf, her light gray hair swaying with the movement, her violet eyes focused intently on the spines.

It was the library's recurring elite mob—Shiina Hiyori.

"Do you need some help, Shiina-san?"

Shiina Hiyori turned in surprise, clutching half a book she had pulled out. Seeing that it was Uesugi Hara from Class A, her violet eyes softened slightly, shedding some of their wariness. "Uesugi-kun..." She shook the book in her hand, The Trick Museum, her voice still carrying a hint of distance. "I was looking for this; I heard the deconstruction of the tricks is quite unique."

Uesugi Hara reached up, took the book from the top shelf, and handed it to her. Glancing at the "New Arrival" label on the spine, he said calmly, "It's the newly released expanded edition, containing previously unpublished creative insights. The 'Bloody Cross' case in the book uses a 'blind spot of inertial thinking' to construct the trick; the concept isn't exactly new, but it excels in rigorous logic."

Shiina Hiyori retreated to the side, her gray hair falling around her face as her violet eyes watched him quietly. "Uesugi-kun is interested in this genre too?" Her tone remained as cool as it was when she was alone. "I originally thought The Tragedy of Y was more subversive, but the nested pseudo-solution of the 'Revenge Diary' in this one gives the logical loop a new layer." She lowered her head to flip through the pages, her fingertips tracing the paper as if organizing her thoughts.

"The core of that book is the 'Paradox of Family Order'." Uesugi Hara scanned the book in her arms, remembered something, and turned to pull another one out. "If you enjoy multi-layered twists, this one might be worth a look. Written by an up-and-coming author, it uses the arrangement of library bookshelves as the carrier for an alibi trick, which... echoes our current setting."

Shiina Hiyori took the book, her violet eyes lingering on the pages for a moment. Her fingertips touched the cover with a hint of reserve, yet she spoke earnestly, "The idea of incorporating everyday elements into the premise... is very clever."

She paused, as if hesitating whether to say more. "Uesugi-kun, is your study of mystery logic a simple hobby, or..." She didn't finish, her eyes dropping to the spine of the book, as if the answer were hidden in its faint scratches.

Uesugi Hara ran his fingertips over the spine of the mystery novel, his voice flat. "The logical games in mysteries are essentially the same as the undercurrents of real-world interpersonal relationships—both require grasping the key threads amidst a tangle of complex clues."

Sunlight spilled through the gap between the shelves, illuminating the leaden type on the open pages.

Shiina Hiyori maintained the composure she usually held when alone, yet a flicker of anticipation for conversation quietly bloomed in her violet eyes.

Watching this, Uesugi Hara suddenly felt that this trip to the library had gained a different meaning because of this distant yet engaging exchange.

Shiina Hiyori lowered her eyes, flipping through the book, light and shadow dancing in her violet gaze. After a long while, she spoke again. "Uesugi-kun just said that mystery logic is similar to real-world relationships..." Her fingertip tapped lightly on a note about a trick on the page. "Then, in reality, are there people who, like designers of mystery puzzles, lay out plans and guide others?"

Uesugi Hara leaned against the bookshelf, his fingers rubbing the spine of the book he had just pulled out. "Class competition and interpersonal maneuvering on campus are essentially 'mystery games' without explicitly stated rules. For instance..."

He raised his eyes to scan the quiet reading area. "Some people use seemingly casual chatter to gather information, then piece the fragments together like a puzzle to formulate a strategy. It's the same logic as a murderer using everyday details to cover up the traces of a crime in a mystery novel."

Shiina Hiyori's violet eyes widened slightly, and she closed the book with a soft click. "I see... when I read mysteries, I always focused on the tricks of the case itself, never thinking to relate them to reality."

She hesitated, then pushed the book toward him. "Uesugi-kun's understanding of mysteries... is very unique. Next time, if you come across an interesting mystery novel, could we... could we discuss it together?"

The end of her sentence was as soft as a sigh, yet it made Uesugi Hara pause.

He looked at Shiina Hiyori, who had turned her face away but was still peeking at him from the corner of her eye. Recalling her usual solitude and the caution with which she had made this request, a faint smile appeared on his face. "Sure. If you come across anything you want to discuss, Shiina-san, feel free."

Shiina Hiyori looked up sharply, a flash of pleasant surprise in her violet eyes, which she quickly suppressed by biting her lip. Clutching the book, she said softly, "Then, then at the same time next week, I'll bring the newly borrowed The Closed Door. I heard it's a 'reverse mystery' that unfolds from the murderer's perspective, challenging the reader to play a game against the detective..."

The sun gradually dipped westward, casting long, slanted shadows of the two across the bookshelves.

Uesugi Hara watched Shiina Hiyori's retreating back as she carried the book away; though her steps still held a hint of reserve, they were much lighter than when she had arrived.

He looked down at the mystery novel in his hand, the creases on the pages seeming to hide a sense of anticipation, and the corners of his mouth lifted involuntarily—a library trip intended for peace and quiet had unexpectedly opened the door to a marvelous journey of deduction and the breaking of solitude.