"...Wake up."
"Didn't you sleep well last night?"
Oreki felt the noise around him grow louder.
He managed to open his eyes.
Sakayanagi's face was right in front of him.
They were almost kissing.
That jolted Oreki fully awake.
He wasn't sleepy anymore.
Realizing what was happening, Sakayanagi quickly moved away from Oreki too.
She'd only meant to wake him up.
After all, it was already almost 1:20.
If they dawdled any longer, they'd be late.
They'd lose Class Points for that, wouldn't they?
Though how many...
"It's already this late... Let's go."
Oreki got up awkwardly.
He instinctively reached into his pocket.
—Is the battery dead? That fast...
After trying a few times, Oreki gave up.
There was nothing he could do if the battery was dead.
He just didn't know whether anyone would text him at this hour.
After Oreki left.
Sakayanagi, still in the room, held something in her hand.
A phone.
More precisely, Oreki's phone.
"Was that really necessary?"
Kamuro Masumi stepped out from the corner.
She'd arrived twenty minutes earlier.
She'd also brought a phone identical to Oreki's.
The only difference was...
The one she'd brought wouldn't turn on.
"Mm. I can leave the others alone, but not Shiina Hiyori."
"Are you saying you look down on everyone else?"
"I didn't say that."
"Sigh... Do whatever you like. I'm leaving. See you."
Kamuro slung her bag over her shoulder and left.
She was supposed to be enjoying the afternoon breeze on the rooftop.
But a call from Sakayanagi had forced her to come over.
She'd agreed to work for her...
But shouldn't she at least take her underling's feelings into account?
If Sakayanagi kept ordering her around whenever she pleased...
She'd go after Oreki and make Sakayanagi the one left heartbroken.
That was what Kamuro Masumi thought.
A few minutes later.
Sakayanagi was alone in the room.
"Love really is complicated."
She stroked her ___...
And carefully felt the "doki-doki" of her heartbeat.
She didn't even know why.
But...
That was part of the charm of being in love, wasn't it?
Of course, she meant genuine love.
Not something fake, dictated by lovesickness.
Meanwhile.
Oreki sat at his desk after arriving in class.
"Tch... It won't charge. Is it really broken?"
He tossed the phone into his drawer.
He'd find a repair shop after class.
Phones weren't that expensive, but it had a lot of files on it.
He could always buy another phone.
But if he lost the files...
They'd be gone for good.
After all, the phones they'd brought with them couldn't connect to the internet.
Of course, there might be a few people who'd secretly brought phones that could.
Getting one in was a skill in itself.
For now...
Sakura Airi probably had a phone that could connect to the internet.
Oreki had seen it through his binoculars last time.
Was that... Bluebird?
Was she posting her photos on social media because she wanted to become an idol or something?
An idol, huh...
That sounded pretty good.
It depended a lot on looks.
But if you were attractive enough and learned a few ways to liven up the mood, you could make a decent living.
Oh, you needed a bit of intelligence too.
Without enough brains, it was easy to crash and burn.
Like a certain toothpick.
Or a certain...
"What a pain..."
"Looks like my luck isn't great today..."
"Should I go draw a fortune at the shrine?"
Oreki gazed out the window, bored.
There was still a while before class, and Sakayanagi Arisu hadn't arrived either.
He should've known better than to walk alone.
What was he getting embarrassed about...
A little while later.
Outside the classroom.
Sakayanagi was the same as ever.
She came in through the back door, then leaned her cane against the desk.
Her face wore a smile that was impossible to read.
"Don't forget our plans this afternoon."
"I know. Four o'clock, right?"
"Mm."
"...You didn't do something behind my back, did you?"
"I don't know what you mean."
"...I knew it."
Oreki sighed.
No matter how he looked at it, all he'd done was take a nap.
He hadn't checked his phone's battery before falling asleep.
But it had been over eighty percent that morning.
For it to suddenly die, and then refuse to charge...
That was too much of a coincidence.
But knowing that didn't help.
There was no way he could stop Sakayanagi from doing what she wanted.
If he'd found out beforehand, maybe there'd have been a chance.
But now...
The odds were practically zero.
Still, she had two very different sides to her.
Oreki preferred the easily embarrassed Sakayanagi.
Because she was cute.
The other, less easily embarrassed one was nice too.
It was just that...
She could be a little cheeky.
She knew perfectly well what he meant, yet put on an "I have no idea" act.
It wasn't a big problem.
There were plenty of ways to deal with it.
The most effective was to really go for it and ___.
But that depended on one thing—the woman had to really like you and not be against it.
Don't try that if she doesn't like you.
Those two situations were completely different.
If she really liked you, it would bring you closer.
If she didn't...
You'd better eat something nice, then go inside and spend your days working a sewing machine for the people.
Time passed quickly.
Before he knew it, school was over again.
It was a little after three.
It was good not to waste time competing over meaningless things.
There was only so much demand in the market.
Someone always had to fill the lower ranks.
Why compete so desperately?
You'd work yourself to the bone while those above you filled their wallets.
You'd grind yourself down until your mind went numb.
You'd grow old before you even had a chance to enjoy your youth.
Your body would give out, and your spirit would flag.
It was like a cult, brainwashing people with the promise that suffering now would bring sweetness later...
Had they never heard of making trouble for yourself?
There was nothing wrong with following someone else's path, but if you didn't even consider the consequences...
Japan had a small population.
It had taken decades of people lying flat just to make things a little better.
But in a country with a huge population...
Sure enough, the Renaissance shouldn't come too early.
Oreki shook his head.
Sigh! Why was Japan so awful? (doge
That was enough complaining for now.
He still had plenty to do.
One thing was figuring out what Sakayanagi was really up to.
"Are you busy for the next hour?"
"Not at all."
"Is that so? Then I'll find a shop to have a look at my phone."
"Wait..."
"Hm?"
Oreki turned around, looking intrigued.
Well, that was unexpected.
He'd only tossed out one little bait, and she'd taken it?
The Sakayanagi he remembered wasn't so easy to fool.
"Here, this is 300,000 yen."
"???"
"I don't mean anything by it."
"No, wait, you..."
"I just want you to buy a better one, Oreki-kun. That way, it won't break again next time."
"..."
Oreki's mouth twitched.
He had no idea what expression he was supposed to make.
All right, all right.
Then let me ask you this.
Who was it that broke it, exactly? Hmm?
After grumbling about Sakayanagi to himself, Oreki nodded in agreement.
A large amount of points landed in his account.
As for that...
Sakayanagi only smiled and said nothing.
--To be continued
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