Ichinose Honami's Deduction

Ichinose Honami stood where she was, unsure whether to sit or leave, appearing somewhat at a loss.

Seeing this, Wu Qiao sighed helplessly. He casually gestured toward the slender, silver-haired figure standing by a nearby bookshelf and remarked, "She's a mystery novel enthusiast and quite good at recommending books. If you're truly bored, go ask her for a couple to pass the time."

As soon as these words left his lips, Shiina Hiyori, who had been quietly observing them, was the first to gasp in surprise, her beautiful violet eyes wide with disbelief.

So, it wasn't just her secretly paying attention to him; this classmate who always kept his head buried in books, as if isolated from the world, was actually watching her too?

Shiina Hiyori instinctively hugged her books tighter, her cheeks flushing slightly. She usually kept to herself in class; while she loved reading, she wasn't skilled at socializing, and she never expected that a "straight-A student" who seemed to exist in a completely different world would notice her hobby.

Ichinose Honami followed the direction of Wu Qiao's finger and walked toward Shiina Hiyori with some hesitation. She gently tapped the girl on the shoulder and offered her signature gentle smile: "Hello, I'm Ichinose Honami from Class B. Um... I heard from Wu-kun that you're very good at recommending novels?"

Shiina Hiyori froze for a moment, then nodded shyly, her voice as soft as a mosquito's hum: "Um... I suppose so. I'm Shiina Hiyori from Class C. Um, what kind of books do you like to read, Ichinose-san?"

Watching the two girls—who had completely different styles and would normally never have crossed paths—actually start chatting because of his offhand remark, Wu Qiao shook his head with a smile. He quickly composed his expression, refocusing his attention on the math problem before him, which looked like an ancient, undecipherable script.

"Just a little more experience until I level up," he muttered to himself, his pen flying across the scratch paper again, as if he weren't the same person who had just played matchmaker a moment ago.

The library returned to silence, with only the occasional sound of turning pages and the scratching of pen nibs on paper weaving together.

Sunlight spilled in through the tall floor-to-ceiling windows, bathing the teenagers of such different temperaments in a warm glow, as if time itself had slowed down and grown tranquil in that moment.

Half an hour later, Wu Qiao finally stopped his rapidly moving pen and leaned heavily against the back of his chair, pressing his hands to his head as if he were in agonizing pain.

Although in the Simulator, Ichinose Honami had mostly seen him in a state of effortless mastery, as if everything were under his control, seeing this fragile, exhausted version of him in reality made her instinctively step forward, her tone filled with unconcealable concern: "Are you alright? How are you feeling?"

Wu Qiao kept his eyes closed, rubbing his throbbing temples firmly, his voice raspy: "I'm fine... Hiss, you never really know where your limits are until you push yourself."

Little did he know, when Ichinose Honami heard this unintentional complaint, her heart constricted sharply, as if it had been gripped by an invisible hand. In her mind, she instantly flashed back to the desperate scene from the Simulator—the boy who had solved the Millennium Prize Problems and crushed everything with the absolute genius of his stature.

So... was it because of her? Was it because of her excessive wariness and distance toward him in the Simulator that she had forced him into becoming that cold, genius persona?

So... was the fault actually hers? If she had been more honest and trusting back then, would that "insurmountable genius" ending have been avoided?

A wave of immense guilt washed over her. Ichinose Honami looked at the boy before her, who was in such agony from "pushing himself," and her gaze softened significantly. She reached out and gently patted Wu Qiao's shoulder, soothing him softly: "It's okay, you don't have to push yourself so hard. Actually... you're already amazing. It's alright to relax once in a while."

Wu Qiao opened his eyes, looking at the guilt-ridden Ichinose Honami with confusion. Why is this girl suddenly acting like a doting mother? he thought. I'm just getting a bit carried away grinding experience for the Path of Erudition.

However, looking at Ichinose Honami's sincere eyes, which held a hint of heartache, Wu Qiao swallowed the retort that had been on the tip of his tongue. He smiled helplessly, waved his hand, and said, "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. What about you? Why are you suddenly so serious? You're making it sound like I've suffered some terrible injustice."

Ichinose Honami shook her head. She didn't explain what she had seen and heard in the Simulator, only saying softly: "It's nothing, I just think... you're pushing yourself too hard. As a friend, I can't help but worry a little."

Hearing the word "friend," Wu Qiao paused for a moment, then a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips: "Thanks. But sometimes, to reach a goal, pushing yourself is just part of the process."

Ichinose Honami looked at him, silently making a resolution in her heart: in the days to come, she would never let history repeat itself.

She would use her own way to protect this friend who, despite his strength, could still feel exhaustion, and would never let him walk toward that lonely "genius" ending because of her.

"Um..." Ichinose Honami suddenly remembered something. She reached into her bag, pulled out a beautifully wrapped fruit candy, and held it out to Wu Qiao. "Have something sweet. I heard it helps relieve fatigue."

Wu Qiao looked at the candy, then at Ichinose Honami's expectant eyes, and smiled as he took it: "Thanks, I won't stand on ceremony then."

He unwrapped the candy and popped it into his mouth. A sweetness instantly diffused through his palate, and it did indeed help his tense nerves relax quite a bit. Wu Qiao looked at Ichinose Honami and thought to himself: This girl really is still the incredibly gentle Ichinose Honami after all.

"By the way," Wu Qiao suddenly remembered something and looked toward Shiina Hiyori, who was deep in conversation with Shironami Chihiro not far away. "How did it go with Shiina-san? Did you find any books you're interested in?"

Ichinose Honami nodded and smiled: "It went very well. Shiina-san recommended several interesting novels, and I plan to borrow them to read in a bit."

"That's good." Wu Qiao stretched and stood up. "Since you've both found some entertainment, I should head back and rest. I've killed off quite a few brain cells today."

Ichinose Honami stood up as well and asked with concern: "Would you like to go grab something to eat? To replenish your energy?"

Wu Qiao thought for a moment and nodded: "Sure, I am hungry. But we'll need to find somewhere quiet; my brain is still a bit of a mess right now."

"No problem, I know a nice restaurant nearby," Ichinose Honami replied with a smile.

And so, they bid farewell to Shiina Hiyori, who was still immersed in the world of novels, and walked out of the library together.