Ichinose Honami stood rooted to the spot, unsure whether to sit or leave. She looked a little flustered.
Wu Qiao saw her predicament and sighed helplessly. He casually pointed toward the slender silver-haired girl by a bookshelf in the distance. "She's a mystery novel fan, and she's pretty good at recommending books. If you're really bored, ask her for a couple to pass the time."
At that, Shiina Hiyori, who had been quietly watching them, was the first to gape in surprise. Her beautiful violet eyes were filled with disbelief.
So she wasn't the only one who had been quietly paying attention to the other. This classmate, who was always buried in her books and seemed cut off from the world, had been paying attention to her too?
Shiina Hiyori instinctively hugged the books in her arms, her cheeks warming slightly. She usually kept to herself in class. She liked reading, but wasn't good at socializing. She never expected a seemingly unrelated "top student" to notice her hobby.
Ichinose Honami followed Wu Qiao's gesture and hesitantly walked over to Shiina Hiyori. She gently tapped the girl on the shoulder and gave her signature warm smile. "Hello, I'm Ichinose Honami from Class B. Um... Wu-kun said you're good at recommending novels?"
Shiina Hiyori froze for a moment, then nodded shyly. Her voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz. "Mm... I suppose so. I'm Shiina Hiyori from Class C. Um, what kinds of books do you like, Ichinose-san?"
Watching two girls with completely different vibes—who had seemed to have nothing in common—actually strike up a conversation over his offhand remark, Wu Qiao smiled and shook his head. Then he quickly composed himself and returned his attention to the mathematical problem before him, which might as well have been written in a foreign language.
"I'm just a little short of enough experience to level up." He murmured under his breath as his pen darted across the scratch paper again, as though he hadn't just casually brought the two girls together.
The library fell quiet once more. The occasional sound of pages turning mingled with the soft scratch of pen against paper.
Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, bathing the few young men and women with their very different personalities in a warm glow. It was as though time itself had slowed, turning quiet and still.
Half an hour later, Wu Qiao finally stopped moving his pen at breakneck speed. He slumped heavily against the back of his chair and pressed a hand to his head, looking as if it might split from pain.
In the Simulator, Ichinose Honami had mostly seen him in his unflappable, powerful state, as if everything were under his control. But now that his exhausted, vulnerable side was right in front of her, she instinctively stepped closer, her unmistakable concern showing in her voice. "How are you? Are you all right?"
Wu Qiao kept his eyes closed and vigorously rubbed his throbbing temples. His voice was a little hoarse. "I'm okay... Sheesh, if you don't push yourself, you never find out where your limits are."
He had no idea that when Ichinose Honami heard his casual complaint, her heart clenched as if an invisible hand had seized it. A scene from the Simulator flashed through her mind: the despairing sight of the boy who had solved the Millennium Prize Problems and crushed everyone with his sheer genius.
So... was it because of her? Had her excessive wariness and aloofness toward him in the Simulator turned him into that cold, brilliant genius?
So... had it all been her fault? If she'd been more honest with him, trusted him more, would that "unreachable genius" ending never have come to pass?
A tremendous sense of guilt welled up in her. As Ichinose Honami looked at the boy before her, suffering because he had "pushed himself," her gaze softened. She reached out and gently patted Wu Qiao's shoulder, soothing him in a soft voice. "It's all right. You don't have to push yourself so hard. You're already amazing... It's okay to take a break now and then."
Wu Qiao opened his eyes and looked at Ichinose Honami, who seemed overcome with guilt, utterly perplexed. Why's she suddenly acting like an overprotective mom? I just got a little carried away grinding experience for the Path of Erudition.
But when he saw the sincerity and concern in Ichinose Honami's eyes, he swallowed the quip on the tip of his tongue. He smiled helplessly and waved a hand. "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. You're the one acting so serious all of a sudden. You'd think I'd suffered some great injustice."
Ichinose Honami shook her head. She didn't explain what she had seen in the Simulator, only saying softly, "It's nothing. I just think... you push yourself too hard. As your friend, I can't help worrying a little."
At the word "friend," Wu Qiao paused, then let a faint smile tug at his lips. "Thanks. But sometimes, pushing yourself is the only way to reach your goals."
Looking at him, Ichinose Honami silently resolved that she would never make the same mistake again.
From now on, she would protect this friend in her own way. He was strong, but he still got tired, and she wouldn't let him end up a lonely "genius" because of her.
"Um..." Ichinose Honami suddenly remembered something. She took a beautifully wrapped fruit candy from her bag and held it out to Wu Qiao. "Have something sweet. I hear it helps with fatigue."
Wu Qiao looked at the candy, then at Ichinose Honami's expectant expression, and smiled as he accepted it. "Thanks. I won't say no."
He unwrapped the candy and popped it into his mouth. Sweetness spread across his tongue, easing the tension in his nerves. Looking at Ichinose Honami, he thought, She really is the same old Ichinose Honami, impossibly kind as ever.
"By the way," Wu Qiao said, suddenly remembering something. He looked toward Shiina Hiyori, who was deep in conversation with Shironami Chihiro. "How did things go with Shiina-san? Did you find any books that interest you?"
Ichinose Honami nodded with a smile. "Really well! Shiina-san recommended several interesting novels. I'm planning to borrow them later."
"That's good." Wu Qiao stretched and stood up. "Since you've all found something to do, I should head back and rest too. My brain cells took quite a beating today."
Ichinose Honami stood as well and asked with concern, "Want to go get something to eat together? You should replenish your energy."
Wu Qiao thought it over, then nodded. "Sure, I'm hungry too. But let's find somewhere quiet. My head's still a total mess."
"No problem. I know a nice restaurant nearby," Ichinose Honami replied with a smile.
So they said goodbye to Shiina Hiyori, who was still immersed in the world of novels, and left the library together.