Hiyori Shiina Yearns to Meet a Handsome Boy in the Library

After seeing off Ichinose and the Class B students who had gone off for a group bonding event, the noisy classroom instantly fell silent.

Bai Mu casually packed up the books on his desk, declined every invitation to socialize, and left the school building alone. Compared to noisy karaoke outings and pointless mixers, he preferred the relaxed feeling of solitude. Having lived two lives and long since matured mentally, he found crowded campus socializing—laughing together and forcing familiarity—far less pleasant than a good book and some peaceful leisure time.

Advanced Nurturing High School's library stood at the center of campus, backed by wooded hills and facing the sea. Its location was superb, and its environment was so luxurious that it hardly seemed like an ordinary high school facility.

The moment he pushed open the door, he was greeted by the faint scent of books and cool air-conditioning. The entire building was silent, with only the occasional soft rustle of turning pages. The library had an astonishing number of floors and an absurdly vast collection, containing everything from ordinary academic reference books and Chinese and foreign classics to niche professional works on criminal profiling, psychological games, logical deduction, and combat theory. Even many out-of-print documents unavailable on the market could be found here. It was practically a miniature comprehensive university library.

It had to be said that Japan's top elite schools really were willing to spend money on their facilities.

Bai Mu wandered leisurely between the shelves, casually scanning rows upon rows of books before finally stopping in the mystery section. Compared to dry theoretical tomes, reading a few quality detective novels in his spare time could both relax him and subtly sharpen his logical thinking. It was an excellent way to pass the time.

He pulled out a classic suspense mystery at random and found a secluded single booth by the window. The view was wide open, overlooking the sprawling grove and sea of flowers below. The lighting was soft without being harsh, and the privacy was excellent. It was the perfect personal spot to slack off.

Bai Mu lowered his head and flipped through the pages, quickly immersing himself in the story's world. All the noise of the outside world had nothing to do with him as his concentration rose to its peak.

Yet while his mind was calm and focused on reading, he failed to notice that someone in a booth diagonally across from him had been quietly watching him for quite some time.

The girl had translucent silver-white hair and crystal-clear violet eyes. Her delicate features were cool and refined, while her temperament was quiet and gentle, carrying an air of distance and fragility. She was Hiyori Shiina of Class C, a first-year student. Since middle school, she had been known as a bookworm, spending nearly every afternoon after class in the library. She preferred being alone and disliked crowds.

Normally, only a handful of people occupied the enormous library. Everyone read their own books without disturbing one another, and it had long become an unspoken rule. But today, Hiyori Shiina's attention had been completely drawn to this unfamiliar boy.

Since entering the school, she had rarely taken the initiative to pay attention to anyone her age. Yet she could not stop herself from repeatedly glancing up and secretly observing Bai Mu by the window. His posture was relaxed yet upright, his features clean and handsome. Even his quiet profile as he lowered his head to read carried a calm, reserved presence utterly unlike the other restless and noisy freshmen.

What delighted her most was that he was reading an obscure, hard-core detective novel too.

In this school, where everyone relentlessly competed over grades and fought for points, there were very few students her age willing to sit down and savor detective literature. Thinking of Class C and comparing Bai Mu with the strange assortment of people there, the girl could not help feeling even more favorably toward him. Having finally encountered someone with the same interests, Hiyori Shiina inevitably felt a touch of closeness and anticipation.

She was introverted and shy, with severe social anxiety. She desperately wanted to go up and speak to him, to befriend someone who shared her interests, but every time she gathered her courage, the words reached her lips only to be swallowed back down.

How should she start? Should she say, "Do you like detective novels too?" Would that be too abrupt? Would she disturb him? Would he think she was strange?

Countless conflicted thoughts circled in her mind. Hiyori Shiina hesitated again and again, wanting to speak but stopping herself. She could only secretly glance over at him time after time, unable to bring herself to take even half a step closer.

Bai Mu's senses were exceptionally sharp. After being watched for so many years because of his face, he had developed an excellent eye for subtle observations, and he had long since noticed the frequent gaze.

At first, he thought it might have been his imagination and paid it no mind. But after it happened repeatedly, he became completely certain—the other person really was staring at him.

But he had no intention of responding.

With a face as strikingly handsome as his, being secretly watched and glanced at had already become routine during his first two days at school. He was long used to it. He could hardly go up and strike up a conversation every time someone looked at him. That would be far too idle.

His expression remained unchanged as he continued turning the pages, calm and composed throughout. He simply ignored the girl's cautious gaze and immersed himself in the pleasure of reading alone.

The sun gradually sank in the west, and dusk spread across the windowpanes. Before he knew it, it was already time for dinner.

Bai Mu closed the book, stood, and stretched. His movements were loose and natural as he casually returned the book to its place, then turned and headed toward the library exit.

From beginning to end, he did not spare Hiyori Shiina even a single extra glance. He left cleanly and decisively, without the slightest hesitation.

Hiyori Shiina remained seated where she was, watching the boy's departing figure. A trace of loneliness quietly colored her violet eyes as her fingers gently clenched the pages. Her small expectation had completely fallen through, leaving her aggrieved and helpless.

After leaving the library, the evening breeze carrying the scent of food washed over him.

Although he had spent a lavish three hundred thousand points on digital equipment yesterday, it had not hurt Bai Mu in the least. With points constantly flowing into his account from sweeping through the various clubs, his personal balance remained plentiful. There was no need for him to force himself to eat the subsidized wild-vegetable set meal.

He walked straight into the campus cafeteria and unhesitatingly ordered a serving of the signature secret-recipe pork cutlet rice. The golden, crispy pork cutlet paired with soft, sticky rice and plentiful side dishes, its rich aroma, color, and flavor all at the highest level. It was a truly top-tier meal.

Holding his tray, Bai Mu found an empty seat by the window. Unhurried and unbothered, he slowly enjoyed his dinner, living a leisurely, carefree life.

Just as he was halfway through his meal and the atmosphere was pleasant and relaxed, a soft, gentle female voice sounded quietly from the empty seat across from him.

"Excuse me, is anyone sitting here?"

Bai Mu looked up, his brows rising slightly at once.

The girl before him was petite and slender, with an elegant, unworldly beauty. Her light-colored long hair fell smoothly over her shoulders, and her skin was fair and translucent. She possessed an elegant and gentle demeanor, with the poised air of a well-bred young lady. Most strikingly, she held an exquisite cane in her hand. Though she appeared frail and light, she carried a calm presence far beyond that of her peers.

The girl smiled with her eyes, her manner graceful and proper. She was polite and restrained, without the slightest arrogance. Even with her delicate frame, she could not conceal the nobility in her bones.

"No one. Sit."

Bai Mu nodded faintly, his tone calm. He then lowered his head and continued eating, neither investigating further nor deliberately making conversation.

The girl obediently thanked him and gently pulled out the chair to sit down. Yet she did not order food or eat. She merely sat quietly across from him, her gaze calm as she watched Bai Mu eat without uttering a word. The atmosphere became slightly strange.

Bai Mu felt no ripples in his heart. If anything, he was somewhat used to it.