Confession? Possession?

As the end of term approached, all kinds of review sessions and study groups were in full swing.

Every seat in the library was taken, and students could be seen everywhere—in hallways and café corners—reviewing key points together, drilling practice questions, and memorizing material.

Everyone was busy preparing for the upcoming final exams.

Most of Class A was the same, organizing study sessions and many group activities.

Hoshinomiya and Sakayanagi had arranged to meet at a café on campus. Quite a few students passing by or taking seats nearby glanced at the pair, intentionally or otherwise.

"Ah~ Hoshinomiya-kun. You specifically asked me to meet you at a café instead of focusing on final exam revision. Is there something you wanted from me?"

Sakayanagi sat in a café chair, her cane resting at an angle against the table.

She paid no heed to the various gazes fixed upon her. Her light violet eyes looked calmly at Hoshinomiya, and her voice carried a leisurely elegance, a faint smile playing at her lips.

The café's noisy chatter seemed completely cut off from her.

"Surely you don't want to discuss that widely publicized brawl in Class D."

Hoshinomiya rested his fingertips on the rim of his coffee cup. He did not answer immediately, wearing a faint smile as he met Sakayanagi's gaze with composure and asked in return,

"Oh~ Why would you think that?"

Sakayanagi raised an eyebrow lightly, as though she had not expected him to respond that way.

Hoshinomiya simply held her gaze calmly, the faint smile still on his lips.

His eyes were not particularly sharp, yet they somehow made one feel as though he could see through everything.

Sakayanagi's light violet eyes trembled slightly, and she was the first to look away.

She raised a hand to lightly cover her lips, as though arranging her expression—or concealing that momentary loss of composure.

"...What a strange question~"

She chuckled softly, her voice a half-beat slower than before.

"I thought you didn't seem interested in topics other than things like that. Does Classmate Sakayanagi think I'm the sort of person who likes meddling in troublesome affairs?"

Sakayanagi paused at his question.

That was somewhat beyond her expectations.

Light from the window fell across her profile. She pursed her lips lightly before looking at him again, though her smile had faded somewhat.

"Of course not. But surely Hoshinomiya-kun isn't saying that you came here today simply to chat with me?"

Yet Hoshinomiya did not answer at once. He merely sat upright and watched her calmly.

His gaze was not oppressive, yet it suddenly felt as if something had lightly struck her chest.

Sakayanagi's speech inexplicably stalled for half a second.

She tilted her head slightly, her light violet eyes avoiding his gaze as she pretended to adjust her sleeve cuffs. Her voice was also softer than before.

"...Why aren't you saying anything?"

Only then did Hoshinomiya slowly speak.

"Because I was wondering whether Alice actually wanted me to talk about something else."

Sakayanagi's hand froze.

She looked up at him. The elegant smile on her lips finally faltered slightly, and her light violet eyes shifted away for an instant, deliberately avoiding Hoshinomiya's direct gaze so that he would not catch that fleeting lapse in composure.

Only a second later, she returned her gaze to the young man and forcibly steadied her expression.

"You're more skilled with words than I imagined."

"However, Hoshinomiya-kun, you still haven't answered me. What exactly did you come here for today?"

She gave a light snort, though she did not truly turn cold.

Hoshinomiya Rinyu stopped teasing her and revealed his true purpose.

"I wanted to learn more about Arisu~"

As the words fell, Sakayanagi unconsciously brushed her fingertips against the side of her cup, remaining silent for a brief moment.

Her light violet eyes lowered slightly, avoiding Hoshinomiya's gaze. The teasing smile she had worn moments ago faded by more than half.

Yet that trace of unusualness vanished in an instant. She soon raised her eyes and looked again at the young man across from her, wearing her composed, elegant smile once more, though there was now an almost imperceptible subtlety in her tone.

"What an unexpected thing to say."

Her tone remained calm and elegant, but deep in her eyes, curiosity quietly surfaced.

"Hoshinomiya-kun, do you realize that saying something like that can very easily lead people to misunderstand?"

The young man across from her sounded utterly unconcerned as he delivered several words that were light as air, yet heavy all the same.

"Isn't it obvious that I admire and adore Classmate Sakayanagi? Surely Classmate Sakayanagi... didn't fail to notice?"

Hearing that straightforward statement, softened by only one percent of tact, Sakayanagi's breathing paused.

Her light violet pupils contracted slightly. Even she, who had always excelled at controlling the situation, had been caught off guard by that confession without any preamble.

Yet she did not lose her composure. Her fingertips lightly gripped the rim of her cup, the smile on her lips fading a little as her gaze fixed firmly on Hoshinomiya's face.

"Hoshinomiya-kun certainly dares to say such things."

Soft background music flowed through the café, while the laughter and conversation of the other guests seemed to be separated by a thin veil of mist.

She did not immediately refute him, nor did she reveal the fluster a girl might have shown. She merely watched Hoshinomiya quietly, trying to discern from his expression whether that confession had been teasing banter or a sincere outpouring.

After a moment, a faint smile once more curved at Sakayanagi's lips, though it now carried a hint of scrutiny.

"Are you casually throwing out words like that to confuse my thoughts, Hoshinomiya-kun?"

She leaned forward slightly, her cane resting quietly beside the table. Her gaze was as sharp as that of a chess player facing an opponent across the board.

"If this is not a joke, then you should understand that such words are not something one can say so casually."

Hoshinomiya did not evade her. He openly met Sakayanagi's scrutinizing gaze, his eyes clear and devoid of the slightest hint of teasing.

"I am serious, of course. I would not joke about something like this, nor do I expect to move you with just a few words." His tone was steady and unhurried.

A brief silence spread between them. Hoshinomiya eased the pace slightly, breaking the heavy atmosphere.

"By the way, summer vacation is almost here."

He changed the subject, his expression relaxing somewhat.

"I wonder if Alice has any plans for the break?"

At that, Sakayanagi's gaze drifted slightly toward the window as she considered it.

"The school will arrange a group cruise vacation. That is something no one can avoid."

Hoshinomiya Rinyu had already known that. Mashima had mentioned it during a class meeting some time ago.

Sakayanagi Arisu gently stirred her coffee with her spoon, her tone composed and calm, though a trace of slyness rose in her eyes.

"As for my private time... Hoshinomiya-kun, are you hoping to have my free time all to yourself?"

P.S. I pushed the main plot a little too hard, so the next few chapters will include some developments for the male and female leads and open up a few side plots as well. I hope to hear more of everyone's opinions and suggestions. Thank you all for your support. QAQ