Mealtime

"Women's enthusiasm for socializing is terrifying. It's impossible to handle."

He shook his head helplessly and headed down the corridor toward the cafeteria. Though he complained aloud, he knew Ichinose Honami meant no harm.

It was simply a burden that required energy to deal with for someone like him, who spent most of his time "walking alone."

As he pushed open the cafeteria doors, a wave of heat mixed with the scents of countless dishes washed over him.

It was the lunch rush. Students in matching uniforms gathered in groups of three or five, most of their faces flushed with excitement. Without exception, their conversations revolved around the staggering initial balance of one hundred thousand points.

"The food here is so expensive."

"Isn't it? But we have a hundred thousand points, so it's fine to splurge once in a while!"

"I want to buy that limited-edition fitness band, but it costs twenty thousand points..."

After buying lunch, Miyama Saku carried his tray and quickly scanned the crowd. He didn't see Kanzaki Ryuji anywhere, which made him smile bitterly inside. The lie he had casually made up to escape earlier would now take some effort to cover up.

Just as he was about to find a corner and eat lunch alone, a familiar figure appeared near the serving area.

It was Kanzaki Ryuji. He held a tray in his hands, brow furrowed as though conducting meticulous calculations over the dazzling array of menu options.

"What a coincidence, Kanzaki."

Miyama Saku walked over, his tone as natural as if they had actually arranged to meet.

Kanzaki Ryuji jumped at the sudden voice. When he turned and saw Miyama Saku, the wariness in his eyes immediately turned to confusion. "Miyama? Weren't you still in the classroom just now...?"

"Ichinose was too enthusiastic. I really couldn't handle it, so I slipped away first." Miyama Saku lied without changing expression. "Since we ran into each other, let's eat together."

Though Kanzaki Ryuji felt that something was off, he didn't pursue it. He merely nodded. "All right. There are some things about the points system I wanted to confirm with you anyway."

The two found a relatively quiet seat by the window. Curious gazes still occasionally drifted toward Miyama Saku.

Miyama Saku looked out at the bright sunlight as he ate the food in his bowl. It tasted unexpectedly good, though it was still just a little inferior to his own cooking.

"The prices here are interesting." Kanzaki Ryuji looked at the electronic student ID in his hand, his tone grave. "I calculated it just now. If we eat all three meals in the cafeteria every day, plus miscellaneous living expenses, the points spent in a month won't be a small amount."

"One hundred thousand points sounds like a lot, but if we spend without restraint, it probably won't last until the end of the month."

Miyama Saku swallowed his food and replied blandly, "This school is teaching us that money isn't an unlimited resource. It's a bargaining chip that needs to be managed."

"You mean these hundred thousand points are actually some kind of test?" Kanzaki Ryuji sharply caught the deeper implication in Miyama Saku's words.

"Maybe. In any case, one's own money still needs to be spent reasonably."

"Miyama, the cafeteria has a free counter similar to the supermarket's. Some upperclassmen are currently getting meals there. It seems your earlier idea was correct." Kanzaki Ryuji lowered his voice, staring intently at Miyama Saku as though trying to read more from his face.

Miyama Saku set down his chopsticks, picked up a napkin, and elegantly wiped the corner of his mouth. His gaze remained calm. "Kanzaki, you're very observant. But that isn't something to celebrate."

"What do you mean?"

"Free things are often the most expensive." Miyama Saku pointed toward the students outside who were lining up for the "special free meal set."

Though the sets were filling, they were merely ordinary vegetable meals, forming a stark contrast with the refined stir-fried dishes around them. They probably didn't taste very good, either. More importantly, the faces of those standing in line faintly carried the awkwardness of being labeled.

"At this school, 'poverty' is an original sin, and it is also a weakness." Miyama Saku's voice was quiet, yet it struck Kanzaki's heart like a heavy hammer. "The moment you reach out for free resources, you subconsciously admit that you are inferior to others. That kind of psychological suggestion is more terrifying than running out of points."

Kanzaki Ryuji froze. Looking at the ordinary meal set he had paid for himself, he suddenly felt the chopsticks in his hand grow heavy.

He had thought Miyama Saku was merely a cold loner. He hadn't expected him to see things so clearly.

"Then... what should we do?" Kanzaki asked instinctively. There was less arrogance in his voice than before, and more of a desire to find an ally.

Miyama Saku lifted his cup and took a sip. His gaze passed over the noisy cafeteria crowd before finally landing on Ichinose Honami, who had just arrived and was being surrounded by several girls in the distance.

"Maintain the status quo. Don't let the frenzy around you cloud your judgment." Miyama Saku withdrew his gaze and looked at Kanzaki. "And don't pick a side too easily. Not Ichinose, who's like the sun, or anyone else."

Kanzaki Ryuji nodded thoughtfully. "I understand. I'll consider it."

"Do as you like. There's still some time before afternoon classes. I'm going to rest and conserve my energy, so I'll be leaving first." Miyama Saku stood, picking up his empty tray.

Watching Miyama Saku's departing back, Kanzaki Ryuji did not move right away. He turned to look out the window. The sunlight was dazzlingly bright, yet he felt an inexplicable chill. This school was far more complicated than he had imagined.

Miyama Saku stood with his finished tray and turned toward the collection station in the corner of the cafeteria.

One was a long-haired girl eating alone by the window. Her back was perfectly straight, and even by herself, she radiated an aura that kept others at a distance.

She ate quickly, every movement precise and efficient, as though eating was only meant to refuel the machine that was her body. A book lay on her table, and her gaze switched rapidly between its pages and her food, completely indifferent to the surrounding noise.

What a thoroughgoing solitary. In an environment where everyone was eager to find companions and establish a sense of security, she was like a lone wolf that had chosen to leave the pack.

Then his gaze shifted again, settling on the liveliest table in the center of the cafeteria.

A short-haired girl sat surrounded by several other girls, a flawless sweet smile on her face. Sometimes she nodded, sometimes she covered her mouth and giggled. Every gesture radiated a warmth that made people feel like they were basking in a spring breeze.

Miyama Saku assessed her silently. The ability to rapidly gather people was itself a powerful skill. In this closed campus environment, information and connections were power. She had clearly realized that earlier than anyone else.

One chose to be alone, while the other chose to embrace the group.

"So these are two extremes." Miyama Saku murmured.

The afternoon classes were still mainly introductions to the curriculum and planning the study schedule. Really, it was no wonder some students in the class secretly played on their phones.

Time passed in the blink of an eye.

There was still some time before the club orientation. Afternoon sunlight streamed through the classroom building's windows, casting mottled patterns of light and shadow across the corridor. Miyama Saku was organizing the books he would need for tomorrow's classes according to his schedule.

"Miyama, do you have time right now?"

A clear voice came from beside him, carrying just the right amount of lightness. When Miyama Saku looked up, he met Ichinose Honami's smiling eyes. She tilted her head slightly, her hair swaying gently with the motion like dandelion fluff brushed by the wind.

"Hm? Is something important, Ichinose?" Miyama Saku placed the last notebook into his bag, and the zipper made a soft rasping sound.

"It's nothing important. I just noticed you were all alone. After the club orientation, do you want to walk around together?" Ichinose Honami tilted her head with a smile, her tone as light as if she were commenting on the nice weather.

Miyama Saku paused as he pulled up his bag's zipper. He glanced at her, then quickly looked away. "Ah, sorry. I already have plans with someone."

"Is it Kanzaki?"

"No."

Ichinose Honami's eyes widened slightly. The smile on her lips retained the same curve, but a trace of undisguised surprise flashed through her eyes.

"Huh, not Kanzaki?" she repeated, her voice unconsciously rising half a note. Then she realized her reaction was a little excessive and hurriedly touched her cheek with the back of her hand.

"You seem pretty surprised."

"Ah, I just thought you also had social connections with other people." Ichinose Honami smiled a little sheepishly and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "You never take the initiative to talk to anyone during breaks, and you're always alone during lunch... so I was a little curious."

She spoke frankly, with no intention of beating around the bush. She was like a freshly poured soda, bubbles rising straight to the surface—impossible to hide or suppress.

She wasn't questioning or testing him. She was simply curious, like seeing a cat that always perched on a wall suddenly leap into someone else's yard and being unable to resist peeking in to see what was there.

Miyama Saku didn't respond. He merely hitched the strap of his bag higher onto his shoulder.

Silence had never been something awkward to him. It was as natural as breathing. But Ichinose Honami clearly had no intention of letting that silence simply settle.

"That person... who is it? Someone from our class?" She blinked, a hint of childlike curiosity in her voice. "Can you tell me?"