For a moment, Shimizu Akira almost thought this girl possessed a special intel system like his own.
But after hearing her meticulous analysis, he realized—she had deduced everything purely through observation.
Someone with such sharp insight at the high school level was exceedingly rare.
*(Hmm? She knows Kamuro Masumi? Does that mean she's also from Class A?)*
The thought flashed through his mind. After a brief pause, Shimizu offered a different perspective: **"Actually, the high foot traffic during peak hours makes it easier to blend in. Choosing now would make her less noticeable."**
**"...Correct."** The silver-haired girl's lips curled slightly, her moonlit hair swaying as she nodded. **"Judging by her mannerisms, she's clearly an experienced thief. She's savoring the thrill of the crime~ Your observation is sharp."**
**"Were you testing me just now?"** Shimizu suddenly realized.
Instead of answering directly, she responded with a meaningful chuckle. **"How about hearing my prediction instead?** She paused, her tone laced with certainty. **"I believe she'll act right after the entrance ceremony."**
The statement took Shimizu by surprise.
Because her deduction matched his intel exactly.
**"Care to guess my reasoning, classmate?"** The girl tilted her head slightly.
Shimizu didn't answer immediately, instead glancing at the thinning crowd in the store. **"Because the entrance ceremony is about to start."**
**"Precisely!"** She snapped her fingers cheerfully. **"Thirty-two seconds, to be exact."**
As if on cue, the school announcement echoed thirty-two seconds later:
**"All students, please assemble in the gymnasium immediately. The entrance ceremony will begin shortly."**
Nearby, Kamuro Masumi stiffened before blending into the departing crowd—her retreat less like surrender and more like a predator sheathing its claws.
**"Mental arithmetic?"** Shimizu pressed.
**"Just a trivial pastime."**
**"Then can you calculate 15 multiplied by 24, then multiplied by 16, in under a minute?"**
Sakayanagi Arisu's expression froze.
The question was so elementary it felt insulting. **"...5,760."** Her voice turned icy. **"Even a middle schooler could solve that mentally. If you truly wanted to test my calculation skills, you should have at least used a four-digit problem."**
**"Really?"** Shimizu smirked. **"But for the average high schooler, solving that in a minute isn't easy."** He abruptly shifted tones. **"Did you feel slighted? Then what about the two probing questions you just threw at me—why don't I feel offended?"**
*(From the start, she's been testing me with a condescending attitude, yet now she acts affronted over a basic math question...)*
*(This arrogance—like innate privilege. Truly a Class A student.)*
His final glance at the silver-haired girl confirmed it—strikingly beautiful, but that ingrained superiority was even more memorable.
*Wait, is this ojousama actually a bratty tsundere?*
As Shimizu turned to leave, he'd only taken three steps when a clear voice chimed behind him.
**"Classmate, wait."**
*Crack!*
A crisp sound rang out as her cane suddenly flew through the air, landing precisely one meter in front of him.
He halted abruptly, first staring at the cane blocking his path, then slowly looking back.
The silver-haired girl stood with her head slightly bowed, her expression hidden.
**"I'm Sakayanagi Arisu from Class A."** Her voice was like melting snow, devoid of its earlier edge. **"As you can see, my heart is quite frail—I can't even chase after you properly. This was my only option."**
She gestured to the cane, meeting his gaze with sincere apology. **"I was rude earlier. Will you forgive me? If you're still upset, feel free to hit me twice with it?"**
Shimizu's brow twitched in surprise.
This high-and-mighty ojousama could actually lower her head so readily—far more interesting than expected.
Yet the next second, he froze.
Why did this script sound so familiar?
Horikita Suzune's image flashed through his mind.
This was *literally* the same strategic-retreat tactic he had just used earlier.
His gaze lingered on Sakayanagi.
Her slightly bowed posture made her seem even more fragile, as if a breeze could topple her.
—Would any normal person actually strike her?
Especially a girl with known heart problems.
His eyes subtly shifted upward, catching the glint of a security camera in the corner. Its lens silently recorded everything.
*Ah.*
Striking her would mean handing her leverage.
Not striking her would mean tacitly accepting her apology.
The girl maintained her humble pose, but Shimizu distinctly saw the fleeting curl of her lips.
—What a brilliantly inescapable trap.
**"Sakayanagi-san, you're quite the schemer."**
Suddenly, Shimizu stepped forward—before she could react, his finger flicked out.
*Thok!*
A light but audible flick landed squarely on her smooth forehead, just hard enough to make her wince.
**"You—!"** Sakayanagi clutched her reddening forehead, her eyes flashing with rare emotion. **"How dare you strike a lady with mobility issues?"**
**"Mobility issues?"** Shimizu chuckled, bending to retrieve the discarded cane. He tapped it lightly. **"You didn't hesitate at all when throwing this like a projectile. Besides, didn't you say I could 'vent my anger'?"**
As he returned the cane, his fingers briefly brushed her cool palm before withdrawing.
**"Consider this flick my countermove."** He stepped back, glancing at the blinking camera. **"No evidence left, yet your apology is accepted—fair trade, no?"** He paused. **"Also, a word of advice: stop positioning yourself above others."**
Sakayanagi's slender fingers tightened around the cane. Suddenly, she looked up, her lips curving into a razor-sharp smile.
**"The gap between people is sometimes decided by talent—like birds and fish, destined to live in different worlds. How can you expect me to treat mediocrity equally?"**
Shimizu burst out laughing. **"How much resolve did it take to say such an embarrassing line? Are you a chuunibyou?"**