Shimizu Akira had also gone through a phase of delusions of grandeur in his youth.
Back then, he was always inexplicably confident, stubbornly believing that he was unique and smarter than everyone around him.
It wasn't until he entered university and then society after graduation that this childish sense of superiority gradually faded away.
Looking at the silver-haired girl in front of him, he suddenly felt a subtle sense of déjà vu.
'Sure enough, she's a young lady who hasn't been taught by reality yet.'
He silently made this judgment.
This condescending and arrogant posture mostly stemmed from a smooth upbringing—having never experienced real setbacks, nor encountered an opponent who could completely defeat her.
His assessment: getting thoroughly humbled once, making her remember it, should more or less correct her arrogant attitude.
"Alright, alright, everything you say is right." Shimizu Akira waved his hand casually. "The entrance ceremony is about to begin. I'm leaving first."
His departing figure was decisive and clean, showing no intention of continuing the conversation.
'This person!'
Sakayanagi Arisu's slender fingers unconsciously tightened around her cane.
Of course, she understood the meaning behind his words—could those childish delusions of adolescent boys be compared to her self-awareness, which was based on rigorous reasoning?
'Classmates? They're nothing but mediocre individuals.'
In her eyes, these people were like rigid pawns on a chessboard, not even deserving of her serious attention. And that boy who walked away...
'He's really putting on airs.'
What bothered her most was the almost pitying look on his face as he left, as if he were looking at a child throwing a tantrum.
This feeling of being looked down upon was unprecedented for her.
If it were an ordinary person, she could simply make a note and slowly get her revenge later.
But it just had to be this person—this opponent she grudgingly acknowledged—who acted as if he didn't even see her.
The desire to defeat him fairly in an intellectual battle only made this resentment grow stronger.
"Wait, you don't believe my judgment? Do you think Kamuro Masumi won't steal after the entrance ceremony?"
Sakayanagi Arisu slightly quickened her pace to catch up, and seeing the boy's steps gradually slow down, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief. If he really started running, her physical condition would indeed make it difficult to catch him.
Her voice carried the composure of someone certain of victory. "How about we bet on when Kamuro Masumi will make her move? This really tests observation and deduction skills..."
However, Shimizu Akira just took a deep breath, his eyes suddenly becoming resolute.
Before she could finish speaking, the boy had already clenched his fists and dashed out, disappearing from sight within ten seconds.
"H-he ran away? He wouldn't even tell me his name in the end?!"
Sakayanagi Arisu froze in place, her cane tapping crisply on the ground.
A rare look of bewilderment appeared on her delicate face, which then turned into an angry blush.
When Shimizu Akira pushed open the gymnasium doors and quickly walked toward the first-year Class D formation, he could clearly feel the inquisitive gazes of the surrounding students.
The thirty-nine classmates had already lined up, and were now looking at him with various expressions—curiosity, mockery, and even a hint of schadenfreude.
'So I became the center of attention.'
Shimizu Akira muttered to himself. Being late and entering in full view of everyone certainly drew attention.
However, after being refined by society, Shimizu Akira had long grown accustomed to not caring about others' opinions.
The homeroom teacher, Chabashira Sae, gave him a cold glance, casually tapping the roll call book in her palm. "Late on the first day of school? Shimizu-kun? Hurry up and get in line."
"Haha—"
A chorus of snickers immediately broke out in the class ranks.
Chabashira Sae's gaze swept over Shimizu Akira again. "Wait! Go stand at the very front of the first row." She paused, then added meaningfully, "At the very front of Class D's formation."
Shimizu Akira walked to the designated spot with a composed expression.
He subtly observed the homeroom teacher—she not only accurately called out his name but also specifically emphasized "Class D's" formation.
'Was I found out?'
Shimizu Akira mused to himself. Just earlier, when he'd deliberately lied to Chabashira, even saying those probing words, "Such an arrogant student should be assigned to Class D," the natural expression on her face had already revealed everything. Class D was indeed the lowest tier in this school.
'So is this a retaliatory arrangement now?'
As this thought arose, the gymnasium doors opened again.
Sakayanagi Arisu slowly entered, leaning on her cane. After a brief conversation with the Class A homeroom teacher, she also stood at the very first position at the front of the line.
Their gazes met briefly in the air.
Sakayanagi Arisu's mouth slightly opened, a flicker of genuine surprise in her eyes. Evidently, she hadn't expected him to be a student of first-year Class D.
However, Shimizu Akira himself wasn't surprised. After all, his written exam scores were simply abysmal.
In his memory, he couldn't even solve the most basic equations, so with such academic ability, he could only be placed in Class D.
Next, the Student Council President, Horikita Manabu, took the stage and began his speech.
The speech content was mostly platitudes, but one piece of information was particularly striking.
This school adhered to the educational philosophy of "both literary and martial prowess."
In this era, apart from specialized sports academies, probably no ordinary high school would openly espouse such a traditional educational philosophy.
As the lengthy entrance ceremony concluded, each class maintained its neat formation.
Several homeroom teachers stepped forward, preparing to give brief class remarks.
Chabashira Sae slowly paced to the front of Class D's formation. She scanned the group of new students.
"Classes officially begin tomorrow." She paused. "For the rest of today, you are free to do as you please. I suggest you familiarize yourselves with the campus environment."
With that, Chabashira turned and left.
A portion of the new students had already followed the crowd out of the gymnasium.
Shimizu Akira keenly sensed a sharp gaze. He subtly turned his body, meeting Horikita Suzune's cold, deep eyes.
"Late on the first day of school. It seems you don't care much about your student status."
"I was gathering some necessary information and got held up by a troublesome person," Shimizu Akira replied calmly.
"People with a weak sense of time often fail to achieve great things."
"You're right. Speaking of which, I'm quite interested in the Student Council. How about we go check it out together now?"
His tone was as casual as if he were discussing the weather.
There it is again.
Horikita Suzune muttered inwardly.
Every time her sharp words were casually brushed aside by him, he even managed to steer the conversation toward topics she was interested in.
She had to admit that his emotional intelligence was more than just a little higher than hers.
And this time, he directly mentioned the Student Council.
"You..." Her voice slightly froze, and her brows unconsciously furrowed. "You know the Student Council President is my brother? Is that why you deliberately brought up the Student Council? Do you think I'd be interested?"
Shimizu Akira tilted his head slightly. "After all, the surname is the same, and... the look in your eyes when you gazed at him during the entrance ceremony was quite complex, wasn't it?"
Horikita Suzune's breathing suddenly hitched.
She'd been seen through again.
This realization made her fingertips unconsciously tighten.
She'd always prided herself on her intelligence, never believing that anyone could surpass her in perceptiveness.
But ever since meeting Shimizu Akira, every encounter felt as if he easily saw through her thoughts.
It gave her the illusion of facing her own brother.
Even her secret desire to sneak off to the Student Council to see her brother was actually seen through by him.
So that's why he extended the invitation.
She pressed her lips together, a strange restlessness bubbling in her chest.
If she were to date him, he'd probably deliberately be ten minutes late, hiding in the shadows to enjoy his girlfriend's anxious fidgeting, then appear with an apologetic smile, right?
But precisely this feeling of being outmaneuvered inexplicably reminded her of her brother.
The same keenness, the same intelligence, the same inability to refute him.
Although their personalities were different, the feeling they gave her was inexplicably similar.
She hated this feeling of being seen through, yet she couldn't truly speak coldly to him.
She just inexplicably couldn't dislike him.
"Don't look at me so much in the future." She finally turned her face away, her voice a few shades lower than usual, even carrying a hint of imperceptible wavering. "Let's go."
Her departing figure looked less like a calm exit and more like a panicked escape.