Shimizu Akira lowered his head slightly, preparing to pull out his phone from his pocket to check the time.
"It's 10:14 and 23 seconds now." Sakayanagi Arisu, beside him, suddenly said with a smile.
This sudden announcement of the time made Shimizu Akira pause. For a moment, he felt as if he was being served by a beautiful human alarm clock.
He subconsciously glanced at his phone screen—10:14, exactly.
"You don't even believe me about that? You're so suspicious." Sakayanagi Arisu's silver-white hair swayed gently as she shook her head. "You were much more enthusiastic when you were talking to that black-haired female classmate."
"You saw that too?" Shimizu Akira was startled by this, instinctively taking half a step back to create distance between them.
Sakayanagi Arisu, on the other hand, froze.
'Is he really that disgusted?!'
She secretly gritted her teeth. In terms of looks and temperament, she was clearly not inferior to that girl.
"My hair color is silver-white, you know!" She defiantly twirled a strand of hair with her finger. "Isn't this the hair color Asians yearn for the most? Does it not attract you at all? Why do you always avoid me?"
From their first meeting, she'd been completely baffled. Why did this boy always act as if he'd encountered some terrible danger whenever he saw her, as if he wanted to flee immediately?
"Your hair color is indeed beautiful, and I really want to touch it." Shimizu Akira admitted frankly, then changed the subject. "But I'm more worried that one day you'll secretly record me, or I'll inexplicably become a pawn in your plans and end up in a lot of trouble."
Admittedly, the girl before him had a delicate face, but who knew how many schemes were hidden behind those seemingly innocent eyes?
He steadfastly maintained a safe distance from such a manipulative character, no matter how cute she appeared.
Sakayanagi Arisu suddenly let out a soft laugh, a serious glint flashing in her eyes.
"So that's it. You're afraid of these things." Her voice suddenly softened a few degrees. "Please rest assured, I would never use despicable methods like audio or video recordings to threaten you."
She looked directly into Shimizu Akira's eyes and said, word by word, "To use such methods against a worthy opponent would be too disrespectful."
Seeing her speak so sincerely, Shimizu Akira nodded. "Since you've said so, I'll believe you this once."
"However—" Sakayanagi Arisu suddenly changed the subject. "—it seems that black-haired girl must be the innocent and naive type, then? Is that why you could talk to her without any guard?"
"Innocent and naive?" Shimizu Akira chuckled and shook his head. "She's not stupid at all, just a bit too stubborn sometimes."
The smile on Sakayanagi Arisu's lips deepened a few degrees. "I see~" She deliberately drew out the last syllable. "Boys are all like this. They prefer to be with simple and cute girls!"
Shimizu Akira shrugged. "I don't deny that. You should understand now why I keep my distance from you."
Being with girls who are too smart always feels like you have to be on guard all the time. It's too exhausting.
Sakayanagi Arisu's thoughts subtly split into two streams. She realized the double meaning in Shimizu Akira's words—it was both an affirmation of her intelligence and a clear expression of him distancing himself from her.
This realization made her mood complex.
The corners of her lips unconsciously curved slightly upward, only to be pressed into a straight line the next second.
Of course, she didn't harbor any special feelings for the boy in front of her. It was just...
It was like accidentally spotting a unique accessory in a boutique window.
That feeling of watching it being bought by someone else before you've even decided whether to purchase it—a faint regret mixed with a hint of unwillingness.
In a way, male and female mating standards are surprisingly consistent. Just as most women instinctively admire powerful, excellent, and wealthy men, men also tend to choose simple, cute partners who provide emotional value.
This realization made her unconsciously purse her lips.
If she hadn't recognized Shimizu Akira's ability, why would she have proactively proposed that bet in the first place?
After all, in her eyes, there weren't many people who could catch her attention.
However, Sakayanagi Arisu's gaze was suddenly drawn to Kamuro Masumi not far away.
The purple-haired girl was sneakily reaching for the beer shelf in the convenience store.
"Should I call it out now?" Shimizu Akira asked in a low voice.
"Not yet..." Sakayanagi Arisu shook her head lightly, her silver-white hair swaying slightly with the movement.
"She's already reached for it, though?"
"Shimizu-san," Sakayanagi Arisu suddenly turned, "please do not interfere with my judgment."
Shimizu Akira raised an eyebrow, then simply crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, observing the silent game with interest.
A few minutes later, Sakayanagi Arisu suddenly spoke, her voice clear and certain. "Kamuro Masumi will steal that can of beer between 10:29:30 and 10:30:30."
Her tone wasn't like a guess. It was more like she was announcing a predetermined fact.
The moment her words fell, Kamuro Masumi's fingers, as if enchanted, precisely stopped on that can of beer.
Shimizu Akira saw Kamuro's fingers tremble slightly, seemingly undergoing an intense internal struggle.
"28 seconds... 29 seconds..." Sakayanagi Arisu counted softly, her voice carrying the composure of someone who held victory in her hands.
Just as she counted to "30 seconds," Kamuro Masumi abruptly grabbed the beer and, with lightning speed, tucked it inside her school uniform jacket.
Sakayanagi Arisu elegantly turned around. "Well? My deduction was completely correct, wasn't it?" Her voice held undisguised pleasure.
Shimizu Akira unconsciously re-confirmed the information that appeared in his mind:
[Information 1: Today at exactly 10:30 AM (after the entrance ceremony), Kamuro Masumi of first-year Class A will "shoplift" a can of beer from the convenience store on campus.]
Every detail was perfectly accurate.
He looked at the petite silver-haired girl in front of him, a complex admiration welling up inside him.
Sakayanagi Arisu not only perfectly predicted the theft, but even pinpointed the time to the second.
"Brilliant!" Shimizu Akira applauded sincerely. "Sakayanagi-san, I must admit, you are the smartest girl I have ever met."
His gaze swept over the girl's delicate face, her striking silver hair, and that perpetually somewhat arrogant expression.
Although she always put on a haughty demeanor toward ordinary people, she was surprisingly sincere toward those she acknowledged.
This contradictory quality, on the contrary, made her seem even more captivating.
Sakayanagi Arisu's slender fingers gently rested on her chin. "To receive such high praise from Shimizu-san, I am truly flattered."
Shimizu Akira calmly spread his hands. "However, I had already decided to give this can of beer to Kamuro-san at 9:55." He paused, his gaze calmly fixed on her. "So strictly speaking, this does not constitute theft. It seems Sakayanagi-san's judgment was mistaken this time."
"What?!" Sakayanagi Arisu's pupils contracted sharply, then quickly returned to her usual composed smile. "Interesting. May I see the evidence?"
Shimizu Akira unhurriedly displayed his phone screen.
It was a short LINE conversation:
[Today 9:55]
Shimizu Akira: Chabashira-sensei, could you please purchase all the individual cans of beer from the convenience store for me?
Chabashira Sae: Asking a teacher to buy alcohol for a minor? You'd better have a reasonable explanation.
Shimizu Akira: It's not for consumption. I just discovered a female student planning to steal, and I hope you can buy it first and then temporarily put it back on the shelf.
Chabashira Sae: What's the reason for this unnecessary trouble?
Shimizu Akira: A bet with someone, regarding whether "a crime can be constituted."
Chabashira Sae: ... So, the beer was legally bought by me, an adult, on your behalf. Whether that girl's action constitutes theft depends entirely on your judgment?
Sakayanagi Arisu was uncharacteristically silent for a brief moment.
"I see. You started implementing the whole plan at 9:55?" She suddenly let out a soft laugh, but her laughter carried a complex mix of emotions.