At this moment, Shimizu Akira almost thought that she had a special intelligence system like his own.
But after listening to the girl's meticulous analysis, he suddenly realized—these were all conclusions drawn purely from observation.
Such keen insight in a high school student was truly rare.
'Does she know Kamuro Masumi? So is she also a student from Class A?'
This thought flashed through his mind. Shimizu Akira pondered for a moment, then offered a different perspective. "Precisely because it's the peak shopping period, the large crowd makes it easier to blend in. Choosing this moment to act makes it harder to be discovered."
"...Correct." The silver-haired girl's lips curved slightly, her moon-like hair gently swaying with her nod. "Judging by that person's actions and demeanor, she's clearly a habitual thief. She's enjoying the thrill of the crime. Your observation is very accurate."
"Were you testing me just now?" Shimizu Akira suddenly realized.
The girl didn't answer directly, only offering a meaningful chuckle. "How about you listen to my judgment—" She paused, her voice carrying undeniable certainty. "I believe she'll choose to act after the entrance ceremony ends."
This conclusion greatly surprised Shimizu Akira.
Because what she said was exactly the same as the information he possessed.
"Then, can you guess my reasoning?" The silver-haired girl leaned slightly closer.
Shimizu Akira didn't respond directly, but instead turned his gaze to the gradually thinning crowd in the convenience store. "Because the entrance ceremony is about to begin, right?"
"Absolutely correct!" The girl snapped her fingers joyfully. "To be precise, there are 32 seconds left."
As if to confirm her words, 32 seconds later the campus broadcast rang out on time. "All students, please proceed immediately to the gymnasium. The entrance ceremony is about to begin."
Not far away, Kamuro Masumi turned somewhat stiffly, blending into the stream of students leaving the store. Her retreating figure resembled a hunter temporarily retracting her claws rather than giving up.
"Mental calculation ability?" Shimizu Akira asked.
"Just a small pastime to pass the time."
"Then can you calculate 15 multiplied by 24 multiplied by 16 in one minute?"
Sakayanagi Arisu's expression instantly froze.
The question was so simple it felt like an insult. "...5760," she answered coldly, with clear displeasure in her voice. "Even middle school students can do such basic mental math. If you really want to test mental calculation ability, you should at least give a four-digit problem."
"Is that so?" Shimizu Akira smiled casually. "But for an ordinary high school student, getting the answer in one minute isn't easy." He suddenly changed the subject. "Do you feel offended? Then why didn't I feel offended by the two probing questions you kept throwing at me earlier?"
'From the very beginning, she constantly probed with a condescending attitude, and now she's showing an insulted expression over a simple mental math problem.'
'This arrogance, almost like an inherent sense of privilege, truly befits a student from Class A.'
He took one last look at the silver-haired girl—indeed strikingly beautiful, but that ingrained sense of superiority was even more impressive.
Is this young lady a spoiled brat?
Shimizu Akira turned to leave, and had only taken three or four steps when a clear, bell-like voice suddenly rang out behind him.
"Student, please stop."
Before her words finished, there was a crisp snap.
The cane actually flew through the air, landing about a meter in front of Shimizu Akira's feet.
He abruptly stopped, first looking down at the cane lying across his path, then slowly turning his head.
He saw the silver-haired girl with her head slightly bowed, making her expression unreadable.
"I am Sakayanagi Arisu of Class A." Her voice was like melting snow, completely devoid of its earlier sharpness. "As you can see, this body isn't very strong. I can't even hurry to catch up, so I had to resort to this."
She pointed to the cane, looking at Shimizu Akira with an apologetic expression. "I was rude just now. Can you forgive me? If you're still angry, why not hit me a couple of times with it?"
Shimizu Akira's eyebrows twitched slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.
This high-and-mighty young lady could now so frankly bow her head and admit her mistake. She was more interesting than he'd imagined.
However, the next second, he suddenly froze.
Why did this line sound so familiar?
Horikita Suzune's figure flashed through his mind.
Wasn't this the same tactic of feigned weakness he'd just used to gain advantage?
Shimizu Akira's gaze lingered on Sakayanagi Arisu for a moment.
The girl's slightly bowed posture made her appear even more fragile, as if a gust of wind could knock her over.
Would a normal person actually resort to violence because of this?
Especially since she was a delicate girl with a weak heart.
His gaze subtly shifted upward, just catching the flickering surveillance camera in the corner. The cold lens silently recorded the scene.
So that's it.
To act would be to hand over leverage.
Not to act would be to implicitly accept her apology.
The silver-haired girl maintained her humble posture, but Shimizu Akira clearly saw a fleeting smirk on her lips.
What a brilliant trap, leaving him in a dilemma.
"Sakayanagi-san, you certainly have a lot of tricks up your sleeve."
Shimizu Akira suddenly leaned forward, and in Sakayanagi Arisu's astonished gaze, he lightly flicked his finger.
"Thwack—"
A crisp flick landed on her smooth forehead, not heavy, but enough to make her frown slightly.
"You—!" Sakayanagi Arisu covered her reddened forehead, a rare ripple of emotion flashing in her eyes. "To actually lay hands on a lady with limited mobility."
"Limited mobility?" Shimizu Akira chuckled softly, bending down to pick up the cane and tapping his knuckles lightly on its shaft. "When you threw it like a weapon just now, I didn't see you hesitate at all. Besides, didn't you say to let me vent my anger?"
He handed the cane back to her, his fingertips accidentally brushing her cool palm in a fleeting touch.
"This flick to the forehead—let's call it even." Shimizu Akira stepped back half a pace, his gaze sweeping over the flickering surveillance camera in the corner. "No evidence left, and it counts as accepting your apology. A fair trade, wouldn't you say?" He paused. "Also, a piece of advice—don't always put yourself in a superior position."
Sakayanagi Arisu's slender fingers slowly tightened around the cane, then she suddenly looked up, a sharp smile on her lips. "The difference between people is sometimes determined by talent—just like birds and fish, destined to live in completely different worlds. How can you expect me to treat those mediocre people equally?"
Shimizu Akira couldn't help but laugh. "With such embarrassing lines, how much resolve did it take to say them? Are you stuck in middle school syndrome?"