She was also looking for someone.
Her target was likely the same as his.
Kamuro Masumi was also silent, but a more complex emotion surged in the depths of her purple eyes.
She looked at the silver-haired, purple-eyed girl opposite her, whose demeanor was so calm it bordered on indifferent.
She was too quiet, so quiet that she didn't seem to be enjoying her coffee.
Her gaze was sharp and focused, and she had also followed Sakamoto-kun in.
Who was she?
Why was she also so interested in Sakamoto-kun?
What was her purpose?
The two exchanged glances, and the air was filled with a silent tension called 'suspicion'.
They didn't know each other, nor did they know which class the other was from.
But at this moment, an unspoken understanding grew in the silence—the other person was definitely not just here for coffee. Their goal was likely the same.
But should she expose her?
Shiina Hiyori lowered her eyelids slightly.
There was no need. It was perfectly normal for someone to be curious about and track the dashing and mysterious Sakamoto-kun.
Exposing the other person would only alert them and might even reveal her own intentions.
Kamuro Masumi also pursed her lips.
She also didn't want to cause any complications. Sakamoto-kun had too many mysteries, and an additional observer might even provide a different perspective?
After a brief silence, Kamuro Masumi took a deep breath, breaking the stalemate first.
She raised her head slightly, her purple eyes looking at Shiina Hiyori, her voice maintaining a deliberately calm tone:
"Hello, my name is Kamuro Masumi, Class 1-A."
She proactively introduced her name and class, her posture open, yet with a subtle hint of a test.
Shiina Hiyori's purple eyes lifted slightly, meeting Kamuro's gaze.
The other person had spoken first.
Class A? Sakamoto-kun's classmate?
A Class A student could see Sakamoto-kun in class, so why follow him all the way here?
This didn't make sense.
Unless there was some special relationship between her and Sakamoto-kun?
Or did she have another purpose?
Shiina Hiyori nodded slightly, her posture elegant, her voice soft and ethereal:
"Shiina Hiyori, Class 1-C."
Class C?!
Kamuro Masumi's pupils contracted almost imperceptibly.
Class C, the Class C that Ryuuen Kakeru was in?
That Ryuuen Kakeru, who had conspired with Sakayanagi just yesterday afternoon, vowing to deal with Sakamoto-kun and crush Class A?
A strong suspicion instantly surged in Kamuro's heart.
Was this Shiina Hiyori a spy sent by Ryuuen Kakeru?
Her sharp purple eyes scrutinized the silver-haired girl in front of her.
Her calm gaze indeed didn't seem like that of an ordinary student.
Ryuuen Kakeru sending a girl to be a spy? That seemed a bit illogical.
Would a guy like Ryuuen Kakeru trust a girl who looked so 'frail'?
Or did she have another identity?
Shiina Hiyori keenly caught the fleeting suspicion in Kamuro's eyes.
It seemed that the people in Class A didn't have a good impression of Class C.
This Kamuro Masumi reacted so strongly after hearing that she was from Class C. Was she wary of Ryuuen Kakeru?
Or was she wary of herself?
The two fell silent again.
But this time, the silence was heavier than before, and the air was filled with invisible suspicion and probing.
Just then—
A familiar figure appeared again at the coffee shop counter.
Sakamoto-kun had taken off his black Waiter's apron and changed into a simple, neat cashier's uniform—a dark vest paired with a white shirt, with a burgundy tie at the collar.
This attire not only didn't conceal his demeanor but instead made him appear even more tall and straight, with smooth shoulder and back lines, like a front desk manager at a high-end hotel, exuding a professional yet understated elegance.
He walked steadily to the cashier's counter and stood still, smoothly adjusting his tie, his gaze calmly scanning the situation inside the coffee shop.
Shiina Hiyori's and Kamuro Masumi's gazes were instantly drawn to him.
Kamuro Masumi watched Sakamoto-kun standing behind the cashier's counter, her heart uncontrollably speeding up.
He changed clothes, is he going to take orders now?
Should I go directly?
What should I say?
"Sakamoto-kun, I'd like a latte"?
Would that be too deliberate? Would he recognize her?
He should remember the convenience store incident, right?
Kamuro's fingers unconsciously tightened on the hem of her clothes, a hint of hesitation and indescribable nervousness flashing in her purple eyes.
However, just as Kamuro was still struggling internally and hesitating—
Shiina Hiyori, sitting opposite her, had already stood up without hesitation!
Her silver hair traced a smooth arc with her movement.
Her purple eyes were calm, her posture composed, as if she were simply doing something perfectly natural.
She didn't spare Kamuro a glance, walking straight towards the cashier's counter.
Her target was clear—Sakamoto-kun!
Kamuro Masumi watched Shiina Hiyori's unhesitating, almost matter-of-fact back, her pupils instantly dilating.
An indescribable emotion suddenly surged in her heart.
What was that feeling?
Was it surprise at the other's decisiveness?
Was it annoyance at her own hesitation?
Or was it a sense of being preempted?
She watched Shiina Hiyori walk directly towards Sakamoto-kun's back, watched Sakamoto-kun seemingly notice someone approaching, slightly raising his gaze, his eyes behind his black-rimmed glasses calmly meeting Shiina's... first year o enrollment: Chapter 027: Sakamoto's Field Investigation
"Sakamoto-kun, what a coincidence."
Shiina Hiyori's voice was soft and ethereal, like a feather brushing by, yet it carried a peculiar penetrative power, clearly reaching Sakamoto-kun's ears.
Sakamoto-kun slightly raised his gaze, his eyes behind his black-rimmed glasses calmly falling on Shiina Hiyori.
He recognized her, the calm and focused silver-haired girl from the library, his "book friend" who loved mystery novels.
"Shiina-san."
Sakamoto-kun nodded slightly, his posture elegant, his voice clear and calm,
"Good afternoon. What can I get for you?"
His response was natural and appropriate, as if he were simply greeting an ordinary customer.
Shiina Hiyori's purple eyes flickered slightly, her gaze sweeping over the menu board above the counter, without much hesitation:
"A black coffee, with extra sugar. Thank you."
Her voice was still soft, then, changing the subject, her gaze calmly met Sakamoto-kun's eyes behind his glasses:
"Also, please give me a condensed summary of 'The Maltese Falcon,' if your establishment has one."
'The Maltese Falcon,' Dashiell Hammett's hard-boiled classic, filled with terse dialogue and complex conspiracies.
She was testing Sakamoto-kun's reaction.
Sakamoto-kun's eyes behind his glasses seemed to flicker slightly. He didn't directly answer whether he had the summary, but instead smoothly operated the ordering screen, his voice still steady:
"One black coffee, confirmed. As for 'The Maltese Falcon'..."
He slightly turned his head, his gaze seemingly piercing through the kitchen curtains,
"The 'falcon' that Detective Spade pursued was essentially a phantom of greed. Truth, like the bitter base of black coffee, reveals its true flavor unadorned. Shiina-san, this 'condensed summary' might already be in your cup."
A faint glimmer of light flashed in the depths of Shiina Hiyori's purple eyes.
Sakamoto-kun's reaction was indeed interesting.
This keenness and wit far surpassed ordinary people.
She nodded slightly, not pressing further, but instead posed another, more direct question:
"Sakamoto-kun, you're working here, presumably not for personal points, right?"
Her gaze was calm and sharp, as if trying to penetrate Sakamoto-kun's elegant and composed exterior.
Sakamoto-kun didn't evade at all. As he sent the order information to the kitchen, he candidly replied:
"Personal points? That's not the goal. I simply wanted to conduct a field investigation."
He leaned slightly forward, his body close to the counter, lowering his voice a few degrees, with a kind of frankness like sharing a secret, yet clear as day:
"This school, with its numerous shops, forms a self-contained system. Its operational model can only be understood by participating firsthand, to grasp its inherent logic."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the bustling students in the coffee shop,
"Observation is the first step to understanding rules. Shiina-san, you must be well-versed in this."
Sakamoto-kun pointed out her "observational" behavior, with a hint of unspoken understanding.
His posture was open, yet it made him seem even more unfathomable.
Shiina Hiyori's purple eyes narrowed slightly.
Field investigation? Grasping the logic?
Sakamoto-kun's objective was indeed not simple! He was studying the "rules" of this school itself!
Just as she was about to ask another question, Sakamoto-kun had already turned slightly, his gaze passing over her shoulder, looking at the spot not far behind her,
"Shiina-san, your black coffee will be served shortly. Now, could you please step aside? There are other customers behind you."
His posture was still elegant, but the implication of dismissing her was clearly discernible.
Shiina Hiyori understood instantly. Sakamoto-kun had already given enough information and had also revealed her intentions.
To press further would only appear to be pestering and would only cause annoyance.
Her purple eyes were calm and unruffled, and she nodded slightly:
"Understood. I apologize for the interruption, Sakamoto-kun."
With that, she no longer lingered, turning away from the counter, her steps still composed, as if the sharp exchange just now was merely an ordinary order.
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