[700 PS = +1 Bonus Chapter.]
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[Third-person POV]
Tsubaki Shinra was, above all else, a perceptive observer.
As the vice president of the Kuoh Academy student council, it was her responsibility to ensure that everything involving Sona Sitri — both administratively and socially — functioned seamlessly.
Tsubaki knew that something had been different about Sona since that volleyball game.
Although she had known Sona for years and was used to her near-obsession with analyzing anything unusual, Akihiro Nishihara had clearly captured her special attention.
As such, watching Nishihara-san wasn't merely a curiosity for Tsubaki but an act of loyalty.
She knew her friend needed answers, and if that meant keeping an eye on Akihiro, so be it.
According to Nishihara's school records, which Tsubaki had access to, he lived in a small apartment a few blocks from downtown Kuoh.
He didn't live alone but stayed with an aunt, who had been hospitalized at Kuoh Central Hospital two months earlier.
Living mostly on his own, Nishihara woke up at 6:30 a.m., showered, dressed in his school uniform, and ate breakfast while staring blankly and fidgeting with his hands.
The walk to Kuoh Academy was uneventful, aside from when he encountered Yamato — who always made a point to appear along the way.
Nishihara responded to his classmate with brief but well-placed remarks, which seemed to satisfy Yamato.
Upon arriving at school, Nishihara headed to his usual seat near the window, where he liked watching the activity outside.
This didn't mean he wasn't paying attention in class. On the contrary, Nishihara was an exemplary student.
It was something Sona had undoubtedly noticed after reviewing his academic records.
During recess, Yamato usually dragged Nishihara out to the playground or cafeteria to meet with other students.
Although Nishihara was polite to everyone, he rarely contributed actively to conversations.
So far, he seemed like an ordinary guy.
That morning during the break, Yamato was enthusiastically discussing the upcoming high school soccer tournament, clearly excited about his team's chances.
"Akihiro-kun, you should join the team," Yamato said with a smirk. "You mentioned playing soccer in the United States, so you'd probably be great here."
Akihiro Nishihara shrugged and replied, "I'll think about it."
Yamato laughed, giving his classmate a light pat on the back.
After classes ended, while most students either went to their clubs or headed home, Nishihara took an unusual route.
He exited through the main gate, just like everyone else, passing by Tsubaki, who observed him discreetly from a distance.
Nishihara didn't seem to notice her watching him—or he might have been pretending not to.
Instead of going home, he made his way to a nearby café.
When he arrived, he chose a table by the window.
Tsubaki hesitated outside for a moment. Was it too risky to follow him inside? But her loyalty to Sona won out. She pushed open the glass door and entered.
Tsubaki chose a table strategically positioned with a clear view of Nishihara, but one that would not draw attention to her.
Feigning interest in the menu, she kept him in her peripheral vision.
Nishihara seemed calm, gazing out the window as he waited for his order.
As Tsubaki watched him, a waitress stopped in front of her and accidentally blocked Nishihara from view.
"Can I get you something, miss?" the waitress asked with a polite smile.
Tsubaki answered quickly, "Just a coffee, please."
The waitress nodded and left.
When Tsubaki looked back at Nishihara, she noticed that a girl with long black hair, elegant and striking, was now sitting across from him.
"Where did she come from?" Tsubaki frowned and wondered.
She hadn't heard the bell above the entrance ring, nor had she seen the girl enter the café.
Besides, they seemed far too familiar with each other.
The girl leaned slightly forward, while Nishihara maintained an unbothered, relaxed posture.
"Well... although Nishihara has only been at Kuoh Academy for a short time, he has been in the city longer. He may have friends other than Yamato... or maybe even a girlfriend."
The thought crossed Tsubaki's mind, but she refused to jump to conclusions.
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed movement under the table.
Nishihara's expression changed slightly, as if he were struggling to maintain his composure. The girl, on the other hand, had a mischievous smile that made it clear she was enjoying herself at his expense.
"She's teasing him," Tsubaki observed, focusing on the girl's foot brushing against Nishihara's shin.
"So, they really are close after all."
Sona didn't know anything about Nishihara having such a close relationship with anyone in the city. Still, it wasn't the kind of detail that would show up in school records.
Was that enough to conclude the investigation into Akihiro Nishihara? Not yet, but Tsubaki didn't want to end up being inconvenient here and get in the way of something romantic.
When the waitress returned with Tsubaki's coffee, she gave a polite nod of thanks and glanced back at Nishihara's table.
Just as mysteriously as the girl had appeared, both she and Nishihara were now gone.
Tsubaki suppressed her irritation and quickly scanned the café, searching for any sign of them
The speed of their disappearance was suspiciously unnatural, confirming to Tsubaki that Nishihara was tied to something supernatural.
Glancing out the window near her table, she spotted them: Nishihara and the black-haired girl were casually walking down the sidewalk as if nothing had happened.
Tsubaki discreetly stood up, left some coins on the table for the untouched coffee, and exited the café. She was determined to find out who Nishihara really was.
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