"Senpaku, I am Sakamoto. What brings you here?"

"despair!"

A very faint, almost imperceptible tapping sound rang out.

The tray, which had been resting steadily on the corner of the table, suddenly began to spin as if it had been given life!

"Secret Technique - Spinning Top Catch".

Sakamoto's clear voice was like a declaration that transcended time and space.

As he spoke, the four elegant Chinese characters "陀螺承接" (Spinning Top Catch) and the English calligraphy of "SPINNING TOP CATCH" suddenly appeared in the air within half a meter around him, as if they were holographic projections.

The edge of the tray cuts precisely under the trajectory of the falling coffee cup at an incredible angle!

The coffee cup fell, and the bottom of the cup touched the edge of the rotating tray!

There was no collision.

It did not overturn.

The steaming cup of coffee, along with the delicate bone china cup, seemed to be under a spell, landing steadily and lightly in the center of the rotating tray.

The liquid in the cup swayed violently due to the enormous inertia, and it looked like it was about to overflow the rim.

however--

Sakamoto's left hand, as if it had been waiting for a long time, was raised very naturally, with its five fingers spread and palm facing down, and was placed very gently, as if soothing a frightened butterfly, on the rotating tray!

"Secret skill added - STILL WATER PALM."

The second announcement was made.

In front of his palm, the words "Still Water Palm" and "STILL WATER PALM" reappeared, spreading out like ripples on the water's surface, echoing the previous "Spinning Top Connection".

An invisible, gentle current seemed to emanate from his palm!

The tray's rotation speed suddenly slowed down, becoming smooth and elegant.

The surface of the coffee liquid, which had been swirling violently in the cup, was instantly calmed down as if gently smoothed by an invisible hand.

The dark brown liquid surface was as smooth as a mirror, without even a ripple. The suspended specks of light from the text vanished silently, as if they had never existed.

The whole process was smooth and fast!

From the moment the coffee spilled due to the shaking inside the mountain, to Sakamoto stepping back, sweeping the tray, catching the cup, and stabilizing the liquid, it was all done in one smooth motion!

It was as fluid as a meticulously choreographed dance! The composure, the effortless mastery, and the precise control over power, angle, and timing were breathtaking to everyone present!

"Wow——!"

After a brief silence, the coffee shop erupted in suppressed gasps and whispers!

"Oh my god! What just happened?!"

"A secret technique?! Did he just shout out 'secret technique'?!"

"Words! I see words floating in the air! Am I seeing things?!"

"A rotating tray to catch the cup? Smoothing the coffee with the palm of your hand? Is that even possible for a human?!"

Haruki Yamauchi, Kanji Ike, and Ken Sudo were completely dumbfounded!

His mouth was agape, big enough to fit an egg, and his eyes were wide like saucers, staring intently at the tray holding the coffee cup steadily in Sakamoto's hand, and at the calm, dark brown liquid inside.

"Hello, hello, hello..."

Haruki Yamauchi's voice trembled as he pointed at Sakamoto.

"Who is he? Whose waiter is so skilled?!"

"I... I think I've seen him before."

Ike Kanji rubbed his eyes hard and stammered,

"He seems to be Sakamoto, the one from Class A?!"

"Sakamoto?!"

Takeru Sudo suddenly realized, "It's that Sakamoto who performs the 'suspended sitting' act in the cafeteria?!"

"Yes, yes! It's him!"

Ike Kanji excitedly slammed his fist on the table.

"Sakamoto from Class A! That legendary figure! What's he doing working as a waiter here?!"

The surrounding chatter instantly became clear:

"Sakamoto! It's Sakamoto from Class A!"

"It really is him! That incredibly elegant guy!"

"That's truly impressive! That last move was absolutely divine!"

"Why would he be working here? An elite student from Class A, Grade 1?"

"Who knows? Maybe they just enjoy experiencing life?"

As Haruki Yamauchi listened to the surrounding discussions, his face flushed red and then turned pale.

Of course he had heard of Sakamoto's great name. He had always thought those unbelievable rumors were exaggerations, and even thought that the other party was like himself, a guy who liked to brag and create hype.

But now that he had witnessed that incredible skill firsthand, he felt a burning pain on his face!

That enormous gap felt like ice water being poured over my head!

But Yamauchi is Yamauchi after all! His "confidence" is deeply ingrained!

He suppressed his shock and embarrassment, abruptly stood up, straightened his back, and tried to put on an expression of "everything is under control," then loudly addressed Sakamoto:

"Ahem! Um... Sakamoto-san, right? Just now... thank you for helping me out!"

He deliberately raised his voice, trying to attract attention from those around him.

"However! Even if you don't intervene, I can handle it myself! This kind of trivial matter is nothing to me, Haruki Yamauchi!"

However, nobody paid any attention to him!

All eyes, including those of Kanji Ike and Ken Sudo, were fixed on Sakamoto, their eyes filled with amazement, curiosity, and inquiry.

Haruki Yamauchi's "bold words" were like a stone thrown into the ocean, failing to even create a ripple.

Sakamoto seemed not to hear Yamauchi's "thank you" and "declaration".

His expression was calm and undisturbed, as if he had merely brushed away a speck of dust.

He turned slightly to face Yamauchi, and with an elegant gesture, gently placed the tray, along with the perfectly intact cup of coffee, back onto the table in front of Yamauchi.

"Excuse me, student, please be careful."

His voice was clear and calm, without the slightest hint of emotional fluctuation.

Hot drinks are easily spilled, but a troubled mind is hard to calm.

These words seemed to possess a certain magic, instantly quieting down the previously noisy coffee shop.

Sakamoto's gaze calmly swept over the students who were still gossiping around him; his voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears:

"Dear students, your coffee is served. Please enjoy it. Lunch break is precious, so let's not let the noise disturb your peace."

His voice was gentle, as if he were the true owner of the café.

The surrounding chatter seemed to be paused, quickly subsiding.

The students quickly looked away, refocusing on their coffee and conversation, though the amazement and curiosity in their eyes remained undisguised.

On the other side of the coffee shop by the window, there was a small round table for two.

At the moment Sakamoto resolved the crisis, Shiina Hiyori and Kamuro Masumi, as if drawn by a magnet, entered the café simultaneously and were forced to sit at the same table due to the scarcity of seats.

At this moment, their gazes never left the tall, black-haired boy standing beside the three-person table in Class D.

Deep within Shiina Hiyori's violet eyes, ripples of emotion stirred that were difficult to quell.

The incredible rescue move, the absolute control over the laws of physics, and the composure he displayed in the face of crisis all refreshed her understanding of Sakamoto.

He's like a mystery novel that never ends, with every page holding amazing puzzles and answers.

Longyuan's mission seemed to be more complex and interesting than she had imagined.

Kamuro Masumi unconsciously clenched her hands, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

The "magic" of convenience stores is now the "secret technique" of coffee shops.

How many unknown aspects does Sakamoto have?

Why is he working here? For points? Or for some other purpose?

Could someone as dashing as him really fall victim to the schemes of Sakayanagi and Ryuen?

The two sat in silence, their gazes occasionally meeting in the air before quickly shifting back to Sakamoto.

Sakamoto seemed oblivious to the stares from the corner.

He straightened the hem of his black apron with a smooth and elegant movement.

Then he turned around and walked steadily toward the back kitchen of the coffee shop, as if the thrilling rescue just now was nothing more than a trivial interlude in his elegant daily life.

First-Year Enrollment: Chapter 026: Sakamoto in the Kitchen

In the coffee shop, the shockwaves from Sakamoto's miraculous rescue had not yet completely subsided; the air was filled with the rich aroma of coffee and hushed whispers of amazement.

Haruki Yamauchi, Kanji Ike, and Ken Sudo sat around their table, the atmosphere somewhat awkward.

Haruki Yamauchi's cheeks still flushed with embarrassment. He picked up the cup of coffee he had "lost and found" and tried to use a big gulp to cover up his embarrassment and disappointment at being ignored.

"Hiss—! It's so hot!"

The scalding hot coffee made him wince and almost throw the cup away, drawing merciless laughter from Ike Kanji and Sudo Ken.

"Hahaha! Yamauchi! What's your hurry! You just saved the coffee, and now you want to spill it again?"

Takeru Sudo slapped the table, laughing so hard he almost fell over.

"Shut up, Sudo!"

Enraged, Haruki Yamauchi put down his cup, forced a composed expression, and wiped his mouth.

"I was just testing the temperature! What's a little heat! If I hadn't been careless just now..."

"Come on you!"

Chi Kanji rolled his eyes and carefully blew on his coffee.

"If it weren't for Sakamoto-kun, you would have spilled this coffee on the floor by now! And you're still bragging!"

"Hey! Chi! Who's on your side?!"

Haruki Yamauchi stared wide-eyed.

"I'm not on either side! I'm just worried about losing my points!"

Chi Kanji looked at the prices on the menu with a pained expression.

"The most expensive coffee... Yamauchi, if I listen to you again, I'm a pig!"

The three of them bickered and teased each other, and the awkwardness and shock seemed to gradually dissipate in their unique "foolish" interaction, leaving only the heartache over the points and the lingering amazement at Sakamoto's fleeting glimpse.

On the other side of the coffee shop by the window, at the small round table for two where people were forced to share, the atmosphere was completely different.

Hiyori Shiina and Masumi Kamuro sat in silence.

Two chairs faced each other, with a small round table between them, which was empty.

After Sakamoto left, their gazes finally left his tall, upright figure and inevitably fell on him.

Time seemed to freeze for a few seconds.

Hiyori Shiina's violet eyes were calm and still, like a deep pool.

Her slender fingers unconsciously caressed the strap of her shoulder bag; the novel inside seemed to still retain the warmth of the library.

The silver-haired girl's thoughts raced as she looked at the purple-haired girl before her.

She didn't come here for coffee.

That eager, searching posture, that shock and complexity that flashed in Sakamoto's eyes when he resolved the crisis—it was exactly the same as my own.