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

Asahina Nazuna took a deep breath, seemingly organizing her thoughts, and tentatively asked:

“Sakamoto-san… do you know our second-year student, ‘Miya’? Ah, I mean…”

Before she could finish saying the name, Sakamoto calmly interjected:

"Is that the second-year student council vice president, Senior Nagumo Masashi?"

Asahina Nazuna paused slightly, then smiled and said:

"Ah, yes, yes! It's him! You knew it right away?"

She was surprised by Sakamoto's keen insight.

But thinking about that miraculous encounter and resolution just now, it seemed to make sense.

"When I was working at the coffee shop, I had the privilege of seeing my senior and Vice President Nagumo dining together in the shop."

Sakamoto explained.

"I see. Sakamoto-san is very observant."

Asahina Nazuna sighed, a complex emotion welling up inside her.

This Sakamoto is not only elegant in his movements, but also has amazing observation and memory skills.

That almost mythical eye contact just now still makes her heart flutter a little...

It's a pity, alas. This "chance encounter" was actually a staged event she orchestrated herself, intending to use it as an opportunity to strike up a conversation.

To her surprise, the other party's reaction and actions completely exceeded her script, and they even knew the topics she wanted to bring up.

This made her both annoyed and irresistibly attracted to this sense of control.

He's really handsome...

However, she quickly suppressed those rosy thoughts and her expression became more serious.

After all, she came here on serious business.

"Since you know him, I'll keep it short."

Asahina Nazuna's smile faded.

"I must warn you, be careful of Nan Yunya. He... he's plotting something against you."

She stared intently at Sakamoto's face, trying to catch a glimpse of a change.

But Sakamoto's expression remained calm.

It seems that the news that "the student council vice president is going to deal with him" is true.

It was just a gentle breeze gliding across the water.

Seeing that Sakamoto had no reaction, Asahina Nazuna grew impatient and continued:

"I wouldn't call this informing... well, although Aya and I are indeed very, very close, we've always been like this since we were little..."

"However, some of the things he's done lately have really upset me! And I've overheard a little bit about the methods he's planning to use against you, and they might be extremely vicious! Really!"

Her tone became somewhat agitated:

"So, I actually hope that you, Sakamoto-kun, can teach him a lesson! Make him behave himself!"

This is the core reason why she deliberately leaked the information.

She and Nan Yunya were indeed deeply entangled in a tragic love affair. They went to the same school from elementary school to high school, were inseparable, and their relationship was more intimate than that of an ordinary couple.

However, Nagumo's biggest problem is his womanizing and unbridled desire for control.

He actually started to have feelings for Ichinose Ho, the sunny, cheerful, and lovable girl in Class 1-B, and even used his position as the student council vice president to learn her secrets!

This made Asahina extremely jealous.

But that's not the most important thing; Nagumo's womanizing ways have been going on for a long time.

What frustrated her even more was that Nagumo regarded Sakamoto as "her greatest rival in the future."

Instead of using the time and energy that could have been used to "win over" Ichinose, they devoted it all to figuring out how to deal with Sakamoto!

This made her feel slighted.

She wanted Sakamoto to dampen Nagumo's arrogance.

Sakamoto listened quietly to Asahina Nazuna's emotional outpouring and plea, which was tinged with personal feelings.

He remained silent for a few seconds, seemingly pondering the meaning behind her words.

After a moment, he nodded slightly:

"I see. Thank you for letting me know, senior. I understand now."

When Asahina Nagisa heard this, she knew that he must have understood and remembered it.

Although I don't know what he will do, the goal has been achieved.

She breathed a sigh of relief, and a bright smile returned to her face:

"That's good, I'll be going now."

With that, she turned to leave.

Just as she turned around, Sakamoto suddenly spoke:

"Senior, please wait a moment."

"Ok?"

Asahina Nazuna turned around in confusion.

Sakamoto slowly raised his right hand, which had been empty.

In his palm lay a sunflower-shaped hair clip, its luster shimmering in the sunlight.

It's exactly the same as the one on her head!

"In the midst of that near-collision,"

Sakamoto's voice was gentle.

"My senior's hair clip accidentally fell off. I'm returning it to its rightful owner."

Asahina Nazuna then raised her hand in surprise to touch her hair.

Sure enough, I discovered that the hair clip I had been wearing on my right temple was gone.

She didn't notice at all.

"Ah, it really fell. I didn't even notice. Thank you, thank you so much, Sakamoto-san."

Asahina Nazuna blushed and hurriedly took the hair clip, which still retained a trace of warmth from Sakamoto's palm.

She clutched the sunflower hair clip tightly.

She watched as Sakamoto nodded slightly to her again, then turned away.

They disappeared gracefully at the other end of the tree-lined avenue.

The afternoon sun gilded his tall, straight back with a golden edge.

First Grade Midterm Exam: Chapter 056: Sakamoto Receives the Exam Paper

The evening sun shone through the bright window.

The sunlight slanted into the classroom of Class 1-A.

The echo of the school bell hadn't completely faded when the air in the classroom began to cool down rapidly.

Unlike the relaxed atmosphere of Class D, the students in Class A mostly walked briskly, leaving with clear goals in mind.

They might go to the library to study, participate in club activities, or engage in group learning.

In this highly efficient atmosphere, one figure seemed somewhat out of place.

Miki Yamamura sat in a corner near the back row.

Her soft, long blue hair was tied into a neat side ponytail, hanging down her shoulder.

She kept her head down, her slender fingers unconsciously curling the corners of the open notebook pages.

But his gaze kept drifting towards the direction by the window.

Her presence was very faint, like a drop of water falling into the ocean.

No one particularly disliked her, but it also seemed that no one really paid attention to her.

She always came alone, quietly, and left quietly.

It was like a silent backdrop in the classroom.

This contrasts subtly with Sakamoto, who also often spends time alone.

Sakamoto's solitude is like a solitary peak, unique and extraordinary.

It is an absolute being that attracts all eyes even in silence.

And her loneliness,

It is a complete, almost transparent concealment.

However, in her heart, Sakamoto was not out of reach.

She remembers clearly that during one of her cleaning duties at the beginning of the school year, she was responsible for wiping the windows on high places.

The stool wobbled a bit, and she almost fell off clumsily.

Sakamoto happened to be passing by, and instead of immediately offering help, he did so in a way she couldn't understand but was incredibly elegant—seemingly just casually tapping a specific spot on the stool leg with his toe—

The wobbling stool stabilized instantly.

He didn't even glance at her, nor did he say a word.

He left calmly, as if he had accomplished a trivial task.

But that moment of stability and that silent relief were deeply imprinted in Miki Yamamura's heart.

For her, that was the moment she was "seen".

Even if it might just be wishful thinking on her part.

At that moment, she took a deep breath, as if gathering all her courage.

Her hand gripped tightly a slightly conspicuous roll of paper documents.

The fingertips turned slightly white from the force applied.

No more hesitation.

I must tell him this.

She saw that Sakamoto had already packed his schoolbag and was standing up properly, ready to leave.

It's now.

Miki Yamamura suddenly stood up, the chair legs scraping against the ground with a slight sound.

But the sound was quickly drowned out by the footsteps of the last few students leaving.

She almost jogged, head down, weaving between the desks and chairs, and blocked Sakamoto's way as he was about to walk towards the classroom door.

"Um...that! Sakamoto-san!"

Her voice was barely audible, and trembled noticeably.

Her cheeks quickly flushed red, and even the roots of her ears turned pink.

She bowed deeply and handed over the slightly crumpled roll of paper with both hands, not daring to look up at Sakamoto's expression.

"I'm so sorry to bother you, but please accept this!"

Sakamoto paused, bowing slightly.

His gaze fell on the blue-haired girl in front of him, who was almost curled up in a ball.

And on the suspicious roll of paper in her hand.

His expression remained calm as always.