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

Sakamoto seemed oblivious to the stares and comments.

He moved through the gaps in the crowd like a gentle breeze, disappearing into the brightly lit exit of the store, leaving behind only an elegant and mysterious silhouette and the lingering, faint scent of soap in the air.

Ayanokouji looked in the direction Sakamoto had disappeared, then glanced down at the mid-priced items in her shopping cart, before finally glancing at the cheapest items in Horikita's shopping basket.

Horikita remained standing in the same spot, her cool profile turned towards the direction Sakamoto had left, a lingering sense of confusion in her eyes. She seemed still immersed in the powerful image that had just unfolded.

First-Year Enrollment: Chapter 007: Food Tester Sakamoto

Inside the convenience store, the cool air emanating from the refrigerated display case area intertwines with the warm aroma wafting from the bakery area, creating a unique atmosphere.

The convenience store at the Advanced Nurturing High School has an astonishingly wide variety of goods.

The area between the shelves was sparsely populated, with only occasional footsteps and the ticking of scanners breaking the silence.

Kamuro Masumi carried a shopping basket, her purple hair cascading down her shoulders. Her indifferent purple eyes swept over the dazzling array of goods, yet a barely perceptible restlessness lurked deep within them.

She stood in front of the refrigerator. The fine droplets of water condensed on the glass blurred her vision, but they could not obscure the outline of the row of canned beer inside.

The bright red sign prohibiting minors from drinking alcohol is eye-catching, like an invisible chain that tightens around a dangerous desire.

My fingertips unconsciously traced the cold glass surface of the freezer.

Kamuro's heartbeat quickened slightly.

That familiar, chilling feeling of stealing from junior high school crept in like vines. Stealing… not for the beer itself, but for the secret thrill of breaking the rules and taking control. Her fingertips unconsciously twitched.

Her breathing quickened. Her gaze settled on a can of beer in the far corner of the freezer. The white packaging and simple logo were inconspicuous among the many colorful drinks, yet they attracted her like a magnet.

Pick it up... put it in your bag... it only takes a moment...

[Being discovered? It'll just be a lot of troublesome discipline...]

The staff are busy... no one's paying attention... the opportunity is perfect...

Two conflicting thoughts battled fiercely in her mind, tugging at her nerves.

The urge to steal and the risk of exposure caused a fine layer of cold sweat to trickle down her forehead, and her knuckles turned slightly white as she held the shopping basket.

She could even feel her cheeks burning.

Just then, out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of a figure near the prepared food section opposite the refrigerated display case.

Kamuroshi's gaze sharpened slightly.

A tasting station? Sakamoto?

She saw that Sakamoto was holding three items steadily in his left palm—a simple white soap, a basic plastic toothbrush, and a bottle of clear, unscented shampoo—as elegantly as if he were holding a royal vessel.

In his right hand, he was holding a small bamboo tasting fork.

He leaned slightly forward and smoothly used his fork to pick up a small piece of the prepared sample sausage.

He didn't put it in his mouth immediately, but instead held the fork up to his eyes, calmly examining the small piece of meat as if he were appreciating a miniature work of art.

Then, he calmly put the sausage into his mouth, chewed it slowly, his posture relaxed and focused, as if he were enjoying a chef's special at a Michelin-starred restaurant.

That composure and elegance, so different from the noisy convenience store environment, yet strangely blends together to create a striking visual effect.

Kamuro felt a sense of absurdity.

This guy, who seems to know the secrets of the S system, is actually trying free sausages at a convenience store?

And... his movements were so cool, like he was attending a cocktail party.

Confusion once again clearly appeared on her indifferent face.

But soon, another, stronger impulse overwhelmed this confusion.

She took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down.

She quickly picked up her shopping bag, bypassed the refrigerated section, and wandered aimlessly around the convenience store, picking up and putting down a few unimportant items.

My mind was a mess, with images of Sakamoto's calm figure and the beer in the freezer flashing alternately in my mind.

Finally, she returned to the refrigerator.

This time, impulse overcame reason.

Without even glancing at it, almost instinctively, she quickly opened the freezer door and her fingers precisely reached for the white-packaged beverage in the far corner. The cold metallic touch made her fingertips tremble.

She quickly stuffed it into her shoulder bag, her movements as swift as lightning.

"Clap."

The sound of the zipper closing was barely audible.

She quickly closed the cabinet door and walked towards the cashier area, her movements fluid and natural, as if nothing had happened.

Only she knew that the cold weight of the bag and the rapid beating of her heart were intertwining to create a twisted, agonizing sensation.

A few people were queuing at the checkout counter. Kamuro was at the end of the line, her face maintaining its usual indifference. She carried a shopping bag containing only a carton of milk and a rice ball, and walked quickly toward the checkout counter with her head down.

The cashier was a young girl who skillfully scanned the milk and rice balls.

"That's 200 points in total, student."

The cashier's voice was crisp and clear.

Kamuro took out her phone and steadily tapped the payment interface with her fingertips. She could even feel the outline of the can of beer in her bag.

"drop."

payment successful.

Kamuro picked up the bag containing milk and rice balls and turned to leave.

"Excuse me, please wait a moment."

A clear and gentle voice sounded from behind, neither too loud nor too soft, yet it clearly reached Kamishiro's ears.

Kamishiro stopped in her tracks. She slowly turned around, a barely perceptible sharpness flashing in her purple eyes.

Sakamoto was already standing a few steps behind her. He maintained his signature pose—left hand holding a soap bar, brush, and shampoo, as if holding a work of art.

But at this moment, his right hand... his right hand was holding a can of beverage.

A white can of beverage with extremely simple packaging.

The packaging is extremely similar to the can of beer in her bag!

Kamuro's pupils contracted almost imperceptibly.

We've been discovered? That was quick.

She remained expressionless, only slightly tightening her grip on the shopping bag, waiting for Sakamoto to continue.

A reprimand? Report to the teacher?

She had already begun to assess the consequences and devise countermeasures in her mind.

Sakamoto's face showed no accusation or anger, but rather a gentle, almost benevolent concern. His gaze calmly fell on Kamuro's slightly bulging shoulder bag, his voice remaining gentle:

"Your bag,"

He paused, his voice clear and steady.

"It seems we forgot to pay for something."

Kamuro's heart sank, but he maintained his indifference on his face.

As expected. She didn't even bother to argue; she simply calmly considered how to extricate herself.

Being caught buying prohibited items for minors is troublesome, but it's not the end of the world.

She reached into her shoulder bag, intending to take out the can of beer—now that she'd been caught red-handed, there was no point in trying to hide it anymore.

However, when her fingers touched the can, a strange, metallic coolness washed over her. She instinctively looked down—

The white packaging is correct, but the familiar beer logo is gone!

Instead, there is a similarly simple logo with a fresh fruit pattern and a clear line of text: 100% pure natural mixed fruit juice (non-alcoholic)!

Juice?! Not beer?!

Kamuro was completely stunned! Holding the can of juice as if it were an unexpected object, the indifferent expression on her face cracked for the first time, leaving only pure astonishment and disbelief.

She clearly had beer! How did it turn into juice?

Could it be… that she was so focused on Sakamoto's appearance that she grabbed the wrong one in her haste? This thought was immediately dismissed. Impossible; she remembered the location of that beer can perfectly clearly. Then… the only explanation is…

She suddenly looked up at Sakamoto.

Sakamoto continued to look at her calmly, a very faint, almost imperceptible smile playing at the corners of his lips.

He didn't speak, but simply nodded slightly at the bottle of juice in her hand, while gently shaking the same bottle of juice in his own hand.

Kamuro instantly understood! It was him! It must be him!

The moment she left the refrigerator, as she wandered around restlessly, he had already... secretly switched the drink!

He replaced the beer can with a can of juice in the same white packaging that looked similar! And the can in his hand was proof of that!

He had seen through her intentions long ago!

However, he did not expose her on the spot, nor did he put her in trouble for "stealing prohibited items for minors." Instead, he cleverly resolved the crisis in this way, and even saved her face.

He even... specifically brought a can of the same juice.

The immense shock left Kamuro's mind in chaos, and complex emotions surged within her.

She took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in her heart, and handed the bottle of juice to the cashier, her voice trembling slightly:

"This... I'll settle the bill there too."

"Okay, classmate."

The cashier seemed oblivious to anything amiss, smiling as she scanned the juice.

"Including the juice, that's a total of 300 points."

"drop."

Payment successful again.

Kamuro picked up the bag containing milk, rice balls, and juice, and turned to walk towards the convenience store exit.

It was as if nothing had happened.

Just as she was about to step out of the shop, that clear and gentle voice rang out again, reaching her ears clearly like a gentle breeze:

"Minors are not allowed to drink alcohol."

The voice wasn't loud, but it had a peculiar penetrating power. It wasn't preachy; instead, it felt like a kind reminder.

Then, the voice added, with a hint of relaxed laughter:

"Let's have some juice together next time."

Kamuro didn't pause at all and pushed the door open to leave.

Outside the convenience store, the hustle and bustle of the street rushed towards me.

Masumi Kamuro, clutching a bag, stood on the bustling street, her purple eyes slightly narrowed.

She could feel a surge of heat uncontrollably rushing to her cheeks, and her ears instantly burned.

"Shall we...have some juice together?"

She raised her head, her purple hair blowing in the wind, revealing her fair cheeks flushed with red.

In the sunlight, her eyes were filled with complex emotions—confusion, lingering fear, shyness… and a subtle, quietly budding… flutter of excitement that she herself was unaware of.

First-Year Enrollment: Chapter 008: Sakayanagi and Sakamoto

As dusk settled, the remaining crimson hues of the sky tinged the clouds.

The tree-lined path leading to the dormitory area is covered with cherry blossoms in full bloom, their pink and white petals fluttering down and carpeting the sidewalk like a flowing pink velvet carpet.

Sakamoto's figure appeared at the end of the road.

Instead of taking the main road, he stepped onto the narrow edge of the curb. His left palm held three items steadily—a plain white soap, a basic plastic toothbrush, and unscented shampoo—as if he were holding rare treasures.