9. Noble Chemistry

By the time I was leaving the student council room with Rin’s unwarranted delusion, I saw a male student entering. Full with his blue hair along with his tidy attire of our high school's uniform.

And… that was it. Nothing else necessary.

Shiro and I then went back to the library. 

She helped me to sit down and then immediately started talking.

"Ah mou~ Big sis is so unbelievable!" she said, while pouting.

Honestly, I couldn’t blame her for saying that.

Rin was clearly responsible for that part, and her clumsiness wasn’t exactly trivial.

I glanced at the window, sunlight hitting the air molecules, particles shimmering faintly...

Meanwhile, Shiro simply couldn’t keep her mouth shut.

"If only she had been considerate, things wouldn’t have ended up like this…"

"Well, it’s fifty-fifty."

Shiro's eyes were fixed at me with a stern look.

"What do you mean by fifty-fifty? If anything, it’s like uh…"

Wait, are you kidding me? You’re actually counting her mistake?

She raised her hands. Her fingers started moving one by one.

"Something… like…"

Hey, can you stop? You don’t have to use the exact percentage—it’s just an analogy!

How would you even measure that kind of mistake? Are you that stupid?

Shake my head. This was unbelievable.

"Sixty-seven and thirty-three! Yeah!"

Oh no…

This kind of stupidity never seemed to cease. 

I couldn’t help but facepalm with the fullest disappointment.

"You actually did the percentage…"

"I know, right? I’m a genius, huh?"

The fact you wanted acknowledgment for that speaks volumes about your intelligence than anything else.

Anyway… there was something I really should ask.

"Shiro."

"Did you see that student walking into the council room? Who is he?"

Her lips pressed into a thin line, and she leaned forward slightly.

Shiro’s prideful expression suddenly shifted into sudden chilling seriousness.

"Kasegawa Yuuta," she said, her eyes narrowing slightly in a dry tone.

"But wait… how did you not know?"

"Where have you even been?"

"They’re from the same grade as us!"

Well… I have been wondering that too, Shiro.

And no, it’s not like I wasn't bothered. I’m just… bad with names, I guess.

I may recognize some students by their role or helpfulness, but names? 

They stick only if they leave an impression.

Honestly, I avoid flooding my brain with mundane information that might even reduce one percent of my memory for something that is much more useful. 

Any knowledge, if anything—no matter how difficult, I would heavily take it for granted.

"You really love daydreaming, don’t you?"

I wouldn’t call it daydreaming. Don't be stupid.

I ignored her question to stay on topic.

"Well, what is he doing with her?"

I asked, out of pure curiosity.

"Ugh, you’re so unbelievable."

She facepalmed.

"Okay, listen, Kamiya Akira-kun."

"He’s our current vice president!"

Oh… that explains why he seemed familiar.

During the school ceremony, he appeared along with Hanase Rin.

"Do you get it now?"

"Wait, why are you curious about him anyway?"

"Hmph!" She pouted, her arms folded like your average tsundere girl getting jealous.

Maybe stop acting like a damsel in distress for once, can’t you?

I crossed my arm in begrudging frustrations.

"No, it’s not like that. I don’t have those kinds of feelings, really."

Wait... why did I even have to clarify that? Am I the stupid one now?

Of course, my words had the exact effect I didn’t want to in the first place.

Shiro leaning back, crossing her arms like a cliché from some romcom.

"Heh, disgusting. Do you really think I’d imagine you two dating?"

You just did. I knew it.

"You were mistaken, you glasses idiot."

Hey, I get it. But can you not mash "glasses" and "idiot" together like that? 

That combo's awkward!

At library, the clock’s second hand dragged slightly.

Turns out I figured it was as inaccurate as its owner claimed.

"I mean… why are you so curious?"

Not sure why, but my first impression could easily be mistaken. 

Misunderstood. Strayed away from what seemed accurate.

And yet… it couldn’t have been more off than now.

That sense of air when he walked by—something about it.

In a glance, I noticed a certain confidence, though I couldn’t grasp exactly what it was.

A glint in his eye made me register a confidence I couldn’t quantify

His dark blue hair was well-combed, leaving no trace of messiness.

“Did you just imagine something about him? You’re so disgusting.”

“No, I wasn’t.” My eyes narrowed slightly.

"Liar." She rolled her eyes in disbelief.

To be fair… I wasn’t imagining him. 

My mind simply noticed patterns—confidence, posture, hair… all the things that screamed “He’s someone worth observing.” 

So yeah, I just... paid attention. That's it.

Not that she’d believe me, of course.

"Are you both perhaps talking about me?"

Wait, how the—

That all of a sudden intrusion came out of nowhere. 

I could barely detect his presence at all.

Is this guy a ninja or something?

"Uh no, Kasegawa-san! We are just talking about some random."

"Y-yeah! There's a student from the same class!"

"That's it."

Shiro—there’s no use lying now. He wouldn’t—

"I see." 

He nodded thoughtfully. His eyes were flicking as if suspecting her.

"Alright! Forget about it then!"

Wait, did he just buy it?!

No, no, no,... wait. 

A person like him cannot be that stupid, right?

"May I join with you guys? It seems fun."

I really got bad feelings about this...

Shiro just nodded, along with that signature smile on her face.

"Oh, sure! We have just finished studying."

Yet another 'convincing' lie, I guess.

Now that he had joined with us... 

And with him settled at the table, the air shifted. 

Something told me this was only the beginning.

Not because of anything obvious either.

No dramatic music. No sudden tension.

Just instinct.

The same unpleasant feeling you get when a seemingly harmless equation starts becoming far more complicated than it first appeared.

And somehow, Kasegawa Yuuta felt exactly like that kind of equation to me.

What was going to happen next?