The day was clear, with no clouds in sight. The sky stretched endlessly, its soft blue shade giving the island a serene atmosphere. Inside the classroom, Arakawa sat in his seat, arms crossed, staring blankly at the whiteboard as Miss Yui conducted her lessons.

Unlike the previous day, there were no major announcements—just regular classes. Arakawa listened in silence, occasionally glancing around at his classmates.

Once the final class ended, the students began leaving for lunch or their dorms. Arakawa, uninterested in casual conversations, packed his things and headed toward the hallway.

As he walked, a voice called out from behind.

“Hey! Wait up!”

Arakawa turned his head slightly to see Sakura Suzuki, the most popular girl in class, catching up to him.

“Hello,” she greeted, flashing him a bright smile.

Arakawa, unfazed, replied with a simple, “Yes?” His voice was calm, devoid of any warmth.

Sakura raised an eyebrow. “What a cold response,” she said, crossing her arms.

“I never talked to you before, so I wasn’t sure how to react,” Arakawa answered.

But in truth, he simply had no interest in talking to her. It was nothing personal—just another thing to avoid unnecessary complications.

Sakura smirked. “So why not start talking to me now? I’ll help you improve your social skills.”

Arakawa’s sharp eyes fixed on hers. “If you’re offering me something, that means you also want something from me. So what is it?” His voice remained calm, but there was a piercing curiosity in his gaze.

Sakura feigned innocence. “What do you mean? I just want to help a fellow classmate. Nothing more, nothing less.”

Arakawa studied her for a second before shrugging. “Well, thanks, but I haven’t eaten yet, and classes will resume soon. If there’s nothing else, can I leave?”

Before he could take another step, Sakura’s smirk widened. “Wait, why don’t we eat together?”

Arakawa glanced at her, unimpressed. “I’d rather not.”

“Oh? Why not?” she asked, tilting her head.

“I want to keep my social life peaceful,” Arakawa stated plainly. “I don’t want unintended attention by eating with the prettiest girl in class.”

Sakura blinked, momentarily stunned by the unexpected compliment.

“…So I must refuse,” he finished before turning away. “I’ll be going now. Bye.”

Without another glance, Arakawa walked off, his disinterest evident in every step.

Sakura remained standing in the sunlit hallway, watching him disappear into the crowd. The sunlight reflected off her face, illuminating a smile that was both enchanting and unsettling—a mixture of admiration and something far more dangerous.

“I found you, darling,” she whispered to herself.

Her expression, bathed in golden light, was truly a divine sight. But beneath its beauty lay something more… something that could easily turn into obsession.