She narrowed her eyes which were as dark as the night sky and stared at me, "The way you talk… the way your eyes move… it all seemed far too calculated."

I was surprised to be honest, as I was out of words and stood there in silence. Her intuitions and perception are too sharp, so I can't keep continuing with my methods.

Looking at my astonished expression, she chuckled and said, "You think I wouldn't notice those subtle signs… didn't you?"

It was time for me to go full offensive on her so I directly called her out, "Aren't you like that too?"

"Huh?" She gave me a sharp look but I kept staring at her.

Judging by her eyes, I could tell she was waiting for me to speak further. I decided to break the silence between us, "You know… the perfect Senpai… but not so perfect after all."

As those words left my mouth, she clenched her jaws and clicked her tongue in irritation but it was too subtle to see. Taking a deep breath, as her matte hair which was kept open moved freely with her, she said, "Well… I never considered myself to be perfect."

"But people did." I said, running my hands through my hair while keeping my eyes at her.

"People say anything… it's better to not mind everything." Flicking the strands of hair that were in front of her, she said in a bitter tone.

I narrowed my eyes at her, "You know what people say sometimes depends on reality."

My words pierced her like a knife as she gave me a sharp look, and walked closer to me, and looked me straight in the eyes, "What are you trying to say?"

"I don't… what do you think?" Looking down at her eyes, I replied.

Now that she was standing so close to me, I could tell that she was tall, but her head reached only till my eye level. She appeared taller that day when I saw her in keikogi.

"If you have something to say to me, then say it clearly." She was clearly biting stones at this point. Stepping back, she added, "I don't like people who run in circles."

"I also like straightforward people. But it seems you aren't as straightforward as I thought perhaps?" I answered looking at her with a sly smile.

"You think I'm not a genuine person?" She asked, raising one of her eyebrows.

"You think that's a bad thing?"

"Of course it is." She replied with a nod.

"I think our perspectives differ a lot, Senpai." I said with a small chuckle that left her with a confused expression. She kept looking at me curiously, as I continued, "For me, being genuine or not is just a matter of circumstances."

Nodding slightly, her eyes shifted diagonally upwards, as she gave it a thought momentarily, "Hummu… a matter of circumstances?"

Knowing what she was doing, or at least her mind was working at that moment, I asked, "You seem to understand that very well?"

Her narrowed eyes shifted at me as with a small chuckle, she said, "You have an interesting perspective about things…"

"Perhaps that explains the way you do certain things?"

"Certain things?" I asked, as her statement was rather vague. I couldn't tell what she might be referring to in particular.

"Like using Yuna and Vivian to get close to me." She laughed softly.

She has seen through me from the first day onwards. It actually surprised me because dealing with Naoto differed completely from what I felt when I was dealing with Saki and Reina.

"You definitely are quite observant, aren't you?" I sighed and raised my hands in defeat, as there was no fooling her.

Looking at my downcast expression, she added, "Well, I didn't say it's a bad thing."

Her mind was really hard to grasp. Things she says are really linkless or, most of the time, it's really diplomatic. I asked her, "So even though you realise why I'm here… you're not concerned?"

"Why should I be?" She replied in a relaxed tone as if this doesn't concern her in any way. The confidence, rather the pride in her tone, was immaculate.

"A boy you have never met you asked you out with ulterior motives… I think that is more than enough reason to be concerned."

She pointed her index finger at me and said, "You… you seem way too relaxed for someone with ulterior motives."

"Maybe I'm good at hiding my anxiety…" I replied casually, to test her. If there was no fooling her, then I'll have to use her against herself.

"Ah… you're interesting after all." She burst into a peal of laughter.

"Eh?" I tilted my head in confusion.

"You're interesting too…" She stopped giggling and looked at me through her slanted eyes.

"Is that so?"

"I want to know more about you." I said, and her eyes widened for an instance before returning to their normal stance.

"Hummu… there isn't anything worth knowing about me." She replied with a shrug.

I never knew telling someone about being interested in them can be as straightforward as this. Since I have read that most people aren't honest with their feelings from this perspective. But then again, exceptions exist.

"That's what an interesting person would say." I joked about it.

"Sure…" She followed around with a smile on her face. It was also the first time I saw her smile around me.

In the midst of our smiles, I asked, "Senpai, tell me one thing…" As she looked at me, I continued, "Why are you disinterested in everything?"

"What do you mean?" She stopped smiling and asked in a blunt tone.

"You know… you seem to not care about anything…"

"If you're talking about the things Ryuhan said, then forget about it."

"I was just curious." I shrugged, and continued, "Since I have heard that Kendo club is great."

"People and their stereotypes… I hate them." Her tone clearly expressed her distaste for it.

"Huh?"

"What you heard might be wrong."

"But you…" I wanted to ask something, but she interrupted me, "Sakamaki-kun, you should go now… I'm going to train."

Closing my mouth, I nodded, "Oh… sure. Sorry for taking your time."

I don't know what happened, but maybe she realised that her tone was rather rude and cold, "Oh don't worry, I enjoyed this conversation."

"Well… then… see you?" I walked past her towards the door and she nodded without uttering a single word, "Hummu…"

The conversation between us was really useful, but my cover was blown and it seems like all this time I was on her palms. Eventually, things are going to change, that's for sure, but I would have to assert my presence in her life now.

My passive approach to this didn't work, so it's time for me to devise a new plan. I may need Kizhashi's help again this time.