When meeting strangers, some people come across as confident and outgoing, while others, even if they muster the courage to speak up, may end up too nervous to carry the conversation. After a simple greeting, they might run out of things to say, unable to move on to the next topic.
Even with the best intentions, conversations can quickly turn awkward.
It's not necessarily about being introverted; many people simply struggle to find the right rhythm in a first-time conversation.
Kotomi Izumi, of course, didn't just barge in and start talking. Nor did she lurk from the shadows. Instead, she deliberately slowed her pace, walking in their direction while giving herself time to observe.
With one glance, she could already get a sense of what kind of people the four of them were.
She stepped up with a cheerful grin and asked, "I'm Kotomi Izumi. So, where are you all from, handsome guys and pretty ladies?"
With Kotomi breaking the ice, the rest introduced themselves with ease. Her good looks and smooth way of speaking quickly left a favorable impression.
Beauty might be a trump card, but in Kotomi's view, relying solely on appearance was foolish. If you had education, social skills, and talent, why settle for playing just one card?
Those who bet everything on beauty alone rarely ended up well—a truth Kotomi knew very well.
If she had to name her strongest suit, it would be her two lifetimes of experience, which gave her a keen understanding of social dynamics.
The oldest of the group was a boy named Takamasa Hojou, from Osaka. Next was Mei Yamazaki from Hokkaido. Then there were two siblings from Izu: Shun Takino and Sakura Takino.
Three of them were second- or third-year students. Only Sakura and Kotomi were in their first year.
After the introductions, they congratulated each other on making it into the highly selective first-phase art exhibition.
Complimenting others is, in a way, complimenting yourself. So everyone suddenly found it easy to see the best in each other. They praised each other's talents a bit too enthusiastically, almost overdoing it.
After chatting for a while, Takamasa Hojou pulled out a pack of cigarettes and offered them around.
It's not uncommon for high school boys to carry cigarettes these days. Some even start as early as junior high.
Shun Takino accepted one.
Kotomi and Sakura Takino declined. Kotomi simply didn't like the smell of smoke, let alone smoking itself. As for Sakura, she clearly seemed like a girl well-protected by her family—there was no way she'd go near cigarettes.
She also seemed to follow her older brother's lead. Maybe it was because he looked serious, or maybe she was still just a little girl at heart. Being away from her parents for this exhibition, she naturally looked to her brother for guidance.
Not to mention, she probably didn't even know how to smoke. And with her brother around, she wouldn't dare try.
What older sibling would want their younger sibling to pick up smoking?
Mei Yamazaki took a cigarette with practiced ease, pulled a lighter from her pocket, lit up, and casually asked the boys, "Need a light, gentlemen?"
Most smokers carry their own lighters, but sometimes, even if you know they do, offering yours is a subtle way to close the social distance.
As the saying goes, a friendship might just begin with offering someone a light.
When a pretty girl offers you a light, how could anyone refuse? The two boys paused midway from reaching into their pockets and instead accepted Mei Yamazaki's lighter.
Kotomi didn't just stand there doing nothing. While the others smoked, she casually bought two drinks from a nearby vending machine and handed one to Sakura Takino with a half-joking smile:
"You guys smoke, we'll drink."
Shun Takino said, "Sakura, aren't you going to thank Sister Izumi?"
"Thank you, Sister Izumi."
"Just call me Izumi-nee."
"Izumi-nee~" Sakura chirped sweetly.
As the conversation continued, Kotomi learned more about them. Being selected for the first-phase art exhibition meant they all had considerable artistic talent.
What surprised her most was the Takino siblings—or rather, the Takino family. They had raised two children, a brother and a sister, who both made it into the first exhibition.
Only those who understood how brutal the selection process was could truly appreciate how impressive this was.
Takamasa Hojou was the kind who had talent but had begun to sense his own limitations. After finishing one cigarette, he sighed and lit another:
"Honestly, getting into this first exhibition was pure luck for me. Making it into the second one? Not a chance. That's why I want to enjoy Kyoto while I'm here."
Upon hearing this, Mei Yamazaki instantly lost all interest in him and didn't spare him another glance.
Kotomi noticed and chuckled inwardly but said nothing aloud.
She'd been observing Mei for a while and already had a decent read on her. Now, seeing that subtle reaction, Kotomi mentally quipped: "Player."
Shun Takino offered a similar sigh: "It can't be helped. To be honest, I don't have much confidence in getting into the second exhibition either. I heard Mashiro Shiina is participating, and that news alone crushed half of my hopes. She's like a massive mountain standing before all of us. There's just no way over."
Who wouldn't want to win prize money or secure a recommendation to a prestigious university? Who wouldn't dream of having their painting displayed in the most prominent spot in a museum?
Most of the students who made it into the first-phase exhibition might act humble, but deep down, they were proud. That pride was only shattered when they found out that Mashiro Shiina was also participating.
Mei Yamazaki exhaled a puff of smoke and said:
"Actually, it's not just Mashiro Shiina. I heard there's another student whose work stunned the judges like a dark horse. No one knows their name yet, but the painting supposedly carried just as much impact as Shiina's.
"The theme? A sunset."
"Interesting—we're only at the first exhibition, and already we've got two strong rivals."
Takamasa Hojou and Shun Takino looked visibly pressured.
Only Kotomi silently sipped her drink, not joining the conversation.
After all… she was the second strong rival Mei Yamazaki had just described.
Upon hearing that there were two formidable contenders in the National Art Awards—one of whom was the world-class genius artist Mashiro Shiina—the atmosphere above Hojo Takamasa, Shun Takino, and Sakura Takino felt noticeably heavy.
Meanwhile, Mei Yamazaki puffed on her cigarette without a care, and after a few minutes of silence, she began talking about her hobbies.
Just as Kotomi had guessed, Mei Yamazaki's interests were quite open. She liked going to nightclubs and bars, had a very rich romantic history, and often enjoyed flirting with innocent boys and girls when she had free time.
Anyone who heard Mei Yamazaki speak would find themselves thinking the same thing—what a player!
Especially Kotomi, who couldn't stand players, whether male or female.
While Shun Takino was smoking, perhaps because he took a deep puff too quickly, he suddenly choked and coughed hard several times.
It was a common occurrence, but unexpectedly, Mei Yamazaki chuckled and said mockingly:
"This kind of cigarette only costs a few yen per pack, of course it's harsh. First-timers should try something more expensive—smoother and richer, right, Takino?"
Shun Takino, who clearly had a crush on Mei Yamazaki and had been swooned by her earlier, instinctively nodded without even realizing that by doing so, he was essentially agreeing with her statement.
Hojo Takamasa immediately looked displeased. Mei Yamazaki's remark was clearly a jab at the cheap cigarettes he brought, and now Shun Takino was nodding in agreement?!
"I've always smoked these in Osaka, never tried the expensive stuff. If you've got some, let me try it sometime. Might broaden my horizons," Hojo Takamasa muttered as he put out his cigarette.
Only then did Shun Takino snap out of it and realize he might've said the wrong thing. Embarrassed, he hesitated, unsure whether he should apologize.
Mei Yamazaki, on the other hand, continued smoking Hojo's cigarette like nothing happened.
The atmosphere in their conversation suddenly dropped several degrees.
Only Kotomi remained unfazed, sipping her drink and casually asking Sakura Takino for her contact info. She had been paying attention to the trio's interaction and thought:
High schoolers are just too damn cute—fighting over the most trivial things.
At the same time, Kotomi's impression of Mei Yamazaki shifted.
Initially, she thought Mei Yamazaki was just a party girl who liked smoking, drinking, and socializing.
Now, it seemed that not only was Mei Yamazaki a socialite, but she also had the ability to drive a wedge between two guys who'd been getting along just fine.
Girls who could pull off stunts like that were rare in high school circles. Seeing one here at an art exhibition in Kyoto was certainly eye-opening.
Her tactics were a bit immature, but for ordinary high schoolers, they were practically overpowered—like a dimensional shift in battle level. Kotomi figured that once Mei Yamazaki reached college, her skills would level up even further.
Who knows how many innocent boys and girls she'd charm and wreck by then?
Unfortunately for Mei Yamazaki, even if she used all her charm, it wouldn't work on Kotomi.
Because Kotomi had one flaw: she was a clean freak.
Kotomi could tell that Mei Yamazaki's little tricks weren't born from malice—just boredom and amusement. Realizing that, Kotomi simply shook her head. As for Takino...
After getting Sakura's contact info, Kotomi quickly lost interest in staying any longer. She casually found an excuse and left first, heading to the nearby mini-mart to buy a case of Pepsi.
By the time Kotomi returned carrying the case, the four others were discussing where to eat dinner. Although there had been some tension earlier, since it was their first meeting, the mood had already lightened.
That was exactly why Kotomi hadn't bothered to step in earlier. First, she didn't have the time or desire to play the role of a peacemaker. Second, little frictions during first meetings are common and usually blown over quickly. Most of the time, the people involved don't even take them seriously. If no one brings it up, the issue passes on its own.
But there are always those who love playing the "nice person," offering long-winded advice. The problem is, these self-appointed peacemakers often don't know how to phrase things properly.
More often than not, their well-meaning efforts only fan the flames. A minor spat can escalate into a real problem, all because some well-intentioned person decided to intervene.
Kotomi knew this all too well—so she simply minded her own business.
And look, without anyone interfering, the atmosphere had naturally eased up.
"Izumi, we're about to go find a place for dinner. Want to come with us?" Mei Yamazaki asked with a smile.
There was a certain street-smart air to Mei Yamazaki, and the way she had subtly tested Kotomi earlier using small tricks had not gone unnoticed. Kotomi had seen through each one and deflected them effortlessly. In short, Mei was not someone she wanted to get too close to.
Not that Kotomi was afraid of her—they were both seasoned veterans in their own right. But why make things difficult when you can keep them simple?
Kotomi didn't want to spend too much time around Mei Yamazaki. As for Sakura Takino, she could always find time during a future break to visit Izu and invite her out for lunch.
But dinner with them now? Kotomi chose to refuse outright. Besides, Mashiro was still waiting for her upstairs.
"No thanks, but thank you for the invite. I already ate dinner—and I overate, honestly. Now that I'm stuffed, all I want is to sleep early and rest, so I'll pass. See you, have fun tonight."
Seeing Kotomi decline, no one pressed her. They'd just met and weren't close—who insists on dragging someone out to eat under those circumstances? One less person might even mean saving a bit of money.
After Kotomi left, Mei Yamazaki glanced at the heavy rain outside the window and chuckled softly.
"The rain's only getting worse. Who knows when it'll stop? I say we just leave it for now—we've all exchanged contacts, so once the weather clears up tomorrow, we can plan to eat together. Kotomi won't be too full then, and we can invite her again."
And just like that, their dinner plans quietly fell through. The rain really was intensifying—it could go on for hours.
They each returned to their rooms.
Mei Yamazaki, however, didn't take the elevator back to her room. Instead, she quietly followed behind Kotomi, who was slowly walking ahead with the case of Pepsi.
She found it odd—why had Kotomi chosen the long way around instead of using the elevator near the lobby?
The moment she saw Kotomi enter the elevator exclusive to the presidential suite, her eyes widened.
"Whoa—presidential suite? I guess I underestimated her a bit. Should I just make her the target instead?" Mei Yamazaki looked at the private elevator door with a sly smile curling on her lips.
Inside the elevator, Kotomi set the case of Pepsi down and muttered to herself after witnessing everything:
"That Mei Yamazaki woman actually tried to tail me just now... tsk... I shouldn't have gone up and talked to her earlier. Oh well, it's just her petty schemes—I can turn them around and make them ten times more elaborate. If she really tries something, I'll probably have sold her off before she even makes a move."
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