Chapter 37 A Straightforward Gift of Jasmine, Wishing You Never to Leave
The final scores for the preliminary round have been announced, and Risa has advanced to the semi-finals with the "Best Creativity and Interaction" award.
Looking at the list of those who advanced on the bulletin board, Risa wasn't particularly happy; instead, she felt it was only natural. All her training since April had paid off; her physical condition hadn't held her back.
On the way back to the classroom, a tall, slender figure blocked my path.
“Con artists hate being conned the most~” Niou Masaharu leaned against the wall, his silver hair hanging over his shoulders, a playful smile on his lips.
Risa tilted her head innocently: "What is Niou-kun saying? I don't understand."
"Performance competition, would you like to partner with me?"
This time, Risa understood.
His subtext was: You're playing me? Well, I'll make you experience what it's like to be tricked.
Risa had heard about the art performance competition.
Before the final, there is a free exhibition match, which is not scored and is purely for entertainment.
Participants drew lots to form teams, and were free to improvise their performances. Based on past competitions, this arts performance competition is the most popular part among students.
Risa looked directly into Niou's fox-like eyes: "Niou-kun, are you inviting me, or threatening me?"
Niou Masaharu: "Guess?"
Risa smiled: "I don't want to guess."
"Puri?" Niou Masaharu didn't expect Risa to be so clueless. "Risa-chan, how about we make a bet? No matter what number you're drawn in the exhibition match, I'll be your final partner."
"Great. I'll be watching."
Risa smiled back and walked past him sideways.
-
On the evening of the third day after the preliminary round ended.
On the training court of Rikkai University's tennis club, the sound of hitting the ball rose and fell.
Yukimura sat on a bench by the field, his long fingers flipping through the sign-in sheet, his gaze lingering on a certain name—Niou Masaharu, followed by a series of blanks.
“He’s been absent for three days already.” He frowned slightly, his voice gentle yet carrying an undeniable air of authority. “Sanada, have you received his leave application?”
Sanada pulled down the brim of his hat, his tone serious: "No."
Renji Liu closed his notebook and calmly added, "According to the data, his recent activities have been concentrated in the drama club and empty classrooms near the dressing room."
Marui Bunta popped a bubble and interjected with a grin, "You're not going to be doing some kind of con artist training again, are you?"
Kirihara Akaya scratched his head: "But didn't Niou-senpai already win the Campus Ambassador title last year?"
“This time it’s different.” Liu Lianji opened his phone and pulled up a poster. “This time, Niou is a former champion who was recommended by a special guest judge and entered the competition midway through the season.”
Everyone: "...???"
The poster prominently features a brief introduction of Niou Masaharu—a silver-haired boy in Rikkai University uniform, sporting a wicked smile, accompanied by a promotional tagline:
Let me show you the charm of Rikkai University!
Although the "Campus Image Ambassador" charter clearly states "no gender restrictions," females have accounted for as much as 80% of the participants over the years, and the competition has long been equated with beauty pageants in the minds of students.
Sanada's face instantly turned as black as the bottom of a pot: "Too lax..."
Yukimura, however, examined the poster with great interest, lightly tapping his fingertip on it. "The reason that con artist would make an exception and sign up for the competition midway through..." He glanced at everyone with a smile in his eyes: "Aren't you all curious?"
Tennis club members: "..."
(Even a fool could guess who it is =v=)
-
On the fourth day after the competition ended, the crowd in front of the school bulletin board was more crowded than usual.
Risa stood on tiptoe and barely managed to see the brand-new poster through the gaps in the crowd.
A close-up of Niou Masaharu's profile occupies most of the poster; the silver-haired boy wears a Rikkai University uniform, a sly smile playing on his lips. Most striking is the bold promotional tagline at the bottom of the poster:
Let me show you the charm of Rikkai University!
"What's going on?"
Chinatsu, standing next to Risa, widened her eyes: "Niou-senpai is going to participate in the image ambassador competition? Isn't this competition always..."
“That’s not how it works, Chinatsu.” Asuka adjusted her glasses and explained seriously, “The competition rules clearly state that there are no gender restrictions. Although the gender ratio of participants in the past five competitions was 80% female…”
Jieyue: "Look at the small print in the bottom right corner—'Recommended by Special Invited Judges'."
Risa's heart skipped a beat.
The special guest judge... isn't he the man who sat next to Liu Sheng during last week's semi-finals, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, with a tense face and not saying a word the whole time?
She recalled that when the host introduced him, he only said "special artistic director" and didn't even mention his name.
"It looks like this year's competition is going to be very interesting."
A clear, gentle voice suddenly sounded behind me, like a breeze carrying the scent of jasmine.
The four of them turned around at the same time, and the notebook in Qianxia's hand fell to the ground with a "thud".
"Yukimura-senpai..." Chika's voice caught in her throat, and her cheeks flushed red at a visible speed.
The "Son of God" from Rikkai University, that infamously beautiful man, stood less than a meter away from them. He held a bunch of budding white jasmine flowers in his arms, and his beautiful eyes, as clear as amethyst, held a faint smile.
Asuka adjusted her glasses, the lenses reflecting a white light: "Based on past data, Captain Yukimura has never participated in the ambassador competition. I wonder if he'll make an exception this time and cast his vote?"
"Well..." Yukimura's voice was as gentle as ever, "I'm more looking forward to seeing an unexpected performance."
His gaze fell on Risa, and he stepped forward, handing the bouquet to her: "The gardening club pruned the flowers today, and these are the extras. You can put them in the activity room to add some life."
Risa liked Jasmine anyway, so when she heard him say that, she didn't hold back.
"Thanks~" she said, taking it from him.
This seemingly ordinary interaction made Chinatsu's eyes widen. Chinatsu subtly nudged Yuzuki beside her with her elbow, and Yuzuki nudged Asuka in turn. The three girls exchanged knowing glances.
(These two people, could it be...)
The two seemed oblivious to the girls' subtle movements. After exchanging a few simple pleasantries, Yukimura prepared to leave.
As they brushed past each other, Yukimura leaned close to her ear and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Good luck~ I'll vote for you."
He paused, then added, "Congratulations on advancing. Your performance in the preliminary round was... truly amazing."
Risa's eyelashes trembled, and her ears inexplicably burned. By the time she came to her senses, Yukimura had already walked several steps away.
Chinatsu eagerly leaned closer, gossiping, "Risa-senpai, what did Yukimura-senpai just say to you?"
Just as Risa was about to answer, the school building's loudspeaker suddenly announced:
[Notice: The semi-finals of the 33rd Rikkai University Campus Image Ambassador Competition will be held at 3:00 PM on June 13th in the auditorium. All participants are requested to immediately go to the Student Union office to draw their performance order. Repeat...]
The four people looked at each other in bewilderment.
"I have to go now." Risa handed the bouquet to Yuzuki. "Could you please put the flowers in the activity room? There's a crystal vase on the bottom shelf of the cabinet."
The three girls watched Risa's hurried departure, then looked down at the bouquet of white jasmine in their arms, which had been casually entrusted to her.
Yuzuki: "The flowers Yukimura-san personally gave me, she really only intends to put them in the activity room..."
"I'm giving you jasmine, hoping you won't leave. Lord Yukimura, this is a blatantly direct approach!" Asuka said, somewhat exasperated.
Yuzuki sighed and smiled wryly, "I didn't expect that Risa, who is usually so delicate and sensitive, would be so oblivious when it comes to matters of the heart."
"Should we... give her a little reminder?" Chika asked hesitantly.
Yuzuki and Asuka exchanged a glance and said in unison, "No!"
When it comes to matters of the heart, it's best to respect the wishes of the individuals involved and let things take their natural course.
-
In front of the student union office.
Just as Risa was about to knock on the door, she suddenly heard arguing coming from inside.
"What exactly are you trying to do by using your judge privileges to let Niou participate?"
Judging from the voice, it sounded like Yagyu's. Risa had been sitting next to him for almost two months, and she rarely saw him speak in such a serious tone.
"Just trying to make the competition more interesting," another deep male voice said in a low voice. "Besides, aren't that silver-haired boy and the little girl in your class quite interesting?"
The silver-haired boy? That must be referring to Niou Masaharu.
Risa's finger hovered in mid-air, unsure whether she should knock on the door.
Just then, the door suddenly opened from the inside.
“Standing at the door to eavesdrop is not a good habit, Matsuno-kun.”
Risa looked up. The man leaned against the door, his tall, slender figure encased in a well-tailored three-piece suit—a typical elite look.
(It's that judge who remained silent throughout the preliminary round...)
Risa remembered the gaze that had been fixed on her from the judges' panel, and her throat tightened inexplicably.
His gaze was so focused and sharp, like a wild beast sizing up its prey in the shadows, not in a hurry to pounce, but making you feel like you were sitting on pins and needles every second.
"Excuse me, I was just notified to come and draw lots."
The man's gaze lingered on her face for two seconds before he gracefully stepped aside to make way for her.
Risa walked into the office.
Yagyu sat behind his arched desk, his fingers interlaced on the surface, with a lottery box in front of him. Behind him stood the student council secretary, Yagyu Renji, who always kept his eyes closed in a state of rest.
"Matsuno-kun."
The man paused at the door, his long, slender fingers resting on the doorknob: "No matter the outcome, please make sure to give me time after the match."
After the man left, Risa turned to her desk.
"Who was that just now...?"
"Director Kurosawa is a special guest judge for this competition," said Yagyu.
"Kurosawa...Director?"
Liu Lian flipped to a certain page in her secondhand notebook:
"Akito Kurosawa, 31 years old, graduated first in his class from the Graduate School of Film Studies at Tokyo University of the Arts. He is one of the leading new directors in the Japanese film and television industry in the past decade and won the Best New Director Award at last year's international film festival. Ninety percent of the amateur actors he works with have won the Newcomer Award that year. His suspense films have grossed over 5 billion yen at the box office."
Risa was speechless after hearing this.
The fact that Rikkai University could invite judges of this caliber to a campus competition shows that they truly have hidden talents.
At the bottom of Yanagi Renji's profile page, there is a circled line of text with three red exclamation marks next to it:
The most dangerous talent scout.
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Author's Note: Bug Fixes_2025/8/14
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