Kamiki let out a soft sneeze as his eyes fluttered open.
The first thing he saw was Yuki’s vibrant, purple eyes, gleaming with mischief.
She quickly hid a lock of hair behind her back, unable to suppress her giggles.
Time had flown by without a pause.
Exactly four years had passed since the day they all sat around that final table.
They were nine years old now.
And out of the fourth generation, they were the only ones left.
Twenty-six out of the thirty children had succumbed to the brutal, merciless regime, swallowed whole by the dark corridors of the White Room.
The remaining four were no longer mere children; they were the absolute masterpieces of the system.
The curriculum had long surpassed human limitations.
For the past year, they hadn’t been pitted against other children, but against professional adult fighters and military instructors in the ring.
Every strike their bodies endured only served to forge their iron wills into something indestructible.
As if the physical torture wasn’t enough, the mental burden had skyrocketed.
They lost themselves in the intricate equations of quantum mechanics and tried to outmaneuver one another in the strategic labyrinths of game theory.
Every single second of their days was meticulously planned.
Advanced natural sciences, philosophical debates, psychological analysis, and manipulation techniques…
The instructors increased the dosage every single day, intent on breaking them completely.
But right now, they were enjoying one of those rare, golden moments of respite in the midst of that living hell.
Lying on the white mat in the stark grey room, Kamiki slowly lifted his head.
“Yuki,” Kamiki said, his voice deeper than usual from just waking up.
“You’re making trouble again.” Yuki dropped to her knees, bringing her face inches from his.
Over the years, that 97-point devotion score had bloomed into a massive, consuming love within her heart.
“But you looked so peaceful sleeping, Kamiki-kun,” Yuki murmured, her voice as sweet as music.
“It’s so rare to see you look this calm.
I just couldn’t help myself.” Across the room, Shiro closed her thick philosophy book and slowly stood up.
Her long, snow-white hair cascaded over her shoulders with every movement.
Fixing her icy blue eyes on Yuki, a spark of jealousy instantly flared to life within her.
Shiro slammed the heavy philosophy book shut.
The sharp thud echoed off the cold walls of the room.
She stood up, her long, snow-white hair spilling down her shoulders like a waterfall.
She glared directly at Yuki, the spark of jealousy instantly turning into a blaze.
She began walking toward the table.
“Leave him alone, Yuki,” Shiro said, her voice cutting and ice-cold.
“Let him sleep.
Don’t wake him up just for your own amusement.” Still on her knees, Yuki whipped around, keeping the lock of hair hidden behind her back.
She pouted, locking eyes with Shiro.
“I was just trying to cheer him up,” Yuki shot back, her voice rising defensively.
“We’re buried in tests every single second.
Stop being jealous, Shiro!” “Jealous?” Shiro retorted, stepping up right next to Kamiki.
“I just want him to stick to his rest schedule.
Your childish antics are ruining his focus.” “Childish?” Yuki snapped, springing to her feet.
She stood toe-to-toe with Shiro, a stubborn fire blazing in her purple eyes.
“Kamiki-kun smiles because of me.
All you ever do is stare glare from across the room.” “Because I respect his boundaries,” Shiro said, her voice detached as always, yet carrying a subtle tremor.
“You, on the other hand, are invading his personal space.” “I am not invading anything!” Yuki fired back sharply.
“Kamiki-kun has never once been mad at me.
Right, Kamiki-kun?” Kamiki, still lying on the mat, hadn’t fully opened his eyes yet.
He simply listened to the bickering.
This kind of tension had become a daily routine for him.
Kiyone stood at the far end of the room.
She placed her book down on the table with a slow, deliberate movement.
Her golden eyes held a deep sense of weariness.
Completely accustomed to the scene, she let out a heavy sigh.
With quiet steps, she walked toward them.
Her footsteps made absolutely no sound, making her approach like a ghost.
She came to a halt right behind them.
Shiro and Yuki were still glaring daggers at each other, their love and rivalry seemingly suffocating the air out of the room.
Suddenly, Kiyone raised both hands and brought them down hard on their heads.
*Whack!* “Ow!” Yuki cried out, clutching her head with both hands.
Shiro winced in pain, her brows furrowing as she ducked her head.
She gritted her teeth but didn’t make a sound.
“Both of you, quiet down,” Kiyone said, her usual mechanical tone laced with authority this time.
“The real noise disrupting Kamiki’s sleep is this meaningless bickering.” Yuki looked up at Kiyone, tears welling in her eyes.
“Kiyone-chan!
That really hurt!” “The force of the physical impact was perfectly calibrated,” Kiyone stated flatly.
“No permanent damage was inflicted.
I merely intended to redirect your focus.” “You still didn’t have to hit us,” Yuki muttered, still rubbing her head as she took a step closer to Kamiki.
Kamiki sat up completely, drawing the attention of all three girls back to him.
He took a brief glance at the system inside his mind.
He quickly scanned the display.
The glowing data before his eyes was crystal clear: [ Yuki: 99 ] [ Shiro: 98 ] [ Kiyone: 56 ] A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
Yuki and Shiro were right on the verge of absolute devotion.
In this relentless hell, the intense love they had cultivated within these cold walls had set them apart from all the other children, turning them into true monsters.
Kamiki knew exactly why the numbers hadn’t reached a perfect 100 yet.
The system rules were rigid.
For these stats to hit their ultimate limit and lock in, it would likely require an explicit confession, turning their bond into an official relationship.
Inside the White Room, that was practically impossible for now, but the potential was just waiting to be unlocked.
Meanwhile, Kiyone was climbing steadily in silence.
Even she—the epitome of rigid logic, the genius girl who saw the world as nothing but numbers—had already crossed the halfway mark.
Her admiration and deep attachment to Kamiki were pushing her numbers higher by the day.
Kamiki got up from the mat entirely and smoothed out his white uniform.
He let his gaze drift over the girls.
“Kiyone is right,” Kamiki said smoothly, his voice calm yet carrying enough authority to cut through the lingering tension.
“Your noise was lowering the efficiency of my rest.” Yuki immediately stepped in front of Kamiki, blinking her purple eyes up at him while still gently rubbing her head.
“But Kamiki-kun,” Yuki said, her melody-like voice turning into a clear swipe at Shiro.
“I just wanted to be right by your side when you opened your eyes.
Shiro just had to jump in and ruin everything.” Shiro held her head high, the deep, fiercely competitive light of love in her blue eyes burning as bright as ever.
She took a step toward Kamiki.
“You were the one disrupting the order, Yuki,” Shiro argued.
“Kamiki-kun needs absolute focus ahead of his quantum mechanics exam.
Your selfish amusements are draining his analytical power.” “Selfish?” Yuki knitted her brows, standing right in Shiro’s face.
“I give him strength just by being near him.
All you do is watch him from a distance and sketch out plans, Shiro!” “I don’t make plans,” Shiro said, lowering her voice as she looked directly into Kamiki’s eyes.
“I am right behind him.
In the ring, and in the tests.
I am the one who deserves to stand by his side the most.” “That’s not for you to decide,” Yuki hissed.
The friction between the two girls felt hot enough to scorch the room.
Their jealousy was fed entirely by their immense love for Kamiki.
Kiyone crossed her arms and stepped between them, her golden eyes scanning both girls.
“Your love for Kamiki,” Kiyone spoke, her voice seamless and flat as always, “renders you significantly stronger than the average subject.
However, in situations like this, it completely overrides your logic.
In other words, it simultaneously makes you weak.” Shiro and Yuki whipped around to face Kiyone at the exact same time, their faces flushing a brilliant crimson.
A mix of anger and embarrassment echoed through the room.
“I am not in love with him!” they shouted in unison.
Kiyone rolled her golden eyes in a slow, clean motion.
She tilted her head slightly and let out a quiet breath.
“It is entirely transparent,” Kiyone said, without a shred of doubt in her tone.
“Your heart rates have accelerated.
Your skin tones have shifted.
Your body temperatures have risen.
One does not need to be a genius to deduce this.” Kiyone slowly shifted her gaze to Kamiki.
*’Kamiki is likely aware of this as well,’* she thought to herself.
*’With data this glaringly obvious, it would be illogical for it to escape his notice.’* Kamiki, however, kept his eyes fixed on the grey floor tiles.
Not a single muscle in his face moved.
Now was not the time to debate emotions.
Thus, he chose to act as though he hadn’t heard a single word.
Shiro quickly took a step toward Kamiki, her blue eyes trembling with panic and mortification.
She clenched her hands into tight fists at her sides.
“Kamiki-kun, don’t believe her!” Shiro cried out, her voice much louder than usual.
She shook her head frantically.
“I’m not in love with you at all!
I just…
I just care about your efficiency!
I want to surpass you as a rival, that’s all!” Kamiki slowly raised his gaze to Shiro.
He looked at her flushed cheeks and her cascading white hair.
Shiro tried to avert her eyes from his, but she couldn’t manage it.
*’Shiro…’* Kamiki thought to himself.
*’Is she really a tsundere?’* Yuki chimed in immediately.
She was just as flushed as Shiro, but her reaction carried a more competitive edge.
“Yeah, Kamiki-kun!” Yuki said, glaring at Shiro.
“I only want what’s best for you too.
Kiyone is talking absolute nonsense.” “You are merely experiencing difficulty accepting reality.
It is a psychological defense mechanism,” Kiyone stated matter-of-factly.
“Shut up, Kiyone!” Shiro snapped, her blue eyes practically flashing with fire.
Kamiki raised his hand slightly to intervene.
That single gesture instantly silenced all three girls.
The heated atmosphere in the room dissolved in a second.
“Alright, calm down,” Kamiki said, his tone smooth and soothing as always.
“First of all, Yuki’s actions make this place a bit more lively.
So, I don’t mind it.” As he spoke, Kamiki reached out.
He caught Yuki’s flushed cheek between his fingers and gave it a gentle squeeze.
Yuki instantly burst into giggles, her embarrassed expression melting into a joyful radiance.
She took a step back, trying to playfully squirm out of his grasp.
“You’ve been doing that since we were babies, stop it!” she teased, pretending to run away.
But her movements were so slow it was entirely obvious how happy the touch made her.
Watching this play out, Shiro clenched her fists even tighter.
The wave of jealousy in her blue eyes peaked.
She took another step closer to Kamiki.
“Kamiki-kun,” Shiro said, her voice a mix of hurt and defiance.
“You’re spoiling her.
This will cause her to slack off.
If she loses her concentration during training, you’ll be the one responsible.” Kamiki withdrew his hand from Yuki’s cheek and looked into Shiro’s panicked, jealousy-filled blue eyes.
“Yuki won’t slack off, Shiro,” Kamiki said flatly.
“Her source of motivation is stronger than anything else in this place.
Just like yours.” Yuki turned around and stuck her tongue out at Shiro.
“See, Shiro-chan?
Kamiki-kun knows me better than you do.
And I never slack off!
Just watch how I take down that instructor in the ring.” After pulling his hand back from Yuki, Kamiki locked his gaze onto Shiro.
Shiro was still firmly on the defensive.
The fierce, jealous, and utterly bewildered look in her blue eyes completely exposed her inner turmoil.
Kamiki took a step forward, standing right in front of Shiro.
“Besides,” Kamiki added, softening his voice just a fraction.
“Knowing that Shiro-chan thinks about me this much makes me truly happy.” Without a moment’s hesitation, he reached out again.
Just as he had done with Yuki, he pinched Shiro’s smooth, stark-crimson cheek between his fingers, squeezing gently.
Shiro froze.
Her blue eyes widened in absolute shock.
The moment the warmth of Kamiki’s fingers brushed against her skin, she felt all the blood rush straight to her face.
She tried to pull away quickly, but her legs refused to cooperate.
“Who…
Who is thinking about you!” Shiro yelled, her voice cracking slightly from the rush of adrenaline.
She jerked her head back, breaking free from Kamiki’s grip.
“I just…
I just don’t want my rival growing weak!
If you can’t focus during training, defeating you won’t mean a thing!” Her words were sharp, her denial fierce.
Yet, no matter how hard she fought it, the corners of her lips involuntarily curled upward.
The faint smile blooming on her face made her deep happiness and satisfaction undeniable.
Seeing this, Yuki immediately pouted.
She crossed her arms and stomped her foot against the floor.
“Hey!
Kamiki-kun!” Yuki whined, a clear flash of jealousy taking over her purple eyes.
“Why are you doing the exact same thing to her?
Didn’t you say only my actions made this place lively?” “Because Shiro maintains the order in her own way, Yuki,” Kamiki said, slowly lowering his hand.
“You both have different roles to play.” “Just like Kiyone-chan,” Kamiki added, the stable, commanding aura in his voice never wavering for a fraction of a second.
Saying this, Kamiki slid another step to the side.
This time, he extended his hand toward Kiyone.
He caught the cheek of the absolute paragon of logic—the girl who viewed the world strictly through numbers—between his fingers and gave it a soft squeeze.
“Thank you for always watching over them and keeping the peace,” Kamiki said, looking directly into her eyes.
Kiyone went completely rigid for a moment.
She didn’t even blink.
It was as if time had ground to a halt at the exact point where Kamiki’s fingers met her skin.
“You are welcome,” Kiyone replied.
Her voice remained flat and devoid of expression, losing none of its robotic undertone.
However, no one in this room was ordinary.
Every single one of them was a prodigy of observation.
Anyone looking closely could see a faint pink hue spreading across Kiyone’s pale white skin.
Her blood flow had accelerated.
Her body temperature had ticked upward.
And everyone in this room possessed the sheer capability to notice that down to the absolute finest detail.
Shiro and Yuki froze simultaneously, their eyes widening in shock.
Their gazes darted first to Kiyone’s flushing cheek, and then to each other.
In the exact same millisecond, the exact same thought crossed both of their minds.
A brand-new contender was entering their eternal rivalry.
It appeared that Kiyone might just be their newest and most dangerous rival yet.
That indestructible wall of logic had begun to crack under a single touch from Kamiki.
“Kiyone-chan…” Yuki said, her voice laced with sudden bewilderment and alarm.
“Did you…
did you just blush?” “You must be mistaken,” Kiyone countered.
She pulled her head back slightly, breaking away from Kamiki’s hand.
She made no move to hide the flush on her face, knowing that suppressing a physiological response was an absolute impossibility.
“You’re lying,” Shiro said, narrowing her blue eyes.
She sized Kiyone up like a predator assessing its prey.
“Yeah!” Yuki chimed in, her voice filling the room.
“We both saw it, Kiyone-chan!
Your cheeks literally turned as pink as a tomato!
Aren’t you supposed to be purely driven by logic?” Despite the intense pressure closing in on her, Kiyone fought to maintain her dull, expressionless mask.
But the slight warmth radiating from her cheeks had yet to fully dissipate.
Yuki placed her hands on her hips.
“You’re totally dodging the question!
Kiyone-chan, don’t tell me you also like Kamiki-kun—” Kiyone didn’t let Yuki finish the sentence.
Snatching her book off the table in a swift motion, she pressed it tightly against her chest.
Her voice reverted to its usual emotionless cadence, but her strides were already carrying her toward the furthest corner of the room.
“This stage of the discussion is entirely counterproductive.
The instructors are scheduled to arrive shortly.
I must optimize my mind for the upcoming test.” “Look, she’s still changing the subject!” Shiro muttered, her eyes locked onto Kiyone’s retreating figure.
“She’s literally running away.” “Alright, that’s enough,” Kamiki said.
His voice was smooth and calm as always, yet it carried an immediate authority that instantly diffused the tense air in the room.
“Leave her be.” Kamiki’s simple intervention cut off Shiro and Yuki’s pressure on Kiyone like a knife.
Both girls drew their eyes away from Kiyone—who had taken refuge in the corner—and turned them back to Kamiki.
Kiyone let out a quiet breath.
Pressing the book even harder against her chest, she tried to suppress the chaotic turbulence brewing in her mind, sparked by the way Kamiki had just swept her out of that ring of jealousy.
Her heart rate was gradually returning to normal, but for the first time, a clear look of gratitude shimmered within her golden eyes.