In the silent, deserted alley, Sakura had been tightly biting her lip, saying nothing as she processed the violent scene she had just witnessed.
She had summoned the courage to come here today in hopes of resolving this issue quickly and then, later that evening, confess her hidden side to Hikaru, revealing everything to him with complete honesty.
However, she had severely misjudged the situation. Never had she imagined that the male employee would turn out to be so terrifying. When she saw him approaching, fear surged through her body, rendering her entirely paralyzed.
That was until she saw Hikaru's figure appear behind the man. In that moment, a strange sense of relief washed over her—a feeling that as long as he was there, everything would be fine.
Just like when he helped her get her camera fixed, every time she felt troubled or anxious, he always showed up just in time to save the day.
"Hi-Hikaru-kun…"
She whispered his name in her heart, and her eyes were filled entirely with his image.
After sending a brief message to Horikita Manabu explaining the situation, he quickly agreed to come and take over. Hikaru put his phone away and walked up to Sakura.
Fixing his gaze on her pale face, he spoke softly, "Sakura-san, it seems you still haven't taken to heart what I told you last time."
"As friends, we should share our problems. I'm here to support you and help you carry the burden."
"This is such a troublesome situation, yet you chose to face it alone. What does that make me in your eyes? Am I really that insignificant to you?" Hikaru's expression darkened as he spoke, feigning irritation.
He knew full well that this was a golden opportunity to strengthen her trust in him—a surefire way to increase her stock price.
"No! Of course not!"
Hearing his words, Sakura trembled with fear. She was terrified that he might misunderstand her intentions. Without thinking, she reached out to grab his sleeve, gripping it tightly as she stammered, "Hikaru-kun… you're very important to me. I just… I just wanted to resolve this as soon as possible so I could tell you something important."
"This has nothing to do with you, and I didn't want to drag you into it, but…"
She was babbling, desperately trying to explain herself. Tears of anxiety welled up in her eyes.
"I… I didn't mean to hide it from you, Hikaru-kun. Please don't be angry, okay?"
Watching her frantic expression, Hikaru discreetly glanced at his system interface and sighed.
"So that's the reason, huh? Alright, I'll accept your explanation."
He looked her straight in the eye and couldn't help but think how much simpler Sakura was compared to Kushida. Earning her trust was as easy as flipping a switch.
"I'm just glad I was able to track your location and get here in time."
"As friends, we need to trust each other. No more secrets, no more facing difficult situations alone. I'll forgive you this time, but next time, I expect you to tell me."
Hearing his gentle, understanding words, Sakura blushed deeply. Her mind went blank as the warmth of his gaze settled into her chest.
[You saved Sakura Airi and made her feel a sense of security she's never experienced before. Sakura Airi's stock price has increased by 20 points. Current stock price: 70.]
[Through your gentle, reassuring demeanor, Sakura Airi now sees you as the emotional support she has always sought. Sakura Airi's stock price has increased by 30 points. Current stock price: 100.]
"Okay," Sakura said with uncharacteristic resolve. "I won't hide anything from you anymore. I'll tell you everything."
"Good. But for now, let's focus on properly handling this situation."
"Oh, right! I almost forgot about him…"
Sakura glanced at the man sprawled unconscious on the ground, her face pale with worry. "Hikaru-kun… do you think we'll get in trouble for what happened?"
"Don't worry." Hikaru smiled reassuringly. "We have both a witness and physical evidence. I've already contacted someone to handle the situation."
"Eh? Who's coming?"
Sakura's aversion to strangers immediately resurfaced. The thought of interacting with unfamiliar people made her nervous, but Hikaru's presence beside her somehow kept her grounded.
"It's the student council president, Horikita-senpai. He'll make sure this man is dealt with properly."
"Horikita-senpai…? Oh."
Sakura fidgeted nervously at the mention of the student council president's name. Her expression was a mix of apprehension and relief.
Hikaru crouched down and picked up a few of the colorful letters strewn across the ground. With a quick scan, he noticed how repetitive the messages were—endless declarations like "I love you," "I want to see you," and "I'll always be watching you."
"Sakura-san… why are all these letters addressed to a name I've never heard before?"
Though he already knew the answer, Hikaru feigned confusion. He needed her to open up to him completely.
Taking a deep breath, Sakura hesitated for a moment before confessing, "It's my stage name. I work as a blog idol and part-time model online."
"That's probably how this person became fixated on me. I never imagined he'd go so far as to figure out my real identity."
"So that's what it was."
Hikaru widened his eyes in surprise, as though the news had caught him completely off guard. "That's pretty impressive though, Sakura-san. I never expected you to have such a cool side to you."
Her face turned scarlet at the unexpected praise. "I… it's just a hobby… but thank you."
Before Hikaru could respond, the sound of footsteps echoed through the alley.
"Hikaru-kun, I believe you owe me an explanation."
Turning around, they saw Manabu standing at the alley's entrance, his sharp gaze fixed on the scene.
"Ah, Horikita-senpai. You got here pretty quickly. Not bad for a busy student council president."
Hikaru greeted him with a smile and began explaining the situation in detail. He tactfully avoided mentioning Sakura's online persona while presenting the harassing letters and recounting the man's aggressive behavior.
Manabu's expression darkened as he flipped through the letters. "I see. This man exploited his position to stalk a student. I'll make sure he faces severe consequences."
He glanced at Sakura and softened his tone. "Sakura-san, may I ask you a few questions?"
Sakura stiffened but nodded hesitantly. "Y-Yes… please go ahead."
"When did these letters start arriving?"
"The… the third day after school started. I didn't think much of it at first, but… he kept sending them every week. And then… he said he wanted to meet."
Manabu listened attentively, his expression turning grim. "Understood. I'll have him removed from campus immediately and notify the chairman about this security oversight."
Minutes later, campus security arrived to take the unconscious man away.
Before leaving, Manabu turned to Hikaru. "Don't forget our agreement. Have you chosen the candidates for those two slots?"
"Not yet," Hikaru replied casually. "But I'll let you know soon."
"See that you do."
With the situation now resolved, Hikaru turned back to Sakura.
"So, what now?" he asked.
Sakura hesitated, her cheeks flushing again. "Well… since I promised to tell you everything… would you like to… come to my dorm and see my blog?"
Hikaru's heart skipped a beat. Jackpot.
"Of course. I'd be honored."
"Okay… then… let's go."
As they walked away from the alley, Sakura's heart pounded so loudly she thought Hikaru might hear it. Inviting a boy to her room… this was a first. And it terrified her.
But strangely enough, she also felt… happy.
~~~
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