As expected, Hikigaya received a notice from the student council to fill out an application form. The commander was a reliable leader who kept his promises.
However, club equipment at this school wasn't distributed by the student council. After all, the school didn't have a warehouse big enough to store all those items.
Instead, the student council president had to apply for the necessary items at Keyaki Shopping Center, where the store staff would then deliver and install them. The student council would simply approve the request.
Saturday
To maximize the use of club funds, the activities of the Wool Department were quite extensive.
However, one had to be self-aware—greed could be a dangerous thing.
Hikigaya held a list as he walked past various stores, ensuring that he had everything necessary:
Intel i9-13900K + RTX 4090
PlayStation 5
Nintendo Switch
Treadmill
Camera
Video camera
Kitchen set
Tea set
Card set
"With kitchen utensils, I can apply for ingredients. After all, I'm technically a half-member of the cooking club... It shouldn't be too much, right?"
He muttered to himself while checking off items on the list.
"Please deliver everything to Special Building 5-4, thank you."
Whether they would approve it or not was another matter.
But still, he had to at least try. After all, why pass up on free stuff?
The Camera Store
By the afternoon, Hikigaya arrived at a camera store.
Standing in front of the store was a girl wearing a burgundy school uniform. She had a slender, model-like figure and long pink hair tied into a low ponytail with a ribbon. From behind her delicate earlobes, a pair of outdated glasses sat awkwardly on her face, partially hiding her delicate features.
At first glance, she looked like someone with low self-esteem, a loner.
Hikigaya was certain that if she dressed up a little, she could easily become one of the most popular girls among the boys.
Without thinking too much, he stepped behind her in line, keeping a small distance.
He had learned his lesson. If someone suddenly turned around and accused him of being a pervert, it would be too much of a hassle to explain.
Only…
Behind the counter, a heavyset store clerk repeatedly exhaled loudly. His thick fingers tapped at a pink camera on the counter, but his gaze kept shifting toward the girl.
It was obvious.
He wasn't looking at Hikigaya.
This was the real definition of vulgarity—straight-up stalking.
But…
That wasn't Hikigaya's problem.
Besides, the guy looked physically strong, way beyond what an average high schooler could handle. There was no point in getting involved.
Instead, Hikigaya took out his student ID phone, casually scrolling to kill time.
He hadn't really explored its features yet. Aside from the special app that displayed personal points, it was essentially a normal smartphone.
Everything functioned as expected, with some apps being exclusive to the school.
However…
Thirty minutes had passed.
Thirty whole minutes.
This clerk was still standing there, blatantly ignoring the girl's needs while making it painfully obvious what he was up to.
Are all stalkers this brave nowadays?
How terrifying.
"Um…"
Finally, Hikigaya stepped forward.
"Since there seems to be an issue, could you help me first?"
"Tsk."
The fat clerk clicked his tongue in annoyance, his tone sharp.
"Can't you see there are people ahead of you? Wait your turn."
"Ah… right."
Hikigaya forced a stiff smile.
So scary. Are all stalkers this aggressive? This guy feels more intimidating than that psychotic fish-head weirdo.
More importantly…
The clerk actually had a valid point.
"Fine."
Hikigaya backed down, stepping behind the girl again.
But as he waited, he observed her more closely.
Her facial features were striking, her skin soft and pale, as if it would melt with just a touch. She had the potential to be a top-tier idol.
"Um… sorry."
He hesitated before speaking up again.
"I have something urgent. Do you mind if I go first?"
"Ah, y-yes!"
The girl stepped aside quickly, like a frightened rabbit.
"Please, go ahead!"
"Uncle, that's all," Hikigaya said, turning toward the clerk.
The fat man, clearly annoyed, barely concealed his displeasure.
"Tsk. What do you want?"
"Please send a camera and a video camera to Room 5-4 of the Special Teaching Building."
Hikigaya handed him the student council slip and pulled out his phone.
"And… my student ID camera seems to be malfunctioning. Could you take a look?"
"Tsk."
The store clerk sighed dramatically, looking at him like he was an idiot.
"If there's a problem with your student ID card, go to the school office. Are you dumb or what?"
"Ah… got it."
Hikigaya smiled awkwardly.
"Leave your items here and pick them up tomorrow," the clerk added impatiently, waving him off.
Clearly, the man had no intention of giving up on the girl.
"Alright."
Hikigaya stepped back, hesitating for a moment before glancing at the girl.
A long pause.
Then, he spoke again.
"Um… our club activities include photography. If there's something wrong with your camera, would you like me to take a look? I could use the experience."
The girl blinked, startled.
"Eh?"
She hesitated, looking at his tired, expressionless eyes.
Come on, don't refuse.
If she did, there wasn't much else he could do.
"Hah?"
The store clerk suddenly snapped, his voice laced with hostility.
"You can't even fix a phone camera, and you think you can repair a real camera? Don't mess around, kid."
"That's why I said, I just want to gain some experience."
Hikigaya took another cautious step back before addressing the girl again.
"How about it? Just as a favor. And it's free."
Without hesitation, she nodded.
"Okay."
"Thanks."
Hikigaya smiled faintly, then turned back to the clerk.
"Sorry, uncle. Looks like I stole your business."
The fat man glared at him, his face twitching with barely concealed rage.
But since the girl had already agreed, there was nothing he could do. Begrudgingly, he handed the camera over to Hikigaya.
"Kid."
The store clerk's tone darkened.
"This isn't something you can fix. Just go back to school."
"It's fine, it's fine. I'll just take a look."
Hikigaya turned to the girl and whispered, "Let's go."
The two of them walked away, the girl keeping her head down, following him quietly—almost like an obedient wife trailing behind her husband.
She was more timid than he had expected.
For once, someone was actually more reserved than him.
Somehow, that realization made him feel a little victorious.
Not that he'd admit it.
Instead, the way she acted reminded him of Komachi, stirring a faint sense of protectiveness within him.
End of Chapter
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