Keyaki Mall
After leaving the camera shop, the two found a shaded spot under a parasol to rest.
"Here."
Hikigaya placed the pink camera on the table.
"Eh?"
Sakura Airi looked at him in surprise, as if hesitant to speak.
Hadn't he agreed to help her fix the camera?
"I can't."
Hikigaya straightened his posture, speaking with absolute certainty.
In modern society, aside from hobbyists and professionals, how many young people could actually repair things?
"Oh…"
Sakura Airi's delicate hands wrapped around the camera protectively. It was clearly something very important to her. But now, she had no choice but to take it back to the shop and hand it over to the clerk again.
The thought made her expression darken.
Even though she could sense that the clerk was dangerous, she felt powerless to do anything about it.
"Just now…"
Her voice was barely above a whisper. "Thank you."
She wasn't oblivious. It was clear that Hikigaya had just saved her from a dangerous situation.
But still… there was nothing she could do about it.
"It seems like you understand your situation well."
Hikigaya sighed. He had rarely seen someone as timid as her. "So, what's your plan? That guy is obviously a stalker. Why don't you just report him to the teachers?"
"I…"
Sakura Airi avoided his gaze, her fingers tightening around the camera. She was clearly hiding something.
Her personality was truly troublesome.
In a way, she might even be a match for him.
Wait… if he put it that way, did that mean this girl was actually pretty strong?
"…Forget it."
Hikigaya hesitated for a moment before speaking again.
"Twenty thousand."
"Huh?"
Sakura Airi blinked in confusion. She looked up at him, unsure if she had heard him correctly.
"So, give me 20,000 personal points."
Hikigaya spoke as if it was the most natural thing in the world. "I'll deal with your stalker."
After all, he didn't even know her name, nor did he care to.
If there was no money involved, he had no reason to help.
"…Seriously?"
Sakura Airi looked completely heartbroken.
"Are you really hesitating over 20,000 points?"
Hikigaya was speechless.
It should be an easy decision—spend 20,000 points or continue living in fear of a stalker.
If she couldn't even accept this deal, then she would just have to put up with it.
When something bad eventually happened, it wouldn't even be surprising.
"No, it's not that…"
Sakura Airi quickly waved her hands, looking embarrassed. "I just… I don't have that much money."
"Hah?"
Hikigaya was dumbfounded.
Wait, it had only been a month, and she had already burned through all 100,000 points?
What kind of financial disaster was this girl? Did she not have any sense of money management?
Even someone like him, with no dreams or ambitions beyond becoming a househusband, still had enough sense to budget properly.
"…What class are you in?"
Hikigaya had a vague suspicion.
"First-year, Class D. Sakura Airi."
She hesitated for a moment before glancing at him nervously. "I spent my 100,000 points at the beginning of the school year to buy this camera. Then in May, our class's points dropped to zero."
"First-year, Class B. Hikigaya Hachiman."
Hikigaya introduced himself absentmindedly, confirming his suspicion.
So it was exactly as he thought.
There was definitely a reason why the school had sorted the students into their respective classes.
Although it was harsh, there was no denying that he was at least better than Class D students.
Well, apart from the small details like having no friends or a girlfriend.
"…Wait, this camera broke after less than a month?"
Hikigaya narrowed his eyes.
"Yeah. It's broken four times now."
Sakura Airi's eyes were teary. "It keeps breaking every week."
"Four times in a month?"
Hikigaya frowned. "That guy is looking more suspicious by the second. No, it's already obvious…"
A brand-new camera breaking four times in a single month?
That fat store clerk was definitely up to something.
Not to mention, he was making her pay for the repairs every time.
It was beyond infuriating.
"Fine."
Hikigaya sighed. "You can owe me the points for now. That okay?"
"Yes!"
Sakura Airi's face lit up instantly. "Thank you!"
"No, I'm just getting paid to do a job. Let's go."
Without waiting for a response, Hikigaya stood up and started walking.
Sakura Airi hurriedly followed.
"Um… Hikigaya-san, how are you going to solve this?"
"Report him."
Hikigaya shoved his hands into his pockets.
There was no way he could take down that clerk in a fight.
Given his physique, he wouldn't even last five seconds.
"W-wait a minute…"
Sakura Airi grabbed his sleeve in a panic. "If you do that…"
"Relax."
Before she could finish, Hikigaya raised a hand to stop her. "This won't affect you."
If she hadn't reported the guy herself, she must have her reasons.
He didn't need to know them.
As long as he could get the stalker arrested without dragging her into it, that was enough.
A lone wolf never troubled others.
He solved problems on his own.
That was the essence of his way of life.
That was the way of the King of Loners!
"Eh?"
Sakura Airi blinked, looking curious. "So, what are we going to do?"
"You'll find out soon enough."
Hikigaya tugged his sleeve free and continued walking toward the school.
For a while, there was silence.
Hikigaya could feel her sneaking glances at him.
It was understandable.
After all, they had only just met.
And with someone like him, of course she would doubt his abilities.
As they approached the school, Sakura Airi suddenly hesitated.
"Um…"
Her face turned red as she grabbed his sleeve again. She clutched the camera tightly to her chest.
"…What now?"
Hikigaya sighed.
"Actually…"
Sakura Airi looked away awkwardly. "Actually… I've been doing idol work since I entered school. My stage name is 'Shizuku.'"
Why was she suddenly telling him this?
"Oh, okay. I didn't know."
Hikigaya waited for her to continue.
"…As expected, Hikigaya-san doesn't look at me weirdly."
A small smile appeared on her lips, as if she were relieved.
"Huh? So what?"
Hikigaya frowned. "Are you just calling me blind and unmotivated in a roundabout way?"
It wouldn't bother him either way.
"N-no, that's not what I meant!"
Sakura Airi waved her hands frantically. "It's just… I took some photo albums before, and I think that clerk used to be a fan of mine."
"I see."
Now it made sense.
That was probably why the guy started stalking her.
But it still wasn't an excuse for turning into a complete creep.
"So…"
Sakura Airi took a deep breath. "If necessary, you can tell them about me. That guy has probably collected a lot of my photos in secret."
"…This is why you didn't want to report him before?"
"Yeah."
"Then why are you telling me now?"
Hikigaya was genuinely confused.
"Because…"
Sakura Airi's face flushed again.
"…Because Hikigaya-san doesn't look at me strangely."
"…Are you really just insulting me in a roundabout way?"
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