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After having Kushida return the camera to Sakura, Sakura's condition visibly improved.
She was probably very nervous about losing the camera, and it was a girl who found it, and what's more, it was Kushida, who talks to her, who found it and returned it to her, which really put her at ease.
"So, do you think this is enough?" The short-haired Little Angel said to Hachiman.
"Aren't you quite interested in Sakura?"
After school, Horikita was preparing to leave, and Kushida really did follow Horikita Suzune back to the dorm as Horikita Suzune had described.
However, after being ignored as usual, Kushida approached Hachiman.
She spoke about returning the camera to Sakura.
"Why is Kushida also asking this question?" Hachiman said.
"Eh..." Kushida's tone stretched. "So Horikita also asked, huh? Yes, she's that kind of person, she thinks effort will be rewarded, and if you do a good deed, you should leave your name."
It seems you know Horikita Suzune very well.
Hachiman felt that if Horikita couldn't learn to be smooth, she might be able to learn from Kushida.
Because she is an amazing master of smoothness.
"Horikita used to be alone, and she's still alone now, she's always studying." Hachiman said.
"She's probably the type who doesn't pay attention to anything outside her studies."
"Eh..."
"So I wanted to know a little about Horikita's past, but she only ever studied and studied." Hachiman said.
"Oh." Kushida became adorable.
And this was Hachiman reassuring Kushida first.
Hachiman knew about Kushida's dark history, and Chabashira-sensei also knew.
As long as they knew that class placement was based on an evaluation system, and that Kushida was excellent in all aspects, then students from other classes might also consider Kushida a bomb.
So, Kushida, your nervousness is useless.
However, Kushida is very useful and can be used for free.
Hachiman, in order to continue freeloading in the future, decided to continue comforting her with words.
He gave her the impression that Horikita most likely didn't know about her dark history.
"Sakura's personality is very introverted and a bit timid, and if her photos in the camera were seen by a boy, it would probably be a bother for her."
"So I think it's better not to tell her." Hachiman said.
"I see, Hikigaya, you're really..." Kushida said in a cute tone, and as she spoke, Hachiman found his left hand enveloped by a girl's soft hands.
This scene reproduced!
And Kushida gently raised her head, her moist eyes gazing at him from below.
"You're such a good person." Kushida said.
Okay, he received a good person card.
Because he knew Kushida was a bomb, Hachiman didn't think Kushida was such a simple girl.
But should he say it's worthy of a girl's attack?
Even knowing Kushida was faking it, her actions still made his heart flutter.
It's just that.
Hachiman didn't think he had done anything big enough to warrant Kushida making such a sacrifice.
When he observed his classmates, he would also direct some of his attention to Kushida.
Kushida blended in well with the girls, able to integrate into any small circle.
And her popularity among the boys was not low.
Ike Kanji, for example, had said that Kushida was simply an angel.
However, Kushida had not made such a gesture to any other boy.
In other words, Kushida was trying to win him over.
Damn it.
Was he that kind of image in Kushida's mind?
Did he need this kind of offensive?
Hachiman reflected on himself.
"But, Hikigaya, you've been getting quite close to Hirata lately." Kushida said, still holding Hachiman's hand and tilting her head slightly.
This pose was very cute.
Kushida was very good at using her advantages.
Okay.
Hachiman understood, Kushida wasn't giving him a card because he returned the camera to Sakura.
It was for this point.
But even if he interacted with Hirata, Kushida, do you want to stop him?
"Horikita wants to be promoted to Class A, and I also think that if I can be promoted to Class A, I can go to my desired university without an exam." Hachiman said.
"So after Horikita caught me, I assisted her."
"Then, because we argued in class, Hirata met with me privately, hoping that we wouldn't cause such incidents again, and if there was anything, I could inform him in advance, and he would assist." Hachiman honestly replied, considering Kushida's dedication.
"Oh." Kushida nodded. "I see."
"Yes, Hirata is very concerned about the relationships among his classmates." Kushida commented.
Hirata and Kushida are the same type: excellent in all aspects, outgoing, and gentle.
They get along well with almost everyone.
And they do the same work in class, maintaining relationships among classmates.
So they are the same type of person.
"But, if it's about assistance, why didn't you come to me?" Kushida became pitiful again.
Eh...
Hachiman looked at Kushida Kikyo in surprise.
Because what you said sounds very much like something a jealous girl would say.
Are you jealous of Hirata?
Not good.
Hachiman quickly recited the rules: girls are big liars, their displayed kindness and gentleness might be kindness they show to everyone.
So don't misunderstand, Hachiman.
But he couldn't deny inwardly that Kushida was really cute.
Even though he knew she was deliberately putting on her cutest act, it still made him waver.
Damn it.
And Kushida probably just put him on the list of people as difficult to win over as Horikita Suzune, which is why she interacted with him.
So everything before she won him over was just preliminary work.
Understanding this, Hikigaya's heart finally became as still as water.
So his interaction with Sakura would end here.
It should have been like that.
...
The next day after school.
Hachiman was asked out by Kushida.
The reason was direct: she hoped he could accompany Sakura to the Shopping Street, the camera was bought there, and she hoped it could be repaired there.
But she also hoped he could ask Horikita out.
Then she hoped to increase her contact with Horikita during this time.
What Horikita had said about helping spread rumors and then acknowledging her was nonsense.
Horikita had ignored her for the past two days, so Kushida wanted to put in more effort.
So, it turned out like this?
Hachiman was to ask Horikita out, and Kushida was responsible for asking Sakura out.
Hey, hey, hey.
What's going on?
What kind of new play is this?
However, considering that he was the one who found Sakura's camera, Hachiman didn't refuse.
After all, Hirata had also said that it was good to get to know classmates better.
Sakura didn't cause trouble or inconvenience, and Hachiman also hoped Sakura wouldn't be afraid of him.
He wasn't some big bad guy.
...
The school only had one electronics store, which had a monopoly.
However, when Sakayanagi treated them to Mango pomelo sago that day, she said that she had arranged for students in her class to investigate, and that the Shopping Street in this school did not allow students to work part-time, nor did it allow them to open shops.
That's right.
Aside from part-time jobs, which are very familiar to high school students, Sakayanagi also mentioned opening shops.
This means that Sakayanagi Arisu has a lot of points, enough to consider large-sum matters like opening a shop.
As expected, is she a rare rich woman?
Of course, it's also possible that they wanted to pool their Class points to prepare for investment.
If a Class had a shop while at School, they would earn profit every month, and the shop could also be sold or continued after graduation.
This was indeed a good business.
Moreover, doing something together, with a sense of shared interest, would strengthen unity and trust.
Class A students are really smart.
Hachiman then turned his gaze to his companions beside him.
It was four o'clock in the afternoon.
Students had already been dismissed from School.
Those who participated in clubs went to their clubs, while those who didn't enjoyed their leisure time.
As for Hachiman's Class, except for Hirata, who had joined a club after obtaining information earlier and being recruited by a senior for the soccer club, everyone else was still free.
Hirata also revealed the true nature of clubs.
Joining a club and becoming a regular member could earn rewards from the School.
Therefore, his monthly living expenses increased by 20,000 points.
It seems the School made some preparations and financial support to encourage students to develop in multiple areas.
So, this was a legitimate way to earn points, but one had to be an elite.
It definitely wouldn't work to just muddle through.
Thus, only one student joined a club: Hirata.
From a certain perspective, it's truly Class D.
However, Hachiman, who always went straight home after School, had nothing to say.
But then.
"Um..."
"Hello."
Besides the already familiar Kushida, slightly behind Kushida, stood a girl with pink, fluffy twin tails who seemed a bit uneasy.
She wore plain glasses.
Her face was smooth and fair.
Sakura's disguise is really impressive, isn't it?
Normally, she just looks like an introverted, plain girl with a low presence.
But in reality, she's a super beautiful girl whose looks might not even lose to Horikita Suzune.
This also shows that once you've seen someone's true appearance, looking at them again unconsciously increases your favorability by 1.
Hikigaya was self-reflecting.
But then.
"Um, Kushida..."
Sakura was a little flustered.
Her small hands were raised, loosely fisted, and the person she could speak to with ease was Kushida Kikyo, who was like a Little Angel to everyone.
"What's wrong, Sakura?"
Kushida showed a cute expression, fully activating her friendly aura.
"Ah, you mean Horikita and Hikigaya? I have something to do with them later. Can we act together now?" Kushida asked. "Or do you mind this?"
"Uh... guh... No, I don't mind." Sakura replied weakly.
She probably did mind, after all.
Then Sakura timidly lowered her head.
Perhaps Sakura is still socially anxious.
No.
Rather.
Hey, hey, hey, Kushida, you didn't tell Sakura anything, did you?
This is acting first and reporting later!
But then again, if she had told Sakura that he and Horikita would be there, the shy Sakura probably wouldn't have come out.
Hachiman then glanced at the black-haired, fox-eyed girl beside him.
"..." Horikita Suzune.
Hmm.
This fox-eyed girl was standing alone, and when she was alone, she wasn't idle, looking at a vocabulary book.
And Hachiman saw an abominable English word ā abandon.
Today, Horikita Suzune was as cool as ice.
So, the four of them went to the Shopping Street together.
They found the only electronics store on the Shopping Street.
The School provided students with living expenses and also excellent avenues for consumption.
The entertainment facilities available outside were also present within the School.
And stores like electronics shops, which are like hard currency, were naturally prepared.
However.
Because the store was opened within a closed School, the customer traffic was not as good as outside, so business was not particularly good.
After all, the number of School students was limited, totaling less than five hundred people.
Each grade had only about one hundred sixty people.
And dozens of senior students had dropped out.
So, the main customer base consisted of a few hundred students, faculty, and various staff members of the Shopping Street.
Regarding the electronics store, for electronics like computers, buying one and using it for five or six years was not an issue.
In other words, it was basically a one-time sale.
This was even if everyone bought a computer, but generally, it would be good if half of the people bought one.
After all, Class C and Class D students might not have money to buy one during their three years of high School.
However, Hachiman felt he might be able to get one.
He wasn't particularly short on points.
Besides laptops, the best-selling items were digital cameras.
Digital cameras were a bit cheaper.
The electronics store was on the second floor inside the shopping center.
Because the School had no shortage of land, the stores generally occupied a large area, and the electronics store was no exception.
The variety was also very complete.
Since the goal was for Sakura to repair her broken camera, and Kushida also had a need.
Hachiman decided to walk behind with Sakura.
On one hand, Sakura was socially anxious, and walking in front would put pressure on her.
At the same time, this arrangement allowed Kushida and Horikita to walk in front.
This way, they could talk.
But Horikita completely misunderstood Kushida's intentions.
When she realized Kushida wanted to talk to her, she simply sped up, leaving Kushida behind.
"..." Kushida.
This left Kushida stunned.
Kushida then turned back to Hachiman with a sad expression.
Receiving such an expression, Hachiman also felt desperate.
He had already helped, Kushida.
However, Hachiman noticed Sakura timidly following behind him, looking like a startled little rabbit.
This was a sign of introversion and shyness.
There was nothing wrong with that.
But then.
Hachiman felt that Sakura's state seemed a bit off.
Because when Sakura Airi reached the entrance of the electronics store, her body trembled slightly with fear.
This was a sign of being afraid of something.
If it was him and Horikita, whom she wasn't familiar with, she should have been in this state from the beginning, not now.
"What's wrong, Sakura?"
Hachiman then looked at Sakura, who had stopped, and asked.
"I... that..."
Sakura seemed hesitant and fearful, wanting to speak but stopping, but in the end, she said nothing.
She just took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.
"No, nothing..."
Sakura forced a smile, but her body trembled even more violently.
She seemed to be afraid of something.
And Hachiman's gaze went into the store.
Shelves filled with various goods lined the walls on both sides of the store.
And at the counter, a staff member in a red uniform was looking at them.
It was a slightly overweight, short middle-aged man, whose features were even more unkempt than Yamauchi's in their Class.
He even had a lewd posture.
Hachiman also noticed that Horikita, who was walking in front, instinctively stopped, her slender, beautiful eyebrows slightly raised.
Although she didn't know why, she didn't like the look in that man's eyes.
But Hachiman focused on the fact that this staff member had already noticed them entering the store.
However, his first target was not the exquisitely beautiful Horikita Suzune, nor was it the sunny and cute Little Angel-like Kushida.
Nor was it him... the only boy among the three girls.
It was Sakura.
So, what did Sakura look like in the eyes of an ordinary person?
Wearing thick plain glasses, with twin tails, dressed conservatively, and her shoulders slightly trembling due to fear.
Was she noticeable?
No, she was very inconspicuous.
"..." Hachiman.
"Sakura, have you been here during lunch break?" Hachiman asked.
"Eh?"
Hearing Hachiman's question, Sakura seemed a little surprised as she looked over.
"Yes, I have been. But... that... when I bought the camera here before, it wasn't, it wasn't this staff member who served me." Sakura said.
Oh.
I see.
He understood a little now.
The reason Kushida came with Sakura to repair the camera.
Perhaps Sakura came here at noon, wanting to repair the broken camera herself, but this attempt failed.
In other words, she wasn't good at dealing with this staff member.
So, what about this staff member?
Aside from his unkempt appearance, when he looked at Sakura, his gaze was somewhat fervent.
This fervor was somewhat like that of a pervert.
Hachiman was surprised by his updated impression of the staff member.
"Has Sakura ever taken off her glasses outside?" Hachiman asked.
"Huh?" Sakura didn't react, wondering why Hachiman suddenly asked that.
But that also means she hasn't taken off her glasses to reveal her true beauty.
So why was this store clerk so focused on Sakura?
Hachiman decided to test him.
...
"Welcome, how can I help you?"
The clerk had already come to the door, a sales smile on his face.
Besides his sloppy appearance, his voice was unpleasant, with a greasy tone that made one feel uncomfortable.
Just like before, when he spoke, his gaze was fixed on Sakura.
"Iā¦Iā¦"
Sakura's body trembled even more violently, especially the moment he spoke, she almost collapsed.
"We're here to repair a camera."
Horikita Suzune, who had been pestered by Kushida along the way, walked straight up, placed Sakura's black camera on the counter, and then took a step back.
She wasn't afraid of people, nor was she introverted.
She just wasn't good at dealing with them.
Her personality also made Kushida complain that she was too rigid.
And now, since they were here to do business, it was natural to deal with it directly.
So, seeing Sakura a bit afraid, she stepped forward.
"Hmm?"
Hachiman was about to step forward, but he felt his back being grabbed.
He lowered his head in confusion, only to see Sakura looking at him with an almost tearful expression, her small hand gripping the back of his shirt.
This was the first physical contact, aside from speaking.
But Hachiman didn't think this was some romantic gesture.
Rather, she was scared and instinctively sought a sense of security.
In other words, between the clerk and him, Sakura felt he was more reliable.
So, he obtained a reliability card.
However, this wasn't a good topic.
"You don't look well, so why don't you stay outside for now?" Hachiman said.
"We'll handle this."
"Can I?" This sentence seemed to redeem Sakura.
The expression on her face became lively.
"Eh!"
"But isn't the camera hers?" The clerk quickly said, looking at Sakura who wasn't entering the store.
"If it was purchased in this store, and we have the warranty card and the camera, does the owner absolutely have to be present to process it?" Horikita asked.
"Uh, no, that's not the case."
Perhaps Horikita's aura was a bit too strong, and the clerk couldn't resist for a moment.
Horikita was indeed as cold as ice.
But this also confirmed that something was off with this clerk.
Because no one had said whose camera it was, and Sakura's camera was initially with Kushida.
So Horikita Suzune had taken the camera from Kushida.
Although it's possible that because he worked in this store, he saw Sakura come to buy the camera when school started.
But could he remember it for so long?
As Hachiman thought this.
He also came to the counter.
But his gaze was fixed on the black camera on the counter.
Clearly, this camera was a display item.
A sign on it read '20 Million Pixels' and 'New Product Launch 10% Off'.
Obviously, it was a promotion.
However, if it were truly just for display, that would be fine.
But, because he had found Sakura's camera and then thought about the life of a photographer, he had actually borrowed a book about cameras from the Library.
He could confirm that this camera was currently in shooting modeā
And at this angle, it was shooting the counter surface.
If a girl stood a little closer, her image from the neck down to her abdomen would definitely be captured.
It was precisely because he noticed this that Hachiman subtly blocked Horikita's view.
As for Kushida, she was outside accompanying Sakura.
Was this accidental or intentional?
If it was intentional, then this clerk might not be a legitimate employee.
...
Horikita placed the camera on the table, and Sakura's pre-prepared warranty card was also there.
The clerk first picked up the camera and looked at it, then picked up the warranty card and examined it carefully.
"There's no information on the warranty card. Please provide the name, information, and phone number."
"But not yours, it's the camera owner's." the clerk said.
Hmm.
It could be confirmed.
This clerk wanted to get Sakura's information.
He had a fanaticism for Sakura, and Sakura was timid and introverted, but she was probably very sensitive to people's likes and dislikes, which is why she instinctively didn't want any contact with this clerk.
That's why she didn't dare to come in the afternoon when she found him on duty, and then hoped she could come with Kushida.
But then she found he was still on duty.
"I'll fill it out." Hachiman pointed to Sakura and said.
"It's okay to fill in her information, right?"
Sakura was at the store entrance now, not here.
"Mm. Yes, you just need to fill in the camera owner's information." The clerk nodded.
So Hachiman began to write.
Only.
"Hikigaya Airi?" The clerk read out the name he wrote.
He seemed to want to confirm it.
Horikita didn't pay attention to what Hachiman wrote, but hearing the clerk read it out, Horikita Suzune seemed to be slightly surprised, but she didn't say anything.
"Is there a problem with Hikigaya Airi?"
Hachiman said.
"Uh, no." The clerk quickly shook his head.
Then he watched Hachiman continue to hold the pen.
"And fill in the phone number too," the clerk said.
"Because if there are any problems during the repair, we need to contact you."
"The camera was only bought a week ago, can't it be exchanged?" Hachiman asked.
"Generally, yes, but this camera was violently damaged, so it's not covered by the exchange policy, and are you First Year students?" the clerk asked.
I see.
That's not true.
Hachiman had already confirmed.
This clerk's target was Sakura.
So after filling in a fake name, Hachiman filled in his own phone number.
...
The repair time was one week because it needed to be sent back to the manufacturer for repair.
An ordinary clerk didn't have this skill.
"However, did you just start working at this school this year?" Hachiman asked.
"Eh? How did you know?" The clerk seemed a bit curious.
"If I could work part-timeā¦" Hachiman paused.
But the clerk quickly shook his head.
"That's not allowed. Our clerks also have to sign long-term contracts, and we're not allowed to hire students."
Is that so.
But Hachiman was no longer interested in him.
Because he had already obtained the information he wanted.
After handing over the camera to him, another girl with purple hair and two hair clips came in, so the clerk went to greet her.
"I'm thinking of buying some electronics." Kushida said, entering the store at this moment.
Horikita Suzune had gone out of the store to stay with Sakura.
But these two were solitary people, so although they were standing together now, they were both waiting for someone, neither disturbing the other.
There was a subtle sense of balance.
Kushida was looking at laptops.
But the price of laptops was also quite high.
The cheapest one cost 40,000 private point.
For new students, this was equivalent to half of their living expenses for the first month of enrollment.
Most people couldn't afford it.
The one who could do such a thing in one go was the male student named Sotomura, who had previously made a list of the most beautiful girls in the class.
"If you can get points in the special exams every month, you'll get more living expenses." Hachiman said.
"...Okay, Hikigaya." Kushida said. "I will cooperate with you and work hard on the exams."
Oh.
Had he obtained her assistance card?
Although it was Kushida's assistance card, this card was even cheaper than Hirata's, so Hachiman didn't pay attention.
"Butā¦ Horikita just said that you filled in the name Hikigaya Airi."
Kushida blinked at him cutely.
As if implying something.
Uh.
Normally, to take someone's name as your own surname is a sign of marriage.
So, Kushida, are you trying to say, Hikigaya, what kind of ulterior motives do you have?
But this was truly a misunderstanding.
Because Hachiman didn't want to take advantage of Sakura just because she was timid, introverted, a little cute, and actually a super beauty.
It was just a temporary measure to deal with the clerk.
And some things were not suitable to be announced here.
However, Hachiman noticed that the purple-haired girl who had just entered the store seemed to be planning to buy a computer, but the model she wanted was quite special.
She didn't want one from the shelf, so the clerk had to go to the warehouse to retrieve it first.
While waiting, this purple-haired girl came over here.