The Photography Store Incident

The moment Sakura Airi opened her mouth, the store clerk Yamamoto behind the counter suddenly looked up! His originally gloomy and lifeless eyes were now locked onto Sakura Airi like searchlights, his pupils contracting sharply, his breathing growing heavy! A sickly flush and an indescribable excitement instantly surged onto his greasy face!

"You... you are...!" Yamamoto's voice sharpened with excitement, and he stumbled around the counter, taking two steps towards Sakura Airi, his hands trembling uncontrollably, "Ai-chan! You're Ai-chan, aren't you?! That 'Ai-chan'! I... I'm your fan! Those photos you used to post online... they were too beautiful! Every single one was a work of art! I... I saved them all! Really! I look at them every day!"

His expression was contorted, his eyes terrifyingly fanatical, filled with possessiveness and a chilling obsession. Sakura Airi was terrified by his sudden actions and words, recoiling like a startled fawn and slamming hard against the glass door with a dull thud! Her face was pale, her body trembling like a leaf in the wind, and tears of fear instantly welled up behind her large, black-rimmed glasses.

"No... no... you've mistaken me for someone else..." she shook her head desperately, her voice choked with sobs, wanting nothing more than to escape this nightmare.

"Impossible! I would never mistake you!" Yamamoto became even more agitated, stepping closer, nearly spitting on Sakura's face, "Ai-chan! Why did you stop taking photos? Why did you hide yourself away? Your talent... your beauty... shouldn't be buried! Show me! Let me see you now!" He even reached out, trying to grab Sakura Airi's arm, attempting to remove her glasses!

"Ah--!" Sakura Airi let out a short scream, closing her eyes in despair, curling her body up.

Just as Yamamoto's greasy hand was about to touch Sakura Airi's trembling arm—

"Excuse me, store clerk."

A voice, calm to the point of being almost ripple-less, rang out. It wasn't loud, but it was like a cold steel needle, instantly piercing the fanatical atmosphere in the store.

Yamamoto's movements froze abruptly. A flash of enraged fury at being interrupted flickered in his fanatical eyes. He turned his head fiercely towards the source of the voice—it was the ordinary student (Toudou Shizuka) who had been looking at the equipment earlier.

Toudou Shizuka had, at some point, put down the miniature camera and voice recorder he was holding. He didn't look at Yamamoto, his gaze calmly resting on Sakura Airi, his tone carrying an unquestionable gentleness: "Sakura-san, Teacher Hoshinomiya asked me to inform you that the class meeting materials need your prompt confirmation. She's waiting for you in her office."

He casually fabricated a reason, his voice steady, carrying a strange, soothing power. (Sakura is a Class D student).

Only then did he turn his gaze to Yamamoto. His eyes remained calm, but deep within them lay a palpable, icy pressure, a product of his S-Rank Fighting Style. "Sir, the customer is here to purchase a cleaning cloth. Please refrain from actions that would cause distress to either party. Otherwise, I wouldn't mind contacting the school's security department, or... calling the police directly."

His words were logically clear: first, he provided Sakura Airi with an excuse to leave (the teacher is looking for her), then he directly pointed out Yamamoto's inappropriate behavior (harassing a customer), and finally, he issued a clear warning (security/police).

His [Charisma A-rank] and [Social Affinity A-rank], under the precise control of [Thought Acceleration], gave him an aura that carried the strength of a protector while maintaining the restraint and order expected of a student.

Yamamoto felt a chill run down his spine under Toudou Shizuka's calm yet immensely pressured gaze. Hearing the words "security" and "police" was like being doused with a bucket of cold water. The fanaticism in his eyes quickly faded, replaced by offended shame and a hint of fear. He looked at Toudou Shizuka's calm face, then at Sakura Airi, who was trembling by the door like a startled bird, and seemed to realize his behavior had been out of control.

"Hmph! Meddling busybody!" Yamamoto spat resentfully, glaring fiercely at Toudou Shizuka before turning back behind the counter. He roughly swept the equipment Toudou Shizuka had placed down aside, creating a harsh scraping sound. But he didn't dare do anything further.

Toudou Shizuka ignored Yamamoto and walked over to Sakura Airi, maintaining an appropriate distance. He slightly turned his body to block Yamamoto's potential line of sight. His voice was kept very low, with a reassuring gentleness, "Sakura-san, it's alright now. The teacher isn't in a hurry. Why don't you leave here first?"

Sakura Airi was still trembling, her immense fear making it almost impossible for her to think. Through her tear-blurred eyes, she looked at the unfamiliar, bespectacled boy (Toudou Shizuka's physical description) in front of her. His calm gaze and gentle words were like a barrier, temporarily shielding her from the terrifying store clerk. She nodded subconsciously, letting out a choked "Mm" from her throat, and practically scrambled to open the door, stumbling out and disappearing into the crowd on the commercial street.

Toudou Shizuka watched her hurried retreat and sighed softly. S-rank social phobia and inferiority complex... like heavy shackles. He turned back and walked to the counter again, his face returning to its calm, expressionless state, as if nothing had happened. "Please ring me up for the two items I was looking at earlier."

Yamamoto, with a dark expression, roughly scanned the items and stated a price. Toudou Shizuka calmly swiped his card to pay the simulation points. The transaction complete, he picked up the bag containing the miniature camera and voice recorder, didn't even glance at Yamamoto, and turned to leave the shop, which exuded a stifling atmosphere.

The moment he stepped out of the store and back into the sunlight of the commercial street, the corner of his eye keenly caught sight of a corner booth at the outdoor seating area of a cafe diagonally opposite.

A brown-haired boy in a plain school uniform was sitting there quietly, holding a steaming cup of coffee. His gaze, calm and devoid of any emotion, pierced through the flow of people on the street and landed on Toudou Shizuka, who had just exited the "Precision Electronics Workshop." (I'm not sensitive to hair color, so I'll call it brown.)

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka.

He was like an observer detached from the scene. Everything that had just happened in the store had likely fallen into those lightless eyes, like inorganic glass beads.

Toudou Shizuka's heart skipped a beat. His S-Rank Fighting Style instincts caused his muscles to tense slightly the moment he was being watched. However, there was no change in his expression, and he didn't even glance in Ayanokouji's direction. He walked like any ordinary student, carrying his newly purchased electronic equipment, blending into the crowd on the commercial street, his steps steady as he headed towards the dormitory.

[Detected continuous observation of target (Ayanokouji Kiyotaka). Correlation analysis: low. Motive: observation. Threat assessment: none.]

[Sakura Airi Affection +15 (Gratitude for help, initial trust). Current: 15 (Neutral) -> Target 60 (High Trust).]

[Simulation Points +10 (Resolved potential conflict, protected others). Current: 50 points.]

Toudou Shizuka walked on the road back to the dormitory, the setting sun casting his shadow long. He felt the two cold electronic devices in his pocket, replaying the store clerk Yamamoto's fanatical gaze, Sakura Airi's desperate trembling, and Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's terrifyingly calm stare in his mind. The sunlight on the commercial street was still warm, yet it seemed to carry an invisible weight. The tendrils of information had already extended, seeds of goodwill had been quietly sown, and gazes from the shadows were silent and unseen.

He pushed open the door to Dormitory 307, temporarily shutting out the noise and the shadows. Next, it was time to test the new equipment and, nourished by [Deep Sleep], accumulate strength for the next round of the hunt. On the chessboard of points and connections, new pieces had already been placed.

(ƪ(˘⌣˘)ʃ Elegant)