Sakura's Gift

(Thanks to Xin Huo Bu Jin and Le Le Zai Shi for the generous tips...:*♡)

The door to Dormitory 307 was gently knocked, the sound as faint as a feather falling in the wind. Toudou Shizuka put down the miniature camera he was testing and got up to open the door.

Sakura Airi stood outside. She was still wearing that oversized gray hoodie, her large black-rimmed glasses covering almost half her face, and her long bangs fell down. She looked like a snail trying to retract into its shell after being startled.

She lowered her head, her hands tightly clutching a paper bag printed with a cartoon rabbit, her knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

"Tou... Toudou-kun..." Her voice was as thin as a mosquito's hum, trembling noticeably. "Tha... Thank you... yesterday... at the store..."

Toudou Shizuka stepped aside, a gentle smile on his face, his tone exceptionally soft. "Sakura-chan? Come in and sit down. It was just a small favor yesterday."

"N-no!" Sakura Airi shook her head violently, stepping back half a pace like a startled rabbit, as if the dormitory was a dragon's den or a tiger's lair.

She hastily thrust the paper bag forward, lowering her head even further. "Th-this... I made it myself... some coarse snacks... Please... please accept it... Thank you so much!" With that, she seemed to have mustered all her courage and turned to flee.

"Sakura-chan," Toudou Shizuka called out to her in time, his voice still gentle but with a reassuring stability. "That clerk... did he harass you again later?"

Sakura Airi's body stiffened noticeably. She slowly turned back, shaking her head, her voice laced with lingering fear. "N-no... I... I ran away..." She hesitated, then, with great courage, added in a small voice, "He... he seemed a bit... scary..."

[Target: Sakura Airi (Refreshed)]

Severe Social Phobia: A-rank (Core Negative Trait, Active)

Extreme Inferiority Complex: A-rank (Core Negative Trait, Active)

Photography (Composition and Light Capture): A-rank (Suppressed)

Observational Skill (Detail Capture): B-rank (Suppressed)

[Affection: 15 (Neutral) → 20 (Grateful)] - Earned through sincere gratitude for being helped.

"That's good then." Toudou Shizuka nodded, taking the paper bag that still held her warmth. He could smell the faint sweet aroma emanating from it. He pondered for a moment, then spoke with concern and consideration for her. "Sakura-chan, even though that clerk didn't do anything for now, this kind of harassment, especially on the school's commercial street, is a very serious matter.

I think you should tell Teacher Chabashira. She's your homeroom teacher and is responsible for student safety. The school should have clear regulations for handling such harassment." He invoked "regulations" and "responsibility" to give her a legitimate reason to seek protection.

"Chabashira... Teacher..." Hearing the name, Sakura Airi's body instinctively flinched again. A deeper fear and resistance flashed behind her large glasses. "I... I don't dare... Teacher she... is very strict..." Her A-rank social phobia made her instinctively fearful of any authority figure, especially someone like Chabashira Sae, who possessed an A-rank aura intimidation.

Toudou Shizuka understood her fear. He softened his voice and persuaded her patiently. "You don't need to be afraid. Although Teacher Chabashira seems strict, she is your homeroom teacher, and it's her duty to protect the safety of her students.

You just need to tell her exactly what happened yesterday. She will definitely handle it." He emphasized "duty" and "handling" to give her confidence.

Sakura Airi bit her lower lip, struggling internally. Toudou Shizuka's words made sense; a teacher should intervene. But the thought of facing Chabashira Sae's cold, scrutinizing gaze and recounting the terrifying experience made her feel breathless and cold.

In the end, fear and inferiority still overwhelmed her faint courage.

"I... I'll try... Thank you, Toudou-kun..." She mumbled vaguely, her voice so low it was almost inaudible, then fled like a refugee, turning and running away quickly, leaving Toudou Shizuka and the sweet-smelling paper bag behind.

Toudou Shizuka watched her back disappear around the corner of the corridor and sighed softly. A-rank social phobia and inferiority were like a thick wall of ice.

He closed the door, returned to his desk, and opened the paper bag. Inside were several butter cookies, simple in shape but emitting an enticing aroma, showing the baker's care.

He picked one up and tasted it. The flavor was simple, with a warm sweetness. Sakura's gratitude was sincere.

But Toudou Shizuka knew that hoping Sakura would report the incident to Chabashira Sae herself was a long shot. A calm glint flashed in his eyes. Fortunately, he was not unprepared.

With a slight mental command, the system interface appeared in his vision. He retrieved an audio file and a video file. The audio was the entire process from yesterday at the "Precision Electronics Workshop," starting when Yamamoto recognized Sakura Airi, to his hysterical, fervent confession, verbal harassment, and finally Toudou Shizuka's intervention and warning.

The miniature camera clearly captured Yamamoto's action of approaching Sakura and attempting to grab her arm, Sakura's terrified and helpless expression, and Yamamoto's resentful and unwilling gaze after being warned.

The evidence was conclusive. Clerk Yamamoto's harassment was undeniable in the face of the recording and video.

Toudou Shizuka encrypted and saved these two files. He didn't plan to reveal them yet. He was waiting for the result of Sakura Airi's "attempt" and for a more opportune moment to intervene.

As Toudou Shizuka expected, two days later, he "accidentally" encountered Kanzaki Ryuji, who was walking in a hurry with a frown, in the corridor of the teaching building.

"Kanzaki-kun, what's wrong? You don't look well?" Toudou Shizuka greeted him proactively, his tone filled with concern.

Kanzaki pushed up his glasses, a hint of weariness and annoyance hidden behind the lenses. "It's nothing, just dealing with some troublesome matters.

Sakura Airi from Class D went to see Teacher Chabashira yesterday to report that a clerk at the 'Precision Electronics Workshop' on the commercial street had harassed her."

"Oh? What did Teacher Chabashira say?" Toudou Shizuka understood immediately, feigning appropriate surprise and concern.

"Hmph!" Kanzaki rarely showed dissatisfaction. "After listening to Sakura's fragmented, almost incoherent description, Teacher Chabashira coldly replied, 'I understand, I will look into the situation.'

Then this morning, Sakura timidly asked about the result again, and Teacher Chabashira just dismissed her, saying, 'The clerk denies it, there's no evidence, so it won't be processed!' Sakura burst into tears on the spot and was comforted by Kushida Kikyo, who happened to pass by, and sent back to Class D."

Kanzaki's tone was filled with suppressed anger. "My B-rank Insight tells me that clerk is definitely problematic! Sakura's reaction couldn't have been faked!

But Teacher Chabashira's attitude... it's just perfunctory! She's the homeroom teacher!" He clearly disagreed with Chabashira Sae's neglect of student safety.