(The author thanks Xin Huo Bu Jin and Geheimnis for their generous tips. ૮ ºﻌºა On guard.)
The library's serenity was broken by the rainbow outside the window after the rain. The vibrant green spreading across Sakura Airi's drawing board was like a faint signal cutting through the gloom.
Toudou Shizuka gazed at the green mark on his communication screen. His fingertips lingered for a moment on the edge of the cold device before he finally made his decision.
Yamauchi's slander, Sakura's fear, that precarious 56 points of trust... The sense of security anonymity had provided seemed so fragile in the face of reality's whirlpool.
If he kept hiding, the crack in Sakura's wall around her heart would only become an impassable chasm.
He needed to come clean to Sakura. Not just for the points (even if A-Rank Photography was within reach), but to offer a little comfort to the girl, socially anxious in her despair. And for that clumsy yet genuine gratitude.
[TO: Sakura Airi]
[About the paints and Point Card. If you're free after school this afternoon, could we meet at Aikun Cafe on Commercial Street? There's something I'd rather explain to you in person.]
After sending the message, Toudou Shizuka closed his device. His heart beat steadily in his chest, while [Rational Analysis B-rank] suppressed the subtle tension he felt. This was a carefully prepared, honest conversation, with both risks and opportunities.
Aikun Cafe was tucked into a relatively quiet corner of Commercial Street. Warm yellow light spilled through the floor-to-ceiling windows onto the dark wooden tables and chairs. The rich aroma of coffee beans mingled with soft jazz in the air.
Toudou Shizuka chose a corner seat by the window, with a wide view and a reasonable degree of privacy.
Sakura Airi arrived almost exactly on time.
She was still wearing that oversized gray hoodie, and her huge Black-rimmed Glasses nearly covered half her face.
She stood by the entrance, nervously twisting the hem of her hoodie as she searched the cafe, like a young deer that had wandered into unfamiliar territory.
Only when she saw Toudou Shizuka wave to her did she take a deep breath, lower her head, and hurry over. She practically slipped into the seat across from him, her body tense.
"T-Toudou..." Her voice was barely louder than a whisper, steeped in anxiety.
"Sakura, thanks for coming." Toudou Shizuka's voice was gentle and calm, with a hint of apology. "What would you like? It's my treat, as a... way of making it up to you."
"M-Making it up to me?" Sakura Airi jerked her head up. Confusion filled her eyes behind her glasses, along with a hint of barely perceptible panic.
Toudou Shizuka didn't answer right away. He gestured for a server.
He ordered Sakura a warm Honey Yuzu Tea (to help soothe her nerves) and got himself a latte. As they waited for their drinks, he deliberately kept the atmosphere quiet, giving Sakura's taut nerves a chance to relax.
When the drinks arrived and steam rose between them, Toudou Shizuka finally looked Sakura in the eye. His tone was serious, sincere, and apologetic.
"Sakura, I'm sorry you had to go through that in the classroom... What happened with Yamauchi's slander in your class, and everyone's misunderstanding... It put you in an awful position."
Sakura Airi visibly trembled. Her oversized glasses dipped as she gripped the warm cup tightly.
"It's... It's okay... It's all in the past..." she murmured, her voice thick with suppressed hurt.
"It does matter." Toudou Shizuka's voice was soft, but carried an undeniable force. "The paints and Point Card... I bought them on my Personal Terminal and left them in front of your locker."
"Huh?" (She'd suspected that Toudou was the one helping her, but hearing him admit it himself was still a surprise.)
Sakura Airi instantly looked up. Behind her huge glasses, her eyes—usually filled with unease—were now wide with shock and disbelief!
She stared blankly at Toudou Shizuka, lips parted but unable to make a sound. In a flash, she recalled the exact brand, the practical energy bars, the anonymous Point Card... So it had been him! It had always been him!
"W-Why?" It took her a long while to find her voice again. It was thick with confusion and a slight tremble. "Toudou... You... You didn't have to do all this... I..." She wanted to say, "I don't deserve it," but her crushing inferiority complex surged back up.
Watching her reaction, Toudou Shizuka's [Thought Acceleration] and B-rank insight let him clearly catch her shock, confusion, and self-doubt, as well as something buried at the very bottom—a faint, almost imperceptible... relief? Knowing who had helped her felt more reassuring than kindness from an unknown source?
"There wasn't any special reason." Toudou Shizuka softened his tone, speaking with an honesty that put her at ease. "That time at the Photography Store, I saw how scared you were.
"Later, I heard Class D's points had been wiped out, and thought you might need basic art supplies to keep doing what you love.
"I just felt... those things shouldn't become a reason for people to misunderstand and attack you."
"You're the one who gets to decide whether you're worth helping. I helped because I saw you were in trouble and needed help, nothing more. If I'd stood by and done nothing, I wouldn't have been able to live with myself.
"When I was in trouble, someone helped me without a second thought.
"Everyone goes through hard times. I'm just helping others when I can."
He avoided words like "softhearted" and "pity," which might have wounded her pride, and instead explained that he hadn't wanted his kindness to be misunderstood and that he wanted to support her hobby.
He paused, then looked at Sakura's still-shocked face and added, "I chose to stay anonymous because I was afraid I'd put pressure on you or attract unnecessary attention.
"I didn't expect... it would get you into even more trouble. I'm sorry about what happened with that guy in your class, Yamauchi. I didn't think it through."
His honest words flowed like a gentle stream, washing away the ice built up in Sakura's heart by misunderstanding and humiliation. After the shock, an indescribable warmth welled up alongside a deep, aching bitterness.
So it hadn't been charity. It had been protection. He'd been quietly watching over her and caring about her all along, even choosing to stay silent because he was worried he'd pressure her.
The intense humiliation and fear caused by Yamauchi's slander melted away beneath the weight of Toudou's candid apology.
Without warning, tears burst from her eyes and rolled down in large drops, splashing onto the table.
Sakura Airi hurriedly lowered her head. Even her oversized glasses couldn't hide her violently trembling shoulders or stifled sobs. This time, she wasn't afraid or in despair. It was the overwhelming shock of finally being understood and cherished after keeping everything bottled up for so long—hurt, and a depth of emotion she couldn't put into words.
"I-I'm sorry... Toudou..." she choked out, words tumbling over each other. "I... I didn't... I wasn't blaming you... I just... I just..." She didn't know what to say. The immense flood of emotion had left her overwhelmed.
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