The Secret of the Lens and a Fluttering Heart

Just as Fūki Ran was pouring all his energy into the arrangements for the Special Exam, a figure he had almost forgotten re-entered his view in an unexpected way—Sakura Eri. This shy Maiden, who always hid at the edge of the crowd like a startled fawn, trying to conceal herself with thick glasses and a bob haircut, had recently shown unusual anxiety.

This anomaly was first conveyed through Karuizawa Kei's routine report.

"Feng Qi, I've been feeling that Sakura has been a bit strange lately. She used to just be quiet, but now she seems constantly distracted. Today in the hallway, a boy from the next class ran too fast and accidentally bumped into her lightly. She jumped as if startled, almost dropping the books and camera in her hands. She picked them up and ran, her face pale as a sheet, as if she had encountered something extremely terrifying," Karuizawa described over the encrypted communicator, her tone carrying a hint of the detachment and incomprehension that insiders often have for outsiders.

Almost simultaneously, Kushida Kikyo mentioned a similar observation.

"Feng Qi, I've noticed Sakura Eri has been going to the abandoned photography club room in the Old School Building more frequently lately. And she's more vigilant than before. Every time before she goes in, she looks around left and right for a long time. After confirming no one is there, she quickly slips inside and stays for hours. Do you think she's hiding something very important?" Kikyo's tone was full of curiosity and a desire to pry, clearly intrigued by the quiet girl.

Sakura Eri? The image of the girl who always carefully held her camera, her eyes darting away, immediately surfaced in Fūki's mind. He clearly remembered her panicked reaction like a startled small animal when he accidentally bumped into her before, and the instant heartache and fear in her eyes when the camera, which she cherished as her life, fell. He also remembered her soft-spoken thanks when he took her to get the camera repaired off-campus, and the occasional furtive glances at him, her eyes behind thick lenses holding a hint of gratitude and curiosity. An extremely introverted girl lacking security, an almost forgotten old activity room, and her recently intensified unease... These clues connected, piquing Fūki's interest.

At this sensitive moment on the eve of the Special Exam, any anomaly could mean a variable, or a potential opportunity. He needed to figure out if Sakura Eri was hiding a deeper secret, whether this secret could be used to his advantage, or at least, ensure it wouldn't interfere with his plans.

He didn't choose to approach Sakura directly; that would undoubtedly scare away the "fawn" who was overly cautious yet harbored a sliver of good feeling towards him. He adopted a more circuitous and refined approach.

First, through Kikyo, he subtly spread vague rumors among the girls about "strange noises in the Old School Building at night" and "rumors of bad things happening in the photography club in the past." These rumors themselves had no substance; their purpose was merely to cast a more mysterious shadow over whatever Sakura was secretly doing, subtly increasing her potential psychological pressure and making her more reliant on him, the only one who knew part of her secret and had helped her.

Next, he instructed Karuizawa, during the few necessary interactions with Sakura, such as during occasional class group work or when passing items, to "inadvertently" show a bit more kindness and concern than usual, but never excessive enthusiasm. For example, after Sakura was startled again, Karuizawa could follow instructions and walk over to ask softly, "Eri, are you okay? You look a bit pale. Are you too tired lately?" What he wanted was to reinforce the cognition of "someone noticed my abnormality" in Sakura's closed and uneasy inner world, making her more sensitive and reliant on the "goodwill" from the outside, especially that related to Fūki, while she was uneasy.

Finally, and most importantly, he decided to personally visit the old photography club room again to investigate. This time, he needed a deeper understanding.

One evening, as dusk settled and the campus gradually quieted down, Fūki silently returned to the room in the Old School Building that bore the tattered "Photography Club" sign. The door was still locked, but that posed no obstacle to him. He used an extremely precise and professional technique to open the door without leaving any trace.

The activity room was still filled with discarded equipment and dust-covered photo paper, the air carrying the distinctive scent of developing solution. But in the meticulously organized corner, Fūki saw more of Sakura Eri's "traces." He carefully flipped through her neatly stored photos and materials, and was surprised to discover that this seemingly unremarkable Maiden not only possessed extremely keen observation skills and superb photography techniques but was also active online under the virtual identity of "Shizuku" in a private photo idol circle. The art photos, meticulously shot and post-processed, presented a starkly different image from the usual hunched-over Sakura Eri—an image full of expressiveness and hazy beauty.

Fūki immediately understood the root of her recently intensified abnormality. She was not only using her lens to observe and record the real world but was also playing another dazzling role in the virtual world. Once this secret was exposed, it would not only completely destroy the peaceful campus life she had painstakingly maintained, but the ensuing public pressure and possible school disciplinary actions would undoubtedly be a devastating blow to a girl with her sensitive personality. Her recent fear likely stemmed from this—perhaps someone had noticed something, or perhaps she worried that this secret would be difficult to hide amidst the tense atmosphere before the Special Exam.

Understanding this, Fūki immediately had new calculations in mind. Sakura Eri, this girl who already harbored some good feelings and trust towards him, was more valuable than he had initially estimated. She was not only a recorder in an excellent observational position but also a potential source of information holding a secret significant enough to overturn her own persona. Controlling this secret meant controlling Sakura Eri's weakness, and her existing good feelings towards Fūki could greatly reduce the difficulty and risk of controlling her.

He carefully restored everything to its original state and silently left the activity room, as if no one had ever been there.

A few days later, during a lunch break, Fūki timed it perfectly and "accidentally" passed by the quiet corridor overlooking the courtyard, where Sakura Eri often went. She was indeed there, holding her camera, staring out the window, a cloud of melancholy and anxiety hanging over her brow.

Fūki didn't approach immediately. Instead, he stopped a short distance away, leaned against the railing, his gaze fixed on the courtyard, and spoke in a calm voice, loud enough for her to hear, as if talking to himself:

"Sometimes, the truest self is hidden behind the lens. Whether recording others or presenting another self, it requires immense courage. This courage is worth protecting."

After speaking, he turned his head slightly, his gaze calmly falling on Sakura.

Sakura Eri's head snapped up. When her eyes met Fūki's, she froze as if electrocuted. The camera in her hands almost slipped; she clutched it tightly, her face instantly turning pale, her lips trembling slightly, her eyes filled with disbelief, terror, and... a hint of panic at having her soul seen through. He... he knew? How could he know? Was he talking about me?

However, the expected questioning or threat did not come. Fūki merely gave her a slight nod, his gaze still calm, even... seemingly containing a hint of inexplicable... understanding? He didn't say anything else and turned to leave, leaving Sakura standing alone, her heart pounding wildly, her mind in chaos.

That familiar feeling of being seen through but not exposed surged through her again. But this time, besides fear, a more complex and ineffable emotion was growing. He... he seemed to understand me? Was he implying he would... protect my secret? Recalling his previous help in repairing her camera, and his consistently calm attitude, neither pitying nor aggressive, a large stone was dropped into Sakura's heart.

In the following days, Sakura Eri's attention to Fūki Ran reached a whole new level. Her lens involuntarily followed him more often, and her gaze lingered on him for longer periods. But this time, in addition to her usual observation and that vague good feeling, there was a deep confusion, a hidden dependence, and a gradually deepening trust that she herself had not yet clearly realized. She began to feel that beside the boy who was always terrifyingly calm, there seemed to be... a peculiar sense of security.

Through indirect feedback from Kikyo and Karuizawa, Fūki knew that Sakura remained tense but had not reacted excessively. Instead, she seemed to have developed a deeper "obsession" with his presence. He knew the intended effect had been achieved. Building on Sakura's existing good feelings towards him, he had skillfully applied pressure and given hints of "understanding" and "protection," subtly binding her fear with that nascent good feeling. He didn't need to forcibly bring her under his wing; he just needed to ensure that when this sensitive fawn felt danger, she would instinctively want to approach his seemingly calm "shadow."

He was in no hurry to deploy Sakura Eri before the Special Exam. She was like a unique and sensitive plant that required more careful cultivation and the right timing to bloom. For now, he only needed to ensure this plant grew under his influence and received its "light" and "water" only from him. At some crucial moment in the future, this investment might yield unexpected returns.