An Uneasy Sakura

At 7:00 AM, the dormitory hallway was still filled with cold, stagnant air. The door to Natsukawa Sosuke's room, a static square, blended into the off-white walls. Yet, huddled in the corner right next to that square was a red-haired figure.

Sakura Airi had not waited until 7:30. She had spent the night sleepless, tormented by fear and that private message filled with greasy, lecherous intent. Every time she closed her eyes, the image of that fanatical stalker—whose face she couldn't clearly see—haunted her. She had followed Natsukawa's instructions to set her device aside, but her heart refused to stop its frantic warning. Finally, at the break of dawn, she dressed and left the dormitory room that no longer offered her any sense of security.

She took the elevator down to the fourth floor and stopped in front of Natsukawa's door. She didn't dare knock. She was terrified that her presence would disturb his rest. She remembered what he had told her late last night: "It's okay now, you're safe." That sense of relief was like a warm barrier, separating the world inside the room from the world outside. All she could do was stay as close to that barrier as possible.

She slowly crouched down, curling her body into a ball, wrapping her arms tightly around her knees and resting her chin on her kneecaps. Her thick glasses obscured most of her expression, but the blue eyes peeking out were filled with lifeless panic. She hid herself in the shadow of the corner where the door met the wall, trying to make herself invisible to combat the anxiety surging within her. Her breathing was shallow, almost inaudible; every second of waiting felt as long as a century.

7:15 AM. Natsukawa's door slid open silently. He habitually scanned the hallway. His gaze paused for an imperceptible moment when it caught the red figure huddled in the corner. Sakura Airi was crouching there in her uniform, her long red hair draped messily, obscuring most of her face. Her hands were clutched tightly around her knees, her body trembling slightly. The posture was exactly like a small animal that had hidden in a hollow tree after being chased by hounds.

Natsukawa Sosuke spoke softly, in a volume only the two of them could hear: "Sakura-san."

The voice was light, yet like a stone thrown into a calm lake, it instantly stirred up violent ripples. Sakura's body jolted, and she recoiled as if struck by an electric shock, her back instantly pressing against the cold wall. She looked up in a panic, her pupils dilating when she saw Natsukawa, before she quickly lowered her head again.

"I, I'm sorry... Natsukawa-kun..." Her voice was visibly timid. "I, I came, came here early..."

Natsukawa Sosuke did not respond to her apology; he simply stepped forward and held out his hand toward her.

Sakura Airi's slightly trembling left hand touched Natsukawa's palm. The contact was as light as a dragonfly skimming the water, as if she might pull away at any moment. Natsukawa Sosuke felt the chill radiating from her fingertips. He didn't grip her hand tightly, but instead lifted his own, using the momentum to pull her up from the floor.

Sakura Airi used that strength to rise slowly. Because she had been crouching for so long, her legs were numb, and she swayed. She immediately reached out and grabbed Natsukawa's arm. "Th, thank you..." She habitually lowered her head again.

"Let's go. We're heading to the school building. We'll stop by Chabashira-sensei's office on the way." Natsukawa Sosuke pulled his hand back and walked to her side, maintaining a position that allowed her to keep up without feeling pressured.

Walking along the tree-lined path, Sakura Airi followed half a step behind Natsukawa. Her steps were tiny, her eyes fixed intently on his heels.

As the number of students increased, Sakura's body instinctively tensed. Her shoulders hunched upward, hiding her neck. Her hands gripped the straps of her school bag so tightly that her knuckles turned a ghastly white.

Natsukawa Sosuke looked straight ahead and spoke in a steady tone without turning back. "Stop gripping your bag straps." Sakura's body shuddered, and she immediately let go of the straps, but the misplaced tension caused her to clasp her hands together in front of her, her fingertips rubbing against each other.

"Sakura-san, what are you afraid of right now?" he asked.

"I, I..." Sakura's voice was muffled. "I'm afraid... that they are looking at me... and I'm afraid... that person is... also among them." Her head sank even lower.

Natsukawa Sosuke paused for a second. "A posture like that only makes you look more like an easy target." His voice remained calm, but carried a guiding strength. He turned slightly, not facing her fully. "Relax your shoulders." He issued a soft command. Sakura's shoulders trembled slightly, and slowly, stiffly, she relaxed them a little.

"Now, look at my back," Natsukawa said. Sakura Airi looked up, her blue eyes focusing on Natsukawa's upright silhouette. "There are no eyes on my back; I can't see you, and neither can anyone else." Natsukawa's voice had a rhythmic quality that was soothing.

"When you cannot fight your fear, learn to shift your focus."

"Put all your attention on my pace. Count how many steps I take, feel the rhythm of my footsteps, and use your own steps to match them."

"Block everything else out. Right now, the only thing you need to do is follow me, step by step, to the school building. You aren't walking alone; you only need to focus on keeping up."

Sakura Airi took a deep breath, the action trembling slightly. She locked her gaze onto Natsukawa's heels, forcing herself to shift her attention to his gait. She began to mimic him mechanically, her steps no longer frantic. Her body was still tense, but the illusion of being the center of attention was partially diminished by the task of "following."

Upon arriving at the Class D classroom, Sakura Airi still followed closely behind Natsukawa.

Natsukawa set down his and Sakura's bags, then led Sakura to the faculty office.

Natsukawa knocked on the office door. "Come in," came the habitually cold and hard voice of Chabashira Sae.

Sakura Airi followed tightly behind Natsukawa, like a vine hiding behind a rock. She kept her head down, only daring to catch the movement around her with her peripheral vision, hiding herself behind Natsukawa's tall frame.

Inside the office, Chabashira Sae turned to look at the two of them. Natsukawa Sosuke stood still and showed her the greasy private message Sakura had received on her device.

"Chabashira-sensei, this is the message Sakura-san received a few days ago. The other party has obtained her real identity and is engaging in continuous psychological coercion."

Chabashira Sae glanced at the content on the screen, her eyes flickering slightly, but she quickly returned to her aloof, icy demeanor. She pushed the device back, interlacing her fingers under her chin with a hint of impatient bureaucracy.

"I see," her voice was clear and ruthless. "Natsukawa, I understand your concerns. However, the evidence is far from sufficient for the school to intervene."

Sakura's body stiffened abruptly.

"This message is merely a private comment from a fan to an idol," Chabashira Sae's voice was cold. "It mentions her real identity, but there is no explicit threat of physical violence, nor does it indicate any criminal act. The content is more akin to speculation, fanatical attachment, and mental harassment."

She tapped her fingers on the desk, producing two sharp sounds—the signal that the verdict had been delivered. "The school cannot intervene in the affairs of its personnel based solely on this level of psychological harassment. If he takes further action, such as explicit stalking or contact on campus, you may come to me again. Until then, I cannot provide any assistance."

Chabashira Sae's attitude was the perfect embodiment of the logic by which this school operated—trouble that had not been clearly defined would never be worth the time to handle.

"Understood." Natsukawa Sosuke calmly took back the device. He was not surprised by this result and did not attempt to argue; he simply gave Sakura's stiff arm a gentle tug. "Sorry to bother you, sensei."

The two of them immediately left the office.