Deepening Shadows

Under the gentle yet firm guidance of Natsukawa Sosuke, Sakura Airi's morning running training has continued for two days.

On the morning sports field, Natsukawa maintained his usual steady and slow pace. He did not set requirements beyond her limits, instead pushing her gently toward new goals at the edge of her capacity each day—from one lap to two.

Sakura Airi's running form remained clumsy, but her breathing had become much more stable than on the first day. Most importantly, she had learned the "attention diversion method" Natsukawa taught her: focusing all her mental energy on counting Natsukawa's footsteps and adjusting her own inhalation and exhalation rhythm. This mechanical repetition successfully detached her consciousness from the fear of the surrounding crowd.

After completing his daily study tasks, Natsukawa began using the system to add points to his stamina, preparing for the upcoming island trip. The cost of this physical enhancement was running 4 kilometers every day for a week. After two days, Natsukawa's stamina had strengthened slightly following the system upgrades; while not obvious, it was still something earned through his own hard work.

Afterward, Sakura Airi followed closely behind Natsukawa back to the Class D classroom, just as she had before. She habitually fixed her gaze on Natsukawa's back, as only this connection of sight could grant her a moment of stability.

In the afternoon, club activity time arrived. Natsukawa was continuing his "reading pastime" in the library when his terminal suddenly vibrated.

Natsukawa Sosuke had intended to stay in the library until 5:00, as he had before. Previously, he had shifted his exercise to the morning after finishing his daily studies, so he habitually came to the library and switched his phone back to normal mode.

A grey figure also refreshed in the distance, and both of them tacitly immersed themselves in their respective books without disturbing each other.

Just then, Natsukawa's personal terminal vibrated, and a message from "Sakura Airi" popped up.

"Natsukawa-kun... where are you right now?"

"In the library. What's wrong? Did something happen?"

The reply came almost instantly after his message was sent, carrying a visible sense of panic:

"I... there are so many candid photos in my mailbox."

"I, I went back to the dormitory building and checked the mailbox in the lobby to see if there was anything..."

"Inside... there were so many, so many photos... photos of me being secretly photographed..."

"I don't know what to do now..."

The personal mailboxes, located in the dormitory lobby, were where students received letters and notices—a space that was public yet private. Having "candid photos" printed out and stuffed into her mailbox in such a near-declaratory manner was no longer ordinary cyber-harassment.

Natsukawa's eyes darkened. He replied immediately: "Stay where you are. Don't look at those photos. I'll be there right away."

Natsukawa packed his bag, slung it over his shoulder, and walked out of the library with a steady and swift pace.

When he arrived on the first floor of the dormitory, he saw Sakura Airi at a glance. She was standing by the wall of dense mailboxes, her body stiff like a frozen sculpture.

Her hands clutched her bag tightly, as if trying to isolate herself completely from the outside world. Those blue eyes behind thick glasses were staring fixedly at her mailbox slot, her pupils slightly dilated, as if she had seen something unclean.

Scattered at her feet were several printed photos. They were in color and clear—her with her head down reading in the classroom, her eating alone in the cafeteria, and even her walking with her head down in the hallway. Every photo captured her at her most unguarded, most invisible moments.

"Na, Natsukawa-kun...?"

Hearing the sound of Natsukawa approaching, Sakura's body shuddered violently; the extreme fear only loosened slightly upon seeing him. She practically trotted toward him and, just like yesterday, instinctively grabbed his arm, her fingertips ice-cold.

"I... what should I do..." Her voice was low and trembling.

Natsukawa ignored the photos on the ground. He knew that Sakura's heart was currently being completely crushed by the impact of these images. This was different from online comments; physical photos were tangible, proving that the "shadow" was right beside her and could reach her at any time.

"Take a deep breath first, Sakura-san." Natsukawa's voice was steady and powerful, pulling her out of the quagmire of panic.

"Let's leave here first. I'll handle these photos."

Natsukawa transmitted his body heat and sense of stability to her through his arm. He bent down and gathered the photos from the ground as quickly as possible, along with the ones remaining in the mailbox. He didn't look at them closely, simply stacking them like playing cards and stuffing them into his pocket.

He led Sakura away from the lobby and sat down on a relatively secluded bench.

"Sakura-san, think carefully now." Natsukawa didn't rush to provide a solution, instead guiding her rationality first. "Do you think this act is necessarily the work of the same person who sent the private messages before?"

Sakura Airi was stunned by his question, and her fear-dominated thinking began to be guided toward analysis.

"I... I don't know..." She shook her head.

"I know you are uneasy, but we need a chain of evidence now." Natsukawa's tone was gentle but highly directive.

"Candid photos cannot directly confirm that it was the stalker. If he wanted to control you completely, he wouldn't use a method that might expose himself. This kind of mass distribution of photos is more like a provocation or an attempt to apply pressure."

Sakura Airi's blue eyes were filled with confusion and unease.

"This behavior could come from him, or it could come from someone else who wants to exploit your secret." Natsukawa offered a seemingly ruthless deduction, yet it was the judgment most consistent with the school's rules.

"So, we cannot act rashly right now." Natsukawa made a decision. "But we must seek help for this matter."

He decided to introduce the next target—Ichinose Honami. Through their after-school tutoring, the two had already had an initial acquaintance, and Ichinose not only possessed a powerful information network and connections, but more importantly, she had a sense of justice and responsibility toward her peers that matched her capabilities.

Natsukawa immediately took out his terminal and quickly sent a message to Ichinose Honami.

"Ichinose-san, I need your help to resolve a very sensitive issue for Sakura Airi-san, involving personal safety and privacy. Can you spare a moment for a phone call? The situation is somewhat urgent."

Less than a minute after the message was sent, the terminal rang, and the name "Ichinose Honami" flashed on the screen.

Natsukawa answered the phone and briefly recounted the situation: Sakura Airi being secretly photographed, receiving physical photos, and the possibility of being continuously targeted by someone within the school, using the most concise language possible.

On the other end of the line, Ichinose Honami's voice instantly shifted from her usual energetic and lively tone to one of seriousness and calm.

"Natsukawa-kun, I understand. The nature of this behavior is very malicious, and I cannot ignore it." Ichinose's voice was decisive. "Please tell Sakura-san not to worry. I will definitely help with this."

"Let's meet at the cafe in Keyaki Mall now to discuss it in detail."

Natsukawa: "Alright, we'll be there soon."

"Ichinose-san... will she really help me?"

Natsukawa stood up and turned to look at her. "She will. You know, she has always been an upright and reassuring person, hasn't she?"

"Let's go, to Keyaki."

Sakura Airi nodded gently. The powerlessness born of fear still existed, but at this moment, she no longer felt completely alone. Her gaze remained locked firmly on Natsukawa's solid back as she followed him step by step. She knew that as long as she followed him, she would not fall into a deeper darkness.