Keyaki Mall, karaoke room.
The music and Class B's laughter blended into a wave of youthful excitement that nearly spilled out of the room. At that moment, a popular idol song was driving the mood in the Class B room to its peak. Colored spotlights swept across the flushed, excited faces of Amikura Mako and another girl.
"—Now! Everyone, sing along!"
"Yeah!"
Ichinose Honami sat in the corner, holding a maraca and happily keeping time for her friends. She had deftly dodged the microphone three times already, casting herself in the role of cheerleader. As the person who held Class B together, she enjoyed these happy moments when everyone came together.
"Honami-chan, you sing the next one!"
"Huh? I'm completely tone-deaf..."
Just as she waved her hands with a smile, ready to turn them down again, the Personal Terminal on the sofa lit up silently. A message appeared on the screen, sent by—Natsukawa Sosuke.
Ichinose's smile faltered slightly.
She knew that, given Natsukawa's way of doing things, he wouldn't contact her after school unless it was necessary.
She picked up her terminal and opened the brief message:
"Ichinose, I need your help with a very sensitive matter involving Sakura Airi's safety and privacy. Can you spare a moment to talk on the phone? It's somewhat urgent."
"Sorry, Mako! Something urgent just came up. I have to leave right away!" Without a moment's hesitation, she stood up and grabbed her bag.
"Huh?!" Amikura Mako turned around in surprise from the song selection screen. "Now? Where are you going, Honami-chan? Don't tell me... it's a date?"
"No, it's not!" Ichinose couldn't stop to explain in detail, so she could only give them an apologetic smile. "Something really important happened to a friend! Remember to give me the bill later so I can reimburse you. Keep having fun! I'm off!"
Ignoring the "Aww..." from her Class B classmates behind her, she hurriedly opened the karaoke room door and left all the flashing lights and sound behind. She headed for the elevator, dialing Natsukawa at the same time.
The call connected quickly, and Natsukawa's calm, clear voice came through. Ichinose pressed the elevator's down button and spoke.
"Natsukawa, it's me. What happened?"
"Let me get straight to the point, Ichinose. Someone at school has been targeting Sakura Airi..."
Meanwhile, Natsukawa Sosuke was walking with Sakura Airi along the tree-lined path from the dormitory to Keyaki Mall.
It was a warm afternoon in June, but Sakura Airi felt terribly cold. Her body was rigid as she walked half a step behind Natsukawa, unable to take her eyes off his back. Her heart was like a balloon stuffed full of fear and anxiety, ready to burst at any moment. The printed photos had become a nightmare that wouldn't leave her mind, as if the cold paper had already touched her skin.
Natsukawa Sosuke slowed his pace to match her frantic, shuffling steps. He didn't look back, but his voice carried clearly to her—gentle, yet impossible to ignore.
"Sakura."
"...Yes!" Like a startled rabbit, Sakura jerked to a stop before hurrying to catch up.
"After we meet Ichinose," Natsukawa said calmly, as if discussing an everyday matter, "we'll need to tell her the whole truth so she can help you as quickly and effectively as possible. That includes... why the stalker is targeting you."
Sakura Airi's steps stopped dead. The little color left in her already pale face drained away.
"...You mean..." Her voice was barely above a whisper, trembling violently. "You want to tell her about... 'Shizuku'?"
It was her deepest secret, her only fragile connection to the world, and the source of her fear.
"Yes." Natsukawa stopped and turned to face Sakura's wide blue eyes, enlarged by fear. His gaze was gentle, without a hint of pressure; he was simply stating a fact.
"That message proves they may already know about your double identity. If we hide this from Ichinose, she won't be able to judge their motives or predict what they might do next. That won't help either of you."
He paused, his tone softening further. "But this is your secret. You spent some time with Ichinose while studying for midterms. Do you think she'd look at you differently or reveal your secret?"
Natsukawa didn't decide for her. He handed the choice back to her.
Sakura Airi's mind went blank. She began to think back without even realizing it.
During the hardest stretch before midterms, Ichinose had sat beside her and patiently explained the classical texts she couldn't understand at all. Her smile had always been so warm, never showing the slightest impatience. When Sakura got so nervous that she couldn't form a complete sentence, Ichinose had simply encouraged her with a smile. "It's okay, Sakura. Take your time. You're already working so hard."
Ichinose was an "angel." Natsukawa trusted her.
In that cold, dark inner world filled with fear, those two realizations pried open a faint ray of light.
"I..." Sakura Airi took a deep breath, as if summoning every last bit of strength she had. She raised her head. Though her gaze still darted away, for the first time she didn't immediately lower it.
"I... I trust... Ichinose."
A café at Keyaki Mall, in a corner by the window.
Ichinose Honami held a warm cup of black tea in both hands, her brows slightly furrowed. She had been waiting here for five minutes, her mind constantly running through various possibilities.
Then the two familiar figures appeared at the café entrance.
Natsukawa Sosuke was as calm as ever, while Sakura Airi behind him looked as if her soul had been drained away. She huddled in Natsukawa's shadow, shuffling inside with her arms and legs moving out of sync.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Ichinose." Natsukawa pulled out a chair.
"Sakura, sit here." He naturally guided Sakura to the seat furthest inside, with her back to the wall—a spot that offered the greatest sense of security to someone with social anxiety. Only then did he sit beside her, shielding her from the outside world.
"It's all right. I just got here, too." Ichinose offered a reassuring smile. She deliberately avoided looking directly at Sakura and turned her gaze to Natsukawa first, giving Sakura time to adjust. "Natsukawa, you mentioned... photos on the phone?"
Natsukawa nodded and took the photo prints out of his pocket. He didn't spread them out, however; he simply placed them on the table.
"Before I explain the details, there's something you need to know." Natsukawa turned to Sakura, who was clutching her skirt in a tight grip.
"Sakura has another identity," Natsukawa said calmly, dropping the bombshell. "She's a somewhat well-known online blogging idol and a print model called 'Shizuku.'"
"Huh?!" This time, Ichinose Honami was genuinely surprised. Her beautiful blue eyes widened slightly, and she instinctively looked at the red-haired girl beside her, who wished she could curl up into a ball.
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