Let the Bullet Fly for a While

Sakura Airi and Ichinose Honami's actions, just as Natsukawa Sosuke had predicted, successfully deceived the stalker lurking in the shadows.

The next day, Sakura Airi remained tense as she kept up her ordinary interactions with Ichinose Honami. They only went to the cafeteria together during lunch and walked back to the dorms together after school. None of their Class B classmates followed them, and they made no deliberate effort to investigate any locations. Everything seemed calm and peaceful, completely back to the way the stalker wanted it.

When the stalker realized Sakura Airi had really obediently done as he'd said and gotten the Class B students around Ichinose to back off, he was overjoyed.

To him, this proved his threats had worked. Sakura Airi's fear of being exposed to the public was the strongest weapon in his hands. Although the pretty Ichinose Honami was still by Sakura Airi's side, what danger could a little girl pose? This D-class "country bumpkin" couldn't escape his grasp.

So he immediately intensified his harassment of Sakura Airi online.

Sakura Airi's blog inbox began filling with a barrage of messages dripping with sickening possessiveness.

"Very good, Shizuku-chan. Uncle likes obedient girls best."

"That girl from Class B isn't trustworthy. Only I can truly understand everything about you."

"You were so cute today, walking down the hall with your head lowered. But you should lift your neck a little more, or it'll be bad for your spine."

These messages were full of a sense of omniscience and control. He kept proving to Sakura Airi that he was always watching, that he was everywhere.

When Sakura Airi saw the dense messages, their words dripping with sickly amusement, waves of nausea still rose inside her. She tried to breathe deeply and remember Natsukawa Sosuke's encouragement: "You're much braver than you think."

After school, she returned to her dorm and messaged Natsukawa Sosuke.

"Natsukawa-kun, he... he's gotten worse. The harassment... it's even more intense now."

Natsukawa Sosuke replied quickly: "Yeah, I saw. I also saw how brave you've been and how much you've grown. You don't even call me up crying anymore."

Sakura blushed when she read the message, but still asked, "Then... what should we do?"

"You don't need to do anything right now," Natsukawa Sosuke replied gently.

"Huh?" Sakura Airi was a little confused.

"For now, we just need to let the bullet fly for a while." Natsukawa Sosuke had started speaking in riddles too.

Sakura Airi gripped her terminal tightly. Although Natsukawa's reply was brief, it had a reassuring strength to it. She knew he meant his plan needed time to take shape.

"But, Sakura. I can't leave you to bear the pressure of waiting alone, either." Another message from Natsukawa followed. "If you really can't stand it, I can ask Ichinose to come keep you company in your room tonight. She's your friend, and you're both girls, so it'd be more convenient."

A faint blush rose on Sakura Airi's cheeks again. She didn't refuse right away. She was indeed a little afraid of being alone, and she couldn't exactly spend the night in Natsukawa's room.

"I-I'll ask Ichinose..."

Then Sakura Airi messaged Ichinose Honami.

After hearing about Sakura Airi's situation, Ichinose Honami came straight to Sakura's dorm without a second thought.

When Ichinose Honami knocked on Sakura's dorm room door, Sakura Airi's blue eyes filled with gratitude and relief.

"Sakura! Are you okay?" Ichinose Honami asked with concern as soon as she entered. Seeing Sakura Airi's slightly tired face, though far calmer than it had been a few days ago, she felt relieved.

"I-I'm okay... Sorry for the trouble, Ichinose."

Ichinose Honami led Sakura Airi over to sit on the edge of the bed. She didn't check the messages on Sakura's terminal, but instead chatted with her in a casual tone.

"Sakura, what do you think he'll do next?" Ichinose asked.

Guided by Ichinose's words, Sakura Airi's somewhat sluggish thoughts began to turn.

"He... he wants to see me scared," Sakura Airi answered softly. "He thinks he's won, so he'll want me to give in even more."

"That's right." Ichinose Honami smiled in agreement. "So what could he do to make you 'give in even more'?"

Sakura Airi fell silent and tried hard to think it through.

She thought of those secretly taken photos and her fear of being in public.

"He... he'll want me to go somewhere alone, or... do something humiliating in front of a lot of people..." Sakura Airi's voice was quiet, but she'd accurately grasped the stalker's mindset.

Ichinose Honami didn't give her an answer. She simply looked at Sakura Airi gently. She knew what Natsukawa was getting at: Sakura Airi needed to think for herself, shifting her thoughts from fear to problem-solving instead of sinking into fear and wearing herself down.

The two of them didn't come up with any specific plan, but the conversation greatly comforted and encouraged Sakura Airi.

The next morning, Sakura Airi's blog inbox received another "surprise."

This time, the stalker's demands had grown even more brazen.

He was no longer satisfied with verbal harassment. He began demanding that Sakura Airi meet him in person, alone.

"Dear Shizuku-chan, Uncle's missing you a little. Tomorrow at four in the afternoon, come alone to the rooftop of Keyaki Mall. How about we share our innermost feelings? Let's have a date, just the two of us—the fan who loves Shizuku-chan most."

Afterward, a second secretly taken photo arrived in Sakura Airi's personal email. This one was even clearer than the last.

Sakura Airi looked at the two new threats, and her body still trembled instinctively. But her blue eyes no longer showed the same panic as before.

Natsukawa Sosuke's firm promise flashed through her mind: "I promise you, Sakura. I absolutely won't let you end up in that situation."

That unconditional trust instantly swept away the fear that remained in her heart.

Instead of contacting Ichinose Honami, she messaged Natsukawa Sosuke directly.

"Natsukawa-kun, he wants me to meet him on the rooftop of Keyaki Mall tomorrow at four in the afternoon."

"I have an idea..."

Sakura Airi sent him her "fishing plan." She decided to take the risk and go to the meeting, while Natsukawa Sosuke secretly made the arrest. It was an extremely risky plan. If anything went wrong, she might really have the mask she'd always wanted to hide torn away, or even end up in an even worse situation.

Natsukawa Sosuke quickly replied: "Sakura, are you sure? What if I can't get there in time?"

It wasn't a question so much as Natsukawa Sosuke's final confirmation of Sakura Airi's resolve.

Sakura Airi took a deep breath and replied, "I-I'm sure. I trust you, Natsukawa-kun. You can do it."

This was the most complete, unconditional trust she had ever placed in Natsukawa Sosuke. She had changed from someone who could only hide into someone willing to face danger and fight back. She knew Natsukawa Sosuke had been waiting for her to make this decision.

Natsukawa Sosuke replied quickly, with a hint of quiet approval.

"Good, Sakura. You've exceeded my expectations."

"But there's no need to go through all that trouble."

Sakura Airi was a little confused. No trouble? What was he going to do?

Natsukawa's next message came right after: "You'll find out soon. And don't panic at the messages you're about to receive. No matter what you see, don't reply or call me. Just tell Ichinose about the messages and have her go to the Student Council."

Just as Natsukawa Sosuke's message went through, several new messages suddenly appeared in Sakura Airi's blog chat.

Once again, they were from that obsessed fan.

"Dear Shizuku-chan, listen to Uncle. Remember to be there on time tomorrow at four in the afternoon. I'm changing the meeting place to the electronics store where I work. If you don't come, I'll spread your real identity and the photos I took before."

"Your high school life is sure to get very exciting after that, isn't it? The look on your face then will be so delightful to see!"

Sakura Airi stared at the messages on her screen, her big eyes filled with confusion.

Was this what Natsukawa-kun meant? Had the bullet... already arrived?