Therapy by Copying Answers / Kushida's Discovery

She asked the male clerk, "Excuse me, sir, how much does expedited repair cost? Could you tell me?"

Seeing that everyone across from him had already made their positions clear, the male clerk could only stammer, "With expedited service, you could probably pick it up tomorrow afternoon, but there'll be an additional labor charge."

"How much would that be?"

"Three thousand."

"I'll pay for it," Kushida Kikyo immediately offered. "After all, I'm partly responsible for Classmate Sakura's camera breaking."

"That's not very fair to you. I... can pay for it myself." Sakura Airi seemed a little unaccustomed to Kushida's generosity.

"It's fine."

After Kushida insisted, they quickly placed the expedited repair order for the camera. Once they'd left it at the shop, the four of them walked out of the electronics store.

The male clerk held the pink camera in his hands, a feverish gleam flashing in his eyes.

"Shizuku-chan... I'll prove it to you, my... my love!"

Chapter 82: Therapy by Copying the Answers

After sorting out the camera problem, the four of them walked out of the electronics store together.

"Classmate Sakura, now that we've taken care of the camera, can we talk about what happened yesterday?" Kushida had been focused on this the whole time. It was the main reason she'd come today.

"Well..."

Although she'd agreed to go out with Kushida today, for some reason Sakura Airi sensed an inexplicable attitude from the short-haired girl—one that even made her feel a little uneasy.

"Hey, Classmate Kushida, could you not rush her?"

Seeing Sakura Airi hesitate, Hashiba Hikaru understood that, besides being shy around strangers, the girl was probably timid as well. Even if she really had witnessed the violent incident, getting her to agree to testify wouldn't be easy.

"Yeah, let Classmate Sakura think it over first."

As someone skilled at reading people, Ichinose Honami had noticed from the start that Classmate Sakura might not be very good at socializing.

"Mm, all right. If you make up your mind, Classmate Sakura, be sure to tell me right away."

Hearing the other two suddenly take the same side, Kushida Kikyo immediately changed her tune.

"Mm..."

Sakura Airi nodded faintly, but her gaze drifted unconsciously toward the only boy there, Hashiba Hikaru.

"Um, thanks for what you did just now, Classmate Hashiba. I..." She felt she ought to thank him. Faced with that clerk's frightening stare, she really had been too choked up to speak.

"It's okay. Everyone has things they're good at and things they're not good at. If you run into trouble, you can always rely on the friends around you."

A faint smile appeared on the boy's face. He gestured toward Kushida Kikyo and Ichinose Honami beside him, then said gently, "If you have any problems, Classmate Kushida and Classmate Ichinose will help you. You can trust them."

"That's right. We'd both like to be there for you, Classmate Sakura." Bringing classmates together was one of Ichinose Honami's specialties, so she quickly understood what Hashiba Hikaru meant and spoke up at once. "It doesn't matter if we're not in the same class. If you're ever in trouble, I'll definitely lend you a hand."

"Me too, me too," Kushida chimed in.

"Thank you... all of you."

Although she was grateful, Sakura Airi had never been able to express her feelings very frankly. In this situation, she could only thank them; she couldn't respond to their promises or assurances.

"And me. If there's anything you want to ask me, I promise I'll tell you everything I know."

After confirming the analysis of the Sakura Airi Stock, Hashiba Hikaru immediately began testing his approach.

Since this girl was so shy around strangers, he had to be careful not to overstep. Otherwise, he might make her dislike him, which would be troublesome.

That was why he'd kept his expression and gaze gentle from the start, taking care not to seem overeager to get close to her.

"Mm."

Sakura Airi looked at Hashiba Hikaru's face. When their eyes met, she felt that same sense of calm she'd experienced before.

Sure enough, when Classmate Hashiba treated her, he had none of the strange thoughts other boys seemed to have.

Sakura Airi went over what she'd just felt in her mind again and again. It wasn't an illusion; it was unmistakably real. It was the first time she'd felt this way since coming to this school.

For the first time, when a boy looked at her, she didn't feel afraid or want to run away.

As the four of them walked toward the exit of Keyaki Mall, several girls appeared farther up the street. They seemed to be Ando Sayo, Himeno, and the others.

They naturally spotted the group by the street and quickly waved, as if they wanted to come over and say hello.

Hashiba Hikaru keenly noticed Sakura Airi's face begin to pale slightly. He made a decision at once. "Since you've run into people you know, Classmate Ichinose and Classmate Kushida, you should hurry over and say hello."

"Does Classmate Hashiba not want to go?" Ichinose Honami asked, puzzled. They were all classmates, after all.

"Don't forget, we have another companion with us. Do you want to leave Classmate Sakura here by herself?"

Hashiba Hikaru smiled as he explained. Both girls were clever and immediately understood what he meant. Sakura Airi probably didn't want to go over and say hello.

"Then Classmate Hashiba can stay here with Classmate Sakura. We'll be right back." Ichinose Honami glanced at Sakura Airi's head, which had drooped again, and nodded.

"Mm, let's go say hello first."

Though she wore a mask, Kushida Kikyo had long been known as a social butterfly, so she couldn't very well refuse to greet them. Relationships between girls could be delicate. If someone waved to you and you pretended not to notice, things could get very awkward.

Once the two girls had gone over, only Hashiba Hikaru and Sakura Airi remained.

"Thank you, Classmate Hashiba..." The red-haired girl's voice was faint. She understood the boy had only meant well.

"It's all right. I'm sure they'll explain things for me. We all know each other anyway."

Seeing Hashiba Hikaru's relaxed expression and feeling the warmth that always seemed to surround him, Sakura Airi gathered her courage and spoke to him.

"Classmate Hashiba, you've probably heard about what happened to me from Classmate Kushida, right? About the witness."

"I have."

Hashiba Hikaru thought over the details of the Sakura Airi Stock again. The things that would lower its value included forcing her to do something she didn't want to do, or pushing her into the spotlight.

Given how timid and shy around strangers she was, asking her to do something like that really would be difficult for her.

"Then... what do you think I should do?" Sakura Airi looked at the boy, wanting to hear his candid opinion.

"Well..."

Hashiba Hikaru carefully considered his words. Sakura Airi was different from Ichinose Honami and Kushida Kikyo. Those two were both highly skilled at socializing, so he could speak more freely with them without worrying they'd end the conversation or refuse to talk.

The red-haired girl, on the other hand, was entirely different. Until he'd built a trusting relationship with her, he had to treat her as gently as possible.

"My thoughts are pretty simple, actually. Classmate Sakura, just be yourself."

Hashiba Hikaru didn't deliberately watch Sakura Airi's expression. Instead, he looked ahead at the girls gathered by the roadside, keeping the conversation relaxed. "Remember what I said just now? Everyone has things they're good at and things they're not good at. Even if you really are connected to what happened, that doesn't mean you have to take responsibility for it."

"It wasn't your fault, so there's no need to burden yourself with it."

"If you have evidence, you can simply give it to someone else who can handle it," Hashiba Hikaru said lightly, though his meaning was clear. "If you don't, you can just give a simple statement to show where you stand."

"Before you decide whether you want to help someone, no one else has the right to force you to make that decision. I hope you can just be yourself, Classmate Sakura."

"Be... myself?"

Sakura Airi held her hands against her chest, thinking carefully about what he meant.

"That's right. Be yourself. You can decide for yourself what you want to do and what you don't."

Hashiba Hikaru glanced at the system stock once more, thinking this approach should be the right one.

Sure enough, the next second, the system's notification appeared.

[Your words gave Sakura Airi the courage to help her class. She trusted and cared about you more. The Sakura Airi Stock rose by 10 points. Current stock price: 40.]

After glancing at the notification, Hashiba Hikaru understood that he was on the right track. To build trust with the timid, shy Classmate Sakura, he had to proceed slowly. He couldn't force her; he had to guide her to think things through for herself.

Ideally, he could also increase his own importance to her in the process. That would help raise the stock price even more.

"I've made up my mind. I'll talk to Classmate Kushida about what happened that day." Sakura Airi steeled her resolve.

"Mm, good. As long as you're sure about what you want, Classmate Sakura, that's all that matters. You don't have to force yourself."

After saying this, Hashiba Hikaru thought for a moment. Yesterday, he'd planned to gather and organize the relevant information once they'd confirmed the witness, then see if he could come up with some strategies for the upcoming hearing.

But after meeting Sakura Airi and buying her stock, his thinking had changed.

The red-haired girl's personality was already clear. If he came up with ideas for her and coached her on how to present herself at the hearing, that could lower her stock price.

After all, Hashiba Hikaru hadn't yet built a closer relationship of trust with Sakura, and the girl's abilities and personality were simply not suited to presenting herself at a hearing attended by teachers and Student Council members.

It seemed he needed a different approach and should choose someone more suitable to lead the hearing.

"What are you thinking about, Classmate Hashiba?"

Seeing the thoughtful look on the boy's face, Sakura Airi asked him directly.

"Just a few simple things. Nothing important." Hashiba Hikaru shook his head slightly, then spoke gently to Sakura Airi. "Just remember to put yourself first. Don't force yourself."

"If you run into something really difficult, don't let it weigh on you. You can ask someone else for help."

Hashiba Hikaru saw that the two girls had finished greeting the others and were walking back. He turned to Sakura Airi and said gently, "We're all here for you."

"Mm."

Sakura Airi quietly kept Hashiba Hikaru's words in mind. But taking that first step wouldn't be easy. She didn't have much confidence in herself to begin with.

"We're back, Classmate Hashiba."

After Ichinose Honami and Classmate Kushida rejoined them, the group headed back to the dormitory together.

Chapter 83: Kushida's Discovery

After entering the dormitory building, Sakura said goodbye to the others and went ahead by herself. Today's socializing had already pushed her past her limits, and she desperately wanted to breathe in the air of solitude.

The other three entered the elevator together. When they reached the third floor, Kushida Kikyo knew it was where Hashiba Hikaru's room was, so she looked at the boy, ready to say goodbye.

But to her surprise, when the elevator doors opened, Ichinose Honami followed Hashiba Hikaru out. After the two of them said goodbye to the short-haired girl, they walked side by side down the corridor.

What did that mean?

Before the elevator doors closed, Kushida Kikyo's expression darkened. She remembered what she'd seen at the grocery store earlier: the two of them picking out ingredients together, just like newlyweds—intimate and natural.

Wasn't this guy supposed to like her?

When the elevator reached Kushida Kikyo's floor, the short-haired girl stepped out with a stony expression. She'd decided she had to find another time to see Hashiba Hikaru. If he was lying, she absolutely wouldn't let him off.

Meanwhile, after opening the door to his dorm room, Hashiba Hikaru and Ichinose Honami went inside.

"Just as we agreed today, I'll do the cooking." The boy smiled as he watched the pink-haired girl reach for the apron hanging on the side of the refrigerator.

"Mm-hmm. Let me help you tie it, Classmate Hashiba."

Ichinose Honami wore a gentle, radiant smile. She gestured for Hashiba Hikaru to raise his arms, then slipped the apron over him and tied it in a knot behind his back.

"All right, Contestant Hashiba, you may begin cooking. I shall judge and score your culinary skills with strict impartiality."

Ichinose Honami suddenly lowered her voice and adopted the imposing air of a master chef. She spoke solemnly to the boy in front of her. "I hope you'll show me everything you can do."

"I won't disappoint you, Teacher. Please wait just a moment."

Hashiba Hikaru tugged at his apron, his expression grave. After taking out the ingredients they'd bought, he rolled up his sleeves and prepared to cook.

"Teacher, you can go relax somewhere else. I'll be done soon."

"Then I'll look forward to it, Contestant Hashiba." Ichinose Honami nodded.

Once their little exchange was over, she finally couldn't hold back and burst into laughter. "I can't believe you went along with that so well, Classmate Hashiba. We really are in sync!"

"It's not the first time. I had some free time, so I watched a bit of that food show you mentioned before. It's pretty entertaining."

"Mm-hmm. Then keep going, and don't disappoint me."

Ichinose Honami clasped her hands behind her back and walked toward the boy's bedroom, her head held high like a lord inspecting her territory.

This little skit was probably a small amusement the two of them had discovered in their daily lives. Sometimes Hashiba Hikaru would play the master chef and put Ichinose's cooking skills to the test instead.

After they finished the meal and chatted for a while, Ichinose Honami finally left.

Just as Hashiba Hikaru was sorting out his clothes and getting ready to take a shower, he heard a knock at the door.

"Did she forget something?"

Hashiba Hikaru rubbed his hair and went over to open the door.

"Good evening, Classmate Hashiba."