Sakura-san

Ichinose's beautiful eyes were fixed firmly on Hoshino's face, her heart filled with inexpressible resentment. In the photo, she was standing sideways, and with the slanting light falling on her, her figure looked somewhat bloated...

Although she really had been going out to eat with her friends more often lately, and her weight had increased just a tiny, tiny little bit, it could not possibly have been this obvious!

Since Kushida was in the same class, she did not have to suffer in silence like Ichinose. "Hoshino-kun, in your photos, I'm basically just a back view. Even my face is blurry here..."

If she had not needed to maintain her little angel persona, and if it were just her and Hoshino here, she would have already pounced on him and bitten him.

"This is... a photographic technique known as candid shots."

Still talking tough! Kushida rolled her eyes countless times inwardly. That guy Hoshino had obviously done it on purpose!

Even if they were candid shots, he had deliberately captured everyone's bad side! He had not even spared Sakura! He had precisely caught the moment when Haruka's hand blocked more than half her face!

Ichinose said gloomily, "There's a saying that only someone capable of getting full marks can score a zero."

Hoshino theatrically clutched his chest and took a step back. "I never imagined... Ichinose's talent for roasting people would be so sharp..."

"So you did it on purpose after all!" Haruka stamped her foot in anger.

"Then how about I take a few nice ones of you?"

"Mm..." Haruka was tempted. Based on what Ichinose had said just now, Aki was clearly capable of taking good photos but had deliberately chosen not to. Could she look forward to his skills this time?

"We can give you another chance, but you absolutely have to take some nice pictures properly this time." Kushida's attitude remained as warm as ever. Her delicate appearance easily stirred up people's protective instincts.

If someone here could hear other people's thoughts, they would have heard Kushida roaring inwardly, "Are you idiots?! You're letting him keep taking pictures? I'll bet anything that Hoshino won't take them properly!"

But no one could hear Kushida's objections buried deep in her heart, and neither Ichinose nor Sakura objected. So Hoshino took out his phone again. This time, the girls were prepared, and there was no way they would end up looking as awful as before.

With a soft click of the shutter, a photo that Hoshino considered utterly worthless was captured. Four beautiful girls smiled at the camera together. There was no longer any talk of subjects, backgrounds, lighting, colors, or composition—just overwhelming good looks and overflowing cleavage.

He casually sent the photo to the group chat. Haruka praised it with satisfaction. "See? You can take good pictures after all."

"This is the moment an artist dies," Hoshino muttered under his breath.

Ignoring the girls who continued chatting, he found a number in his contacts and dialed it. After waiting around ten seconds, the call connected, and a gentle male voice came from the phone. "Akira-kun."

"Uncle Sakayanagi, it's been a long time."

"Why are you suddenly calling me?"

"You should know the reason very well."

"Hehe." Chairman Sakayanagi let out a bitter laugh on the other end. "You should understand that I have no choice in the matter either..."

"There's no need to explain, Uncle Sakayanagi. I understand." Hoshino said helplessly, "I'll handle it, but I need you to do me a favor."

"What is it?"

"I need to communicate with people outside. Please remove the lock on my phone."

The rules of Advanced Nurturing High School stipulated that, under normal circumstances, students were not allowed to leave campus or communicate with the outside world during their three years at the school. The phones issued to students had been configured in advance so they could not actively contact people outside. Although they could receive calls from outside, people outside generally had no way of knowing a student's phone number.

Not long ago, Hoshino's phone had begun receiving repeated contacts from outside numbers. Hoshino immediately guessed that Chairman Sakayanagi had revealed his number.

"Fine." Chairman Sakayanagi hesitated only briefly before agreeing at once. "I truly am having a hard time dealing with it too."

The two spoke for a few more moments before ending the call. Less than half a minute later, a notification popped up on Hoshino's phone: Communications lock removed.

That was fast. It seemed Chairman Sakayanagi had really been driven mad by the harassment.

Hoshino deftly entered a long string of numbers into his phone and pressed the call button.

The call was answered in less than two seconds.

"Hello?"

"Akira? Is that little Akira?"

"It hasn't even been two months, and you can't recognize my voice anymore?"

Hoshino made a joke, then expertly stretched out his arm and held the phone away from his ear.

The next second, a near-hysterical scream burst from the phone. "Aaaaaah—"

Even without speakerphone, the sound was piercing enough. Ichinose and the others were startled and all turned to look at Hoshino, who was holding his phone in an odd pose.

After about ten seconds, the screaming gradually faded. Only then did Hoshino bring the phone back to his ear and calmly ask, "Have you calmed down now?"

"Mm..."

"You do this every time. It's very damaging to my hearing."

"It's because I'm really excited~"

Kushida and Haruka swiftly exchanged a glance. It's a girl!

"Who told you to run off without saying a word to some stupid school? And it's completely closed off, for three whole years? That's ridiculous!"

"It's not really appropriate to call it a stupid school. It does have some merits."

"None of that matters. Little Akira, hurry up and drop out. With your abilities, why should you stay in a place like that for three years?"

"I've already made my decision." Though Hoshino's tone remained calm, it carried an unquestionable finality. "And you should stop calling me too, Sakura-san."

"Huh?" Sakura, who had been quietly listening nearby, suddenly heard a familiar sound and instinctively assumed she was being called. She answered in a daze.

"...Little Akira? Did I just hear a girl's voice?" The voice on the phone abruptly darkened. "There's a girl beside you? Who is she? What's her name? What does she look like? Send me photos and information right away..."

Hoshino pressed a finger against his brow in frustration. He had never expected that a casual form of address would be caught by her.

"Yes, there are lots of girls around me right now. Every one of them is prettier than you, has a better figure than you, and has a better personality than you..."

"Aaaaaah—"

Another scream came from the other end, forcing Hoshino to hold the phone away again.

Taking advantage of the pause, Sakura asked weakly, "Um... I'm sorry..."

"Sakura, there's no need for you to apologize. I should be the one apologizing." Hoshino waved his hand. "My idiot older sister made a spectacle of herself in front of you."

"Huh? So she's your sister?" Haruka said in surprise. "I thought she was..."

"Wait! If she's Hoshino-kun's sister and her name is Sakura..." Kushida's eyes suddenly lit up. "Could she be...?"

"Oh, you should have heard her name. Although she's incredibly unreliable, she's probably the most famous person in our family." Hoshino wore a bitter smile. "Hoshino Sakura. Her stage name is Sakura. She's an entertainer, more or less."