Capture

"Suzune, there were still many details you hadn't noticed."

Suzuki's words pulled everyone back from their disappointment.

"You could tell from Sakura's private messages that the person was exceptionally familiar with the school environment. That alone ruled out all first-year students."

Most of Sakura's chosen shooting locations were obscure corners of the campus.

You would have to spend at least two or three years at the school to recognize them.

After giving everyone time to process that, Suzuki continued his analysis:

"Competition at this school was especially fierce. The upper-year A and B classes had nearly exhausted themselves trying to climb higher."

"And the C and D classes were struggling desperately not to be expelled. Under those circumstances, the chances of that scumbag being a student were very low."

Suzuki's reasoning was well-founded.

At Birch Shopping Center, you could hardly spot a single upper-year student. The ones shopping, dining out, and singing karaoke were almost all first-year students.

Everyone was busy to death. They did not even have time to shop, much less the energy to harass a female celebrity.

"Right! Suzuki was absolutely right."

Kushida's eyes lit up as she said in surprise:

"Whenever I saw the upperclassmen, they were always hurrying somewhere, looking incredibly busy."

Ike looked utterly confused. He had been thoroughly talked in circles.

"So... did that mean the guy wasn't a student?"

Suzuki shook his head and denied it.

"Not exactly. Nothing was absolute. I could only say that he was most likely not a student."

After thinking for a moment, he added:

"And he was ugly, with lecherous eyes. He wasn't the type popular with women. Oh, and he wasn't a teacher or part of the administration either."

Everyone nodded in agreement. After all, if he were popular with women, he would not be so repressed.

"Then... what exactly should we do to find him?"

Hasebe asked impatiently.

She had actually thought Sudo's method was good from the start. Now that Horikita, Suzuki, and the others had patched up its flaws, it was sure to work.

"There were actually many methods. It depended on what Sakura wanted to choose."

"The first was naturally the proactive approach Sudo mentioned. It was highly efficient. The only concern was that it could alert the snake, making him much harder to catch afterward."

"The second was to wait for the rabbit by the tree stump. Sakura could keep posting her photos at the same time and place. The rest of us would wait along his usual route and catch him red-handed once the suspect appeared, with both witness and physical evidence."

"This method had an extremely high success rate, but it was somewhat inefficient. It could take several days."

The other methods all led to the same goal. They were nothing more than variations of waiting in ambush or taking the initiative.

Only the details differed.

Everyone looked at Sakura, waiting to see what she would choose.

Sakura turned to Hasebe, seeking her friend's opinion.

"Airy... no matter which one you choose, everyone will stay with you and help you."

Hasebe stroked Sakura's head.

Suzuki had the feeling that Hasebe seemed to radiate maternal warmth. Was she raising Sakura like a daughter?

"I... I'll choose the second one."

Encouraged by her friend, Sakura bravely made her decision.

Suzuki actually thought Sudo's method was better. Since he knew the original story, he knew exactly how bizarre that Shop Clerk was.

It was not as though Suzuki had not considered bringing the Student Council to arrest the Shop Clerk directly. There had to be other incriminating things hidden on his phone anyway.

But the current situation was... even Sakura herself did not have a clear target.

Before the fight incident, although the Shop Clerk knew Sakura was a student at Advanced Nurturing, he did not know which class she was in.

He had never stalked or secretly photographed her either, leaving no trace whatsoever. If Suzuki simply arrested him now, it would be a little too absurd.

"Good. Then we'll do this... then this... and finally this..."

After discussing the plan, everyone left one after another.

They left behind the mess on the floor for Ayanokoji to pass the time with.

Time reached mid-May.

Ike stood alone at the corner of the Special Teaching Building, his expression grim.

After confirming the criminal suspect, he immediately whispered into the walkie-talkie hidden in his collar:

"This is Wildcat. The target has appeared."

"I repeat, the target has appeared. Over."

"Received."

A grave male voice came from the walkie-talkie.

Elsewhere.

Special Teaching Building.

Third-floor corridor.

Tap tap tap tap...

Hurried footsteps approached from afar. After who knew how long,

a fat figure... abruptly appeared in the third-floor stairwell.

"Hah... hah... dear Shizuku-chan... where are you?"

His voice was hoarse.

It came with ragged, hurried breathing, like an old broken bellows.

"Shizuku-chan... hah... stop hiding from me. Uncle knows you're here."

The Shop Clerk hunched over as he searched the empty classrooms, heading deeper into the corridor.

"Oh, right. Uncle is your loyal fan."

Tap... tap... tap...

His footsteps deliberately softened, like a cougar closing in on its prey.

"...Shizuku-chan, come out quickly."

"As long as you come out, whether it's points or money, Uncle will give you whatever you want."

His voice drew closer and closer.

At last, he reached the final classroom on the third floor.

"Bang!"

With a bang, someone kicked the classroom door open from outside.

"Shizu..."

"Screw your Shizu!"

What greeted him was not Sakura's panicked pretty face, but Sudo's fist, as big as a sandbag.