For a moment, the store fell completely silent.
Even the clerk was shaken by the imposing, handsome man standing before him.
He stammered, "Y-You just said you wanted what?"
"A voice recorder and a hidden camera. Preferably with high resolution, long battery life, and a long standby time. Most importantly, they should be easy to carry. Do you have those?"
Dongfang Yi continued asking without so much as a change in expression.
People should stay calm at all times, especially in situations like this.
As long as you weren't embarrassed, then the embarrassment was someone else's problem.
For example, when buying condoms at a convenience store, don't act bashful like some rookie who hasn't yet stepped onto the path of adulthood.
Stay calm enough, and anyone would assume you were a seasoned player who'd been through a hundred flowers without letting a single petal cling to him.
Besides, convenience store clerks didn't care about this kind of thing. They'd only envy you behind the counter.
"We do." The clerk scratched his head, wondering if someone with an image like his really needed this kind of thing.
"But you're not allowed to sell them to students?"
Dongfang Yi's tone remained level, as if he were asking about something perfectly ordinary.
"It's allowed," the clerk answered quickly.
"Where are they?" Dongfang Yi glanced around, surveying the display cases.
He didn't see them.
"They're... still in the stockroom. We haven't put them out."
"Then what are you standing around for? Go get them." Dongfang Yi furrowed his brow and urged him on.
"P-Please wait a moment."
The clerk could only head into the stockroom, looking back every few steps as he went to find the remaining stock.
He looked reluctant to leave, as if he were worried Sakura Airi would run off or Dongfang Yi would charm her away.
Soon, only the two of them remained in the store.
Sakura Airi silently edged a little farther away.
With her eyes lowered, she didn't even look at Dongfang Yi's face. She treated him as if he weren't there at all, as though she were completely absorbed in the world of cameras.
But the way she'd gradually moved farther away showed that—
She wasn't quite as oblivious to her surroundings as she seemed.
"If you're unsure, why not take a few photos and see how they turn out?"
Dongfang Yi looked at the wary girl before him with some amusement and struck up a conversation.
A prophet wouldn't care about someone else's offense; he only thought this poor girl had her guard up against the wrong person.
The red-haired, busty girl in glasses visibly shuddered. Then she instinctively lifted a foot, as if to move farther away, but stopped it in midair and set it back down.
She could feel that the man before her had fixed his gaze entirely on her.
Backing away now would be far too obvious.
Looks like I'm about to get caught up with some weird guy...
After a long pause, she could only curl in on herself as much as possible and reply, "Th-Thank you..."
"Are you a new student?"
"Y-Yes." Sakura Airi trembled like an ostrich burying its head in the sand, then fell silent.
She was terrified of getting mixed up with Dongfang Yi.
Partly because she was socially awkward, but also—
Who would think a guy who walked into a store asking for a hidden camera was a good person?
"Then what a coincidence. I just enrolled, too." A hint of surprise entered his voice, and his smile grew ever gentler. "Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Dongfang Yi from Class 1-A. And you?"
I've gotten caught up with a troublesome guy...
Sakura Airi sighed inwardly. Although she'd had experience working as a gravure idol, she still wasn't the type who could comfortably face men.
She sneaked a glance upward, intending to memorize the man's features so she could avoid him at school.
Then she met Dongfang Yi's calm, composed gaze—
And froze.
She began to doubt the education she'd received. At that moment, she couldn't think of a single word to describe his appearance. It was as though she were standing amid a sky full of fluttering cherry blossoms, surrounded by a rich fragrance that filled her with delight. A spring breeze seemed to wash over her, leaving her feeling completely at ease.
In that instant, the whole world seemed brighter.
Dongfang Yi waved a hand gently in front of her, beginning to feel a little unsettled.
Am I really that frightening? I held Class A in check and scared a clerk to tears, and now I've stunned her, too?
But the store manager said I had a decent image. I think I look pretty good myself...
Why is this happening?
Could there really be two standards of beauty in this world? Are middle-aged people and young people that different?
Even someone as confident as him couldn't help doubting himself at this moment.
He showed nothing on his face and continued looking at the girl with easy composure. "Miss, are you all right?"
If I don't admit it's my fault, then it definitely isn't my fault!
Sakura Airi finally came back to her senses. She took a deep breath to ease her shortness of breath.
"S-Sorry, I just... zoned out."
She hurriedly bowed, hiding her cheeks, which had turned bright red.
"My name is Sakura Airi. I'm a new, new student in Class 1-D. D-Dongfang, I look forward to getting along with you." The red-haired, busty girl in glasses seemed to bite her tongue.
Dongfang Yi's gaze involuntarily followed her as she bowed, then quickly shifted away—only to return halfway through.
But in the end, as the most promising heir to the Sigma Male title, he managed to overcome himself in that inner struggle.
He got a good look.
At this point, he was only a tiny bit away from attaining the realm of the Supreme Sage.
"I look forward to getting along with you, too, Sakura. I didn't expect you to come here to buy electronics right when school was starting, just like me."
It was a rare opportunity, and Dongfang Yi planned to raise her affinity toward him a little.
Although the girl before him wasn't important to his plans, he didn't mind making a move on a whim.
He'd try to change that storyline he found so detestable.
After all, how could someone who gathered firewood for others be left to freeze to death in the snow?
Why should good people have to sacrifice themselves for a bunch of trash?
"Y-Yes, what a coincidence." The socially awkward girl fidgeted, glancing at Dongfang Yi again and again before quickly lowering her eyes.
"Sakura, are you perhaps a seasoned photography enthusiast?"
Dongfang Yi activated the skill: Common Topic.
The clerk activated the skill: Interruption.
Dongfang Yi's skill was interrupted!
The clerk slammed a box onto the counter with a nasty look, though he did a good job hiding the jealousy in his eyes. Dongfang Yi still saw it, of course.
From where he stood, he could clearly see the possessiveness and trace of resentment in the clerk's gaze when he looked at Sakura Airi, as well as his stiff manner toward Dongfang Yi.
Seriously, was being a gravure idol in Japan really such a good job? It seemed like you could easily attract guys with psychological problems...
Dongfang Yi sighed inwardly.
"Everything you asked for is in here, sir." The clerk's voice was stiff. He was doing his best to suppress the urge to throw the man in front of him out of the store immediately.
"Mm." Dongfang Yi nodded.
The store fell silent again.
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