Strolling Through the Streets

...Shopping District...

Onizuka and Sakura Airi walked one after the other on the road toward the mall.

Sakura Airi, deliberately trailing a few steps behind, kept her gaze fixed firmly on Onizuka's back.

She couldn't help but recall the scene of them hanging outside the window earlier, her heart pounding wildly.

Such a thrilling experience was truly extraordinary for her.

She had always lived a plain and unremarkable life, never having encountered such a heart-stopping moment before.

However, it was precisely this sense of novelty and excitement that stirred an indescribable feeling of anticipation deep within her.

It was hard to imagine that someone like Onizuka, who didn't appear particularly robust, could unleash such immense power.

Having almost never had any contact with boys, she stared blankly at Onizuka's back, lost in thought.

Lost in her daydreams, Sakura Airi didn't notice that Onizuka, walking in front, had stopped, and as a result, she accidentally bumped straight into him.

"Ying~"

Onizuka suddenly felt a soft sensation against his back and turned his head in confusion.

He saw Sakura Airi crouching on the ground, clutching her nose.

"Sakura, are you okay?" Onizuka quickly crouched down, looking at her with concern.

Sakura Airi muffled, "I'm fine..."

Before long, she stood up, her eyes rimmed with red and misty with tears as she looked at the optical shop nearby.

She tried hard to adjust her emotions, attempting to hide the embarrassment from just a moment ago.

"Onizuka, is it this shop?"

"Yeah, I asked Yukimura in our class, who wears glasses, and he said this place is quite good."

"But... I heard this shop is quite expensive. Maybe we should try another one?" she said in a low voice.

As if thinking of something else, she hurriedly waved her hands.

"Um, Onizuka, I didn't mean anything else by that, it's just that our class points are still quite tight right now..."

Watching Sakura in her flustered state, Onizuka smiled helplessly.

He then opened the door to the optical shop with one hand while gesturing for her to enter with the other.

"Please go in, Sakura. Try not to bump into anything else this time."

Hearing Onizuka tease her about what happened earlier, Sakura couldn't help but blush. The tension in her heart eased slightly, and not caring about anything else, she lowered her head and walked inside.

In any case, she hadn't really spent her points on anything other than buying a camera, so she could just pay for it herself if it came to that.

Seeing the two walk into the shop, the clerk immediately came forward with a smile and said enthusiastically, "Welcome! Is there anything you need?"

Seeing that Onizuka had no intention of speaking and was looking around at things on his own, Sakura Airi gathered her courage and spoke directly to the clerk:

"Um... I'd like to get new lenses for the glasses I'm wearing right now, just plain glass will do."

The clerk nodded and replied with a smile, "That's no problem at all, miss. Please take off your glasses first, and I'll fit you with some suitable lenses."

Hearing the clerk say this, Sakura Airi's expression visibly stiffened, a hint of hesitation appearing on her face.

Eventually, she slowly raised her hand, intending to take off her glasses to hand them to the clerk.

Just then, Onizuka suddenly appeared beside Sakura Airi and grabbed her wrist.

He then handed a finished frame from the shop to the clerk.

"Could you please put plain lenses into this frame instead?"

"Certainly, sir!" The clerk took the frame and headed toward the back.

Sakura Airi looked at Onizuka in disbelief.

"When did you..."

Seeing Sakura's hesitant expression, Onizuka smiled.

"Don't worry, it's a solid black frame, low-key and understated, very similar to the ones you're wearing now. No one will notice you."

With that, he continued to stand there, waiting for the clerk to bring the glasses over.

Just then, he heard Sakura Airi's slightly trembling voice.

"Hand... Onizuka, your hand..."

Hm? What was wrong with his hand?

Onizuka was slightly stunned. He looked down and realized that, without realizing it, he had been holding her hand, their fingers interlaced.

He subconsciously squeezed it; it was quite soft.

"Cough, cough... Sorry, Sakura, I didn't mean to."

"I believe you... Onizuka, but could you please let go first..."

"..."

"Onizuka-san????"

Just then, the shop assistant walked over with the glasses that had been fitted with new lenses, a professional smile plastered on his face.

The moment he saw the assistant, Onizuka suddenly felt his hand go empty, and even with his reaction speed, he hadn't noticed how Sakura Airi had pulled her hand away.

Onizuka walked straight up, took the glasses from the assistant's hand, and shot him a glare while he was at it.

Assistant: ??????

He then turned around to face Sakura Airi, blocking her from the view of others.

"Shall I help you put them on, Sakura-san?"

Sakura Airi stood with her hands behind her back, her face slightly flushed.

"Sorry to trouble you, Onizuka-san."