How? Do you want my contact information?

"Really, Airi?"

Hasebe looked at Airi Sakura in delighted surprise. She hadn't expected her usually very shy friend to be so reliable.

Under the three girls' gaze, Airi Sakura couldn't help feeling a little shy.

"Actually... I... I thought his gaze seemed familiar. It was a lot like... that employee who fixed my camera for free."

"That creepy-looking employee?!"

At that description, Hasebe immediately realized who she meant and let out a startled cry.

"Really, Sakura?"

Though Yuki Gyakukai asked it as a question, he already knew from the original story that the stalker had to be that employee.

"Probably... I just feel like it was the employee, but I'm not completely sure."

To be honest, Airi Sakura didn't dare say she was certain, either.

After all, identifying a suspect based on nothing but a look was absurd.

But Himeno Yuki had a different take.

"Just to check, Sakura, are you close with that employee? Why would he fix your camera for free?"

Airi Sakura hurriedly shook her head.

"I don't know him at all. I just bought the camera from him, and it keeps having little problems every so often, so I have to get it repaired there a lot."

Himeno Yuki's expression turned strange.

"From what you've told me, I'm pretty much convinced that employee is the stalker. Even if he isn't, there's definitely something wrong with him."

"But we can't be completely sure he's up to something yet. We'll have to test him first."

Looking at Yuki Gyakukai, Hasebe seemed worried.

"What exactly do we need to do? Could it be dangerous?"

"It'll be fine. Himeno and I will go in. You two just hang on to the evidence and help out. In a bit, you'll help Himeno..."

Wearing her school uniform, Airi Sakura had zipped her jacket all the way up. She walked with her back slightly hunched.

After checking that no one was around, she hurried into the Digital Store.

The employee looked fed up with his work on the surface, but was secretly delighted. His greedy gaze fixed on the figure with pink twin tails.

Still bothered by what had happened earlier, he put down his work and hurried over to Airi Sakura with a smile.

The sudden appearance startled Airi Sakura. Her shoulders jolted, and she instinctively took a step back, looking timid.

"Um... Excuse me, sir..."

Seeing Sakura like that, he felt as if his heart had been healed. His face lit up with delight, and a feverish look appeared in his eyes.

He looked at Airi Sakura like a fervent believer gazing upon a goddess.

"...Excuse me, sir?"

Noticing Sakura's puzzled gaze, the employee cleared his throat twice.

"Sorry, I was distracted. Is your camera broken again, miss? Are you here to get it fixed today?"

Sakura shook her head without saying a word.

She lowered her head as if shy, her pink hair covering her face.

Two fingers slipped out from her sleeve and fidgeted together.

So cute!!!

Shizuku! My Shizuku!

His heart raced, beating like a drum.

"Actually... Sir... I..."

Come on! Say it!

Seeing Sakura act so bashful and awkward, the employee thought happiness was finally within reach. He could barely contain himself.

His face lit up with delight, and his voice grew excited.

"Could it be that you like me...?"

He reached out to take Sakura's hand, but she pulled away.

He didn't think anything of it, assuming it was just a girl her age being shy.

Just as he stepped closer and reached for Airi Sakura's hand again, ready to tell her she didn't need to be embarrassed, a tall figure stepped between them.

"Excuse me." Yuki Gyakukai smiled warmly and held out the item in his hand to the employee.

"Checking out."

Then, right in front of him, he slipped an arm around Airi Sakura and looked at him with an amused smile.

"Could you help me out?"

The employee didn't answer. His face twisted as he stared at the hand resting on his goddess.

But remembering they were under surveillance and seeing the vast difference in their heights, he struggled to calm his near-explosive anger.

When the employee still didn't move, Yuki Gyakukai shook the item in his hand again.

"Or... do you want my contact information?"

"N-no... Thank you for shopping with us..."

Then he watched Yuki Gyakukai lead Airi Sakura outside with an arm around her.

Yuki didn't bother lowering his voice.

"Hold this for me. I'll have you try it out later." As he spoke, Yuki Gyakukai slipped the chewing gum into his goddess's hand.

The employee's eyes nearly burst from their sockets. Veins bulged in his arms as he clenched his fists, grinding his teeth so hard they seemed about to crack.

"N-no... We've barely even met."

His goddess's voice was as gentle as a little rabbit's, and she looked like she was resisting him.

He was just about to speak up and stop them.

But Yuki Gyakukai seemed to guess what he was thinking. He glared fiercely at him, then forcibly dragged Airi Sakura away.

"What does it matter? It's not like this is the first time."

Those casual words hit him like a blow, stabbing straight into his heart.

Watching them disappear into the distance, he sank to his knees, as if a vast green pasture had sprouted over his head.

"Shizuku! My Shizuku! Why...?"

His expression was dazed, despair in his eyes. But soon he shook his head.

"No... No, Shizuku isn't like that. She must be doing it because she's being forced to. That's it!"

Hope shone in his eyes, and he seemed sure of it.

"She must be under threat. I have to save her. I have to save her. She loves me!"

Then he quickly closed the shop, changed into black clothes, and put on a mask. Just as he was about to leave, he seemed to remember something.

He went to his wardrobe and took out a fully charged stun baton, then grabbed a solid iron bar from nearby.

He hurried off in the direction the two had gone.

When he arrived, all he heard was a cry of alarm.

"Don't... I don't want to do it here... Please, let me go!"

"No!"

Riiip!

The sound of fabric tearing set the employee's nerves on edge.

He immediately ran over, glaring at what was happening with eyes nearly popping out of his head.

"Ah! Shizuku, I'm here to save you!"

Clutching the iron bar, he crept up behind Yuki Gyakukai and raised it high, aiming for his head as he brought it down with all his strength!

Thud!

Suddenly, a flying kick struck him hard in the stomach and sent him sprawling. The stun baton fell to the ground!

It was Himeno!

She had been hiding behind the wall nearby and had kicked the intruder the moment he came rushing in.

As he grimaced in pain and tried to get back up, Yuki Gyakukai had already reached him and snatched the iron bar from his hand.

Yuki stared at him coldly, a mocking note in his voice.

"What couldn't you do? You just had to become a stalker?!"

In front of everyone, he bent the iron bar and crushed it into a ball before casually tossing it onto the ground, where it left a small dent.

Then, while the employee watched in terror,

Yuki grabbed him by the collar with one hand and lifted him into the air. He bent down, picked up the stun baton, and tested it. It was still crackling with electricity.

"I didn't expect you to bring torture equipment with you. You'd better hope you can hold out until it runs out of power..."