Not long after Chihaya Rei finished speaking, Horikita Manabu arrived at the scene with three security guards carrying stun batons.
Horikita Manabu had looked stern at first.
But when he saw the middle-aged man sprawled on the ground, clutching his crotch with a pained expression, Horikita Manabu's face froze in surprise, and his stern expression faltered.
His gaze turned to Chihaya Rei, his eyes searching.
Hadn't I told you not to act yet?
"Here, this is the guy."
Chihaya Rei walked up to the man as if nothing had happened and said calmly, "The evidence is all on his phone and computer."
He had just searched the stalker's phone and found even more evidence.
Secretly taking photos, following and harassing students—this series of illegal acts was enough to send him to prison.
"Okay. Leave it to me."
Horikita Manabu understood how serious this was. If it wasn't handled properly, it would become a scandal for Advanced Nurturing High School.
The scene shifted.
They arrived at one of the office buildings at Advanced Nurturing High School.
Horikita Manabu led Chihaya Rei and the two girls to the Chairman's Office.
At this point,
how to compensate Sakura Airi, the victim, and what solution to offer for the whole affair
were no longer decisions Horikita Manabu, the student council president, could make.
After apprehending the criminal, he naturally had to report the matter to the school's senior administration.
What surprised Horikita Manabu, however, was that Chairman Sakayanagi had learned about it right away and said he would speak with Chihaya Rei and the others himself.
Horikita Manabu had no objections.
"Chairman Sakayanagi is in this room. Knock before you go in."
At the door to the Chairman's Office, Horikita Manabu informed them solemnly. Then he said he still had student council matters to attend to and left ahead of them.
"If you're too embarrassed to speak later, I can handle the negotiation."
Chihaya Rei didn't go in right away. Instead, he glanced at the two girls and said confidently.
Matsushita Chiaki and Sakura Airi nodded repeatedly.
"You didn't tell me... we'd be invited somewhere like this..."
Matsushita Chiaki muttered under her breath, her eyes distant.
They were about to meet someone like the chairman of the school.
"Pull yourself together. Don't embarrass yourself."
As Chihaya Rei spoke, he knocked on the door.
The next second, a steady voice from inside the office said, "Come in."
The three of them opened the door and entered.
"Come, Chihaya-kun, Matsushita-san, Sakura-san. Don't be nervous. Please, sit down."
Sakayanagi Narimori stood with his hands behind his back and walked over to the sofa for guests, gesturing for them to take a seat.
Like Sakayanagi Arisu, he had silvery-white hair. He carried none of the imposing air of a man in power; his face was kind, and he smiled as he studied the three of them.
"Hello, Chairman."
After greeting him, Chihaya Rei sat down quite freely on the soft leather sofa and took a few extra glances at Sakayanagi Narimori.
Matsushita Chiaki and Sakura Airi were indeed a little tense.
Fortunately, Sakayanagi Narimori's attitude clearly conveyed goodwill. After greeting him, the two girls sat on either side of Chihaya Rei.
"Hello, Chairman..." ×2
Sakayanagi Narimori saw this and gave a slight nod, then looked thoughtfully at Chihaya Rei.
After that, he sat down across from the three of them.
"Horikita Manabu has already explained the situation to me..."
Sakayanagi Narimori spoke slowly as he poured each of them a cup of tea.
Chihaya Rei couldn't help feeling surprised.
Sakayanagi Arisu's father really was a good chairman who cared about his students.
No wonder he had not only helped Ayanokoji Kiyotaka enroll, but had also helped him stop the White Room's assassins.
He had also been able to tell who they were as soon as they entered. He had probably already looked over their personal files.
Sakayanagi Narimori's smile faded as he first turned his attention to Sakura Airi, the person at the center of the matter.
"Sakura Airi, on behalf of the school, I apologize to you. The fact that a criminal like this was among the businesses serving Advanced Nurturing High School students was a failure on the school's part."
"The criminal and the evidence the school has gathered so far will be handed over to the police. The school will continue to follow the case."
"Rest assured. We'll make sure the criminal faces the full force of the law."
Sakura Airi listened anxiously, then let out a breath of relief and nodded, still a little stiffly.
"Okay. Thank you, Chairman."
Sakayanagi Narimori smiled and nodded, then turned his attention to all three of them.
"Also, the school hopes you'll keep this matter confidential and not spread it around."
"After all, if word gets out, it could affect the school's reputation to some extent."
Sakayanagi Narimori paused, then continued:
"Of course, since Sakura was the victim, and Chihaya-kun and Matsushita-san acted bravely to help, the school has decided to award you some points as compensation."
"What do you think?"
After he finished speaking, Sakayanagi Narimori waited calmly for their response.
Then...
Matsushita Chiaki and Sakura Airi both looked at Chihaya Rei at the same time, clearly intending to let him decide.
Sakura Airi hadn't even dared to imagine that there might be compensation...
Sakayanagi Narimori naturally understood that Chihaya Rei was the one leading the group, so he looked straight at him.
"Don't worry, Chairman. We never intended to spread this around."
Facing Sakayanagi Narimori's gaze, Chihaya Rei didn't back down. He spoke in a firm voice:
"But Sakura's been under a lot of psychological pressure from being followed and harassed. She's been feeling depressed, too."
"So the school needs to think carefully about how many points to award as compensation."
"Also, I think the criminal should have to pay part of the compensation."
Chihaya Rei spoke seriously.
It was only reasonable to make the criminal compensate the victim.
"You're right."
Sakayanagi Narimori nodded in agreement, then spoke warmly:
"Then, as compensation for this matter, how about the school gives you 10 million points?"
"..."
At the enormous figure, Matsushita Chiaki and Sakura Airi unconsciously opened their mouths and drew in a sharp breath.
If the impoverished Class D students heard about this, they'd be green with envy.
Chihaya Rei wasn't one to push his luck, and he felt the amount was more than fair.
"Okay. Thank you, Chairman."
He accepted readily.
After hearing that, Sakayanagi Narimori smiled with satisfaction and took out a Terminal Device to transfer the points to Chihaya Rei.
Chihaya Rei planned to divide them among Sakura, Matsushita, and himself after they left.
"Thank you as well, Chairman, for stepping in to resolve this. Shall the three of us take our leave?"
"Ahem, there's no need to rush."
Sakayanagi Narimori coughed lightly and raised a hand to stop them. Seeing Chihaya Rei's puzzled look, he said with a kind smile:
"It's not often I get the chance to meet you. I'd like to chat a little more with young people like you."
"...All right, then."
Chihaya Rei was briefly taken aback, but he sat back down.
He had just received so many points from the school, so the least he could do was give the chairman that much courtesy.
But he felt he didn't have much to talk about with Sakayanagi Narimori, and couldn't think of a reason to torture him.
"Chihaya-kun, you and Arisu get along well, don't you?"
Sakayanagi Narimori opened the conversation. It was clear that Chihaya Rei was the one he wanted to talk to.
Although Sakayanagi Arisu had said she hadn't seen her father since the start of the school year, that didn't mean Sakayanagi Narimori hadn't been keeping an eye on his daughter.
After all, what this school had no shortage of was surveillance cameras.
Sakayanagi Narimori could use the cameras around campus to keep track of his daughter.
Naturally, he had noticed that she was paying a lot of attention to a student named Chihaya Rei.
And the rumor that Sakayanagi Arisu was pursuing Chihaya Rei had reached him, too.
So Arisu had reached the age where she wanted to fall in love...
As Sakayanagi Arisu's father,
he naturally wanted to personally vet the boy and find out what kind of person his daughter had fallen for.
So far, Sakayanagi Narimori was quite satisfied with Chihaya Rei in every respect.
"Yes. Sakayanagi-san and I have had a few pleasant conversations."
The topic caught Chihaya Rei off guard. He paused, then nodded slightly as he replied.
When it came to his encounters with Sakayanagi Arisu, he had indeed enjoyed himself.
At that, Sakayanagi Narimori's smile widened, and his voice took on a note of emotion:
"Arisu hasn't had many friends growing up, so I'm relieved she's finally met someone she can talk to."
"Chihaya-kun, I hope you'll look out for each other."
"Don't worry, Chairman. We'll get along just fine."
Chihaya Rei answered easily, looking entirely sincere.
Of course he'd get along with Sakayanagi Arisu. He'd torture her until she became a well-behaved, obedient, filial daughter—and return her to the chairman that way.
Just then, Sakayanagi Narimori took a photograph from his pocket.
But he teased them a little, showing only the blank back of it.
"What's that?"
Chihaya Rei couldn't help asking.
"A photo of Arisu when she was little."
Sakayanagi Narimori turned the photo over and looked at Chihaya Rei expectantly.
"?"
Chihaya Rei blinked quickly, unable to figure out what the chairman was getting at.
Sakayanagi Narimori slid the photograph into Chihaya Rei's hand and asked meaningfully:
"Isn't Arisu adorable in this photo?"
"Mm."
Chihaya Rei murmured.
He also took a curious look at what Sakayanagi had looked like as a child.
Compared to how she looked now, she was simply a smaller version of herself. Her features were just as delicate and cute.
Sakayanagi Arisu hadn't grown much over the years...
He mused to himself.
But as a child, Sakayanagi Arisu had looked more innocent and sweet.
Unlike now, when she was always smiling with her eyes narrowed, plotting to start an internal war.
"I'll give this photo to you, Chihaya-kun."
Sakayanagi Narimori suddenly declared, making the decision unilaterally.
"?"
Another question mark appeared over Chihaya Rei's head. He looked at Chairman Sakayanagi with an odd expression.
Why was he giving Chihaya Rei a childhood photo of Sakayanagi Arisu?
And in front of Matsushita Chiaki and Sakura Airi, too. Now both girls were looking at him strangely...
Before you continue