ReruoIzayoi
patreon
Chapter 55: A Pervert in School...?
🕑 Added 2025-04-18 08:16:01 +0000 UTCThe next morning, there were no classes, so Saiki Kusuo met up with Kushida Kikyo early.
Although they were supposed to accompany Sakura Airi to get her camera repaired, Kushida Kikyo had arranged to meet Saiki Kusuo beforehand.
"Good morning, Saiki!"
Kushida Kikyo greeted Saiki Kusuo warmly, and he responded politely.
"By the way, Saiki! I found out something yesterday..."
As she spoke, Kushida Kikyo handed her phone to Saiki Kusuo, which displayed a photo of a beautiful girl.
Sakura Airi, or rather, the online idol "Shizuku."
In the photo, Sakura Airi wasn't wearing glasses, and her beauty was fully revealed. With her hair in twin tails, she looked like a lively girl, completely different from her usual gloomy self.
Kushida Kikyo had managed to find Sakura Airi's blog, and even Saiki Kusuo had to admit she was impressive.
"Do you recognize who this is?"
"Who is it?"
Saiki Kusuo, of course, knew who it was, but he pretended not to.
"Huh? You haven't heard of the online idol Shizuku?"
"Sorry, I haven't."
Saiki Kusuo shook his head. If he admitted he knew, it might lead to misunderstandings. People interested in online idols were probably like Ike Kanji.
"I see... Well, she's a very popular online idol!"
"I see."
"Don't you think she looks like someone in our class?"
"Who?"
"It's Sakura! Look at the background... Isn't that the entrance to our dorm?"
"It does seem like it."
Saiki Kusuo replied, realizing afterward that he should have used a more surprised tone and expression. Fortunately, Kushida Kikyo didn't seem to mind.
"Shizuku hasn't been replying to comments lately, starting from three months ago—Sakura is the idol Shizuku... Although it feels like a big difference, this might be why she doesn't like interacting with others."
The school prohibits communication with the outside world but doesn't restrict internet access, so even at school, Sakura Airi could log in to her account and see comments, though she couldn't reply.
"Probably, but I think we should avoid mentioning this later and pretend we don't know."
"Mm."
After a brief discussion, the two headed to the school's electronics store—a place where you could find all kinds of electronic products, as long as you had enough points.
Sakura Airi had been waiting at the entrance for a while.
"Sorry for the wait, Sakura-san! I'm really sorry about yesterday!"
Upon seeing Sakura Airi, Kushida Kikyo immediately put on an apologetic expression, speaking to her without any hint of deception.
"N-no... It was my fault... I'm sorry for making you come with me."
Sakura Airi glanced at the two but quickly averted her timid gaze, focusing on the ground.
Even someone as sociable as Kushida Kikyo made Sakura Airi uneasy, but she had no choice. To get her camera repaired, she had to accept Kushida Kikyo's invitation to come to the electronics store.
If it weren't for this reason... Sakura Airi would never have come here, and not just because of her social anxiety.
[Thankfully... Kushida-san is here with me... and this... classmate...]
'Do you even know my name?'
[Kushida-san's gaze changed earlier... Do they already know... about me...]
'What sharp intuition.'
Saiki Kusuo marveled inwardly. Sakura Airi had the sharpest intuition of anyone he'd met, perhaps from her experience as an idol, which made her sensitive to subtle changes others couldn't detect.
[If they weren't here... I wouldn't dare go... to that place.]
'This kind of situation must be a nightmare for someone like Sakura.'
[Especially... that clerk...]
'The clerk? I think I heard Sakura mention something about a clerk at the electronics store yesterday. What's the reason?'
Saiki Kusuo grew curious. Sakura Airi seemed to carry a hint of fear, but he would likely find out the reason soon.
"Let's go, Sakura-san!"
Kushida Kikyo smiled at Sakura Airi and led the way into the electronics store.
Inside, the store was filled with all kinds of products—laptops, game consoles, cameras... and various electronic devices. It was hard to believe such a store existed within a high school.
Although each student's dorm room was equipped with a computer, it could only handle basic internet functions. For gaming or other activities, the electronics store offered more advanced options.
Saiki Kusuo didn't like this kind of place either. Although there weren't many students, there were plenty of store staff, forcing him to hear more "noise."
"The repair section is over there!"
Kushida Kikyo spotted the repair area, pointed in its direction, and quickly walked over.
Saiki Kusuo and Sakura Airi followed behind—but Sakura Airi seemed to notice something and began to hesitate.
[It's that person... He's still there...]
Following Sakura Airi's gaze, Saiki Kusuo noticed a sleazy-looking man standing at the repair counter. He was the store's repair clerk.
And what was even sleazier than his appearance were his thoughts.
[It's Shizuku, it's Shizuku!]
[I'm so lucky! I never thought Shizuku would come to this school! I leave comments for you every day, Shizuku!]
[Shizuku, Shizuku, Shizuku! I want to be with you! Are you here to buy something again?]
All his thoughts were heard loud and clear by Saiki Kusuo.
'Yare yare, I see now.'
Saiki Kusuo narrowed his eyes slightly.
