Chapter 025: Kushida-san is a Bad Girl, So Taking Her to Do Bad Things is Fine!
"Um, t-that, Hikigaya-kun."
Perhaps sensing that she had heard some very important news, Kushida Kikyo immediately adopted a pitiful, delicate expression.
After all, Class D currently couldn't even pool enough money for the exam content, and as for her own points, she had spent 10,000 buying Horikita's intel. Thus, all Kushida-san had left to use was her cute physical appearance.
Of course, it was also possible she felt this approach might be effective against Hikigaya-kun.
Testing a "cadre" with such methods?
Well, her judgment of people was fairly accurate.
"If you want to know, then could you do me a favor? Kushida-san." However, Hikigaya looked straight ahead and quickly stated his requirement.
"I have something I need your help with."
A favor...?
Kushida immediately focused and listened intently. She had just realized that if it wasn't a hallucination caused by excessive stress, then some extraordinary phenomenon had occurred: she seemed to be able to hear the other person's inner voice.
For Kushida, she loved being praised and being the center of attention. However, she discovered at a young age that she didn't have the aptitude of a genius; her academics and physical abilities were merely "excellent," and there was always someone better in class. Consequently, she discovered and focused on her unique talent: top-tier affinity and social skills.
But now, she seemed to possess something no one else had! A supernatural phenomenon! Was she, Kushida Kikyo, truly going to become special?
She held her breath and listened carefully.
Then.
One second, ten seconds.
Thirty seconds passed.
Total silence. Hikigaya didn't speak, and she didn't hear a single inner thought.
'As expected, it must be auditory hallucinations from stress.'
Suppressing her disappointment, she asked curiously, "Um... what kind of help do you need?"
"Actually, I want to buy a camera and wanted your advice. Sakura-san, where did you buy your camera before?" Hikigaya asked as if in passing.
"M-me...? The e-electronics store," Sakura Airi replied in a panic, not expecting to be called out.
"I-it's right there in the middle of those three electronics stores."
But internally, she was also concerned about Hikigaya-kun's words.
Because...
Horikita-san had already told the class that their living expenses were related to the evaluation points and that there would be a special exam every month. Since all classes started with 1,000 points, logically, they shouldn't have lost them all in just one month... but Hikigaya-kun said Class D's points were almost gone?
W-what was she supposed to do?
"Alright." Hikigaya-kun nodded.
"Then that's all for today. Ichinose, please look after Sakura. I'm going out with Kushida-san to handle some business."
"M-me? Okay." Ichinose nodded instinctively, but felt curious.
Based on her experience, when Hikigaya-kun asked her out but then didn't take her along, he was basically going to do something "bad."
He had just asked about where Sakura bought her camera; logically, he should have taken Sakura, but instead, he took Kushida.
So.
In other words, was he taking... Kushida-san to do something bad?
But was it really a bad thing?
'I remember the plot from the original story. Sakura worked as a gravure idol in middle school. Although it was only for a short time, she still has some fans. One of those obsessive stalker fans is also in this school, working as staff at the electronics store in the shopping district. Because he recognized Sakura, he's been secretly sending mail and tailing her.
Later, he even follows her directly intending to make a move.
No matter how you look at it, this kind of person isn't fit to be in this school, even as a staff member.
So even if it wasn't to add points to Class B, he should be eliminated.
The protagonist of the original story saved Sakura during this event, which caused Sakura to develop a huge crush on him. But that protagonist isn't some great catch, Sakura. He'll only use you and let you get expelled.'
"Sakura-san?" Ichinose stared blankly at Hikigaya-kun's departing figure for a moment, then she noticed that Sakura-san from Class D also wore a look of bewilderment and shock.
"Uh... th-that." Sakura instinctively wanted to speak.
Even though Hikigaya-kun had turned and left, she felt as if she could still hear his voice? And he spoke in such detail, even knowing she was a gravure model and had a stalker fan... this was too surreal!
B-but this kind of thing surely couldn't be true. Because for an ordinary student like her, how could such a supernatural scene possibly occur?
-
-
-
On the other side, following Sakura's directions, Hikigaya arrived at the electronics store in the shopping district. With a clear goal, he walked straight to the shop in the middle.
There were only two clerks in the store, a man and a woman. Hikigaya's gaze quickly locked onto the male clerk.
The man wore a red uniform and was not very tall. He had a light beard, a dark complexion, and very small eyes—the kind of face that made people not want to look twice.
If one had to describe it... you'd feel the man was untrustworthy.
Furthermore, the clerk's behavior was peculiar.
When Hikigaya and Kushida entered, two attractive female customers happened to be leaving the checkout counter. The female clerk saw them off politely, but the male clerk was by another display case, nervously fiddling with a pink-cased camera.
It seemed the camera was pointed toward the checkout counter, so he straightened its orientation.
But why was the camera facing the checkout?
Moreover, the camera's indicator light was on.
This meant the camera was running. One should note this was a camera, not a phone; even if put out for display, they wouldn't just leave it fully powered on. They only turn them on if a customer is interested.
It was fishy.
Noticing Hikigaya and Kushida had entered the store, the male clerk quickly hit the camera's power button and followed the female clerk over to the entrance.
"Welcome," the male clerk greeted like any ordinary employee.
'Welcome, huh?
Then let's send you packing.'