"Today's shooting schedule ends here. Go change back into your clothes. Don't worry, I'll stay here and won't peek." Natsukawa turned his back and walked around the corner. Listening to Sakura's footsteps fade away, he couldn't help but feel sorry for the girl. In the original story, she developed feelings for Ayanokoji due to his precise rescue during the stalker incident. After a series of events, she resolved to change in her second year, only to be immediately voted out by Ayanokoji in a popularity contest. However, Natsukawa wasn't entirely clear on the specific plot details; he'd only heard about it from fellow netizens while surfing the web. When he read the novel, only the first-year arc was out, and he got too busy with work to continue following it.
He still had a good impression of this socially anxious girl (definitely not because he was greedy for her big... assets! Definitely not!!). Although she was always afraid to talk to strangers, she still wanted to overcome her inner weakness and dared to confront the uncle fan who had been harassing her. Though a bit naive, she didn't call for help and went to confront him alone.
About ten minutes later, Sakura returned with a handbag. By now, she had changed back into her previous rustic attire. Her thick glasses, like a beauty-sealing device, occasionally reflected white light as Sakura moved.
"Th-that, how should we get out?"
"We can't be 100% sure the stalker is gone yet, so let's climb out the way I came in."
Natsukawa led Sakura to the window he had climbed through: "We'll go out here, take a detour back to the dorm area, and avoid the main entrance."
Sakura leaned her upper body out the window, looked at the height of the windowsill from the ground, and seemed hesitant: "It's, it's so high..."
"It's okay, I'll go down first and catch you from below." Natsukawa skillfully climbed out the window. After landing steadily, he turned and extended his hands to Sakura, "Come on, jump bravely, I'll catch you."
Sakura's cheeks flushed. She hesitated for a moment, then finally mustered her courage and clumsily climbed onto the windowsill. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, pressed down on her skirt, and then jumped down.
Because she closed her eyes when she landed and didn't spread her arms to maintain balance, Sakura stumbled forward. Natsukawa quickly stepped up and put his hands on her shoulders, but due to the impact, Sakura completely fell into Natsukawa's arms, causing him to take two steps back. Unfortunately, she didn't fall to the ground, preventing the much-anticipated 'face-in-chest' scene.
"I-I'm sorry!" Sakura hastily stepped back, her face as red as a ripe apple, her fingers unconsciously fiddling with the hem of her clothes.
"It's fine, let's go quickly." Natsukawa smiled, pretending not to notice her embarrassment.
The two took a long detour, confirmed they had avoided the fanatic, and finally returned to the dorm area.
"Thank you, Classmate Natsukawa." In front of the dorm building, Sakura whispered her thanks. This time, she finally briefly met Natsukawa's eyes, though only for an instant.
"You're welcome. Next time, be careful with photo shoots like this. Let's exchange contact information; if you encounter this situation again, you can call me." Natsukawa waved, "See you at school tomorrow, then?"
Sakura nodded gently. After they exchanged phone numbers and email addresses, she darted into the dorm building like a startled rabbit.
Watching Sakura flee so quickly, yet occasionally looking back, Natsukawa couldn't help but find it amusing. At the same time, he thought of himself in middle school. Back then, he was also afraid to communicate with others, knowing it was impossible to live a lifetime without interacting with people, but always hesitant to take that step. From time to time, he would fantasize about someone who could break through all obstacles, shatter his thick emotional wall, pull him out of his closed heart, and show him the beauty of the world.
Now, he had finally made up his mind to help Sakura reverse her fate of expulsion. He wanted Sakura to be able to face her true self.
This was not only to make up for the regrets in the original story but also a self-redemption to satisfy his inner desires.
"But how should I go about this? Never mind, there's no rush for other things. First, I need to figure out how to improve her grades, and then..."
...The next day at noon, Natsukawa slowly walked into the cafeteria. Just as he was hesitating which counter to 'favor' today, he unexpectedly saw Sakura Airi. She was standing alone at the end of the line, staring down at her phone like an ostrich, a stark contrast to the students walking in groups of two or three around her.
"Sakura-san, what a coincidence." Natsukawa walked over to greet her.
Sakura was startled. She looked up and saw it was Natsukawa, and the tension on her face eased slightly: "Cl-Classmate Natsukawa..."
"So, did the stalker discover your identity?"
"N-no, thank you for your help yesterday, Classmate Natsukawa."
"That's good. Sakura, do you usually eat in the cafeteria?"
"Yes, I usually..."
...The line moved quickly, and soon it was almost Sakura and Natsukawa's turn.
"Shall we sit together?" Natsukawa suggested.
Sakura hesitated for a moment, then nodded gently.
After ordering, the two found a relatively quiet corner to sit. Natsukawa ordered a set meal primarily consisting of meat, while Sakura ordered a lighter set meal.
The two continued their unfinished conversation. Sakura introduced her newly bought digital camera to Natsukawa, who complimented its cuteness. Then he changed the subject: "Sakura-san, I suggest you be frugal with your personal points. These points might be very useful later."
"W-why?" Sakura looked up in confusion. "The school gives out 100,000 points every month, that should be enough, right?"
Natsukawa shook his head: "Don't you find it strange? A high school gives students the equivalent of 100,000 yen in pocket money every month and provides such complete facilities, yet demands almost nothing in return."
He lowered his voice: "From my observations, everything in this school is built on the foundation of 'meritocracy.' The current comfort is likely just a façade. If we perform poorly, we might not have so many points later."
Sakura's eyes widened: "R-really?"
"You'll understand if you observe your classmates more. This school boasts a 100% graduation rate and the ability to choose any job you want, but look at most of our classmates—do they deserve it? A husky won't truly become a wolf just by joining a wolf pack. Even if you get into a Fortune 500 company, that's not the real skill; staying there is. Most people treat this as a free paradise, indulging in enjoyment. But if my prediction is correct, they will soon regret their current actions."
Just then, a familiar voice sounded from nearby:
"Natsukawa-kun, is what you just said true?"