In the quiet, deserted alley, Sakura Airi had been biting her lip in silence after witnessing the violent scene.
The girl had mustered her courage to meet the sender, intending to resolve this issue quickly so she could then tell the young man about her hidden side that evening, being completely honest with him.
But Sakura Airi had misjudged the situation. She never imagined this male clerk would be such a terrifying person. When she saw him approaching her, fear suddenly spread throughout her body, leaving her unable to move.
It wasn't until she saw Hashima Hikaru appear behind the clerk that Sakura Airi felt an inexplicable sense of security. It seemed that as long as he was there, all problems could be quickly resolved.
Just like when he repaired the camera before, whenever the girl felt troubled, he would step in at the right moment, dispelling her unease.
"Hashima... san."
Sakura Airi softly spoke his name in her heart, her beautiful eyes fixed entirely on Hashima's figure.
After briefly messaging Horikita Senpai about the current situation, he agreed to come handle it right away, asking the young man to wait there.
After putting down his phone, Hashima walked up to Sakura Airi and looked at her face, saying slowly: "Sakura-san, it seems you still haven't taken my words to heart."
"Since we've become friends, you can tell me about your difficulties, and I'll help you share the burden."
"Despite how troublesome this situation is, you still chose to come alone. Do I really have no presence in your heart at all?" Hashima's expression darkened as he pretended to be angry.
He knew this was an excellent opportunity to increase her stock price by establishing a closer relationship of trust with Sakura Airi.
"Of course not!"
Hearing this questioning, Sakura Airi's heart trembled. She was very afraid of the young man misunderstanding and instinctively reached out to grab his clothes, nervously saying: "Hashima-san is... very important to me. I just... just wanted to resolve this matter quickly, and then tell you about that important thing."
"This matter itself had nothing to do with Hashima-san. I didn't want to involve you, but I..."
Sakura Airi tried to explain somewhat incoherently, afraid the young man would be angry with her. A layer of mist seemed to appear in her beautiful eyes.
"I... I wasn't deliberately hiding it from you, Hashima-san. Please don't be angry, okay?"
Looking at her expression, Hashima glanced at his system panel, then sighed.
"I see. I accept this answer."
The young man gazed at her pretty face. He had to admit that Sakura Airi was much easier to win over than Kushida. Gaining her trust was far simpler.
He said softly, "Luckily I could see your location and rushed over immediately."
"Since we're friends, we must trust each other, not conceal things or face troubles alone. I'll forgive you this time, but don't do this again, okay?"
Feeling Hashima's gentle gaze, Sakura Airi's face was instantly flushed with redness. She stood there, staring at the young man in front of her. That sense of security welled up from deep within her heart, continuing to rise until it completely filled her body, making the girl unable to think about anything else.
[You rescued Sakura Airi, making her feel a sense of security she had never experienced before. Sakura Airi stock price increased by 20 points, current stock price: 70.]
[Under your gentle gaze, Sakura Airi recognizes you as the spiritual pillar she has been searching for. Sakura Airi stock price increased by 30 points, current stock price: 100.]
"Yes, I won't hide anything from Hashima-san anymore. I'll tell you everything about myself." Sakura Airi looked directly at the young man, her tone firm.
"Good, but the more important thing right now is to wrap up this matter."
"That's right. He seems to have passed out..."
Sakura Airi glanced at the figure sprawled on the ground, asking with some concern: "Will Hashima-san face any problems for doing this?"
"No, since we have both witness testimony and physical evidence. Someone will come soon, and we just need to explain everything clearly."
"Huh? Who's coming?"
The feeling of not wanting to meet strangers occupied Sakura Airi's mind again, but looking at the figure standing close to her, the girl somehow felt less afraid.
"The student council president. Leaving this matter to him is the safest option. It can make this guy disappear from here completely."
Hashima offered his opinion: "After all, I just witnessed him trying to assault you, and plus..."
He picked up several letters scattered on the ground and briefly scanned their contents.
The text didn't contain anything sophisticated—just the simplest, most straightforward words like "I like you," "I want to see you," and "I will always be watching you," not much different from the blog comments.
"And there's also these letters he sent. Both their content and quantity can serve as evidence of his harassment. But why do all these letters address you as 'Shizuku'?" The young man's face showed a puzzled expression.
Though certain this guy was the fanatical stalker active on Sakura Airi's blog, he couldn't just say it outright. He needed to let Sakura Airi explain voluntarily.