Satoru, broke as he was, figured Sakura had a point—two bokken would be redundant for her.
"I'll hold onto it and pay you back when I've got cash…"
Borrowing was his only option.
Sakura waved it off, unfazed.
No need to argue—future problems could wait.
The sword business was settled.
Sakura tucked a loose strand behind her ear. "Since we're done, I'll part ways here, Kobayashi-kun."
"Got it," Satoru nodded, casually asking, "Heading home, Miyajima-senpai?"
She shook her head. "I'm off to the department store for groceries."
"I'll tag along," Satoru said. "Help carry stuff or whatever…" After her generosity, ditching felt scummy.
"Eh?" Sakura's eyes trembled.
"Eh?" Satoru echoed. "Is that… not okay? Haha, my bad, I'll bounce."
He'd spoken on impulse—maybe too forward.
As he started to say bye, Sakura grabbed his sleeve. "…Is it okay?"
"Is it not okay?" Satoru countered.
"…It's okay?" Sakura asked again.
"Guess so," Satoru nodded, bemused.
"Mm." Sakura's polite smile sweetened.
What's with this senpai? Satoru thought, shivering. "Let's go then. This weather's freezing…"
He regretted lending his jacket to Nanao Akane.
One moment of chivalry, and now he was suffering.
"Hm?" Sakura tilted her head, eyeing him.
"…What's with the hm?" Satoru sighed.
Her thought process was a mystery.
"Kobayashi-kun… aren't you training?" Sakura asked.
"Training what?"
"To build physical strength and resilience by wearing less… for training purposes."
She pointed at his thin hoodie, useless even with the hood up.
"…Nope."
"Then why…?"
"Maybe I didn't check the forecast?" Satoru offered.
Not the full truth, but close enough.
"Oh… my mistake." Sakura bowed. "Sorry."
"No need to apologize…"
Suddenly, Sakura straightened, untying her red scarf.
She stepped close, looping it around Satoru's neck with care.
At 1.7 meters, Sakura matched many guys, but Satoru towered over most. She had to tiptoe.
As she adjusted the scarf, her body leaned in, brushing his chest with soft, rhythmic warmth. Her stray hairs tickled his cheek.
"There," she said, smoothing the scarf's ends, smiling up at him.
Purple eyes.
Snow-white skin.
Cherry lips.
Her mature, radiant face held a childlike innocence as she tilted her head. "What's wrong, Kobayashi-kun? Why're you staring?"
And that indescribable fullness against his chest.
"…"
"Kobayashi-kun!"
Thud.
Satoru headbutted a nearby pole.
Sakura rushed to help, but he crossed his arms, forehead steaming, and said coolly, "It's fine. Just a minor demonic intrusion."
Damn it. Inappropriate images—bare bodies—flashed in his mind.
This world's heroines, straight out of those comics, standing real before him… he fought to avoid those thoughts.
He nearly slipped up.
Curse you, NTR comics…
He swore inwardly.
"But…" Sakura reached for his forehead.
Satoru spun, burying half his face in the scarf, masking his flustered state.
He regretted staying to shop with her.
Bad call.
"You seem pretty loaded, Miyajima-senpai," he said, changing the subject.
"Ah, well…" Sakura smiled. "Kendo tournaments give prize money, so I save up. I don't spend much."
Saving up meant she won every time.
Terrifying skill.
Satoru froze. "…The prelims you mentioned—do they have prizes?"
"Regional top three get them," Sakura said. "Champion gets 200,000 yen, third place 50,000."
Satoru nearly slapped his thigh. What a missed chance!
"What's up?" Sakura asked. "Want to join? Registration's still—"
"Nope!"
It took all his willpower to stick to not crushing kids' dreams. "…I'm good."
The department store wasn't far.
Satoru strode ahead, Sakura trailing closely.
Honestly, she thought his pace was too fast for casual shopping.
Then it hit her.
This is part of his training! Kobayashi-kun weaves discipline into daily life! No wonder his swordsmanship's so stellar!
I need to learn from him!
Satoru was just avoiding small talk.
But the scarf… it carried her sweet, feminine scent, fresh from her slender neck.
Huff, huff… He took deep breaths.
Endurance.
Thankfully, his Superhuman Endurance kept him from totally losing it.
Then, entering the Ginza shopping district, the world vanished.
In a shop window stood a figure.
Not some anime collectible—this world had none of Satoru's shows.
It was…
A naked, gloriously furry, breathtakingly gorgeous…
Alpaca.
Yes, a figure of The Alpaca Princess, the novel he'd read last night.
Satoru plastered himself to the window, inspecting it closely.
Stunning.
The Alpaca Princess has merch?!
So pretty.
I want it.
…
…