Chapter 91: That's Right, There's a Stalker Here—In Fact, Two
Soon, the weekend arrived.
The campus on the weekend was much quieter than usual, with sunlight filtering through the leaves to cast mottled shadows.
At exactly 10:00 AM, Katsuragi Keima appeared punctually at the entrance of the school cafe.
He was still wearing the school-issued uniform, carrying a canvas bag that looked quite heavy—it contained two handheld consoles, spare batteries, power banks, and snacks to ward off boredom.
Arriving slightly earlier than him, Kiryuin Fuuka was already waiting there.
She wasn't wearing her school uniform today, but rather a simple cream-colored knit sweater paired with light khaki trousers. Her long white hair was draped loosely behind her back. She looked a few degrees less flamboyant than usual and several degrees more relaxed.
Even with such simple attire, Kiryuin Fuuka's near-perfect figure and features were highlighted. Just by standing there, she was enough to attract the gazes of everyone around.
"So beautiful..."
"She's completely at a celebrity level."
"She's so tall."
However, after some people recognized her as Kiryuin Fuuka, their attitudes changed drastically.
"Wait a second, isn't that... the notorious Kiryuin?"
"Why is a person like that appearing here?"
"Let's—let's just get out of here quickly..."
Ignoring the reactions of those around her, Kiryuin Fuuka's red eyes immediately lit up with that familiar, intrigued spark the moment she saw Katsuragi Keima appear.
"Very punctual, Katsuragi-kouhai."
"Since this is the first time a Senpai has invited me, I couldn't let you wait long."
"Not bad."
She stepped forward, her gaze landing on his bulging canvas bag.
"Seems you've come well-prepared? What's inside?"
"Essential supplies."
Katsuragi Keima pushed up his glasses and simultaneously took out a handheld console, gripping it in his hands.
"Are we going to the game center?"
"No rush."
Kiryuin Fuuka turned and walked in the opposite direction of the commercial district—toward the path leading to the scenic gardens at the back of the school.
"Let's just walk for a bit first. At this time, there are fewer people over there."
Keima had no objections and followed, already gripping his console and starting to play a game.
The two strolled along the winding pebble path. The morning air carried the fragrance of plants, and occasionally a bird would flutter past the treetops.
"Though I've never spent time alone with the opposite sex like this either, normally speaking, there shouldn't be anyone who plays games so intently in front of a beautiful girl."
"Because you are purely curious about me, Senpai, and want to observe me. If I deliberately hid it, I would seem too hypocritical instead."
Katsuragi Keima spoke slowly.
He had already judged previously that Kiryuin Fuuka was vastly different from ordinary girls. If he were to deliberately curry favor like he might with other girls, it would have the opposite effect. Therefore, Keima decided to interact with her in his original style.
Furthermore, when Kiryuin Fuuka asked the question just now, she didn't show any sign of displeasure. Facts proved that Keima's choice was not wrong.
After hearing his answer, a smile actually appeared on Kiryuin Fuuka's face.
"Speaking of which," Kiryuin Fuuka began, her tone casual, "you didn't seem to have much of a reaction when I mentioned Nagumo Miyabi? Usually, when people hear that the leader of the second-years has noticed them, they get at least a little nervous or... start calculating?"
"I don't know him, I'm not interested in him, and right now the most important thing is spending time with you, Senpai. So whatever he does has nothing to do with me."
Katsuragi Keima stared at the screen and spoke slowly.
"A good answer. Since you like playing games, let's find a place to play for a while."
"I can play anywhere. Are you curious about the act of me playing games, Senpai?"
"I suppose so. Let me see the parts you usually play most often."
She sat down on a nearby bench and gestured for him to sit as well. Katsuragi Keima sat down, his fingers immediately flying over the buttons.
Under his control, the character on the screen moved through various locations—classrooms, libraries, streets—and various dialogue choices popped up...
Occasionally, he would give a brief explanation of his current operational intent or a plot branch point, but most of the time he remained silent, pouring his entire soul into that tiny screen.
Kiryuin Fuuka watched quietly.
She didn't understand the various plot foreshadowing, but she could see the precision of his operations, his grasp of timing, and his thorough familiarity with the game's content.
His expression didn't change much, but his eyes were extremely focused. His entire aura was different from his usual lazy, detached self, exuding a sense of cold efficiency.
'As I thought... is this the domain where he truly feels at ease?' she thought, propping her chin on her hand.
At this moment, Katsuragi Keima had fallen into a state of near self-oblivion. This kind of seriousness was something she had perhaps only seen glimpses of in Horikita Manabu.
However, the fact that Keima could play a game and speak to her at the same time made her admire his ability.
Just then, Keima's movements paused ever so slightly.
It wasn't a lag in the game, but rather that the corner of his eye seemed to have caught something. His gaze swept quickly from the edge of the screen to a dense patch of flowers not far behind and to the side, and then he continued operating as if nothing had happened.
And Kiryuin Fuuka keenly noticed something.
She remained composed, and while tucking a strand of hair back, her gaze drifted and caught a glimpse in that direction as well.
In the gaps between the leaves of the distant bushes, there seemed to be a shock of bright red hair. The owner of that long hair was clearly very nervous; the flowerbed rustled with her slight trembling.
Sakura Airi.
Because she couldn't stop worrying, Sakura Airi had ultimately chosen to tail them!
Sakura Airi, who hated stalkers the most, had unknowingly turned into a stalker herself.
Kiryuin Fuuka's red eyes crinkled, flashing with a look of realization and mischievous amusement.
'I see... the little tail has followed us.'
She didn't expose it, finding this unexpected development even more interesting instead. Now, the subject of observation wasn't just Katsuragi Keima, but also included that first-year kouhai who was quietly following behind with her heart on her sleeve.
And Katsuragi Keima had clearly discovered her as well, but was just pretending not to see.
"Katsuragi-kouhai," she suddenly spoke, her voice slightly higher than before to ensure it reached the flowerbed, "when you play this game... do you project yourself as the protagonist? Imagine yourself falling in love with those characters?"
Katsuragi Keima didn't look up: "Projecting as the protagonist? I am the protagonist."
"Oh?"
"To me, the game world is equally real. All the female characters inside are important people who have crossed over, and I interact with them with genuine sincerity!"
Katsuragi Keima's expression was incredibly serious.
"Then what about your classmates in reality?" Kiryuin Fuuka pressed intentionally, her gaze drifting toward the flowerbed as if by accident. "For example... any of your classmates? Would you be interested in them?"
"To me, the real world is far inferior to the game world. Generally, I wouldn't be interested in girls from the real world."
The flowerbed shook violently.
Katsuragi Keima knew Sakura Airi was listening to these words.
"However, for me, there also exists a special person."
"A special person?"
"That's right. She hasn't been poisoned by the various flaws of the real world. To me, she is an existence that needs to be taken exceptionally seriously."
Katsuragi Keima's brain worked at high speed, formulating the quickest answer. However, he didn't explicitly give that person's name. This was the most reasonable answer under the current circumstances!
"...A special person?"
Sakura Airi's heart, after skipping a beat, began to race at a speed that was almost out of control. The rapid thumping drummed against her eardrums, nearly drowning out all other sounds.
'She hasn't been poisoned by the various flaws of the real world... To me, she is an existence that needs to be taken exceptionally seriously...'
Every word was automatically bolded, enlarged, and echoed in her mind.
'A special person... important... serious...
W-who could it be?! Who is the most important person in Keima-kun's heart?'
Countless images and fragments of voices flashed, pieced together, and were debated in her mind.
'Who? Is it Hiyori-san? Is it Horikita-san?'
Various names kept emerging in Sakura Airi's heart. In the end, a thought couldn't help but surface...
'Could it be... me?'
At that thought, Airi's face instantly turned crimson. A hot, almost wishful current surged through her heart, but almost simultaneously, self-doubt rolled back like a tide, extinguishing most of that faint warmth.
'Is it... me? How could it be... how could it be me?'
Sakura Airi covered her mouth tightly, her nails digging into her palms, trying to use the slight pain to keep herself clear-headed and not be swept away by unrealistic fantasies. Her body trembled slightly due to extreme tension and the fierce internal struggle, causing the hiding place in the flowerbed to emit uncontrollable rustling sounds.
Her brain was thinking frantically like an overloaded computer.
'Keima-kun is indeed very good to me. He calls me by my name, accepts my lunches, helps me...
But he seems to recognize Horikita-san a lot too; they had great chemistry at the study group, and Horikita-san is so excellent and calm...
Hiyori-san is also very close to him; they read books and drink coffee together, they look so well-matched. Shiina-san is so knowledgeable and they have common topics...
Even... the Kiryuin-senpai in front of him is so dazzling and unique that even she actively came to observe Keima-kun...
And what about me...
A coward who doesn't even dare to speak loudly in a crowd, who only hides behind a camera to peek at the world, and who is so clumsy she gets flustered just making cookies.'
Compared to them, she was simply like dust in a corner, dim and lusterless.
''The person Keima-kun said hasn't been poisoned by reality'... does that mean someone pure and excellent? Like Hiyori-san? Or does it refer to someone with a particularly independent and strong personality? Like Horikita-san, or even... like this Senpai?'
Sakura Airi thought bitterly. But deep down, that tiny voice that refused to be completely extinguished was struggling. There was still a sliver of hope.
"I didn't expect a guy like you would have someone he takes seriously."
"Perhaps, because I am also aware of my own problems."
"Oh?"
"Reality is reality, games are games. I keep them very separate, yet sometimes I conflate them."
Katsuragi Keima shook his head. He had indeed previously thought the real world was uninteresting and boring.
'But... in this world, perhaps it isn't so boring.'
He didn't know why.
"An interesting answer. My eyes weren't wrong; you are different from the others."
Kiryuin Fuuka seemed to feel that this psychological drama participated in by the "auditing student" had provided enough interesting material. She stood up gracefully and patted away non-existent dust.
"Very well, the seminar on the special sample is temporarily adjourned." She turned to Katsuragi Keima, her red eyes shining. "Now, let's go stroll elsewhere. For example, that game center?"
"Okay."
Katsuragi Keima nodded and then followed her lead.
Behind the flowerbed, Sakura Airi slowly and weakly released the hand covering her mouth. She slid down against the rough tree trunk until she was sitting. Her face was still burning, but her eyes felt a bit sore. Her heart didn't feel clear; there was only a thicker sense of confusion and a lingering, humble expectation.
It was like holding a seed without knowing if it would sprout; she was both afraid it would sleep forever and afraid that what it faced after breaking through the soil wouldn't be the sunlight she hoped for.
"A special person..."
She hugged her knees and buried her burning cheeks into them, her voice muffled and thick with uncertainty. "Who... who could it be? Is it... possible for me?"
She didn't leave immediately, nor did she follow them again. She just sat there, letting the slightly cool morning breeze blow against her burning ears, trying to cool the tangled mess in her heart.
Further away, behind another large tree, Karuizawa Kei withdrew her complicated gaze and gave a soft "tch."
"One speaks in riddles, the other listens in a daze... two weirdos."
She muttered to herself, but her eyes thoughtfully followed the direction where Katsuragi Keima had disappeared. Karuizawa Kei didn't know what was wrong with her, but today she had also unknowingly and secretly followed them. Perhaps it was because she herself was full of curiosity about Katsuragi Keima.
"Does that Katsuragi guy have someone he takes seriously too? Who exactly is it?"
Karuizawa Kei's brain worked at high speed. A guy who was clearly only interested in games was actually attracted to someone in the real world?
'It couldn't be... it couldn't be Kushida Kikyo, could it?
I really, really want to know.'
For some reason, the curiosity in her heart was becoming more and more obvious. And just as Karuizawa Kei was preparing to continue following behind them, she suddenly saw Sakura Airi sitting on the ground.
At this moment, Sakura Airi was cheering herself up.
"Even if it's not me... I definitely have to... have to become that special person!"
In her heart, Sakura Airi made up her mind, casting aside her previous confusion and self-deprecation. However, the moment she looked up, she also saw Karuizawa Kei.
"Airi—Airi?!"
"It's... Kei-chan!"
The two of them stared at each other, eyes wide in mutual shock.
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