“Originally, I thought that if she were still here, maybe I could have had her visit our school.”
Xiao Chun Miura was still complaining internally when Souya Kanzaki spoke the words he had originally intended to say.
He had been a little hesitant to speak just a moment ago, but when he thought about what had happened that day, Souya felt a flicker of anger.
People shouldn’t be targeted just because they were introverted and quiet; the world shouldn’t be like that.
—But it happened to be Reality.
“Your cousin seems… not very good at dealing with people. It might be good for her to have more contact with people her own age.”
Out of concern for his friend’s seemingly distant relative, Kanzaki spoke up.
“Ha… haha… Maybe when there’s an opportunity in the future. We’ll talk about it then.”
Xiao Chun laughed it off to brush him aside.
—But the thoughts in her mind wouldn’t stop.
‘Why would Arisa Kiyono ever need a school tour…?’
The wind on the School Rooftop blew gently, swirling a few leaves that had accumulated at this height.
After that, the two simply focused on eating their respective Bentos, and their conversation dwindled.
Xiao Chun originally thought today’s talk would end like this. Kanzaki would likely say a polite goodbye and leave, just like usual.
However, beyond Xiao Chun’s expectations, Kanzaki didn’t move even a few minutes after finishing his Bento.
—He was still leaning against the railing.
The relaxed, joking expression from earlier had slowly faded at some point. Xiao Chun felt a bit uneasy.
She had a feeling that Kanzaki was about to say something ‘very scary.’
“—Actually… Miura.”
While Xiao Chun was lost in thought, Kanzaki suddenly spoke, his voice deepening slightly. “If I hadn’t run into you, I probably would have told you over LIME, but…”
“Since we happened to meet, I’ll just tell you now.”
“—After all, there aren’t many chances to talk in person.”
Kanzaki dropped some of his seriousness and smiled slightly. Seeing him act this way toward her, Xiao Chun felt goosebumps all over her back.
“Um… Kanzaki, I think you can just say whatever it is.”
“Well—there is one thing I wanted to remind you about.”
“…Remind me?”
Looking at Kanzaki’s suddenly serious face, Xiao Chun looked bewildered. “What is it?”
“…Regarding the recent public safety issues outside school.”
Kanzaki turned around and stepped away from the railing. “While I was helping out with the Student Council, I heard several reports they recently received.”
“The reports say… near the Station and on the small paths leading to the Store Street, there seem to be some suspicious individuals wandering around.”
“Suspicious… individuals?”
—Thugs and gangsters?
Xiao Chun blinked. “Specifically… what kind of people?”
“The specific descriptions aren’t very consistent.”
Kanzaki recalled the contents of the report. “Some are taking random photos with cameras, some keep staring at students in uniforms, and others… are the type who suddenly rush up to start a conversation or won’t stop pestering people.”
At this point, his gaze became more complex. “Although no serious injuries have occurred yet, the number of these reports has suddenly increased quite a bit this week. The Student Council and the Teachers are already on high alert and are contacting the police to increase patrols.”
“…”
Xiao Chun’s fingers tightened slightly.
The Plot Trigger of this world wasn’t like Reality, built of random bursts and accidents that didn’t need logic.
Once a Plot Trigger occurred, it meant there was a destined action to be taken or a problem that needed to be solved.
—Then, those suspicious outsiders must have appeared for a ‘certain reason.’ Only then could their Plot Trigger be completed.
Considering the timing and the current stage of the story, Xiao Chun had a faint, bad feeling about that ‘certain reason.’
People with cameras, pestering others… Could it be sasaeng fans chasing Arisa Kiyono—or a group similar to them?
“I see… that sounds scary.” Xiao Chun shrunk her neck, acting afraid. “Could it be the type of people who… specifically target high school students?”
“It’s very likely.”
Kanzaki nodded and then took a step closer to her. Because of the height difference, as he approached, a sense of masculine pressure and security both enveloped her.
“This is what I wanted to remind you about, Miura.”
Kanzaki looked down into Xiao Chun’s eyes, his tone carrying a sincere and earnest gravity.
“That man we met in the Park on Saturday… he reminded me of the reports I’ve been hearing lately.”
“—If he really is a pervert… although I might have scared him off that day, once those kinds of people become obsessed, they might even become more aggressive because they were blocked or had their plans ruined, just to achieve their goal.”
Kanzaki’s brow furrowed, his eyes full of concern. “That day, to protect Miss Arisu, you had a direct conflict with that man. I’m worried… if he happens to be one of those people hanging around the school.”
“If he recognizes you while he’s wandering nearby, he might cause trouble for you.”
“…Eh?”
Xiao Chun was stunned for a moment. She hadn’t thought of that.
She had been worried about Arisa Kiyono being exposed, but she had forgotten that in that man’s eyes, she was also an obstacle.
“That… shouldn’t happen, right?” she said hesitantly. “…His target was clearly my cousin. He shouldn’t remember the face of a bystander like me…”
“Just don’t leave it to chance.”
Kanzaki’s tone became a bit more serious, but remained gentle overall.
“Luckily, I happened to be passing by that day; otherwise, it would have been difficult to handle.”
“Miura, I know you’re very kind and have a strong sense of justice. I understand your desire to protect your family.”
“However, no matter what the situation, you must ensure your own safety first.”
“You’re just a girl. When facing an adult man, the difference in strength is absolute. What if he had a weapon in his hand?”
Faced with a series of rhetorical questions, Xiao Chun was speechless. She really hadn’t thought that much at the time.
But in this world that had become incredibly real, Kanzaki’s words were like a bucket of cold water, snapping her awake.
That’s right. This was no longer a Game where she could just reload a save and start over.
“I’m sorry…” Xiao Chun lowered her head, looking like she had done something wrong. “I was in too much of a hurry then and didn’t think about it…”
Seeing her like this, Kanzaki sighed.
“I’m not saying you did anything wrong, Miura.”
He reached out, seemingly wanting to pat her head, but he hesitated mid-air. In the end, he showed restraint and let his hand land on her shoulder, giving it a gentle pat.
“I’m just worried.”
“I don’t want to see you get hurt in any way. Not even for the sake of saving someone else.”
The warmth from her shoulder seeped through her thin cardigan, making Xiao Chun feel somewhat flustered.
“…I understand.” She kept her head down, looking at her toes, her voice as faint as a mosquito’s buzz. “I’ll be careful from now on.”
“Good.”
Kanzaki withdrew his hand, his tone returning to his usual gentleness, though he still looked insistent.