COTE: Hikigaya's Classroom of the Supreme Being

Kushida's information confirmed Sakura's other identity as a gravure idol.

With this revelation, everything started to make sense.

From the way Sakura dressed and acted, it was obvious she didn't want her idol status exposed. She just wanted to live quietly like an ordinary student.

The reason she had kept the stalker situation hidden was because the stalker was one of her fans.

If this escalated, word would spread, and it might become widely known.

Hikigaya could understand her feelings. Many of those photos were daring, reminiscent of swimsuit shoots. If her secret got out, the boys in class would start looking at her differently.

Just imagining the embarrassment was enough. No wonder Sakura went to such lengths to keep it under wraps.

"She's careless though," Hikigaya muttered to himself.

Back in his dorm, he did some research on his computer and discovered that Sakura, using the alias Shizuku, had been running a personal blog. She'd been regularly updating it with selfies up until last month. ANHS strictly prohibited students from contacting the outside world or disclosing any school-related information, but this rule was not absolute. As long as students didn't reveal their real names or identities, they could post online just like regular netizens, with the school conducting periodic checks.

However, one of Sakura's photos had accidentally captured part of her dorm room door.

This small detail was likely what led to her exposure.

Even though only a corner of the door was visible, making it unrecognizable to outsiders, anyone within the school or staff could easily make the connection.

Honestly, people should pay more attention to protecting their privacy.

Thinking about this, Hikigaya tapped away at his keyboard and sent Sakura an anonymous message, advising her to be more careful.

Hopefully, it won't scare her enough to prevent her from completely updating the blog. If that happened, not only would her fans be disappointed, but Sakura would also be abandoning her dream.

Judging from the effort she put into those selfies, every one of them meticulously styled, it seemed like she was genuinely passionate about this path.

While it wasn't exactly Hikigaya's concern, he did respect people who had dreams.

Like his middle school classmate, Zaimokuza,. Despite writing terrible novels, he never gave up, always dreaming of turning them into an anime and marrying a voice actress one day.

To be more precise, it felt more like a delusion.

Still, the memory of that guy gave Hikigaya an idea.

Sakura's stalker was likely an obsessed fan—a hardcore idol otaku, as Zaimokuza once explained to him.

He didn't need to remember all those insignificant details. What mattered was that this information could help him lure out the stalker.

So far, all he could confirm was that the stalker was likely a fan, and possibly not even a student. Beyond that, nothing.

At first glance, it appeared to be akin to attempting to locate a needle in a maze.

Fortunately, Sakura had a very limited social circle. She rarely talked to her classmates, so it was difficult to imagine her revealing personal information to anyone.

The night before, both Hikigaya and Matsushita had seen the pile of letters left in front of Sakura's door.

In other words, the stalker had already figured out which room she lived in. However, this also implied a narrowing of the search area.

If we eliminate the chance of an unintentional leak, it might have something to do with a purchase she made.

Stores occasionally request customers' contact information for follow-up services, and there have been numerous instances of unscrupulous businesses selling personal data.

Considering Sakura's situation... Could it have been a camera purchase?

That was the only thing that came to Hikigaya's mind.

He couldn't think of anything else. Just like Shinpachi's defining feature was his glasses, maybe for Sakura it was... Well, he was just joking.

In any case, this was worth looking into.

Checking the school's online directory, Hikigaya found that there was only one store on campus that sold cameras.

Cameras, after all, were a niche item with a limited audience.

He noted the store's location and began to plan his next move.

Next, he would need to visit the store in person.

---

The following afternoon, during free time in PE class, Hikigaya discreetly slipped out of campus and returned to his dorm.

He didn't plan on approaching the store as a student; doing so might raise the staff's suspicions.

Maybe it was time to dress a little more maturely.

Recalling Kamuro's advice, Hikigaya pulled out some hair wax and started styling his hair.

Now that he thought about it... Something like this had happened before, back in middle school.

At that time, he was helping Saki Kawasaki, a classmate he barely knew. The three members of the Service Club, along with Totsuka and Zaimokuza, had disguised themselves as adults in order to sneak into a bar.

Hikigaya remembered it clearly—his little sister Komachi had helped him get ready, and he'd even borrowed one of his dad's suits.

Looking back, it was ridiculous. He was willing to go to great lengths for a classmate with whom he had hardly spoken. Hiratsuka-sensei had ignored the entire situation.

That was teacher misconduct.

"Sigh… whatever."

Shaking his head vigorously, Hikigaya tried to push those old memories out of his mind.

After fixing his hair, he put on his glasses and changed into some casual clothes.

He stood in front of the mirror, giving himself a once-over. This should be fine.

He wasn't sure if this would work, but given that Matsushita hadn't recognized him earlier, no one else likely would.

Additionally, since it was still during class hours, no one would expect a student to be out buying a camera!

Despite having no solid plan, Hikigaya reassured himself, as he often did, and headed out the door.

But just as he stepped outside the dorm building, he ran into someone he didn't want to see.

"Well, well. Good afternoon, Hikigaya-kun."

"Ugh…"

"What a delightful surprise. Don't you think so too?" She smiled brightly.

"Not at all."

Facing Sakayanagi's amused expression, Hikigaya felt a headache coming on.

Why did it have to be her now, of all times?

Shouldn't she be in class right now?

Good students don't skip class, you know!

"Hikigaya-kun, you look rather different today," Sakayanagi observed curiously. "All dressed up—going on a date, perhaps?"

"...No. This is just how I usually look."

"Oh? The person you're meeting must not be a student, right? Otherwise, why would you skip class?"

"I told you, it's nothing like that."

Hikigaya waved his hand in irritation.

"Also, you're in no position to talk. You're skipping class too."

"Hehe. I have no choice. Sakayanagi, completely unapologetic, smiled, "My body isn't suited for physical activities, so I should stay in my room and cheer you all on."

She was shameless.

"I made sure to apologize to my classmates beforehand, and they were very understanding of my condition."

"Well, that's... great for you, I guess."

Even so, Hikigaya doubted Sakayanagi felt any guilt at all.

She probably didn't care about the class in the slightest. That apology was merely a token gesture, akin to a politician's hollow pledge. It was obvious, even without thinking about it.

Sakayanagi would do whatever it took to seize power, even if it meant betraying her class.

There was no way someone like her would feel guilty about holding them back.

She only cared about things that helped her, not the class.

In a way, the two of them were quite similar, so Hikigaya didn't have the right to criticize her.

"Well, I've got something to take care of, so I'll—hey! What are you doing?!"

Just as Hikigaya was about to make his escape, Sakayanagi suddenly pulled out her phone and snapped a picture of him.

That was a blatant violation of privacy!

"If you don't tell me where you're going, I'll send this picture to everyone," Sakayanagi threatened, smiling sweetly.

"...Sigh."

Hikigaya let out a long, deep sigh.

"I'm not lying, Sakyanagi." This isn't something as intriguing as you're imagining. Even if you knew, it wouldn't benefit you at all."

"I'm not looking for any benefits," she said, tilting her head. "I'm just a bit worried about a friend acting strangely. Is that so wrong?"

"Who said we were friends?"

"Hehe, that hurts."

If it didn't hurt, she wouldn't be smiling so broadly!

Hikigaya almost couldn't hold back his urge to retort. Until Sakayanagi clarified her definition of "friend," no one would dare to befriend her.

"Regardless, I'm very curious about your behavior. I won't deny that."

With that, Sakayanagi took a step closer, her presence dominating the space between them.

"If you're going to such lengths to keep it a secret, can I assume you're hiding something very interesting?"

"…Fine."

Under her relentless pressure, Hikigaya quickly gave in.

Upon reflection, there was no justification for concealing this information, and given that it was Sakayanagi, it was likely that she wouldn't utilize it to harm Sakura.

It wasn't that she was particularly kind-hearted; it was just that Sakura wasn't worth the effort.

Hikigaya gave a summary of the situation, making sure to emphasize that the investigation was still ongoing.

After listening, Sakayanagi fell silent, not speaking for a long time.

"Um... Sakayanagi?" Hikigaya couldn't help but call her name. "Are you okay? Maybe you should head back. I can handle the rest."

"... Heh... hehehe."

It may have been better if Sakayanagi hadn't responded. Her laughter sounded like a broken robot.

That laugh is way too scary... Next time, please don't laugh like that.

"Hikigaya-kun, you're quite the liar, aren't you?"

"Huh?"

"Isn't this situation rather interesting?"

Sakayanagi's face blossomed into a radiant smile, but Hikigaya felt no warmth from it.

"It's shocking to consider that a school under my father's supervision could harbor such filth. It seems it's time for a purge."

She casually uttered a rather unsettling word.

A purge? What is this, Terminator?

"Hey, Sakayanagi, calm down," Hikigaya gently tried to soothe her. "We don't know the full story yet. It could just be a misunderstanding. I'll keep investigating and let you know what I find."

Through their usual interactions, Hikigaya knew how proud Sakayanagi was of her father, the chairman. But he never expected her to react this strongly. It was like she had turned into a completely different person.

"Heh, that was a foolish thing to say."

Sakayanagi's smile remained, but it looked like it could turn into an explosion at any moment.

"As my father's daughter, how could I possibly ignore something like this? Are you suggesting I should disgrace myself? Hmm?"

"..."

Scary! This is terrifying!

Is this what Sakayanagi looks like when she's truly angry? This is way too intense.

Just when Hikigaya thought his heart might burst from the tension, Sakayanagi suddenly let out a soft sigh.

In an instant, the suffocating atmosphere evaporated, as if blown away by a breeze.

"My apologies. I got a bit carried away."

"No, it's nothing."

"Still, I can't let this matter go. I insist on going with you."

"Eh? But..."

To be honest, Hikigaya didn't want to agree.

It wasn't for any particular reason—mainly that Sakayanagi had lost her composure. There was a favorable chance she wouldn't be able to make sound decisions. And if the suspect was a stalker, the situation could be dangerous.

He couldn't let her get involved.

"I'm sorry, but even if you refuse, I'm coming with you."

This time, Sakayanagi's stance was unusually firm, her expression uncharacteristically serious.

"This school is the culmination of my father's life's work. I will not tolerate anyone tarnishing its reputation. We cannot ignore even the smallest possibility."

It seemed there was no possibility of convincing her.

"Alright, I understand."

At this point, Hikigaya could only nod in agreement.

Everyone has something they cherish, and Sakayanagi was no exception. Unfortunately, most people don't care about others' views—they only judge based on their perspective.

That was no exception either.

Sakayanagi returned to her room and changed into casual clothes, just like Hikigaya. Then, they set off together toward Keyaki Mall.

Honestly, her change of clothes seemed a bit unnecessary.

If he were Hikigaya, he could probably blend in with a slight change in appearance. But in Sakayanagi's presence, no amount of disguising would work.

However, considering her unpleasant mood, it was preferable to keep those thoughts private.

Hikigaya quickly found the shop they were looking for by following the address they had previously investigated.

There was only one employee inside, a slightly sleazy-looking middle-aged man. It's important to avoid making snap judgments about people based solely on their appearance. Prejudging could lead to wrongfully accusing an innocent person.

"Excuse me, we're looking to buy a digital camera. Do you have any suggestions?"

Sakayanagi quickly switched to business mode, smiling politely at the shop clerk.

Her previous fury vanished as if it had never existed.

Sakayanagi appeared to be enjoying the conversation without the slightest hint of discomfort, despite this being their first encounter and the man's suspected stalker status.

Her ability to control her emotions was truly impressive.

Hikigaya stood silently beside her, listening. However, the more he listened, the more he sensed something was amiss.

The shop clerk was showing signs of excessive enthusiasm.

With boundless enthusiasm, he bombarded Sakayanagi with conversation, even going as far as inviting her to a female idol concert at the local cinema. What was going on?

It is one thing to extend an invitation to a girl you have just met to the movies; it is another to speculate that he is particularly adept at courting women.

But what about a female idol concert? What on earth?

Unless she was a fellow fan, what girl would even say yes to that?

But... idols, huh?

This guy did seem like an idol fanatic, rambling on about idol rankings and even gravure idols. What kind of person talks about these things with a girl?

Are you trying to flirt or just showing off your creepy old-man tendencies?

The worst part was that, despite not displaying any signs of displeasure on the surface, Sakayanagi continued tapping Hikigaya's leg with her cane beneath the counter.

Seriously, stop that. It's more painful than I expected!

Unable to endure it any longer, Hikigaya decided to take action. He had originally planned to let Sakayanagi extract more information, but he couldn't wait.

"Excuse me, can I ask something?"

Hikigaya interrupted by pulling out his phone and placing it on the counter.

"I'm searching for a camera similar to this one, but all I have is a picture. Could you take a look?"

The clerk seemed a little annoyed at first, but his eyes widened as soon as he saw the phone's wallpaper.

"Oh! Isn't this Shizuku?"

"Huh? You know her too?"

"Of course! I'm a diehard fan!"

Meeting a fellow fan seemed to excite the clerk even more.

Hikigaya had intentionally chosen a picture of Shizuku as his wallpaper, hoping to gauge the clerk's reaction. He hadn't expected it to work so well.

This guy was almost certainly the stalker.

Is it really appropriate to set a classmate's picture as my wallpaper? This is beyond embarrassing. I'll have to change it back as soon as this is over!

If anyone were to see it, I would be socially mortified.