Leaving aside the celebration party for Horikita Suzune and the others, the day after the exams happened to be a day off.
Kaoru Mitoma arrived early at the Keyaki Mall. Near the entrance closest to the dormitory stood a strikingly beautiful girl, leaning on a cane, making her particularly noticeable.
"It's quite rude to keep a girl waiting for so long, Mitoma-kun" Sakayanagi Arisu frowned slightly, seemingly displeased with his tardiness.
"If you didn't want to wait so long, you shouldn't have arrived half an hour earlier than the agreed time" Kaoru Mitoma replied, somewhat exasperated.
He had left early, but he hadn't expected her to arrive even earlier.
"Hoho, are you trying to deny the fact that you're late?" Sakayanagi Arisu said with a faint smile.
"Despite my physical limitations, I managed to leave earlier than you. Doesn't that make you feel ashamed?"
Having plenty of experience dealing with unreasonable girls, Kaoru Mitoma simply replied.
"My mistake. Whatever you want to do today, I'll accompany you."
Sakayanagi Arisu blinked, her smile widening.
"Do you know what I want to do today, Mitoma-kun?"
"No" Kaoru Mitoma answered honestly.
Yesterday, Sakayanagi Arisu had sent him a message, suggesting they meet today. At the time, he had been thinking about the reward from Kamuro Masumi.
Sakayanagi Arisu studied his expression, noticing that he genuinely seemed unaware. She tilted her head slightly in confusion.
"In that case, I'll trouble you to accompany me for a while today."
With that, the girl turned and headed toward Keyaki Mall. Unable to decipher her intentions, Kaoru Mitoma had no choice but to follow.
Keyaki Mall was the commercial hub of the school, packed with various shops and facilities. From daily necessities to entertainment venues, everything could be found here, including the gym they had visited last time.
During breaks, the mall was always bustling with students, especially the sight of high school girls in their uniforms, making it feel as if one were walking through Shibuya or Ginza.
For some reason, Sakayanagi Arisu led him straight to the department store.
"I originally planned to come with Hashimoto-kun, but it seems he has club activities today. Besides, I'm not entirely sure what you boys like" Sakayanagi Arisu said, her eyes scanning the shelves.
"So, I wanted to ask for your advice and chat with you for a bit."
"Advice on what?" Kaoru Mitoma asked, puzzled.
Sakayanagi Arisu looked at him for a moment, then sighed deeply.
"It seems Kaoru Mitoma-kun isn't quite what I expected."
Under his gaze, she paused for a moment before smiling again. "Well, since we're here, I'll just go with my preferences. I'll tell you the details later."
Kaoru Mitoma pondered her words but couldn't make sense of them.
Perhaps it had been premeditated, as Sakayanagi Arisu led him directly to the clothing section. She began scrutinizing him while picking out clothes, occasionally consulting with the sales staff, as if confirming something.
"You're not planning to buy clothes for me, are you?" Kaoru Mitoma felt a sense of déjà vu.
"From the start of the term until now, you haven't bought many casual clothes, have you?" Sakayanagi Arisu criticized him without hesitation.
"Not just casual clothes, I've heard you haven't even visited Keyaki Mall much."
"I've been here five times," Kaoru Mitoma corrected her.
"Only you would care about the number of times. Despite having millions of personal points, your material desires are shockingly low" Sakayanagi Arisu said, staring directly into his eyes.
"I suspect your room is completely empty."
Of course, it was empty.
After all, he would be leaving this place sooner or later. Kaoru Mitoma felt puzzled by her thoughts. Even in his previous world, when he had hanged himself, he didn't left any belongings for his idols. There was probably little chance for anyone to reminisce over his possessions.
Perhaps sensing Kaoru Mitoma thoughts, Sakayanagi Arisu sighed again.
"It's time for a seasonal change anyway, so let's help you dress up a bit."
With that, she shoved the clothes she was holding into Kaoru Mitoma's hands, signaling him to go change quickly. Kaoru Mitoma, looking rather bewildered, took the clothes and turned to enter the fitting room. When he came out after changing, Sakayanagi Arisu and the sales clerk both scrutinized him.
"No, next one" Sakayanagi Arisu commanded, and Kaoru Mitoma began changing again.
This process repeated about four or five times, with Sakayanagi Arisu frowning the entire time.
"Your boyfriend has such a great figure. This one looks really good on him" the sales clerk said enviously.
To be honest, Kaoru Mitoma was naturally good-looking. With a bit of careful styling, he exuded the youthful charm of a sunny, carefree boy. His graceful and gentle demeanor, paired with his sparkling eyes, made him irresistibly attractive.
"This style doesn't suit him" Sakayanagi Arisu mused, not bothering to correct the clerk misunderstanding.
Kaoru Mitoma could only continue changing clothes, though this only deepened his confusion. What exactly was Sakayanagi Arisu trying to do? Moreover, this scene felt oddly familiar, as if he had experienced it before.
After changing once more, Kaoru Mitoma had just stepped out when Sakayanagi Arisu nodded without hesitation.
"Please wrap up this one and the previous few outfits" she instructed the clerk, placing the order without consulting Kaoru Mitoma.
Soon, Kaoru Mitoma looked at the shopping bags in his hands and seemed to understand Sakayanagi Arisu intentions.
"Let's go. We'll grab something to eat while we're at it."
Kaoru Mitoma silently followed the girl, his emotions in turmoil.
"How do you feel about going on a date with a girl like me?" she asked.
"Why do you know my birthday?" Kaoru Mitoma countered.
Kaoru Mitoma looked at her intently. Even he had forgotten that his birthday was just a few days away, yet she knew it so clearly.
"No, but I've seen something similar," Sakayanagi Arisu replied after a moment of thought.
"You remind me of someone I know, but your essence is different. So, I'm a bit curious about your past."
"Is this a privilege of being the chairman daughter?" Kaoru Mitoma asked.
Kaoru Mitoma mercilessly exposed her wealthy background.
"You two are the only ones in the entire school with the surname Sakayanagi."
Sakayanagi Arisu didn't argue, simply smiling as she said.
"I've never used this identity to do anything out of line. In fact, I started from scratch just like everyone else."
Kaoru Mitoma was somewhat skeptical of her claims, as there were numerous cases of privilege in society.
"Anyway, thank you for today."
"Hehe, it's not the right time yet. Keep that thank you for me for now."
As they chatted, they happened to walk out of the department store and immediately saw a few familiar faces.
Ichinose Honami, Shiranami Chihiro, and Amikura Mako.
In that instant, faced with the shock of his supposed girlfriend, Kaoru Mitoma couldn't help but feel a slight stir in his heart.
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