The girl, now back in her seat, kept her head down, not daring to meet the boy's gaze. Just thinking about what had happened moments ago—how she had ended up on top of him, their eyes meeting at such close range—made Sakura feel like her entire body was on fire. Her face, especially, felt unbelievably hot.
Hikigaya, on the surface, looked calm, but inside, he was just as embarrassed. He couldn't shake the ridiculous thought: *Why is something that only happens in light novels happening to me?*
The room was filled with an awkward and strangely tense atmosphere.
Hikigaya cleared his throat a few times and quickly handed the camera back to her. He hadn't expected to find selfies of Sakura in the camera, which explained why she had suddenly reacted so strongly.
Selfies were a tricky thing—when taking them, they seemed fine, but there was always an unspoken rule that they should never be seen by others.
"S-Sorry..."
Realizing she had overreacted, Sakura quietly apologized.
"Don't worry, I... I didn't see anything."
Hikigaya, worried she might misunderstand, quickly got up to leave.
But just then, Sakura suddenly called out to him. She still had her head lowered, but she held out the camera with both hands.
"Huh?"
Hikigaya froze on the spot, unsure whether to take it or not. He also had no idea what Sakura meant by this.
"Hikigaya-kun... actually, I..."
Sakura never imagined she would calmly reveal her secret to a boy.
It was something that belonged only to her, something she had always feared being discovered—afraid of being laughed at, insulted, rejected, and excluded. That fear had been a constant source of anxiety, sleepless nights, and nightmares.
It was one of the reasons she had always been so nervous and hesitant, the reason she had chosen a school where no one knew her.
She had been terrified that if her one safe place, her one secret, was exposed, she would have nowhere left to run.
But now that it had actually happened, she felt an unexpected sense of relief. It was like a rope that had been tightening around her neck had suddenly loosened. And she knew—it was because of the boy in front of her.
So… she decided to gather her courage and tell him the truth.
And as she did, Sakura felt as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She finally found the strength to raise her head and look at the boy across from her.
But the very next second, she quickly lowered her head again.
As expected, this is really embarrassing!
Hikigaya had been watching Sakura closely. Even though he didn't know exactly what she had been going through, he could tell that something had changed in her. And from the looks of it, it was a good change.
After revealing her secret, Sakura felt a tiny bit of excitement she hadn't even noticed herself. Her "personal secret" had suddenly turned into a "shared secret," and that unexpected shift made her face heat up. She hesitated before mumbling softly, "If... if you don't mind, you can take a look."
Sakura didn't even know why she said that. Her mind had gone completely blank the moment the words left her mouth. It was only after she spoke that she realized—what the hell was she saying?! This was way too embarrassing!
"So... I can keep looking?"
Hikigaya held the camera, his expression complicated.
If he said he wasn't curious, that would be a lie.
But... looking at Sakura's selfies—especially personal ones—right in front of her? Even he felt a mix of awkwardness and... anticipation?
Crap, he probably looked just like one of those creeps on the train!
Hikigaya Hachiman, you're such a loser.
"Mmm..."
Sakura's voice was barely a whisper.
With a mix of curiosity, nervousness, forced calm, and just a bit of hesitation, Hikigaya finally turned on the camera's screen. He tried to keep his expression neutral, but his trembling fingers betrayed his inner thoughts.
The photos were mostly selfies of Sakura taken in a special classroom building. Her expressions and poses were nothing like the shy girl he knew. She had a strong sense of the camera, and in some of the bolder poses, he could tell she had the potential to be a real gravure idol.
Without glasses and with her bangs styled differently, she looked livelier and cuter—so much that he couldn't take his eyes off her. She seemed like a completely different person.
If it weren't for the familiar school uniform and, well, her "noticeable features," Hikigaya might not have believed the girl in the pictures was the same socially anxious, self-conscious girl standing in front of him.
So it's true... girls' photos are all lies. This is proof.
"Also... these photos are way too professional."
Hikigaya couldn't help but comment. Even though they were just selfies, they showed real skill. The way she played with the camera, the way the shots were framed—it was impressive.
Hikigaya was terrible at taking pictures. Komachi always made fun of him for it, constantly calling him a dumb older brother who only knew how to use 'AUTO' mode.
Hearing Hikigaya's compliment, Sakura's face lit up with joy for a brief moment before she quickly tried to hide it. But the slight upward curve of her lips gave her away.
She didn't even realize that his praise made her happier than all the compliments she'd ever received online.
"Wait, stop! Don't—!"
Just as she was secretly enjoying the moment, Sakura suddenly remembered something—something serious. Her expression turned panicked as she tried to stop Hikigaya.
But she was too late.
Hikigaya had just flipped to the next photo, and his face froze.
It was a bathroom selfie—Sakura in a tight yellow bodysuit. It perfectly highlighted her curvy figure. Hikigaya's throat tightened as he swallowed instinctively.
A second later, the camera was snatched away.
Sakura clutched it tightly against her chest, her face burning red—so red it looked almost edible, like a ripe apple.
"Is this... cosplay?"
Hikigaya tried to change the subject, desperately trying to ease the tension.
If he wasn't mistaken, that outfit looked like a Super Sentai suit. No wonder it was so... No! He couldn't keep thinking about it! That striking pose in the yellow ranger bodysuit was still burned into his mind.
Sakura nodded furiously, like a pecking chick.
"It's kinda hot, huh? July weather and all."
Hikigaya wiped the sweat off his forehead.
Even with the air conditioning on, both of them felt unusually warm.
Then, silence.
The atmosphere between them became painfully awkward.
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