This whole line of reasoning was full of holes.
Anyone with a clear mind would dismiss it as nonsense.
In fact—
It was nonsense.
Unfortunately—
The person standing in front of Kushida Kikyou was Sakura Airi.
She didn't quite understand it—
But somehow, she did understand!
If it's something Kushida-san said, then it must be correct!
For someone who isn't good at thinking, the best thing to do isn't to figure things out alone—
It's to choose someone trustworthy and hand over all thinking to them.
Sakura Airi chose to do exactly that.
Besides—
The logic did seem reasonable.
After all, aside from Freud—
Who would keep photos like that of their "mother"?
The only problem was—
"Becoming a mom… can I really do it?"
Sakura doubted herself.
She didn't doubt Kushida.
She didn't doubt Asakusa.
The one she doubted most—
Was herself.
Can I really do it?
"With Sakura-san, I'm sure you can."
Kushida glanced at the rather impressive "front armor" on Sakura's chest and offered gentle encouragement.
Uu…
Kushida-san is really too kind.
Even now, this naive girl still felt grateful toward her.
But along with that gratitude—
A new question appeared.
"But… how do I actually do it…?"
That was the issue.
Believing in herself was one thing—
But even if she believed she could manage somehow—
She still didn't know how.
What a "mother" should do had already been described by Kushida—
Just hold him and comfort him.
The real problem was—
Everything before and after that.
Was she supposed to go to Class A and say—
"I'll be your mom, so please delete the photo"?
That would definitely attract weird looks, right?!
Ah… but maybe Kushida had his contact info…
If she contacted him through the terminal, it might be less embarrassing…
"I'll arrange it."
Kushida stood up lightly.
"Just wait a bit."
The best move would've been to strike while the iron was hot and drag Sakura over immediately—
But she worried that without warning, Asakusa might slip up.
So before acting—
She needed to brief him.
Kushida wasn't worried about him refusing.
She knew him too well.
An opportunity like this?
He'd never pass it up.
Taking out her terminal, she thought for a moment and sent:
[1106. Come now. Clean up the mess you made at noon yourself.]
Moments later—
"Unread" turned into "Read."
Kushida long-pressed the message—
And quietly deleted it.
At this time, he should be in the library.
So now—
She just had to wait for him to come.
...
"…"
1106… noon…
Ah. Sakura.
The moment he saw the message—
Asakusa Tōru understood.
Sakura had gone to Kushida.
…Isn't that just walking into a trap?
Trying to get Kushida to solve the photo issue?
Or protect her idol identity?
Seriously… no trust in me at all.
But—
This message…
He didn't quite get it.
If it was just about deleting the photo, a simple message would suffice.
Though he wouldn't actually delete it.
"1106"—
That was Sakura's dorm.
"Come deal with it yourself"…
After mulling it over briefly—
He gave up trying to interpret it.
Women's thoughts were too hard to decipher—
Especially through a screen.
But face-to-face?
That was different.
Breathing.
Body heat.
Heartbeat.
Muscle tension.
Flushed ears.
Trembling body.
There was far more to analyze than just tone.
"I'm heading out."
Leaning close, he whispered to Shiina Hiyori.
He picked up his book, returned it neatly, and left the library.
Even though he hadn't been there long.
Shiina Hiyori: "…"
The gentle girl paused her reading, watching his departing figure.
Then softly said:
"Mm, see you."
...
"—Ding."
The elevator arrived.
The doors opened—
And Kushida Kikyou was already waiting.
"What are we doing?" Asakusa raised a brow, getting straight to the point.
Kushida did the same.
"Sleep with her."
Her voice was quiet—
But crystal clear.
"…You serious?"
"Super serious."
A familiar exchange echoed in the hallway—
Only this time, the roles were reversed.
"…"
After a moment of silence—
Asakusa pulled out a recorder.
"I'm recording this."
The screen lit up—
Proof.
Kushida glanced at it—
Then, instead of snatching it away like before—
She took out her own recorder.
"I am too."
Recorders were useful.
They captured words that would otherwise vanish.
Reduced the cost of retelling.
And became leverage.
Ever since getting them from him—
She carried one daily.
A good habit.
"So don't worry."
She pressed down his recorder and raised hers, smiling brightly.
"If we go down, we go down together."
Even if it meant expulsion—
She wouldn't be alone.
"…"
They locked eyes.
Her purple-red eyes.
Her delicate face.
Her radiant smile.
"I get it."
He sighed softly.
"What do I do?"
"Go in, threaten her with the photo? Or say nothing and just walk in and do whatever I want? Or—"
"—Stop, stop, stop!"
Kushida quickly cut him off.
"I'm not making you do anything that extreme!"
Where did that even come from?!
…Though, admittedly, Sakura did seem like the kind of girl who'd be fun to bully.
But no—
She wasn't planning to commit a crime.
That's why she showed the recorder.
Grabbing his hand again, she shoved her recorder into it.
"Listen. The previous recording."
She had already stopped recording.
One tap—
And everything would replay.
"…"
He glanced around—
At the hallway, the corners—
And especially at Room 1106's closed door.
He lowered the volume, increased playback speed, and held it to his ear.
The audio played.
Faint—
But clear enough.
As it continued—
His expression grew strange.
"…You serious?"
When it ended, he returned the recorder.
"What kind of nonsense is that?"
"Super serious."
Kushida answered again.
But this time—
She couldn't hold it.
"Hehe… hahaha… hahahaha…"
She crouched down, covering her mouth, trying to suppress her laughter.
Barely holding it in so Sakura wouldn't hear—
But in front of him—
She was completely losing it.
…This is too much.
How did she turn him into some Freudian case?
Everything leads back to—
Loving your mother.
Right?
Well—
Maybe not exactly like that.
But still.
Despite all her nonsense—
What Kushida created—
Actually aligned perfectly with what he had thought earlier.
—Turning Sakura into a "mother."
A doting one.
"Stop laughing."
He rolled his eyes.
"You think you look any better right now?"
"Kikyou-mom, hugging a high school boy like a mother."
This girl was getting more unhinged lately.
Was she always like this?
Even when she revealed her true self before—
It was just cold hostility.
Now?
She was genuinely laughing.
…Even if it was at his expense.
"Hmm~"
She stood back up, hands on her hips.
"Then I'm your mom too."
…Yeah, sure.
He waved it off.
"I get what you're trying to do."
"But one question."
"Can Sakura Airi even do that?"
He doubted it.
With her social anxiety—
Could she really act like a "mother" to him?
He felt like she'd faint just from getting close.
"Normally? No."
Kushida smiled.
"But 'Sakura-mom' can."
His brow lifted.
"…Explain."
She checked the time—
Calculated briefly—
Then explained.
"Hypnosis."
Not literal hypnosis.
Just—
Her own method.
When Sakura talked about her idol persona—
How timid Airi became "Shizuku"—
Kushida had an idea.
If she could become Shizuku under the right conditions—
Then—
Why not "Sakura-mom"?
Shizuku required three things:
Cute clothes.
Makeup.
A camera.
With those—
She became someone else.
So—
If they recreated the right "conditions"—
And pushed her mentally—
She could become "Sakura-mom."
In theory.
Whether it worked or not—
Kushida didn't care.
As she said—
This was Asakusa's problem.
She was just…
Enjoying herself.
Like the diary—
Manipulating things and watching from the side.
"Time's up."
She pushed him toward the door.
"Go meet your mom."
"—Ding dong."
The bell rang.
A pause.
Then—
The door opened.
Sakura Airi appeared—
Wearing her plain glasses.
"A-Asakusa-chan… i-it's mom…"
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