I stop moving and step silently behind a tall metal rack of potato chips, peering through the narrow gap between the colorful bags.
Ayanokouji stands near the daily essentials. Beside him, Horikita stands perfectly straight, her dark hair falling over her shoulder as she holds a red plastic shopping basket.
"Come on, there's no need to be so hostile," Ayanokouji mutters. "Anyway, did you need to buy something?"
"Yes, just a few things. I came to get some necessities," Horikita replies coldly.
She reaches out and takes a bottle of the absolute cheapest shampoo off the shelf, dropping it into her basket.
I cross my arms and lean my shoulder against the metal shelving.
There they are. The plot is moving exactly on schedule.
Ayanokouji's flat voice drifts down the narrow aisle, barely audible over the low hum of the refrigerated display cases.
I stand perfectly still behind a metal rack packed with brightly colored bags of potato chips. Through the small gap between a row of salt and vinegar crisps, I watch them.
"I thought girls usually made a fuss over what kind of shampoo they bought."
"Well, that depends on the person, doesn't it?" Horikita replies. Her voice carries a sharp, defensive edge. "I'm the sort who doesn't know when you might need money."
She turns her head. For a brief second, she shoots Ayanokouji an icy glare that seems to scream her annoyance. It is a look that clearly asks him to stop inspecting other people's purchases without their explicit permission.
He does not flinch. He just stares at the cheap bottle in her basket.
"At any rate, I was terribly surprised that you stayed for introductions," she says, shifting her plastic shopping basket to her other hand. "You didn't look like the type to hang out with a circle of classmates."
"I decided to participate precisely because I don't like trouble," he answers immediately. "Why didn't you introduce yourself to them, Horikita? You could have gotten to know several other students, and it would have been a chance to make friends."
This is it. The exact scene from the light novel playing out right in front of my eyes.
A rush of adrenaline spikes in my chest. Hearing the dialogue spoken aloud by the actual characters feels entirely different from reading ink on a page.
I probably should go now.
If I stay hidden behind this snack rack a little longer, Ayanokouji will definitely notice my presence. He has an absurdly high situational awareness. I already achieved my primary objective for this location. Three cheap, white boxes sit heavily in my own plastic basket. I secured the free items.
Taking a slow, quiet step backward, I retreat from the aisle. My rubber soles squeak faintly against the polished floor. I turn around and walk directly toward the front checkout counter.
Passing a small, brightly lit endcap display near the register, something catches my eye. Small, square cardboard boxes line the bottom shelf. The packaging features bright, neon colors and very subtle, suggestive marketing text.
Condoms.
I stop walking and stare down at the colorful boxes resting on the metal wire shelf.
Oh, that's right.
A huge logical gap suddenly opens up in my mind. It is a glaring puzzle in the Light Novel that always bothered me.
Later today, right around 1:00 PM, Ayanokouji will enter his assigned dorm room. He will unpack his bags and look around his new living space. He will go through a specific internal monologue. In Chapter 2.4 of Volume 1, he explicitly thinks about the school rules regarding romantic relationships. He tells himself that sex is forbidden. Obviously forbidden.