Clang! Clang! Clang!—

At five PM, the school bell rang melodiously. Students finished their first day of classes. They left classrooms one by one. At the main gate shoe lockers, they changed into outdoor shoes and headed home.

I’d already swapped my shoes early. But instead of going home, I sat on a campus bench. I held a book, pretending to read.

My real goal was waiting for my chosen target—classmate Umaru—to appear.

I acted focused on the book. But my eyes stayed fixed on the school building’s main entrance. I waited for that chosen girl.

Soon, the perfect high school girl Umaru stepped out. Female classmates called greetings to her.

It was just the start of term. Freshmen hadn’t joined clubs yet. They had no choice but to go home.

Seeing such a flawless girl, my eyes lit up. I kept up my serious reading act.

Once Umaru left the school gate, I stuffed the book into my bag. I hurried after her.

Don’t misunderstand—I wasn’t there to greet or flirt. No bad intentions at all.

I just needed intel on my target. This would help future advances. Absolutely no ill will.

I’m a friend of justice. How could I do something insane?

…Ahem. Tail-following’s a great game. You should all try it.

I kept my head down, tailing her cautiously from a distance. To avoid recognition, I wore plain clothes and a baseball cap.

Don’t ask where the clothes came from. As someone who often hides his identity, I always carry disguises.

“A supermarket?”

I muttered as the orange-haired girl entered a chain store.

“What’s she buying?…”

After she went in, I followed. To stay low-key, I grabbed a shopping basket at the entrance. I weaved through aisles.

“Snacks? I never expected a perfect girl like her to love junk food…”

I pretended to browse shelves, head down. I watched her discreetly. So far, she seemed absorbed in snacks. She hadn’t spotted me.

But nearby middle-aged shoppers pointed at my suspicious figure. Some even reported me to police.

Focused entirely on the girl, I noticed none of this.

Had I known, I’d have left immediately. I wouldn’t have stayed a second.

But life’s full of things beyond control. Otherwise, regrets wouldn’t exist.

“Huh? She bought so many potato chips?…” Her basket stunned me.

Honestly, a flawless beauty buying this much junk food shocked me.

Could these snacks not be for her? Maybe someone else eats them?

I nodded while thinking. That must be it.

With my head down, afraid to look at Umaru’s face, I missed her excited expression as she picked snacks.

“…Heading to drinks now?…”

I darted behind another shelf as she moved. I tracked her every step.

“She’s buying so much cola?!”

I glanced at her flat stomach. This can’t be for her either!…

Could she have a shut-in otaku brother at home? That might explain it.

Just as I pieced this together, the supermarket’s automatic doors slid open. A pair of adorable “girls” walked in.

—Crap! It’s him! Hidetomo!! And Ruri!! How are they here?!

…Right! I told him this morning to buy milk after school!! How did I forget?!

Watching the siblings approach the shelves, I panicked.

If they found their brother dressed like this, acting shady here—chaos would erupt! Hidetomo might shrug it off. But my hard-earned favor with Ruri would plummet!

Don’t think high favor means safety. One incident, one careless word, can crash it all!!

Worse, if Umaru discovered my tailing? Total disaster!! This could mean Game Over!!!

—Abort the mission! Safe retreat now!!

I dodged the siblings instantly. I slipped around shelf corners to checkout. I dropped my basket and dashed out of the dangerous store.

But moments after rushing out, a female police officer in uniform blocked me.

Seeing her, my heart sank.

“You’re the reported suspicious person?”

Officer Yuzuki frowned. Her gaze locked on the baseball-capped man with his head down. Familiar disgust rose in her.

“It’s me, Officer Yuzuki!!” I yanked off my cap.

Her name was Yuzuki Yūri. She was… an old acquaintance.

Over the years, chasing girls meant chatting them up. Often disliked, I got reported as a harasser.

I knew nearly every cop at the station. My file clearly read—“a cursed loner, shunned by women.”

—Ahhh!! Are the cops all troublemakers? Or… do District 11 folks just have too much chuunibyou?

“Huh?! You again…”

Officer Yuzuki’s brows tightened. She forced down her revulsion. She knew this boy—the one hauled in countless times.

She’d nearly finished her shift when assigned this task. Already annoyed, seeing me worsened her mood.

“Routine procedure. Come to the station for a statement!”

She opened her patrol car’s back seat. She gestured sharply.

Gloomy-faced, I nodded and slid in. She knew my history. Yet she insisted…

—This is totally on purpose!!!