Chapter 31: A Trap and a Decoy. After dropping off Miyanoshita, I headed to school. I had more than enough time, because I left home early. This roundabout route was no problem. Walking slowly, I started to order my thoughts on that special issue. "Miyanoshita is being targeted by a stalker. The stalker's identity is unknown. Somehow, they knew Miyanoshita's messaging app ID. It's likely that the stalker has actually seen Miyanoshita. I think they are relatively close by. I don't know their age, but I don't think they're elderly. I sense a reckless behavior driven by youth. Sending messages that serve as evidence without thinking suggests this. But, is it not normal for someone who stalks to be so rash? They would prioritize emotions over reason. Yet, there are oddly careful aspects to him. The fact that he has never shown himselve. Does he not intend to make himselve known? In that case..." I mutter to myself as I walked. From a bystander's perspective, I must have seen quite dangerous. But right now, I didn't care about other people's gazes. I wanted to summarize my thoughts on the issue of the stalker. I felt like I was about to grasp something. Just a little bit more and i would have the answer. Think. Think. Think. And organize the information you have. Or gather more. Thus I succeeded in establishing a hypothesis. "Could it be that the stalker targeting Miyanoshita is..." ―――――――――― Another day. I was talking with Miyanoshita. The master and my senpai were also with me. We decided to carry out a plan to lure out and capture the stalker. If we gave the stalker more time, they might become even more brazen. Even if we ignored that possibility, Miyanoshita would be living in fear until the culprit was caught. I didn’t want that. While I couldn't assert it as absolute, thanks to various preparations, we were able to come up with a reasonably confident plan. So, we decided to put it into action. For that purpose, we visited a certain place... "Oh... So this is a love hotel." Blushing a little, Miyanoshita looked around the room. It was spacious, and the bed was surprisingly large, probably a king size. In front of the row of sofas, there was a large TV, about 50 inches. A game console was placed next to it. We might be able to do some karaoke. It was a bit surprising that a love hotel was so well-equipped for playing. Just looking around, it didn't seem different to any other ordinary hotel, but... But the devil was in the details, the bath for example. The walls were transparent, allowing for a clear view inside. And the cupboard next to the bed. Casually opening it and looking inside, I found adult toys. I immediately closed it. Hopefully Miyanoshita didn't see that.

Knowing her, she'd probably be really curious and excited, taking them out while saying things like "Wow" and "Kyaah!" "Wow... this is really something, isn't it?" "Why are you so excited?" "I've always wanted to try this, you know. For future practice!" "Wait, with who? Never mind, forget I asked." Not wanting to dig a hole for myself, I decided to drop the topic. "Of course, with Yuuki-san!" "I didn't even finish!" "No need to be embarrassed. I'm always ready for you♪" "Please, don't make me out to be a criminal." "It's fine as long as we both agree." "Even then, it's still not okay." "The world is so unfair, isn't it?" "Your way of thinking is what's unfair, Miyanoshita." "Oh... Y-Yuuki-san! This is, um, an adult toy, right!?" "Hey! Don't go finding things like that! I left it alone for a reason!" I scolded Miyanoshita for digging up something preposterous from the drawer. Why would you even think that's something erotic? Are elementary school kids these days really that knowledgeable? I feel like an old man already. "By the way, you're really lively right now..." Although we entered a love hotel, we were not here for fun. This was all part of a plan to lure out the criminal. If all went well, we would confront the criminal afterwards. Despite that, Miyanoshita was very energetic. "Hehe. When a girl makes up her mind, she becomes strong, didn't you know?" "Is that so..." "It is. ♪ Also..." Miyanoshita looked at me intently. "It's also because you are here, Yuuki-san♪" "Me?" "You'll protect me, right?" "Of course." "Then, it's okay! I trust you more than anyone in the world! No, I trust you the most in the universe!" "I see..." After she told me that, I had no choice but to do my best. I absolutely would not lose. "But don't let your guard down under any circumstances. Even though we are fully prepared, unexpected situations can still arise. If we're not careful, you could still get hurt." "Yes, I know what you mean." And with a serious expression she says, "But that's just the way it is. This place makes my heart race and my tension go up!" It's sad that I couldn't deny it. Why was I in a love hotel with Miyanoshita?

Not to cause a problem or scandal. It was to lure out the criminal. The criminal was showing a strong attachment to Miyanoshita. They must have harbored strong hostiliy towards me. He probably believed I was interfering with his relationship. What if I crossed a decisive line with Miyanoshita? He would not be able to bear it anymore. The criminal would surely reveal himself and attack me. The plan was basically to use me as bait to lure out the criminal. Definitly a high risk operation. Miyanoshita was against it. However... The other day, when I saw Miyanoshita's frightened face. When I saw the tears in her eyes, I just couldn't bear it anymore. My anger towards the criminal intensified. I didn't want this to drag on any longer. And more than anything, I wanted to punch them. Therefore, I decided to proceed with the plan rather assertively. "Yuuki-san." Suddenly, Miyanoshita asked me with a serious expression. "There's no danger for us... right? You've prepared a perfect trap, right?" "Ah, don't worry. It's safe." That was a lie. There's no such thing as a perfect trap. Of course, I had considered sufficient measures, but... Unexpected turns of events can always happen. If we are not careful, someone could get hurt... or worse. However, I didn't show my anxiety and nodded firmly. "Is that so... I see. Yeah. I believe in you, Yuuki-san. You know that, right?" "Yeah. Leave it to me." "One more thing though." Miyanoshita spoke with a serious expression again. "Would you like to take a bath together?" "Yeah, no!" How can she say such a thing with such a serious face! "Would you like some other service? Lotion and mat play are okay too, you know?" "Where did you learn such words?" "In that case, shall we sleep together? It's your chance to bask in the warmth of an elementary school girl!" "No, I don't want it." “Boo.” Miyanoshita pouted her lips. I felt pretty nervous, but acted very calm. Women can be strong when it really matters, huh. I found myself chuckling dryly and thinking "Oh boy."