Kamiki rushed out the gym doors, not stopping for a second in the hallway.
He picked up his pace, completely leaving the main building behind.
He soon reached the shopping mall and stepped inside the large supermarket.
The interior was remarkably quiet.
Grabbing a shopping cart, he headed straight for the personal care aisle.
He didn’t want to waste any time.
Stopping in front of a shelf, he picked out a toothbrush and tossed it into the cart, quickly adding a large tube of toothpaste right next to it.
Moving to the adjacent aisle, he browsed the towel section.
He picked a dark-colored bath towel and two smaller hand towels, placing them neatly in his cart.
He quickly mentally checked his list.
He grabbed a bottle of shampoo, a bar of soap, and didn’t forget some razors.
Finally, he picked up a pair of nail clippers.
All his basic necessities were now in the cart.
Kamiki pushed his cart slightly to the side and left his grocery bags there, casting his gaze into the depths of the supermarket.
*”Now, let’s get down to the real business,”* he thought to himself, a subtle smirk playing on his lips.
The only reason he had hurried here wasn’t just to do some grocery shopping.
He had a much bigger plan.
Ever since he left the gym, Kamiki had been tailing Kamuro Masumi.
His eyes scanned the aisles.
Finally, he spotted her.
Kamuro was standing right in front of the alcohol section.
Her long purple hair and anxious demeanor made her stand out immediately.
Kamuro glanced around, making sure no one was watching her.
Her hand reached out toward a beer can on the shelf.
With her eyes still darting around, she slipped the can into her jacket pocket.
Shoplifting.
It was a terrible habit of hers.
I had to admit, Kamuro Masumi was truly a master at picking her spots.
Aside from a camera at the front counter, there was only a single rotating camera right in the middle of the section.
However, because it was surrounded by high shelves, it couldn’t cover a wide area, leaving behind numerous blind spots.
A perfect opportunity had been delivered right to her doorstep.
Kamiki saw everything crystal clear.
The distance between them was ideal, and Kamuro hadn’t noticed him at all.
Reaching into his pocket, Kamiki pulled out his phone.
He smoothly slid the screen open and launched the camera app.
Holding the phone at chest level, he focused the lens directly on Kamuro.
His finger hovered over the screen.
He waited for the exact moment Kamuro completely concealed the beer in her pocket.
The timing had to be flawless.
This piece of evidence was going to be a magnificent leverage for him.
Slowing his steps, he quietly hid in the gap between the shelves.
He raised his device, pointed the camera at the girl, expertly adjusted the focus, and silently pressed record.
Right now.
Kamuro Masumi was incredibly tense.
She had been scouting this area for a few minutes and knew the blind spots of the supermarket’s surveillance cameras by heart.
Once more, she carefully glanced left and right.
No abnormalities.
No one would notice.
As if nothing out of the ordinary was happening, she reached out both hands, grabbed the beer can with pinpoint accuracy, and smoothly slipped it into her jacket pocket with a soft *shhh*.
The moment she succeeded, a rush of satisfaction washed over her.
To her, the act of shoplifting itself was meaningless; she simply thrived on the process.
In other words, the thrill.
No problems here.
Another challenge cleared.
Kamiki slowly stepped out from his hiding place.
His footsteps were entirely silent as he approached Kamuro from behind.
“Kamuro-san,” Kamiki said, his voice completely calm.
“You really have an interesting taste.” Hearing the voice, Kamuro froze solid.
A cold shiver ran down her spine, and her heart began to hammer against her chest.
She slowly turned around, forcing a look of fake confusion onto her face as she sized up the boy standing before her.
“What do you mean, Shirogane-san?” Kamuro said, trying to keep her voice steady.
She was playing dumb.
Kamiki smiled faintly, his gaze incredibly piercing.
“I know of many hobbies,” Kamiki said, taking a step forward.
“Like football, chess, brewing tea…” Kamuro averted her eyes, quickly calculating an escape route.
“But shoplifting…” Kamiki continued, his tone dripping with mockery.
“That’s definitely a first.” “What…
what kind of nonsense are you spouting?!” Her face instantly hardened.
Forcing herself to snap out of it, she snapped back in a sharp but weak voice, “What kind of joke is this?!” Kamiki didn’t answer.
Instead, he flashed right next to Kamuro in an incredibly swift motion.
Before Kamuro could even register what was happening, he reached out and slipped his fingers into her jacket pocket.
Kamiki gripped the cold metal can inside.
He slowly pulled it upward, bringing the beer can completely out into the open.
He held the can right at Kamuro’s eye level.
Kamuro’s face instantly drained of color, her lips trembling.
“I was going to buy it,” she blurted out immediately, taking a step back.
“I just put it in my jacket pocket.” In her mind, she had a valid point.
She hadn’t gone to the cash register yet, nor had she stepped foot outside the store.
Technically, it wasn’t stealing just yet.
“I haven’t even left the store,” Kamuro added, her voice sounding a bit sharper this time.
“This isn’t a crime.” Kamiki let out a soft chuckle and shook his head.
He reached into his pocket.
He slowly pulled out his phone, turned the screen toward Kamuro, and tapped the play button with his thumb.
“True,” Kamiki whispered.
“But your behavior here says otherwise.” On the screen, the video of Kamuro was playing.
Her checking the cameras was clear as day.
Her choosing the blind spot was glaringly obvious.
The way she stealthily shoved the beer into her pocket was recorded second by second.
Kamuro stared at the screen, her eyes widening in sheer shock.
Her breath hitched.
“You…” Kamuro muttered, gritting her teeth.
“Were you following me?” “I was just at the right place at the right time,” Kamiki said, slipping the phone back into his pocket while gently placing the beer can back onto its shelf.
“Why did you do this?” Kamuro asked, her voice sounding desperate now.
“What do you want from me?” “Don’t worry, I won’t report you.
There’s no fun in that.” “What I want is something far more interesting than a can of beer.” The smirk on Kamiki’s lips deepened as his gaze swept over her.
“From now on,” Kamiki said, dropping his voice to a low murmur.
“You will be my personal maid.” Kamuro froze dead in her tracks upon hearing that word.
For a moment, her brain completely short-circuited.
She had imagined countless worst-case scenarios—expulsion, blackmail, or even worse…
but she never expected this guy to say such bizarre words in such a casual manner.
“What?” Kamuro muttered, unable to believe her ears.
“What…
did you just say?” Kamiki remained unfazed.
“You heard me,” he said flatly.
“My personal maid.” At that moment, a storm raged in Kamuro’s mind.
The manga she had read and the anime she had watched flashed before her eyes one by one.
She remembered the duties of maids to their masters in those stories.
Maid outfits, embarrassing orders, weird fantasies…
Within seconds, Kamuro’s ears began to burn.
Her pale cheeks flushed bright red like a tomato, a sudden surge of embarrassment and anger exploding within her.
“You pervert!” Kamuro shouted, her voice trembling but incredibly sharp.
“What kind of nonsense is this?!” Kamiki chuckled softly.
“Calm down, Kamuro-san.” “Absolutely not!” Kamuro pushed on, clenching her fists.
“I would never accept something like that!
I’d rather die!” Kamiki didn’t hide his amused look at Kamuro’s over-the-top reaction.
“Kamuro-san,” Kamiki said, the mockery in his voice quite evident.
“I’m not talking about the kind of ‘maid’ you’re thinking of.” Kamuro’s heavily breathing body paused for a moment.
Her eyes narrowed as she stared at him with deep suspicion, the flush on her face not yet fully faded.
“What do you mean then?” Kamuro demanded, still highly defensive.
“What exactly are you trying to say?” Kamiki crossed his arms and leaned his back slightly against the shelf behind him.
“All you have to do,” Kamiki said, enunciating each word clearly, “is act like my assistant.” “An assistant?” Kamuro frowned.
“Yes,” Kamiki nodded slightly.
“You will be my right hand.
You’ll carry out my orders and help me with the information flow between the classes.” Kamuro tried to weigh his words in her mind.
The situation was vastly different from the embarrassing scenarios she had just imagined.
Still, she didn’t want to look relieved.
Kamiki took a small step toward her, keeping a respectful distance as he smiled.
“So,” Kamiki said, lowering his voice a bit more.
“Get those perverted thoughts out of your head right now.” Kamuro felt another wave of embarrassment hit her at those words.
She bit her lip, feeling completely exposed.
“I…
I wasn’t thinking about anything like that anyway!” she lied, quickly turning her head away.
“Of course,” Kamiki said, making it obvious he was teasing her.
“Even though the color of your face says otherwise, I can pretend to believe you.” “Shut up,” Kamuro muttered, slowly relaxing her fists.
Kamiki’s offer was, at least for a start, far more bearable than she had anticipated.
It was definitely better than being expelled from school as a criminal.
“Just gathering information and doing what you say?” Kamuro asked, wanting to clarify one last time.
“Nothing else, right?” “That’s enough for now,” Kamiki said.
“As long as you don’t break the rules, I’ll stick to our deal.” Kamuro took a deep breath, her shoulders slumping.
“Fine,” Kamuro said.
“I accept.” “Splendid,” Kamiki said, his smile growing wider.
“I’ll give you your first task tomorrow.” Kamuro took a deep breath and fixed her eyes on Kamiki’s phone.
“Shirogane-san,” Kamuro said, her voice still a bit distant.
“Can you delete the video recording then?” Kamiki tilted his head slightly, spinning the phone between his fingers.
“You can call me by my first name,” Kamiki said in a perfectly casual tone.
“No need for ‘Shirogane’.” Kamuro paused for a moment.
She didn’t like this one bit.
But she had no other choice.
“Fine,” Kamuro said, gritting her teeth.
“Fine then, Kamiki-kun…
Can you delete my video recording?” Kamiki answered without a second thought.
“No.” Shocked, Kamuro took a step forward.
“What?
Why?” “I’m going to sell it to someone,” Kamiki said, his voice completely natural, as if he were talking about the most mundane thing.
Kamuro froze right where she stood, her eyes flaring with anger.
“We had a deal!” Kamuro snapped, her voice echoing through the empty supermarket aisle.
“You said you wouldn’t threaten me!” Kamiki raised his hand, signaling her to calm down.
“Don’t be so angry, Beer-chan,” Kamiki said, the corners of his mouth curving upward.
“I won’t put you in danger.” Hearing that name, Kamuro froze once again, unable to believe her ears.
“Beer-chan?” Kamuro repeated, her voice dripping with sheer disbelief.
“What kind of nickname is that?” “A perfect nickname for someone who likes to steal beer,” Kamiki said with a shrug.
“I think it suits you perfectly.” “Don’t call me that!” Kamuro shouted, her cheeks flushing red with anger all over again.
“I have a name!” “I like this one better,” Kamiki said, slipping his phone into his pocket.
“Who are you going to sell it to then?” Kamuro asked, a deep sense of dread creeping into her heart.
“Who in this school would even buy that?” Kamiki winked, that irritating smirk never leaving his lips.
“I’ll give you your first task tomorrow,” Kamiki said smoothly.
“You’ll find out who it is then.” Kamuro shifted anxiously.
“Can’t you just tell me now?” “No,” Kamiki said.
“There’s no rush.
Don’t worry, Beer-chan.
I’ve really taken a liking to you.” Every time Kamuro heard that bizarre nickname, she felt like she was going to lose her mind.
She rolled her eyes.
“I won’t put you in harm’s way,” Kamiki added.
“You can trust me.” Internally, Kamuro was fuming.
She didn’t trust this guy even a single bit.
But right now, she held absolutely no cards.
She had no choice but to comply.
“Fine,” Kamuro said, her voice barely a whisper.
“I’ll wait until tomorrow.” “Good,” Kamiki said, nodding slightly.
“I like your compliance.” Just as Kamiki headed for the supermarket exit, he stopped in his tracks.
He slowly turned around.
Kamuro had just stepped out of the aisles right behind him, walking toward the door.
“By the way, Beer-chan,” Kamiki said in that same infuriatingly casual tone.
“Give me your number.” Kamuro shot him a look full of pure hatred.
She opened her mouth as if to protest, but then she remembered the video in his hands and the deal they had just struck.
She bit her tongue, gritted her teeth, and pulled out her phone.
In tense silence, the two quickly exchanged numbers.
“Perfect,” Kamiki said as he saved the contact.
“Now it’ll be much easier to stay in touch.” At that exact moment, a familiar interface materialized within his mind.
On the mental screen, Kamuro Masumi’s name popped up.
He focused on the gauge right next to it.
On the system, Kamuro’s affection point toward him stood at a pathetic “-5”.
*”Minus five?”* Kamiki thought to himself, his mocking smile carving deeper into his face.
*”Not a bad start at all.
Hatred is one of the easiest emotions to manipulate.
Turning this minus into a plus is going to be incredibly fun.”* Kamuro adjusted her jacket pockets and lowered her gaze to the floor.
“I’ll be taking my leave now, Kamuro,” Kamiki said.
Kamuro turned around, watching Kamiki’s receding figure as he walked away.
Kamiki strolled through the aisles, heading toward the store’s entrance.
Spotting his cart and shopping bags waiting in the corner, he picked them up carefully.
He directed his steps toward the checkout line.
The cashier looked up at him, and Kamiki placed the items from his cart onto the conveyor belt one by one.
“Will that be all?” the cashier asked.
“Yes,” Kamiki replied.
“That’s everything.” Kamiki pulled out his student ID card and tapped it against the scanner.
With a sharp beep, the payment went through.
He picked up his grocery bags.
When he stepped outside the supermarket, the weather was still pleasant.
He could feel the weight of his phone in his pocket.
Kamuro Masumi was now under his thumb.
For his very first day, this was a massive win.
As he walked back toward the dorms, he was in an exceptionally good mood.
Kamiki climbed the dormitory stairs with quick strides.
Encountering no one in the hallway, he pulled out his key, turned the lock smoothly, and stepped into his room.
He set the shopping bags down on the desk.
Not wanting to waste any time, he began organizing his newly bought items one by one.
He brought the toothbrush into the bathroom and placed it next to the toothpaste.
He lined up the shampoo and soap on the shelf.
He folded the new towels neatly, storing them away in the closet.
Finally, he tossed the razors and nail clippers into his drawer.
His room now looked absolutely pristine.
Once his chores were done, he stepped in front of the mirror.
He adjusted his clothes slightly, running a hand through his hair to fix it up.
Staring at his reflection, that confident smirk returned to his face.
*”Now, it’s time for the real masterstroke,”* he thought.
He could hardly wait to meet his absolute favorite girl from the *Cote* universe from his past life.
He left his room, locking the door behind him.
He directed his steps toward the main school building.
It wasn’t hard to guess where *she* would be at this hour.
She always detested crowds and preferred quiet, secluded spots.
Kamiki entered the building, silently making his way up the stairs.
He arrived in front of the large double doors at the end of the hallway.
He glanced at the sign hanging above: *Library*.
He pushed the door open gently.
The interior was remarkably peaceful, the rich scent of old books filling the entire hall.
There were only a handful of students scattered among the shelves.
Slowing his pace, Kamiki crept deeper into the library in total silence.
His eyes began scanning the tables tucked between the massive bookshelves.
His heart beat just a fraction faster than usual as he carefully navigated the aisles, searching for that one painfully familiar face.