"Iori — do you want that guy's shirt?"
Sebastian gestured for Iori, who was busy tapping away on his phone, to crawl over, then pointed in Imamura's direction.
"Hm? Isn't that the shut-in from our class?"
Iori crawled over, spotted who Sebastian was pointing at, and tilted his head.
"That's him. Goes by Kōhei Imamura, I think. Here's my plan: I'll call him over, and you circle around behind him and knock him out — rock, pipe, whatever's available, just hit him hard in the back of the head. I'll strip his shirt and give it to you. Don't hold back — I've already tested it, his skull is solid, you won't do any permanent damage."
"Hm, that does sound like a workable plan." Iori said, then looked again at Imamura's shirt.
Which meant he naturally got a proper look at the enormous anime character printed on it.
"If you're going to steal it anyway, Sebastian, why don't you just wear it yourself?"
"Because I'd be embarrassed."
"And what makes you think I wouldn't be embarrassed?! On top of that, anyone who sees it is going to clock immediately that it was stolen — that print is practically a wanted poster!"
Iori grabbed Sebastian by the shoulders and shook him vigorously.
"Alright, alright — let go of me, stop shaking. Look — the reason I'm in this mess has everything to do with that guy. Is it so wrong to want a tiny bit of revenge?"
"I knew your motives weren't pure! I've already gotten in touch with the seniors — they're over at the club recruitment area. If we just get there, we'll have clothes. I'm begging you, please don't make things any more complicated than they already are!"
Iori looked on the verge of tears. Still shaken by the police, he clutched at Sebastian desperately, willing him not to cook up any more schemes.
"Fine, fine. I'll admit I feel a slight twinge of guilt. We'll do it your way."
Sebastian sighed and reluctantly abandoned his revenge plan.
....
Shortly after — the temporary club recruitment grounds of Izu University.
"Come check out Tinker Bell Tennis Club, new students — we've got good-looking guys and pretty girls!"
"Rugby Club only takes real men — if you think you've got what it takes, come see us!"
"We're Peek-a-Boo Diving Club — come sign up if you're interested!"
"Homebodies' Club... Homebodies' Club... anybody, please, just a few new members — if nobody joins us we're getting dissolved...."
"There's actually a Homebodies' Club," Sebastian noted internally, staring at the lively recruitment grounds.
At this particular moment, Sebastian and Iori were crouched quietly behind the Peek-a-Boo Diving Club's booth, while Nanaka and Kotobuki stood in front of them distributing flyers and providing cover.
"Alright, the officers have moved on. But seriously — what did you two get up to on the first day? Why were the police specifically looking for you?"
Kotobuki watched the police disappear into the distance and called back to the two of them.
"Phew.... Thank you. That was a huge help. As for what happened — it really is too much to explain right now. We'll fill you in when there's a chance."
Sebastian carefully got to his feet, confirmed they were genuinely safe, and let out a long breath.
"You two have certainly had quite the day. Sounds like you got your first proper taste of the university experience."
Kotobuki smiled and didn't press the matter further. Nanaka, however, was looking at Iori — who had also risen from his crouch looking thoroughly furtive — with some curiosity.
"You're in the same class as Chisa, aren't you? I ran into her just now and she seemed upset about something. Do you know what happened?"
"I honestly have no idea. For some reason she's been pretty cold toward me lately — even if something's on her mind, I'd have no way of knowing."
Iori waved his hands in prompt denial of any involvement.
"Really? But you two used to be so close. This won't do at all...."
Nanaka propped her chin in her hand and sank into thought.
"Alright, you two. Now that you're safe, go find something to do — just don't forget there's a welcome party for the new members later."
Kotobuki cut in at the right moment and ushered them along.
"Another party? Haven't we already had two?" Sebastian stared at Kotobuki, slightly dazed.
"Those two were specifically for you. This one is the main event — a proper party to celebrate all the new members joining. Any objections?"
Kotobuki's reasoning sounded entirely airtight. Sebastian found he had nothing to say to it.
"That said — if we wander around out there dressed like this, we're going to get picked up again pretty easily."
Iori glanced in the direction the officers had gone and couldn't help adding the concern.
"You're all going to end up naked anyway, so why bother getting dressed?" Kotobuki gave Iori a mildly puzzled look.
"Regardless — for the sake of our personal safety, please give us each a shirt."
Iori dropped into a full prostrating bow on the spot. Sebastian watched, awestruck, privately acknowledging he didn't have that kind of nerve.
"Hmm...."
Kotobuki rubbed his chin and thought it over.
"If you two want clothes that badly — bring me a new recruit each. Fair trade, don't you think?" He grinned, showing a full set of perfectly healthy white teeth.
....
"Iori, you said we'd have clothes once we got here. Now they're making us go recruit people as a condition — this is extortion, isn't it?"
Walking down the path, Sebastian shot Iori a look of mild displeasure.
"Nothing to be done about it. We're already on the boat.... That said, I actually have a pretty good target in mind. The odds of success should be high."
Having left Peek-a-Boo's recruitment booth, the two of them — in a state of considerable undress — made their way along a deserted campus path, talking through the plan.
"I've got a target too. You go first though — who do you think is the easiest mark?"
Sebastian stopped walking and looked sideways at Iori, who was wearing a rather scheming smile.
"Obviously the blonde shut-in we ran into earlier. That guy doesn't look particularly sharp, and he's on his own — he should be very easy to fool."
Sebastian stroked his chin, and a faint glimmer appeared in his otherwise vacant, dead-fish eyes.
"You're right. That one does seem like the simple-minded type of deviant.... The thing is, we need him to come to Peek-a-Boo on his own — I really don't want to draw those officers back over here."
"Don't worry, I've got a plan. Just follow my lead." Iori smiled faintly and declared this with quiet confidence.
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Translator's note: The author writes Tinker Bell as a 棒球社 (baseball club), but in the original Grand Blue, it is a tennis club. We would go with the tennis club here for now to match canon.