—Wako City, Fantastic Bunko Office Building, Light Novel Division of Fushikawa Bookstore.
Eikichi Onizuka sat in the same conference room as last time, waiting for the beautiful light novel author, Kasumi Utako-sensei.
Originally, he had planned to simply message her on LINE to inform her that Kyousuke had declined the meeting.
However, Kisaki Tetta insisted that he deliver the message in person.
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"She's a rising best-selling author."
"With the Boss's manga about to get serialized and eventually published as a standalone volume, maintaining a good relationship with her could be beneficial in the future."
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That was the strategist's reasoning.
So, even though he wasn't exactly thrilled about facing a girl who, when angry, bore an uncanny resemblance to their boss, he still hopped on his motorcycle and rushed over.
Unfortunately, in his haste, he had forgotten to notify Kasumi Utako in advance, meaning she was still on her way from school.
A knock sounded at the door.
Onizuka, who had been lazily scrolling through various idols' social media profiles, immediately straightened up.
"Come in."
The door swung open, revealing Kasumi Utako—the stunning author from before—followed by her editor, Machida Sonoko.
"Good afternoon, Kasumi Utako-sensei," he greeted properly with a bow.
"Good afternoon, Eikichi Onizuka-san."
Kasumigaoka Utaha nodded at him, then pulled out a chair and gracefully took a seat across from him.
She looked young before, but she's actually a middle schooler?
It was just a fleeting glance, but Onizuka's keen 24K titanium-alloy eyes had caught it—beneath that well-fitted uniform, tailored to perfection by virtue of her outstanding figure and elegance, was a middle school insignia.
To foreigners, it might not be obvious, but for any Japanese person, recognizing a school uniform's grade level was second nature.
"Please, have a seat."
Utaha crossed her legs under the table in a practiced motion—an instinctive habit to avoid any accidental exposure.
"Ah, yes," Onizuka quickly sat down.
"Sorry for making you wait. There was something I had to take care of at school," she explained politely.
Though she lacked much interest in the outside world, her manners were impeccable.
Or rather, because she had no interest in unnecessary social interactions, she adhered strictly to etiquette—avoiding conflict and unnecessary engagement as much as possible.
"Oh, not at all! I should be the one apologizing for not informing you in advance."
Utaha didn't bother responding to the polite small talk. Instead, she got straight to the point.
"So, did Hojou-kun accept my invitation?"
"Uh—no."
Onizuka blinked, caught off guard.
"No?"
The soft smile on Utaha's face vanished in an instant.
Her lips curled slightly in what seemed like amusement, but her voice carried a cold edge.
"I see… I assumed that since you went through the trouble of coming all the way from Tokyo, you'd have good news for me. Otherwise, what makes you think you deserve to sit here so comfortably?"
"Wait—uh—"
Onizuka, someone who believed that fists were a far more effective means of communication than words, suddenly found himself tongue-tied.
"If it's not good news, then at least tell me what kind of bad news was so important that you needed to deliver it in person. I'm curious."
Her slender, porcelain-white index finger tapped lightly on the table.
In the silent meeting room, only the sound of her voice and the rhythmic tapping filled the space.
'Why does this feel like a doctor about to deliver a terminal diagnosis to a patient's family?'
Eikichi Onizuka, who had little experience dealing with girls like this, not that he had much experience with girls in general.
As her expression darkened with impatience, he finally recalled Kisaki's instructions.
"First, offer a sincere apology."
Oh, right. He'd forgotten that part.
"I'm deeply sorry."
He placed both palms flat on the table, fingertips touching, and bowed his head.
"Then, say this…"
"Hojou-sama believes your novel's success is entirely due to your own talent. His contribution was insignificant, so he feels unworthy of your gratitude."
"To express his apologies for declining your invitation, he insisted I deliver this message in person."
"Finally, Hojou-sama looks forward to your next work and sincerely hopes your future projects will be even more successful."
Having flawlessly recited the strategist's prepared lines, Onizuka felt a surge of pride. His delivery had been impeccable tone, expression, everything.
"I see," Utaha murmured.
Her proud head lowered slightly, her swan-like neck curving down.
The gemstone-like brilliance in her deep red eyes, which had gleamed under the conference room's white lights, faded as she looked away.
So, to him, saving my failed work, allowing me to reclaim my self-respect and pride… was nothing more than an insignificant favor?
"Yes, that's all," Eikichi Onizuka affirmed with a firm nod.
"I understand completely. Thank you for making the trip just to deliver this message. Please also tell Hojou-kun… I will write a novel that surpasses my last one."
She smiled, exuding quiet confidence.
"Onizuka-san, if you'll come with me, we have a travel reimbursement prepared for you," Machida Sonoko interjected.
"Oh, no need. I couldn't possibly accept a reward for running an errand for the Boss."
Eikichi Onizuka declined without hesitation.
"In that case, Kasumi Utako-sensei, I'll take my leave now."
"Yes. Goodbye."
Still smiling, Kasumi Utako watched him leave.
The door clicked shut, leaving her alone in the conference room.
She sank heavily into her chair.
Fortunately, the ample softness of her thighs and hips absorbed the impact, sparing her any discomfort beyond the slight ripple through her body.
Resting her elbows on the table, she cradled her head in her hands.
A tremor ran through her shoulders, her legs wrapped in sheer black stockings shaking beneath the table.
She pulled out her phone, opened LINE, and typed Hojou Kyousuke's ID into the "Add Friend" search bar.
Staring at the familiar profile picture—the one she had looked at countless times before—her delicate fingers trembled slightly.
But in the end, she didn't press "Add Friend."
'Forget it.'
'If my only achievement so far was made possible by someone else's 'insignificant' favor, what right do I have to stand before him?'
What excuse could she use to send a request?
To thank him?
Hojou-kun hadn't even considered this worth mentioning.
Wouldn't reaching out just make her seem pathetic, desperate for more help?
The proud and strong-willed girl felt an unfamiliar emotion creeping into her heart—something called inferiority.
"Shi-chan, are you okay?"
"Ah, Machida-san? When did you come in?"
Lost in her thoughts, Kasumigaoka Utaha was startled by the sudden voice, momentarily breaking free from her deep introspection.
"I knocked on the door, but you didn't respond. Even after coming in and calling out to you several times, you still didn't react."
Machida Sonoko looked at her author with concern.
To outsiders, there might not have been any visible change, but having spent countless days and nights working together on drafts and revisions, she could tell instantly, ever since that Onizuka spoke, this girl had been acting strange.
Her smile was sweet, too sweet. And that was exactly what felt wrong.
Normally, her default expression when dealing with others was an indifferent mask.
"Me? I'm fine." Utaha smiled, the very smile that worried Machida Sonoko the most.
"Don't worry about me. In fact, I'm feeling better than ever. Haven't you been pushing me to write the second volume? I'll start working on it today."
"Really?!" Though still concerned, Machida couldn't hide her excitement when it came to work.
"Yes. Didn't Hojo-kun say he was looking forward to my next work? If he has such expectations for me, then I have to give it my all."
As she spoke, Utaha turned to face her editor.
Her long, jet-black hair cascaded down her back.
She rested her right hand on the desk, gently propping up her delicate face, which carried a faint, knowing smile.
"Shi! I'm so moved! This is the brilliant, unfathomable Shi-chan I know!"
Seeing her author seemingly regain her motivation, Machida exclaimed dramatically.
"I made you worry, Machida-san."
Utaha stood up, picked up her bag containing the script she had written for the school drama club, and prepared to leave.
Instead of heading home, she checked in with her parents and then went straight to the apartment she used for her writing retreats.
Once inside, she took off her black stockings and school uniform, changing into a comfortable blue nightgown.
She carried a cup of instant coffee into the room.
Her small feet, clad in white cotton slippers, stepped onto the carpet as she opened her laptop.
The familiar document appeared on the screen, unchanged from days ago, still bearing only a few words:
Love Metronome Volume 2
The publisher had urged her multiple times to ride the wave of popularity and release the second volume quickly, cementing "Kasumi Utako" as a bestselling light novel author.
However, Utaha had wanted to hear Hojo Kyousuke's thoughts first before deciding on the story's direction.
As for the draft she had already completed? That was nothing compared to Hojo-kun's opinion. If not for him, this novel would have been dead in the water.
Back when the manuscript was rejected and returned like trash, she had wondered if a sequel was even worth writing. Wouldn't it just be pollution? A waste of resources?
But because of Hojo-kun's "insignificant" help, this novel was reborn.
From that moment, she had decided—this story would be written for Hojo-kun. It was only natural.
Because of him, it had been given a second life; therefore, dedicating her future to him was the obvious choice.
That was why Utaha had stubbornly resisted the publisher's pressure, insisting that she wouldn't start writing until she had met with Hojo Kyousuke in person.
But now…
After hearing Hojo-kun's words relayed by Onizuka, after learning that the help he had given her was, in his eyes, nothing more than a trivial act, Utaha felt a pang of inferiority.
Yet, upon hearing that Hojo-kun was looking forward to her sequel, a new fire ignited in her heart.
'I will write an unprecedented masterpiece, to show you how much your help meant to me. The Kasumigaoka Utaha you saved is not someone insignificant!'
Pulling up the outline, Utaha decided to scrap everything and start over.
With her skill, she could still write something that would move otaku to tears. But that wasn't enough.
She wanted to write something that would make Hojo-kun see her in a new light!
A reclusive, stubborn girl who had never poured her true feelings into her work was, for the first time, determined to give it her all.
Her hands hovered over the keyboard. Her expression shifted—her sharp eyes narrowing slightly. It was as if she could already see her slender fingers dancing across the keys.
'Beep—'
A simple, old-fashioned ringtone rang out, halting her fingers just as they were about to strike the keyboard.
She wanted to ignore it, already slipping into her writing state, but the phone refused to stop ringing.
She grabbed it, ready to silence it, but when she saw the caller ID—Machida Sonoko—she pursed her lips in annoyance and answered.
"Hello, Editor-san, who dares to disturb her author's creative process in the middle of the night. What do you want?" Her cold voice echoed in the room.
"Ah, sorry, sorry! Shi-chan, you're already writing? I thought you'd take a bath and do a face mask before starting."
Machida sounded genuinely surprised, and knowing how furious Utaha could get when interrupted, she quickly apologized.
"Enough small talk. What is it?"
"It's about that blogger, TAKI, the one we mentioned before. Even though his efforts didn't really help, he did promote your book online. We should at least thank him."
"That's it?" Utaha's voice dripped with irritation.
"What?"
Machida Sonoko hadn't caught what she said, as her response had been too short.
"You're seriously calling me about some random otaku and something this trivial? Doesn't the publisher have standard procedures for this? Just take a bit of the promotional budget and pay him."
Sitting at her desk, Utaha crossed her left leg over her right, tapping her slippered foot against the carpet impatiently.
The contrast between the soft texture of the carpet and the hard knock of leather shoes on tile only made her more irritated.
"We did reach out, offering monetary compensation, but he refused."
"Apparently, he became a devoted fan of your book and only asked for one thing—to have a conversation with Kasumi Utako-sensei."
Machida Sonoko sounded helpless. She had expected this reaction from Utaha and had planned to handle the matter quietly. But this TAKI guy…
"If it's too much trouble for you, just forget it. Honestly, that TAKI blogger gives me the creeps—like one of those obsessive fans who'd stalk and secretly take photos…"
The fervent voice from the phone conversation still echoed in Machida Sonoko's ears.
She had no doubt—if her author were to meet this person in real life, he would probably throw himself at her without hesitation.
"Sigh… If you already knew this, why are you dumping this problem on me?" Kasumigaoka Utaha sighed, pressing her free hand against her forehead in frustration.
"Hehe, it's all for the sake of maintaining Kasumi Utako-sensei's reputation online."
Hearing the subtle compromise in Utaha's tone, Machida quickly followed up. And she wasn't wrong—writing might be a deeply personal endeavor, but an author couldn't completely ignore the opinions of their readers.
Both she and the publisher had taken that into account when agreeing to TAKI's request and seeking Utaha's input.
"So, should I call him now?"
Though reluctant, Utaha knew better than to refuse outright. Machida Sonoko wouldn't have brought this up if there wasn't some benefit to her.
"Yes, I just spoke to him. He's waiting for your call."
"But listen, if you feel uncomfortable at any moment, just hang up immediately! And whatever you do, do not reveal any personal information. That's absolutely crucial!"
"Yeah, yeah, you nagging old woman."
"Calling me that… How heartbreaking, Shi-chan."
"Send me his contact info. Goodnight, Machida-san." Kasumigaoka Utaha smiled and ended the call.
'Beep.'
A message popped up—Machida Sonoko had sent the phone number.
Ugh, this is such a pain.
Thinking that, Utaha dialed the number.