The rhythm of the autograph session settled into a steady, joyful flow, the air humming with quiet excitement and the soft scratching of pens. After signing for the first three fans—each interaction a brief, happy flurry of gratitude and photos—the ever-attentive Machida Sonoko directed a staff member to bring over an extra chair and a sleek signing pen for Kasumigaoka Touji.
And so, a new dynamic was established.
He took a seat beside Kasumigaoka Utaha, the two of them now forming a united front behind the signing table. With a somewhat wry, yet amused expression, Kasumigaoka Touji began adding his signature to the growing stack of books.
The scene had an undeniable charm, though it carried a subtle irony: Kasumigaoka Utaha's debut author event was, in practice, rapidly transforming into a joint fan meeting for the legendary creative duo behind Love Metronome.
The procession of happy fans continued until a particular individual stepped forward. He was a young man with black-rimmed glasses, a well-worn backpack slung over his shoulder, from which the ends of several carefully rolled posters peeked out.
His entire demeanor marked him as a seasoned, dedicated otaku. His eyes, magnified behind the lenses, locked onto Kasumigaoka Utaha with an intensity that was almost physical.
"Kasumigaoka-senpai!" he exclaimed, his voice trembling with fervor. "Your Love Metronome is an absolute masterpiece! It's on a completely different plane from all the other romance light novels out there! The daily, intimate romance between the Onee-san and her Onii-chan is so incredibly heartwarming and captivating!"
He leaned forward, hands gripping the edge of the table as words began to pour out in an unstoppable torrent. "And the character setting for Onee-san Saya is nothing short of genius! A seemingly cool, quiet beauty who occasionally reveals this explosive, passionate core… icy to outsiders but harboring an incorrigible, adorable brother complex on the inside… she loves to tease her Onii-chan and bestow upon him such wonderful 'benefits'… She's perfection! She's practically the Onee-san of my ultimate dreams!"
He took a gasping breath, his face flushed. "I've re-read the first volume more than ten times! With each reading, my love for Saya-san deepens! I just started the second volume, and it's fantastic—it captures the essence of the first volume perfectly and—"
"Ahem."
Kasumigaoka Utaha, who had initially been slightly puzzled by him calling her 'Kasumigaoka-senpai' (wondering if he was perhaps a fellow student from Toyogasaki Private Academy), found herself utterly overwhelmed. She wasn't so much startled as she was verbally steamrolled, left choking on air without a chance to interject even a simple "thank you."
"Alright, alright, please take a breath and calm down a little." Kasumigaoka Touji stood up smoothly, raising a placating hand to cut through the monologue. His tone was friendly but firm.
The young man—Aki Tomoya—jolted as if waking from a trance. He blinked rapidly, then offered an embarrassed, lopsided grin. "S-Sumimasen! I… I got a bit too carried away. It's just… I really, really, REALLY love Love Metronome!"
"We have received your passionate sincerity loud and clear. Thank you so much for your support," Kasumigaoka Utaha said, finally finding her voice and offering a practiced, professional smile. She lowered her head, opening the flyleaf of both Volume 1 and 2 to inscribe her pen name with elegant strokes.
"Winter-sensei!" Aki Tomoya's attention snapped to Touji, his expression shifting to one of pure, starry-eyed admiration. "Please, your autograph too! I'm a huge fan of your song! I love it just as much as my favorite anime openings!"
"Of course," Kasumigaoka Touji replied neutrally. The fan's personality wasn't his concern—right now, he was simply a supporter asking for a signature. He accepted the novels Kasumigaoka Utaha had just signed, added his own name beneath hers, and then they all stood for the customary photo. Aki Tomoya beamed, carefully tucking the instant photo between the pages like a holy relic.
But then, he leaned in again, his voice dropping to a hopeful, conspiratorial whisper aimed at Utaha. "Um… Kasumigaoka-senpai, after the signing ends… could we maybe talk? I'd love to discuss the finer points of Love Metronome with you!"
"I'm sorry, I have prior commitments immediately afterward," Kasumigaoka Utaha declined politely, her smile not wavering but growing noticeably cooler.
A flicker of disappointment crossed Aki Tomoya's face, but he pressed on, undeterred. "Then… could we at least exchange contact information? We could discuss it online later!"
Kasumigaoka Touji's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. To push for contact after a clear refusal showed a distinct lack of social awareness.
Kasumigaoka Utaha's smile tightened at the edges. She tilted her head slightly, her gaze flicking meaningfully toward her brother before returning to the persistent fan.
"I'm afraid my Onii-chan might misunderstand," she said sweetly, yet the message was a clear, solid wall.
Aki Tomoya's eyes darted to Kasumigaoka Touji, a flicker of defiance mixing with his desperation. "Um… Kasumigaoka-san," he addressed Touji directly, "I just want to discuss the novel with Kasumigaoka-senpai… Please understand, I don't have any interest in 3D women like that! It's purely about the literary work…"
"But," Kasumigaoka Touji interrupted, his voice losing its earlier neutrality and gaining a flat, unambiguous edge, "Utaha just refused you, didn't she? When someone clearly says no, the respectful thing is to stop persisting. Don't you think?"
His words seemed to galvanize the fans waiting in line, who had been growing visibly annoyed by the hold-up.
"Exactly! Have some self-awareness!" a voice called from behind Aki Tomoya. "We all want Kasumi Utako-sensei's contact info, but if you're turned down, you accept it gracefully! This kind of pestering is why people look down on our community sometimes!"
Murmurs of agreement rippled through the line. In an instant, Aki Tomoya found himself transformed from an over-enthusiastic fan into a pariah, the target of collective disapproval.
"N-No, I didn't mean it like that! I just wanted to talk about the story…" Aki Tomoya stammered, his face flushing crimson with a mixture of embarrassment and indignation. He felt unfairly attacked; wasn't a fan's desire to connect with a creator natural?
"And stop calling her 'Kasumigaoka-senpai'!" the same critical voice shot back. "She's Kasumi Utako-sensei here! Don't try to force a fake familiarity!"
The commotion had grown noticeable.
Sensing the disruption, Kani Nayuta—ever vigilant in her temporary staff role—exchanged a quick nod with a bookstore employee. They swiftly moved in, gently but firmly guiding a flustered and protesting Aki Tomoya away from the signing table and toward the exit.
As he was being ushered out, stumbling slightly in his discomfiture, Kasumigaoka Touji's eyes narrowed. A flicker of psychic intent, honed to fine control, lanced out. At the precise moment, Aki Tomoya's foot caught on seemingly nothing, and he pitched forward, landing on the polished floor with an undignified thump and a yelp.
A wave of stifled laughter, mixed with a few sympathetic winces, rolled through the crowd.
Kasumigaoka Utaha, who had been focused on signing the next book, looked up at the sound. She saw Aki Tomoya scrambling to his feet, his glasses askew, a picture of utter humiliation. Her eyes instinctively found Kasumigaoka Touji's.
He met her gaze and gave a slow, deliberate, and utterly unrepentant wink.Message received and action taken, his expression said. No words were needed.
The rest of the signing proceeded without further incident, though the energy had been subtly altered by the brief drama. The event, originally scheduled from two to four o'clock, ultimately ran over by more than ten minutes, due in no small part to the extended interactions and photo sessions that Kasumigaoka Touji's presence encouraged.
After the very last fan, glowing with happiness, bowed and walked away, Machida Sonoko approached with a bright, celebratory smile, holding a beautiful bouquet of blush-pink roses and white lilies.
"For our brilliant Kasumi Utako-sensei! Congratulations on a hugely successful first signing!" she declared, presenting the flowers with a flourish.
Kasumigaoka Touji, who had just taken a long sip of water to soothe his signing-weary throat, cocked his head playfully.
"And where's my bouquet, Sonoko-san?" he teased.
"Gomen ne, Winter-sensei!" Machida Sonoko clasped her hands together in a mock-apology. "This was pre-ordered just for the author! Next time, for sure!"
"Here, Onii-chan, you can have this one," Kasumigaoka Utaha immediately offered, extending the bouquet toward him.
"Nah, I was just joking. They're yours, you earned them," he said with a warm, genuine smile, waving off the gesture.
The trio then excused themselves for a quick bathroom break before the promised celebratory dinner. As they walked down the quiet hallway away from the event space, Kasumigaoka Touji slipped seamlessly into his protective older brother mode.
"Just so we're clear," he said, his tone casual but leaving no room for doubt, "that Aki Tomoya guy… he's not a good sort. If you see him at school, Utaha, just ignore him. Don't engage at all."
His transparently jealous concern made Kasumigaoka Utaha cover her mouth, a soft giggle escaping.
He's totally jealous! she thought, her heart feeling inexplicably lighter.
Of course, she had no intention of ever acknowledging Aki Tomoya. His lack of boundaries had left a distinctly poor impression. Kani Nayuta, walking beside them, nodded in silent agreement, filing the name and face away in her mental log of 'people to be wary of.'
The bond between the three of them, tested by a moment of minor external drama, felt just a little bit stronger as they headed toward their well-deserved celebration.