Hayashi Maki was speechless.
"Eriri, I came to you to collaborate on the illustrations, and you're telling me you can't draw them?"
"So is it that you look down on me and don't want the job, or are you just messing with me?"
"No, not at all! I don't look down on you. I've read the preview chapters of Kurosora Twilight-sensei's work— it's already blowing up before release. It's an excellent novel."
"It's just… I don't want to hide anything from you. I'm skilled at drawing doujins, but my style is kind of set. Flat-chested characters are fine, but big oppai… I really can't."
Eriri flustered through her explanation, nearly in tears. She didn't want to lose such a great breakout opportunity.
"Alright, alright—deep breath. If there's a hurdle, we'll solve it together. For now, why don't we go to my place and try sketching there?"
"Eh? Your place?"
Eriri's eyes went wide. How did this suddenly turn into going to his apartment?
"Why not? You want to discuss how to draw a well-endowed heroine in the middle of a café?"
"Uh… you're right. F-fine, let's go to your place."
And just like that, a simple café meeting turned into Hayashi Maki "kidnapping" Eriri home.
…
A while later.
At Hayashi Maki's door, Eriri slipped into house slippers and said politely, "Sorry to intrude."
"You're not intruding. Come on in—no one else is home," Hayashi Maki smiled.
"Th-thanks." Cheeks pink, Eriri followed him inside.
Her eyes lit up. The room wasn't messy at all—on the contrary, it was spotless and tidy, with a pleasant scent in the air. By the bed sat a computer desk; beside it, a row of shelves Hayashi Maki had just set up to stock his light novels and game discs. After all, if Megumi and Shinka were coming over to hang out, he needed supplies.
The pristine room was, of course, thanks to Shiina Mahiru.
"Make yourself at home—sit wherever you're comfortable, Eriri. Wherever you like to draw," he said.
"Okay, thanks."
Eriri took a steadying breath, sat at the desk, and pulled out paper to start sketching. In no time, a blonde, twin-tailed tsundere beauty appeared on the page.
"Nice," Hayashi Maki couldn't help praising. "Looks a lot like you—fits Hoshino Nagi perfectly."
Face burning, Eriri shot him a glance and kept working on Tsukimi Miyabi's design. Internally, though, she was grumbling. Of course it looks like me. What was Hayashi Maki thinking, making a heroine that resembles me so much?
Even reading the preview felt familiar. Now that she knew they'd been grade-school classmates, a suspicion crept in—had he been one of those boys writing her confession letters? Was he… secretly into her?
Hayashi Maki, happily admiring Nagi's sheet, didn't notice her odd expression. After a bit, Eriri's embarrassed voice came: "Um… finished. Take a look."
He took the page—and his brow furrowed instantly.
"Kashiwagi-sensei, are you serious?"
"Miyabi's face is fine, but what's with the already-orgasmic eyes and the tongue? And this chest—cows aren't this exaggerated. The proportions are totally off. Wouldn't walking be a struggle? If she 'accidentally' fell into the male lead's arms, she'd crush him and suffocate him to death."
Steam might as well have been coming off Eriri's head. "That's why I said I can't. My hand defaults to exaggerated doujin style. This is me already dialing it way back."
Hayashi Maki gave her a look that said it all. "Should I… just ask Eromanga-sensei instead?"
"Please don't! I know the problem—I'll fix it. Hayashi Maki, don't give up on me!"
He sighed and rubbed his forehead. "So what will it take? Honestly, we need the illustrations done in a couple of days or Machida-san is going to tear me a new one."
Fidgeting with her fingers, Eriri muttered, "If you can find a gorgeous girl with a body like Tsukimi Miyabi's and let me study her outfits and… contours, I can definitely draw it."
"Hayashi Maki, I really want to do your art right. That's why I'm exposing my weakness. Please let me handle the illustrations—I'll work hard and make you happy with them!"
Hayashi Maki rolled his eyes. "And where am I supposed to find a bombshell for you to 'study'? Even if I knew someone, why would she agree?"
Eriri hesitated, then said, "I actually do know someone, but if I ask, she'll refuse. So I was hoping you could."
"Oh? Who?"
"Kasumigaoka-sensei—Utaha—who's in the same imprint as you. I hate to admit it, but she's got the best figure I've seen, and her face is a total beauty. She's basically Tsukimi Miyabi in real life."
Her expression grew odd again. Was this guy really unrelated to Kasumigaoka Utaha? How could he capture such a familiar image so precisely?
Hayashi Maki perked up. "And why do you think she'll agree if I ask? Sure, we go to the same school and we've talked, but we've only met once. She'll shoot this down."
"She'll say yes if you ask," Eriri said with absolute confidence, thumping her chest. "Try it—you won't know until you do."
Hayashi Maki grimaced and pulled out his phone. "If the gorgeous senpai ends up hating me for this, you owe me."
He dialed Kasumigaoka Utaha.
"Hello? Utaha-senpai? It's Hayashi Maki."
"I hear you, Kouhai-kun. What's up?" Utaha's clear, pleasant voice came through the speaker.
Eriri suddenly tensed up.
"So, Senpai, my light novel hit a snag. Do you have time now? I was hoping you could come by my place and help my illustrator with some reference."
Silence. Then Utaha chuckled. "Kouhai-kun, you're not being honest. That blonde twin-tail is with you right now, isn't she?"
Eriri's eyes flew open. She shook her head frantically and clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle any sound.
"Ahem—what blonde twin-tail?" Hayashi Maki tried.
"Drop the act. Who else but Kashiwagi Eiri—the one whose style goes lopsided and draws ever-more-ridiculous oppai—would think to use my image as reference?"
"Uh… doesn't that just mean, in Kashiwagi Eiri's mind, you're the ideal image? That only Senpai's look can help her break through and get back on track?"
"…," Utaha said nothing for a beat, then gave him an address. "You do talk pretty well, Kouhai-kun. For your sake, I'll agree. Come pick me up now and I'll give her the reference session."
"I'll be right there, Senpai. Wait for me!"
After hanging up, Hayashi Maki gave Eriri a strange look. He couldn't shake the feeling there was history between her and Senpai…