After hanging up, Kasumigaoka Utaha closed her laptop and smiled in delight.
"So it really is that tsundere, huh? Maki-kun, you're not very honest."
Thinking that Hayashi Maki would be arriving soon, Utaha hurried to shower, then changed into a blue top, pulled on her signature black stockings that accentuated her long legs, and a skirt to hide the zettai ryōiki. She spritzed a light perfume, set a white hairband in place, and tidied her bangs for a sharper look.
Satisfied with the finishing touches, she sat and waited quietly for Hayashi Maki.
The moment she read his novel, it had felt familiar. No one knew this, but she and Eriri had actually gone to the same middle school—Utaha was in second year when Eriri was in first. Both were campus celebrities—the girls everyone admired—so people inevitably compared them.
Privately, Utaha and Eriri did keep in touch; after all, the illustrations for Love Metronome were by Eriri. Somehow, though, ever since Eriri started drawing doujins, her style had gotten wilder and wilder. She kept turning female characters into over-the-top busty types, to the point Utaha didn't even dare show her the illustrations for volume two.
As for Hayashi Maki reaching out to Eriri—Utaha had expected that. Anyone who read his light novel could tell. The protagonist likes both this senpai and that tsundere. And Hayashi Maki even wrote a "perfect ending for all three." It couldn't be more obvious what he was aiming for.
"Do you want to be a real-life light-novel protagonist, Kouhai-kun? You're making things difficult for me."
She muttered it to herself, but it didn't stop her from dressing up to meet him at her best.
Ten-odd minutes later, Hayashi Maki rang the bell to Utaha's apartment. She lived alone.
"Senpai, are you there? It's Hayashi Maki—I'm at your door."
The door opened, and a faint, alluring scent drifted out. Utaha's stunning figure appeared—fair skin, delicate features, a willowy silhouette, all wrapped in that tempting fragrance.
Hayashi Maki couldn't help swallowing. This was downright criminal.
Seeing him go slack-jawed pleased Utaha, though her cheeks flushed on their own. It was her first time deliberately dressing to tempt a guy—she felt inexplicably shy. Still, she had to project that cool older-sister vibe and educate this kouhai: being a flirt isn't okay. And she certainly didn't think she'd lose to flat-chested Eriri.
With a confident smile, Utaha picked up her small bag and offered him a slender white hand.
"What are you spacing out for, Kouhai-kun? Weren't you going to take me to your place?"
"O-oh!" Hayashi Maki nodded, took her hand, and they headed out together.
People turned to look as they passed—handsome guy, beautiful girl—their head-turn rate was off the charts. Hayashi Maki even drew plenty of male death glares.
Hand in hand, they strolled down the street, both feeling a little complicated. Utaha glanced at their linked hands, the corner of her mouth lifting.
"Kouhai-kun, care to explain? About that tsundere?"
Hayashi Maki squeezed her hand, chuckled awkwardly, then put on a straight face.
"Here's the thing. Editor Machida Sonoko was looking for an illustrator and contacted Kashiwagi Eri. When we met, I realized she was my grade-school classmate, Eriri. She ran into trouble on the designs—whenever she draws a well-endowed heroine, her style slides into exaggerated doujin territory. She said she can't draw what she's never seen—if she relies on imagination it warps. That's when I thought of you, Senpai. You're not only beautiful—your figure is exceptional. You're practically identical to Tsukimi Miyabi from the book. Having you model for Miyabi's design sheet would be perfect. So I thickened my skin to beg you. Please, Senpai—help Eriri out. This is my one and only lifetime request!"
Utaha's mouth twitched. She couldn't help snarking, "That's the line your protagonist says the most, isn't it? How many 'lifetime requests' do you have?"
"Well… who can say how many things come up in a lifetime? Anyway, please, Senpai—help me. If I don't turn in the illustration packet in a couple of days, Machida-san's going to chew me out."
Utaha pouted and gave him a look.
"Funny—I recall you asked Machida-san to contact that tsundere in the first place. Kouhai-kun, you're not being honest. Tell me properly—did you plan to recruit her as the illustrator from the start?"
Hayashi Maki sighed and nodded.
"Can't argue. Senpai, I once dreamed about you and Eriri, and I used that to create Tsukimi Miyabi and Sanzenin Nagi. Maybe I wanted to make that dream real, so I shamelessly approached you and even asked Machida-san to help reach out to Eriri. If Senpai had refused me, I wouldn't have complained—since I'm such a shameless jerk—mmph!"
Utaha pressed a finger to his lips and smiled gently.
"Don't talk about yourself like that. You're being very straightforward. I half-expected you to dodge and make up excuses, but instead you told me. For honesty alone, I'm satisfied with you, Kouhai-kun."
Hayashi Maki looked at her, gaze burning.
"I don't want to deceive you, Senpai. In my dream, the hurt caused by lies couldn't be undone. And you've heard me talk about White Album, right? The protagonist's indecision ends up hurting everyone. I don't want to hurt you. Even if you end up hating this despicable me, I'll still show you my truest self."
Utaha arched a brow.
"So you admit you want to be a real-life harem lead? Aren't you afraid of getting the hatchet treatment?"
"A guy dating multiple girls—that's scummy, right? But how do you know it won't work if we don't try? For now, I'm still holding Senpai's hand."
Utaha pouted, instinctively tugged twice, then let him keep holding it. Hayashi Maki squeezed her hand, smiling.
"Let's table your philandering for now. First, let's go see that idiot. I don't know what's wrong with her—she skews the drawing every time. I don't even dare give her the volume two Love Metronome illustrations."
"Eh? And by that you mean…?"
Hayashi Maki stared at her in surprise. Utaha's lips curled.
"Not hard to guess, is it? She's the illustrator for volume one of my light novel."
~~~
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