Damn it.
This guy showing up could only mean trouble, Kyousuke's worries had been completely justified.
Seeing Eriri so pitiful and cornered filled Mitsuha with fury.
Even though they'd only spent the morning together, she had already grown fond of the girl, someone who is older than her yet with the innocence and charm of a child.
A girl like that deserved to be cherished, not bullied.
Mitsuha had already prepared herself mentally for this moment.
She told herself she wouldn't cower again like she had back in school, when faced with that trio of snide, fashionable bullies.
No—she needed to be strong.
Just like Kyousuke, who even as a grade-schooler had outwitted his tormentors with brains over brawn.
If he could do it then, there was no reason she, who had grown and learned so much, couldn't do the same.
Shoving past the girls crowding around her, Mitsuha made a beeline for Taki Tomoya, planning to grab him and toss him out of the exhibition hall like the trash he was.
"Wait, is this your work, Eriri? Are you finally revealing your otaku side to the world?" Taki Tomoya kept talking, like he'd just uncovered some great secret.
He even leaned over the table, trying to get a response out of Eriri.
Bastard! Mitsuha's anger flared again.
Fortunately, she was now close enough.
Reaching out, she grabbed his backpack and lifted him right off the ground with one hand like he weighed nothing.
Eriri finally snapped out of her panic, having been paralyzed by fear when her real name had been blurted out.
Now, seeing Taki Tomoya being held up in the air by Kyousuke, she felt a flicker of pity even wanting to ask Kyousuke to put him down. But...
"Hey, hey, what are you doing? Eriri, is this your friend? What's going on?" Taki flailed helplessly in the air, still shouting her name in front of everyone.
He knew she'd kept her otaku identity a secret, and yet he was screaming her name at the top of his lungs in front of a crowd.
Eriri's sapphire eyes welled with tears.
Whatever lingering guilt she had for this former childhood friend vanished completely.
Mitsuha ignored Taki's struggling, gripping him like a misbehaving puppy.
She apologized to the people around her as she forced her way through the onlookers and down a side path near the booth.
Behind the booths was a crowded mess, except for the two rows near the entrance.
Back at the booth, the chaos had caught everyone's attention.
Though the troublemaker was gone, people couldn't help but notice the handsome guy who had so easily lifted another person with one hand.
Looking at the ad banner featuring a shirtless male character with sculpted muscles, they instinctively made the connection, this must be the model for the artwork!
The girls got even more excited, and the guys, now curious about what kind of work someone like that was selling, swarmed in.
The wave of customers forced Mr. Spencer to shift his attention away from Kyousuke and focus on sales instead.
"Go on, Lily. Go find Kyousuke-kun. Your dad and I will be fine here," Sawamura Sayuri gently patted her daughter's head, smiling warmly with encouragement.
"Mhm!" Eyes still brimming with tears, Eriri looked up at her mother, wiped her face with the back of her hand, and ran toward Kyousuke.
Behind the booth, hidden in the shadows where Kasumigaoka Utaha had been secretly observing.
She hadn't expected to witness such a farce.
So that's why Eriri, or rather, 'Kashiwagi Eiri', had been so reluctant to reveal her identity as the author.
A genius who'd always ranked top of the school, Utaha had picked up on the situation quickly, judging from what that guy dangling in the air had said and the expressions on Eriri and Kyousuke's faces.
"You're finally revealing your otaku side, huh?"
Utaha couldn't help but chuckle when she heard that.
Even she felt a twinge of sympathy for Eriri's pale, stricken face.
You knew she was keeping that part of herself hidden, and you still shouted it out like that?
What were you trying to do, "help" her reveal her identity?
Watching the crowd surge toward the booth, Utaha had to admit there were two kinds of people who drew attention: exceptional ones like Kyousuke-kun, and absolute morons who couldn't keep their mouths shut.
Which was why, the longer she spent around people, the more she preferred dogs.
'Except for Kyousuke-kun, of course.' With that thought, Utaha stepped aside.
This wasn't the right time for them to meet, she mused.
Their first encounter should be something more fitting, perhaps beneath a flurry of pink cherry blossoms, or a glance exchanged through the gaps of a bookshelf.
Though, she had to admit, seeing Kashiwagi Eiri looking so miserable was pretty satisfying too.
She glanced at the girl running past her, a flat-chested like a grade-schooler and she couldn't help but smirk.
'Round one: Utaha, flawless victory.'
Then, pulling out a 5,000-yen bill, she borrowed a chair from the next booth and sat down to enjoy the show.
After all, she might need this scene someday to take down a rival author.
And why the lower denomination?
Not because she was short on cash, of course.
It's just that a chair wasn't worth that much.
Five thousand yen was already pushing it, considering it wasn't even for sale.
"Hey! Let me go, who even are you?!" Taki Tomoya shouted, struggling in vain.
No matter how hard he fought, he couldn't break free—not even his backpack.
"Shut up, Taki Tomoya. What are you doing !?."
"How do you even know my name?!"
'Huh? Taki Tomoya? That name rang a bell.' Utaha's eyes narrowed.
After a moment, she remembered that her editor Machida-san had mentioned it.
TAKI, wasn't it?
That obnoxious blogger.
His name literally meant "total failure," didn't it? Very fitting.
Shame the exhibition didn't have a food stall.
This whole thing would be even better with snacks.
"How do I know your name...?"
Earlier that day, Mitsuha had reviewed the chat logs from the "Boss Support Club."
She'd read about how Eikichi Onizuka and Danma Ryuji had dealt with the idiots who tried to mug Kyousuke.
It had been eye-opening.
If this guy meet those "justice-loving delinquents", they probably would've handled him by now now.
"Kyousuke, put him down."
Eriri had caught up, but her words weren't out of concern for Taki Tomoya, instead they were meant to stop the furious Kyousuke from doing something regrettable.
After all, the one who throws the first punch is always at fault.
That's why, during confrontations, even the most intimidating delinquents just engage in dramatic verbal spats, or wave their hands threateningly just ten centimeters away from someone else.
Like they're pretending to touch a priceless artwork, all in an effort to provoke the other side into making the first move.
"Hmph!" Mitsuha snorted and swung the boy in her grip like she was throwing out trash.
With a thud, Taki Tomoya hit the ground hard and rolled a few times before finally stopping.
"Ow! What the hell?! What's your problem?!" he screamed, clutching his arm and writhing on the ground.
Drawing the attention of nearby otakus who had been quietly studying their event maps.
"You still have the nerve to ask that?"
Sure, maybe Mitsuha had overestimated her control of the power surge she'd gained from training with Kyousuke body recently, but after what this guy had just pulled with Eriri?
Even another beating wouldn't be enough.
Besides, he was the one who interrupted their booth activities in the first place.
Initially, Mitsuha had worried she might've gone too far, but seeing how loud and energetic he still was, her anger reignited.
Her fists clenched.
This was it. She'd prove she wasn't just some pampered shrine maiden.
She'd show Kyousuke that she too had the strength to walk his path and that she wasn't just someone who wasted her days eating and goofing off.
"Kyousuke, that's enough." Eriri gently pulled on his arm, stepping past him to face Taki Tomoya directly.
"Eriri..." Taki Tomoya held out his hand, thinking she had come to help him up.
"That's enough, Tomoya. This will be the last time I call you that."
She didn't take his hand.
Her head hung low, and the usual energetic tone in her voice had vanished.
"Eriri…"
"Call me Kashiwagi Eiri. Here, I'm just a doujin creator."
"But… aren't we friends?"
"We were friends, once. We used to talk about everything."
"I even worked myself to exhaustion learning how to draw so I could be your illustrator… so we could create a game together, just like we promised."
That dream had cost her a lot, her health that stunted her growth from all the late nights, ruined her eyesight.
No, maybe she'd been blind from the beginning.
"Wow… You still remember that dream, Eriri? I'd become the CEO of a game company, and you'd be my lead artist…"
To Mitsuha's surprise, Taki Tomoya suddenly lit up with enthusiasm the moment he mentioned games again.
"Of course I remember. In fact, today marks my first step as a real creator. But what about you, Tomoya? What have you done to honor our promise?"
Mitsuha glanced at Eriri.
Her head still bowed, her hands clenched into fists by her sides.
Her voice was laced with disappointment.
But was it disappointment in Tomoya, or in herself for clinging to a childhood promise with such blind faith?
Now Mitsuha finally understood what Kyousuke meant in Eriri's character file when he wrote:
"She might just be the type to believe in childhood promises and grow up still wanting to be someone's bride."
'So innocent… so pure-hearted… Even Sayaka, as airheaded as she was, wouldn't have been this naive.'
Mitsuha could feel her heart melting.
Then she turned and glared daggers at Taki Tomoya, whose attention was still on Eriri.
But that's a good thing, if he'd caught Kyousuke glare right now, he might've peed himself on the spot.
"I have been working hard by playing every game that comes out!" Tomoya blurted, flustered for a moment but quickly regaining his misplaced confidence.
"And what about the story? Have you studied how to write scripts? Or how's your Japanese grade at school, huh?"
Eriri finally raised her head.
Her sapphire eyes sparkled once more not with tears, but with a piercing clarity.
She didn't wait for him to answer.
In her trademark tsundere tone, she spoke for him.
"Because you waste all your time gaming, your grades are barely average."
"..." Still sitting on the ground, Tomoya looked at the childhood friend who now felt like a stranger.
He wanted to argue, but the words wouldn't come.
'Isn't this the part in the game where some new girl shows up to save me?' He glanced around, desperate for an escape.
"And what about music? You don't have anyone for that either, do you? Or are you planning to use your cousin again?"
Eriri bared her tiny fang, flashing a mocking smile at him.
"How do you even know Michiru? …But yeah, she could totally do the music. And for the script, I just met a best-selling light novel author!"
"I bet if I ask her sincerely, she'll help me out!"
'Yeah! I had done something!' Tomoya stopped fidgeting with the floor and looked up with a burst of confidence.
"And why, exactly, would a best-selling author help you write a game script?"
As if laying herself bare, Eriri folded her arms and tilted her head slightly, her sneer fading into a small, almost amused smile.
'That's it, Lily. You've grown up.' Mitsuha, beaming with pride, internally applauded her friend.
She even mentally switched to Sayuri's affectionate nickname to show just how moved she was.
This was the perfect comeback, graceful, calm, and utterly savage.
'Yeah, why would I help you?'
Watching from the sidelines, Kasumigaoka Utaha blinked in disbelief.
"If you join us, Eriri, I'll talk to Kasumi Utako-sensei myself! I know she'll say yes!"
Still sprawled on the floor, Tomoya threw his all into this anime-style declaration.
'Ugh, stop saying my name out loud already.'
From the sidelines, Utaha flinched.
Hearing her beautiful pen name come out of his mouth felt like it had been dragged through the mud.
'Is your stupidity what gives you that level of confidence?'
Kasumigaoka Utaha sat quietly off to the side, her delicate face frozen in shock.
"Even if I were one of the top illustrators in the doujin world, collaborating with a bestselling light novel author like her wouldn't be easy."
"Do you even understand what you're saying, Taki Tomoya?"
Eriri stared at him in disbelief.
Her mom often said she was too naïve, but honestly, Taki Tomoya might've actually fried his brain from playing too many games.
Hearing lines like that out loud, it felt like he was living in some delusional anime.
"Then I'll work part-time and save up. I'll pay Kasumi Utako-sensei myself to write the script."
Will you please stop saying my pen name out loud?
Getting associated with someone like you is going to ruin the public image of "Kasumi Utako" forever!
People nearby, equally baffled by what they were hearing, started whispering and glancing Tomoya's way.
Meanwhile, Utaha's foot tapped impatiently on the ground in growing irritation.
"Do you even know how much a bestselling light novel author earns per book?" a girl who had been watching from the crowd finally couldn't resist speaking up.
"Of course I do! Kasumi Utako-sensei's debut novel Love Metronome sold over 100,000 copies".
"A new author usually gets around 10%, so after taxes that's about four million yen," Tomoya blurted out confidently, proud of his knowledge.
"Then why do you think a guy with terrible grades, who only plays games all day, could earn enough through part-time jobs to afford hiring someone like her?" the girl laughed out loud.
"After I start working, I'll save up…" Tomoya fumbled, trying to recover after that verbal smackdown from a stranger.
"With your grades? What kind of job do you think you're gonna get?" Mitsuha jabbed, clearly fired up now.
After all, Kyousuke was a real academic powerhouse. Even she, back in Itomori, was among the top in her class now.
"Also, stop calling me Eriri. We're not that close anymore."
Looking at the still clueless Tomoya lying on the ground, Eriri felt a wave of disinterest wash over her.
'Seriously, why did I ever let someone like him make me so upset?'
Thank goodness she had met Kyousuke.
Without him, who knows how long she would've kept clinging to that childish dream.
Just thinking about Kyousuke's angry face from earlier, when he stood up for her, filled her heart with warmth.
All the sadness from her shattered childhood memories vanished like mist.
'It's not so bad, to start creating a new memories from now on.' With Kyousuke's help, her debut doujinshi might actually achieve the dream of selling out completely.
"Let's go, Kyousuke. We should help my parents out at the booth."
She turned, a dazzling smile blooming on her face, not hiding her joy one bit.
She even asked Kyousuke to help her something she rarely did.
'Ugh, what a waste of time. If we don't sell out soon, I'll lose time I could be spending walking around the con with him.'
"Yeah!" Mitsuha gave Tomoya one last death glare before letting Eriri pull her by the sleeve as they walked off.
"Eriri, wait!" Tomoya finally noticed the glares he was getting from everyone.
He scrambled up and ran after her, desperate for some sort of resolution.
"I said, stop calling me Eriri! Who even are you?" With a perfectly aimed kick, Eriri's brown leather shoe connected squarely with Tomoya's shin.
"Gaaah—!" Tomoya howled in pain and crumpled to the ground.
"You seriously followed us all the way here?" Mitsuha scowled, annoyed at herself for not reacting faster in Kyousuke's body.
She was just about to give Tomoya a bonus kick to make up for it—
"Alright, alright, don't be mad, Kyousuke. Remember, your job today is to help me sell every last copy of our doujin. Let's go meet up with my parents," Eriri quickly said, tugging Mitsuha's arm, her voice unusually soft.
"Still makes me mad," Mitsuha grumbled, though she admitted compared to Tomoya, even Yamaaka Shunya, the reformed bad boy, was miles better.
And with that, the two never looked back.
They returned to their booth, now even more crowded than before.
Meanwhile, Kasumigaoka Utaha who was just about to leave the event spotted a familiar figure, Eikichi Onizuka who had apparently gathered a few of his guys.
He cracked his knuckles menacingly as they approached the whimpering Tomoya, still curled up on the floor.
Moments later, they were hauling him toward the bathrooms.
'Oh my... Looks like there's going to be a stress relief session after all.'
Utaha let out a sigh of relief.
She had also been thoroughly disgusted by Tomoya's cringe-fest earlier.
Being in Kyousuke's fan club, she knew all too well what kind of "discipline" awaited him.
'Well, time to head home and get cracking on volume two of Love Metronome.'
'Even if I can't catch up to Kyousuke-kun, I absolutely cannot let that blonde airhead pass me either!'
Tomoya's absurd words may have been laughable, but they struck a nerve.
If Sawamura Eriri ever rose to a level where she could stand shoulder to shoulder with her as a creator… then Utaha's who is standing in front of Kyousuke might need him once again.
Clad in a graceful, elegant dress that felt completely out of place at a doujin event, she walked toward the exit, her every step graceful, her silhouette a vision of beauty.
She covered her mouth with one hand and let out a dainty yawn.
Back at Eriri's booth, whether it was the earlier drama or the combined power of Kyousuke and Sawamura Sayuri, their sales were exploding surpassing even the top circles' newest entries.
By afternoon, Sayuri had already noticed their rising popularity online.
Her blog was flooded with discussions about the mysterious newcomer "Kashiwagi Eiri," and their newly launched website, egoistic-lily, was getting a massive spike in traffic.
———————————————————————
"Is Kashiwagi Eiri a secret alias of some famous pro? That level of art is way too good for a newbie!"
"Anyone still at the venue? Can someone buy me a copy? I'll pay double!"
"No way. The line's insane. I barely got one myself."
"Too bad the artist isn't at the booth. I really wanted a signed copy!"
"….."
———————————————————————
"Aaaaaa stop reading those out loud! It's so embarrassing!" Eriri's face burned red as Mitsuha kept reading the online comments beside her.
"The heroine's design is absolutely perfect! We need a sequel or better yet, a full game adaptation!"
"Somehow, the protagonist feels oddly familiar…"
Mitsuha stopped mid-sentence, falling silent.
Now that she thought about it… she still hadn't seen what kind of story Eriri had actually drawn.
"You're getting pretty popular, Kashiwagi-sensei," Mitsuha said with a teasing smile.
"Hmph, this is nothing. I won't be satisfied until I'm top of the industry," Eriri replied, turning away her face that already glowing with joy.
"Hi, I'd like a copy, please."
"I'm sorry, we just sold the last one," came Sayuri-san's voice from the front of the booth.
Beside her, Mr. Spencer shouted loudly toward the rest of the line:
"Apologies, everyone! We're completely sold out!"
He was wiping sweat from his forehead with one hand, but the joy and excitement in his voice couldn't be hidden.
'What? Sold out!?'
Mitsuha jerked her head up in shock, she was planning to buy a copy for her own collection!
"R-Really…?"
Next to her, Eriri snapped out of her embarrassment like she'd been hit by lightning.
She stood up abruptly, her sapphire eyes wide with disbelief, unable to string together a proper sentence.
"Everything's gone…?" Her usually crisp voice trembled with emotion.
Even though she'd put on a confident front to let Kyousuke enjoy the convention without worrying, the truth was that Eriri had been a bundle of nerves about her debut.
The only time she felt even slightly relaxed these past few days was when she was with Kyousuke, laughing at his dumb antics.
"That's right. Congratulations, Eiri-sensei," Mr. Spencer said, smiling.
The Spencer couple began to applaud softly, and soon others at nearby booths joined in, clapping and casting envious but warm glances their way.
For any creator, let alone a newcomer selling out was a major achievement.
It meant the audience genuinely loved your work.
All those sleepless nights, all that effort, had been recognized.
"I really did it…?" I didn't let down Mom, Dad… or Kyousuke! Eriri clutched her mouth, and tears began to stream down her cheeks.
Realizing that everyone around her was applauding, she quickly pressed one hand on her beret and bowed deeply in gratitude.
"Kyousuke!" Overwhelmed with emotion, she turned and threw herself into Kyousuke's arms, now crying freely and unreservedly.
Mitsuha was taken aback for a moment as Eriri's arms wrapped tightly around her then slowly, she lifted her hand and gently stroked the girl's head.
Whether from the notes in Kyousuke's planner or Eriri's behavior throughout the day, Mitsuha could easily tell how anxious the girl had been.
Despite her earlier bravado saying things like, "We'll definitely sell out in no time!"—Mitsuha had seen her secretly clench her fists in joy every time a single copy sold.
She'd seen her turn away from the crowd to hide her smile when the lines grew long.
She'd seen her pout proudly when fans praised her artwork, and sulk when someone criticized the plot as cliché, before nervously checking how many books were left.
So no one understood better than Mitsuha what Eriri was feeling now—
The anxiety of entering a new world.
The fear of not being good enough.
The hope that your work would be accepted.
And the worry that all your effort might end in failure.
You really gave it your all, Eriri…
Gently brushing the soft fabric of Eriri's brown beret, Mitsuha whispered softly:
"Congratulations, Eiri."
"Idiot… You can call me Eriri now."
Eriri finally pulled back, lifting her tear-streaked face with a beaming smile, her blue eyes shining with life again.
Her voice had returned to its usual confident cheer as she proudly stated her real name.
Jeez… this was our win.
The two of us together! So how come you're not crying with me too, you big dummy!?
Her heart bursting with joy, Eriri could barely hold back from giving the present she'd worked on all night to Kyousuke right then and there.
Just as Mitsuha was about to ask if she wasn't worried about being exposed, she noticed that the crowd had mostly dispersed.
With the books sold out and the afternoon winding down, the booth was quiet again.
Mitsuha glanced at the now-empty boxes and muttered, "Aww… I wanted a copy to keep for myself."
"Dummy. Who buys their own book?" Eriri huffed.
Having gone through the whole Taki Tomoya ordeal, Eriri had clearly grown a lot.
Her tsundere snark was still sharp, but it flowed more naturally now.
She'd really put that past behind her.
"But still…"
"Lily, when were you planning to give this to Kyousuke-kun?" Sayuri-san, tidying up the booth, suddenly pulled out a neatly wrapped book from one of the supply boxes.
"Ahh! Mom! Why are you pulling that out now?!"
Seeing what was in her mother's hands, Eriri ran over and snatched it back, hugging it close and raising a loud protest.
'Jeez! If I give it to him now, that idiot will totally think the whole sellout was because of him and get all smug about it.'
'I was gonna pretend I forgot and give it to him later at the celebration!'
…Though honestly, Kyousuke probably already figured that out.
Mitsuha watched the blushing, flailing Eriri with a deadpan expression.
She's cute, yeah, but someone's gotta fix this behavior eventually.
"This is your fault for being careless. Now you have to buy it. Come on, five hundred yen," Eriri declared, shuffling over to Kyousuke with her tiny steps, the wrapping paper already "accidentally" torn off.
Mitsuha stared silently at the hardcover, high-quality edition in her hands clearly not printed on standard paper and wordlessly pulled out a 500 yen coin from her wallet, handing it over.
"Hmph!"
Eriri snatched the coin and carefully tucked it into the front pocket of her overalls.
It wasn't heavy, but it felt like her whole body was weighed down with joy.
With her back turned to Kyousuke, Eriri's face lit up with a ridiculously radiant smile, that signature fang of hers practically sparkling with delight.
"Wait, that wasn't for me? I'm heartbroken…" Mr. Spencer said dramatically as he packed up.
"Geez, Dad! I already gave you one yesterday!" Eriri yelled, caught red-handed in her glee.
"And that's a wrap! Egoistic-lily's first ever convention is a total success!"
With everything packed up, Sayuri-san stood proudly in front of the booth, raising her arms high.
The sleeves of her kimono slipped down, revealing a flash of pale skin as she playfully knocked one heel behind the other and struck a celebratory pose.
"Ahhh, Mom, your clothes! Let's go home already!" Eriri rushed over behind her mother, gently pushing the woman forward.
Sayuri, despite being a mother to a middle school girl, looked nothing like one.
'How nice...'
Holding the limited-edition doujin in her hands, Mitsuha watched the lively family in front of her, a faint look of envy flickering in her eyes.
"Kyousuke! What are you standing there for? Come on, let's go!"
Seeing Kyousuke still rooted in place, Eriri assumed he just like her that he must be feeling a little sentimental about leaving this place after such an intense day.
Smiling at the thought, she jogged back and grabbed his arm, tugging him along after her parents.
"Mm!" Letting go of her sudden wave of melancholy, Mitsuha chose to share in the joy of the Spencer family.
———————————————————————
When they returned to the Spencer residence, Mitsuha was stunned to find that four or five chefs were already bustling in the grand Western-style mansion.
The rich aroma of warm, sweet, and complex cake wafted through the air, making Mitsuha stomach growl audibly.
Instinctively, her feet began to carry her toward the kitchen.
"Go take a bath first!"
Out of nowhere, Eriri shoved a bag into her arms.
"Huh? What's this?"
Mitsuha opened the bag and only to find a T-shirt with the protagonists from today's doujin printed on it, not the risqué version, but rather one that looked like the characters were married.
"It was originally meant as a bonus gift for whoever bought the last copy. But I guess you get lucky today," Eriri said casually, her voice deliberately indifferent.
"Whoa, lucky me!" Mitsuha lit up at the beautifully detailed design.
"But wait… if it hasn't been washed, I can't wear it yet. That's such a shame…"
"Idiot! You think I wouldn't have thought of that? I washed it for you last night!" Eriri, who had long since taken off her beret and let her golden hair down, puffed out her chest in pride.
"Oh, I see! Thanks a lot, Eriri." Mitsuha smiled and nodded, then carried the shirt with her toward the guest room Eriri had pointed out.
'Ugh, I'm such an idiot. What the heck am I even saying?'
Eriri pulled at her golden hair in frustration, realizing exactly what she'd just blurted out. Grumbling at herself, she headed to her own bathroom.
———————————————————————
That night, the luxurious Spencer family dining hall finally served its true purpose.
Though everyone sat clustered at one end of the long table, a grand spread of dishes stretched out before them.
Clinking cans of cola together, the four of them shouted a cheerful "Cheers!" to celebrate egoistic-lily's debut success.
———————————————————————
Later that night, standing on the balcony of her bedroom, Eriri watched as Kyousuke's motorcycle taillight slowly disappeared down the road.
Only when it was fully out of sight did she shut the glass door and draw the curtains, returning to her bed.
Soft white light filtered through the green-and-gold European-style canopy, casting a gentle glow on the girl.
Dressed in a tangerine-striped nightgown, Eriri rolled onto her side, the fabric clinging slightly to her graceful curves.
She reached under her pillow and pulled out a freshly cleaned 500-yen coin.
Raising it high above her, the delicate silver glint of the coin shimmered, and even in backlight, the paulownia leaf design was clearly visible.
She gazed at it quietly, blue eyes sparkling like gems. Her lips curled upward, until the smile broke into a full-on laugh of pure happiness.
———————————————————————
Meanwhile, Mitsuha had finally made her way back to her small apartment in Sendagi.
After a quick wash and a change into comfy pajamas, she collapsed into bed and pulled out the Kyousuke Special Edition of the doujin.
As soon as she opened it, she was stunned.
Compared to the cover, the inside was even more intricate.
Many of the key scenes had been carefully shaded with color, something she knew took a lot of extra effort.
But as she continued reading…
'Wait a second. This is what I've been promoting all day...!?,' Realization hit her like a brick wall.
Kyousuke, I can't believe you're into this kind of manga!?, Her cheeks burned as she slammed the book shut, burying her face into her pillow from the embarrassment.
…Only to, after a long pause, slowly lift her head again.
With a guilty peek, she opened the doujin once more...