Kamishiro, dressed neatly, looked nervously at Hanabi drinking across from him.
The pink ambiance of the urban nightlife added a touch of allure to the aloof Hanabi, as if the Creator was showing off.
Sadly
Kamishiro was in no mood to admire this rare beauty.
Right now, he just hoped to leave the bar unscathed!
"Uh… Hanabi-chan, what a coincidence, running into you here."
Kamishiro gave an awkward smile, acting as if they'd bumped into each other by chance.
Not mentioning he'd been forcibly dragged from GB by a beauty.
"Well, it's quite the coincidence."
Seeing Kamishiro play dumb, Hanabi didn't rush to call him out.
This attitude made Kamishiro even more scared!
He'd prefer Hanabi pointing at his nose and chewing him out over this calm, breezy demeanor!
Looks like things were trickier than he thought.
For his survival, Kamishiro didn't hesitate—off came his clothes, and he lay down.
"I'm sorry!"
*Pfft!!!*
Seeing the underwear-clad guy suddenly beside her, Hanabi couldn't hold it in, spitting out her drink.
The curious, disdainful, and envious stares from nearby patrons made her squirm!
Where's the boss? The boss of this place?!
There's a pervert here—do something!
???
The bar uncle caught Hanabi's gaze, glanced at Kamishiro on the floor.
Then, naturally, kept whistling and mixing drinks.
They'd known each other so long—he wasn't the naive guy from his first appearance!
He'd evolved!
This minor scene didn't need his intervention!
Now, he was just an NPC, quietly watching Kamishiro's performance.
After all, it's Kamishiro—nothing he does surprises anyone.
"…"
Seeing the boss ignore it, Hanabi mentally gave the bar a bad review.
Never underestimate an editor's grudge!
"So, what are you doing?"
Hanabi sat, legs crossed, looking at Kamishiro like trash, one foot on his stomach.
Two single guys nearby were green with envy.
Damn it!
Why reward him?!
"Apologizing! Light novels say you show your belly to apologize, right?"
Kamishiro lay, looking ready for judgment.
This scene
If genders and venues were swapped, it might be another story.
But…
No such "if" existed!
Think about it!
In a public place, a guy in just underwear lying beside an beauty…
Total pervert!!!
If not for her job, Hanabi's first move would be calling the cops!
Hanabi sighed, rubbing her forehead. Why were her authors such weirdos?
Feeling the heated stares and twitching phones around her, Hanabi decided to act.
She lightly kicked Kamishiro's stomach with her heel, downed her drink, and stood, cheeks slightly flushed.
"Let's go."
"Huh? Where?"
Kamishiro was confused. Had he dodged a bullet, or was she taking him somewhere to deal with him?
Hanabi didn't answer, grabbing her bag and heading for the door.
She glared at the boss as she passed.
"Put it on the pigeon's tab!"
Hanabi held grudges!
The boss, wiping sweat, nodded with an awkward smile.
In a way, he was a regular.
Kamishiro was a cash cow, always bringing new customers.
If only they weren't one-timers…
Watching Hanabi's furious back, the boss gave a helpless look.
He hoped to see an intact Kamishiro tomorrow.
Kamishiro: |
He wanted to bolt, but obediently followed Hanabi.
Maybe this was an editor's dominance over a pigeon!
The two single guys nearby ground their teeth. Kami-sama, make these normies explode!
…
Beach
Listening to the rhythmic waves, Hanabi relaxed.
Maybe the drink's aftereffect hit, but she felt tipsy, a faint blush on her face.
But
This was the state she wanted!
"So, Hanabi-chan, you didn't come to lock me in a dark room, right?"
Kamishiro dropped his earlier fear, hands behind his head, walking calmly beside her.
He'd guessed from her demeanor.
White-collar types value efficiency. If she was here to chase drafts she wouldn't have dragged him drinking but straight to a dark room to write.
The real deadline was days away.
Enjoying the sea breeze, Hanabi shot him a glance at his words.
"Since you guessed, don't ruin the vibe by saying it. You've shattered the mood."
"Sorry, sorry, just needed reassurance."
"You are most relaxed when not writing, huh?"
"Cough… no way, just writer's block."
(;?＿?)
Kamishiro looked away guiltily. Writer's block? Nah, he just didn't feel like moving.
Writing's only fun at the start and end!
So… he kinda wanted to start a new book!
"Heh." Hanabi sneered, her laugh saying it all. "Relax, I know you. No way you'll finish in three days. This time, you're off the hook."
"Really?"
Seeing the idiot's shocked face, Hanabi suddenly thought a dark room might be better.
"Or go write in a dark room. Your book still has readers."
"No, no, just confirming! Hahaha, as expected of Hanabi-chan, you get me the best!"
Hearing he could skip writing, Kamishiro's mood soared.
When people are happy, they do dumb things.
Like Kamishiro, who, in his joy, slung an arm around Hanabi's shoulder.
When he realized, cold sweat poured.
What was he doing?!
This was his editor!
Before, just resting a hand on her shoulder earned a murderous glare.
Now he was hugging her?!
This… was kinda thrilling, wait!
Why did it feel like a serf rising to sing?!
---
Wait a second, am I about to get thrown overboard and fed to the fish just for this?!
That would be way too unfair!
However, contrary to Kamishiro's expectations…
Hanabi in his arms didn't get angry—instead, she looked up at him with an incredibly adorable expression.
(ˉ︶ˉ;)
"So, are you really planning to become a eunuch at or something?"
"…Could you not phrase it like that? People might get the wrong idea."
Kamishiro's mouth twitched. He was holding a girl in his arms… and then she hit him with that line.
This situation was just too bizarre!
"I just want to write a new book, that's all. Let me tell you, Hanabi-chan, I've thought up a fantastic idea—the protagonist is Dio, and he gathers emotional energy from girls to—"
"I'm not listening, I'm not listening!"
Before Kamishiro could finish, Hanabi cut him off, her voice totally unlike her usual cold and aloof self.
He looked down and realized—at some point, Hanabi had gotten drunk.
Her cheeks were flushed, lips slightly parted, as if hinting at something.
She looked up at him with eyes soft as water.
Kamishiro froze, still holding his beautiful editor in his arms.
Then he remembered—because he was so scared earlier, he'd secretly added some "Aqua Vitae" to her cocktail...
Clearly, Hanabi-chan didn't have much tolerance for alcohol.
So now… in this situation...
As someone experienced in the ways of love, should he make a move, or make a move, or… make a move?
Hisss—
Wait a second. She didn't come here today to rush him about deadlines.
Could it be… she actually came for him?
The more Kamishiro thought about it, the more possible it seemed!
After all, humans are social creatures—anyone would get lonely being alone too long.
This time, it had to be real!
Just as Kamishiro was trying to figure out how to respond to Hanabi-chan's feelings—
A small hand suddenly slapped across his face. Hanabi, clearly drunk, mumbled, "(ˉ︶ˉ;) I'm on vacation… no talking about work…"
"..."
(｡•́︿•̀｡)
Kamishiro looked at her silently. So this is the twisted fate of author and editor, huh?
Even drunk, she still had to slap him with the truth!
He sighed, removed the little hand from his face, and asked, "Vacation?"
"(ˉ︶ˉ;) Yup. You guys all flaked on me for so long, and I haven't had a break in ages. The chief editor told me to take some time off and go on a trip.
Hmph! A bunch of damned pigeons!"
???
Watching her pout, Kamishiro's mouth twitched. Just how unlucky did she have to be for all her top authors to disappear at once?
With luck like that, even buying lottery tickets for life wouldn't win anything.
What's that?
He's part of the flaking crew too?
No—this is different!
He's just creatively blocked!
Kamishiro kept telling himself that over and over. As long as he didn't admit it, it was just writer's block!
But back to the trip…
"So, Hanabi-chan, you're vacationing in Izu?"
Kamishiro pinched her cheeks.
This would normally be a crime punishable by death—but today, he was going to enjoy it.
How could someone with such an adorable face act so cold and aloof all the time?
It's like… she was always wearing a mask.
But this current version—snuggled up to Kamishiro and chatting sweetly—might just be the real her.
Kamishiro's gaze softened.
"Nope!"
Hanabi-chan suddenly stood on tiptoe and leaned in close. So close, they could feel each other's breath.
The sudden move caught Kamishiro off guard. Her lips were right there, and he felt a powerful urge to kiss her.
But Hanabi didn't give him the chance—instead, she spun around and slipped out of his arms.
Kamishiro started to wonder—was she actually drunk at all? Was she just toying with him?
"We're going to Okinawa!"
"Okinawa? We?!"
Kamishiro blinked. Since when was he going to Okinawa?
"Mhmm, that's right! You, the hopeless pigeon—since you're not writing, you're coming with me. Didn't you all say you needed travel experiences for inspiration? Well, I'm coming along this time!"
Hanabi-chan tilted her head back proudly, clearly waiting for his praise on what she thought was a brilliant plan.
"Uh… could we go somewhere else? I've already been to Okinawa once."
Okinawa was nice and all, but Kamishiro didn't like revisiting the same place.
That said… last time they only visited a small part. If they explored the other islands this time…
Maybe this would tie into the next story arc…
Hanabi didn't seem surprised at all—in fact, she knew he'd been there before.
Actually, it was because she knew that she wanted to go again.
"That's exactly why we're going to Okinawa!"
"Why?"
What, to buy another pig head?
Hanabi didn't answer right away. Instead, she stretched out her arms as if to embrace the entire sea, and playfully kicked off her heels like a child.
At that moment, she wasn't a high-powered career woman anymore—just a girl.
When she turned back toward Kamishiro, she radiated a vibrant energy he'd never seen in her before.
"Pigeon, you really don't get dates, do you?
A real date should be to a place the guy already knows so he can plan everything perfectly, like a mature adult!"
Kamishiro blinked. That… actually kinda made sense.
But—
"How do you know that?"
Was she secretly some love guru?!
Seeing him so curious, Hanabi-chan's expression turned smug.
"Humph, one of my past authors told me that. He said, even when taking a girl to the movies, the guy should watch it first!"
"..."
And just like that, Kamishiro dismissed everything he'd just agreed with.
Watch the movie before the date?! What kind of idiot logic was that?
"May I ask… did that author of yours have a girlfriend?"
"Nope."
"..."
Then why would you listen to him?!!!
You ignore the advice of a love expert, and go with a guy who's single?!
Kamishiro sighed helplessly. Just as he was about to talk her out of it—
He suddenly felt her arms wrap around his neck again.
Hanabi had somehow snuggled back into his chest and was clinging to him, whispering, "We're going to Okinawa～"
Gulp
How could he possibly say no in a situation like this?
The cool, aloof big sister had suddenly turned into a clingy little minx!
…
Kamishiro's lips slowly moved toward Hanabi-chan's.
He couldn't hold back anymore!
It was time to break through the boundaries of the author-editor relationship!
However—
Just as their lips were about to touch—
A blinding flashlight shone on them, followed by a stern, righteous voice from nearby:
"No public indecency allowed here!"
"..."
WTF?!?!
________________