__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Andrew quickly settled on what kind of story he wanted to write.
He didn't plan to copy-paste from other authors, but he was going to borrow a few elements from some top-tier stories—settings, plots, the usual.
After all, those works didn't exist in this world, so he could just mash stuff together and make money without worrying about plagiarism complaints.
He spent about two hours writing the beginning, and only stopped because he was on a roll and needed a break.
The title of the novel?"There's Nothing Wrong with a Love Story Between My Childhood Friend and the Upperclassman."
Hehe, it totally ripped off Eriri's secret identity from her Ecchi manga, and Kasumigaoka Utaha's light novel beautiful-senpai vibes.
Then he threw in a plot where the two pretty girls start a game-making club with the protagonist, and things snowball into a stock-market-style love comedy with everyone competing for him.
To top it all off, in the final twist, the guy ends up with a random side character that pops out of nowhere. The two main girls lose the love game, end up bonding over their shared heartbreak, and turn into a yuri couple.
Uhhh… why does this sound more and more messed up?
Yeah, this would totally get roasted by readers.
Still, negative attention is still attention. He could focus on making it a sweet, sour, and funny romcom first, make some cash, and save the wild stuff for the final volume.
Not to mention, just because he writes it doesn't mean it'll actually get published—he'd still have to pass the editor's review.
Now that he had the plot figured out, he didn't care if Eriri and the senpai recognized the familiar settings and died from secondhand embarrassment.
Next up: Pen name.
What should he go with?
Got it!
"Andrew Skyblaze"—that sounds cool enough.
No deep reason behind it, really. He just got super emotional once while playing a game called Blazing Sky, and the name stuck with him.
Since the world didn't have those famous novels and games, maybe it was time to use his memories to shake up this world's literary scene.
Of course, his real goal was to shake up the hearts of beautiful girls. Get close to them, make a contract, and grow his group of followers.
Right now, there was only one way for him to gain followers.
He had to get someone to willingly agree to let him do anything to them.
And that night, Mahiru Shiina, in a fit of despair, actually said yes. That's how she became his follower.
If he tried to force it, the contract wouldn't work.
So to increase his number of followers, the best strategy was a two-pronged approach—win their minds and their hearts.
There was even a prompt on his devil contract panel.
If he helped Mahiru resolve her emotional trauma and bring peace to her inner "garden," his super healing powers would level up again.
It was basically telling him what his path forward was gonna be—
He was destined to be a man of many loves.
While Andrew was busy pounding away at his keyboard, prepping to blow everyone's minds with his writing—
Mahiru Shiina had just finished eating dinner.
After she ate, she collapsed onto her bed and scrolled through her phone.
Her contacts list had only two names on it.
One was her homeroom teacher, Mafuyu Kirisu.
The other was Aunt Yukino, the maid.
She used to have her parents in there too.
But she deleted them.
There was no point keeping those numbers. Her parents never once called her on their own.
Even when she called them first, all she ever got was a cold "I'm working" or "I'm busy."
Not a single proper conversation.
Every time, she'd hope they might talk to her just a little longer… and every time, her hopes would be crushed. Her heart—pretending to be strong—had been shattered beyond repair.
And yesterday, after finding out the real reason her parents were so distant, she completely broke down.
She just gave up.
Mahiru realized that in her family, she was just… extra. No matter how hard she tried or how good she became, to her parents she was just in the way.
So if that's how it was, she didn't want to go back there.
But… should she stay here?
Up till now, living here had been pretty peaceful.
But the moment she thought about that jerk next door, her face twisted into a complicated expression.
Her feelings toward Andrew were all over the place.
On one hand, she was mad he took advantage of her when she was emotionally wrecked and ended up sleeping with her.
But on the other hand… she couldn't explain it, but she felt oddly close to him.
Why though?
"Was it because… he said he cared about me?"
When she thought about that shameless, scorching hot kiss he gave her, her cute little face turned bright red.
The blush spread all the way behind her ears. Her cheeks were glowing—making her look even more adorable.
"Ugh, no! Stop thinking about him! That guy's a total perv!"
A normal high school guy, seeing a beautiful girl like her sitting alone on a swing in the rain, would at least offer her an umbrella, right?
But Andrew?
He baited her into saying something depressing, and then, without warning, just picked her up and carried her to his room—and used her.
The more she thought about it, the more she felt he was a total scumbag. Her cheeks puffed with frustration.
Since she had taken the day off school, Mahiru spent the whole day just spacing out in her room.
Before she knew it, night had fallen.
Andrew stretched and yawned. Finally done with today's work.
He'd written a third of the romcom featuring the tsundere blonde twin-tail and the black-stocking-wearing senpai. He'd finish the rest tomorrow.
After grabbing a glass of water to wet his throat, he headed over to Mahiru's room and knocked on her door.
"Shiina, are you asleep?"
"… … …"
"Mahiru, you asleep?" Since she didn't respond, he tried a more familiar way of calling her.
The door immediately creaked open a tiny bit, and there she was, glaring at him with puffed-up cheeks.
"I don't think we're at the point where we can call each other by our first names yet, Mr. Perverted Opportunist."
Andrew chuckled awkwardly. "Ah, I just thought you were already asleep."
"Hmph. Whatever you came here for, say it quick. I'm going to bed."She only opened the door a crack, clearly ready to slam it shut if he tried anything funny.
"I can't sleep… wanna sleep together?"
"Get lost! You perv! I'm calling the cops!"
Mahiru snapped back with zero hesitation. Her face turned beet red and she slammed the door right in his face.
That bastard. It wasn't enough that he messed with her in the morning—now he wanted to harass her at night too?
She hated him.
She had to move out. No question.
Even though she shut him out, Andrew didn't mind at all.
Because Mahiru Shiina was already his follower.
And unless one of them died, that contract wasn't going anywhere.
So in his eyes, Mahiru was already basically his future wife.
Getting kicked out of his wife's room? No big deal.
Her intense reaction just meant she really cared about the fact that they slept together.
And that was a great sign.
Some things in life… once they happen, they tend to happen again. And again.
"..."
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________