Aki Tomoya was genuinely happy to reunite with Izumi Hashima, but the reunion with her older brother, Hashima Iori, was a bit complicated.
He was touched that Hashima Iori still considered him a partner to reach the top of the otaku world together, or a fated rival.
However, unfortunately, the place Aki Tomoya was going was different from what Hashima Iori expected.
After the closing ceremony, summer vacation began. His parents had already paid the supplementary tuition fees for the Academy afterwards.
After finishing the last things in July, time entered August.
The CM Doujin Exhibition starting on the eleventh was also close at hand. Aki Tomoya had requested leave from Aomine Cram School in advance because on Saturday, the twelfth, the second day of the doujin exhibition, he was going to Izumi Hashima's booth.
"I really didn't expect that I would have a day to return to CM..."
He originally thought he would be completely cut off from Comic Market because he was preparing for exams, but who knew that his junior would move back from Nagoya and invite him because she was exhibiting as a creator for the first time.
Having a junior who still thought of him felt quite good.
He had originally wanted to invite Kamigō Yoshihiko to go there as a laborer, but that guy had gone back to his hometown and had been complaining to him about being caught and forced to do hard labor back home.
Maintaining his sympathy for Comrade Kamigō Yoshihiko, Aki Tomoya decided to relax well on that day.
However, because of this matter, Aki Tomoya thought of Eriri. After all, that blonde twin-tailed girl was also a famous artist.
Although the doujinshi she drew weren't suitable for direct sale, she wasn't exposed with the help of Sawamura Sayuri.
"Troublesome fellow..."
Aki Tomoya got a headache just thinking about Eriri.
Tomorrow was the second day of the CM Doujin Exhibition, and according to the agreement with Izumi Hashima, he had to prepare well.
"Don't say I don't treat you as a friend."
Aki Tomoya sent her a message, explaining that he would be attending the CM exhibition on the second day and asking if she wanted to go together.
After sending the Line message to Eriri, Aki Tomoya casually tossed his phone aside and didn't care how she would reply. Anyway, as a friend, he felt he had already shown the maximum amount of consideration.
Rubbing his eyes, he drew a circle on the schedule on the wall, and then Aki Tomoya went to take a bath.
When he came back half an hour later, he found many messages on his Line.
"When?"
"Which exhibition hall?"
"What are you going there for?"
"Are you there?"
...
So after talking for a long time, she didn't make it clear whether she was going or not, but instead asked a bunch of questions.
"Going? Or, not going?"
Aki Tomoya replied impatiently.
"Going."
The next second, the other party replied with a new message.
Aki Tomoya's eye twitched, and he subconsciously muttered, "Could this girl have been staring at her phone all this time?"
His mood was a bit subtle. Then, he told the other person the meeting location.
He was too lazy to think about other things. After specifying the time and place, he put his phone aside and lay down on the bed.
...
August 12th, the second day of the Summer Comic Market Doujin Exhibition.
Never underestimate the passion of otaku. On these bustling days, like rushing to a battlefield, they start queuing very early, waiting for the exhibition hall to open.
They queued orderly outside. As far as the eye could see, there were dense crowds of people, like a tide.
This was a carnival for otaku, held twice a year, lasting for three consecutive days.
Japan's largest, and even the world's largest, doujin exhibition. Otaku from all over Japan and other countries gathered here.
After Aki Tomoya was ready in the morning, he left very early. Thanks to his past knowledge of Comic Market, Aki Tomoya was familiar with the route.
Outside the eastern exhibition hall, Aki Tomoya was already waiting for Eriri's arrival.
"So slow..."
Aki Tomoya checked the time. They had clearly agreed on a meeting time, and if she was any slower, he would be late for the time he agreed upon with Izumi Hashima.
Just as he was getting a little impatient from waiting, he suddenly noticed someone wearing a beret and a mask walking stealthily towards him.
From under the beret, Aki Tomoya saw a few strands of golden hair.
At this moment, he had already guessed that the stealthy person must be Eriri.
Attending a doujin exhibition, did she have to act like a thief?
"Is she an idiot?"
Black lines appeared on Aki Tomoya's head.
Watching Eriri walk over stealthily, he somewhat disdainfully shifted his gaze to the other side.
"Yo, h-hello..."
Wearing thick glasses, sweat had already appeared on her fair forehead in this scorching summer heat.
Aki Tomoya really didn't want to go, so he could only say helplessly, "This place is clearly full of like-minded people, why do you need to disguise yourself? Others don't even know you're that kind of artist..."
Anyone who comes here is an otaku, there's really no need to keep pretending.
Or is it that she feels awkward herself?
Or perhaps, because it's the first time they've agreed to come to the CM Doujin Exhibition together, she feels embarrassed?
Regardless of the reason, Aki Tomoya could say with certainty that she would definitely suffer from heatstroke like this in two hours.
"Sigh, let's go."
Seeing Eriri couldn't refute, Aki Tomoya sighed and took the exhibitor pass Izumi Hashima gave him to the specific entrance.
After Eriri caught up from behind, she realized the entrance wasn't right, so she couldn't help but ask, "This entrance isn't right, is it?"
"Didn't I say? Izumi invited me to participate in her booth today."
Aki Tomoya replied casually, he seemed to have really forgotten to mention it.
If it weren't for Izumi Hashima, he wouldn't have come here today.
"Izumi... Izumi Hashima?"
Eriri's eyes flickered, wondering what she was thinking about at this moment.
"That's right, Izumi Hashima, you know her, right? This is her first time exhibiting as a creator. She specifically came to invite me after moving back from Nagoya. It was hard to refuse her kind invitation."
Aki Tomoya nodded.
Eriri still remembered Izumi Hashima, but what Aki Tomoya explained at this moment sounded extraordinarily stimulating to her.
After thinking about it all night, she finally understood today why Aki Tomoya had time to attend the CM Doujin Exhibition during the summer vacation – it was for that Junior named Izumi Hashima!
Just thinking about it makes her angry. If it weren't for that Junior, she wouldn't even have had the chance to be remembered by Aki Tomoya.
She also finally understood why her Mother, Sawamura Sayuri, told her this morning that Izumi was trying her best to be considerate of her feelings and told her to be more mindful.
"Calm down!"
Eriri hugged her head and took deep breaths.
She wasn't jealous at all!
"Don't just stand there, we'll be late."
Aki Tomoya reminded her, he was going to be late because of Eriri, and he didn't like being the type of person who wasn't punctual.
"Also, take off your mask. Don't blame me for not reminding you if you get heatstroke later."
Leading Eriri into the exhibition hall, Aki Tomoya reminded her again.
There were so many people in the exhibition hall, wrapped up like that, she would definitely have a hard time later.
"I know, you're so annoying!"
Women are such a hassle!
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