Thud-thud-thud…
The muffled sound of hurried footsteps echoed down the stairs.
At the breakfast table, the Kasumigaoka couple looked up in surprise as their daughter, dressed in casual clothes, dashed past them without so much as a greeting and bolted straight into the bathroom.
The two exchanged a puzzled glance.
"…Poetry emergency?" her father asked blankly.
"Don't joke about that," Mrs. Kasumigaoka chided softly, already rising to her feet. Concern furrowed her brow as she approached the bathroom door.
The next moment, her eyes widened.
Her usually elegant daughter, Kasumigaoka Utaha, was brushing her teeth at triple speed. She rinsed, splashed her face in an uncharacteristically hurried way, and without even drying the water dripping from her bangs, she darted straight for the front door.
Mrs. Kasumigaoka stood frozen in shock at the sight of her daughter in such a rush.
"Utaha, what on earth—"
"Mom, I'm heading out!"
"But breakfast—"
"No time!"
The words tumbled out in a rush, and by the time she slipped into her sandals, Utaha had already sprinted out the door.
For a moment, her mother could only stare in stunned silence, then hurried after her, calling out: "At least slow down!"
"I knooow!" Utaha's voice floated back faintly down the street.
Mrs. Kasumigaoka returned slowly to the dining table, her expression thoughtful.
Her husband tilted his head. "What's gotten into our precious daughter?"
"I'm not sure… but judging from her expression just now, it must be something good."
—
Outside, under the blazing summer sun, Kasumigaoka Utaha strode quickly down the street. The gloom that had weighed on her heart for weeks was suddenly swept away.
Her wine-red eyes sparkled brilliantly, her expression radiating a long-lost brightness. The normally composed and aloof girl now looked youthful, vibrant—almost dazzling.
A person's mood truly could transform their entire appearance.
Just moments earlier, her editor's ecstatic phone call had pulled her from the abyss of despair and filled her with renewed confidence.
"This is wonderful news, Kasumigaoka-sensei! A miracle, truly!
The revisions you painstakingly made for volume two really resonated with readers—why else would the books be flying off the shelves?
The editorial team has decided to immediately print another five thousand copies, and depending on sales, that number might even increase. The chief editor has officially approved the continuation of Love Metronome. Please keep up the great work, Kasumigaoka-sensei!"
Her debut work wasn't being axed.
Her persistence hadn't been meaningless.
The struggles of volume one—those weren't proof of failure. It had just been poor marketing, nothing more.
She really did have talent.
…How silly, to have doubted herself so deeply.
Her lips unconsciously curved upward as she nearly skipped down the street.
Arriving at the nearest bookstore, she realized it was only a little past eight o'clock. The shutters were still down.
Other shops must still be closed as well.
With no choice, she ducked into the McDonald's nearby, ordered a breakfast set, and sat down.
Her good mood stirred her appetite—after finishing a sandwich and milk, she ordered another egg burger.
By 8:40, staff began opening the bookstore's doors.
Utaha shot up from her seat, hurried outside, and slipped in just as the shutters lifted, following a small group of girls who were also waiting.
She went straight for the light novel section.
"Yuko, it's not here."
"Same here, I don't see it either."
"But Tomomi swore she bought it here just a few days ago. She said there were still copies left then. Let's check again."
It seemed the other girls were looking for the exact same book.
Utaha ignored them, heart pounding, and rushed to the familiar shelf where Love Metronome had always been stocked.
Her breath caught—her book was gone. The entire row had been overtaken by other titles.
She hurried to the counter. "Excuse me, do you still have Love Metronome in stock?"
The shopkeeper shook his head apologetically. "Sorry, miss. That one's sold out for now. It's been very popular lately."
Even though she had already heard the news from her editor, hearing it confirmed in person sent a wave of dizzying happiness crashing over her.
So this was what it felt like—to be recognized by readers. To be wanted.
The other girls nearby overheard and rushed over.
"What, sold out?!"
"Not even one copy left?"
"Sorry," the owner repeated. "But I've already placed an order. They should arrive in two or three days. If you'd like, you can pay in advance, leave your contact info, and I'll hold a copy for you."
The girls exchanged glances, then nodded and filled out the slips.
The shopkeeper turned to Utaha expectantly, but she only shook her head lightly and left with the group.
Blushing faintly, she worked up the courage to ask, "Excuse me… do you girls really like Love Metronome?"
They turned, surprised, but relaxed when they saw she was their age. "Yeah, of course. We love it."
"Honestly, it feels more like a trend now," one admitted. "My sister and her friends all bought it too."
"Too bad we couldn't find it anywhere these past few days."
"You too, huh?"
Utaha nodded dumbly, unable to process the fact that her book was being called a trend.
Moments ago she had felt happiness like a sudden blow to the head. Now she felt as though she had tripped and fallen headfirst into a jar of honey—everything around her was unbearably sweet.
After chatting briefly, she waved them goodbye.
As they left, she overheard them laughing loudly:
"Not just the novel—apparently the same kendo gear that Senya used in the tournament is totally sold out too!"
"No way, seriously?!"
"Well, it is Minamoto Senya we're talking about…"
"If only I'd applied to Chuanran Academy, I could've been in the same class as him…"
"Please, if you're going to fangirl, do it boldly! Just sit right next to him, make him fall for you, and bam—pregnant and married right after graduation!"
"Help, officer, we've got a delusional girl here!"
…Kendo? A tournament?
They must've been talking about their club activities.
Utaha didn't dwell on it. She was riding too high on renewed confidence, her mind already overflowing with ideas for volume three of Love Metronome.
Back home, she waved off her mother's concern with a quick, "I already ate, but I'd love tofu miso soup for lunch," then retreated to her room.
She had to strike while the iron was hot. Her readers were waiting for her.
But first… she couldn't resist checking online reactions.
She opened her favorite light novel community site, where readers shared reviews and discussions.
Her eyes widened.
The handful of comments her book had received before had exploded into thousands.
It was trending on the front page.
Heart racing, she clicked the discussion thread.
"Saw the author interview on the news—picked up the book just to try it, but wow, it was surprisingly good. Bought it on the spot. Hope the author keeps it up!"
Interview? What interview?
Confused but pleased, she kept scrolling.
"Minamoto Senya is way too cool! I heard he went undefeated the entire national kendo tournament!"
…What? Minamoto Senya? Why was he being discussed under her book's page?
Utaha had been holed up at home for days, oblivious to the outside world.
"No kidding. Even as a guy, I think he's handsome."
"Didn't know the national champ was such a nerd on the side."
"He's literally god-tier—aces schoolwork and sports. Not like us basement-dwellers."
"I'm reading the same light novel as the national champ, wearing the same kendo gear—logically, I'm practically the next champion myself!"
"I bet the author's a friend of his… or maybe even his girlfriend?"
Girlfriend?!
Her frown deepened. Something was very, very wrong.
Scrolling further, she saw more and more: pictures, headlines, videos—"Kendo Genius," "National Champion," "Rising Tiger."
One photo stopped her breath.
A handsome boy, captured mid-moment as he removed his kendo mask. Sharp brows, clear eyes, striking features.
…She knew that face.
That day at the restaurant with her editor—wasn't he the overly enthusiastic fan who'd spoken to her?
Her phone rang sharply, snapping her out of her daze. It was her editor.
"Kasumigaoka-sensei, if you're free, let's meet up right now."
—
The café buzzed with chatter, but at their corner table, Utaha and her editor sat in silence, eyes locked on a laptop screen.
The national middle-school kendo tournament played on the news.
The champion: Minamoto Senya.
Handsome, articulate, humble, standing side by side with a fellow female swordswoman.
When asked about his hobbies, his answer was unexpected.
"…I read all kinds of books, from literature to light novels. Recently, there's one that I've especially enjoyed. It's called Love Metronome. I liked it so much I bought two copies—one to preserve, one to read. I highly recommend it."
The name struck like lightning.
Kasumigaoka Utaha froze, staring at the screen as though petrified.
Her editor glanced at her carefully, then closed the laptop and slid over her phone, playing a second interview where Senya, back at his school, again mentioned Love Metronome. This time, awkwardly, almost as if forcing the topic—just to say her book's name.
"Kasumigaoka-sensei," her editor said gently, "whatever the reason, this is a good thing. Your work is strong enough to stand on its own—but thanks to this, you've been given another chance. Don't overthink it. Just keep writing."
Utaha exhaled slowly. "…Don't worry, I understand. I'll deliver volume three soon."
Her editor smiled in relief. A chance encounter with a fan had turned into a lifeline—an extraordinary stroke of fate.
Utaha herself remained expressionless, but inside her heart roared like a storm.
She wanted—no, she needed—to see Minamoto Senya. To thank him face to face.
So she left the café, returned home, showered, and changed into a clean white dress, topping it with a simple hairband.
Looking in the mirror, cheeks faintly flushed, she nodded. She looked beautiful. Confident.
And with that, she set out for Chuanran Academy.
—
Meanwhile, at Chuanran, Sawamura Spencer Eriri skipped cheerfully out of art club, twintails bouncing. She treated herself to red bean cakes at a sweets shop, bagging extra for her friends.
Today was special—she'd planned it for weeks.
At six o'clock, she, Senya, Yukinoshita Yukino, Takanashi Rikka, and Busujima Saeko would head out together to the summer festival. Food stalls, games, fireworks.
Just imagining it filled her with giddy excitement.
Humming happily, she returned to the school gates—only to find herself face-to-face with a striking young woman.
Long black hair like Yukino's, but styled differently, paired with a mature allure. And a figure that made Eriri's eyes twitch.
Wait… why did she look familiar?
The girl, too, paused when she saw the golden-haired twin-tailed Eriri.
Recognition flickered between them.
—