I've seen this girl before…
Kasumigaoka Shiyu narrowed her eyes as she watched the blonde girl ahead of her quickly avert her gaze and walk into the school grounds. The memory clicked into place.
Some time ago, at a Japanese restaurant, when Minamoto Senya had walked up to greet her, she had pointed out her seat to prove she wasn't a suspicious person. Among the group of girls sitting nearby at that time—this very girl had been there.
And just earlier, while reviewing an interview video with her editor in the café, this same blonde had appeared again, caught clearly in the audience.
She was sitting right next to the cute girl waving a cheering flag.
Because of her distinctly pale mixed-blood features compared to typical Japanese, and her striking golden hair that drew attention, Shiyu had remembered her almost instantly.
Her original plan had been to get in touch with a Kawarami Middle School teacher to find a way to reach Minamoto Senya.
But now, an even better option had appeared right before her eyes. There was no reason to let this opportunity pass.
"Excuse me, miss!"
Kasumigaoka Shiyu put on what she considered her gentlest smile, jogging lightly toward the girl she had already marked in her mind as "someone close to Minamoto Senya." Her voice was warm and polite.
It was summer vacation, so there weren't many people around the school gate. Hearing someone call out, Sawamura Eriri instantly realized she was the one being addressed.
She stopped, turned, and saw a tall, beautiful girl approach with a smile.
"Sorry to bother you—do you happen to know Minamoto Senya?"
That one sentence was enough to turn Eriri's pleasant mood into sharp suspicion.
Ever since Senya had taken first place in the national championship and his interview had gone viral on TV and online, this sort of thing had been happening far too often.
It wasn't just girls from their own school—girls from other schools sneaked in whenever he was at kendo club practice, hiding nearby to swoon while he trained, some even snapping photos without permission.
Sometimes, when walking home together in the evening, sharp-eyed girls would recognize him.
The shy ones only watched from a distance, stealing glances before disappearing.
The bolder ones? They would approach him directly—sometimes to chat, sometimes even to ask outright if he had a girlfriend.
As if that were any of their business! The thought alone made Eriri's blood boil.
And now this girl, who already looked familiar… was she one of those nuisances who had harassed Senya before?
Because anything involving her childhood friend, the boy she had always admired and relied upon, immediately set her brain whirring at full capacity.
Kasumigaoka Shiyu's smile wavered.
Because the petite blonde before her, though small in stature, now looked at her with a sharp, hostile gaze—like a little Shiba Inu snarling after someone tried to take its food.
Of course, that was only the impression. Eriri didn't actually bare her teeth—she wasn't a dog. But her wary, faintly hostile expression was unmistakable.
"What business do you have with Senya?"
She didn't realize that just by addressing him so intimately, she had already confirmed Shiyu's question.
Shiyu's eyes brightened again. She ignored Eriri's hostility; it wasn't unusual for girls to be wary when approached by strangers.
"I have something very important to discuss with him. Could you give me his contact information?"
"You're acting really suspicious. I don't even know who you are—why should I give you his number?"
Annoying!
By now, Eriri was almost entirely convinced—this girl was just another one of those attracted by Senya's brilliance.
Her assumption wasn't entirely correct—but by a twist of fate, it led her closer to the truth.
Shiyu's polite façade was starting to crack. She didn't enjoy being met with open hostility. But since this girl might actually be close to Minamoto Senya, she swallowed her irritation and pressed on, pasting on another smile.
"Ah, forgive me—I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Kasumigaoka Shiyu—"
"Never heard of you."
"…"
Did she just interrupt me? This little shrimp… how unbelievably rude!
Hold it in… hold it in…
Shiyu's brow twitched as she forced herself to continue, "Do you remember a while back, when you went to a Japanese restaurant with Minamoto Senya?"
That jogged Eriri's memory. Her expression shifted as recognition dawned.
"You're… that light novel author… Love Metronome… Kasumi-sensei?!"
Shiyu blinked, surprised. She hadn't expected the small, hot-tempered blonde to actually have good taste.
"That's right. You've read my work?"
"Uh, well… actually… Senya recommended it to me, so I picked it up out of curiosity."
The words slipped out automatically. In truth, she had devoured the book after Senya's recommendation—not only was the story excellent, but knowing it was something Senya liked had made her all the more invested.
She had even been inspired to create a pure romance doujinshi based on it. She was more than just a casual reader—she was a fan.
If a new volume were released, she'd be at the bookstore the moment it opened.
"I see," Shiyu replied lightly. It didn't matter to her what Eriri thought. Her purpose hadn't changed in the slightest.
"That day, I spoke with Minamoto Senya at the restaurant. Then, a few days later, he won the kendo championship—and during his interview, he actually promoted my novel. Thanks to him, sales surged. It meant so much to me—I can't overstate how grateful I am."
"Ohhh!" Eriri clapped her hands, finally remembering. Of course! Senya had indeed mentioned her novel on national TV. "So you came here to thank Senya, huh?"
Shiyu nodded. "Exactly. I want to express my thanks to him face to face."
Under her gaze, Eriri's suspicion melted into friendliness.
"Sorry… I thought you were just like the others…"
"What do you mean?"
"Ah, nothing! Anyway, I'll take you to him!"
Shiyu blinked. She hadn't expected the little blonde to turn from hostile to helpful so quickly. It was almost disarming. "That won't be necessary—if you just give me his contact information, I can—"
"No problem!" Eriri beamed, flashing her little fang and a cute dimple. "I was going to see him anyway. He's practicing in the kendo club right now. It's not far."
Her admiration for Senya only deepened. Just casually mentioning a novel during an interview had saved an author's career—that was the kind of influence he had.
It was incredible. She could never hope to match his brilliance.
"…Then I'll trouble you," Shiyu murmured, smoothing her hair and taking a steadying breath. Soon, she would meet Minamoto Senya face to face.
(From here, the chapter continues seamlessly into the kendo club duel with Dokujima Saeko, Senya's new ability awakening, the meeting with Shiyu, the gratitude bow, the contact exchange, and Eriri's rising jealousy—all faithfully rendered in novel form.)
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