It was the weekend, and for once, Eriri Spencer Sawamura felt like taking a stroll.
She'd been buried in work lately, pushing through late nights to meet her deadlines. But all that effort had finally paid off—her latest work was officially published.
Feeling a quiet sense of pride, she found herself drawn to a local bookstore, curious to see how her work was selling.
And sell it did.
As the renowned artist "Kashiwagi Eri," famous in certain circles for her erotic doujinshi, she had a dedicated following. Her new release was no exception. Seeing a small crowd gathered around the display, Eriri couldn't help but feel a flush of satisfaction.
She was just about to leave, pleased and unnoticed, when a voice called out from behind.
"Eriri?"
Her mind went blank.
'Did they recognize me? Is it a classmate? But how? I'm in disguise—no one's seen me like this before!'
Panic set in. 'If anyone at school finds out I draw doujinshi, my life is over. I have to play dumb. Maybe they'll think they made a mistake.'
Head down, she quickened her pace, pretending not to hear.
—
On the other side of the street, Tanaka Masao had already made up his mind. That reaction—the slight flinch, the hurried steps—all but confirmed it. That was the reaction of someone who'd been caught.
This was 'The Eriri Spencer Sawamura' straight out of the anime he once watched.
She looked a little different in real life, of course—more nuanced, more real. But she had the same distinctive style, the same glow that set her apart.
A dizzying realization hit him. He hadn't just been reborn into a random world—he was reborn into an anime world.
If Eriri was here, did that mean Kasumigaoka Utaha was here too? Or is this a combined universe? The thought excited him. Meeting an actual anime heroine—wasn't that every otaku's dream?
He called out again, louder this time
"It is you, isn't it? Sawamura Eriri-san."
Her heart sank. There was no pretending now.
She turned and glared at the stranger who'd spoken—only to freeze in confusion.
'Who… is this guy?'
She was certain she'd never seen him before. He must go to her school, she decided. And judging by his looks—slightly overweight, dressed like a typical otaku—he probably wouldn't be too hard to handle.
As one of the more popular girls at school, she was used to being recognized. The real problem was damage control.
Noticing other passersby beginning to glance their way, Eriri knew she had to act fast.
"Hey, you," she said, baring her small fangs in what she hoped was a threatening manner. "Come with me."
Masao just blinked, a little startled by her ferocity. "Uh. Yeah. Okay."
He was curious to get to know the famous "failure-flag" heroine up close. Besides, as a well-established doujinshi artist, she might know a thing or two about getting published.
She led him down a narrow, quiet alleyway between two buildings. The sounds of the city faded, replaced by a faint dripping sound somewhere.
Masao shoved his hands in his pockets, glancing around nervously.
Noticing his unease, Eriri turned and asked, "Hey, you who are you?"
"Tanaka. Tanaka Masao."
"Tanaka, huh? A common name," she remarked offhandedly. "What are you looking around for?"
He scratched the back of his head and forced a laugh. "It's just… kinda remote around here, haha…"
His voice was a little gruff, and his smile came off awkward—almost suspicious.
A shiver ran down Eriri's spine.
It suddenly dawned on her: in her rush to avoid public attention, she'd led a complete stranger into a deserted alley. The scenario felt weirdly familiar.
As an experienced doujinshi artist, her mind instantly conjured up about a hundred and eight different… situations. While part of her was thrilled by the sudden creative inspiration, the more pressing part was screaming about self-preservation.
She shook her head, straightened her posture, and tried to sound confident.
"Hmph, never mind that." Crossing her arms, she asked, "Do you go to Toyogasaki (school)?"
"No, I don't," Masao replied, shaking his head. "I'm actually from Chiba."
"Chiba? What's someone from Chiba doing all the way here? And how do you know who I am?"
She stared intently at the slightly overweight young man in front of her, and a new thought occurred.
'Is this guy a stalker? A creep? Should I call the police?'
Her hand slipped quietly into her pocket, feeling for her phone.
Masao thought of an excuse. After a two-and-a-half-second pause, he replied
"Actually, it's kind of a coincidence that I recognized you."
"A coincidence?"
"Yeah. Because… I'm a fan of Kashiwagi Eri."
The name hit Eriri like a lightning bolt.
If someone just saw her buying a doujinshi, it'd be embarrassing, but manageable. She could laugh it off.
But if people found out she was Kashiwagi Eri… her life would truly be over.
In three quick steps, she closed the distance between them, grabbed Masao by the collar, and demanded through gritted teeth.
"How." she demanded, her eyes wide and desperate. "How could you possibly know that I am Kashiwagi Eri? Tell me. Who told you?"
Very few people knew about her alter ego. Her mother handled all the publishing details to protect her identity.
'So, how did this random guy from Chiba know?'
Except for her parents, only one other person came to mind…
The image of a boy who she both loved and resented flashed before her eyes.
Aki Tomoya.
She refused to believe her parents would reveal her secret identity. That left only him.
'No… It can't be him. He wouldn't…'
But once the doubt took root, it was hard to shake. In her mind, he was already guilty.
Baring her fangs again, she glared at Masao and hissed:
"Tell me! Who was it?!"
Unaware of the storm raging in her mind—and unable to reveal that he'd learned her secret from an anime in another life—Masao could only mumble.
"I'm a big fan of Kashiwagi Eri's work. I… just heard about it online from a fan forum."
"Heard about it?!"
Eriri seethed. Something this sensitive doesn't just slip out accidentally.
Putting the pieces together, she arrived at her own conclusion.
She could picture it now. Tomoya, bragging online to his anonymous otaku friends. "Yeah, I know Kashiwagi Eri. Actually, she's this super cute girl at my school…"
Her chest heaved with anger. Eyes burning with fury, she struggled to catch her breath.
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