"I... I'll go and think it over properly!"
Aki Tomoya also walked out of his clubroom, but in the opposite direction from Eriri. It seemed he planned to be alone for a while.
Kasumigaoka Utaha, from the doorway, walked in. "Mhm, could you tell me, Ryo-kohai? Why did our school's Eriri and that strange childhood friend of hers run out looking so dejected?"
Uchiha Ryo said casually.
"I was just stating the facts. By the way, besides the exam the other day, this is my first time visiting Toyogasaki High School. Would you be interested in showing me around, senpai?"
Kasumigaoka Utaha smiled faintly. "Well, Toyogasaki can't compare to the huge gardens built specifically for nobles like Shuchiin. But speaking of a place that can put one at ease, I do know one."
The rooftop of Toyogasaki High School. But as Kasumigaoka Utaha led Uchiha Ryo and pushed open the door, she suddenly stopped in her tracks.
"It seems someone has already arrived. The guy who you told off and is now hiding..."
Eriri was sitting on the rooftop, gripping the wire fence with her hands. Her feelings were a bit complicated right now.
Having loved otaku culture since she was a child, she had a very good relationship with her childhood friend who also liked it.
"In the future, I'll create the best game ever! You'll help me then!"
These were the words of a young Aki Tomoya, and also a promise that Eriri, as his childhood friend, had always kept in her heart.
But since when did Aki Tomoya start to forget his childhood dream and the promise he made to her?
It was when they were in elementary school. At that time, students who liked otaku culture were not popular at school and were even laughed at and bullied by their classmates.
Faced with the same treatment, Eriri and Aki Tomoya made completely different choices. And it was from that point on that a crack appeared in their relationship.
Aki Tomoya was like a tough piece of meat. You can mock me, you can isolate me, but I'll still do as I please. I just like otaku culture! I don't care if others like it or not, I will promote and spread the 2D world I love.
(To clarify, we in the 2D world are not like that~)
Eriri couldn't understand this kind of otaku behavior at all. Subsequently, Eriri chose to package herself, disguising herself as a young lady at school. Otaku? That was something that bloomed alone at home where no one could see.
Ever since this incident, because of their different philosophies on being an otaku, their social statuses at school were also completely different. Therefore, throughout middle school, the childhood friends Eriri and Aki Tomoya had barely spoken.
It wasn't until high school, when they were in the same class again, that Aki Tomoya and Eriri became friends again.
But Aki Tomoya's methods...
It was said that Toyogasaki had three famous people. One was the second-year literary girl, Kasumigaoka Utaha, who was also the goddess in the hearts of many boys at school. The second was the young lady Eriri, who had become the ace of the art club as soon as she enrolled.
And the third was this guy who would put light novels in the school library, secretly use the big screen to play famous anime scenes during the first school festival, and crazily recommend the 2D world to other students.
Aki Tomoya was very well-known at school, but most of it was negative.
Eriri couldn't do it. In order not to let her superficial "young lady" mask fall off, she could only continue to keep her distance from Aki Tomoya.
Until some time ago, when Aki Tomoya actually approached her, hoping she would help him produce the best galge game!
At that time, Eriri was indeed very moved, thinking that her childhood friend had finally remembered their childhood promise and dream. And then... she saw Aki Tomoya, after inviting her, spend most of his time on Katou Megumi and Takashi.
That's right, he wasn't doing it for [Eriri] or for some so-called [promise]. Aki Tomoya had just happened to see that scene where Uchiha Ryo met Katou Megumi and had imagined the most perfect opening for a game.
The confused Eriri felt like she was just a servant that Aki Tomoya could call on at any time. He called her over to make a game, and she came, touched. But then you turn around and go find someone else!
And what was your biggest leverage for recruiting people? It was still her, Eriri!
In any case, Eriri's mind was a mess right now. Until footsteps were heard from behind, and then that somewhat annoying voice rang out.
"Isn't this the famous... uh... artist Eriri? Why do you look like your feelings were played with by your childhood friend, curled up here like a loser dog? Tsk tsk tsk~"
Eriri's complicated feelings instantly turned to complete anger. "Kasumigaoka! If you don't know how to talk, then shut up and sew your mouth shut! What, are you here with your boyfriend to laugh at me? I'm telling you! Not a chance!"
Kasumigaoka Utaha and Eriri, they had actually known each other for quite a while. When the first volume of Love Metronome was published, Eriri was a loyal reader of the book, and even took the initiative to contact her and become the illustrator for the second volume and beyond.
And the two of them were shocked during their first collaboration. Neither of them had expected that it wasn't until they met that they discovered their partner was a senpai (or kohai) from the same school!
And perhaps because their personalities were naturally incompatible, although the two of them knew each other's secrets, they were still like a pair of frenemies.
Uchiha Ryo: "I don't actually hate people who work hard for their dreams. But I hate guys who lack self-awareness."
Eriri: "...."
As someone who had played a large number of games and been exposed to a lot of 2D culture since he was a child, Uchiha Ryo didn't think that Aki Tomoya would be unaware of the industry's situation.
His so-called confidence was probably just his own yearning for games, and the fact that he had a famous artist like Eriri standing behind him. If he could get in touch with and invite a published author like Kasumigaoka Utaha...
At that time, Aki Tomoya's confidence would inflate to the extreme, and he would truly enter the production stage of the game.
"In the manga I draw, there's no shortage of guys from ordinary backgrounds who know how to work hard. They also have dreams and ambitions, but they would never place all their hopes on others."
Eriri: "You, a young master from Shuchiin, draw manga?"
Kasumigaoka Utaha snorted lightly. "His art is no worse than yours. And in terms of popularity, his online fame is even greater than yours."
What?! An artist even more popular than the famous doujinshi artist Kashiwagi Eri... besides the old-timers, that would be the professional manga artists.
Uchiha Ryo nodded. "Let me reintroduce myself. I'm a professional solo manga artist who debuted in JUMP two and a half years ago, [Naruto]. The manga I'm currently publishing is Naruto."
Ehh ehh ehh!!
Eriri's mouth dropped open, but she couldn't speak.
What could she say? Say... I'm actually your fan? I've made doujinshi of all the female characters you've created?
As the famous doujinshi artist Kashiwagi Eri, Eriri was suddenly a little embarrassed. She often drew doujinshi of his work, and now she was meeting him in person!
Uchiha Ryo: "Sawamura-san, regarding Aki-kun's game production club, I think it would be better to set a time over the weekend for everyone to discuss it in detail. After all, what I just said was all true. You should be clear on this point."
Eriri nodded. "Of course I'm clear on what you said. Although Tomoya is a bit naive.... Forget it. We'll talk about it then."
As the childhood friend who understood him, Eriri seemed unable to find any words to defend Aki Tomoya.