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Megumi's smile was fleeting. It appeared like a ripple on a still pond—gentle, refreshing, but vanishing almost as soon as it formed. It wasn't the dazzling, calculated smile of an idol, nor the sharp, confident smirk of a literary genius. It was just... nice.
But then, the ripple faded, leaving the surface calm and slightly melancholic.
"I don't know when my 'lack of presence' issue will be resolved," Megumi sighed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Maybe it never will be. But I'm growing up. I can't stay in my parents' house forever. I need a skill that lets me support myself, even if the world refuses to look at me."
Leo watched her, sensing the pragmatic anxiety beneath her calm exterior.
"It's hard to get a normal job when people forget you're standing at the register," Leo noted.
"Exactly," Megumi nodded. "That's why I've been trying things that don't require face-to-face interaction. I did handicrafts for a while. Custom jewelry, felt dolls... even model kits."
Leo blinked. "Model kits?"
"Mmh. Gunpla modification, military scale models, weathering, custom painting... I even tried clay sculpting," Megumi listed off her skills as if reading a grocery list. "I take commissions online. Since I don't have to meet the clients, my lack of presence isn't an issue."
Leo was genuinely surprised. He imagined Megumi sitting in a ventilated room, wearing a respirator mask, meticulously airbrushing rust effects onto a 1/144 scale Zaku. It was a hidden depth he hadn't expected.
"But the margins are low," Megumi continued, staring at the cookie box. "I'm not a famous modeler, so I have to compete on price. And the fumes... the thinner and the paint... it's not good for my health long-term. Plus, sanding parts for hours gives me a headache."
She looked up at him, her eyes searching.
"That's why I thought about writing. If I could support myself with novels—like you and Kasumigaoka-senpai—that would be ideal. No fumes, no customers ignoring me. Just the text."
Leo nodded slowly. "It's a viable path. But do you want to be a literary author or a light novel author? The skill sets overlap, but the goals are different. I need to know so I can prepare the right curriculum for you."
"Light novels, definitely," Megumi said without hesitation. "Traditional literature is too heavy for me. Only geniuses like you and Senpai can walk that world. I just want to write something... enjoyable."
She wasn't being self-deprecating; she was being realistic. She had read traditional Japanese literature—the I-Novels, the heavy introspection, the obsession with death and failure. She didn't have the life experience or the brooding soul required for that.
"Light novels it is," Leo smiled. "And don't sell yourself short. You don't need to be a genius to write a bestseller. You just need to understand what the reader wants."
"What the reader wants..." Megumi mused.
"Traditional literature is about realism," Leo explained, leaning back in his chair. "It's about the shackles of society. The protagonists are usually ordinary people suffering through unbearable realities—poverty, heartbreak, the crushing weight of existence. It's about 'imperfect beauty' and the nobility of enduring pain."
He gestured with a cookie.
"I hate that. I'm greedy. When I face a choice, I don't want to choose the lesser of two evils; I want everything. Light novels are about breaking those chains. The protagonist doesn't just endure the world; they change it. They grow. They win. It's wish fulfillment, sure, but it's also about hope."
Megumi nodded slowly, absorbing his words. "So, traditional novels are about accepting tragedy, and light novels are about fighting it?"
"In a nutshell, yes," Leo agreed. "Characters are projections of the author's inner self. If you want to write a story where the hero succeeds, where the ending is happy, and where effort is rewarded... then you belong in the light novel section."
"I think I'd like that," Megumi said softly. "I'd like to create a character who is... visible. Powerful. Someone who doesn't fade away."
Leo looked at her. He saw the quiet ambition burning behind her flat expression. She didn't want to conquer the world; she just wanted to exist in it on her own terms.
"Alright," Leo said, making a decision. "I'll stop by a bookstore after school and pick up a stack of the current best-sellers. Rom-coms, fantasy, slice-of-life. Your first assignment isn't to write; it's to read. Don't analyze the prose like a critic. Just read them and follow the author's train of thought. See where they take you."
"Okay," Megumi nodded. "Thank you, Leo-kun."
She looked at him with gratitude, and for a split second, the air in the classroom felt lighter.
Internal Monologue: There it is. The 'Main Heroine' energy.
Leo wasn't blind. In the hierarchy of anime waifus, Megumi Kato was a tier of her own.
Eriri was a Tsundere—cute, but high-maintenance, prone to tantrums, and emotionally volatile. Utaha was a Yandere-lite—brilliant, seductive, but intense and possessive.
But Megumi? Megumi was peace. She was gentle, understanding, and infinitely adaptable. She was the kind of girl who made cookies, listened to your problems, and didn't demand constant validation. In the real world, "Megumi fanatics" existed for a reason. Her healing nature wasn't a trope; it was a superpower.
"You're welcome, Megumi," Leo said, closing the cookie box. "And honestly? These cookies are payment enough. They're delicious."
Megumi's lips curved into a tiny, genuine smile.
"I'm glad. I'll make sure to bring tea next time."