Lunch break, on the rooftop of Yuqiu High School's main building.
Kasumigaoka Utaha stood alone by the railing, holding her bento box but showing no appetite.
A gentle breeze lifted her long black hair, but her dark red eyes looked somewhat vacant, staring unfocused at the distant sky.
The experience from last night in the old music room clung to her mind like a nightmare she couldn't shake.
The humiliation of having her sight stolen, being forcibly touched, being kissed without mercy, and—worst of all—the shame of her body betraying her and reaching climax against her will… all of it made waves of nausea and terror surge through her.
What unsettled her even more was the final sentence the mysterious person had left behind—
"Tomorrow. Same time."
(Will he… come again?)
The thought sent a shiver down her spine.
Instinctively, she pressed her legs together beneath the black pantyhose, as if that thin barrier could somehow ward off the violation.
At that moment—
"Kasumigaoka-senpai?"
A gentle male voice, tinged with slight surprise, came from behind her.
Kasumigaoka Utaha's body instantly stiffened. She whipped around, her face immediately hardening into an icy wall of wariness.
Standing not far behind her was the freshman representative wearing black-framed glasses—Mikogami Yuma.
He was holding a bento box as well, his expression carrying just the right amount of polite surprise at encountering a senior, mixed with a hint of shyness.
"Mikogami-kun?" Kasumigaoka Utaha furrowed her brows, her tone distant and cold. "Is there something you need?"
Her mood was abysmal right now. She had zero desire to deal with anyone—especially this junior she had suspected just yesterday.
[Name: Kasumigaoka Utaha]
[Favorability: 25 (In a very bad mood; doesn't want to be disturbed)]
Yuma seemed completely oblivious to her rejection. He offered an apologetic smile.
"Sorry for disturbing you, senpai. I just came up to the rooftop to get some fresh air. I didn't expect you to be here too."
He lightly shook the bento box in his hand as explanation.
"It's a bit noisy in the classroom."
His reason sounded perfectly reasonable; his attitude was impeccable.
Kasumigaoka Utaha stared at him for several seconds, as if searching for any crack in his facade, but in the end she only gave a faint "hm" and turned back around, ignoring him completely.
[Name: Kasumigaoka Utaha]
[Favorability: 25 → 23 (Thinks you're a bit annoying)]
Yuma wasn't discouraged.
He walked over to a section of the railing a little farther from her, opened his own bento box—but didn't start eating right away. Instead, he spoke in a seemingly casual, soft voice:
"Kasumigaoka-senpai… you seem a little out of it today? Did you not sleep well last night?"
His tone carried nothing but pure, innocent concern—like a normal junior politely checking on a senior.
Kasumigaoka Utaha's body gave an almost imperceptible stiffen.
(Last night…)
That single phrase pierced her like a needle, jabbing straight into her raw nerves.
"No need to concern yourself." Her voice dropped several degrees colder, now openly carrying a "leave me alone" edge. "I just want to be alone right now."
[Name: Kasumigaoka Utaha]
[Favorability: 23 → 21 (Feels irritated by your concern)]
Yuma didn't retreat in the face of her frostiness. Instead, he showed an understanding expression and gave a small nod.
"I understand. Right now, Kasumigaoka-senpai is probably 'standing at a crossroads, yet unable to see the end of any path,' aren't you?"
He spoke softly while casually opening his bento, as though he were merely musing aloud to himself.
Although—given what Kasumigaoka Utaha had just gone through—the line wasn't exactly appropriate here, his goal wasn't actually to comfort her.
"!"
Kasumigaoka Utaha's body jolted violently. The bento box in her hand nearly slipped from her fingers!
That sentence—
It was the exact inner monologue of the female protagonist in Volume 1 of "Love Metronome" when she faced a major life decision!
(How does he know this?!)
A terrifying suspicion instantly rose in her mind—
(Could it be… that the mysterious person from yesterday… was him?!)
Her gaze sharpened into daggers. She stared fixedly at Yuma; her entire body tensed unconsciously.
[Name: Kasumigaoka Utaha]
[Favorability: 21 → 15 (Extreme shock and suspicion!)]
"You…" Her voice carried a barely detectable tremor. "Where did you hear that line just now?"
"Ah, that?" Yuma looked as if he suddenly understood, then gave an embarrassed smile and scratched the back of his head.
"I saw it in a novel. I think the title was… "Love Metronome"? I thought the line was really well written, so I remembered it."
He continued, a little shyly:
"I don't usually read romance novels, but that sentence really stuck with me. Have you read that book too, senpai?"
His explanation was perfectly logical. His expression was natural, without the slightest flaw.
While "Love Metronome" wasn't selling spectacularly, it wasn't completely unknown—there was still a dedicated niche of loyal readers.
And the book was still available in many light novel bookstores, so running into someone who had read it wasn't strange at all.
(Just… a coincidence?)
Kasumigaoka Utaha studied Yuma's face carefully. Behind those black-framed glasses, she saw only the nervous excitement of someone who might have found a fellow fan—nothing suspicious.
(But… the timing is too perfect.)
(Yesterday morning I parted ways with him, and then that incident happened. Today, the very day after my pen name was exposed, he casually drops a line straight from "Love Metronome".)
Aside from the mystery of how the note had been placed so stealthily on her desk, every single event seemed to point straight at this "model student."
[Name: Kasumigaoka Utaha]
[Favorability: 15 → 18 (Suspicion slightly reduced, but not eliminated)]
"…I've read it." She spoke quietly, her tone complicated. ""Love Metronome"… is something I wrote."
"Eh?!" Yuma's eyes widened in genuine-looking shock. "R-really? Senpai is Kasapoetry-sensei?!"
His reaction was perfectly authentic—pure fanboy surprise and disbelief at meeting his idol.
"That's amazing! I had no idea senpai wasn't just top of the class—you're also writing novels! I randomly flipped through a few pages at the bookstore and thought the writing was incredible, so I couldn't help buying a copy to read at home."
Watching his excited expression, some of the suspicion in Kasumigaoka Utaha's heart melted away.
(So… he really just happened to come across it?)
[Name: Kasumigaoka Utaha]
[Favorability: 18 → 22 (Attitude beginning to soften)]
"It's nothing impressive." She turned her head away slightly. Though her tone remained flat, the icy edge was gone. "I just write casually."
"How could it be 'just casual'!" Yuma said earnestly. "I think senpai writes really well. Especially the female lead's psychological描写—it's incredibly delicate and real."
He paused, as though something had just occurred to him, and his tone became slightly hesitant:
"But… please don't get mad, senpai—I have a small suggestion…"
"What suggestion?" Kasumigaoka Utaha asked instinctively.
"I feel like… the male lead's character is a little… flat? Sometimes his actions and motivations don't feel very understandable or relatable."
He carefully avoided any mention of the sensitive topic of "cancellation," instead offering what seemed like an objective opinion from the perspective of an ordinary reader.
And that opinion happened to strike directly at one of the core problems currently plaguing "Love Metronome"
That opinion struck precisely at one of the core issues "Love Metronome" was currently facing.
Kasumigaoka Utaha fell silent.
She looked at the earnest junior in front of her who was seriously offering advice, and strangely, the suspicion and irritation in her heart began to fade.
(He… really read it, and read it carefully?)
The male lead being flat was exactly what editor Machida Sonoko had repeatedly pointed out in her recent feedback—and something she herself had vaguely noticed but struggled to fix.
She took a deep breath. A complicated light flickered in her dark red eyes.
"…Go on."
Encouraged, Yuma organized his thoughts and continued:
"For example, in Volume 1—the scene where the male lead decides to help Sayuka. Isn't his motivation a bit… too casual?
It's just because he has the 'helpful' label slapped on him, but there's almost no psychological描写 to back it up. Without that, he just ends up feeling like a stereotypical, cookie-cutter 'cardboard protagonist.'
What if you gave him a more concrete reason that actually fits his personality and background—like maybe he had an unpleasant experience in middle school because of something similar? Wouldn't that make his choice easier for readers to understand and make the character feel more three-dimensional?"
As he spoke, he carefully watched Kasumigaoka Utaha's reaction.
The girl's brows furrowed slightly—she was seriously considering his words.
(He's… making sense.)
This wasn't empty criticism; he had given a specific direction and concrete example, showing he had genuinely thought about the work.
[Name: Kasumigaoka Utaha]
[Favorability: 22 → 28 (Feels your suggestion has some value)]
"Anything else?" she asked, a faint trace of eagerness slipping into her tone.
Yuma smiled inwardly—his strategy was starting to work.
He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he pretended to think for a moment before slowly continuing:
"In Volume 2—the scene where the male lead gives the female lead a birthday present… he gives her a popular bestseller, right? It fits his 'model student' image, but it feels a little lacking in uniqueness.
What if instead he gave her an out-of-print old book related to some hidden personal interest of his? Or maybe one he found by chance in a second-hand bookstore, with a poem written on the title page by a previous owner that perfectly matches the female lead's current state of mind… Wouldn't that show more thoughtfulness, and move both the female lead and the readers more deeply?"
This suggestion was even more specific—and carried a distinctly "otaku" flavor. It clearly wasn't something he could have made up on the spot.
Kasumigaoka Utaha's eyes lit up slightly.
(An out-of-print book… a poem on the title page…)
The idea was indeed far more clever than her original "bestseller" choice. It could reveal a more sensitive side of the male lead while adding a touch of romance and uniqueness to the scene.
[Name: Kasumigaoka Utaha]
[Favorability: 28 → 35 (Beginning to acknowledge your insight)]
"…Not a bad idea." She gave a small nod of approval. "Do you… read a lot of novels usually?"
"I suppose so," Yuma smiled modestly. "I read a bit of everything—different genres, as long as it's a book."
"I think that for a good story, the characters have to feel 'alive.' Readers need to feel they're real people with blood and flesh—not just tools to move the plot forward."
He paused, then looked straight at Kasumigaoka Utaha with sincere eyes:
"I already think senpai's writing and especially the emotional of the female lead are outstanding. If you can strengthen this aspect a little more, I'm sure the work will become even more popular."
That perfectly timed compliment—combined with genuinely useful suggestions—finally softened the tension in Kasumigaoka Utaha's expression.
The corner of her mouth even lifted slightly. Though the smile was tiny, it was the first one she had shown today.
"It seems… I really underestimated you, Mikogami-kun." There was a hint of re-evaluation in her tone. "I didn't expect you to have such sharp insight into writing."
[Name: Kasumigaoka Utaha]
[Favorability: 35 → 42 (Impressed by you; willing to continue the conversation)]
"You're too kind, senpai. I'm just saying what I felt as a reader." Yuma appropriately showed a touch of bashfulness at being praised.
Kasumigaoka Utaha watched his enthusiastic demeanor, and the last trace of doubt in her heart gradually melted away.
(Maybe… it really was just a coincidence. He looks like nothing more than a simple, slightly otaku bookworm.)
The atmosphere was no longer as stiff as it had been at the beginning.
Kasumigaoka Utaha even took the initiative to open her bento box and began eating small bites.
The two of them, separated by a polite distance, ate their lunch while occasionally exchanging a few words about the plot and characters of "Love Metronome".
Most of the time it was Yuma offering detailed suggestions, while Kasumigaoka Utaha listened quietly, sometimes nodding or asking a counter-question.
[Name: Kasumigaoka Utaha]
[Favorability: 42 → 45 (Feels that discussing the work with you is very rewarding)]
(Favorability is steadily rising…)
While maintaining his "enthusiastic reader junior" persona, Yuma calmly observed the changes in her favorability.
He knew that this alone was far from enough. To truly make Kasumigaoka Utaha dependent on him, he had to provide decisive help in the most critical area—her current greatest predicament.
But he wasn't in a hurry.
Today's goal had already been overachieved: he had successfully lowered her guard, established an initial positive connection, and successfully shifted his image in her mind from "suspicious person" to "insightful reader junior."
This laid an excellent foundation for the plans that would follow.
The end-of-lunch bell rang.
"Ah, time passed so quickly." Yuma closed his bento box and stood up. "Thank you for listening to me ramble so much, senpai."
"I should be the one thanking you." Kasumigaoka Utaha also stood, smoothing the hem of her skirt. "Your suggestions… are very valuable as reference."
Her gaze rested on Yuma—less scrutinizing now, and noticeably gentler.
"If you have any more ideas in the future, you can… tell me directly."
[Name: Kasumigaoka Utaha]
[Favorability: 45 (Willing to accept your opinions)]
"Understood, Kasumigaoka-senpai." Yuma gave her a bright smile. "Then I'll head back to class first."
"Mm."
Kasumigaoka Utaha watched Yuma's retreating figure as he left the rooftop, standing in place, lost in thought.
This junior named Mikogami Yuma didn't seem quite as… boring and suspicious as she had initially imagined.
She lowered her head and looked at the bento box in her hands—only to realize that, without noticing, she had finished the entire meal.
(What a… long-lost appetite.)