"Where did you buy this red bean jelly?" Kazuhiko Torishima asked with genuine interest.
Having tasted it, he couldn't help but want more.
"A neighbor gave it to me," Kai explained.
He picked up a piece for himself.
"The sweetness of the red beans isn't overpowering. The overall flavor is light, and combined with the delicate texture, it's really something special."
It wasn't too sweet, and Kai liked it a lot.
He hadn't expected his neighbor, Tsukasa, to not only be beautiful and kind-hearted but to have culinary skills this refined. It genuinely impressed him.
...
Torishima left with the signed contract but left Heishi behind so he could brief Kai on the preliminary preparations and work arrangements for the serialization.
Kai saw Torishima out and spotted Tsukasa cleaning her front entrance. He nodded at her in greeting.
Torishima followed Kai's gaze, and his eyes narrowed instantly.
"Editor Tsukasa. I didn't expect you to live near Kanzaki-sensei's home."
"To... Torishima... Editor-in-Chief..." Tsukasa's mouth fell open. She hurriedly set down her broom, walked quickly to the front of the Fujin home, and bowed. "Good afternoon, Editor-in-Chief Torishima."
"Mm." Torishima nodded. "Good afternoon."
Kai was stunned. "You two know each other?"
Torishima explained. "This young lady is the most outstanding editor at Weekly Shonen Magazine. If it weren't for the fact that she's a woman, she might have become their next Editor-in-Chief."
"You flatter me too much," Tsukasa said, brushing hair from her forehead. "I was just lucky. The manga artist I'm in charge of is hardworking and exceptionally talented."
Torishima gave a cold laugh and didn't argue.
Jump being overtaken by Magazine was partly Tsukasa's doing. Her being humble in front of him was basically saying Jump wasn't worth mentioning.
"Fujin," Tsukasa looked at Kai, her big eyes blinking. "I didn't expect you to be the famous Ryuji Kanzaki. Your Death Note is really interesting. It's a pity."
"What's a pity?!" Heishi stepped in front of Kai protectively, his voice sharp with nerves.
Tsukasa shook her head, her pale yellow hair accessory swaying with the motion, adding a touch of playfulness to her otherwise calm demeanor. Combined with her looks, she could truly claim the title of number one beauty in the male-dominated editorial world.
Seeing this, Torishima couldn't help but draw a sharp breath. He pulled Heishi aside and whispered a few words.
Heishi nodded repeatedly.
Kai watched the three of them and felt oddly left out.
He seemed to be standing outside the situation entirely, only able to watch the people in front of him scheme.
Tsukasa maintained a respectful distance, not overstepping.
"I'll be going now." She called out to Torishima, then leaned in and said quietly to Kai, "Judging by the situation, you've already signed a serialization contract with Jump, haven't you? Editor-in-Chief Torishima really is experienced. He didn't let Magazine get a foot in the door."
"Also, for a talent like you, Fujin, no publisher would give up."
"If only I'd met you sooner."
She turned and walked away. A gust of wind lifted the hem of her skirt, revealing her pale calves and adding a flash of color to her long red dress.
It also added something to Kai's field of vision that lingered a moment too long.
...
Torishima left with worry on his mind, while Heishi stayed behind, casually scanning Kai's living room studio.
"Computer, check. Fax machine, check. Printer, check. Drafting desk, check. Tools, check... Not bad. You've prepared well. This is more than enough."
"Next is the assistant situation. Do you need me to arrange someone for you?"
At that, Yuta Kawata, who had been practically invisible for a while, stepped forward.
"This is Kawata. My best partner." Kai introduced him.
"Hello, Editor Heishi."
"Hello." Heishi nodded.
"One assistant isn't going to cut it, though." He pulled out a small notebook and flipped through it. "I'll find two more for you."
"Thank you."
Serializing a weekly manga was complex work. Without a reliable editor handling the logistics, Kai couldn't manage all the moving parts on his own.
The dependable Heishi, who had his back from day one, was a nearly perfect editor. There was only one flaw: he wasn't a pretty girl.
"Everything's settled." Heishi let out a long sigh of relief. "Now then… Fujin, how about we hit up a club in Ginza tonight? Kawata, you're coming too."
"In the middle of the day?! What kind of club are you talking about?"
Kai protested loudly.
"It should at least be in the evening." Yuta said, throwing his arm around Kai's shoulder.
So that evening, Kai witnessed firsthand what it meant to be immersed in luxury and excess.
Red evening gowns. Fair skin. Diamond necklaces glittering against collarbones. Elegant, polished hostesses pressing Kai's rough hands onto their thighs, the sensation impossibly smooth.
And their breath in his ear, sweet and warm. "Boss." "Darling." "Sweetheart."
The party wound down. Yuta wanted to go to a second round with Heishi.
Kai took a taxi home.
His hair was a mess, his steps were unsteady, and he was chuckling to himself like an idiot.
"Fujin."
Beside a streetlamp in the dark, someone called his name.
She was wearing a plain white yukata and holding a round fan. Her face was bare, no makeup at all. She carried the clean scent of soap, which washed away every trace of the perfume and powder that had been clinging to Kai since the club.
"Are you okay?"
Tsukasa took hold of Kai's arm, looking concerned.
Kai asked, his head swimming. "What were you doing out, Tsukasa-san?"
"There was a shrine festival in Yurakucho today. It was really lively." She paused. "I was actually going to invite you to come with me."
"That's really too bad. Hehe." Kai grinned sloppily.
"Fujin, you're drunk." Tsukasa frowned slightly.
"Mm... yeah." Kai nodded vaguely.
"This is a problem. I can't just leave you here."
She leaned him against herself, then guided him step by step to his front door.
"Fujin, where are your keys?"
Kai was barely coherent. He fumbled through his pockets for what felt like forever before finally fishing out the keys.
Tsukasa took them and unlocked the door. The house inside was surprisingly clean.
That was Yuta's doing.
Tsukasa set Kai down on the living room sofa, then caught her breath. Her eyes swept the room, and she noticed a thin blanket draped over the chair by the drafting desk. She ignored the Death Note manuscript sitting next to it, grabbed the blanket, and walked back to spread it over Kai.
"Fujin, are you feeling any better?"
Kai's head lolled to the side, drool trailing from the corner of his mouth. "Bet... better..."
"Honestly..." Tsukasa shook her head. She went to the kitchen, heated some water, soaked a towel, and came back to crouch in front of Kai and wipe his face.
The warm towel against his skin, the gentle dabbing, made Kai feel like a human being again.
In his past life, whenever he got drunk at a work dinner, he'd just stumble home and pass out. After waking up with a headache, he'd tough it out until it faded.
This was the first time anyone had taken care of him like this.
No matter how good the hostesses at the club were at stimulating his senses, none of it compared to this. Simple, quiet tenderness.
At the end of the day, Kai's dream, beyond making money, had always been the same: marry a gentle woman and build a life together.
...
In the bar, Heishi thought about how he'd completed the mission Torishima had given him, and a smug grin spread across his face.
"Now that Kai's seen the flashy side of nightlife, he won't fall for a honey trap so easily, right?"
"I am simply a tactical genius."
_______________________
Next bonus chapter at 666
Get 1 Bonus Chapter for every 333 Power Stones and earn up to 3 Bonus Chapters every week!
Support me at patreon.com/CulturedOne and read 50 Advanced Chapters