Standing before the entrance of the Hehe-shi Station branch of the Koushindou Bookstore, Kagehiro Shiro glanced at the line behind him. He was standing perfectly straight, right at the very front.
Ah... as expected, he thought. Looking back, the most eye-catching person was the one directly behind him: a boy who, by every cultural stereotype, was the textbook definition of an "Otaku."
White sneakers, black trousers, and a green-and-white striped T-shirt. He wore a heavy backpack, which paired perfectly with his rounded bowl cut and thick, black-rimmed glasses. But just as his appearance suggested, he was a true fanatic to the core.
Shiro felt lucky. He had taken a taxi to arrive before the first train even ran; if he hadn't secured the first spot in line, this whole endeavor would have been meaningless.
For today, Shiro had specifically trimmed his hair—which he usually kept long enough to tie into a bun—and changed into a crisp, neutral white shirt. Combined with his toned physique from regular training, he had an appearance that made it impossible to guess his exact age or profession. He could easily pass for a university student or a fresh graduate.
He lazily scratched his ear, quietly waiting for the doors to open.
The windows on both sides of the bookstore were plastered with promotional posters for popular light novels. The most prominent, of course, was Koisuru Metronome (The Love Metronome), which already had two volumes in print. Today was the official author appreciation signing event to celebrate the reprint of Volume 2.
Essentially, it was a way for fans to see what the author looked like, to build rapport with the loyal fanbase, and to drum up publicity. Given the style of the publisher, Fujimi Bunko (Fudantsukawa), the "reveal" was likely the most important part—public appearances for certain authors often caused a massive stir.
The star of the show was the author of Love Metronome—Kasumi Utako.
Shiro held two books in his hands. One was an unopened copy of Volume 1, its wraparound band (obi) emblazoned with the flashy tagline: "Winner of the 40th Fantastic Grand Prize! The highly anticipated debut of a brilliant newcomer!"
It was a classic sales tactic. Light novels only had a twenty-year history or so, and a "40th edition" of a prize... well, one could imagine its true weight. Even a Grand Prize winner could face the axe if sales didn't keep up. Fortunately, with Volume 2 now out and a reprint already underway, the lifeblood of this series was pumping strong.
Kasumi Utako was being hailed as a "genius girl of the new era." The gimmick of her being a high school student was kept secret at her own request—likely a point of regret for the publisher, as that would have sent the hype into the stratosphere.
At exactly 8:00 AM, the bookstore staff opened the doors. Accustomed to these events, they simply said, "Thank you for waiting, this way please," and skillfully guided the long queue toward the corner designated for the signing.
Since the event hadn't officially started, Shiro, as the first fan, was led directly to the front of a cordoned-off area. He couldn't see the desk yet; the staff likely wanted to maintain a sense of mystery before Utako made her entrance.
One staff member told them to stay in line, while another—a girl with twin-tails—stood guard directly in front of Shiro. She stared straight ahead, right at him, making it impossible for him to zone out.
He took the chance to observe the store. Bright lights, waxed wooden floors, and rows of brown bookshelves filled with series. To his left were the light novels. He noticed that the titles hadn't quite reached the "absurdly long" trend yet; they were still simple and direct. Like the one in his hand, Love Metronome, which told the story of the romance between Naoto and Sayuka.
Looking around, he didn't see any copies of Love Metronome on the shelves, but he did see a book he had "written" himself. That was... ironic.
Time ticked by. The staff girl remained professionally stoic. Finally, the signing was about to begin. Shiro rotated the book in his hand, feeling a bit conflicted.
"Should I go with the 'Standard Answer'?"
Should he act like a fanatic? Spouting endless praise with a fake, masked expression?
Ah, if my 'best friend' were here, he'd probably say that a 'True Thing' can never be reached through 'Pseudo' means.
Shiro made his decision.
The staff removed the barrier. The line began to move. Shiro turned the corner and saw her: Kasumi Utako, or rather, Kasumigaoka Utaha. The former was her pen name; the latter, her real name.
Despite being a high schooler, she wore a white professional suit. She shone like a white rose in the sunlight. Her face was youthful, but her figure filled the suit with an air of maturity beyond her years. Her white pencil skirt had the elegance of a mermaid tail, though her black tights and high heels were mostly hidden by the tablecloth.
She looked up as Shiro approached. Her ruby-like eyes drew closer. A white headband sat atop her silky black hair. Her features were exquisite, her demeanor quiet—she truly lived up to her reputation as one of the two great beauties of Sobu High's sister school, Toyogasaki.
"Hello! It's a pleasure to meet you, Kasumi-sensei." Shiro calmly handed over the first volume.
"Thank you... The staff mentioned you were here quite early?" Utaha glanced at the clean, sharp-looking young man. she took the book, sat down, and reached for a black marker with her slender fingers.
"Ah, the morning air is fresh. There are a few moments in life where one simply cannot afford to be late. As a fan of yours, being first in line feels like a stroke of luck."
"You didn't have to work that hard... after all, more than half the tickets are still available," she said self-deprecatingly, though she remained poised and beautiful.
"Perhaps. But Love Metronome is the best romance novel I've read in my life."
"I appreciate the compliment."
"I've read Volume 1 five times. Each time, I'm moved by the delicate emotions. The way the two leads constantly miss each other's feelings... it's agonizingly brilliant."
It was the kind of book that made readers want to scream at the characters to just talk to each other. Every reader was a bit of a masochist, and the author was the ultimate sadist. Shiro wasn't lying about reading it five times; much like a classic like The Tale of Genji, her prose had much to teach.
"I see... you've read it that many times?"
"Yes. And as the first fan you're meeting today, I have a gift for you, Kasumi-sensei. Please, accept it."
Shiro handed over a different book.
"...?" Utaha had noticed he was carrying a second volume. She assumed it was the new Volume 2.
"The final volume hasn't been released to the public yet, but I received permission from the editor, so it's not a leak. I've already signed it. I hope you don't mind."
"!!" Utaha stared at the novel handed to her. On the cover was a white-haired girl sitting on a suitcase.
Beside her, Utaha's editor, Machida Sonoko, leaned in. She gasped as she saw the title on the cover: Yosuga no Sora.
"You... could you be Shiro-sensei?!" Sonoko recognized him instantly. He was a rising star who had debuted a year earlier than Utaha, with a similar level of hype surrounding him. They were even under the same publishing umbrella, though they had different editors.
"Yes."
"Ah..." Sonoko's mouth hung open. This was a rare sight—one top-tier rookie author coming to support another.
"Shiro-sensei!" the otaku with glasses behind Shiro shouted, his voice cracking with excitement.
The exclamation drew everyone's attention. The crowd began to whisper. "Shiro-sensei?" "Wait, is that him?" "For real?"
"Are you really Shiro-sensei?" the otaku asked.
"I am," Shiro replied with a friendly smile.
"AAAAHHH! Is God blessing me today?! I met two of my favorite authors at once!" the boy shouted, ignoring the stares. "Wait, is Shiro-sensei a fan of Kasumi-sensei too?"
"Yes."
Shiro nodded, and the boy continued excitedly, "I knew it! I love her work too. I've read it twenty times! I find something new every single time."
"I agree. Kasumi-sensei's prose is superior to mine," Shiro said, looking directly at Utaha. "The way she crafts characters is incredible. The emotional arc between Naoto and Sayuka actually gave me the inspiration for my next work."
Utaha, hearing such direct praise from a peer, lowered her head slightly to hide her reaction.
"A new! A new work! Already? Will it be as bold as your current one? I mean, the 'blood-related sister' setting in your current book is incredibly daring, isn't it?" the otaku asked.
Shiro laughed. "That's why it has an open ending. Please look forward to it. My current work is about breaking taboos. But the one inspired by Kasumi-sensei is a pure romance. I'm actually hesitating on whether I can handle it, or if I should stick to something more commercial. If I had Kasumi-sensei's talent, I wouldn't be hesitating."
Shiro's words made Utaha's marker stop. She looked up, wanting to say something.
"That's not true," Sonoko cut in. "Shiro-sensei's work is excellent. It's perfect for a game adaptation. Do you have plans for that?"
Shiro noticed Utaha's mouth was slightly open. "Kasumi-sensei?"
The words she had been about to say vanished. She stammered, "...Ah, um... Shiro-sensei, thank you for your support."
"Please, don't call me 'Sensei.' I'm just a rookie like you," Shiro said, feeling a bit awkward with the formal honorific from a peer. "Actually, would you mind if I called you 'Senpai' instead?"
"Sen... Senpai?"
"I'm just a first-year high school student from Chiba who just started his term."
"EEEEEHHHHH?!" the otaku behind him screamed again.
Sonoko watched the two with a beaming smile, marveling at this "epic" meeting. The twin stars of our publishing house have met! We are going to be rich!
Utaha's head was spinning. "Hou... Kouhai-kun (Junior)?"
He was indeed a junior. Though they went to different schools, she was a second-year student.
"No way, you don't look like a junior at all! I didn't think Shiro-sensei was so young... I mean, you look young, but you act so mature," the otaku marveled.
"Why don't we find a cafe later and keep talking?" Shiro suggested to the otaku with a friendly smile. "Kasumi-sensei is the star today; let's not get in the way of her other fans."
"Wait, really? I didn't expect Shiro-sensei to be so approachable, even to an ordinary fan like me..." The otaku stepped up to the table Shiro had vacated, handing his book to Utaha. "Please, Kasumi-sensei!"
Utaha handed the signed book back to Shiro, then took the fan's book, mechanically signing her name. "Thank you for coming today."
The fan's face was still flushed. "YES!"
Utaha watched as Shiro and the otaku walked away together. Shiro waved to the crowd as he left, saying, "Please keep supporting Kasumi-sensei! I love her work too!"
In the distance, she could hear him telling the otaku, "...about the game adaptation, I still haven't found an illustrator who satisfies me."
"Oh! I know an illustrator... Kashiwagi Eri..."
Utaha took a deep breath and turned back to the line to continue the event.
"Good work today." Utaha and Sonoko thanked the bookstore staff as the event ended.
Utaha sat back down and picked up the copy of Yosuga no Sora Shiro had left. Her fingers brushed over the name on the cover.
"Kagehiro Shiro..."
Utaha pulled out her phone and searched for his social media. She found his latest post.
"Went to Kasumi Utako-sensei's signing today. So happy. I finally understand how fans feel. Hehe."
The top comment was: "When are YOU going to hold your first signing event, you lazy author?!"
The post had massive engagement. Replies like "Exactly!" and "Slacker author!" and "Can't wait!" were everywhere.
She scrolled back and saw photos he had posted of her first and second volumes when they were released. He had written: "Highly recommended. Beautifully written. I really love Kasumi Utako-sensei's books."
She opened the book he gave her, skipping the color illustrations. Suddenly, she found a piece of paper tucked inside, the size of a page.
"What's that? What's that?" Sonoko teased, leaning in with a gossiping grin.
Ignoring her editor, Utaha opened the folded paper. It was a sketch—a very detailed pencil drawing.
It showed a boy and a girl lying diagonally across the page. They were holding photos of each other that depicted completely opposite versions of themselves: the "cool" girl was shown as a domestic housewife, and the "slacker" boy was shown as a stylish ikemen. Their hands were inches away from touching. In the space between them, a few lines were written:
Everyone has a side they don't want others to know.
Classmates with opposite personalities who had never spoken.
That's how it was.
Until we became the sharers of each other's secret time.
This was...
"Ho-ho," Sonoko whispered in her ear.
Utaha thought back to what "Shiro-sensei" had said.
Is he asking for my opinion on his new work?
"Sonoko-san... Shiro-kun is an author for our publisher too, right?"
"That's right, Utaha-chan. Why?"
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