Chapter 175: The Persistence of Utaha Kasumigaoka (2)
"I don't have any issues here. You've already gone through the trouble, Hachiman," Utaha responded, rejecting Hachiman's offer to help.
In her heart, Utaha was determined to finish her novel on her own, no matter the difficulties. She wanted to prove that she could achieve success without relying on anyone.
Hachiman was puzzled by Utaha's refusal. Based on his conversation with Sonoko, things should have gone smoothly this time, considering he had already helped her once before.
"I don't have any issues here, so please return, Hachiman. I'm feeling a bit tired and would like to rest a little more," Utaha said calmly.
Hearing this, Hachiman's eyebrows furrowed even deeper. He sensed that the girl was somewhat rejecting his presence.
Had he done something to upset her? He tried to recall their interactions but couldn't identify any apparent cause for her behavior. In fact, since their return from the seaside, Utaha had been acting peculiarly, seemingly avoiding him.
Hachiman contemplated whether the events at the beach had somehow affected her, but this theory didn't seem to fit her character. Utaha was known for actively pursuing those she was interested in, as was evident in the original story where she playfully teased the protagonist.
He realized that among all the girls he now knew, aside from Kotonoha, Saeko, and Yui, Utaha had displayed the most affection toward him. He had seen hints of her interest during their time at the beach, manifested in her flirtatious behavior.
This behavior was evident in her intentional or unintentional flirtation, and it had Hachiman perplexed about her recent change in attitude.
Hachiman found Utaha's rejection perplexing and couldn't simply leave without fulfilling his promise to Sonoko. Besides, it was a matter of his pride, and he couldn't back down so easily.
As Utaha prepared to see him off, Hachiman took a step ahead and gently grasped her wrist, which startled her.
"Hachiman, what are you doing?" she inquired, her tone laced with curiosity and a hint of surprise.
Hachiman replied with a cheerful demeanor, "Nothing much, but I did promise Sonoko, so I can't just leave like this. I need to assist you, as I said."
Utaha, with evident annoyance in her glare, responded, "Hmph, that's your promise; it has nothing to do with me."
To her, it seemed like he wouldn't have come if it weren't for Sonoko's request, and this naturally upset her.
"I don't need your help, so just leave," Utaha stated with a hint of displeasure, maintaining her assertive stance.
Hachiman couldn't help but be slightly amused by this change in her demeanor. He considered a strategy for dealing with assertive individuals, especially assertive girls.
He remembered that in such cases, it was essential to be more assertive than they were. If you displayed weakness in their presence, they would become more dominant. However, if you asserted your dominance, they would naturally follow your lead.
Of course, he added with a wry smile, if they had a particularly fiery temper, there was the risk of receiving a good punch.
Utaha, despite her assertive nature, was not a violent girl. She had a genuinely gentle personality.
"Well, that won't do. Today, I won't leave until I find out what's going on," Hachiman stated, firmly pushing her back into her chair.
He placed his hands on Utaha's shoulders, his gaze locked onto her. Despite her 168 cm height, which was already tall for a girl, it still fell short compared to Hachiman's 180 cm stature. She found herself looking up at him, feeling a bit nervous.
"Hachiman, what do you want..."
"I don't want to do anything right now, I just want to figure out what's going on with you, Utaha," Hachiman replied, his lips curling into a mischievous smile.
"But, if you don't tell me, who knows what might happen," he added, his voice carrying a hint of threat.
Utaha dismissed his threat with confidence, saying, "Hmph, forget it. I won't tell you."
Hachiman, with a sly grin, slowly lowered his head. Just as his face was inches away from Utaha's, he stopped once more.
"Utaha, are you really not going to tell me?"
"Hmph, I won't say it. Let's see what you can do to me."
As Hachiman remained close to Utaha, she could feel his warm breath on her face. Her stubbornness was evident in her words, but beneath the surface, there was a hint of anticipation and nervousness.
"Utaha, you're quite stubborn," Hachiman commented, locking his gaze onto her wine-red eyes. He slowly turned his head away, sensing her disappointment.
"Well, I guess I'll have to use my last resort!" Hachiman declared, and before Utaha could react, he leaned in and planted a passionate kiss on her tempting red lips.
"Um..."
Initially taken aback by the unexpected kiss, Utaha's eyes widened in surprise, but then she slowly closed them. In contrast to the shyness that often accompanied a first kiss, Utaha actively responded. This was what she had been waiting for, her ultimate goal in writing a perfect novel—to make Hachiman choose her.
Now that Hachiman had taken the initiative to kiss her, everything else seemed unimportant.
Utaha fully immersed herself in the passionate kiss, responding with equal enthusiasm.
Sensing her enthusiastic response, Hachiman couldn't help but think, "As expected," and continued to reciprocate.
After what felt like an eternity, they finally separated their lips with the distinct sound of a wine cork being opened. Utaha's cheeks were adorned with a faint blush, and she teased him in a good mood.
"Wow, how rude, Hachiman-kun. You just took away my first kiss without consent. If you don't explain yourself properly, I might have to call the police," she playfully remarked, her rosy lips slightly parted.
Hachiman chuckled in response. "How can it be considered rude when two people are mutually attracted to each other?"
"Hmph, who said we're mutually attracted? It was you who kissed me out of the blue without my consent," Utaha retorted, huffing.
"True, I didn't have your consent, but you didn't resist either. In fact, you seemed more eager than I was," Hachiman pointed out as he released her shoulder and stood up straight.
Utaha rolled her eyes at his remark. Unconcerned with her eye-rolling, Hachiman realized that after their kiss, the issue was not that she disliked him, but something else was bothering her.
"Now, can you tell me what happened to you?"
Chapter 176: Hachiman's Mini Classroom Resumes!
"It's all because of you," the girl exclaimed, rolling her eyes in his direction.
"Me?" Hachiman was perplexed, pointing at himself.
"But you were the one who used to avoid me before, and now you're flipping the script on me."
"It's your fault, really. You, with your exceptional qualities, have drawn more and more girls towards you, each with their unique charms."
"What's maddening is that you, this fool, haven't shown any interest in me."
Utaha initially scolded Hachiman, then gradually disclosed the situation. After all, they had already shared a kiss, so there was no point in keeping it a secret.
"So, I had to take the initiative, thinking that if I could write an outstanding novel on my own, it would prove that I'm worthy of being your girlfriend."
"Who would have thought it would turn out like this."
In the end, a hint of grievance crossed the girl's face.
She genuinely wanted to achieve it on her own, but things didn't go as planned. The more she pursued perfection, the more she struggled to write, which is why she ultimately brought Hachiman into the picture.
But the result was good; Hachiman had already kissed her. All that remained was a confession, and they could officially become a couple.
Hmm.
Upon grasping the entire story, Hachiman felt rather dumbfounded.
Could it be that being outstanding is also a fault?
"Do you really have to go to such lengths just to write an excellent novel? You've even scared Sonoko, so she specifically asked me to come and check on you," Hachiman said, feeling somewhat helpless.
Utaha, upon hearing this, pouted unhappily. "You fool, are you suggesting you wouldn't have come to see me if Sonoko hadn't told you to?"
Women could be quite unreasonable at times. It was you who was avoiding me before, and now you're blaming me for not paying attention to you.
Hachiman felt a bit of a headache, but sometimes, you had to comfort them.
"Alright, alright, my bad. But your previous novel, 'Koisuru Metronome,' did quite well, didn't it?"
"An 1.8 million sales figure is already quite outstanding for a novice writer."
Utaha, hearing this, gave him a not-so-friendly look.
"Compared to you, the author of two novels that sold over ten million copies each, what's my nearly two million sales worth? Plus, you helped me with it."
Well, you can't really compare mine. I have a 'cheat code,' and you don't.
But he couldn't say that, so Hachiman offered some words of comfort.
"Our novel genres are different. Light-hearted, high-fantasy genres like me are naturally more accessible to readers. Writing school romance novels like yours takes more skill."
"I understand that. So, I'm not aiming for over ten million in sales like you. If I can reach five million, I'd be satisfied," the girl nodded, her expression somewhat helpless.
"But right now, I have no idea how to write it."
"In that case, let me take a look at what you've written so far?" Hachiman suggested.
"Well... okay, come with me," Utaha hesitated for a moment but eventually agreed.
She stood up and led Hachiman to her room on the second floor. That kiss a moment ago had truly broken down the barriers in her heart.
In the girl's room on the second floor, everything was pitch dark.
After turning on the light, they were greeted by a slightly messy double bed, with lingerie underwear and stockings scattered carelessly on it.
As Hachiman observed this scene, his expression was somewhat peculiar, and he shifted his gaze to Utaha, who was busy working on her computer beside him.
At this moment, the girl was wearing only a pristine white nightgown, with her lingerie strewn across the bed. In other words, she was currently nearly bare.
With this in mind, a hint of desire flickered in Hachiman's eyes.
For someone who had already tasted the forbidden fruit, he was well aware of its allure. He had been ogling the girl's body for quite some time. Moreover, judging from their recent kiss, there was a high probability that she'd agree to go further.
"Alright, Hachiman, please have a look," Utaha said, opening her manuscript. As she turned towards him, she couldn't help but notice the intensity of Hachiman's gaze.
Glancing at the scattered lingerie and stockings on the bed, she could easily surmise his thoughts. She playfully gave him a seductive wink.
"Aren't you going to begin reading?"
"Oh, yes, I should. I should."
Hearing her words, Hachiman snapped back to reality, recognizing the importance of the task at hand. He promptly pulled a chair up to the table, seated himself, and delved into reviewing the manuscript.
The word count wasn't particularly extensive, likely around 30,000 words, so he swiftly completed his reading.
Upon finishing, his expression took on an intriguing quality.
It seemed that the girl might have inadvertently drawn from her own experiences when shaping the narrative. The central theme of the story could be succinctly encapsulated in three words: "competing for a man."
The storyline revolved around a female protagonist who was, in many respects, "average," entangled in a rivalry with a group of female characters, each possessing unique talents, all vying for the affection of the male lead.
This situation reminded him of a novel from his previous life, titled "How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend."
Though not the same story, the central plot bore remarkable similarities. The female protagonist had transitioned from Kato Megumi to the current Utaha Kasumigaoka.
"But where are you 'average'? Just being a beautiful young novelist already sets you apart from the crowd."
With these thoughts in mind, Hachiman's expression took on an intriguing quality.
"What's wrong? Did I make a mistake in my writing somewhere?" Utaha asked, puzzled, noticing his peculiar expression.
"It's nothing. It's just that the female protagonist in this story is probably based on you, isn't she?"
"That's correct. The female protagonist is me, and the other female characters are those girls from the beach the other day. As for the male lead, naturally, it's you."
"Speaking of which, I have to thank you. You gave me excellent inspiration," the girl remarked, shooting him a fierce glare.
Hachiman raised his hands in an innocent gesture. Could he be blamed for being outstanding?
"But even if the idea is excellent, I'm still stuck, and sometimes I have no idea how to continue writing."
Towards the end, Utaha let out a somewhat disheartened sigh.
Despite having established the central plot, she often struggled with how to further develop the content, leaving her feeling somewhat uneasy.
Upon hearing her words, Hachiman took a moment to ponder.
"Actually, Utaha, you've fallen into a trap. The role of the female protagonist, Uta, is just an ordinary person. How could an ordinary person be so perfect? Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses."
From the manuscript he had just read, it was evident that the girl had high hopes for this novel. There were traces of revisions in many places, especially in the character development. In many instances, perfection was intentionally pursued, but the more perfect something is, the harder it is to convey.
"Excessive perfection can make readers feel it's unrealistic. Where can you find an ordinary girl who excels in everything?"
With Hachiman's calm voice, the "Hachiman's Mini Classroom" was back in session!
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