"Miss Izumi, there's no need to be so formal. You can call me Hikigaya or Hachiman."
After receiving the drawings, Hachiman began to flip through them.
Kirito, Asuna, Lisbeth, Silica, Yui.
The characters from the book came to life one after another on the pages.
Although they were slightly different from his initial impressions, they were already quite close to the original versions.
"No wonder it's from Eromanga Sensei, the art style is quite exquisite, but why do I feel like..."
While the characters are indeed finely detailed, and their movements and expressions are quite lively, there's one common characteristic among all the female characters.
That is, the characters seem to exude a touch of sensuality.
That's right, whether it's Asuna, Lisbeth, Silica, or even Yui, they all seem to radiate a hint of sensuality.
Wait a minute, doesn't 'Eromanga' mean erotic manga?
Could it be that this lady is actually a doujinshi artist?
Looking at the refined lady in front of him, Hachiman found it somewhat hard to believe.
Yet, now that he thought about it, the title Eromanga did sound somewhat familiar.
"Miss Izumi, there are some issues with these character illustrations," he said, looking at the characters oozing sensuality.
He felt they lacked the essence of the characters.
"What kind of issues?" she inquired.
"For instance, this image of Asuna. During this period, Asuna is the leader of the Clearers and is known as the 'The Flash,' so her demeanor should be more commanding."
"And this one of Lisbeth. Her personality should be that of an optimistic and lively tomboy, but this image gives off a more delicate vibe."
"And also this one..."
Hachiman conveyed his impressions of the characters in his mind to Izumi gradually.
In their conversation, time unknowingly passed 11 o'clock.
"Oh my, it's already so late!" She glanced at her wristwatch, a hint of panic in her eyes, and quickly excused herself from Hachiman.
"Hikigaya-kun, I'll be heading back today. I'll send the revised illustrations to your email in a few days, so feel free to reach out if you have any questions!"
"Ms. Izumi, how about we grab lunch together before you go? I'd like to treat you as a token of gratitude for today's help." Glancing at the time, Hachiman extended the invitation.
"Oh, no, I can't. My daughter is home alone, so I'm not at ease leaving her."
"Miss Izumi, you already have a daughter? You still look so young," Hachiman expressed his surprise.
He hadn't expected that the other party had a daughter.
"Haha, Hikigaya-kun, you're flattering me. I turned thirty this year, and my daughter is already ten years old."
Women always appreciate compliments about their appearance.
After hearing Hachiman's words, Izumi Saori couldn't help but smile and cover her mouth with a chuckle.
"In that case, I'll be taking my leave for today. See you, Hikigaya-kun."
"Goodbye, Miss Izumi."
As he watched her departing, Hachiman couldn't help but sigh.
At 23 years old in his previous life, he reflected on the contrast between Miss Saori, who already had a ten-year-old daughter, and his own situation in his previous life.
And thinking Shizuka and Sonoko, both still without boyfriends, he couldn't help but wonder about the significant disparities in people's lives.
However, the thought of Sonoko sparked an idea in Hachiman's mind as he gazed through the window at the Kadokawa Building across the street.
Since she was in the vicinity, he decided to invite her to lunch.
With this idea in mind, he retrieved his cell phone and dialed Sonoko's number.
"Um, Hachiman?"
Sonoko, who was at work, glanced at her mobile phone in confusion upon receiving the call.
"Hey, Hachiman, what do you need?"
"Haha, Sister Sonoko, it's been a while."
"The illustrator and I were discussing illustrations today, and we happened to be near Kadokawa.
I thought of you and wondered if you'd like to join me for lunch?" Hachiman extended the invitation with a smile.
"Sure, let's have lunch together. Where are you? I'll come over right away." Upon hearing the lunch invitation, Sonoko readily agreed.
"Don't trouble yourself. I'm downstairs at Kadokawa at the moment. Just come outside."
"Alright, I'll wait for you; I'll head down now." Sonoko promptly ended the call.
After stowing his phone, Hachiman settled the bill and departed from the coffee shop.
Upon reaching the ground floor outside Kadokawa, he spotted his lovely editor emerging.
"Haha, Hachiman, it's been a while."
Seeing him, Sonoko warmly embraced him.
Feeling the two soft lumps pressing against his chest, Hachiman couldn't help but grin playfully. "Wow, Sister Sonoko, are you trying to take advantage of me? I'm still a decent guy."
"Hah, you're the one who took advantage of me, remember? And you know I'm still a young lady," Sonoko playfully chided, laughing.
"Tsk tsk tsk, boasting about being a young lady at the age of thirty, Sister Sonoko."
"Fuck you, I'm only twenty-seven. Let's not dwell on that. Instead, let's head to lunch." Sonoko playfully punched Hachiman and retrieved her car keys.
"How about going to the Yukihira restaurant like last time?"
"I'm fine with either option." Hachiman nodded indifferently.
He was here for a meal, so he didn't have strong preferences.
Moreover, the food there was consistently good.
"Great, let's hop in the car then."
After a short while, the two arrived at the Yukihira Restaurant.
"Welcome, Miss Machida is here," Soma, the person in charge of taking orders, greeted them.
It was evident that Sonoko was a frequent visitor here.
"Hey, I'm here again, Yukihira-kun."
Sonoko Machida placed their orders, and it didn't take long for Soma to bring their food over.
While they enjoyed their meal, their conversation naturally revolved around Hachiman light novel.
"Hachiman, the editor-in-chief has approved your third volume, and it will be officially published in the middle of this month."
"That's fantastic. I'm truly grateful for your assistance, Sister Sonoko," Hachiman said with a smile.
"Anyway, the most crucial thing is that your light novel is exceptionally well-written, Hachiman; otherwise, Kadokawa wouldn't have agreed to publish it so quickly," Sonoko waved her hand.
"I have some good news for you. The sales of your first volume have now surpassed 100,000 copies, which is a clear indicator of your light novel excellence. If this momentum continues, there should be no problem reaching a total sales figure of over 5 million copies for your light novel."
Towards the end, Sonoko appeared a bit excited.
"Five million, it's been a while since I've had an author with sales of five million."
"Five million is good, but my aim is ten million !" Hachiman's ambitions far exceeded the five-million mark.
"Haha, you're quite ambitious. Work hard for it! If you can reach ten million, I might just secure the position of editor-in-chief," Sonoko encouraged upon hearing his goal.
"No worries, Sister Sonoko, I guarantee you'll attain the position of editor-in-chief," Hachiman expressed his confidence in the sales prospects.
"But Hachiman, recently, Misty Hill mentioned to me that she wants to make some revisions to the first volume. Is this your suggestion for her?"
---------------------------------
A/N:
The name "Kasumigaoka" is also of Japanese origin. The meaning of "Kasumigaoka" can be broken down as follows:
- "Kasumi" means "haze" or "mist."
- "Gaoka" means "hill" or "elevated ground."
So, "Kasumigaoka" could be loosely translated as "Hazy Hill" or "Misty Hill" in English. It's a descriptive name that might evoke a place with rolling hills covered in mist or haze. Keep in mind that Japanese names, including place names, often carry poetic or evocative imagery.
-------------------------------------
Chapter 42: "A Date with Yui"
Chapter 43: (Hidden Title)
A/N
-I'll edit Katsura Kotonoha's name; I didn't realize that her first name is Kotonoha. It's been a while since I watched this anime, so I forgot about it. Recently, I went to the Kotonoha wiki and discovered her parents' last names. I can't believe I made that mistake.
-------------------------
"Misty Hill?"
Hearing this title, Hachiman raised an eyebrow.
"Are you talking about Kasumigaoka-senpai?"
"That's right, it's Utako-sensei. Aren't you from the same school?"
"Didn't I tell you before that I wanted you to help her? Then, yesterday, Utako-sensei told me that the first volume would be republished, so I wondered if this had something to do with you."
Setting aside the bowl and chopsticks, Sonoko looked at him with curiosity.
Observing her inquisitive gaze, Hachiman remained silent for a moment.
"I didn't expect that Utaha would actually act on my suggestions. Could it be that I really have some kind of protagonist aura?" Hachiman wondered.
"I did give Kasumigaoka-senpai some plot ideas for her light novel, and I also suggested that she re-release the first volume," Hachiman explained after a moment's pause.
"But I didn't anticipate that senpai would actually follow through with my suggestion."
"That goes to show that your ideas align with her desires. Otherwise, knowing Utako-sensei, she wouldn't have chosen to re-release the first volume," Machida Sonoko said with a smile, giving his shoulder a reassuring pat.
"Maybe."
"But even if senpai wants to re-release the first volume, wouldn't she have to go through the library?"
"Don't worry about that. As long as Utako-sensei's light novel is better than before, I'll handle it at the library," Sonoko promised, patting her plump breasts.
"But Hachiman, if Utako-sensei's light novel is republished by then, you'll have to help her promote it."
"Don't worry about it, Sister Sonoko. After all, I suggested to her that she rewrite the first volume, and she's still my senpai. I'll help if I feel like it," Hachiman nodded with a smile.
"Okay, I'm relieved to hear that."
After finishing their lunch, the two left Yukihira Restaurant and paid the bill.
Sonoko couldn't help but complain as she paid the bill.
After all, it was Hachiman who had invited her to eat, yet in the end, she was the one asked to foot the bill.
But complaints aside, she didn't really mind the small expense.
The benefits that Hachiman had brought her far outweighed that, so she saw it as a worthwhile investment.
After seeing him off at the station, Machida Sonoko headed back to Kadokawa to continue her work.
As Hachiman boarded the train back to Chiba, he let out a sigh of relief.
The illustrator matter was settled, and all that remained was the appointment with Yui in the afternoon.
Hachiman hoped everything would go smoothly.
...
When Hachiman returned to Chiba, it was already past 1:30, leaving less than half an hour before the agreed-upon time with Yui.
He hurried to the designated meeting place and noticed that Yui hadn't arrived yet.
Hachiman breathed a sigh of relief.
Being late for the first date would certainly upset the girls.
Finding a bench in front of the station and taking a seat, Hachiman planned to rest for a while.
Upon careful consideration, this marked the second time he had gone on a date with a girl in his two lives.
In his previous life, he had many former lovers, but their dates often felt insincere.
If it weren't for their wealth, he might not have even accepted those dates.
The only time he truly enjoyed a date was when he met her.
Not to mention the original Hikigaya Hachiman in this life.
After entering junior high school, he didn't have any friends. His situation only improved after he transmigrated.
While Hachiman was lost in thought, time quietly slipped away, and it was time for him and Yui to meet as planned.
He stood up, scanned the area, and indeed spotted Yui not far away.
"Yui!" Hachiman called out with excitement and hurried over to her.
Upon seeing his approach, Yui's face lit up with joy, but she quickly regained her composure.
While in the original work she belonged to the "in-crowd," in the present, she's a complete novice when it comes to romantic experiences.
This marked her first time taking the initiative to ask a boy out.
"Hikki! Good afternoon..." Yui greeted Hachiman weakly as he approached.
"Good afternoon, Yui. You look absolutely stunning today," Hachiman's eyes lit up as he admired her outfit.
She still had her familiar hairstyle, and she was dressed in a white mid-sleeve dress.
Her fair and slender legs shimmered in the sunlight, and she wore a pair of transparent butterfly-strap sandals on her feet.
Today, she had clearly applied some light makeup, enhancing her already delicate face, making her look even more beautiful.
Her lips, in particular, had a moist allure that was tempting to behold.
"Oh, Hikki, you're too much..." Yui's face flushed with a hint of affection as she was praised by someone she liked.
"I'm not just saying that, who made my Yui so beautiful ," Hachiman said with a smile, unable to resist reaching out to tousle Yui on her head.
"Hey... who said I'm yours, Hikki, you shameless guy."
She made a playful face at him and swatted away his mischievous hand.
"Don't mess up my hairstyle, you bad guy, Hikki."
With Hachiman's playful interruption, the tension eased, and the two of them relaxed.
Seeing that the atmosphere had lightened up, Hachiman smiled and asked, "Yui, where would you like the two of us to go today?"
"Where should we go? Let me think..."
"How about going to the movies?" Yui asked nervously, clearly lacking dating experience, and she relied on her mother's advice for guidance.
"Sure." Hachiman had no objections to her choice.
It doesn't matter what they do; what matters is who they're with.
His intentions towards Yui were pure, and he was happy to accompany her wherever she wanted to go.
Is it?
"Okay, let's go watch a movie first!" Yui's face lit up with happiness upon hearing his agreement.
"Let's go," Hachiman smiled, extending his hand towards Yui.
"There are a lot of people at the station. Give me your hand so we don't get separated."
"Hmm..." Yui hesitated for a moment as she looked at the hand he offered, but she finally shyly placed her hand in his.
Her hand was delicate, with skin as smooth as cream. Holding Yui's hand, Hachiman found himself momentarily distracted.
"This is a 2D girl's hand... It feels much different from 3D girls," he thought to himself.
The two of them walked hand in hand to the cinema.
"Yui, which movie would you like to watch?" Hachiman, maintaining his gentlemanly demeanor, allowed her to make the choice.
"Well... let's go with this one!" Yui hesitated briefly while looking at the numerous movie titles on the cinema screen, but in the end, she settled on a romantic film.
"Alright, I'll go purchase the tickets." Having made a choice, Hachiman approached the ticket counter and bought two tickets along with some popcorn and drinks.
Then, they entered the screening room together.
Upon entering the screening room, Hachiman noticed that it wasn't very crowded.
Most of the moviegoers were couples, seated together in pairs.
"Well, it seems like visiting places like movie theaters can be a bit tough for single dogs," he thought, but quickly added mentally, "But fortunately, I have company today. So, single dogs, be envious."
They found seats for two, and Hachiman and Yui settled in together.
"Here, Yui," he said, offering her the popcorn and drink with a soft smile.
"Hey, thank you, Hikki," Yui replied with her trademark silly grin.
Soon, the movie began to play...
Paragraph comment
Paragraph comment feature is now on the Web! Move mouse over any paragraph and click the icon to add your comment.
Also, you can always turn it off/on in Settings.
GOT IT