บท 184: Ch 184. Photography is an Art
"Welcome to... Kasumigaoka-senpai?"
Hearing the server in front of him call Kasumigaoka by name, Hoshimi raised an eyebrow slightly, pressing his fingertips lightly on the back of Kasumigaoka's hand. "Utaha, care to introduce us?"
Kasumigaoka frowned slightly, showing a hint of impatience. "I mentioned him to you before—the president of that gaming club... A...Aki."
Aki?
Kasumigaoka probably meant to say "Aho," didn't she?
[T/N: Aho = Idiot]
Hoshimi quickly connected the dots and began to scrutinize the server standing before him from head to toe.
So, this is the childhood friend that Eriri used to go on and on about? Doesn't seem like much...
Average height, not too tall or short, with black-rimmed glasses and hair that wasn't particularly styled—just an ordinary straight bang. He looked like a typical well-behaved student.
Overall, there wasn't anything particularly noteworthy about him, the kind of person you'd lose in a crowd.
However...
Upon closer inspection, you could see that this childhood friend had a good facial structure and quite nice skin. If he took off his glasses, his attractiveness might increase significantly.
Hoshimi raised his eyebrows slightly, his expression turning a bit peculiar.
A hidden handsome face behind glasses—this setup felt familiar...
Add a wealthy heiress as a childhood friend and a high school girl novelist as a senpai...
Hmm... Could this be the plot of some light novel protagonist?
If you throw in a main love interest, a mischievous kouhai, and a distant female cousin of the same age, you've got all the elements of a classic harem light novel.
"Um..." Being scrutinized by Hoshimi made Aki Tomoya uneasy.
As a fellow male, he could sense a deeply hidden hostility in Hoshimi's gaze, which made him uncomfortable...
"This..." Since it was their first meeting, Hoshimi didn't know Aki Tomoya's name and wasn't sure how to address him.
After a brief pause, Hoshimi opted for the most common form of address.
"Sir, if I may ask, do you happen to know a recently acquainted, very distinctive girl your age, a mischievous kouhai, and a distant female cousin you're particularly close to?"
"Uh..." Aki Tomoya's pupils shrank as he nervously adjusted his glasses. "Um, sir, what are you talking about? I don't understand."
As he spoke, Aki Tomoya seemed to realize something. He suddenly looked at the hands Hoshimi and Kasumigaoka were holding and raised his voice, asking excitedly, "Excuse me, what's your relationship with Kasumigaoka-senpai?"
"What relationship?" Hoshimi smiled, squeezing Kasumigaoka's soft hand as he passed the question to her.
Kasumigaoka raised their interlocked hands before Aki Tomoya, her expression indifferent, leaving no room for misinterpretation.
"Uh..." Aki Tomoya was stunned, his lips opening and closing as if he wanted to say something.
But Kasumigaoka didn't give him a chance. She silently pulled Hoshimi by the hand and headed towards an empty booth by the window.
"Utaha, how about over there?"
Midway, Hoshimi suddenly pointed to a booth in the corner of the restaurant.
"Sure." Kasumigaoka didn't mind, letting Hoshimi take the lead and guide her to the corner booth.
Just as they sat down, a now-composed Aki Tomoya hurried over to fulfill his role as a server.
"Kasumigaoka-senpai, and sir, what would you like to order?"
While asking, Aki Tomoya secretly observed Hoshimi from the corner of his eye.
White hair, red eyes, strikingly handsome with a tall, slender figure, and a faint smile always lingering on his lips—definitely the popular "normie" type.
Without a doubt, this guy was an enemy of the class!
Given the hostility Hoshimi showed earlier, Aki Tomoya was half-convinced that this "normie" was one of those scumbags who specialized in deceiving women's hearts!
So, he had to warn Kasumigaoka-senpai—she mustn't fall into this scumbag's trap!
"Hm~" Hoshimi glanced at Aki Tomoya and suddenly let out a cryptic chuckle.
"Hmm?" Kasumigaoka looked at Hoshimi in confusion. "What's so funny?"
"Nothing." Hoshimi smiled, asking, "Utaha, have you decided what to order?"
A knowing glint flashed in Kasumigaoka's eyes. She glanced at Aki Tomoya and casually said, "I'll have a Set C."
Hoshimi immediately followed, "I'll have the same."
"Alright, two Set Cs."
With the order placed, Aki Tomoya had no reason to linger, so he reluctantly walked away with his order pad.
Once Aki Tomoya was out of earshot, Kasumigaoka propped her chin on her hand and asked with interest, "Hoshimi, what was so funny just now?"
Hoshimi leaned forward, saying playfully, "Utaha, your kouhai is a bit arrogant, isn't he?"
"Oh? Why do you say that?" Kasumigaoka was intrigued. She was curious about how Hoshimi would assess that idiot president.
"Making presumptions about others and forming judgments in his mind, labeling them—doesn't that count as arrogance?"
No amount of glasses could hide the malice in those eyes. This childhood friend of hers was a bit naive...
"Presumptions?" Kasumigaoka squinted, a dangerous glint flashing in her wine-red eyes. "Hoshimi, what did he presume about you?"
Hoshimi shrugged nonchalantly, "Who knows? But it's definitely not something good."
"..." Kasumigaoka fell silent, but the dangerous aura in her eyes grew stronger.
Judging Hoshimi? Hoshimi was her man. What right did that idiot Aki Tomoya have to judge him?
If it was just a simple judgment, she could pretend not to know, but if he spread it around, he shouldn't blame her for being ruthless.
"Utaha~"
"Hmm?" Kasumigaoka turned to Hoshimi.
"Click—"
The sound of a camera shutter accompanied by a flash went off.
"..." Kasumigaoka was speechless as she looked at Hoshimi, who was holding his phone to take a picture.
She lightly kicked Hoshimi's leg. "Hoshimi, don't you know when to take pictures? What's there to capture right now?"
Hoshimi smiled as he waved his phone. "No, it's precisely moments like this that are worth capturing. Utaha, you looked very cute just now~"
Kasumigaoka blushed slightly, rolling her eyes at Hoshimi, too lazy to argue with him.
If he wanted to take pictures, let him. After all, she was a beautiful woman; no matter how the pictures turned out, she wouldn't look bad.
However, Hoshimi's photo-taking reminded her that their date today was missing something. She should also take some photos of Hoshimi later as a keepsake.
And they might come in handy someday.
"Utaha, do you want to take a photo together later?" Hoshimi suddenly asked.
Kasumigaoka raised an eyebrow, suppressing her surprise as she nodded calmly. "Sure."
Hoshimi's ability to read people's thoughts was as sharp as ever. Just as she was thinking of taking pictures, he brought it up himself.
Perfect timing…
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