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6.04% Life As Hikigaya Hachiman / Chapter 34: [34] An Unexpected Message from Her

章節 34: [34] An Unexpected Message from Her

At eight o'clock in the evening, Hachiman emailed the completed and revised third volume to both Machida Sonoko and the illustrator.

"Got it. Thanks!" Sonoko Machida's quick reply indicated that she was once again putting in extra hours.

The illustrator, in contrast to the busy Sonoko, responded a bit later, "I've received the files. I'll start working on a few initial drafts in the upcoming days."

Reading the responses from the two, Hachiman also let out a sigh of relief.

The ordeal of finalizing the third volume was now behind him, and all that remained was to wait until Saturday to confer with the illustrator about merging the volume illustrations.

After a good stretch, Hachiman opted to treat himself to a relaxing bath.

He made his way to the living room, exchanged greetings with Komachi, who was engrossed in watching anime on the sofa, and then proceeded into the bathroom.

Starting with a thorough shower, Hachiman settled into the bathtub, letting the warm water soothe his body.

"Ah~~!"

He let out a contented sigh as he settled into the bathtub's comfortable water, submerging his entire body.

The Japanese had an interesting bathing tradition. They preferred to cleanse themselves under the shower first and then indulge in a leisurely soak in the bathtub, savoring the sensation of bathing.

Before his transmigration, he had come across a news article about a Japanese idol selling his own bathwater, fetching a surprisingly high price. Little did he anticipate that someone would actually buy it.

Is this what they mean by loving someone unconditionally? Even their bathwater isn't off-limits!

Japan is also known for its peculiar merchandise, like perfumes that replicate the scent of a young woman's stockings or pillows that mimic the feel of a girl's knee. These eccentric items were definitely not something he would ever consider buying.

With the money they cost, wouldn't it be more satisfying to enjoy a hearty meaty meal?

Following his refreshing bath, Hachiman reentered the room, feeling rejuvenated. It was just nine o'clock, too early to sleep, so he retrieved his phone and began playing games to pass the time.

....

Within the dimly lit room, the sound of keystrokes reverberated.

Utaha's gaze remained fixed on the screen, her expression displaying clear dissatisfaction. A subtle click of her tongue escaped her lips as her shapely legs, clad in alluring black silk, danced restlessly beneath the table.

Amid the whirlwind of thoughts racing through her mind, a sense of helplessness took over. The ability to string together even a single sentence now eluded her.

Resorting to her phone, she located a particular number. After a brief hesitation, she decided to initiate contact by sending a text message first.

"Are you there? Hikigaya-kun, I'm Kasumigaoka Utaha."

Inside Hachiman's room at his house:

Hachiman, who was engrossed in conversation with Yui, was suddenly interrupted by a text message from Utaha on his mobile phone.

"Kasumigaoka-senpai?"

Surprised by the message's content, Hachiman wasn't expecting his proud senpai to actually message to him.

While he did indeed harbor desires for his senpai's body, he wasn't a protagonist like Aki with any sort of main character halo bonuses, even though he had a protagonist halo. He couldn't be certain whether the proud Utaha would actually seek him out, despite what Sonoko had suggested.

The fact that she had actually taken the initiative to contact him caught him off guard.

However, since she had initiated contact, Hachiman wasn't about to let this golden opportunity slip away. "Well, uhm..., Kasumigaoka-senpai, why did you contact me?"

"Although it's a bit embarrassing, I have some questions about my light novel that I'd like to ask you. I hope it's not an inconvenience," came Utaha's prompt reply.

"Of course, no problem at all. I'd be more than happy to help," Hachiman assured. Naturally, he wasn't about to turn down a chance to gain favor.

Upon reading the message's contents, Utaha let out a relieved sigh.

It was her first time seeking help, and reaching out to a junior in a lower grade who had previously assisted in promoting her light novel on his blog was making her feel both embarrassed and apprehensive.

If she were to be rejected, the mere thought of it made her feel ashamed.

Swiftly, she sent the time and location.

"Then, I'll appreciate your help, Hikigaya-kun. Let's meet on the rooftop during lunch break tomorrow!"

"Of course, no trouble at all. I'll be there on time tomorrow."

"Thank you very much, Hikigaya-kun. See you tomorrow!"

"See you tomorrow, Kasumigaoka-senpai."

After setting the phone aside, Utaha reclined on the bed. A pair of elegantly curved black silk-clad legs were slightly bent, tracing an enticing outline, while her ten toes curled like cardamom pods.

"I hope this 'Wakamono-sensei' can assist me," Utaha pondered in silence.

"Sword Art Online" had garnered remarkable sales figures, and the person she was reaching out to possessed undeniable writing talent. However, the thematic differences between their novels were stark. While he could be hailed as a genius in the realm of intense battles, his prowess in portraying youthful romance remained a question.

Lost in these thoughts, the girl gradually drifted into slumber.

On the other hand, after bidding farewell to Utaha, Hachiman felt intrigued by the fact that his proud senpai would actually ask for help. He thought about how he might be the one to take the initiative to bring them closer by offering assistance.

Now that he had the chance to get closer to his senpai, the outcome depended on whether he could seize the opportunity.

He had already read his senpai's light novel.

There was no doubt about the writing style, and the characterizations were quite refined—indeed, these were the novel's indelible strengths.

However, the shortcomings were also evident. The plot felt overly linear, lacking the ebbs and flows that engage readers. If it remained a mere sweet romance novel, there was a risk of readers growing weary of it.

With some effort invested in enhancing the plot, this novel undoubtedly had the potential to gain popularity.

At the thought of this, a smile graced Hachiman's lips. He had already brainstormed ways to elevate it. The subsequent step was to meet his senpai during the lunch break tomorrow.

Having quelled the excitement within him, Hachiman eventually drifted into sleep.

During the lunch break on the following day:

"Hachiman, care to grab lunch together?" Zaimokuza approached Hachiman the moment the lesson materials were ready.

Initially, Zaimokuza would have eaten alone, but now that he had a friend like Hachiman to share meals with, Zaimokuza wasn't about to pass up the opportunity.

"Having lunch together sounds great, but I'm afraid it won't work out today. I have something to take care of," Hachiman replied, feeling a touch of guilt as he looked at Zaimokuza's eager expression.

However, when thoughts of his senpai's lovely black legs crossed his mind, any trace of guilt quickly dissipated.

"What's the matter? Do you need my help?" Zaimokuza inquired, still valuing his hard-won friendship with Hachiman.

"No, no, it's just a personal matter. I can handle it on my own."

Just a jest, as if he would resort to a gang's tactics for something like picking up girls.

"Alright then, let's plan for a meal together next time," Zaimokuza responded, a hint of disappointment visible on his face.

"Absolutely, next time for sure. Well, I'll head out now."

With a wave to Zaimokuza, Hachiman exited the classroom.


創作者的想法
Leonzky Leonzky

Bonus Chapter 1/2

章節 35: [35] A Conversation about Utaha's Dilemma

Having purchased some food at the canteen, Hachiman made his way hurriedly to the rooftop. As he pushed open the door, he found Utaha seated on a bench, almost as though she had been awaiting his arrival.

Her long black hair gently swayed in the breeze, while her straight and slender legs, encased in black silk stockings, glistened alluringly in the sunlight.

Uncertain of his own desires, Hachiman couldn't help but be captivated by those exquisite black-stockinged legs the moment he stepped in.

Closing the door behind him with a fluid motion, Hachiman approached Utaha, his expression carrying a touch of apology. "I'm sorry for making you wait, Kasumigaoka-senpai."

Utaha's response was reassuring, "No worries, Hikigaya-kun. I had just arrived myself." It was clear that Hachiman's acting skills were impressive, as Utaha simply smiled upon seeing the apology etched on his face.

"If my guess is correct, you haven't had lunch yet, Senpai. If you're okay with it, please have this," Hachiman offered, producing a pineapple bun and a carton of milk and passing them over to her.

"This..." Utaha hesitated for a moment, looking at the bread and milk he handed over. After all, the two of them weren't too familiar with each other, and she was quite confident in her appearance. If Hachiman added something strange to it, wouldn't she be in danger?

"It's okay, senpai. As long as you pay, it's 550 yen," Hachiman grinned, knowing her concerns and anticipating her hesitation with his well-thought-out plan.

This kind of operation left Utaha momentarily speechless. If he were to take a step to encourage her to eat it, shouldn't it be offered for free? Why would there be a need to pay?

Nevertheless, this also helped ease some of her concerns. After hesitating for a moment, she accepted the bread and milk.

"Well then, thank you, Hikigaya-kun," she said, retrieving 550 yen from her wallet and handing it over.

"Thank you for your patronage."

Taking the coin, Hachiman smiled and asked, "Can I sit down?"

"Please," Utaha replied, glancing at the still-empty bench. She had no intention of occupying it alone.

Hachiman sat down a short distance away from her, then tore open the package of bread in his hand. "I don't know what you want to ask about the light novel, senpai," he said.

Hearing him dive straight into the topic, Utaha raised her eyebrows, though she didn't mind. "It's about the plot of my light novel. I wonder if you can give me some advice."

"Of course, it's no problem. You can ask whatever you want, and as long as I can help, I'll definitely assist," Hachiman replied with a chuckle.

"Then thank you, Hikigaya-kun," Utaha said, her mood brightening after his words. "I wanted to write a pure love story, but after finishing the first volume, I had ideas for the third volume. However, I'm stuck on the second volume. I have no clue about the plot, so I'm hoping you can give me some ideas."

"Actually, I've also read your light novel," Hachiman replied, not immediately addressing her request.

"Have you read my novel?" Utaha asked in pleasant surprise. She hadn't expected this junior, who was also an author, to have read her work.

She had assumed he promoted her light novel to prevent its decline, thanks to her editor's arrangement, and wasn't certain if he had actually read it. Nevertheless, she felt gratitude because sometimes when an author recommends a novel, and it turns out to be bad, it can affect their reputation.

"Of course, senpai novels are quite good. They excel both in terms of description and character creation. I've read them, so it's only natural," Hachiman replied, offering a compliment.

Hearing his praise, Utaha smiled wryly. "Although I'm glad to hear you say that, Hikigaya-kun, the sales of my light novel aren't good."

That's right. In comparison to the sales of Hachiman's light novel, her light novel was significantly behind. Since its publication, it had just barely exceeded 3,000 copies, while "Sword Art Online" was already approaching the 100,000 copy mark. The difference was quite pronounced.

"Since you've seen it, it's the best. I don't know what Hikigaya-kun thinks about the plot."

"I don't dare to give my opinion. As I mentioned, senpai's light novels have many strengths, but their weaknesses are also apparent."

"Weaknesses?" Utaha fell silent for a moment.

"That's right, weaknesses," Hachiman affirmed, "The way you've structured the plot is a bit too straightforward. The main characters, Naoto and Sayuka, make up their minds about each other too quickly, and there's a lack of ups and downs in the subsequent story."

"While the 'dog food' moments are sweet and delightful, consuming too much of it can lead to fatigue."

"But what I'm aiming for is a sweet love story..." Utaha's confidence wavered slightly upon hearing his critique.

"No, no, no, I don't mean to ask you, senpai, to change the main plot. You can still have Naoto and Sayuka end up together, but you can introduce some additional uncertain factors."

"Uncertain factors?" Utaha's expression revealed a hint of skepticism.

"Exactly," Hachiman confirmed, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. "For instance, you could suddenly introduce the male protagonist Naoto's childhood sweetheart, who grew up with him, as a second female lead."

"Then, with the abrupt introduction of the childhood sweetheart, the previously solid relationship of the male protagonist Naoto would be shaken, adding more intrigue to the plot."

"If that's not enough, you can also introduce additional characters, like the girl who was saved by the protagonist long ago and transfers to his school to repay the kindness, or the older sister next door who has watched the protagonist grow up and is unwilling to let him be taken away like this, adding more complexity to the plot."

Hearing his suggestion, Utaha's expression grew increasingly cold. Her legs, clad in black silk pantyhose, began to shake rapidly, and she muttered to herself.

"Hehehe... childhood sweetheart enters the scene, then this, and this... the girl repaying a favor... and this... the big sister next door... this..."

Ah, the peculiarities of a beautiful girl writer's imagination.

Observing her in this state, Hachiman found himself a bit surprised, but he chose not to disturb her. She had evidently entered a phase of inspiration, and disrupting her now could make her lose that delicate balance.

This state didn't persist for long before Utaha regained her composure.

Letting out a breath, Utaha gazed at Hachiman with a somewhat content expression. "Thank you very much, Hikigaya-kun. You truly live up to your reputation as a popular novelist, coming up with such a brilliant plot."

"Bullshit. This kind of plot is overused in my previous life," Hachiman thought to himself.

"What the hell, senpai, you're giving me too much credit," Hachiman responded to her praise with humility. "Honestly, it's mainly because you haven't experienced romantic love, senpai."

"I would suggest delving into more romantic movies or novels. The relationships between protagonists and heroines are rarely smooth sailing. They're often filled with various difficulties and twists in the middle."

"That's indeed a valuable suggestion," Utaha agreed with Hachiman's idea. It could also help enrich her own perspective, right?

However, his mention of her never being in a relationship left her feeling oddly unsettled, as if she had been looked down upon.


創作者的想法
Leonzky Leonzky

Bonus Chapter 2/2

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