...
After the party
Yukima Azuma supported Sayuri as they walked toward the underground parking lot.
It looked like he was helping her walk
But in truth, Sayuri was the one clinging tightly to Yukima Azuma and refusing to let go.
Sayuri: () "Now that you're here, don't even think about escaping!"
Hayasaka Nao, meanwhile, left on her own.
Since she had decided to remain in Japan, she had a mountain of things to prepare for in the days to come.
As for Sayuri, once she got into the Sawamura car with Yukima Azuma
She instantly dropped the act and appeared completely sober again.
"Sayuri, what are you trying to pull?"
Yukima Azuma asked helplessly.
He had no clue what she was scheming.
"You know, Eriri's home alone tonight."
"Don't you think that's just tragic?"
"It's been ages since you last came to the Sawamura house, hasn't it? If you're gonna build a harem, shouldn't you treat every member equally?"
<( ®^® )>
Sayuri spoke as if chastising an unfaithful playboy.
Yukima Azuma's eye twitched slightly.
It sounded like he hadn't seen Eriri in forever.
But the truth wasshe'd just returned to the Sawamura house from his place two days ago, okay?
Originally, Eriri had only rented a room at Yukima's house and said she'd only be there on weekends.
But in the past two months
She'd spent more time at Yukima's place than at her actual home.
Still, seeing Sayuri's expression that clearly said "No objections allowed"
()
Yukima Azuma could only nod silently in surrender.
The car drove toward the Detective Hill.
It was winter now, and the cherry blossoms that once colored the slope of the hill pink were long gone.
But the trees lining the road were now draped in a pristine coat of snow.
The scenery had changed, but its aura remained just as enchanting.
Right now, if a girl in a winter coat, her scarf fluttering in the wind, were to suddenly appear at the top of the slope
It would surely be a picturesque moment of a destined encounter.
Thinking of that, Yukima Azuma chuckled softly and shook his head.
Because the girl in that scene
No longer lingered around Gakuen-shita. She was already at his house in Shibuya.
She'd been "taken home" by him long ago.
So what was the point of dreaming about "fateful meetings" anymore?
At the final turn of the slope
The Sawamura residence.
Since he'd been "kidnapped" here without warning
It was a rare occasion for Yukima Azuma to arrive empty-handed.
But Sayuri looked very pleased and gave a small nod.
"She's probably upstairs. Go on up yourself."
"I have to stop by the company tonight, I won't be back."
With that, Sayuri gave a casual wave and closed the grand doors of the Sawamura residence.
Leaving just Yukima Azuma and Eririthe two of them, alone.
Everyone knows what's going to happen tonight.
( ® ®)
Chapter 273 Eriri Wants to Come Ashore!
Chapter 273 Eriri Wants to "Come Ashore"!
The front door closed.
Outside, the sound of a car engine starting could be heard.
Yukima Azuma gently rubbed his forehead.
All that could be said wasSaguga Sayuri.
This kind of "Mommy Support" move was probably something only Eriri ever got to enjoy.
After changing shoes,
Yukima Azuma didn't head upstairs right away, but instead turned into the kitchen first.
He casually opened the fridge to take a look.
He took out some cold cuts, then two eggs, and a bit of flour.
At this hour, Eriri definitely hadn't had dinner yet.
As a true night owl, Eriri's dinners often landed somewhere between "dinner" and "midnight snack."
Not to mention, Sayuri had just gone out.
She'd probably end up ordering delivery later anyway.
Using the cold cuts to make broth,
Yukima Azuma started cooking ramen.
Before long, a steaming bowl of ramen sat ready.
He placed a perfectly round sunny-side-up egg on top, hiding the other egg at the bottom of the bowl.
Carrying the bowl of noodles, Yukima Azuma headed upstairs.
The light in Eriri's room was on.
He pushed the door open, and there was Eriri, tying a ribbon in her hair, sitting at her drawing desk wrestling with her digital tablet.
Hearing the door open
Eriri turned around.
Thinking Sayuri had come back, but when she saw it was Yukima Azuma
Her brows immediately relaxed, and her eyes lit up with joy.
(><)
Even though her face couldn't hide how happy she was
Those cherry-pink lips still blurted out some tsundere-laced words:
"Azuma, why are you here? Don't tell me you missed me so much you just had to come over!"
( ,,'',,)
But Yukima Azuma nodded without hesitation.
"That's exactly it, I missed my Eriri too much!"
With her low attack and defense stats, Eriri was hit right in the heart by Yukima Azuma's straightforward strike.
Her cheeks instantly turned red.
(,,><,,) b-baka!
Azuma placed the bowl next to Eriri,
Then handed her the chopsticks.
Eriri gave a little sniff, and her sapphire-blue eyes lit up instantly
Just like Shiratamaru when it spotted a cat snack stick.
She hugged the ramen bowl, unable to wait, and took a bite.
()
But it was too hot, and she ended up sticking her tongue out, blowing frantically to cool it.
"Eat slower, no one's gonna steal it from you."
Yukima Azuma gave Eriri a light knock on the head.
Watching Eriri eat, Yukima Azuma felt a sense of contentment.
Even though Yukima Azuma didn't have the heart of a chef, even if others praised his cooking to the skies, he'd still remain calm.
But seeing the girl he liked happily enjoying a delicious meal...
Yukima Azuma felt joy from the depths of his heart.
()
...
After watching Eriri mukbang for a while,
Yukima Azuma's gaze shifted to Eriri's drawing tablet.
Normally, if Yukima Azuma so much as looked at Eriri's work
She'd immediately leap over to stop him.
After all, the works of Kashiwagi Eri-sensei really weren't meant to be seen in public.
Though Eriri hadn't gone so far as to say, "I don't know anyone named Kashiwagi Eri,"
There was definitely a sense of embarrassment.
But today, Eriri didn't try to stop him.
She just looked a little bashful.
(,,,,)
Yukima Azuma looked at the drawing.
To his surprise, this time Eriri wasn't drawing an R18 piece.
Oh shit, Kashiwagi Eri-sensei isn't drawing doujinshi anymore!
Yukima Azuma flipped through a few pages.
He realized it was a draft of a school romance manga.
And unlike the typical school romance setups...
Eriri's work clearly featured middle school studentspossibly even elementary schoolers.
Most school romance stories are set in high school,
Because they allow for more extreme plot points.
And people are more accepting of that.
At a glance...
All he could say wasno wonder she's a doujinshi artist Kawasaghi Eri-sensei.
Her grasp of the human body was perfectly on point.
Just looking at the artwork, it was extremely pleasant.
Especially since Eriri had drawn every kind of doujinshi out there, even pulling off ahegao expressions like it was nothing.
So when she switched to regular manga, her expression work packed serious power.
All he could say was, if Eriri could just hold back a little...
She'd definitely be a top-tier shoujo manga artist.
However, the issue still lies there.
Eriri's ability to build a plot was too weak.
If it were an artbook, it would definitely sell out like hotcakes.
But if it were a manga with such a weak plot, it would drag the art style down.
After finishing reading, Yukima Azuma put the drawing aside.
He curiously glanced at Eriri.
"So, why the sudden desire to 'come ashore'?"
Eriri blushed a bit at hearing the words "come ashore."
Had she even been in the sea?
><
It was Kashiwagi Eri who had gone to the sea, okay!?
"It's nothing, I just feel like drawing doujinshi isn't fun anymore, so I wanted to try something for all ages instead,"
(,,,, )
Eriri shyly said.
With Yukima Azuma's understanding of Eriri...
He, of course, knew there had to be another reason.
But if Eriri didn't want to talk about it, Yukima Azuma wouldn't press her.
It was just that, since they had just talked about the plot...
And seeing that Yukima Azuma didn't intend to ask further questions,
Eriri let out a small sigh of relief.
Actually, the reason she wanted to "come ashore" was simple.
Yukima Azuma had asked someone else to illustrate his light novel.
This made Eriri realize that even if the artist drew in a suggestive style, they still had to be a "proper" artist.
For a light novel illustration job like that, it just didn't feel right to have someone who wasn't "mainstream" doing it.
Even though she thought Eromanga-sensei was just a middle-aged uncle who wasn't worth her attention...
Eriri still wanted to be Yukima Azuma's one and only illustrator.
That's why she wanted to try "coming ashore."
"The plot really is weak,"
Yukima Azuma casually criticized.
Eriri, who was still drifting in some vague, improper thoughts...
Was struck by his words and her face turned as dark as a thundercloud.
"I know, I know! But I don't know how to write stories! What can I do about it?!"
( )
Eriri, in a bit of a "screw it, I'll ruin it all" attitude, grumbled in frustration.
She really couldn't come up with any subtle plots.
As a half-British lady...
Eriri's experiences couldn't exactly resonate with an ordinary person.
Especially since Eriri was an otaku.
Her weak writing skills were the result of her lack of experiencesa true reflection of her lifestyle.
"Why not try adapting from your own experiences?"
Yukima Azuma suggested.
At that, a lightbulb seemed to flicker above Eriri's small blonde head.
(`)!
That was a great idea.
If it was based on real-life experiences, wouldn't the plot no longer be an issue?
Moreover, if it were a school romance genre...
Wouldn't she and Yukima Azuma be a perfect match!?
But then, Eriri's small face fell as she thought about it.
"My fans are mostly all guys."
"If I really drew a manga from my own perspective, it'd definitely end up being a shoujo manga."
As a hentai artist, of course, Kashiwagi Eri's readers were predominantly male.
Moreover, what Eriri didn't say was...
She felt that if she made herself the female protagonist of the story...
She would probably get flamed.
It would probably come off as too pretentious, too showy!
Seeing Eriri's little pained expression,
Yukima Azuma really wanted to say:
"You do realize you're the tsundere type, right!?"
But seeing how utterly defeated Eriri looked at that moment...
Yukima Azuma just cleared his throat softly and came up with a solution:
"If it's a manga aimed at guys, then all you need to do is change the gender and tweak the character designs a bit, right?"
Hearing that, Eriri began to imagine the possibilities.
If Yukima Azuma-chan's character design was changed to female...
She could imagine a sweet, beautiful onee-sanstrong yet gentle.
Maximum EQ, knowing how to pamper others.
Wow, that'd be the perfect girlfriend!
Azuma-chan: ( `) <3
Chapter 274: Eriri: Now I'm Full!
Chapter 274: Eriri: Now I'm Full!
As a high school romance manga of the youthful kind...
The setup of the heroines can either make or break the entire story.
Eriri felt that if she used the transgender version of Yukima Azuma as the heroine...
This manga might just sell out in no time!
Butthe problem is.
A bishoujo onee-san who is both gentle and strong, initiates conversations...
Is calm in the face of adversity, and gives people a sense of security.
With max EQ and IQ, and even remembers the small things that you like.
Someone like that...
Why on earth would they like a... golden retriever?
Eriri felt that the plot was a bit... illogical, you know
And this led to a bigger questionone that made her doubt herself.
So in the end, why does he like me... for what reason?
( )
Before, Eriri, the ever-optimistic girl, never thought too much about it, and she never felt confused or worried.
But now, after becoming aware of the issue...
Her two blonde pigtails immediately drooped like wilted noodles.
The bowl of ramen, once aromatic and tempting, now suddenly tasted salty.
(ЇЇ)
Seeing that Eriri was clearly in a bad mood,
Yukima Azuma reached out and gently pinched her cute cheek.
"Why the sudden sulking face?"
Eriri chewed on a noodle, muttering with her words unclear:
"Azuma... why do you like me?"
Yukima Azuma was slightly taken aback.
Then he immediately realizedwhat kind of storyline was running through that little golden head of hers.
"Do you need a reason to love someone?"
Yukima Azuma raised his hand and lightly tapped her forehead with his finger.
Eriri put the bowl of noodles down and held her forehead.
"Do I not need a reason...?"
"Do you need a reason?"
"Do I not need a reason...?"
"Do you need a reason?"
After Yukima Azuma played his psychological game, Eriri... gave up.
Because after thinking about it, the reason she liked Yukima Azuma couldn't be explained so simply.
Although the two of them had known each other and become close since the incident where she was isolated in elementary school...
But from merely having feelings for him, to not being able to think of anyone else but Yukima Azuma.
Eriri didn't like just a momentary sense of securityshe liked Yukima Azuma as a person.
Once again, being comforted by Azuma deep in her heart.
Just like so many times before.
Eriri's eyes once again sparkled with light.
( )
This feeling.
If she could capture this feeling in her artit would surely touch every reader's heart.
However... she still felt like something was missing.
At that moment, Yukima Azuma spoke up to add:
"You could set up the heroine as the shy type, who gets flustered when attacked directly."
"And the male lead could reduce the tsundere traits, keep the otaku nature, and add a setup where if pushed to his limit, he'd immediately counterattack with a direct approach."
Eriri slapped her palm against her forehead in realization.
"That's it! This way, the interactions between the characters will be more natural!"
