"How many times has this kid tricked me into crying?"
After a brief moment of thought, she gave up on counting.
"Well, I should probably give him a heads-up."
She dialed Akifumi's number.
'The number you are calling is currently unavailable...'
Shizuka was stunned for a second before shaking her head. "Well, that's not my fault, then."
"Love and Hope Warrior is actually Shadow?!" Kasumigaoka Utaha was speechless.
Then, a bitter smile spread across her face. "I can't believe the two authors I admire most are actually the same person."
Thinking about Akifumi's face, she gently ran her fingers over the signed cover of one of his books.
Her usually composed heart suddenly felt unsettled.
"That bastard! He kept something like this from me again!" Lying in her bed, Eriri gritted her teeth in frustration.
"Tomorrow, he's gonna pay for this!"
For some reason, though, her mind flashed back to a certain kiss they had shared months ago.
Her cheeks flushed red.
She had been drawing doujinshi for years, yet deep down, she was still just a hopeless romantic.
"Now that I think about it, with Mashiro and Mahiru around, it's been a long time since..."
"Wait, no! What am I even thinking?! Eriri, get it together! It's not like we're dating, so why does it matter?!"
"Argh, so annoying! I'm not thinking about that guy anymoresleep, sleep!"
She reached out and turned off the lights.
"Ugh, I don't feel great Am I catching a cold?"
"Whatever. I should give myself a massage."
After drawing manga nonstop every day, exhaustion was inevitable. If he didn't take care of himself, he'd really get sick.
After a short massage, he took a shower, the sound of water echoing through the room.
"Mugiho-kun"
Mahiru stared blankly at her phone screen.
Then, she let out a small, bittersweet smile. "He's just too amazing."
"Someone like me, just an ordinary girl"
Looking back at everything about herself, she shook her head.
Gazing at the ceiling, lost in thought, her mind was flooded with too many emotions.
Mashiro's room was illuminated only by the glow of her computer screen.
She was focused on her drawing, occasionally furrowing her brows as she struggled to make sense of the complex plot she was illustrating.
She paid no attention to the chaos unfolding online.
"As expected of Shadowno, I suppose I should call him Akifumi-sensei now." Machida Sonoko couldn't help but sigh in admiration.
She had initially been worried about how he would clear up this misunderstanding
How could he do it without angering his fans while still making them believe him?
But now, she realized her concern had been completely unnecessary.
If she hadn't been in on it beforehand, she might've thought this whole situation was just an accidental slip-up.
The fans were all thrilled by what they thought was the "truth."
Little did they know, what they had discovered was just the "truth" Akifumi had chosen to reveal.
"Sales are probably going to skyrocket after this, huh?"
For hardcore fans, just seeing their idol's name was reason enough to spend money
Let alone when the work itself was of such high quality!
Thinking about it, Machida Sonoko couldn't help but smile.
"Tsk, tsk." Wearing a bathrobe, revealing just enough skin, Otosuna Mihari casually sipped her milk while glancing at her phone.
"I never thought that bastard with his twisted sense of humor would actually have a day where he screws up like this."
"I should find a chance to tease him properly later~"
Just imagining his flustered reaction filled her with joy.
The night passed.
The next morning, when Akifumi turned on his phone, he was greeted by countless missed calls.
He chuckled but didn't bother responding right away.
Instead, he logged into both of his accounts and quickly deleted two specific posts.
Then, he went silent.
Playing dead seemed like the best option for now.
But his ever-watchful fans noticed the change immediately.
Flooding the comments section, they wrote:
"Lmao, he finally realized it! That's why he deleted the posts!"
"Sensei, you're already exposed! Trying to play dumb won't work!"
"Come on, guys, have some tact! If sensei wants to play dumb, let's just roll with it."
"What posts? There were no posts. We didn't see anything, right?"
"Oh no, what happened last night? I think I lost my memory!"
"Exactly! Nothing happened last nightI can vouch for that!"
"We totally don't know that sensei is actually Shadow-sensei too, and that he wrote WorldEnd. Right, everyone?"
"Absolutely! No worries, senseiwe'll keep it a secret!"
"Ahhh! Why is sensei so cute?! I love him so much!!"
Reading through the comments, Akifumi couldn't help but mutter: "Are these guys online 24/7 or something?!"
It had barely been a minute since he deleted the posts, and already the comment section was overflowing.
He sighed.
"Should I just come clean, or try to cover it up?"
Then, he had an idea.
Love and Hope Warrior: "Damn it! I've been hiding for so long, but I guess I can't keep it up anymore. Fine, I give up! I'm Shadow-sensei! I wrote WorldEnd! Laugh all you want!"
Shadow: "Ahem, last night, while discussing the Volume 4 illustrations with Love and Hope Warrior-sensei, I accidentally used the wrong phone. I never expected it to cause such a misunderstanding. My apologies!"
Fans, seeing the two posts appear within a minute of each other, left their verdict:
"Sure, sure, we totally believe you!"
"That was some terrible coordinationwe're giving you zero points!"
[134] A Confession
What started as a minor alternate account incident turned into a long-running joke among netizens.
Although the clarification post the next day seemed somewhat misleading, causing some fans to second-guess themselves
The more they thought about it, the less sense it made!
Chatting about illustrations late into the night was one thing, but how were they still perfectly synchronized the next morning?!
And how do you even mix up your phones?
Not to mention, both of them should have had lock screens.
Even if they somehow managed to unlock each other's phones, were they using the exact same model?!
Even if they were, how do you go an entire night without realizing the mistake, only to remember the next morning?
What, were they just having too much fun chatting and got drunk?
But waitone of them is still in high school! No way they were drinking!
So, after the initial confusion, most fans quickly saw through the ruse.
Instead of feeling deceived, they were even more entertained.
As a result, fans from both sides started mingling, and eventually, they all bought the manga and light novel versions to check them out.
Sales skyrocketed!
Fans felt like they had hit the jackpotnot only did they uncover a hidden truth, but they also discovered just how talented their favorite creator was and found even more content to enjoy.
Akifumi felt like he had hit the jackpot, too.
His relationship with fans became even smoother, and the sales of his works saw a noticeable boost.
No one even cared about how many projects he had started without finishing.
After this incident, starting a new project wouldn't require any extra justification.
All in all, it was a win-win situation for both sides!
Days passed quickly, and the online buzz gradually died down.
As Christmas approached, the festive atmosphere at school became livelier.
The arrival of Christmas also meant that the second holiday break was near!
Though it was the shortest break among the three vacationsjust a little over ten daysit was more than enough to make students happy.
Especially for the boys. Christmas was an incredibly rare opportunity for them!
What kind of opportunity? Well, if you know, you know. If you don't, don't ask. The waters run too deep!
"So, Kato, what are your plans for Christmas?"
Kato thought for a moment before answering, "My sister will be coming over, we'll probably just stay home as a family, have a meal together, and watch TV."
"That sounds nice." Akifumi couldn't help but feel a little envious.
Akifumi parents had been ridiculously busy since last year and hadn't come home recently.
If it weren't for the occasional phone call, he might've started wondering if something had happened to them.
Spending time together on a special day like this felt like a distant memory.
"Is it really that nice?" Kato blinked, her tone as calm as ever.
"Of course," Akifumi replied.
Mahiru also looked over with envy in her eyes, filled with longing.
If Akifumi hadn't experienced spending time with his parents for a few years, then Mahiru probably had never experienced it at all.
Seeing their envious gazes, Kato said, "It might sound a bit selfish, but I'd actually like to go out on Christmas."
"I heard a lot of places will be beautifully decorated."
Akifumi immediately protested, "Kato, you don't know how lucky you are!"
"Exactly!" Mahiru nodded earnestly. "There's nothing better than spending time with family!"
"Getting scolded like this" Kato scratched her cheek helplessly. "But I never said it was bad."
"Just thinking about running around outside in the freezing cold is already a crime!"
"." Kato fell silent for a moment before changing the subject. "What about you two? How are you spending Christmas?"
"Comfortably curled up under the kotatsu, playing games and watching TV."
Kato imagined the scene for a moment before commenting, "That's so like you, Akifumi."
"You're such a social butterfly, yet still a hardcore homebody. That contrast is pretty amusing."
"I don't want to hear that from you, Kato." Akifumi rolled his eyes. "Who else but you could say something like that with a straight face?"
"Is it really that funny?" It was clear Kato was a bit puzzled by this, but she quickly moved on.
"What about you, Shiina-san?" Mahiru thought for a moment and then replied, "Probably the same as Akifumi-kun."
Kato gave them a knowing look.
'Shiina-san family relationship isn't that great, huh?' After spending time observing her, Kato had already come to this conclusion.
This conversation only reinforced it.
"To think that none of us plan on going out on Christmas"
What a trio!
The school day ended quickly, and as the final bell rang, students in clubs were full of energy, embracing their youth on the field.
As always, Akifumi walked toward the train station with Mahiru and Mashiro.
"Just a few months ago, even a T-shirt felt too hot. Now, even with a coat, it still feels kinda cold."
He sighed while looking at the two girls beside him, bundled up in warm clothes.
There was a slight sense of melancholy in his eyes.
Sure, their thick outfits made them look even cuter, but compared to the lively summer, something felt missing.
"No wonder winter is known as the season of sentimental thoughts." With the cold weather, unnecessary thoughts seemed to multiply.
"Well, it is winter, after all," Mahiru said with a smile.
Akifumi wasn't convinced. "Even if your stockings are lined with cashmere, wearing just one thin layer in this cold doesn't seem make any different at all!"
"It's warm," Mashiro said from the side. "Do you want to touch mine?"
Mahiru giggled, covering her mouth.
"." Akifumi sighed and ruffled Mashiro's hair.
"Mugi, that's mean" Mashiro pouted at him with a hint of playful protest. "You messed up my hair."
"That's punishment for saying something so dirty."
"??" Mashiro blinked in confusion. "That was dirty?"
Ignoring her innocent expression, Akifumi turned to Mahiru. "Hey, are you free this weekend?"
Mahiru gave him a knowing look. "Why would you think I'm not?"
The unspoken meaning was clear
Before asking, maybe consider what I usually do on weekends?
Akifumi chuckled. "Even if I already know, it's basic courtesy to ask."
Mahiru sighed. "Yes, I'm free."
"Then, do you want to go to the shopping district with me?"
"Hmm? Is this a date?" Mahiru stretched out the word playfully, her voice carrying a hint of laughter.
Beneath her teasing tone, however, was a nervousness she couldn't quite express.
Akifumi, completely oblivious, answered without hesitation, "Of course it's a date."
For a split second, Mahiru's heart skipped a beat.
Her cheeks, already pale from the cold, were now tinged with pink.
"What's a date?" Mashiro asked, her innocent eyes brimming with curiosity.
"A date is when two people agree on a time and place to do something together."
"Oh!" Mashiro nodded, completely accepting his explanation.
"Then, when and where did Mugi and Mahiru make plans to go do something together?"
Akifumi smiled and answered, "We'll be going this weekend, at a shopping district nearby."
"As for what exactly we're doing... that's a secret~"
"I want to know." Mashiro looked at Akifumi, her eyes full of expectation.
"If you find out ahead of time, it won't be a secret anymore."
"Oh." Her bright eyes were soon clouded with disappointment.
Mashiro lowered her head but then lifted it again, asking quietly, "Can I come along?"
Mahiru, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke up. "Mashiro, aren't you supposed to be drawing a manga?"
"Didn't you have a pretty good idea for a story recently?"
Hearing this, Mahiro hesitated for a moment before nodding. "I need to draw a manga."
Looking into Mashiro's innocent eyes, Mahiru felt a strong pang of guilt.
"By the way, Mashiro, do you want some ring-shaped cake?"
"I do!" Mashiro's eyes lit up, but she looked at Mahiru shyly and added in a quiet voice,
"But I've already had three this week."
"As a reward for being a good house-sitter, I'm sure Mahiru wouldn't mind if you have one or two more."
"Really?" Mashiro asked, looking towards Mahiru.
Mahiru smiled helplessly. "I won't get mad."
"Then I'll have a ring-shaped cake, The last one can wait until I'm home alone next time."
"Alright." Akifumi answered with a laugh.
Back at home,
Mahiru went to the kitchen to cook, while Mashiro went to another room to start drawing her manga.
After a brief hesitation, Akifumi entered the kitchen.
She found Mahiru standing at the counter, her gaze vacant as if lost in thought.
"Ah-hem."
Mahiru jumped slightly, noticing Akifumi standing behind her. She forced a smile. "Mugiho-kun, what are you doing here?"
"Well, I noticed you seemed a little off, so I came to check."
