Since Lin Yu quit his job at the sushi restaurant, he seemed to have disappeared, staying cooped up in his room every day, continuously working on his sketches.
In fact, it's been almost half a month since he last appeared in front of Kanda Tori Shin.
"Eh? Really?"
Nana Ko tilted her head, not noticing much of a difference.
Unlike Kanda Tori Shin, who runs into Lin Yu every morning while jogging, Nana Ko wasn't as fortunate. She had gotten used to the cold weather since winter had arrived, even though she was quite sensitive to the chill.
At first, she had only planned to stick to jogging for one day, but after meeting Lin Yu, she unexpectedly kept going. Over time, she had grown accustomed to this routine.
"Yes, since Lin-kun quit, he hasn't come by at all."
Kanda Tori Shin had a great impression of Lin Yu — handsome, talented, and warm-hearted, with his manga now a hit, his future seemed limitless.
He was basically the perfect boyfriend material, without a doubt.
"Ah, if only I could find a boyfriend like Lin-kun~"
"If I were also the editor like Nana Ko, I would get so many opportunities to interact with Lin-kun..."
Kanda Tori Shin said, and without realizing it, covered her cheeks, her expression turning slightly shy.
But considering her appearance, it didn't quite match the sentiment.
"Boyfriend..."
Nana Ko mumbled those words, her bright eyes showing a hint of contemplation.
...
"Knock... knock knock..."
Hearing the knock, Lin Yu paused his drawing and looked up in confusion.
He had been living a somewhat secluded life recently, only leaving his room for morning runs, barely stepping out other than that. Meals were a quick affair too.
So the sudden knock was rather surprising.
"One moment, I'll be right there."
Lin Yu stood up, wondering who would come visiting him so late.
He opened the door, and a tall, graceful figure appeared in front of him.
"Nana Ko? What brings you here?"
"Please, come in."
Lin Yu was a little surprised to see Nana Ko, but after thinking about it, he realized the only person who knew his address was probably Nana Ko.
"Sorry to bother you so late."
Nana Ko smiled lightly as she handed over a box of pastries.
"I wasn't sure what you liked, so I just bought some random ones."
"Sorry for the trouble. Please sit, I'll make you some tea."
Once inside, Nana Ko looked around curiously.
The room wasn't as messy as she had imagined; in fact, it was quite tidy.
"Is there something you need, Nana Ko? Why come so late?"
Lin Yu smiled as he handed her the tea.
"Lin-kun, didn't you forget? Today is the deadline for the manuscript."
Taking the teacup, Nana Ko absentmindedly twirled a lock of her hair.
"Also, Shin has been mentioning your name a lot recently, saying she hasn't seen you in a while and wants to catch up."
When Lin Yu heard Kanda Tori Shin's name, he couldn't help but think of her strong, robust figure. A little uneasy, he wondered if she might be interested in him.
As friends, Kanda Tori Shin was a great choice, but if things went further...
He quickly cut off his own thoughts and smiled.
"This kind of thing can be solved with a phone call. I'm not that busy. We can definitely meet up."
He paused for a moment.
"By the way, I've already finished the sketches for the next five chapters. Would you like to see if anything needs to be modified?"
"Five chapters?!"
Nana Ko's eyes lit up.
She was very interested in the upcoming content of Inuyasha, but she was even more surprised that Lin Yu managed to finish so many sketches in such a short time.
Even considering Lin Yu's previous speed, finishing five chapters in such a short period was unexpected.
"Yeah, I've been a bit quicker recently. Since I don't have to work part-time anymore, the progress has been pretty good."
"Please, let me see! Not just me, even my dad is really looking forward to your work. He keeps asking if I have any new sketches."
"He says your story gives him a lot of inspiration."
"Really? I didn't know Mr. Ohara liked my work. Please wait a moment, I'll go grab the sketches."
"There's no need for that, actually... I was wondering if I could take a look at your work environment as well."
Lin Yu wasn't bothered by it; after all, there were no big secrets in his room. He didn't even have any magazines or anything like some reclusive guys might.
"Alright, let's go upstairs. My room is upstairs."
Leading Nana Ko upstairs, Lin Yu went to gather the sketches. He pointed to the cushion on the floor with a smile.
"It's a bit simple, don't mind it."
"Please sit, I'll tidy up a bit."
Nana Ko nodded, quietly observing Lin Yu's room.
The room's furnishings were quite simple: a computer desk, a work desk, and not much else.
The entire room was pretty minimalist.
As she looked around, Nana Ko's eyes suddenly stopped, her gaze shifting toward the corner.
There, neatly stacked, was a set of clothes in bright red and white.
Nana Ko curiously moved closer to take a look.
But as soon as she saw the clothing, a blush spread across her face.
On top of the pile was something every girl would recognize—an underbust corset.
"All set. You can take a look now. Also, there's one thing I wanted to ask you to pass on to the editorial team..."
Once the sketches were arranged, Lin Yu turned around to discuss something with Nana Ko — whether he could switch the publication schedule from one chapter per week to two.
He wasn't quite sure about how to go about it, so he wanted to consult her.
But as soon as he turned around, he froze, his expression becoming somewhat awkward.
He saw Nana Ko curiously staring at the priestess outfit and corset he had won in the system's lottery.
"Umm..."
Lin Yu felt a bit frustrated. After the last lottery, he had just tossed those things in the corner and forgotten about them.
After all, he lived alone and didn't have many visitors, so it hadn't occurred to him to hide them.