"Idiot! Idiot! Ryosuke, you big idiot!" Eriri yells, shaking her head and attacking Ryosuke with her twin tails. Her soft golden hair brushes against his chest, and he smells her faint, unique scent. He isn't annoyed by her behavior. At this moment, she seems less angry and more like a little golden retriever begging for affection from its owner.
Hiratsuka Ryosuke gently pats her head, and she stops her attack. She turns sideways and crosses her arms, pouting. Seeing her still angry, Ryosuke says with a sigh, "Eriri, don't you have to go back and draw?" His words immediately remind her of her original purpose.
Oh, right! I have to go back and draw.But Ryosuke is so annoying.Hmph, I'll ignore him for a minute.Wait, a minute might be too long. Thirty seconds? How about ten seconds?
Eriri turns around and sticks out her tongue at Ryosuke, making a face. "Hmph! Don't you dare follow me! I'm going home to draw by myself!" She blushes, remembering what she wants to draw. I can't let him see that!
"Are you sure you're okay?" Ryosuke asks with concern. She was holding his hand when they left the exhibition hall, and now she doesn't want him to follow her. He's worried that her emotional distress is still there.
"Hmph! Idiot! Of course, I'm fine! I'm going to show you the real Kashiwagi Eri!" Eriri says, crossing her arms and smiling confidently. Seeing her like this, Ryosuke thinks, The confident and cheerful Kashiwagi Eri is back.
"Okay, Miss Kashiwagi Eri. I'm counting on you." Ryosuke clasps his hands and smiles faintly.
Eriri doesn't reply. She continues to pout as she walks towards the train station entrance. Her loafers make a soft tapping sound on the ground. After she passes the entrance, she stops. She turns around and lets out a small laugh, showing her fangs. She squints, waves at Ryosuke, then turns back and walks away with a determined look in her eyes.
Ryosuke doesn't follow her. He watches her disappear into the station, then looks at Kato Megumi. Kato stands quietly, her face expressionless, playing with her phone and lost in her own thoughts. Did he just call that girl Kashiwagi Eri? Is she the illustrator for Sword Art Online? She's so amazing for a middle schooler. She's so dazzling.
Ryosuke can't hear her thoughts. He says sincerely, "Kato, I'm so sorry. There were a lot of people, and I accidentally grabbed your hand." He feels bad for grabbing a girl's hand and pulling her into the station. He's grateful that she didn't accuse him of being a pervert. In Japan, some women will make up stories about men harassing them, ruining innocent men's reputations.
Kato looks up at him and shakes her head, her face expressionless. "It's fine. I know."
Ryosuke looks at the girl in front of him. There's something strange about her. What's with this lack of presence? It's easy to overlook her if you're not paying attention. He felt the same way when he accidentally stepped on her. This is the first time he's really looked at her. Her bob haircut is just the right length, and she's wearing a white beret, a red vest, and a white shirt. She looks innocent and cute, but she isn't eye-catching at first glance.
Ryosuke's mind wanders for a moment. He shakes his head to clear his thoughts. "It's a small world. It's a coincidence to see you here, Kato-san."
"If you really did notice me, then yes, it's a coincidence," Kato says calmly, her voice devoid of emotion.
Her reply surprises Ryosuke. What does she mean? Does she know about her lack of presence? Kato's face remains placid. "If you don't need anything else, I'll get going."
Ryosuke collects himself. "Go ahead." He watches her disappear from sight, then shakes his head and starts his own journey home.
Eriri returns home. She sets up her easel and lays out a sheet of paper. She looks at her pen, which she hasn't touched in days. She takes a deep breath and picks it up. She feels confident again. The tip of her pen touches the paper and glides across it. Her lips are pursed as she works. Sometimes she frowns, sometimes she smiles. She's completely focused.
She draws lightly, then adds more detail. She has lost all sense of time. She doesn't notice the paint that has gotten on her clothes. Her hand moves faster and faster, as if her soul has merged with the pen, trying to capture the most beautiful memories in her mind.
Finally, the painting is done. Eriri puts down her pen, a layer of sweat on her forehead. She looks at her work and nods in satisfaction. She bites her lip and looks at the characters in the painting with a shy expression.
There are a prince and a princess in the painting. Under a starry night sky, on a castle balcony, a handsome, dark-haired prince smiles gently and holds out his hand to a beautiful blonde princess. The princess looks at the prince lovingly and places her hand in his.
I can't let Ryosuke see this painting. Eriri hasn't changed the faces of the prince and princess much. She has decided that she won't let Ryosuke into her room for a while.
Eriri pulls her feet up onto her chair and hugs her knees. She stares at the painting, her mind wandering back to all the moments she's shared with Ryosuke. She's surprised to realize that no matter what difficulties she faced, he was always there for her. Without realizing it, this boy has left a lasting impression on her heart.
She hums a song and smiles. She wants to remember him forever, just so she can see him whenever she wants. Idiot Ryosuke. Now, I don't want to be the best illustrator in everyone else's eyes. I just want to be the only illustrator in your heart.