The next afternoon.
As soon as the school bell rings, students pack their bags. Some run out of the classroom, while others gather to chat.
Knock, knock!
Hiratsuka Ryosuke is about to get up to go to the kendo club when he hears a knocking sound on his desk. He looks up from his seat and sees the person who knocked: the blond girl in his class with the impeccable appearance.
At this moment, Eriri is like a star surrounded by the moon, with a group of girls gathered around her, chatting and laughing as they walk. The knock seemed to be just a casual gesture from the golden-haired young lady as she passed by. But Ryosuke knows this is the signal they agreed upon to meet on the rooftop. Because she has to maintain her "young lady" persona at school, it's often inconvenient to talk, so Ryosuke accepted her suggestion.
The wind on the rooftop is strong. Eriri stands alone by the iron fence, her two soft, golden twin tails dancing in the wind.
Creak~
Hearing the sound from the door, she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. She turns around and looks at him with her clear, blue eyes, a flash of joy passing through them. But she quickly puts on an exasperated face and takes a long stride toward Ryosuke.
"Ryosuke, have you seen this?" Eriri asks, a faint blush on her fair cheeks, as she holds up a book. Because they are so close and the wind is blowing, Ryosuke can feel her hair brushing against his face.
"What is this?"
He takes the book from Eriri's hand and looks at it. It's a manga magazine. The page Eriri has open features a short story by an author he knows. He starts to read the manga.
It doesn't take long for Ryosuke to finish the story. He now understands what a "method cartoonist" is. This is a one-shot manga about a "cold-hearted manga artist" and his "tsundere blonde assistant." The characters' reactions give Ryosuke a strong sense of déjà vu; it's practically a real-life adaptation of him and Eriri. While the blonde assistant's textbook "Baka, Hentai, Urusei" catchphrases are unforgettable, it's no wonder Eriri is so upset. Eriri can be a little tsundere at times, but she's a real person, not a 2D character. He has never heard her say the last two words. Isn't this just fabricating a character and slandering her good name?
He looks up at Eriri and sees her nervously twisting the fabric of her skirt, looking as if she wants to say something but can't.
"Eriri, what do you want to say?" Ryosuke asks calmly, putting down the manga.
Eriri's face is slightly red, and she keeps glancing away from Ryosuke. She stutters, "See... there's no way we have the relationship from that manga. Nozaki-senpai went too far." She says it's too much, but her true feelings are unknown.
She swallows and reveals the real reason she wanted to see him. "So... Ryosuke, do you have any plans for summer vacation? Do you want to come to my house at the end of the month? It's pretty big, and we can prepare for the summer Comiket together."
With that, she turns around and puts her hands behind her back, her thoughts racing. It was so easy to invite him over before, so why is it so difficult this time?
"I'm sorry, I can't go at the end of the month," Hiratsuka Ryosuke replies calmly.
Eriri turns around abruptly, her eyes wide, her mouth slightly ajar, and her lower lip trembling. He rejected me?!
"After the final exams, I'm going to Fukuoka Prefecture at the end of the month," Ryosuke continues.
Fukuoka Prefecture?!
Isn't that in Kyushu? She remembers Ryosuke saying his hometown is in Chiba. Why is he going somewhere so far away for summer vacation? Eriri's mind races, and she makes a bold guess.
Kyushu + summer vacation. With her experience as a veteran otaku and an artist of the violation genre, the first thing she thinks of is the classic anime trope: the summer beach fan service episode.
Is he... going to abandon me and leave me alone in Tokyo to face the summer Comiket?And he's going to spend a summer full of hormonal excitement on the beach with beautiful older women in bikinis?This is simply... simply... shameless!
She doesn't know what kind of R-rated scenes she's imagining, but her fair face turns redder and redder, like a ripe tomato in a field.
"Ryosuke, you..." Eriri mutters softly, her face a deep crimson. She then lifts her head and yells with all her might, "Baka! Hentai!"
Eriri's sudden outburst leaves Ryosuke confused. Everything was fine just a moment ago. Why did she suddenly turn into this? The little blonde girl begins to wildly shake her twin tails, trying to hit the boy in front of her with her hair.
Hiratsuka Ryosuke frowns. "Hey, Eriri, what's wrong? Just listen to me."
Eriri ignores him, yelling with her eyes closed, "Urusei, urusei, urusei!" Damn it, what's with this déjà vu? Hiratsuke Ryosuke suddenly remembers the manga he just read and is instantly filled with respect for Nozaki-kun. Has that man's mind really become so sharp?
He reaches out and puts his hands on Eriri's shoulders, immobilizing her.
"Listen, Eriri, I'm going for a legitimate reason. I'm going to Fukuoka to participate in the Gyokuryu Flag tournament at the end of the month." This statement is like a bucket of cold water on Eriri's head, instantly sobering her up and stopping her nonsensical fantasies.
Huh? Gyokuryu Flag? It's not a beach fan service episode with older women in bikinis? Eriri is immediately embarrassed. She gently pats her burning cheeks with her hands. What's wrong with me lately? I'm always letting my imagination run wild.
She clears her throat and looks away. "Ahem, I'll go too. But don't get the wrong idea. It's not because I want to cheer for you." She hesitates, her eyebrows furrowed as she tries to come up with a good excuse. Her eyes suddenly light up, and she looks directly at Ryosuke. "Yes! I'm going to watch the kendo tournament to do research for the second volume of my Sword novel."
Ryosuke nods. "That's fine. Do you have anything else? If not, I need to go to my club now."
Eriri shakes her head and waves her hand gently. "You can go. I'm going to the art club soon too." She then pouts softly. "Next time, come a little earlier when you get the signal. I was waiting for you on the rooftop for a while."
Ryosuke nods, lets go of her, and turns to leave the rooftop. Eriri is left alone. She pats her chest and lets out a sigh of relief. Then she cups her face with her hands, feeling the heat. He didn't think too much, right?
After a while, she looks at the rooftop door with dewy eyes. She holds the manga tightly and smiles sweetly, revealing her little fangs.
A kendo tournament, huh? If it's Ryosuke, she's sure he'll win.
Kendo Club Room.
As soon as Hiratsuka Ryosuke enters the room, he feels that something is wrong with the atmosphere. Usually, at this time, the kendo club members would be practicing their swings or sparring, their shouts echoing everywhere. But now, the kendo club is completely silent. You could hear a pin drop. The others look terrified, as if they've seen a horrible monster and don't even dare to breathe.