Yet just as this enticing idea was about to take root, another face surged into Yuma's mind like a tidal wave—
Tsubakihara Mira.
The woman who had taken him in from the orphanage when he was a child could practically be considered his mother.
Even as a single mother, she had never shown him the slightest coldness; she treated her two daughters and him with complete equality and warmth.
(If I were to make a move on Yukino-san…)
He could almost imagine the expression Tsubakihara Mira would show if she found out—
It wouldn't be mere anger. More likely, it would be deep disappointment and hurt.
The woman who had taken him out of the orphanage, given him a home and warmth—he couldn't bear the thought of causing her pain because of his own desires.
Moreover, Yukino Mifuyu was one of the very few people Tsubakihara Mira truly considered a close friend.
If he crossed that line, not only would he destroy the delicate and harmonious balance between the two families, he might very well lose everything he currently had.
(The price is far too high.)
Yuma slowly exhaled a long breath, and the restlessness in his heart gradually subsided.
Reason once again took control.
He stood at a traffic light, watching the pedestrians coming and going. The image of Kasumigaoka Utaha's face—stained with humiliation and tears, eyes covered by a black silk blindfold—appeared clearly before him once more.
[Favorability: 5 (Extreme disgust toward you, whose identity is unknown and who did this to her)]
5 points.
A pitifully low number, yet one that contained infinite potential.
(Since coercion is inefficient and carries high risk… what if I try a different approach?)
A plan began to take shape in his mind.
If safely obtaining time from Yukino Mifuyu wasn't feasible, then making Kasumigaoka Utaha his primary "time source" seemed to be the only realistic option at present.
But brute-force coercion was not sustainable. As he had already analyzed, low favorability drastically reduced efficiency and came with the constant danger of exposure.
(Then… what if I find a way to raise her favorability toward me?)
If he were merely "Yuma the ordinary honor student," raising her favorability would naturally be difficult.
But he possessed [Favorability Visualization], which allowed him to monitor her feelings in real time—an incredibly powerful tool in interpersonal interactions.
(Make Kasumigaoka-senpai develop sufficient favorability toward me… even dependence. And only then engage in "intimate contact.")
In that case, the time efficiency during contact would increase dramatically.
Moreover, once such a relationship was established, both the sustainability and safety of these encounters would far surpass the current dangerous blackmail method.
(And I still hold her biggest secret.)
"Love Metronome" facing cancellation. For someone as proud as Kasumigaoka Utaha, that was undoubtedly a fatal weakness.
If he could provide crucial help regarding that issue…
Raising her favorability would become almost inevitable.
Yuma stopped walking. Standing at the busy crossroad, his gaze turned toward a familiar light novel bookstore on the corner.
(To raise Kasumigaoka-senpai's favorability, I first need to understand her.)
With that thought, he changed direction and headed toward the bookstore instead of home.
*Ding-ling—*
Pushing open the glass door, the familiar scent of books washed over him. Yuma headed straight for the shelf section labeled "KAESUMA BUNKO" his eyes quickly scanning the spines.
Soon, he found his target.
"Love Metronome", Author: Kasumi Utako.
He picked up volumes 1 and 2, walked to the window-side rest area, and sat down in a quiet corner.
Opening the pages, he began reading rapidly.
The story was classic school romance fare. The prose was delicate, the psychological描写 excellent—clear evidence of the author's strong writing foundation.
But just as editor Machida Sonoko had said, the pacing was indeed slow, the conflicts lacked intensity, and in the fiercely competitive light novel market, it came across as somewhat flat.
(There really is a risk of cancellation…)
He was deeply analyzing the work's strengths and weaknesses when, from the corner of his eye, he suddenly caught sight of an extremely eye-catching figure.
It was a girl standing not far away among the bookshelves.
Waist-length jet-black hair, glossy and smooth; features as exquisite as a doll's; a pair of lively eyes carrying a hint of languor and confidence.
But what was truly shocking was her outfit—
A tight-fitting black bunny girl costume!
The deep V-neck boldly revealed the full, proud curves of her chest; her slender waist was tightly wrapped by the fabric, outlining a breathtaking hourglass figure.
The bottom was extremely short, barely covering half her hips, while her long, perfectly proportioned legs were accentuated by signature black stockings and high heels.
(This is… Sakurajima Mai?)
Yuma was slightly stunned. He recognized the former child star who had once been hugely popular.
He remembered that a few years ago, Sakurajima Mai had suddenly withdrawn from the entertainment industry for some reason. He never expected to see her here—and dressed in such an… outrageous outfit.
(Why would she appear here looking like that?)
Though he found it strange, Yuma didn't dwell on it too much.
People in the entertainment industry often behaved differently from ordinary people. Perhaps she was doing some special job, or maybe it was performance art.
What surprised him slightly more was that the other customers around seemed completely oblivious to the boldly dressed girl.
A middle-school boy even walked right past her without his gaze lingering on her at all.
(The people around… don't seem to react to her at all?)
(Are today's young people really this jaded?)
The thought passed quickly; he didn't pursue it.
He had more important things to do right now.
Yuma quickly averted his eyes and refocused on "Love Metronome" in his hands.
As he rapidly flipped through the novel, his mind operated like a high-speed processor, analyzing the story structure, character development, and potential explosive hooks that could attract readers.
During his reading, he noticed that while the female lead's personality was quite three-dimensional, the male lead felt somewhat flat—this might be one reason readers struggled to immerse themselves.
(If a more impactful plot point could be added in volume 3…)
Lost in thought, he opened the final chapter of volume 2 and noticed the story had reached a crucial turning point.
The relationship between the protagonists was in a delicate state of nearness and distance; it desperately needed a catalyst of sufficient weight to push the plot forward.
What he failed to notice was that, while he was lost in contemplation with his head down, the bunny girl—Sakurajima Mai—had let her gaze linger on him for a moment, a faint, almost imperceptible trace of… curiosity flickering in her eyes.