Next Target, 400PS!
--------------------------------------------------
The chain reaction of successes ultimately led to Sonoko Machida's promotion.
She was the one who first signed the light novel. Starting as a regular editor, she worked her way up to Deputy Editor-in-Chief. Now, she was just one step away from leading the whole department.
"Oh, stop it! It's not that big of a deal!"
She waved her hand as if it was nothing, but a big grin still spread across her face.
Her promotion didn't just come with a pay raise—it was a vicious slap in the face to everyone who used to look down on her. Some of her juniors had climbed the corporate ladder faster than she had and loved to gossip about her behind her back.
As soon as she got promoted, the gossip stopped. Now, half the office tried to get on her good side. The change in how people treated her made her feel great.
"My workload isn't as tedious as it used to be, but I'm still busy. Still, slacking off every now and then isn't an issue."
"Besides..." Sonoko shot a sideways glance at Kai. "Being with Kai makes my entire body feel amazing. It's like all my exhaustion just melts away. Don't tell me you don't feel the same?"
"…"
Shizuka Hiratsuka rolled her eyes at the question, but she didn't argue. She felt the exact same way.
"You two are treating me like a health potion," Kai joked. He had already finished getting dressed.
"You're the best medicine there is. I'm completely addicted to you now!" Sonoko sidled up to Kai with a wide smile, leaning her weight against him as she spoke in a sweet tone.
Shizuka couldn't help but smile at the scene. She never thought the strong, career-focused Sonoko would act so clingy.
They became friends because they had so much in common. Shizuka stayed quiet. She couldn't judge, since she acted the same way when she was alone with him.
"Looks like you've fully recovered," Kai murmured with a smirk, eyeing Sonoko.
"Not quite yet. But if you want to go again, I can handle it."
——————————
After school that afternoon.
Marin Kitagawa got dragged out shopping by the rest of the gyaru clique. As the undisputed center of the group, she had a massive social circle.
In a rare twist, Yumiko Miura and Yui Yuigahama dragged Hina Ebina out for a girls-only shopping trip. Megumi Kato had family business to attend to.
For once, it was completely quiet around Kai.
He stayed in the Service Club room for a while before getting ready to leave. Since there were no club activities, the place had basically turned into a nap room. No one had come in with a request yet.
"Hitori?"
Right before leaving, Kai called out to Hitori Gotou, who was sitting silently in the corner of the room.
"Ah?" Hitori snapped out of her daydream. It took her a few seconds to focus before she looked at Kai.
"Y-Yes?"
Even now, talking to Kai one-on-one made her completely flustered.
"Want to walk home together?" Kai kept it simple, pointing toward the door.
"Y…"
She almost said yes without thinking. Just the idea of spending a little more time with him made her heart beat faster.
But her excitement disappeared right away. Her smile faded, and she quickly looked away, unable to meet his eyes.
"N-No, it's fine! I'll just go home by myself!"
"Hmm?" Kai raised an eyebrow. He didn't argue. He just walked straight over to her.
He could sense how down she was just by being near her.
"Let's go." After studying her for a second, he grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the club room.
"Ah! I—"
The sudden pull made Hitori stumble forward, bringing her closer to him. As Kai led her along without saying anything, she lowered her head, embarrassed.
"Um…"
Even without looking up, she could feel people staring. Lots of students were watching them, and she immediately worried they would talk badly about Kai later.
She couldn't hold it in. "I-If they see us, it'll ruin your reputation!"
"Hmm?"
He thought she was going to say something serious. Her reasoning made him laugh out loud.
It made sense. Hitori always struggled with feeling inferior, so this reaction was just like her. But while she cared about what others thought, Kai didn't.
He looked around and noticed a few students staring. Everyone at school already knew about his reputation as a player, but he didn't care at all.
"No, it won't."
"Huh?" Hitori blinked, looking up at him in confusion.
"I don't think it ruins my reputation at all," Kai said with a bright smile.
"You're cute, Hitori. I like you. Just walking next to you makes me happy. I couldn't care less what anyone else has to say about it."
"If anything, they're just jealous. After all, none of them get to walk around with someone as cute as you."
Kai turned his head, flashing her a warm look.
"…"
His gentle look made her freeze, and she quickly looked away, unable to meet his eyes. Still, she couldn't hide the big smile on her face.
'I knew it. I love him so much!'
——————————
He had planned to walk her all the way home, but after what he said, she couldn't handle any more. Once they got on the train, she insisted he not go any further with her.
"Phew!"
Standing alone on the train, Hitori let out a long breath. She was definitely flustered, but that wasn't the real reason she told him to go home.
Kessoku Band had scheduled a rehearsal today, but Hitori had made up a bunch of excuses to dodge it.
For one thing, playing guitar in front of others made her so anxious she couldn't play the right notes. Even worse, her bandmates wanted her to help hand out flyers. With her social anxiety, talking to strangers felt impossible. That's why she tried to skip practice.
But things were different now.
Right now, her only focus was crushing their first live show. She absolutely had to show Kai her best, most dazzling self on that stage.
Just thinking about it filled her with motivation. With a determined look, she quickly switched to a train going straight to Shimokitazawa.
However… a few hours later, the regret set in.
"P-Please… take one!" Trembling uncontrollably, she held a flyer out to a passerby.
The stranger gave her a weird look but grabbed the paper anyway.
'So scary! Their stares are freaking me out! Waaaaah! Kai-kun!'
She was crying on the inside, but she shakily pulled out another flyer and prepared to offer it to the next pedestrian.
"Maybe we should just call it a day!"
Nearby, the blonde band leader Nijika Ijichi watched Hitori struggle, clearly worried. She wouldn't force Hitori to keep going. If needed, Nijika would hand out all the flyers herself.
"N-No, I can do it!"
Hitori desperately wanted to change. If she was going to be worthy of Kai, it had to start right here. She shook her head and refused to quit.
Her determination brought a warm smile to Nijika's face.
"Wow, you really love our band, don't you, Bocchi?"
They hadn't known each other for long, but Nijika already cared a lot about the shy guitarist. Watching Hitori try so hard showed she really felt like part of the band now.
The thought prompted Nijika to snap her head toward the blue-haired girl slacking off nearby.
"Ryo! We can't just dump all the work on Bocchi! We have to pull our weight too!"
Hitori, the most socially anxious person on the planet, was struggling, while Ryo just relaxed in the corner as if nothing was happening.
"I am working," Ryo Yamada replied, keeping her expression completely deadpan and serious.
"Then grab some flyers first!" Nijika snapped in annoyance.
She wasn't holding a single piece of paper. What the hell kind of work did she think she was doing?
--------------------------------------------------
~ Every 400 PS = Bonus Chapter!
~ 15 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon!
https://p-atreon.com/dragonnx
(Just remove the hyphen to access Patreon normally.)