She walked quickly to an empty table and carefully placed the light novel in the center of the desk.
After doing all this, she clapped her hands as if relieved of a heavy burden, then took out a notebook and pen from her schoolbag.
Imaizumi Keita leaned against a nearby bookshelf, watching her series of actions, and asked somewhat helplessly:
"Is this... how you do research?"
"Of course!"
Yanami Anna puffed out her chest proudly. She pulled out a chair, sat down, spread open the notebook, and picked up her pen to explain.
"This is called efficiency! Record the title, author, publisher, and key information from the synopsis, then go home and slowly conceive and digest it. This is the thinking method of a genius!"
As she spoke, she flipped open the back cover of the top book and began writing furiously in her notebook, muttering to herself.
"Hmm... 'After being abandoned by my childhood sweetheart, I became neighbors with the school's number one beautiful idol'... This setting isn't bad. Note it down, note it down..."
Imaizumi Keita looked at her serious expression and couldn't help but find it amusing.
He walked to the table, pulled out the chair opposite her, sat down, and then leaned forward slightly to peek at her notebook.
"Let me see... what kind of genius inspiration you've recorded..."
"Hey! No peeking!"
Yanami Anna immediately covered her notebook with her palms, glaring warily at Imaizumi Keita.
Seeing Yanami's sensitive reaction, Imaizumi Keita had no choice but to pick up a nearby light novel and start flipping through it.
Nearly half an hour later, Yanami Anna had filled three pages of her notebook with "key information."
"Alright! Today's research task is successfully completed!"
She stood up, stretched, and then began returning the light novels on the table one by one to their original shelves.
Seeing her serious attitude, Imaizumi Keita helped her put back a few books on the highest shelves.
After completing all this, the two of them left the bookstore side by side.
Shortly after their figures disappeared from the entrance, a small figure carefully poked its head out from behind a row of tall bookshelves in the light novel section.
Koma Chihana confirmed that the two had walked far away before stepping out from her hiding spot, letting out a long sigh of relief.
Th-that was close...
I almost got discovered.
She patted her chest, which was pounding wildly from nervousness, but her mind uncontrollably recalled the scene she had just witnessed.
Koma Chihana's mind uncontrollably replayed that scene.
Classmate Imaizumi and Nanami-san...
The way the two of them stood side by side in front of the bookshelf... they really looked like a perfect match.
Furthermore, the atmosphere between them...
Didn't seem like ordinary friends at all.
When Nanami-san saw an interesting novel, she would naturally grab Imaizumi-kun's arm, pointing at the cover and chattering away about something.
And although Imaizumi-kun always had an impatient look on his face, his gaze never left Nanami-san.
That feeling was just like...
Two other figures suddenly flashed through Koma Chihana's mind.
President Tamaki and Senior Tsukinoki, who always instinctively bickered in the clubroom yet understood each other better than anyone.
No, it's not the same as the President and the others...
An emotion called "inferiority" welled up in her heart once again.
Koma Chihana hugged her books and silently lowered her head, her long bangs obscuring her eyes.
She recalled the gentle and encouraging smile the President gave her after hearing her finish the book he recommended.
Just that was enough to make her feel so happy.
If... if she could just talk to him a bit more, if she could let him see just a little more of her hard work...
Koma Chihana slowly raised her head, a flicker of determination burning in those eyes that usually avoided contact.
The training camp this weekend...
I have to... do my best!
...
On the way home.
Yanami Anna walked beside Imaizumi Keita, taking small licks of a popsicle she had just bought.
After the excitement from the bookstore faded, a realistic question began to swirl in her mind.
Writing a novel...
Is it really that easy?
"Hey, Imaizumi-kun."
She finally couldn't help but stop and turn to look at the man beside her.
"Hmm?"
"Do you think..."
She hesitated for a moment, asking softly with a hint of uncertainty and anticipation, "Could I write a light novel that people would like?"
"I don't know."
"Eh?"
"I'm not a mind reader," Imaizumi Keita said flatly. "How would I know if you can write one or not?"
Seeing Yanami's face instantly collapse, he changed his tone and added a sentence.
"However..."
He paused, an encouraging smile appearing on his face.
"If you actually write something and are too embarrassed to show it to anyone else..."
"...I can reluctantly agree to be your first reader."
Yanami Anna's heart, which had just sunk, began to throb uncontrollably, and the corners of her mouth curled up slightly.
"Hmph."
She turned her face away and muttered, "W-well, okay then. Since you put it that way, I'll reluctantly accept your proposal."
"When the time comes, you'd better give me the strictest, most professional advice!"
"I know, I know."
Imaizumi Keita responded. Seeing her cute, stubborn-yet-soft demeanor, he turned to continue walking forward.
Beside him, Yanami Anna tentatively tugged at the sleeve of his school uniform with her fingers.
"Um..."
Imaizumi Keita looked back in confusion, only to see Yanami with her head down, her gaze fixed on something unknown.
"What's wrong?"
"It's... just..." Yanami Anna's voice was much softer than usual, "Since... since Imaizumi-kun is going to be my first reader..."
She finally gathered her courage and looked up, staring straight at him.
"Then... in return, I want to be Imaizumi-kun's first reader too... is that okay?"
"I feel like... it's a bit unfair that I'm the only one getting help from you."
Yanami's voice grew even smaller, and her eyes began to wander.
"Besides, you always hide your notebook so well in the clubroom, I... I'm a little worried..."
As she reached the end, a hint of grievance and suspicion entered her voice.
"You aren't... writing some weird story with me as the prototype, are you?"
Seeing her cautious appearance, Imaizumi Keita couldn't help but find it amusing. He reached out and patted Yanami's hair.
"Of course I'm not writing about you."
"However, I agree to your request to be my first reader."
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