Master of the Machete Style Manga

Chapter 134 Night, by the Sea, with Ai Hoshihara (3rd update)
In recent days, Ai Hoshihara's research project has been progressing steadily.

She was convinced that the vivid dreams she often had at night were actually messages from the future.

But what she cares about more is another kind of dream, one that she has only experienced once so far.

It was during that afternoon nap that I saw Sakamoto Ken in that dream, and the interaction with him felt just like being in real life.

So, she has been maintaining her habit of taking a nap these days, hoping to recreate that scene.

However, it never succeeded.

After attending the meeting about the call for submissions in the morning, Ai Hoshihara returned to her apartment.

After a quick lunch, I settled into my recliner as usual, closed my eyes, and took a nap.

……

Meanwhile, everyone in the studio was having lunch.

Everyone ordered takeout together, and Ken Sakamoto paid for it.

Mio Natsume and Haruna Mikazuki also stayed in the studio and enjoyed a meal there.

However, they left the studio together in the afternoon.

The main problem was that the two of them were always staring at each other, as if they were afraid that the other would take advantage of them, and neither of them wanted to leave first.

Sitting in the chair, Ken Sakamoto picked up the storyboard he had just finished for one episode, looked it over, and then handed it to Keiko Kaji.

There's nothing to worry about regarding the manga, but Mio and Haruna are definitely heavily affected by their memories from the previous playthrough.

It's hard to say whether they'll use a machete or something, but those two definitely want to fight...

This is really a headache.

It was 2 p.m., the time when people are most sleepy. Sakamoto Ken stretched and reclined his ergonomic chair, intending to take a nap.

Ken Sakamoto closed his eyes, and his consciousness quickly sank into a state of chaos.

This feeling... is back again.

Ken Sakamoto's heart skipped a beat.

He was very familiar with this state. The first time he experienced this state, he saw Mikazuki Haruna when he opened his eyes. It was in her tower apartment in Chiyoda Ward.

The second time, I met Ai Hoshihara, also in her apartment, the one in Bunkyo Ward.

Both experiences were incredibly realistic; the touch, smell, sound... even the emotional fluctuations were identical to reality, as if I had truly returned to a scene from last week's playthrough.

Then, just like last week, we had a very intense conversation.

He didn't reject this feeling; in fact, he somewhat enjoyed it.

While the ending of last week's episode was unforgettable, it's also quite enjoyable to jump back to certain parts in the middle and savor them.

I wonder who it will be this time...

Mio?
I've never seen Mio in a dream like this before.

This guy is a bit difficult to deal with in real life, but in a virtual dream, Sakamoto Ken doesn't care, since there won't be any consequences when he wakes up anyway.

Her ideas were fancy and unconventional, but his ideas were actually more exciting.

The state of chaos did not last long. Gradually, rhythmic sounds began to appear in my ears.

Wow... Wow...

It's the sound of waves crashing on the beach.

As the view began to clear, the first thing that caught my eye was the slightly rough, dark wooden railing, and the faint smell of the sea and the aroma of wood filled my nostrils.

He was lying on the wooden walkway in front of a wooden house, with some small grains of sand scattered on the floor.

The night was deep, and the moonlight could be faintly seen dancing on the distant sea.

This is... a wooden cabin by the sea in Shonan?

Ken Sakamoto immediately remembered.

Last week, he and Ai Hoshihara spent three days and two nights here.

This is a wooden cabin guesthouse right next to a private beach, in a secluded environment where you won't be disturbed by outsiders.

They had a rather... well, rather nostalgic time here.

So much so that it took him two whole days to recover after he got back.

I love that guy. He usually seems aloof, but once he's had a few drinks, he becomes a completely different person...

As he was reminiscing, Ken Sakamoto suddenly felt a slight pressure on his chest.

He lowered his head.

A slender foot was gently resting on his chest.

Her delicate, fair skin shone softly in the moonlight, her rounded toes curled slightly, and her nails were as translucent as seashells.

From Sakamoto Ken's angle, you can see that her feet are covered with fine sand, which leaves a slightly itchy sensation on his skin as she moves gently.

The gaze travels upwards from the ankles. The long, shapely lines of the calves are faintly visible in the soft light and shadow, and then upwards…

It was obscured by the shadows of the pillars in the wooden house's corridor.

Just then, the foot gave a gentle push, and a clear, slightly languid female voice rang out.

"Are you awake?"

Ken Sakamoto did not answer immediately.

He slowly reached out and grasped the ankle that was stepping on his chest.

With a little effort, I removed that restless foot from my body.

Then, Ken Sakamoto turned over and stood up, looking in the direction from which the sound came.

Ai Hoshihara sat on the wooden chair next to her, her body turned to face the sea, towards Ken Sakamoto.

She casually draped one arm over the edge of the table, holding a crystal-clear whiskey glass in her hand. Inside, the amber-colored liquor contained a round ice ball, which refracted a hazy glow in the moonlight.

The sea breeze caressed her, and with no extra fabric covering her body, the bright moonlight was the lightest veil on her body, revealing her graceful curves without any concealment.

Ken Sakamoto looked around and confirmed that the environment was exactly the same as he remembered.

He looked down at himself again.

Sure enough, she was in the same cool state as him.

The cool sea breeze brushed against my skin, bringing a slight shiver.

His gaze fell on Ai Hoshihara once again.

His feelings were somewhat complicated. He stared intently at Hoshino Ai, not out of lust, but as if he were seeing a lover he hadn't seen in a long time, his gaze filled with half longing and half emotion.

Ai Hoshino noticed the change in his eyes.

She put down her wine glass, the bottom of which made a soft sound as it struck the wooden tabletop.

Those eyes, which appeared exceptionally deep and bright in the moonlight, met Sakamoto Ken's gaze.

The two stared at each other like that until Ai Hoshihara was moved.

She reached out and gently pinched Sakamoto Ken's chin with her slender fingers, forcing him to raise his head slightly and meet her gaze.

"Ah-Jian," Hoshino Ai's voice held a hint of amusement, "why are you looking at me like that?"

Ken Sakamoto did not avoid her gaze, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.

“Love,” he whispered, “you are so beautiful.”

He paused, then added, "I miss you."

Ai Hoshino was slightly taken aback when she heard this.

She tightened her grip on his chin slightly, her eyes filled with even more inquiry.

"Is it?"

She chuckled softly, released his hand, and leaned forward, wrapping her arms around his neck, her breath sweet as orchids: "If you missed me... why didn't you come to find me?"

"Looking for you?"

Ken Sakamoto repeated the two words in confusion.

This reaction seemed to confirm something for Ai Hoshihara.

She withdrew her arms from his neck, creating a slight distance between them, her deep eyes fixed on Ken Sakamoto.

"Ah Jian, tell me..." Her voice became somewhat unsteady, "...where are we meeting now?"

Ken Sakamoto answered instinctively, "The seaside in Shonan."

Ai Hoshino slowly shook her head. "I wasn't referring to the location."

Her gaze sharpened, taking on an almost scrutinizing quality.

"Whether it's Xiangnan or being with you..." she said slowly, "these are all memories that are very deep in my mind... but they are things that I have never experienced myself before."

Upon hearing this, Ken Sakamoto was suddenly jolted.

What does this mean?
As far as I can remember, they never had such a conversation when they were on the coast of southern Hunan.

They must have been completely immersed in pleasure at the time, right?
Even if we occasionally talk about it, we won't bring up such strange topics.

Shouldn't dreams be a replay of past memories?

Even if dreams make up their own stories, it's impossible for them to create something that doesn't exist in one's memory at all, right?

Things didn't seem to be as simple as he thought.

Just as Ken Sakamoto was lost in thought, Ai Hoshihara spoke up again.

“You’re the same, aren’t you? You remember these things too.” She looked at Ken Sakamoto and said, word by word, “March 31, 2015, Ken Sakamoto.”

(End of this chapter)