I, Aki Tomoya, will not be a simp.

Seeing his reaction, Kato Megumi realized that the other party had already noticed this matter and was just tacitly accepting the current situation.

At this moment, Kato Megumi felt that this boy was very impressive in some ways.

=

Thank you [Shenwang Jingjie] for the lovey-dovey moments and monthly tickets.

Thank you [Kasumigaoka-senpai] for the monthly pass.

Chapter 15 They Gathered Here (A long, 4k-word chapter!)

The three most famous figures at Toyonosaki Academy are Kasumigaoka Utaha, Sawamura Spencer Eriri, and Aki Tomoya.

Kasumigaoka Utaha, the top student of the year, is a rare literary talent and an unattainable beauty in the eyes of countless boys and girls.

Eriri, an elite member of the art club who won an award at an exhibition in her first year of school, is a famous young lady who is kind to everyone and whose popularity on campus is on par with the one mentioned above.

Finally, there's Aki Tomoya. Well, after what he did last year, everyone in the school knew him as a blatant otaku, and his reputation was mixed. However, after starting his second year, things changed dramatically.

Now all three of the school's most famous figures have gathered together, and it's clear that the two most popular girls on campus are aiming for Aki Tomoya.

Although she was very curious about their relationship, even the parties involved said it was best to ignore them, so Kato Megumi could only nonchalantly focus her gaze on the red book in her hand.

It wasn't Kato Megumi who first noticed Eriri and Kasumigaoka Utaha; with such obvious gazes, it was impossible for Aki Tomoya not to notice.

One is a childhood sweetheart who still harbors resentment about what happened before, and the other is a senior who is unable to let go of her feelings.

……

Has this been discovered?

Eriri instinctively shrank back behind the door.

They believe the reason they were discovered was not because of Kato Megumi, but because of another woman's gaze.

Next door to her childhood friend, a girl named Kasumigaoka Utaha, gave Eriri a subtle, teasing look that made her realize her presence had been exposed.

"Why is that woman here, and at this particular time?!"

Kasumigaoka Utaha, that Kasumigaoka Utako, what a troublesome woman!

Because of that person's existence, Eriri became even more hesitant.

This wasn't the first time she'd secretly followed Aki Tomoya during his days at the academy.

If Eriri puts aside her spoiled, spoiled nature for a while, she can actually figure things out.

After that incident in elementary school, Eriri was forced to separate from Aki Tomoya on the front lines, and for a long time afterward, they did not speak to each other again.

In recent years, we've only communicated via text message and exchanged games, comics, and novels in special ways.

This somewhat twisted relationship was finally torn apart completely. After the last incident, such a relationship simply could not be maintained.

The reason is simple: even though they secretly remain like close friends on the same side, maintaining such a fragile childhood friendship, it is ultimately not a long-term solution.

While she was still waiting for a new opportunity, Aki Tomoya had already taken a crucial step.

Her childhood friend Aki Tomoya, who inexplicably chose the University of Tokyo, no longer provides her with the position of being his so-called childhood friend.

Eriri, who already felt like she was walking on thin ice in this relationship, couldn't think of anything optimistic at this moment.

Naively imagining that the other party will make concessions or easily reconcile will only lead to a complete defeat for the childhood sweetheart relationship!

If we don't take the initiative and learn from our mistakes, the distance between us will only grow further and further, and there's no chance of turning things around in a bad ending where we're like strangers.

"Kasumigaoka Utaha, what are you doing here?!"

Eriri had been looking for an opportunity to break through with Aki Tomoya, but the presence of Kasumigaoka Utaha only made her mind more confused.

Even without Kasumigaoka Utaha, Eriri might not be able to fully open up and actively seek out Aki Tomoya right now, but does shifting blame need a reason?

That's just how humans are. Even when the problem is their own, they always seek psychological comfort and shift the blame onto others.

Putting that aside for now, the established childhood sweetheart relationship is by no means defeated!

……

“Sawamura Spencer Eriri…”

Kasumigaoka Utaha's wine-red eyes flickered slightly as she glanced indifferently at the mixed-race girl who stood at the pinnacle of doujinshi artists in the underworld as Kashiwagi Eri.

Perhaps it was because they shared a similar plight, but seeing Eriri's hesitant and conflicted appearance, Kasumigaoka Utaha felt no sarcasm towards Eriri, with whom she had some disagreements, and instead let out a soft sigh.

Hesitation leads to defeat, while decisiveness leads to failure!

Right now, Kasumigaoka Utaha only wants to give Eriri this sentence.

Regardless of whether Eriri is hesitant or able to be decisive, Kasumigaoka Utaha doesn't believe she can get the ideal response from Aki Tomoya.

The current Aki Tomoya is not the junior Tomoya of the past, nor is he the Tomoya who rejected her feelings during spring break.

Inside this library, there is also "Love Metronome," which Aki Tomoya personally placed on the shelf last year.

Even now, though times have changed, Aki Tomoya still demonstrates his exceptional execution skills and relentless pursuit of his goals.

However, this is precisely the Aki Tomoya who still retains these characteristics, and at this moment he feels both strange and familiar.

Even Kasumigaoka Utaha herself doesn't dare say she sees Aki Tomoya clearly now. Has Eriri, who is hesitant and flustered at this moment, really thought things through properly?

Therefore, the blonde girl who looked like a loser at this moment was so pitiful.

"Dongda Science Category III, I must say, as expected of you?"

Kasumigaoka Utaha looked at Aki Tomoya with a slightly complicated expression.

Whether in the past or present, Tomoya Aki always surprises people unexpectedly.

That serious look on Aki Tomoya's face...

"Uh-huh..."

Da da da da da da——

"Please calm down, Kasumigaoka-senpai. This is the library."

Aki Tomoya turned his head expressionlessly and reminded Kasumigaoka Utaha, who was stamping her feet excitedly.

call!

"excuse me."

Be elegant, don't panic!

Kasumigaoka Utaha calmed down and placed her snow-white right hand on her knee.

If we think about it rationally and calmly, we should now observe carefully and understand Aki Tomoya properly.

It's not too late for this clueless guy who rejected her feelings to make a decision after he sees her for who she really is.

Kasumigaoka Utaha, a rising light novelist, is determined to see through this boy named Aki Tomoya, using her pure heart as a stake!

……

After reminding Kasumigaoka Utaha, Aki Tomoya paused for a moment and thought about Eriri, who was still hiding at the door, thinking she hadn't been discovered yet.

"What an awkward young lady!"

He sighed to himself.

Aki Tomoya could actually guess what Eriri's current situation was and what kind of feelings she was probably experiencing.

But if she really wants to make up, can't she just be more straightforward?

Even though they had such a falling out, she wore her desire to make up on her face. But considering her personality, Aki Tomoya knew that she definitely hadn't really figured out what the problem was!

Besides, things aren't actually as complicated as Eriri thinks. Aki Tomoya isn't that bothered by things from the past.

Let's not talk about owing each other anything now. Let's just assume we owe each other nothing and treat each other as normal people.

Aki Tomoya didn't want to dwell on the past. Although the events of his childhood had indeed left some shadows on him, it would be too sentimental to talk about such things now.

The current situation with Eriri could perhaps be described as a cold war, or rather, a one-sided cold war.

Because Aki Tomoya didn't really care, while Eriri cared a lot.

So Eriri can do whatever she wants; anyway, Aki Tomoya isn't really keen on going to see Eriri.

He's said everything he needed to say; he genuinely doesn't want to maintain that twisted relationship anymore.

They've been childhood friends, and Aki Tomoya feels that some things are best left unsaid.

Furthermore, regarding the idea of ​​mutual understanding, Aki Tomo is afraid that if there really is such a thing as mutual understanding, everyone will become even more entangled.

Then there's Kasumigaoka Utaha, who seems quite calm; she's the one who really doesn't need much attention.

Since she intends to see things clearly before making a decision, let her be a contented observer.

However, Aki Tomoya probably overlooked something. He seemed to have forgotten that Kasumigaoka Utaha, the author of romance light novels next door, is a woman who possesses both sensibility and rationality.

"Is Aki really not dating any of them?"

Kato Ena's calm voice rang in his ears again.

Having witnessed all the reactions of Eriri, Kasumigaoka Utaha, and the others, Kato Megumi could not possibly believe that there was no romantic entanglement between them.

That hesitant look, that wavering look, was so subtle.