I, Aki Tomoya, will not be a simp.

"Wait a minute!!!"

A boy of similar age to Aki Tomoya chased after him in a state of near despair.

Hearing the shouts from behind, Aki Tomoya stopped his bicycle in confusion, then turned around and asked, "I didn't run over your foot, did I? If you're trying to blackmail me, I'll call the police."

Along the way, he didn't even run over a single pebble, and when he saw this person showing off on the main road, he would go around him.

After the man caught up, Aki Tomoya immediately sensed that something was wrong with him and that he was likely trying to scam someone.

Maintaining a wary attitude towards strangers, Aki Tomoya looked at the boy who was about his age with suspicion.

"Hey, you can't be pretending you don't know me, can you?"

The boy's lips twitched, and he looked slightly embarrassed. He had been waiting here all day. After all, it had only been a few years since they last met. Surely the other person couldn't have forgotten him?

However, in fact, Aki Tomoya did not immediately recall who this guy was.

"It would be a problem if I knew someone as suspicious as you!"

Aki Tomoya frowned, still regarding the other person as a suspicious individual.

He carefully examined the boy in front of him and suddenly felt that the boy looked familiar, while at the same time feeling an inexplicable dislike for him.

Upon hearing these hurtful words, the boy took a half-step back as if struck by a blow.

"Iori Hashima, it's me, Iori Hashima!"

Iori Hashima shouted her name out loud.

He looked at Aki Tomoya with feigned deep sorrow; his performance would have been even more captivating if he had eye drops.

"Oh, Iori Hashima."

Aki Tomoya suddenly remembered. Looking closely, he realized that this person seemed to be his best friend from junior high school.

Moreover, I had met this guy's sister before.

Why is this person here? Standing in the middle of the road trying to look cool, he's never died.

"How indifferent!"

Iori Hashima had a black line hanging from her head.

He had originally thought that after their long-awaited reunion, a fateful showdown would unfold, but Aki Tomoya's indifferent reaction left him somewhat disappointed.

This reunion was quite different from the dramatic turn of events he had hoped for.

On another note, he remembered seeing a declaration of quitting being a shut-in on his best friend's homepage a few months ago.

The fact that Aki Tomoya would choose to quit being an otaku was something that Namishima Iori could never have imagined.

Doomsday, alien invasion?

None of these things can adequately describe Iori Hashima's feelings.

"So, you've never died while standing in the street?"

Aki Tomoya reminded him that he wasn't as carefree as Hashima Iori, and immediately walked to the side of the road after stopping.

Judging from Iori Hashima's posture now, this guy must have been waiting for me here on purpose.

The fact that the brother and sister chose to visit him during the graduation ceremony touched Aki Tomoya deeply.

His junior classmate went to sea to find him because she was going to participate in the summer CM exhibition, but his best friend from junior high school probably had more ulterior motives for looking for him.

"Don't say that. I've been waiting for you since noon, and I'm not blind. You're just too slow!"

Iori Hashima shook her head and smiled, a hint of curiosity in her eyes.

He scrutinized Aki Tomoya, carefully observing how much his best friend from junior high had changed.

He posted a suggestive declaration of quitting his otaku lifestyle on his homepage, and then gradually sold off his treasured possessions.

Among those who took over was Iori Hashima.

Thanks to Aki Tomoya, he got what he didn't have before, but after getting it, he wasn't happy at all, and always felt that something was missing.

"So, when did you move back from Nagoya?"

After putting his bicycle away, Aki Tomoya asked Hashima Iori.

He had known about Iori Hashima's move back from Nagoya for several months.

That time, this guy pretended to be a stranger and took over his treasure, but he didn't clean up the mess properly, and Aki Tomoya noticed something was wrong.

"It's been a while, hasn't it? It's been years since I last saw you. The changes in you are truly unrecognizable. Is this a recent development, or did you start to get interested in college entrance exams after entering high school?"

Iori Hashima shrugged; he'd moved back to Tokyo some time ago.

He just hadn't had time to contact the people he knew in Tokyo, and choosing the graduation ceremony as the timing seemed perfect to him.

"Is there anything wrong with the path of further education?"

Aki Tomoya replied expressionlessly.

At this moment, Iori Hashima smiled and slowly took out a business card from her pocket.

"There's nothing wrong with it, but I should reintroduce myself, 'rouge.en.rouge,' and I did it."

Chapter 61 is hard to understand (3/12)

'rouge.en.rouge' is a top-tier doujin circle in the otaku world, represented by Akane Akasaka, and is active in the industry as a top-tier doujin circle.

And Iori Hashima is now one of them.

"Speaking of which, Tomoya and I once said that we would reach the top of the otaku world together, right? You suddenly changed your goal, and I feel very sad and lonely!"

Iori Hashima handed the business card to Tomoya Aki, a slight smile playing on her lips.

Does their close friend from junior high still remember the promise they made?

Iori Hashima declared that she would make a name for herself in the world of otaku, and she did, but Tomoya Aki left without hesitation at this moment.

This is something that Iori Reihashima cannot understand.

He was well aware of Aki Tomoya's past passion for anime and manga.

"Akane's club, huh? Not bad, Iori. You're still the same as always."

Aki Tomo glanced at the business card without leaving a trace, a hint of mockery in his eyes.

He could probably imagine how his former best friend had climbed up the ranks, and now, as a member of a top-tier doujinshi circle, this guy was probably at the height of his success.

"You're adept at navigating social situations, making full use of your strengths, and skillfully utilizing your talents. You're a sophisticated egoist, aren't you, Iori Hashima?"

Aki Tomoya wasn't too surprised by the business card in Hashima Iori's hand.

Because he understood what kind of person Iori Hashima was, he knew that it was only natural for Iori Hashima to have ended up like this.

"So, are you showing off? In my impression, you're not the kind of person who's this naive, are you?"

Aki Tomoya's smile remained unchanged, but his gaze was extremely cold.

Is her former best friend using this kind of thing to show off in front of him?

He believed that Iori Hashima should not be so petty.

Thinking about flaunting one's assets in front of a estranged friend—if that's really the case, Aki Tomoya feels he should change his opinion of this person.

Iori Hashima looked somewhat embarrassed; Tomoya Aki's indifferent reaction was unexpected.

If it were Akane Kousaka's club, given his understanding of Tomoya Aki, the other party should have shouted it out by now.

As a result, Aki Tomoya's indifference made him feel powerless.

"Hey, is this still the same person who kept promising me that we would reach the pinnacle of the otaku world?"

Iori Hashima's smile seemed difficult to maintain; her imposing aura had already diminished considerably.

At this moment, Aki Tomoya sighed and said, "Iori, we have never been the same kind of people. Don't you understand that by now?"

He shook his head as he spoke.

Tomoya Aki now understands this person, including some of his actions.

There's nothing wrong with it, nothing bad about it. It might be scorned by people who used to have a simple love for anime and manga, but as a means of advancing in the otaku world, Iori Hashima has undoubtedly succeeded.

"As a former friend, and in return for your kindness recently, I'd like to remind you of something: no matter where you are, becoming a top performer is incredibly tough. Keep up the momentum, but also keep a close eye on your limits."

Aki Tomoya said with a smile.

Well, Iori Hashima certainly has reason to boast, and the same applies to him now.

However, since they were no longer from the same world, Aki Tomoya felt somewhat awkward.

"Of course, as your old friend, I am very happy for your current achievements, truly."

Aki Tomoya smiled.

In the world of otaku, Iori Hashima has indeed lived up to her previous declaration and is striving to climb to the top.