My daily life in various anime crossovers can't possibly be this sci-fi.

Well, they're probably discussing something they absolutely have to keep from me. In that case, it's best not to worry about it too much.

……

"...Since it's going to be adapted into a manga, some scenes should be handled a bit more dramatically. For example, I think for the first concert, we could... Ah! Or, how about setting the first concert in a situation where there's 'not a single audience member'?"

Kotori Minami's mind was filled with a brilliant idea about adapting a manga.

Considering that the essence of idols is selling a persona, the light novel proposal, which was still at the initial stage of otaku culture, was directly rejected after a group discussion between Minami Kotori and Jiang Jinghua: after all, it is really impossible to write a novel with a tight plot about girls singing and dancing... unless it is adapted into a yuri slice-of-life story after they become famous, which is more reliable.

Considering the Foundation's advanced media production capabilities, Jiang Jinghua even proposed a radical, "Why not just rush into animation production quickly and efficiently?" However, at Kotori's suggestion, Jiang Jinghua decided to further evaluate the current technological capabilities available to everyone before discussing such issues.

So, while others were busy practicing working at the coffee shop, Minami Kotori, having some free time, began discussing the feasibility and specific steps of adapting the story into a manga with Jiang Jinghua.

what

Section 85, Chapter 85: On the Formation and Consolidation of Stable Bilateral Relations

"...Anyway, we're not professional illustrators, so the results should be fine as promotional material." Minami Kotori rested her chin on her right hand, looking like she was deep in thought. "For example, putting it on μ's' homepage..."

Jiang Jinghua, on the other side, sat opposite her, his brows furrowed, seemingly lost in thought.

“…Indeed.” He suddenly spoke up, “Of course, besides promotion, it can also exist as a fan-oriented consumer product. If there are manga characters, the possibilities for developing merchandise will be much broader, and our fighting power in Akihabara will also increase, right?”

“That’s right.” Kotori nodded.

“…Ah, but after careful consideration, I realize that if you choose this path, you will face a lot of criticism and blame.” Jiang Jinghua sighed and looked up at the ceiling of the café. “Double the audience means double the criticism, and trying to please both sides may backfire and cause you to run into obstacles on both ends. Finding a balance between theory and practice is a problem you must consider.”

He lowered his head, picked up a glass of cold water from the table, and drank it all in one gulp.

“…I said, Lord Jinghua.”

Nan Qinli made a completely unexpected move: she stretched out her fair wrist and grabbed Jiang Jinghua's free hand with her right hand.

"...Why are you doing this all of a sudden?" Jiang Jinghua asked calmly, sipping his cold water as he looked at Nan Qinli, whose expression had suddenly hardened.

If it were me in the past, I probably would have reacted like the protagonists of those slice-of-life harem light novels. However, the situation is a little different now.

Perhaps it's because I've been thinking about so many random things lately... that I simply don't have the mood to care about such trivial matters.

"Hey... there's something I need to ask you, please promise me, okay?"

With her cherry lips slightly parted, Minami Kotori uttered these words.

She gently bit her lower lip, and a resolute light shone in her amber pupils beneath her long, bird-wing-like eyelashes.

"...What's wrong?" Jiang Jinghua asked, somewhat confused.

What's wrong with him? He's making that face like a dying Party member telling his comrades to make sure he pays his Party dues...

"It's nothing serious." She chuckled. "It's just... I hope that from now on, Jinghua-jun can refer to us as 'we'."

"...What do you mean? My Japanese isn't good, I didn't hear you clearly..."

“What I mean is that Jinghua-kun can see himself as one of the nine of us,” Nan Kotori said softly, holding Jiang Jinghua’s right hand. “Just like the other members of μ’s, a trustworthy partner.”

"Isn't this a bit inappropriate? After all, I haven't really done anything for you..."

“That’s alright.” Minami Kotori shook her head with a smile. “Jinghua-kun has been mistaken all along, hasn’t he? Friendship isn’t a tool created for any purpose. On the contrary, friendship itself is the purpose of our actions.”

"Hehe, speaking of which, I suddenly remembered something from my childhood..."

A blush of happiness appeared on Kotori's cheeks, and the corners of her mouth turned up slightly as her thoughts drifted back to that sunset evening ten years ago.

"I first met Honoka in the park," Kotori said with great familiarity. "Back then, I didn't have a single friend. My parents were very worried about it..."

It was at that moment that she came to me. And then she reached out her hand.

"Hey, wanna play together?"

"...Is it...is it okay? We...don't even know each other's names yet..."

"Oh, it's okay, we'll just ask later! How about we play together first?"

The smile on Honoka's face at that moment...

"...I still remember it all now." Kotori smiled like a blooming flower. "If I hadn't met her back then, what would my life be like now..."

Jiang Jinghua lowered his head slightly, seemingly lost in thought.

"Back then, Honoka and I were complete strangers; we didn't know each other at all. But after she extended that invitation to me, we naturally became friends. Now, we're inseparable. You see, Jinghua-kun, the beginning of 'friendship' doesn't need any reason at all."

“…Okay.” Jiang Jinghua nodded slowly and heavily. “…I will try my best.”

"Yes!" Kotori nodded vigorously.

Jiang Jinghua's sullen expression suddenly showed signs of thawing, and the corners of his mouth kept curving upwards until he even couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Ha... Kotori, you probably think I was being really pretentious just now, right?" Jiang Jinghua shook his head while laughing nonstop. "Think about it, that was a beautiful young girl showing interest in me, right? And I had to coax her so much before she reluctantly gave me a positive answer... Tch, did I really think I was some kind of light novel protagonist who needed girls to chase after him? Me, you know..."

"Hey...hey! No way! That wasn't pursuing me at all! Seriously!"

With lightning speed, Minami Kotori pulled back her arm, covered her face with her hands, braced her elbows on the table, and curled up into a small ball.

"Phew... Anyway, since I've been asked to do this, I have no choice but to give it my all." Jiang Jinghua looked up at the ceiling. "I'm pretty good at 3D to 2D rendering... and I can use the Foundation's animation production program. Maybe if I practice drawing a little, I could help with some simple tasks like line drawing... Well, looks like I'm still somewhat useful after all..."

Jiang Jinghua revealed a smile that was hard to tell whether it was one of pleasure or self-mockery.

Just then, Honoka's shout suddenly rang out from afar.

"Hey! Xiaoqin! Stop chatting with Jinghua-jun and come over here to teach him how to deal with this!"

"Ah, here it comes!" Minami Kotori stood up, lifted her skirt, and ran towards the kitchen in the distance.

Looking at the nine people chattering and making noise not far away, Jiang Jinghua shook his head and sighed self-deprecatingly.

"What should this be considered as, this strange treatment I'm receiving..."

After downing the last glass of cold water, Jiang Jinghua turned his head and began to focus his gaze on the nine people.

There's no need to pretend to be a moralist or a saint now... If you want to see it, then see as much as you want.

That's really awful, me...

Jiang Jinghua gave a cryptic smile.

what

Chapter 86, Section 86: Fierce Battle Inside the Train Car.mp44

"Well, what should we do next?"

Maki Nishikino picked up the stemmed glass on the table and took a small sip of her unsweetened black coffee.

The café that was open was clearly not the one where they had been before. After finishing their morning practice, the group found another café (though there were no maids there) to rest and have lunch.

"Is that even a question?" Yazawa Nico curled her lip nonchalantly. "Besides getting the manga and anime adaptations sorted out as soon as possible, what other options do we have?"

"Ah, I can't wait... Nico, who is already cute to the point of being beyond human limits, how will she break records in a gorgeous way after transforming into a manga character? Hehe..." Yazawa Nico fantasized about some unrealistic things, while twisting her body in ecstasy.

"...You're disgusting." Maki said expressionlessly as she drank her coffee.

"Hey! Maki! How dare you be so arrogant when you're just a first-year junior?"

“…Nico-chan, who is younger than me despite being a senior, seems even more pathetic, doesn’t she?” Nishikino Maki smiled as she sipped her coffee.

"..."

Nico Yazawa, unable to rise again.

"They're both as energetic as ever..." Koizumi Hanayo said with a wry smile.

"...I think we can split into two groups now," Jiang Jinghua said, sipping some cold water. "Who among us can draw, or has experience with computer-aided design?"

Apart from Honoka and Maki, no one raised their hand.

"In that case... I and these two will be responsible for solving the problem of producing promotional materials before the event starts. The rest of you can focus on the promotion of the event itself and the production of the songs."

"There are no problems with this arrangement." Ayase Eli nodded slightly. "Then it's decided, how about that?"

No one objected.

"Ah, speaking of which, since we're going to make it together, how about we come to my house?" Maki Nishikino suggested. "I have quite a few computers available..."

As she was talking, she suddenly seemed to realize something and quickly turned her head to the side: "Oh right, let me make this clear first: it's just about making it together, don't give me any weird ideas!"

"..." Looking at Maki's textbook-like stiff reaction, Jiang Jinghua took a sip of cold water without expression, and then calmly said, "If you hadn't specifically reminded me like this, I'm afraid I really wouldn't have had any strange thoughts."

Maki almost spat out the coffee in her mouth.

"Not bad, Jinghua-kun! You can joke around quite fluently now!" Honoka nodded with a grin. "You've improved, you've improved!"

"Well then, I wish you all the best in your work," Nozomi Tojo said with a smile. "I'm really looking forward to seeing what you all achieve."

……

Half an hour later.

"...Ah, really, I just can't understand the tastes of the rich..."

Honoka sprawled unceremoniously on the brown leather seat, rolling her eyes and complaining.

"The lunch at the cafe is delicious, but the portions are so small! And it's so expensive!" Honoka looked exasperated, gesturing wildly with her hands. "Look at this! Such a small portion of baked rice costs 1,800 yen! How much is my allowance for a month? What's worse, it's so expensive, but it doesn't even fill me up!"

“Eating until you’re stuffed at every meal is a belief only ill-mannered people hold.” Nishikino Maki slowly and elegantly tossed her head. “Actually, Honoka-chan, don’t you think eating until you’re six or seven tenths full is a very comfortable thing?”

"Not at all!" Honoka declared righteously. "If I couldn't feel that bloating in my stomach, my life would be meaningless!"

"...Well, everyone's values ​​are different, and I can't stop you from thinking that way. But eating too much at every meal can be fatally bad for maintaining your figure, you know? Scientific research shows that the human body's daily energy metabolism is basically constant, so energy intake has an overwhelming impact on body fat deposition..."

"Huh? So that means Maki's body fat percentage has become very low due to diet control? I don't believe it! There's still so much fat piled up here!"

"...Hey, hey! You! Stop pinching me... Ouch!"

Sitting next to Maki, Jiang Jinghua glanced at the two wrestling out of the corner of his eye, his expression blank.

Is Yuri in business...? That seems like a good option...

The three of them are currently sitting in a black luxury car from the Maki family, heading towards the Nishikino residence.

Determining exactly where the Nishikino Residences are located is a complicated matter, as there are simply too many of them. The group is currently en route to a high-end apartment building on the outskirts of Tokyo.