Tokyo: Oreimo

Ayumi's gaze darted back and forth between the two. Given how close and intimate her relationship with Hayakawa Shizuka was, coupled with Ryosuke's outstanding writing talent, she couldn't help but start to have wild thoughts.

But before he could sort out his chaotic thoughts, Ryosuke offered an explanation.

"Because we were classmates in the same high school."

"Huh?"

Chapter 253 Group Photo

As Hayakawa Shizuka watched Takashiro Ryosuke introduce himself to his clubmates, the phrase "because we're classmates from the same high school" came out of his mouth with such a calm tone that it seemed like it was really just that.

She maintained the perfect smile she had practiced on stage and gave a slight bow to the college students.

"Hello, I'm Shizuka Hoshimi."

"Hello! I'm Tanaka! I'm the president of the Waseda University Manga Research Club! I'm a DC fan! I've been following you since your debut single!"

Tian Zhongxue was still clutching his cheering stick in his hand, and almost flung it away while speaking.

"Thank you for your support," Shizuka said with a smile.

"So, Takashiro-san and Hoshimi-san are really high school classmates?" Tanaka turned to Ryosuke, then back to Shizuka, looking like he'd won the lottery. "Then they must have run into each other at school all the time?"

“We can’t see each other often either,” Shizuka answered for him, her gaze sweeping over Ryosuke’s face. “It’s a pity, because of his career, he’s actually on leave from school most of the time.”

"How enviable, Takashiro." Tanaka patted Ryosuke's shoulder forcefully.

"Hmm? What's so enviable about that?"

Tanaka turned to Ryosuke with an accusing look, "You can write novels, you're good at studying, and you have idol friends. Do you know what kind of setting that is in a visual novel?"

"What's the setting?" Misaki Asakura asked curiously.

"Hidden route for an unromanceable character! No, this is already the completed route! It's been two years since graduation and she still remembers me, isn't that maxed out her affection level?!"

Ayumi coughed softly beside her.

This big-mouthed president, the idol himself was standing right in front of him, it's so rude of him to say such things.

and....

Her gaze unconsciously drifted toward Ling Nai, who was standing to her side and behind her.

The blonde girl had been silent since the beginning, with her arms crossed and her expression calm.

But Ayumi noticed that when Tian Zhongxue said "the favorability is full", she seemed to hear a sound of gritting teeth.

Then she glanced at Ryosuke, her lips moving as if she were lip-reading.

Ayumi followed her gaze and saw that Ryosuke also glanced at Lingna, then his lips curved into a very slight smile.

That arc was fleeting; if she hadn't been staring at it intently, she wouldn't have noticed it at all.

There must be some secret between these two.

Ayumi silently made a mental note of it, but didn't think about it too deeply.

Anyway, ever since the Electric Town Festival, she knew that there were many inexplicable things about this brother and sister, but so what? They were all members of the manga club.

"Shizuka-chan, you've been out for too long."

A voice came from the backstage area.

Asakura Mirai emerged from behind the partition, still wearing her DC costume, holding two bottles of mineral water, her dark brown short hair glistening slightly under the lights.

Her gaze swept over the people present, lingering briefly on Ryosuke Takashiro.

Ryosuke noticed her gaze and nodded slightly as a greeting.

Asakura Mirai did not return the gift; her expression was complicated.

This person is Ryosuke Takashiro, the president of Aniplex, and the person Shizuka has been thinking about for the past two years.

She had seen him from afar in the lounge of SP Agency the last time. He was talking to his manager, Shinpei Ito. Shizuka stood in the corridor and watched through the crack in the door for a long time, but did not go in.

Now this person is right in front of you, and Shizuka is standing next to him, maintaining her idol-perfect smile, saying, "We are classmates from the same high school."

In the future, you'll understand Shizuka's personality. That's just how she is; she feels that if the other person already has a girlfriend, they should silently back down.

That's why she refers to herself as a "high school classmate".

However, just because Shizuka doesn't say something doesn't mean others can't see it.

“This is Asakura Mirai, a member of DC and also my teammate,” Shizuka introduced.

"Ah, I know! She's the group's second lead vocalist, right? She sang the high notes in the ending theme of 'Clannad'!" Tanaka immediately chimed in, then bowed again. "It's such an honor to meet both Ms. Shizuka and Ms. Mirai today!"

"Thank you." Asakura Mirai nodded politely, then her gaze returned to Ryosuke. "Takagi-kun, it's rare to run into you at the event. Shizuka was just on stage..."

"future."

Shizuka interrupted her teammate's words with a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft.

Her smile remained on her face, but her gaze was fixed intently on the other person.

Asakura Mirai looked into Shizuka's eyes and remained silent for a moment.

Shizuka still had a smile on her lips, but there was something in her eyes that was silently pleading.

Don't say it.

Don't say that in this kind of situation.

She already has a boyfriend, so I just need to stay where I am now.

Having known Shizuka for so many years, I'm all too familiar with that look in her eyes.

That kind of idol expression where all expectations and disappointments are suppressed in the heart, and only the most perfect smile is shown to others.

She had seen that look in the locker room, in the training room, and every night she practiced all night.

But every time she saw it, she couldn't help feeling resentful for Shizuka.

In the end, Wei Lai swallowed her words and sighed almost imperceptibly.

"Shizuka was looking for the audience seats on stage just now, and now she has finally found her high school classmate. She seems very happy."

Shizuka's shoulders relaxed very slightly.

Ayumi noticed this scene, and so did Misaki Asakura.

The two looked at each other, but neither of them spoke.

There was a subtle tension in the air, but Ayumi couldn't quite put her finger on what it was.

"By the way, can we take a picture together?" Tian Zhongxue had already taken out his camera from his bag. "No, I mean, it's rare to run into each other at the event..."

He regretted saying that as soon as he did.

In any case, it's a bit presumptuous of me to ask for a signature; that would be more like it.

To Tian Zhongxue's surprise, Hayakawa Shizuka actually agreed.

"Okay." She nodded with a smile.

Tian Zhongxue hurriedly shoved the camera into Ayumi's hands, then walked around to Shizuka's side, thought for a moment, and then took a half step back to maintain what he considered a proper distance.

The flash went off, capturing the moment.

......

"I'm so lucky, so incredibly lucky!"

Tian Zhongxue walked through the exhibition hall with his camera in his hand, a happy smile on his face.

Who would dare to imagine that?

Participating in Winter COMI this time not only resulted in a huge sales volume for our group's work, but I also got to take a photo with my favorite idol. I can only call it incredibly lucky.

"It's all thanks to Takashiro. He and Hoshimi were high school classmates. I never even dared to imagine that."

Unlike the excitement of Yuta Middle School, Ayumi turned around and glanced at the Takashiro siblings, who were still standing at the entrance of the passage with Hayakawa Shizuka, and a look of confusion appeared in her eyes.

She always felt that the relationship between those two people was more than just that of classmates.

Chapter 254 Night Commentary (Combined Chapter)

After the manga club members left, the passageway became much quieter.

The speakers at the Aniplex booth were still playing SAO's background music, but the volume was much lower than during the performance. The queue for the demo area in the distance was still winding and meandering, and occasionally a visitor would pass by and cast a curious glance in this direction.

Shizuka Hayakawa spoke first.

"Ling Nai, it's been a long time."

"It has indeed been a long time, Hayakawa-senpai." Ling Nai lowered her arms from her chest and said in a flat tone, "The last time we met was on my TV at home."

"We didn't really meet during the entrance exam; we just greeted each other outside the exam hall." Shizuka tilted her head slightly, the red ribbon at the end of her hair hanging down in front of her shoulder. "After that, I haven't been to school. The agency was pressuring me, and I've basically been studying through correspondence courses."

"Having been an idol for so long, are you not planning to go back?"

"Yes, the agency helped me apply for a retention of my student status, but it's very complicated in practice. Besides, high school courses are indeed quite challenging for artists, and there isn't much time to prepare for exams."

The two girls stood facing each other, each saying a sentence.

Ryosuke stood to the side, still holding the unopened bottle of green tea, feeling unsure whether to speak or remain silent.

"Hayakawa-senpai's performance today was wonderful." Ling Nai smiled, revealing a perfect arc. "I saw it from the audience; the audience was very enthusiastic."

"Thank you, I'm very happy to receive your approval, Professor Takashiro." Hayakawa Shizuka smiled gently.

Shizuka was referring to "Takashiro-sensei," and Ayano's identity was not a secret to their agency; they had some connection with each other.

In formal settings, she always addressed Ling Nai as such.

As the lead vocalist of Dream Chaser, every theme song she sings is linked to the works that Ryono is involved in. Therefore, on a professional level, she addresses Ryono in a more formal way than she would address him as Ryosuke.

“If they were fans, they would have been very happy to see Senpai’s performance just now.” Ling Nai glanced at Ryosuke. “Right?”

“It was truly spectacular.” Ryosuke continued, “His sense of rhythm and stage presence were much more mature than last year.”

Upon hearing this, Shizuka Hayakawa's lips curled up slightly.

"Being praised by you means I've really made a lot of progress."