I, who advocate giving up, feel like a disqualified person

Are you serious?

"That's not the main problem... I just don't want to draw attention to myself."

"Well..."

Judging from her expression, she seemed a little confused by my explanation, but she didn't ask me to explain further.

"Anyway, she shouldn't know that you are her opponent, so don't worry."

"That's good..." After all, that guy gave me the impression of being extremely troublesome, and...she seemed to have some misunderstandings about me, perhaps thinking I was a fan of her book...

"...I'm not really a fan..."

Chapter 7: Indifferent Insight

"Sorry to have kept you waiting for so long..." Xiaoye's apologetic words appeared in my ears.

"It's okay. It's not boring anyway because I have someone to chat with..." I said, pointing at Xiaowen who was smiling at her.

"Are you... already that familiar with each other?"

Xiaoye was a little confused when he saw this scene.

"Who made her so familiar..."

"Oh, Xiaoye, your author is super interesting. I really want to switch roles with you."

Huh? What nonsense is this guy talking about.

"Stop joking... You should take care of that new book for the reader you're responsible for."

Xiaoye turned the topic to work.

"Okay, no problem. Then you should do your best too."

Then he turned his head and stared at the computer screen, wondering if he was in a daze.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"So..." Xiaoye stopped paying attention to her and turned to me, "Have you chosen yet?"

"Hmm..." I nodded, "Let's choose this one... The style of painting is still in line with my aesthetic."

Maybe it's because of that strange feeling of familiarity.

"Well... since it's decided, then there's nothing else to worry about..." she said as she picked up the character design drawing.

"Oh, I have one more thing."

I suddenly remembered.

"Huh? What's wrong?" She seemed frightened by my sudden voice.

"No... well..." How should I put it... "It's just... I hope you don't tell anyone that I'm the author, especially my rivals..."

It would be more accurate to say "so-called opponents".

"Hey? Have you met each other already?"

Her expression seemed a little surprised.

"Yes, but she doesn't seem to recognize me yet, and it doesn't look like anyone else told her."

"Is that so..." Xiaoye nodded with an expression of "I see".

"I understand. I will definitely keep it a secret for you."

"Thank you... that was a great help."

There shouldn't be any problem now, and I can avoid this troublesome matter.

"It's okay, it's just a piece of cake." Xiaoye smiled and waved his hand, "Then I'll take you away."

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

We waved, and then Xiaoye turned around and went back to the company, while I waited for the bus at the bus stop in the distance.

After all, I don't want to take a taxi back.

"Hey..."

I heard faint shouting from behind, but judging by my years of experience, it definitely had nothing to do with me.

Maybe the girl was calling her boyfriend, or maybe she was calling a taxi, or calling her female companion. In any case, there was no way that a girl would call me on the side of the road.

"Hey..."

Because the distance was closer, I finally recognized it... No way...

I turned around and saw my opponent with an angry look on his face...

. . . . . . . . . . . .

"Hey, why are you walking so fast? And I called you many times, but you didn't hear me?"

I ignored her chatter and walked towards the bus stop silently.

"Speak up, we are not strangers anymore, right?"

"..." I turned my head and looked at her.

"Why? Isn't it?"

"If we know each other, we should know each other's names, right?"

The implication is "We are just strangers, it's better if you don't get to know me."

"That's not necessarily true. You know that story about two people who like each other but don't know each other's names?"

What is this? Your name?

"But we don't have any relationship, right? At most, you reminded me not to play with my phone while walking."

It's better to act a little cool at this time.

"Is this how you treat strangers? You really have a bad temper..."

Why does she look at me with such critical eyes?

"..." After thinking about it for a while, I felt that I couldn't refute it, so I decided to change the subject.

"Oh... Are you planning to take the bus home too? Which bus do you want to take?"

Although it's a bit abrupt, changing the subject is the best option.

"Ah? You are planning to take the bus?" She showed an incredible expression, and then she suddenly realized.

"Oh, so you... well, you should have said so earlier."

What on earth do you understand? I'm poor?

"What would have happened if I'd told you earlier? Could you still carpool with me?"

"I don't need to use the carpool lane because I have my own driver," she said, pulling out her phone. "Want a ride?"

These damn rich people...

. . . . . . . . . . .

"So, why do you walk to school in the morning when you have a driver?"

I couldn't help but ask this question... After all, it seemed that Rinsenkawa was the only one in a similar situation to hers, but I didn't seem to know if she walked to school.

"Well...because I don't want to be like everyone else."

The answer was very easy, and didn't seem very reasonable.

"It's... it's that simple?"

I can hardly believe it.

"Ah...yeah, what's the problem?" She tilted her head. "Is there anything wrong with being different?"

"...no...very good."

Although I appeared to be very calm at this moment, in my heart I felt a little... a little fond of this guy in front of me whose name I didn't know.

I guess it’s because of her frankness. She just doesn’t want to be the same as others, and she can say it as a matter of course without caring about what others think. This is very difficult to do.

Besides, even if some people do it, they will still be ostracized as aliens...

That’s right, it’s the original me.

"But...won't you be ostracized like this?"

I thought about it and asked this question.

"Well... is this kind of thing worth worrying about?" Her tone was very relaxed. "If others exclude me, it means that they are the ones who don't care about me. And those who alienate me because others exclude me, it means that they don't actually care about me, so there shouldn't be anything worth worrying about for me." "........"

What a frank girl! She doesn't care about other people's eyes at all. She wholeheartedly does what she wants to do. She lives cheerfully on the path of her hope. Her future will surely be bright.

Generally speaking...anyone who hears this would think so.

but...

Are these words...really from the heart?

Why...why would she say so much to me, a guy I've only met three times including the one just now and don't even know my name?

It's not because that's who she is.

But because she is not usually like this.

She didn't know my identity, but she mistakenly thought that I was a fan of her novels, so she was so friendly to me. In fact, it was just an illusion caused by her own misjudgment.

And the words just now...

It sounds sunny and positive, but those words reflect many key things.

She was indeed ostracized, and her classmates who had been on good terms with her also distanced themselves from her because of this.

If she doesn't care, will she tell me as if she were confiding in me?

I didn't respond to her, and she just looked at the passing vehicles quietly, probably hoping that her car would appear.

She... must be very lonely.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"You can get in the car now."

She opened the door and sat in the back.

"Where is your home?"

"Um... My home is..."

I always feel that this scene is familiar.

"You don't seem surprised... Have you ever encountered something similar before?"

She was sitting opposite me and looked at me with interest.

"Uh....hmm."

Was she actually seen through? Well, she is an author after all, so it’s not surprising that she has some insight.

"Oh...I see..." She smiled, "Then you must have a lot of friends at school, right?"

"...not that much."

Because whether those guys are actually friends is another matter.

"Hmm..." She didn't continue the topic. "Do you usually read other books besides "Knights of Miroku"?"

"......"

"Of course, classical literature and all that."

I scratched my cheek.

"Classical literature? I still prefer European chivalry themes."

"Like... Don Quixote or something?"