As Eriri spoke, her fair face gradually flushed a deep crimson.
Even though she was discussing work-related content with Izumi Yuu, Eriri instinctively felt embarrassed addressing such a topic so directly.
Usually, Eriri would learn about these kinds of things through other books, discussions with her mother, or online research. Most of the elements in her work maintained a close connection to reality.
But Izumi Yuu's light novel threw her into chaos, metaphorically burning out her CPU.
On the one hand, she wanted to stay faithful to his original story. On the other hand, her own understanding of realism conflicted with his writing, leaving her torn.
"I think this should be more realistic, right?" Izumi Yuu frowned slightly, his tone calm and thoughtful.
"Realistic?!" Eriri immediately retorted without hesitation. "How can this be realistic? I thought Izumi-sensei was building some meaningful foreshadowing, but no! It turns out you just wrote it to indulge your boring fantasies!"
[Looking at the girl who refuted you so decisively, you decide to make her face the truth. Art comes from reality, after all!]
For once, the narrator's voice struck a reasonable chord. However, proving his point with evidence would likely backfire. Not only would it involve revealing the contents of his light novel, but it would also provide irrefutable grounds for his arrest.
Izumi Yuu sighed inwardly and quickly dismissed the idea.
I'll save that for another time. There's no need to escalate things further now.
"I really think you should make some corrections here!" Eriri said, her voice firm even as her cheeks burned. She leaned forward slightly, her resolve unwavering despite her embarrassment.
"Well… Ms. Kashiwagi's argument isn't without merit," Izumi Yuu said, raising an eyebrow as he looked at her. "But this is a fantasy novel. Why does it need to adhere so strictly to reality?"
Hearing Izumi Yuu's casual response, Eriri's frustration boiled over. Without thinking, she slapped his thigh sharply, then shifted onto her knees on the sofa. Pressing her slender legs against his, she leaned her body forward, her face mere inches from his.
The faint scent of her perfume drifted into Izumi Yuu's nostrils. Her skin, soft and smooth, brushed against his arm as she loomed over him.
"Even if it's a fantasy novel, it should still follow basic logic!" she declared, her blue eyes glaring at him fiercely.
But her momentum came to a sudden halt as Izumi Yuu shifted under her, catching her off guard.
Eriri froze in place. Her cheeks turned scarlet as a wave of unprecedented shame washed over her.
This… is this really something I should be seeing?!
"Let me ask you something," Izumi Yuu said, glancing at the girl still kneeling on him. His tone was calm but tinged with a teasing edge. "Is my novel realistic enough now?"
"Y-Yes…" Eriri stammered, her voice barely audible.
"Does it need any revisions?" Izumi Yuu pressed.
"N-No… no need," Eriri replied, trembling slightly as she averted her gaze.
This is bad… so bad!
Eriri quickly moved away, sitting beside Izumi Yuu in an attempt to compose herself. But her heart continued to pound wildly, and her cheeks remained hot.
"What's going on?" came a voice from the kitchen. Sayuri, who had been preparing dessert, poked her head out, her expression one of concern.
Apparently, Eriri's earlier scream had caught her attention.
"N-Nothing! Nothing at all!" Eriri hurriedly replied, her voice frantic. "I just… I saw a big bug! Luckily, Yuu-kun was here to handle it!"
"Hmm…" Sayuri looked at the two of them suspiciously but, seeing nothing amiss, retreated back to the kitchen to avoid disturbing them further.
"A bug?" Izumi Yuu muttered, raising an eyebrow. "Did you just compare my dragon to a filthy bug? That's a serious insult."
But seeing Eriri still struggling to calm herself, Izumi Yuu decided to let it go.
Meanwhile, Eriri sat stiffly beside him, her thoughts racing. Her heart pounded faster than ever before, and an unfamiliar sense of shame wrapped around her like a thick blanket.
But… doesn't this mean Yuu-kun has feelings for me?
The thought made her heartbeat quicken even more, and for a brief moment, happiness welled up in her chest.
No! This isn't the time for those kinds of thoughts!
Quickly shaking her head, Eriri refocused on the situation.
"I'm sorry, Izumi-sensei!" she said, her voice filled with regret. "I spoke too harshly earlier… I thought you wrote it that way just to satisfy your own vanity, but I was wrong."
[Looking at the girl, still flustered and caught off guard, you realize this might be the perfect opportunity. Perhaps you could suggest an in-depth artistic collaboration? As an illustrator, Eriri has never used real-life references due to her perfectionist tendencies. Wouldn't this be a chance to break her long-standing rules? After all, art is about bold exploration!]
"I have no interest in having my body studied by others, and I will never use art as a cover to do such despicable things!" Izumi Yuu thought firmly.
But as his gaze fell on Eriri, it became clear she harbored some special feelings for him.
Well... this leaves a lot of room for development in the future!
The corners of Izumi Yuu's mouth curled up slightly, his expression turning thoughtful and slightly mischievous.
"It's rare to see Ms. Kashiwagi being so candid," he remarked, noticing Eriri still flustered and red-faced. Adjusting his posture on the sofa, he calmed his internal turmoil and smiled warmly. "So, do you have any other questions about the illustration of the male protagonist?"
"Huh? Oh... no, I don't think so." Eriri's voice came out soft and sticky, as though she were in a daze.
Even if she had more questions, her mind was too overwhelmed to recall them. The impact of their earlier exchange still left her reeling, her thoughts jumbled.
No... impossible. Could it be my previous thoughts were too conservative?
Eriri's inner world shook as she reconsidered her perceptions.
Up until now, she had always believed certain things were mere fantasies conjured up by men to satisfy their vanity. But after what had just happened, she began to doubt her own understanding for the first time.
"Yuu-kun, Eriri, here's some dessert~!" Sayuri's cheerful and melodic voice broke the tension.
Emerging from the kitchen in a kimono, Sayuri carried a tray with desserts in her delicate hands, her posture elegant and graceful. The epitome of Yamato Nadeshiko, she radiated gentle warmth.
"Huh? What's going on with you two?" Sayuri asked curiously, setting the tray down on the table. Her keen eyes caught Eriri's slightly flushed face and the faint awkwardness lingering in the air.
She had only been away briefly, but it felt like something monumental had occurred between Izumi Yuu and her daughter.
"N-Nothing! Really, nothing! I just... I was slightly surprised by something Izumi Sensei said!" Eriri responded in an overly defensive tone, her words tumbling out quickly.
"Huh?" Sayuri tilted her head, her suspicion only growing as she observed Eriri's red face and fidgety demeanor.
"Mmm… this puff is delicious!" Eriri exclaimed loudly, desperate to change the subject.
Turning her attention to the tray of desserts—puffs, baguettes, and various fruits—she quickly grabbed a puff and started devouring it. Anything to shift the focus away from her embarrassment.
But then, her eyes fell on the baguette.
"What a... such a long and big baguette…" she muttered absentmindedly.
The image she had worked so hard to suppress instantly returned with a vengeance, vivid and intrusive. Eriri's already flushed face deepened to a crimson hue, and her vision swam with dizzying stars.
"Huh?! Eriri, what did you just say?" Sayuri's voice cut through the air like a blade, snapping out of her computer-like shutdown state.
What is going on with her?! What kind of thoughts is she having while staring at a baguette?!
Sayuri's gaze darted between Eriri and Izumi Yuu, her suspicions growing.
Meanwhile, Izumi Yuu sighed, his lips twitching slightly as he resisted the urge to comment.
Expecting a tsundere to keep a secret is as futile as expecting a brothel worker to guard their appetite.
"It's nothing," he said with a wry smile, stepping in to save Eriri from further digging her own grave. "We were just discussing some aspects of the male protagonist. It seems Ms. Kashiwagi has limited knowledge about men, so she was... surprised by some of the details."
"So that's what happened…" Sayuri replied slowly, her tone tinged with skepticism. Her sharp gaze swept over Eriri and Izumi Yuu, noting their subtle tells.
Eriri's evasive eyes, her face still red as a tomato. Izumi Yuu's posture, subtly adjusted since the start of their discussion.
Sayuri's mind pieced together the clues.
Her curiosity getting the better of her, Sayuri stole a glance at Izumi Yuu. Her gaze drifted downward briefly—just enough to notice.
Her pale, delicate face turned an even deeper red as she swiftly averted her eyes.
Now it all made sense.
No wonder Eriri seemed so flustered, as though she'd been hit by a truckload of shock.
As someone with experience, Sayuri immediately recognized Izumi Yuu's... unique value.
Everything clicked into place.
No wonder her daughter was acting so strange. Who wouldn't be shaken after witnessing something like that?
"Um… Yuu-kun, you should eat something first." In an effort to mask her own embarrassment and panic, Sayuri spoke quickly, her tone betraying her inner conflict.
[You noticed the slight evasiveness in the young woman's gaze and sneered internally. How could such a graceful and composed woman, whose demeanor exudes dignity, possibly resist your charm? Moreover, her husband was clearly no longer capable at his age—the blue pills on the bedside table, the oysters tucked away in the fridge, and the collection of discreet toys in her private drawer told a story of longing and loneliness. You understood: one person's loneliness often stems from two people's neglect. You couldn't let such an oversight continue. It was time to guide her toward a door of new possibilities. But before that, she needed help letting go of her inner reserve. Sometimes, being firm and resolute leaves the most profound impression on a woman...]
Wait a minute—how do you know she can't resist my charm?!
And is it really okay to paint "taking things by force" as a "firm and resolute" approach?!
Izumi Yuu's internal complaints shot off like fireworks.
If I actually acted on this absurd narration, I wouldn't even get to the point of wearing a silver bracelet! I'd be handed directly to the International Court and receive peanuts as my final reward!
Dismissing the increasingly ridiculous commentary, Izumi Yuu turned his focus back to reality. He offered Sayuri a polite smile. "Thank you, Mrs. Sayuri, for the kind hospitality, but I'm not particularly hungry right now."
Damn it! Are these women all crotch-gazing cats?!
Sayuri's lingering glances at him weren't subtle, and her face betrayed a certain recognition. Izumi Yuu adjusted his position for the second time that day, feeling trapped by this increasingly precarious situation.
"Um… this puff is delicious. Would you like one, Mr. Izumi?" Eriri, sensing the awkward atmosphere and realizing it was partially her doing, mustered the courage to speak. She glanced at him briefly, her cheeks still faintly flushed.
"Since Ms. Kashiwagi is recommending it, I'll give it a try." Izumi Yuu's lips curved slightly into a smile as he reached for the puff on the table in front of Eriri.
In that moment, he noticed a faint trace of white cream lingering at the corner of her mouth. The imagery suggested by the narrator's earlier absurdities rushed back into his mind.
Feeling his gaze, Eriri's face turned a deeper shade of red. She hastily stuck out her pink tongue to lick away the cream, the gesture inadvertently seductive in its simplicity.
Her movement sent another jolt through Izumi Yuu. The "gun" he had just worked so hard to suppress seemed to be attempting a second rebellion.
To avoid another humiliating social disaster, he turned his head and took a deliberate bite of the puff in his hand. The sweet, creamy flavor filled his mouth, providing a much-needed distraction.
"I made these puffs myself. How do they taste?" Sayuri asked, her tone gentle and her expression warm as she observed Izumi Yuu's reaction.
"They're wonderful," he replied sincerely after savoring the pastry. "Mrs. Sayuri's cooking is as refined as her demeanor. I'd love to learn how to make these one day so I can make them for my sister."
Sayuri's smile softened further, her pride and delight evident. "You're such a devoted brother, always thinking of your sister first. Making puffs is actually quite simple. If you'd like, I could teach you anytime. Or, if you don't have time, just let me know, and I'll prepare some for you. We're practically neighbors, after all."
"Thank you, Mrs. Sayuri. I'll do my best to learn. Once I've mastered it, I'll make some for you and Eriri to try first. If they turn out well, I'll make some for Sagiri-chan too."
Hearing this, Sayuri nodded eagerly, her smile bright. "Yuu-kun, feel free to come over whenever you have the time. My husband is away on business, so I'm usually free. I'd love to teach you. Plus, you and Eriri could exchange ideas about your creative work and grow together!"
[Your twelve years of reading comprehension in a previous life kicked into overdrive. Her words carried subtle undertones—her husband wasn't home, an opportunity too good to pass up. In addition, the charming daughter sitting beside her doubled the allure of this household. You couldn't help but feel the urge to seize this rare chance. First, you would win their trust and affection, lowering their guard. Once the moment was right, you would...]
No! Absolutely not! Shut up already!
Despite brushing off the narrator's inappropriate suggestions, Izumi Yuu couldn't deny the slight ambiguity in Sayuri's words. It made his focus waver momentarily, though he quickly regained composure.
Determined to remain steadfast, he smiled politely and said, "Thank you, Mrs. Sayuri. I'll make sure to visit whenever it's convenient for you both."
"Huh?! I'm really busy with work!" Eriri suddenly interrupted, her heart secretly thrilled by the idea but hiding it behind a facade of feigned annoyance. "If you really have to come, just don't get in my way, alright? Maybe I'll find some way to make use of you while you're here."
"Forgive Eriri, Yuu-kun. She's always spoken like this since she was a child," Sayuri said with a helpless smile, glancing at her daughter. She then turned back to Izumi Yuu with a look of genuine apology.