Akira Fujimiya thought carefully as his pen scratched against the paper. Strictly speaking, she was not the only protagonist of the story.
There were other girls too—
One of them was a transfer student from Tokyo—petite, lively, and full of energy. Her name was Hotaru Ichijō, always bringing unexpected joy.
Then there was Kazuho Miyauchi, boyish type, the teacher, who somehow managed to sleep through almost every class, and the neighbor—Renge Miyauchi—who was a little sinister but oddly entertaining. And of course, Komari Koshigaya, who could make people laugh the moment she appeared. Her energy was simply contagious. She was like a walking source of happiness. The moment she stepped onto the stage, the audience knew something interesting was about to happen.
In addition to them, there was the kindly snack shop owner, KaedeKagayama—the "Candy Store" everyone loved.
As for the character with the least presence, poor little Suguru Koshigaya… he didn't even have a single line in the entire story.
Akira thought about the first episode of the animation and carefully began sketching out the school setting. He worked with focus and precision, recreating the world he had in his mind.
The Scene—
During the lunch time, the four girls were walking together beneath the cherry blossom trees on the mountain. Pink petals fluttered gently in the spring breeze, falling across their shoulders. The sight of the blossoms drifting against the peaceful village backdrop created a quiet, beautiful scene.
That became the cover of his manga.
Akira leaned back after finishing the cover and the first page. When he glanced at the clock, he realized more than an hour had already passed.
"It looks like the first chapter will take at least a week to finish."
Now he truly understood—being a manga artist was far more difficult than being a light novelist. The effort, the lines, the little details… it was draining. But as he stared at the finished cover, a smile spread across his face.
It was worth it.
It was something he enjoyed.
To give everything to the things one truly loves—that, Akira thought, was the meaning of his existence.
"It seems Yukinoshita-san was right. I really do have a bad case of high school syndrome (Chuunibyo phase)." He murmured with a small laugh.
.....
On his way to school, Akira stopped by some shops. He bought snacks, drinks, and a fresh batch of crispy fried chicken nuggets.
Carrying the bags, he made his way to Sobu High School.
On the way, Hayama Hayato could be seen lounging near the football field, while other student practicing in tennis courts.
Akira, however, had no interest in that kind of passionate youth scene.
He climbed the stairs and reach the door of the Service Club.
Knock-knock
Knocking lightly, he waited for sometime.
The door opened, and Yuigahama Yui stood there.
When she saw him, her face lit up with a smile, and her eyes sparkled the moment she noticed the food in his hands.
"Thank you for your hard work. This is for the three of you."
Akira handed her one of the bags.
"Thank you, Akira-kun." Yui's eyes softened as she accepted it.
"Don't be polite with me," Akira said as leaned closer and whispered slowly, "Just kiss me, and I'll do anything for you."
Yui's face went scarlet, and with a squeak she turned and run away in embarrassment.
Chuckling, Akira stepped inside, closing the door behind him. He walked straight up to Yukinoshita Yukino and set the bag on the desk.
"Yukinoshita-sama, this is for you."
"I'm not interested in that sort of thing," Yukino said after, glancing at the fried chicken nuggets.
"You're telling me you're not interested in freshly fried chicken nuggets at all? Or…" Akira's lips curved in a teasing smile, "does Yukinoshita-sama suspect I've—"
"I'll eat, stop talking!!" Yukino interrupted, picking up a bamboo skewer and piercing a piece of chicken. She placed it delicately in her mouth, chewing slowly before looking at the three girls in the room.
"I can't finish this by myself. You all should have some."
The three exchanged smiles and didn't hesitate to dig in.
Yukino sipped from a can of soda, her gaze drifting to Akira. He was smiling knowingly at her, and she instantly understood what he was thinking.
This man.
His schemes made her feel like she'd fallen straight into a carefully prepared trap.
Without hesitation, Yukino shifted her foot under the desk and pressed it firmly on top of Akira's shoe.
"Fujimiya-kun, thank you for the drinks and the fried chicken nuggets. I like them very much," she said, her expression calm but her lips carrying the faintest hint of a smile.
Akira glanced down at his foot pinned beneath hers, then back up at her. To him, this side of Yukino—half strict, half playful—was pure joy.
The other girls didn't notice anything unusual. They were too busy enjoying the snacks.
For nearly a full minute Yukino kept her foot pressed down before finally withdrawing it.
"Yukinoshita-sama," Akira whispered with a small grin, "as long as you like it."
He turned and walked toward his seat. Yukino blinked, momentarily stunned. The meaning behind his words sank in, and a faint blush bloomed across her cheeks.
...
After eating at the Service Club, everyone left Sobu High School together.
Akira escorted the three girls to the station, then walked Yuigahama Yui toward her home.
Yui clung to his arm, resting her head lightly on his shoulder.
"You seem very happy," Akira remarked, glancing at her.
"Mm. Yukinon gets along really well with them. I feel like we can all become friends." Yui's smile was soft and bright.
"I see. And here I thought you were this happy because I came to pick you up," Akira sighed dramatically, with fake sadness.
"I'm also very happy that Akira-kun came to pick me up," Yui admitted softly, in a low voice.
"How much?"
"As happy as when I became friends with Yukinon."
"I want to be friends with her too."
"You and Yukinon have been friends for a long time," Yui said, sneaking a glance at him. "You know her well… and she seems to know you very well too."
"Are you jealous?" Akira teased.
"I'm not jealous. Yukinon is very kind to me. I won't doubt her anymore." Yui's cheeks flushed faintly as she recalled Yukino's advice to her. 'Shouldn't I find a good time to confess properly?'
"What's wrong? Your face is so red. Are you thinking something strange? There's a hotel over there. If you don't mind, we could—"
"AKIRA-KUN!" Yui yelped, glaring at him shyly.
He looked at her without any shame at all. Under his intense gaze, Yui lowered her head, embarrassed.
"Yui, hold onto my arm tighter," Akira whispered against her ear.
"Eh?" Yui blinked in confusion.
"I want to feel more clearly the warmth and pressure you bring me." His tone was serious.
"Akira-kun…" Yui's grip loosened immediately, her face burning.
"Hmm, I'll stay at your place for a bit. Then…"
He trailed off.
Yui's heart thumped. Her face grew hotter, a mix of shyness and anticipation stirring within her. She wasn't opposed to being close. After all, she dreamed of Akira often—perhaps because of that big teddy bear he had given her.
Akira escorted her to her home and knocked on the door.
It opened to reveal Yuigahama Asuna, Yui's mother as she smiled warmly at the sight of him.
"Fujimiya-kun, please come in. Dinner will be ready soon. You and Yui can go to her room first."
"Thank you, Asuna-san. Sorry for intruding."
Akira stepped in, slipping on the house slippers Yui handed him. Asuna returned to the kitchen while the two of them went upstairs.
Yui's room was neat, with the oversized teddy bear sitting proudly near her pillow. She dropped her bag, then rushed toward the teddy, burying herself in its embrace.
"Akira-kun, I'm back."
"Yui, I'm right here," he chuckled.
"I named this child Akira-kun. You won't be jealous, right, Akira-kun?" she teased, smiling brightly.
"I see. Then maybe the one in my house should be named Yui," he replied with a smile as he sat on the bed.
"Then when can Akira-kun meet Yui? I feel like they're being separated."
"That's a bit.... strange. Let's call this one Yukino. That way, Yui can have Akira and Yukino at the same time." Akira said seriously.
Yui blinked, startled. Then she stared at him.
"Then when I'm not around… will Akira-kun secretly bring Yukino into his room?"
"Which Akira-kun are you referring to?" he asked innocently.
"You! The bad Akira-kun!" Yui puffed her cheeks.
"If it were winter, I might. Yukino looks very warm. I'd probably hold it while I sleep,"
"Akira-kun, you really like Yukino, don't you" Yui pouted.
"Yes, yes, I like Yukino very much." He smiled knowingly, recognizing she wasn't truly angry.
"You big meanie." Yui hugged the teddy bear tighter, burying her face against its soft chest.
"Yui, little dummy," Akira whispered, wrapping his arms around her from behind. His hands quickly found it place on her soft backside.
Yui's face flushed. She glanced at him briefly, then shut her eyes.
Akira leaned closer and kissed her, his hands moving without restraint, squeezing tightly.
...
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