When Kotomi Izumi saw Ruriya Hojo, she stared at her blankly for a few seconds before—
"Eek?!"
Kotomi's shoulders trembled violently as she let out a sound that was both adorable and clearly startled. Her exaggerated reaction made Ruriya Hojo also exclaim, "Wah!"
Originally, Ruriya hadn't been scared at all, but Kotomi's sudden shriek startled the proud little beauty as well.
"Sorry, Izumi-san. I didn't expect anyone to still be in the art room at this hour, so I was a bit surprised and missed my chance to say hello. My bad for scaring you."
"Ah... you really did scare me. I just finished cleaning up, and at this time, no one usually comes here," Kotomi laughed awkwardly. Seeing that she wasn't angry, Ruriya relaxed a little.
Since both of them were members of the Art Club and had only known each other for a few days, they weren't very close yet. They weren't in the same class either, so they didn't meet often. Even when they did, the proud little beauty Ruriya Hojo couldn't help but feel uneasy before Kotomi Izumi, who seemed born to be the heroine.
Back in middle school, Ruriya had been the captain of the cheerleading squad. Although she would act modest when praised, deep down she truly believed she deserved every compliment and that she herself was the heroine.
In high school, because she fell in love with painting, she chose to join the Art Club instead of the Cheerleading Club.
On her first day as a new first-year student in the Art Club, she met Kotomi Izumi. The moment she saw her, Ruriya fell silent. For the first time in her life, she felt defeated—completely overwhelmed by another girl's beauty. It was as if a voice inside her whispered: She's the real heroine.
That realization left a lasting sense of frustration within her. Ruriya thought she would feel competitive or jealous—but strangely, she didn't. And that confused her deeply. She knew she was the type to always want to win, yet when faced with Kotomi Izumi, who was far more beautiful than her, she felt no desire to compete at all.
That question—why?—had troubled Ruriya Hojo for a long time.
...
"Why did Hojo-san come back?" Kotomi asked.
"My phone and book. When I left earlier, I was so focused on painting that I completely forgot them."
Hearing that the book belonged to Ruriya, Kotomi's eyes brightened slightly.
"So these were yours, huh? I found a phone and a book here while cleaning just now and was about to take them to the advisor."
"Then I came back just in time," Ruriya said with a light laugh.
"Yeah, if you were any later, you wouldn't have had your phone tonight. Being without a phone is a bit inconvenient."
Kotomi nodded slightly, agreeing with her words, then pointed at the book on the wooden table with her fingertip and asked:
"I didn't expect it—Hojo-san reads novels too?"
"Yeah! Let me tell you, this book is really—" She suddenly stopped mid-sentence, realizing how Kotomi's words sounded. With a small frown, she stepped closer, glaring indignantly. "Izumi-san, what do you mean by that? Are you saying I look like an idiot?"
After saying that, Ruriya realized how forward her sudden movement seemed. Embarrassed, she quickly stepped back—but her heart was already racing, partly from fluster and partly from being so close to Kotomi.
Kotomi quickly apologized. "Sorry, I didn't mean it that way. I was just biased by my first impression. When we first met, I thought Hojo-san seemed like the type who doesn't like reading…"
Kotomi trailed off as Ruriya glared at her, puffing her cheeks slightly.
Ruriya wanted to argue—but after a moment's thought, she had to admit that Kotomi was right. She really hadn't liked reading before.
"Well, that's true, Izumi-san, you're right," Ruriya Hojo admitted. "But the way you said it still makes me a little unhappy. I only recently started enjoying reading, so don't crush my motivation, okay?"
After saying that, Ruriya stepped back slightly.
Being that close to Kotomi Izumi, even if she didn't have any strange thoughts, just breathing lightly was enough to catch the faint, floral scent surrounding Kotomi—soft, fresh, and intoxicating.
Whether it was because of the closeness or the fragrance itself, Ruriya felt her cheeks growing hotter and hotter.
After putting a bit more distance between them, she continued:
"I guess I really don't look like the type of girl who enjoys reading, huh? Actually, you weren't wrong at all. I'm the kind of person who barely reads anything besides manga. The first time I ever tried reading a novel—can't even remember what it was called—I didn't get what those book bloggers meant when they said novels could pull you into another world."
"Honestly, staring at all those words on the page, the only thing I felt was boredom. I tried reading a few paragraphs, but I just couldn't go on."
"Then, just a few days ago, our homeroom teacher told us to read any book we liked and write a review of at least 800 words. When I heard that, I was totally dumbfounded. Forget 800 words—I didn't even think I could finish reading a whole book. But since it was homework, I had no choice but to force myself to go to the bookstore."
"While browsing, I found this one on a shelf. Apparently, the author's really famous—there were posters and displays all around it. The cover and tagline caught my eye, so I decided to buy it."
"When I got home, I opened the first page, telling myself I'd try to read as much as I could… and before I knew it, an hour had passed. I'd read dozens of pages without realizing it, and I still didn't want to stop."
"I ended up staying up all night and finishing the whole book. The next day, when I wrote my book report, I went over a thousand words! Can you believe it? I used to think book reports were the hardest thing in the world. Every word I wrote felt forced and lifeless—writing even one extra word felt like evolution. But this time, writing about this book, I actually went two hundred words over the minimum."
As she spoke, Ruriya picked up the book from the table and pointed at the title.
"By the way, Kotomi, have you read this one? 'Evening Rain of Sayoyo' by Takamine. I've already finished it once, but it's got this kind of magic that makes me want to read it again. I even went and bought all of Takamine's other novels recently, hehe. Luckily, she hasn't published too many yet. Otherwise, my allowance for the month would've been completely gone~"
Kotomi smiled softly. "I've definitely heard of Takamine-sensei—she's really famous. But I've never actually taken the time to sit down and finish one of her books."
"Then you have to read it!" Ruriya said enthusiastically.
She'd been feeling a bit frustrated lately. Ever since finishing Evening Rain of Sayoyo, she'd had so many thoughts she wanted to share—but none of her friends liked reading. Talking to them about novels was hopeless. Some of them probably didn't even know who Takamine was.
It couldn't be helped, really. Ruriya herself had never been into books before, and most of her friends were the same. In fact, they probably didn't even understand why she'd suddenly become so obsessed with reading.
She had tried to recommend Evening Rain of Sayoyo and Takamine's other novels to her friend Ruka Ishikawa. Every time, Ruka promised she would read them—but Ruriya knew her too well. They'd been friends since kindergarten, and if she didn't understand ninety percent of Ruka's personality by now, she might as well not know her at all.
And one thing she knew for sure: Ruka Ishikawa hated reading. Just like Ruriya once had.
So she hadn't really expected Ruka to actually read anything.
But now that she knew Kotomi Izumi liked reading, Ruriya was thrilled. Because she was sure that if Kotomi picked up Takamine's books, even if she hadn't read them before, she'd quickly get lost in them too.
In Takamine's literary world, the two of them would have endless things to talk about.
Sharing—it was one of humanity's most natural instincts.
Sharing didn't always mean giving something away. Sometimes, it simply meant telling someone about something good you'd found—letting them discover it too.
That kind of sharing often carried a subtle hint of pride, as if to say: Look, I found something wonderful.
That was probably why social media was flooded with product reviews and unboxing videos.
"Eh?"
Kotomi Izumi looked a little confused as Ruriya Hojo grew more and more animated.
"Not just Evening Rain of Sayoyo, but Takamine-sensei's other works are also really interesting! I'm planning to start The Black Goat's Egg tonight. I heard that at the end of this year, Takamine-sensei will begin writing a new novel. Unlike before, this one and her next few works will all share the same universe—it'll be a full series."
"I follow her on Twitter. Just yesterday, she posted a photo of her new manuscript draft. It's got a touch of dark humor, and if you're not familiar with her writing, it might feel a bit heavy. There's more philosophical and theological reflection than in her previous works, but with her skill, I'm sure the story will still be a pleasure to read."
By the time she finished, Ruriya realized her words were coming out too fast, almost breathless.
A wave of embarrassment welled up inside her. She and Kotomi hadn't known each other long—they weren't even close. And yet here she was, rambling endlessly without even checking if Kotomi was interested. Would Kotomi think she was some silly girl who'd just discovered novels and gotten carried away?
But her worry proved unfounded. Kotomi's eyes were shining.
"Wow, Hojo-san! You're such a big fan of Takamine's work, and you know so much! You might become a professional literary critic someday. You'd be so famous that new authors would brag about having their books reviewed by you! Established writers would even invite you to read their drafts before publishing."
"R-Really? I… I only just started reading recently. I've barely read anything else. So far, I've only finished Takamine-sensei's books…" Ruriya said shyly, though secretly relieved. At least Kotomi didn't find her annoying—in fact, she seemed genuinely interested.
"Actually," Kotomi said thoughtfully, "I first heard of Takamine back in my first year of middle school. But I could never decide which book of hers to start with. Ah, wait a second!"
Kotomi pulled out her phone and quickly scrolled through her screen. Then, without hesitation, she reached out and gently took Ruriya's hand, her face glowing with a sweet smile.
"Hojo-san, let's exchange contact info—phone numbers, home address, Line, Facesoushu555.com, Twitter, email, everything! That way, you can recommend your favorite books to me~ And I'll share the novels I'm reading or really love with you too."
For a proud girl like Ruriya, exchanging contact information wasn't anything unusual.
But having Kotomi Izumi take the initiative like this—it left her completely dazed. Her heart was pounding wildly. She'd never imagined that one day, a girl asking for her contact info would make her this happy.
Later, when she thought back on it, she felt embarrassed beyond words. But at that moment, Ruriya was so flustered she even forgot how to use her phone.
Kotomi seemed to notice but didn't say anything. Instead, she smiled and extended her hand.
"Hojo-san, may I borrow your phone for a moment?"
"Ah… sure…"
As Kotomi reached out toward her, Ruriya felt her vision blur for a moment. It was as if a goddess herself was extending her hand. Without thinking, she passed her phone to Kotomi Izumi.
Kotomi took Ruriya Hojo's phone and began tapping rapidly on the screen. Thanks to how common smartphones had become, she handled it effortlessly—if it had been one of those old flip phones from years ago, she probably couldn't have moved that fast.
After a few quick taps, Kotomi turned the screen toward Ruriya and pointed at it. There, a new contact had been added—Kotomi Izumi.
Next to her name was a small star icon. It was a simple "favorite" mark, something that normally meant "special contact," but at that moment, to Ruriya, it felt incredibly fitting. Both the name and the girl herself shone with the brilliance of a starry sky.
Handing the phone back, Kotomi smiled brightly, her expression full of genuine joy.
"Yay! I've made another friend. I'll be counting on you from now on, Hojo-san~"
As she spoke, Kotomi lightly clapped her hands in delight.
"I—I'll be counting on you too," Ruriya stammered nervously, her words stiff from embarrassment. In front of Kotomi, the proud, confident girl who had once been a cheer captain was nowhere to be found. Her heart tickled with a strange, sweet feeling brought on by Kotomi's dazzling smile and gentle voice.
If 'cute' had a living embodiment on Earth, Ruriya thought, it would be Kotomi Izumi.
She decided then and there that when she went home tonight, she would start a diary—and that would be the very first sentence she wrote.
Kotomi, unaware of the turmoil stirring in Ruriya's chest, slipped her phone back into her pocket. The art room had already been cleaned, and just then, her own phone rang.
Ruriya didn't know what was on the screen, but she saw Kotomi glance at the message—and then smile. It was a faint, effortless curve of her lips, but it burned itself into Ruriya's memory. Even long after that day, when she lay in bed at night, that smile would reappear in her dreams—so vividly that she sometimes wondered if Kotomi had smiled that way just for her.
Putting her phone away, Kotomi picked up the tote bag she had left on her chair earlier, waved cheerfully, and said, "I'm heading off now! Bye-bye~!"
"Ah, s-see you!" Ruriya replied awkwardly, her voice trembling slightly. Beneath her words was a trace of reluctance she couldn't hide. She wanted to laugh at herself—where had her usual confidence gone? Why did she always get so flustered around Kotomi Izumi?
As silence settled back over the art room, Ruriya thought for a moment and immediately felt regret creeping in.
She replayed Kotomi's words and smile in her mind, over and over again. Their shared love of reading, the way Kotomi had taken the initiative to exchange contact info, and how her fingers had brushed against Ruriya's phone—all of it combined into a swirl of sweetness that refused to fade.
It reminded her of Halloween—after shouting "Trick or treat!" and waiting what felt like forever, finally getting the candy you'd been hoping for. The joy of receiving it made her giddy for days. And once she popped it into her mouth, that sweetness spread like a warm stream, flowing through every corner of her heart. Like sipping hot cocoa after a treat, it made her cheeks and body glow with heat.
Even though Kotomi had already left the art room, her voice and smile lingered vividly in Ruriya's mind. And Ruriya herself didn't want them to fade.
That tingling feeling in her chest wouldn't calm down. Instead, with every passing second, her heartbeat quickened—ba-dump, ba-dump—clear, powerful, unstoppable.
That feeling in her heart… was this what falling in love felt like?
This was the first time Ruriya Hojo's heart had fluttered like that in front of Kotomi Izumi.
Looking back now, she realized—perhaps, from that very moment, Kotomi had already begun to quietly take root in her heart.
Kotomi herself likely had no idea, and it hadn't been intentional.
But as Ruriya watched her walk away, she came to a quiet, firm decision in her heart.
Kotomi hadn't realized it yet—she was just thinking about how cool she must have looked a moment ago. Then she turned toward Ruriya Hojo, worried that what had just happened might have scared her.
"Ruriya, are you—"
"Kotomi."
Before Kotomi could finish, Ruriya rushed straight into her arms.
"Ruriya, it's okay now… huh?"
With a firm motion, Ruriya wrapped her arms tightly around Kotomi Izumi.
In that instant, as she hugged Kotomi, Ruriya finally understood why she had felt no sense of rivalry or jealousy during their very first meeting—why, despite feeling so defeated by Kotomi's beauty, she hadn't wanted to compete at all.
It was because, deep down, even back then, she had already accepted it—she had already wanted to be the supporting girl standing beside Kotomi Izumi, the true heroine.
The supporting girl who wanted to fall in love with the heroine.
The sudden embrace left Kotomi frozen, her hands hovering awkwardly in the air, unsure where to place them.
"Those women just now were so scary… thank you, Kotomi, for saving me!"
It was the classic scene—beauty rescued by the hero, the damsel embracing her savior in gratitude. Kotomi had read it countless times, but it never got old.
Now that she was experiencing it firsthand, she finally understood why the "hero saves the beauty" trope never went out of style. Because it really did feel amazing! In that surge of pride and satisfaction, Kotomi could practically see a shining spiral staircase descending straight from heaven.
Her inner desire to show off was fully satisfied. She glanced around—thankfully, Megumi and the others weren't there.
Then, she gently placed her hand on Ruriya Hojo's shoulder and said softly, "It's okay now. No matter how many people there were just now, I would've protected you. I wouldn't let you get hurt—not even a little."
After saying that, she leaned in slightly and whispered, "But, uh, Ruriya… could you maybe loosen your hug a little? Everyone's staring at us…"
Sure enough, all the café customers, Class 1-C students, and even members of the Cheerleading Club were watching them.
"Ah, s-sorry! I got a little carried away… ahaha…" Ruriya quickly let go, though the reluctance in her eyes was clear. Still, she didn't want to make things awkward for Kotomi.
"Oh my, oh my~ youth is truly a wonderful thing~"
"This is what youth looks like~ Ah, too bad I'm graduating next year. Three years of high school and not even one taste of love… oh well, college will be my chance. I'll definitely find someone then!"
"Waaah~ hahaha…"
Laughter and teasing filled the café—good-natured, full of warmth and amusement.
Kotomi could only smile wryly. She and Ruriya were just normal classmates, pure and innocent—but judging by the laughter, everyone seemed to have completely misunderstood the situation.
Especially Akira Hiyama, whose knowing, aunt-like grin made Kotomi all the more certain—yes, they had definitely gotten the wrong idea about her and Ruriya Hojo!
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