"My taste really is the best!" Kasumigaoka Touji thought smugly.
He looked once more at the photo Kato Megumi had sent him. Just a simple change in her hairstyle, and her whole atmosphere had shifted. The faintly curled ends gave her an extra spark of charm, making her look cuter and livelier than before.
If her appeal before was quietly understated, now it felt like her presence had grown stronger, like she had stepped one level closer to the spotlight.
"…That's at least a +1 to attractiveness, no doubt," Touji muttered, nodding to himself in satisfaction.
Hmph, maybe he had some untapped talent as a hairstylist or beautician. A legendary beautician-sensei? No, maybe even a stylist genius who could transform plain girls into heroines! Yes, that had a nice ring to it.
"I really am a talented person…" He grinned, indulging in his own delusion.
After exchanging a few more playful messages with Kato-san, Touji finally put his phone down. Reality called. Tonight, he had planned to prepare a seafood feast—but he hadn't yet decided on the exact menu.
"Hm… grilled mackerel? Or maybe clam miso soup? Crab hotpot could also work…" Touji muttered as he went downstairs, pacing in thought like a seasoned chef planning a banquet.
After jotting down some ideas in his head, he returned to his bedroom. He had barely sat down when—
Ding dong!
The sharp sound of the doorbell echoed from downstairs.
"Huh? Who could that be at this hour?" Touji frowned, tilting his head.
His first thought was Izumi. But… no, that didn't make sense. Izumi never rang the doorbell. That guy would just send a text and waltz in like he owned the place.
So then, who…?
"Coming, coming!" Touji called as he went down to the entrance, still filled with doubt.
When he opened the door, his eyes widened slightly. Standing there was a mature and elegant woman who radiated confidence with every movement.
She wasn't tall, around 1.65 meters, but the way she carried herself made her seem taller. Her medium-length hair was styled neatly, soft bangs framing her forehead while accentuating the refined lines of her face. Light makeup enhanced her features, her bright eyes glimmering with playfulness.
And her figure—without a doubt—was outstanding. Her body lines were elegant yet curvaceous, the type that drew attention without even trying. The fitted OL uniform she wore only enhanced that balance of professionalism and allure, both dignified and subtly seductive.
"…Editor Machida?" Touji blinked in surprise.
"Hello~, good afternoon, Kasumigaoka-kun." Machida Sonoko greeted cheerfully, raising a hand in a casual wave. Then she got straight to the point: "I'm here to meet with Kasumi Utako-sensei. We need to discuss the contents of the third volume, and of course, talk about the upcoming autograph session."
"Autograph session…?" Touji muttered, two thoughts flashing through his head at once. So the manuscript for Volume 2 was already done, and now they were moving on to promotional events? Things were progressing faster than he expected.
Still, he quickly stepped aside and gestured politely. "Please, come in."
"Fufu~ thank you." Machida-san smiled as she slipped out of her shoes. Her delicate feet, wrapped in sheer black stockings with the faintest sheen, slipped smoothly into the pair of house slippers Touji offered. Her LV handbag swayed lightly at her side, completing the image of a glamorous office lady.
As she adjusted her bag strap, Machida leaned in slightly, her voice carrying a teasing lilt. "So, Kasumigaoka-kun, how are things going between you and Kasumi Utako-sensei? Any progress, hm~?"
Touji, unfazed, pulled out his phone and sent a quick message to Utaha: 'Editor Machida is here.' Then, without hesitation, he replied, "We're already together."
He saw no reason to hide it.
"Ehh? I knew it!" Machida clasped her hands dramatically against her chest, her eyes sparkling as if she had just uncovered some spicy scoop. She pinched her chin thoughtfully and made a knowing tsk tsk sound.
Then, leaning closer, she winked mischievously and made a gesture with her fingers that very clearly implied something. "So then, did you two already do that?"
Kasumigaoka Touji immediately fixed Machida-san with a dark glare. Was that really appropriate? Was it really appropriate to ask something like that so casually?
"What 'that,' you big dummy! What are you even asking me? Stop being so nosy about other people's private lives!" Touji shot back, his voice dripping with exasperation.
It was said that older men liked to tease young girls… but apparently, older women loved to tease young men just as much. Truly, the theory had merit—because right now Touji was absolutely certain he was being toyed with!
"Oh my, don't be so shy~." Machida Sonoko covered her lips with one hand as she chuckled, her fox-like eyes narrowing in amusement. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. My lips are sealed, promise!"
To emphasize her point, she patted her ample chest with mock seriousness. The heavy fruits trembled twice in a way that made Touji avert his gaze instantly.
"…And you still say you don't want to publicize anything?" Touji muttered, eyeing her sideways.
"That's not what I meant," Machida replied breezily, brushing it off.
Touji sighed. "Fortunately, you're a woman. Otherwise, I'd honestly be worried about Utaha following you around so closely." He gestured toward the living room, allowing her to sit.
"Tsk tsk~ Kasumigaoka-kun, you're surprisingly possessive, aren't you?" Machida teased with a sly smile.
Touji fell silent, his lips twitching as he suppressed the urge to argue back.
At that very moment, soft footsteps echoed down the stairs. Kasumigaoka Utaha appeared, her long black hair cascading over her shoulders as her composed aura filled the room.
Machida Sonoko instantly straightened her back like a student caught chatting in class. She placed her hands neatly on her black-stockinged legs, her posture suddenly proper, her eyes obediently lowered as if to say: I wasn't teasing your boyfriend just now, nope, not at all.
Touji gave her a side glance, fighting back a smirk, before turning toward the kitchen. He poured two glasses of iced barley tea, set them on the table, and washed half a box of strawberries to serve as a light refreshment.
With that done, he sat to the side. He had nothing else to occupy himself with for now, so he decided to simply listen in. Neither Utaha nor Machida seemed to mind his presence anyway.
The conversation soon turned to business. Machida Sonoko brought up the idea of a book signing event. She wanted to schedule it for May 5th—the release date of the second volume of Love Metronome and also the final day of Golden Week.
Utaha crossed her arms lightly, her expression tinged with hesitation. As a novelist, of course she wanted to meet her readers, to chat with them and sign her work with her own hands. Such an event would bring a unique sense of accomplishment. But…
What if no one came?
The thought gnawed at her. She was still a newcomer, after all, with only one volume on the shelves. Did she really have enough support to hold a signing? The idea of sitting behind a desk with an empty line in front of her was too humiliating to imagine.
"Isn't it too early for something like this?" Utaha asked quietly, her tone uncertain.
"Not at all, not at all!" Machida waved a hand dismissively, slipping into her professional mode with impressive confidence. "Think about it, Kasumi Utako-sensei. Even though you just debuted, the first volume already sold over 20,000 copies. That's not a small number. You've built up enough popularity. There's absolutely no issue holding a signing event at this point!"
She leaned forward, her eyes sparkling. "Trust me on this—I'm a professional editor. I wouldn't be suggesting it if I wasn't certain."
Utaha's lips curved into a faint line. She wasn't completely convinced yet, but Machida's words did carry weight. After all, her editor was the expert here.
Almost unconsciously, Utaha's gaze slid toward Touji. She didn't even speak, but the meaning in her eyes was clear: What do you think?
Touji shrugged casually, sipping from his glass. "Well, why not? If you want to hold one, then just do it. You've got more than 20,000 readers. Even if only one in a thousand comes, that's still over twenty people. Doesn't sound bad at all."
"Exactly!" Machida clapped her hands lightly, her face lighting up with approval. "A normal signing usually gets somewhere between fifty to a hundred attendees. For you, I'm certain fifty isn't a problem. So go for it boldly!"
"…Then, I suppose… I'll do it." Utaha finally allowed herself to be convinced. After a brief pause of hesitation, she nodded.
Machida's lips curved upward in satisfaction, her mission halfway accomplished. With that settled, the two women smoothly shifted the topic toward the content of the third volume, diving into discussions of plot pacing, character development, and deadlines.
Touji leaned back slightly, letting their conversation wash over him.
But just when the atmosphere seemed to settle—
Ding-dong!
The doorbell rang again.
All three heads turned toward the entrance at once. Touji blinked, his brows furrowing in surprise.
"…Seriously? Who now?" He muttered, already rising to his feet. Were they running a social club today? How many guests were going to appear in a single afternoon?
Shaking his head, Touji made his way toward the door, his curiosity piqued as he reached for the handle.
…