Chapter 106: So Sour
"Are... are you sure you're just taking inspiration?"
"Of course, I promise!"
Utaha said readily, simultaneously taking a bottle of yogurt out of her bag and handing it to Eriri. "I am showing great sincerity."
"So I'm being dismissed with just one bottle of yogurt..."
After taking the yogurt, Eriri sighed. "Fine. But let me make one thing clear: you can ask, but whether I answer is my freedom. And the answers you get might not be what you expect."
"It's fine. I'm sure I'll gain something."
Seeing Eriri agree, Utaha breathed a sigh of relief.
Originally, she had planned to observe secretly and quietly, but upon reflection, she realized she couldn't possibly know where the two of them were at all times and accurately track them down. It was better to consult openly like this, as long as she was careful about the scope of her questions.
But for starters... "Then I'll ask the first question." Looking at Eriri, Utaha narrowed her eyes and asked softly, "Have you done it?"
"Done? Huh... Huh?! What kind of outrageous question are you asking?!"
Alright, confirmed. They hadn't done it yet.
Utaha flashed a brilliant smile, and looking at Eriri, whose cheeks were flushed red and whose lunch box was nearly spilled, she quickly apologized: "Sorry, sorry, I couldn't help but ask. It won't happen next time."
"Hmph, if you dare to ask a question like that again, I won't answer any of your questions!"
Eriri was well aware of Utaha's malicious sense of humor, but this time she was clearly caught off guard and the other party succeeded. She immediately raised her guard.
Seeing Eriri's wary look, Utaha finally stopped causing trouble and started asking questions within a normal range.
"Since you started dating, how many times have you gone out on a date?"
"Hmm~~~ Three times?" Eriri counted in her head and said, "Twice were last week after school, when we walked around outside after Art Club. They weren't long. But there was one time, on the first Sunday after the confession, that guy Kaede-kun actually dragged me to the library to study. Can you believe it?"
She had only intended to answer Utaha's question, but as soon as she brought up this topic, Eriri couldn't help but start complaining.
"So, you were quite unhappy about that?"
Having almost finished her lunch, Utaha simply put her lunch box aside, picked up the small notebook and pen she carried with her, and started recording.
"Well... I wouldn't say I was unhappy. Maybe just a little at first." Tapping the rice inside her lunch box repeatedly with her chopsticks, Eriri said, "But once we started studying at the library, it wasn't so boring anymore, hehe~~~"
"..."
Watching the smile on Eriri's face, Utaha silently finished writing in her small notebook, picked up the yogurt nearby, opened it, and took a sip.
Hmm, this yogurt is so sour... And not only that, the more she asked, the faster Utaha drank the yogurt in her hand.
Ten minutes later, Utaha looked at the empty yogurt bottle in her hand and sighed under Eriri's puzzled gaze.
"What... what's wrong with you?"
Shaking her head, Utaha said, "Thank you, Eriri. I gathered some very good material today."
Tilting her head, Eriri thought that she hadn't said anything wrong. This feeling, as if she had an upset stomach, was very strange.
Seeing this, Utaha couldn't help but sigh inwardly. What they said online about women in love having no self-awareness and an unconscious tendency to show off when talking about their relationship seemed quite true. She clearly hadn't wanted to talk about it at first, but once she started, she spoke without any hesitation. It was practically like forcibly prying open her own mouth and shoving relationship fluff inside.
Especially after hearing Eriri say that Kaede even prepared a manga script for her, Utaha felt even more sour.
Did Eriri save the world in her previous life? To have met a boy like Kaede.
And the thought of her own plan, having to get material from Eriri later, and observing it herself, made Utaha feel a stomach ache.
Maybe she shouldn't write today? Utaha was afraid that seeing all the collected material would make her even more sour.
That's really not good for one's health... After the afternoon classes, Kaede went to Class A as usual to pick up Eriri, and they went to the Art Club together.
The laptop and drawing tablet they brought in the morning had already been placed in the Art Club, so now they just needed to go there easily.
"Eriri, what did the senior want to talk to you about at noon?"
"It was about gathering material," Eriri didn't hide it and said directly, "She wants to gather material for her love metronome, so she asked me some questions. I thought as long as it wasn't too private, I'd help out."
Kaede understood. It seemed the senior was really going all out to gather material.
Ordinary material gathering was one thing, but gathering material for a romance novel was not an easy task for a single person.
"So what did the senior ask?"
"Hehe, she didn't ask anything too deeply. She just asked about things during dates, and things like holding hands, and kissing."
As for the first question Utaha asked, Eriri didn't say it out loud; it was too embarrassing.
Scratching his head, although he hadn't seen the scene, looking at Eriri's smile now, he imagined the scene at the time must have been very intense.
Kaede thought this and couldn't help but press his hands together.
Hope she's okay.
Soon, they arrived at the Art Club entrance, where the other three were already there.
Kaede looked at Eriri beside him and asked with a smile, "Are you ready?"
"Don't worry, I've been mentally prepared for a long time!"
Exchanging a glance with Eriri, Kaede raised his hand and opened the Art Club door.
After they entered, the gazes of the three people inside also turned towards them.
The club president, lying sideways on the sofa, saw the two enter, then glanced at the two bags on the chair in the distance and asked, "Are those things yours?"
Besides the teacher, only the president himself and Kaede had keys to the Art Club, which is why the president made that guess.
Kaede also nodded, "Yes, they're mine and Eriri's. We plan to make good use of the club activity time."
After coming in and sitting down, Kaede and Eriri took out their laptops and drawing tablets from their respective bags.
Usami saw these devices and asked curiously, "Are you going to draw something?"
Hearing this, Kaede looked at Eriri and smiled, gesturing to her.
Taking a deep breath, Eriri smiled and looked at everyone: "Kaede-kun and I are going to draw manga and submit it to Jump!"