27th April, 2026
At School – Computer Lab
The computer lab was quieter than usual. The gentle tapping of keyboards and the low hum of the computers filled the room as students worked on their assignments.
Kentarou sat near the window, his laptop open in front of him. Instead of working on the class activity, he had opened the latest chapter of his webnovel. Park Minwoo, who sat beside him, leaned closer with genuine interest, carefully reading through the chapter.
"So this is the chapter you uploaded yesterday?" Minwoo asked quietly.
"Yeah," Kentarou replied with a small nod. "I changed a few dialogues before publishing it."
Minwoo scrolled through the chapter, occasionally smiling.
"The emotions feel more natural now."
"You think so?"
"Mhm. It doesn't feel like a fictional romance... it feels real."
Kentarou scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"...Maybe because it is."
Minwoo simply smiled, choosing not to tease him further.
A few seats away sat Lyoid Akiyama with one of his friends. Although he appeared to be working on his own laptop, his eyes occasionally drifted toward Kentarou's screen.
After a few minutes, Lyoid called out,
"Hey, Kentarou."
Kentarou turned his chair slightly.
"What?"
For the past few weeks, Lyoid had been acting differently around him.
Normally, Lyoid would confidently brag about his own novels or tease Kentarou whenever the topic of writing came up. But recently, that confidence had been replaced by something quieter. He still talked normally, yet there was a strange hesitation whenever Kentarou mentioned his own story.
The reason wasn't difficult to understand.
Lyoid had been writing webnovels for much longer. His stories—mostly action, fantasy, and isekai—had already gathered over a hundred thousand readers, with a largely adult audience. He had earned recognition through experience and consistency.
Kentarou, on the other hand, was still considered a newcomer. His school romance novel had only recently begun gaining attention, reaching around twenty thousand readers.
When Lyoid finally read Kentarou's novel, he found himself unexpectedly jealous.
Not because Kentarou had more readers.
But because Kentarou could write emotions that Lyoid himself struggled to express.
Every chapter felt honest.
Every conversation felt like something that had truly happened.
And that was something no amount of experience could easily imitate.
Lyoid looked at Kentarou for a moment before speaking again.
"...Can I ask you something?"
Lyoid crossed his arms and smirked.
"Come on, Kentarou. Show us your comment section."
Without thinking much, Kentarou unlocked his phone and handed it over.
Lyoid began scrolling through the latest chapter. As he read the comments, his expression gradually changed.
One reader had written:
> "I can't wait for the next chapter!"
Another said:
> "This feels so real... I hope Kentarou and Violet end up together."
A third comment read:
> "I'm cheering for you, author!"
Lyoid clicked his tongue before handing the phone to the friend sitting beside him.
"Now look at this," he said with a sarcastic laugh. "Most of his readers are just teenagers."
His friend glanced through the comments before shrugging.
"And look at his views," he added. "They're nothing compared to yours."
The friend nodded with a grin.
"Yeah... not even close."
Kentarou remained silent.
Park Minwoo, who had been reading beside him until now, quietly looked up from the phone in his hands. He could sense where the conversation was heading, but he chose not to interrupt.
Lyoid leaned back in his chair with a proud smile.
"You know," he continued, "my novel has crossed a hundred thousand readers. Most of them are adults. They actually understand good writing."
He looked directly at Kentarou.
"A beginner writing a school romance... it's obvious who readers would take more seriously."
The classroom fell silent for a brief moment.
Kentarou simply looked at Lyoid without changing his expression.
He wasn't angry.
He wasn't embarrassed.
He just quietly waited, knowing Lyoid hadn't finished speaking yet.
Kentarou's expression remained calm, but his patience was beginning to wear thin.
"Lyoid," he said, "you keep talking about views and readers. But if that's what matters to you..."
He took his phone back and opened the comment section of one of Lyoid's recent chapters.
"Then show me this."
Lyoid frowned.
"What?"
Kentarou scrolled through the comments before turning the screen toward him.
"Chapter Sixteen."
Lyoid looked at the screen.
Most of the comments were requests from readers.
> "Please update soon!"
> "Author, where's the next chapter?"
> "It's been weeks!"
Kentarou looked at him with a faint smile.
"That's enough."
"I've shown you my comment section. Now it's your turn."
Lyoid's jaw tightened.
He could feel his temper rising.
"Now..." Kentarou continued, "go ahead and lose."
Lyoid clenched his fists.
His friend tried to lighten the atmosphere.
"Hey, forget it. Let's get back to class."
But Lyoid ignored him.
Instead, he glared at Kentarou.
For a brief second, silence filled the computer lab.
Then—
Lyoid's friend accidentally let out a small laugh after seeing the flood of "Update please!" comments.
"Heh..."
The sound echoed just enough for everyone nearby to hear.
Lyoid slowly turned his head toward his friend.
The smile on his friend's face disappeared immediately.
Without saying another word, Lyoid looked back at Kentarou.
His eyes were filled with frustration.
"You'll pay for this."
Kentarou slipped his phone back into his pocket and met his gaze without flinching.
"We'll see what you can do."
The bell rang a few moments later, ending the computer lab period.
Neither of them said another word as they walked out of the classroom, but the tension between them had only grown stronger.
---
After school...
Students poured out through the front gate in groups, chatting and laughing as they made their way home.
As Kentarou stepped outside the school, something immediately caught his attention.
Standing a short distance away from the entrance was Violet.
She wasn't wearing her school uniform anymore. Instead, she had changed into a simple casual outfit that suited her perfectly. She stood quietly beside the gate, occasionally glancing toward the students leaving the campus, as if she was waiting for someone.
Without realizing it, many students had begun noticing her.
A group of girls walking past slowed their pace.
"Hey... look over there," one of them whispered. "That girl's really cute. Who do you think she's waiting for?"
Her friend smiled.
"Maybe she's waiting for her boyfriend."
Another girl shook her head, unable to take her eyes off Violet.
"She's beautiful... She looks like an angel in those casual clothes."
Their voices were soft, but they carried through the crowd.
A few boys also stole curious glances in her direction before continuing on their way.
Meanwhile, Violet continued waiting, completely unaware that she had become the center of attention.
Then...
Her eyes stopped on someone walking out of the school building.
Kentarou.
The moment she saw him, a gentle smile appeared on her face.
Without hesitation, she raised her hand slightly.
"Kentarou!"
Her voice wasn't loud, yet it was enough to make several nearby students turn their heads toward him.
Kentarou walked toward Violet, weaving through the crowd of students pouring out of the school gates. The afternoon sunlight fell gently across the campus entrance, making the white walls of the school glow. As soon as Violet noticed him, a bright smile appeared on her face. She raised her hand and waved enthusiastically.
Kentarou couldn't help smiling back. His heartbeat quickened slightly as he approached her.
"Hey," he greeted.
"Hi," Violet replied cheerfully.
Stopping in front of her, Kentarou looked around in confusion before asking,
"What are you doing here? Why did you come all the way to my school?"
Violet tilted her head with a playful expression.
"You promised to take me out someday, remember?" she said. "Don't tell me you've already forgotten."
Kentarou scratched the back of his head with an embarrassed smile.
"Yeah... I remember. But why today? You could've just come to my house instead."
"My mom dropped me here," Violet explained. "She had some work nearby, so she thought it'd be easier if I waited for you outside your school."
"I see..." Kentarou nodded before another thought crossed his mind. "Then where's your little sister? I thought she'd come with you."
Violet laughed softly.
"She's sleeping at home right now. Mom said she was too tired to come with us."
"That makes sense," Kentarou replied with a relieved smile.
For a brief moment, neither of them spoke. The noise of students chatting, bicycles rolling past, and buses arriving at the gate filled the silence between them.
A few students walking by glanced at the pair. Some recognized Kentarou from school, while others simply noticed the beautiful girl waiting for him outside the gate.
Whispers quietly spread through the crowd.
"So she really was waiting for someone..."
"I guess it was him."
"They actually look good together."
Kentarou, completely unaware of the attention they were attracting, kept his eyes on Violet. She looked different from her usual school appearance. Wearing casual clothes instead of her uniform, she seemed even more graceful, and for a second, Kentarou found himself unable to look away.
Violet noticed his silence and smiled mischievously.
"What?" she asked. "Why are you staring at me like that?"
---
At the same time, inside Kentarou's classroom, students were busy packing their bags before heading home. Chairs scraped against the floor as conversations echoed across the room.
Yui Takamura zipped up her school bag before glancing absentmindedly through the classroom window. Something outside immediately caught her attention.
Her eyes widened.
She nudged Senku Hayashi, who was standing beside his desk, arranging his books.
"Hey... I can't believe this."
Senku looked up, confused.
"What happened?"
Yui pointed toward the school gate.
"Kentarou is talking to a really cute girl outside."
Senku shrugged without even looking.
"That's probably some little kid who got lost and asked him for directions."
Yui frowned.
"I'm serious. Just look."
With a sigh, Senku walked toward the window. The moment his eyes landed on the girl waiting beside Kentarou, his relaxed expression disappeared.
"...Violet?!"
His voice was louder than he intended.
Yui immediately turned toward him.
"You know her?"
Senku nodded slowly, unable to take his eyes off the scene outside.
"Of course I do. That's Violet."
Without wasting another second, Yui grabbed Senku by the sleeve.
"Come on!"
"H-Hey! Slow down!"
Ignoring his complaint, she pulled him out of the classroom. The two hurried through the corridor, determined to catch up with Kentarou and Violet before they disappeared into the crowd outside the school.
Neither of them noticed that someone had been quietly listening from a nearby desk.
Lyoid Akimiya.
He had heard every single word exchanged between Yui and Senku.
His eyes slowly shifted toward the classroom window, where Kentarou and Violet could still be seen standing together near the school gate.
A faint smirk appeared on his face.
"So... that's the girl."
He picked up his bag, slung it over his shoulder, and calmly walked out of the classroom, following the same route as Yui and Senku—careful not to let anyone notice that he was following them.
---
"So..." Violet asked as they continued walking side by side, "how was your class today?"
Kentarou slipped his hands into his pockets and smiled.
"It was good. Nothing unusual happened."
"I see."
After a brief pause, Violet glanced toward the school building behind them.
"Do you have many friends in your class?"
"Yeah," Kentarou replied. "Quite a few, actually. You've already met one of them."
Violet tilted her head.
"I have?"
"Senku. Don't you remember? You met him when you came to my house."
A look of recognition immediately appeared on her face.
"Oh, right!"
She smiled warmly.
"Yeah, I remember him now. He was really friendly."
Kentarou chuckled.
"That's Senku. He's always easy to get along with."
The two continued strolling down the sidewalk, chatting comfortably as the afternoon breeze gently rustled the trees lining the street.
A few meters behind them...
Yui Takamura and Senku carefully followed, trying not to attract attention.
Yui leaned forward, narrowing her eyes.
"What do you think they're talking about?"
At that exact moment—
"Ah... achoo!"
Senku suddenly sneezed.
Yui immediately turned toward him with an annoyed expression.
"Seriously?"
Senku rubbed his nose awkwardly.
"How am I supposed to know what they're talking about? I can't hear them from here."
Yui crossed her arms.
"You're completely useless."
"Ouch..."
Senku sighed dramatically.
"I agreed to follow them, not become a detective."
Before Yui could reply, Senku noticed Kentarou and Violet slowing down in front of a building.
"Look," he whispered. "They're going inside."
Yui followed his gaze.
A quiet neighborhood library stood just ahead, its glass entrance reflecting the warm afternoon sunlight.
Without hesitation, Yui grabbed Senku's wrist.
"Come on!"
"H-Hey! Wait!"
She pulled him toward the library entrance, making sure to keep enough distance so Kentarou and Violet wouldn't notice they were being followed.
Neither of them realized that someone else was following from even farther behind.
Lyoid Akimiya.
Keeping his distance with a calm expression, he watched all four of them enter the library.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"So this is where your 'date' begins..." he murmured under his breath as he quietly approached the entrance.
---
Inside the Library
Kentarou and Violet stepped inside the quiet library. The scent of old books filled the air.
Violet looked around curiously.
"Why are we here?" she asked.
Kentarou smiled faintly.
"I borrowed a book from someone a few days ago. I came to return it before we go anywhere else."
Violet nodded. "I see."
The two walked toward one of the reading tables.
A girl with long dark hair noticed them from her seat.
"Kentarou!" she called with a friendly wave.
Kentarou waved back.
"Hey, Hee-Young."
Violet looked at the girl, then at Kentarou.
"Is she your gi—"
Before she could finish, Kentarou immediately interrupted.
"No! Absolutely not!"
Violet blinked in surprise before letting out a soft laugh.
"I wasn't even finished asking."
Kentarou rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.
"I know... but I already knew what you were going to ask."
Hee-Young giggled after hearing their conversation.
Kentarou placed the borrowed book on the table.
"Thanks for lending it to me."
"You're welcome," Hee-Young replied with a warm smile.
Just then—
Thud!
Several books suddenly fell from a nearby bookshelf.
Everyone turned toward the sound.
Behind the shelf, Senku scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"Oops... I think I messed up."
Kentarou sighed.
"Only you could make this much noise inside a library."
Senku laughed nervously.
Meanwhile, Yui, who had been hiding behind another shelf, quietly stepped out, pretending she had nothing to do with it.
Kentarou introduced everyone.
"Violet, this is Hee-Young. And you've already met Senku."
Violet smiled politely.
"Nice to meet you."
Hee-Young returned the smile.
"It's nice to meet you too."
The atmosphere became light-hearted as the group prepared to leave the library together, completely unaware that Lyoid had quietly followed them all the way there.
To Be Continued.....