All the Heroines are my Ex-girlfriends

Chapter 68: Senpai, I Like You

After school.

Yukima Azuma and Kasumigaoka Utaha took the train to Akihabara together.

"Now that you mention it, senpai, why didn't you just go directly to the book signing today instead of coming to school?"

Yukima Azuma exclaimed.

"I'm an excellent student, both academically and morally, unlike ex-boyfriend-kun, who's always skipping school."

Kasumigaoka Utaha let out a soft huff, then sharply responded.

"Even though you're an excellent student, you still sleep in class, huh?"

"I know everything the teachers are talking about, so what's wrong with sleeping?"

"Fair enough."

"What I said is, of course, reasonable. So, ex-boyfriend-kun, have you finished reading my light novel yet?"

After asking, Kasumigaoka Utaha stared intently at Yukima Azuma.

The inspiration for the fourth volume completely came from the person in front of her.

In the first two volumes, the female lead had no soul.

In this volume, she had regained her soul.

But how would he perceive that "soul"?

Would he still be rigid and unable to understand like before?

"I've read it, but... how should I say it? I'm not sure how to evaluate your novel, senpai."

Yukima Azuma looked thoughtful.

When Kasumigaoka Utaha heard Yukima Azuma's response, her brows furrowed slightly.

But Yukima Azuma didn't stop; he continued speaking.

"However, I can still describe my impression a little."

Yukima Azuma looked straight at Kasumigaoka Utaha.

He gazed into her wine-colored eyes.

Yukima Azuma pointed at his chest.

"When I read your novel, senpai, my heart couldn't help but beat faster, and the images described in the book came to mind."

"The image of the female lead, Sayaka, seemed so close to me, she was both beautiful and proud, and full of perfectionism."

"Sayaka's love was both intense and subtle, though she never spoke it, it moved people more than a thousand words could."

"Reading it once, you can only finish the story, but reading it a second time allows you to understand the motivation behind the female lead, Sayaka's actions."

"And only after reading it the third time can people begin to appreciate the perfection of you, senpai, the brilliant novelist who wrote this."

When Kasumigaoka Utaha heard Yukima Azuma say this...

Her brows slightly relaxed.

Her small mouth opened slightly.

Her eyes began to tremble a bit.

It was all correct.

Everything Yukima Azuma said was exactly what she had hoped for in her heart.

It even exceeded her expectations.

Kasumigaoka Utaha had only hoped Yukima Azuma would feel that the female lead in her work had charm.

Perhaps she had also hoped Yukima Azuma would understand the motivation behind the female lead.

Because the first character she wrote, Sayaka, was an extension of herself.

And Yukima Azuma not only understood everything.

Through the story, his gaze even turned towards her.

Looking into Yukima Azuma's eyes, Kasumigaoka Utaha felt like she was on the verge of tears.

"So... so... do you like Sayaka? Even though she... is a bit clumsy, and has... a few flaws."

Kasumigaoka Utaha's words were cut off before she could finish.

"Senpai, what are you saying?"

Yukima Azuma blinked.

"Since the first time I saw the manuscript for this book, I've already fallen in love with Sayaka, the female lead."

"Whether she was shining brightly in the first volume, or when she faced failure in the second, or even when she lived a normal life in the third volume."

"Or now, when she shines brightly again, I've loved her from the start to the end, and that hasn't changed even for a single day."

Kasumigaoka Utaha's words got stuck in her throat.

....

When they got off the train,

Kasumigaoka Utaha lightly kicked Yukima Azuma's calf.

Then she ran into the bookstore's restroom to fix her makeup.

Yukima Azuma smiled and looked at the long line of people waiting outside the store.

Clearly, the publicity campaign by Fujikawa Publishing had been very successful.

The signing event hadn't even started yet, and the line of people was already stretching to the other side of the street.

It was definitely impossible to line up from the beginning.

Yukima Azuma could only try to sneak in.

Fortunately, it seemed like Kasumigaoka Utaha had already informed the staff beforehand.

No one stopped Yukima Azuma.

Sitting behind the signing table, Machida Sonoko was watching Yukima Azuma carefully, as he appeared to be acting suspicious.

It must be him, right?

The male lead in Kasumi Utako-sensei heart.

'Umu... if we consider his looks, he does seem like a good match for Kasumi-sensei.'

Thinking this, Machida Sonoko immediately shook her head.

'No, no!'

'What am I thinking? This guy is the one who caused Kasumi-sensei to fall into a slump in the last two volumes. He could be a terrible man!'

'I need to be more careful, seriously, I'm the editor, I have to be responsible for the author!'

Machida Sonoko thought.

However... What kind of editor would care about the author's private matters like this!

And from this, it was clear that

In reality, Machida Sonoko and Kasumigaoka Utaha, while being editor and author in name,

Had a more friendly relationship in private.

Once Yukima Azuma had entered the store,

He quickly asked an employee for a protective vest.

At least he should disguise himself a little.

Otherwise, with such a striking appearance, standing near the signing event would make it way too easy for him to attract attention.

After putting on the vest,

Yukima Azuma saw Kasumigaoka Utaha walking out of the store.

The two of them locked eyes.

Kasumigaoka Utaha glanced at Yukima Azuma.

Her eyes were still slightly red.

It was all because of this guy.

Sitting down behind the signing table.

"Shi-chan, you finally made it, shall we begin? Wait, what's up with your eyes?"

Machida Sonoko noticed something was off.

Kasumigaoka Utaha waved her hand.

"It's fine, let's start the signing event."

Machida Sonoko suddenly turned around, glaring at Yukima Azuma.

Yukima Azuma: ???

Caught in a glare without understanding why, Yukima Azuma scratched his head, confused.

...

The signing event began.

The atmosphere was quite harmonious.

After all, this was the fourth volume of the light novel series.

Most of the people attending were loyal fans of Kasumi Utako-sensei.

Though The Metronome in Love had gone through a less successful period, the writing style still had no flaws.

Kasumigaoka Utaha truly deserved the title of a genius light novel author.

Only a few readers had sent letters of complaint.

Moreover, Kasumigaoka Utaha was a beautiful woman.

Naturally, everyone was cheerful and friendly.

Yukima Azuma stood beside, feeling a sense of accomplishment.

At first, when Kasumigaoka Utaha had not yet become a light novel author,

She had not been overly confident in herself.

It was simply her perfectionism that pushed her to be extremely strict with her work.

And it seemed that, in just a moment,

The girl who had never debuted before was now handling large signing events with ease.

This was the child he had seen grow day by day! (Chika: Umu umu!)

Just as Yukima Azuma was reflecting on this,

A faint, unpleasant smell began to spread.

Yukima Azuma immediately snapped out of his thoughts, frowning and looking toward the source of the smell.

Quickly, Yukima Azuma saw, in the crowd,

A person, head lowered, clutching a book, their eyes darting back and forth.

Summer had arrived, yet this person was still wearing a thick fabric mask.

Unless they had an allergy or some other special reason,

Wearing such a mask in weather like this, with short sleeves, clearly indicated that they were either a fool or had some ulterior motive.

Moreover, this person was also wearing a backpack on their chest.

While some people in the crowd wore backpacks like that to avoid disturbing others behind them,

This person was different.

Their backpack was slightly open, and one hand was inside it.

Yukima Azuma kept his expression neutral and quietly moved aside.

He signaled two staff members to prepare to maintain order.

Then, Yukima Azuma slowly approached one side of the signing table.

The protective vest he had been wearing had been discarded at some point.

Kasumigaoka Utaha naturally noticed Yukima Azuma approaching.

She shot him a questioning glance.

Yukima Azuma gestured for her to continue with the event.

Kasumigaoka Utaha resumed signing books for fans.

After each fan thanked her and left,

It was finally the turn of the suspicious individual.

"Kasumi-sensei, I really love your book."

The person stuttered as they handed the book over to her.

What was strange was that the person handed the book in a way that gripped the middle of it.

Just as Kasumigaoka Utaha was about to accept the book,

Yukima Azuma suddenly stepped forward to the signing table.

Clap! Clap! Clap!

The loud clapping echoed, causing the entire event to fall into silence.

Yukima Azuma clapped as he spoke:

"Congratulations! You are the 100th reader to attend this signing event, and also the luckiest reader of today's event!"

His words stirred a bit of excitement in the crowd.

Some people were envious of the luck of the person in front,

While others wondered why it was already the 100th reader and the line still hadn't reached their turn.

The person in question, suddenly put in the spotlight, appeared not joyful at all but instead panicked.

Yukima Azuma reached out and grabbed the book the person had offered.

The moment he touched it, Yukima Azuma felt the weight of the book was off.

"Next, just answer one very simple question, and you'll receive a special edition of the new book."

"So, may I ask, what is the title of the first chapter in The Metronome in Love by Kasumi-sensei?"

Yukima Azuma smiled and asked, while touching the middle of the book.

The sensation was definitely wrong.

There was a hollowed-out section.

He could feel something uneven inside the book.

It was clear that the book had been hollowed out in a spot,

And something was placed inside it.

The person's eyes were filled with an unmistakable panic, and they kept staring at the book in Yukima Azuma's hand.

"I don't know! Give the book back to me, I need to leave!"

Though the question was simple and not answering it wouldn't have affected the signing,

This person screamed like that.

Yukima Azuma sneered coldly, then gripped the book tightly and threw it forcefully at the wall next to him, where no one was standing.

The book hit the wall, and immediately, the sound of breaking glass was heard.

When it hit the floor, the pages of the book opened, and a sticky, milky-white liquid spilled out from between the pages. (t/n: ughhh, that's not what I think, is it?)

The crowd in line gasped in horror as the plot was revealed.

The criminal turned and immediately tried to flee.

Yukima Azuma quickly acted, using one hand to brace himself and swiftly jumping over the signing table.

The physical strength from his intense training not only provided him with superior strength and stamina but also agility.

To prevent the crowd from witnessing the horrifying scene, Yukima Azuma didn't use excessive force but simply delivered a swift kick to the criminal's thigh.

The person, who had only run a few steps, immediately collapsed to the ground.

Yukima Azuma stepped forward, preparing to twist the criminal's arm behind his back and pin him to the ground.

Perhaps feeling there was no way out, the criminal turned his back to Yukima Azuma and suddenly threw something towards him.

Yukima Azuma barely had time to tilt his head slightly.

The heavy object grazed across his forehead, causing his head to uncontrollably tilt back for a moment.

Without missing a beat, Yukima Azuma continued with his actions.

He kicked the criminal to the ground, twisted his arm behind his back, causing him to feel sharp pain with any movement.

At the same time, he pressed his knee into the criminal's neck.

Of course, Yukima Azuma didn't use too much force, knowing that applying too much could be life-threatening.

The whole event happened in the blink of an eye.

Those around them could only take a few steps back in shock.

The staff, who had been warned earlier, rushed over to assist.

They maintained order among the crowd while using nylon ropes to securely bind the criminal, fully subdued by Yukima Azuma.

"Azuma!"

Kasumigaoka Utaha cried out, rushing over.

Only then did Yukima Azuma turn and check what had hit him.

As he had suspected, it was a handheld camera.

His vision suddenly became blurry and tinted red.

Under Kasumigaoka Utaha's concerned gaze, Yukima Azuma realized he had been injured.

He touched his forehead.

The sticky sensation was evident.

Although he had tilted his head to avoid it, he hadn't been quick enough, and the camera still grazed his forehead.

However, it wasn't anything serious — just a superficial scratch.

There was no dizziness or discomfort.

In fact, the camera hadn't hit him directly but merely scraped across his forehead.

Yukima Azuma held up his hand to stop Kasumigaoka Utaha, who was rushing towards him.

In a low voice, he said:

"It's fine, continue with the signing. We'll talk about it when it's over."

Kasumigaoka Utaha immediately shook her head, wanting to refuse.

He had been hurt!

How could she continue the signing as if nothing had happened?

"If the signing is interrupted, then everything I've done will have been in vain, won't it?"

"Senpai, I like you. I like Sayaka too. Neither of you can face any more setbacks."

Hearing Yukima Azuma's words, Kasumigaoka Utaha bit her lip, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

She wasn't sure how she managed to suppress her emotions.

Biting her lip, she tried to push her feelings down, sitting back behind the signing table.

Yukima Azuma pulled a few pieces of paper from his pocket and wiped the blood from his forehead hastily.

Afterward, he pressed one of the sheets to the wound.

Once he finished tending to it, he turned back to face the confused crowd.

"Please, everyone, don't panic. I apologize for the small incident," Yukima Azuma said, his voice steady and calm. "But the staff will handle the situation quickly, and the signing event will continue. I hope this doesn't disrupt your excitement."

"To make the signing process smoother, please turn to the page where you'd like the signature, and place the book on the table. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation."

Yukima Azuma's appearance once again worked its magic.

Seeing the handsome young man injured, the crowd didn't step back. Instead, they clapped in appreciation for his swift action.

Following the staff's instructions, they continued to line up and the signing event resumed.

Yukima Azuma moved to the back to attend to his wound.

Kasumigaoka Utaha watched him go, her gaze gradually drifting toward him.

"I'll go help and check on him," Machida Sonoko said, patting Kasumigaoka Utaha's shoulder before quickly moving to the back.

Kasumigaoka Utaha hurriedly turned back, her attention now focused on the book in front of her.

Though the situation was a bit difficult, the readers understood and sympathized after the incident.

As the others came forward, they didn't blame Kasumigaoka Utaha's demeanor. Instead, they offered words of comfort.

But as those words reached her ears, Kasumigaoka Utaha felt her heart ache even more.

The scattered books were collected.

The broken camera, discarded nearby, was also taken away.

If Kasumigaoka Utaha still didn't understand what had happened, she would not be a genius but rather foolish.

Had she opened the book as usual, and if that liquid had splashed out and stained her, and then the man pulled out the camera and filmed it, as a talented girl and a famous light novel author, she would have been bombarded on social media with filthy comments, which would destroy her writing career.

Her life would have been plunged into darkness.

That was the nature of the internet—if there were no images, people would fabricate stories. If there were images, everything would turn into horrifying narratives.

Yukima Azuma had saved her.

Even injured, he prioritized her signing event over his own wound.

Kasumigaoka Utaha wished she could rush to him now, care for his injury, and hold him tightly.

But he had told her to continue.

Kasumigaoka Utaha could only stand still, completing the signing process.

No matter how much her heart hurt, she could only endure with patience now.

Kasumigaoka Utaha was experiencing the longest signing event of her life.

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