Japanese bookstores are an existence where wonder and abstraction coexist. On one hand, they definitely sell normal books, such as fashion magazines or study guides for middle school students.
But on the other hand, as long as they apply for a license, they can openly and brazenly sell magazines that might not easily pass review.
And according to the degree of abstraction, the 18X section usually has two fates—shamelessly placed in front of the counter to increase sales, or gathered behind a curtain in a corner of the bookstore to be admired in private.
The Elder Sister's Secret!, Private Guidance from the Girl Next Door!, Swimsuit! Beach! Unprepared!
"Hiss... I haven't looked for just a few months, and there are actually so many rising stars?"
His eyes were glued to the astonishing curves and completely unguarded gentle smiles, Miyazawa Yuu tactically leaned back, treating the renewal of the doujinshi world with reverence!
To be honest, the Virgin Big Guy's saying, "a person who has been away for three days should be looked at with new eyes," now seems to hold some truth!
Is this the legendary great wisdom that appears to be foolish? Even a virgin's brain can inadvertently express the true wisdom of the world!
In any case, there's nothing to hesitate about!
He still has a bit of prize money left, which is useless to keep, so contributing it to the onee-san who can't afford clothes is the most appropriate thing to do!
"Let me see..."
Gathering the books he liked and hugging them in his arms, Miyazawa Yuu furtively lifted the curtain of the 18+ section and poked his head out. His movements were not only full of stealth but also extremely practiced.
There was no helping it. Buying "classic works" like this must be done secretly, away from outsiders.
An intimate thing like an XP is fine if the cashier lady knows, but if he runs into someone he knows, how can he continue to fit in!
Confirming no one was around on the left and right, he instantly pulled his jacket over his head to cover his mouth and nose, and skillfully lowered his head, walking quickly toward the cashier.
A mere ten-meter distance could be covered in less than two seconds...
"Hibiki, why did you come to buy manga so late? If it's a popular best-seller, it must be sold out already."
"Sorry! Sorry! I only realized it was Friday after eating, and it's the perfect time to take the train home!"
"Woah—!"
A familiar voice rang out beside his ear. Miyazawa Yuu saw the cashier right in front of him, but the automatic door beside him opened simultaneously, and two familiar girls walked in.
Emergency brake! A foot-breaking, 180° spin on the spot, he instantly flashed behind a shelf, clutching his wildly beating heart, full of question marks—
No way! Why is this little girl Hibiki still haunting him!
She didn't come along to join the fun when he bought the home movie set, but she just had to pop up to scare him when he was squeezing in time to buy some classic works for research before going home, huh!
"Oh?"
"What's wrong, Ayaka?"
"Nothing..."
Tilting her head, Ayaka Uehara looked straight ahead with a puzzled expression. She felt a passing corner of a jacket was somewhat familiar.
Betting on her boxer's astonishing reflexes and dynamic vision, she was certain that was the exact same style of jacket Yuu-nii-san wore, but he shouldn't have a reason to hide from them, right?
"Then let's look separately! Love Beach's latest chapter, I hope they haven't sold out here."
"Yosh!"
"..."
Observing secretly from behind the shelf, Miyazawa Yuu analyzed Hibiki's and Ayaka's movement paths with cold sweat breaking out, realizing that he couldn't possibly bypass their line of sight to check out and leave.
Moreover, this bookstore was too small. If he let the two of them search blindly, he might very well be cornered!
So the best option right now was undoubtedly...
Turning his head to glance at the 18+ section, while keeping an eye on the girls' movements, he cautiously moved his feet backward, finally retreating back behind the curtain.
Now, as long as Hibiki and Ayaka didn't come to buy classic works, they would absolutely not find any acquaintance hiding inside!
"Phew... finally safe, woah!"
"Eek!"
However, just as Miyazawa Yuu breathed a long sigh of relief, thinking the danger was over and he only needed to wait quietly for Hibiki Sakura and the others to leave.
Turning around, he was instantly startled by the black-clad person standing silently behind him, jumping back half a step and nearly stumbling out from behind the curtain.
Fortunately, although the other person also screamed, her mind was still quick, and she reached out to pull him back, preventing the former from facing the social death of being discovered by friends buying doujinshi.
"That was close! Thank you, I didn't know you were inside..."
Barely regaining his balance, Miyazawa Yuu remained frozen in place for a long time, listening to Hibiki Sakura outside still complaining that she couldn't find the novel before finally relaxing enough to sincerely thank the person.
But at the same time, he was observing the black-clad person close by. From the voice, the other person was undoubtedly female, which was genuinely rare.
It's known that BL books are also considered banned books, but unlike classic works, they don't require a separate section and can be found directly on the shelves outside.
This means that the girl in front of him was indeed here to buy classic works. There's no denying that!
"Um... it's nothing..."
Lowering her head, the black-clad girl's shoulders were tense, seeming very shy.
This was unavoidable. After all, the 18+ section was just a small space with a curtain; its total area wasn't even as big as a restroom, and an adult squatting down might expose their butt outside.
Now, with two adults of similar height standing face-to-face, physical contact was inevitable for the girl, so it would be strange if she wasn't shy!
"Ah~ I found it, this store actually has some left!"
"Then let's hurry up and go. It's already late, and don't you still need to buy new clothes before going home?"
"That's right! I still need to change clothes!"
Reminded by Ayaka, Hibiki Sakura slapped her forehead, suddenly remembering that she hadn't changed her clothes yet!
Picking up the paperback from the floor, she rushed to the counter to check out. To prevent her mom from nagging her when she got home, she needed to quickly buy a new piece of clothing!
"OK! I'm really sorry, I also knocked your books down..."
Listening to the gradually fading footsteps, Miyazawa Yuu could now be certain that the crisis was truly over.
Stepping back two steps to give space to the girl with the remarkably good figure, he noticed quite a few doujinshi scattered on the floor. It seemed they were the selections the girl hadn't checked out yet.
"I'll help you pick them up!"
"No need! I can do it myself!"
Seeing Miyazawa Yuu smiling apologetically and bending down, the black-clad girl's purple pupils behind her sunglasses flashed with tension, and she quickly reached out to try and stop him.
Unfortunately, it was too late. The former had already picked up four or five books and held them in his arms.
"It's okay, consider it part of my apology..."
Miyazawa Yuu's words were cut short. As he clearly saw what the picked-up doujinshi were, his expression instantly froze—The Elder Sister's Secret!, Private Guidance from the Girl Next Door!...
His gaze frantically darted between the newly picked-up books and the works in his own arms. He mentally listed two book lists, marking the identical works with an equals sign.
Five seconds later, hugging a stack of virtually duplicated classic works in one arm, Miyazawa Yuu's eyes were instantly filled with suspicion.
This uncanny synchronization, the incredibly similar interests and hobbies, plus that very familiar "Eek!" earlier...
"Azusa-senpai?"
"Eh... what Azusa-senpai? I have never met anyone named Hamaoka Azusa, oh..."
"Liar!!!"
His suspicion confirmed, Miyazawa Yuu blacked out his face and gently lifted the girl's hood. Sure enough, the familiar short, slightly curled purple hair immediately fluffed out.
"Eh? Such familiar hair! Azu! Sa! Senpai!"
"..."
Silently shoving the last classic work in her hand into Yuu's hand, Azusa Hamaoka seriously took off her sunglasses, then turned her head and stuck out her little tongue, attempting to charmingly bluff her way out.
"Eh heh~☆"
"Don't think that by shoving classic works into my hand, you can pretend you don't know anything!"
Sighing helplessly, he realized that the only person in this world who could synchronize with him to this extent was indeed Azusa-senpai.
He put the hood and sunglasses back on her. Miyazawa Yuu led her to the counter and had both stacks of identical works packaged and checked out. After all, she was his girlfriend, and he had to spoil her.
While checking out, his peripheral vision suddenly caught a glimpse of Love Beach, which Hibiki had just bought.
If he remembered correctly, didn't both Aina and Chisa follow this novel?
...
"We're back!"
"Welcome back, Azusa-senpai! Did Yuu come back with you too?"
At 8:30 PM, while watching the senpais' daily yakyū-ken with a look of disdain yet adaptation.
Aina Yoshiwara immediately turned her head when she heard Azusa-senpai voice, only to find that Yuu, whom she hadn't seen all day, had also followed Azusa-senpai inside.
Her small brain immediately went into high-speed operation, and her romance drama radar started buzzing—Could it be that these two had actually snuck off for a secret rendezvous?
"Gulp! That, Azusa-senpai..."
"STOP!"
Slapping the packaged paper bag onto Aina's face, Miyazawa Yuu saw the blush on the former's face and knew what she wanted to ask, so he immediately interrupted the love-struck Aina's casting.
"Wuu! Yuu, what are you doing? What is this?"
She was initially huffing and preparing to call him out, but the next second, she tore open the paper bag, and Aina Yoshiwara's expression instantly changed as she asked in surprise: "Ah! The latest issue of Love Beach? Is it a gift for me?"
"Mhm, I ran into Azusa-senpai at the bookstore just now, so we came back together..."
"Oh, so that's what happened. Arigatou!"
Successfully bought off! With her new acquisition, Aina Yoshiwara no longer cared about secret rendezvous or anything else. She immediately nestled into Nanaka's lap and happily started reading the novel.
"Aina, she's so easily placated..."
"I know, right!"