Chapter 383: Dressing Up Time Alone for Two
"Sawamura... eh?"
A look of confusion first appeared on Fujiwara Chika's face.
When she saw the signature strand of blonde hair escaping from under Eriri's baseball cap, then looked at the doujinshi on the booth, and finally cast her gaze toward Sawamura Sayuri, who was sitting behind the booth with a kind smile, she suddenly realized everything in that instant.
Her pupils dilated in shock.
"Could it be that these books are... are they yours!?"
"Ahhh... this is so troublesome!"
Seeing that she could no longer continue hiding it, Eriri simply gave up.
She took off her sunglasses and baseball cap, letting her soft, long golden hair spill down.
With a slightly exasperated expression on her cute face, she looked at Asagiri standing in front of her, bit her lip, and stomped her foot.
"You jerk, you were obviously doing this on purpose, right!? That's too nasty!"
"Showing your teeth again. You really are a golden Chihuahua."
Facing Eriri, who was baring her teeth like an angry puppy about to bite, Asagiri merely replied in a matter of fact tone.
"However, I'll retract my previous statement. The quality of these doujinshi is very high. One could even say it's top tier in the industry. But..."
Asagiri picked up a doujinshi from the booth, examined the illustration on the cover, and spoke in a flat tone.
"The art style and everything else are very good, but the plot and emotional lines inside are really too abstract. Although the fanservice is the most important part of this type of doujinshi, your overly abstract writing level will make readers feel disconnected."
"Moreover, the character designs for the girls are all too similar, and the scenarios are too repetitive. Because of these reasons, I would give Kashiwagi Eri's first work an 8.5, the second one only a 7, and anything after that wouldn't reach the passing mark."
"Eh..."
Eriri never expected that Asagiri, who looked handsome and tall, and seemed completely unrelated to otaku culture, would give such professional and accurate criticism of her doujinshi works.
"Well... there's nothing I can do about that..."
As a mature doujinshi manga author, Eriri knew the flaws in her work very well.
She could only stubbornly retort in a low voice, lacking confidence.
"Doujinshi are just like this. I have to handle the manuscript, the script, and the illustrations all by myself... There are bound to be some unsatisfactory parts. It's just something that can't be helped..."
"Don't say things like nothing I can do or can't do it!"
Before Eriri could finish, Asagiri suddenly interrupted her.
A look of seriousness and earnestness appeared on his face, one that Fujiwara Chika had never seen before, not even when he was discussing matters related to death games.
"Ordinary doujinshi authors can be satisfied with the status quo as long as they maintain their core competitiveness. But if you want to become a top creator in the industry, one who can leave a mark in people's hearts, then you must constantly move forward and constantly improve."
His tone became heavier.
"Only with a heart that is never satisfied and always pursues the peak can you forge top tier works capable of shaking people's souls!"
"Top... top tier..."
A look of shock appeared in Eriri's eyes.
She clenched her fists and said earnestly,
"I understand now, Master!"
"That's right. That's the kind of resolute gaze! The power gathered from an unshakable, firm determination is what can forge masterpieces that will go down in history!"
"Yes... this is the original intention behind why I create doujinshi!"
Seeing Eriri and Asagiri looking so passionate, acting as if they had met too late in life, a complicated look could not help appearing in Fujiwara Chika's eyes.
Is this right?
Wasn't today supposed to be her personal episode as the Student Council secretary, the love detective, and the Earth Cancer?
Why did a blonde Chihuahua, the jade maiden of the Private Toyonosaki Academy Art Club, suddenly pop out?
Can you not just randomly intervene in her personal episode!?
"Anyway, that's about it."
Asagiri had not forgotten about Fujiwara Chika's existence.
In the end, he simply waved at Eriri and said,
"Alright, I'm off. Bye."
"OK, bye."
After Asagiri and Fujiwara Chika turned to leave, Sawamura Sayuri waved the folding fan in her hand while looking at her daughter Eriri meaningfully.
"Oh my, that boy named Utsunomiya Asagiri is quite handsome, and he seems like an enthusiast of otaku culture too~"
Eriri nodded, joy appearing in her eyes.
"Yeah, and he knows my work so well. Maybe he really is my fan. This is the first time I've met one of my own fans. It seems coming to a manga exhibition occasionally is actually quite interesting."
"Why didn't you ask him for his contact information?"
"Eh? Contact information?"
Upon hearing this, a blush appeared on Eriri's face.
She gave a light huff, lifted her chin, and said,
"That's not necessary. What is there to contact him for?"
As Eriri's mother, Sawamura Sayuri naturally knew her daughter's personality, so she covered her lips and chuckled teasingly.
"Oh my, still as stubborn as when you were little~"
"Who... who is being stubborn!?"
"Tsundere is also one of your cute points, you know~"
...
A little later, in the Hotel room.
"Utsunomiya-san..."
Unlike Yuuki Asuna and Kato Megumi, Fujiwara Chika was, after all, a young lady from a prestigious family.
Although she had never worn a kimono to participate in any events, she had long since learned how to wear one from her mother, so she did not need Asagiri's help and could put on the kimono herself.
"What do... you think?"
Hearing Fujiwara Chika's question, Asagiri, who was sitting on the sofa, carefully examined her in the kimono.
Fujiwara Chika had chosen a light pink kimono with a cherry blossom pattern.
There was nothing wrong with the style of the kimono itself, but...
"It is indeed a bit exaggerated."
Asagiri could only use the word exaggerated to describe the scene he saw.
Fujiwara Chika's proportions were too outstanding, causing the front of the kimono to be stretched out in a way that disrupted its original shape.
Her fair neck and the delicate curve beneath it formed an extremely eye catching picture.
It was clearly a kimono leaning toward a beautiful and cute style, but once she put it on, the overall impression became much more mature than intended.
"This..."
Fujiwara Chika felt very shy.
But after all, she was that Earth Cancer, and even the way she hid her shyness was different from ordinary people.
She suddenly asked in very abstract words,
"Doctor, is there any hope for me?"
"The difficulty is very high."
Asagiri's wavelength instantly aligned with Fujiwara Chika's.
He crossed his legs, stroked his chin with one hand while examining her, and spoke with a serious face.
"It seems only I, Doctor Utsunomiya, can perform the surgery personally."
"Then I leave it to you, Doctor!"
"Leave it to me!"
After the abstract conversation ended, Fujiwara Chika watched Asagiri take out a chest binder.
Her face could not help flushing with embarrassment.
She took the initiative to sit on the edge of the bed, turned around, and faced away from Asagiri.
Gathering her courage, she raised her hands and gently adjusted the kimono, loosening the outer layer so the binder could be fitted properly while still preserving her modesty.
"Doc... Doctor, do it! I... I won't hide my illness from the doctor!"
"Relax a little."
Asagiri gently placed his hand on Fujiwara Chika's shoulder, keeping his movements careful and professional.
"It's not like we're actually performing surgery. You're shaking like the Flash preparing to phase through a wall. Are you planning to comprehend a new ability like frequency resonance?"
"No... no way!"
The moment Asagiri touched her shoulder, Fujiwara Chika suddenly reacted as if she had been triggered.
She pulled the kimono back up slightly, then turned around to look at Asagiri, speaking with a firm attitude.
"No... no way. You have to take yours off too!"
"I have to take mine off too?"
"Yes, you have to take yours off too! Otherwise..."
Fujiwara Chika's pretty face flushed red as she spoke in a matter of fact tone.
"Otherwise, only my body will be seen by you. That's too unfair!"
"Oh, that's true."
Faced with this bizarre logic from Fujiwara Chika, which ordinary people would find difficult to understand, Asagiri did not hesitate at all.
He simply nodded, chose to comply, and immediately took off his jacket, then removed the short sleeved shirt on his upper body.
"This should be fine..."
Just as Asagiri was halfway through speaking, he noticed Fujiwara Chika's dazed expression.
"Eh, eh, eh."
Asagiri, looking speechless, reached out and waved his hand in front of Fujiwara Chika.
"What's the situation? Did you get hit by an illusion?"
"Eh? No, no."
Fujiwara Chika belatedly came back to her senses and hurriedly shifted her gaze away.
However, although it seemed like she had looked away, she could not help stealing glances.
A thought could not help sprouting in her mind.
Utsunomiya-san's body is really good...
"No, I mean..."
Asagiri lowered his head and looked at Fujiwara Chika's palm, which had somehow ended up pressed against his chest and was still gently moving.
He raised his head to look at her and spoke with a smiling tone.
"Although I can roughly guess what you're thinking, isn't this a bit too blatant? Just going straight for it? At least go through the process and ask for permission, right?"
"Ah? Sorry, sorry."
Fujiwara Chika hurriedly pulled her hand back, pursed her lips, and spoke in a shy voice as quiet as a mosquito's hum.
"I couldn't control myself."
"Did you have enough fun touching?"
Hearing Asagiri's question, Fujiwara Chika struggled for about half a second.
Then a look of determination appeared in her eyes, and she shook her head.
"No. I want to touch more."
"But I still need to help you with the chest binder."
After thinking for a moment, Asagiri had a bright idea.
"Eh, I have a plan."
After saying that, without waiting for Fujiwara Chika to speak, he gently adjusted her position, letting her sit closer while keeping the kimono properly covered and the fitting cloth ready in his hands.
He smiled and said,
"Isn't this better? You can confirm the fit, and I can help you properly."
Fujiwara Chika's face turned completely red, and she nodded obediently.
"Then... alright then. This is very good..."
"Then I'm starting?"
"Mm... start..."
Fujiwara Chika responded in a cute and obedient voice.
A layer of mist rose in her eyes as she tried her best to suppress her nervousness.
And just at that moment, she felt something unusual. Biting her lower lip, she said,
"U... Utsunomiya-san, did you... put some kind of tool in your pocket? It's poking me and making me a bit uncomfortable."
.....
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