The Kasumigaoka residence.
Having just finished her bath, Utaha sat at the edge of her bed, her legs crossed, and a towel wrapped around her body. Because she had just bathed, her long black hair was still slightly damp, and for once, her voluptuous thighs were bare, without her usual black stockings. However, her bare feet were equally alluring.
Her fair, and sensuous thighs retained their delicate charm under the glow of the lamp. The young girl sat with her hands wrapped around her shoulders, and the ample cleavage on her chest created a deep valley.
Browsing her smartphone, she happened to come across Hachiman's updated blog post. Utaha clicked her tongue.
"Tsk, he's about to release a new volume soon. People really have their differences, huh?"
Even though Hachiman and she had signed with the same publisher on the same day, his first volume was already approaching the impressive milestone of 200,000 copies sold. His new volume was set to release this weekend, and it was a combined volume containing the second and third installments.
Furthermore, Kadokawa had already begun an extensive promotional campaign for his new volume. With significant efforts put into marketing, there was no doubt that his sales would be impressive.
This left Utaha feeling envious.
She was not only jealous of Kadokawa's support for Hachiman but also of his terrifying writing speed. Even though their first volumes had been released on the same day, it had only been a month, and he was already preparing to release the second and third volumes.
A writing pace of two volumes per month was something she found nearly impossible to achieve.
Reflecting on her own situation, her first volume had only recently surpassed the ten thousand copies mark. While this was already impressive for a novice author, it was undoubtedly influenced by Hachiman's recommendation. Additionally, her first volume had just been revised and was getting ready for a re-release. Whether it would gain readers' approval remained uncertain.
Even if the first volume's re-release was successful, the question of when she could complete her second volume was still up in the air.
A soft sigh escaped Utaha's lips as she contemplated her writing struggles. While Hachiman had provided guidance, the gap between inspiration and actual writing loomed large.
One particular challenge vexed her: crafting the opening scene of a date in her second volume. Her lack of personal experience in romance made this task bewildering. Her attempts to conjure scenarios with her literary skills fell flat, devoid of genuine emotional depth, leading her to delete them.
After much reflection, Utaha decided she needed firsthand experience to gain the inspiration she sought. Naturally, this required a male companion. Despite having many admirers at school who would eagerly oblige, her feelings toward them were lukewarm. They often confessed their feelings after just a brief encounter, coming across as driven by base desires.
To her, these admirers were individuals she couldn't hold in high regard. After careful thought, she concluded that only Hachiman, a fellow writer, could meet her specific requirements.
Despite once sneakily glancing at her legs on the rooftop, his gaze held no greed. Instead, it harbored admiration, making him far more agreeable than those who were purely interested in her body.
("So, young lady, your experience is rather limited. That guy, Hachiman, desires your body just as much. He's even planned out several positions in his little notebook for future reference.")
With her choice set, Utaha embarked on her mission.
Opening her contacts, she found Hachiman's information and sent him an email.
*Ding, ding, ding...*
Hachiman's phone rang suddenly while he was in the midst of a playful exchange with his goofy online friends.
Picking up his phone, he saw an email notification – it was from Utaha Kasumigaoka.
["Are you there, Hikigaya-kun? I have a small request."]
Upon reading the email's contents, Hachiman's eyes lit up. This seemed like a chance to earn some favorability points.
["I'm here, Kasumigaoka-senpai. I'm curious about how I can help you."]
["Well, I want to gather some material for a scene in my novel. I was wondering if you could assist me."]
Utaha Kasumigaoka replied quickly.
Material? What kind of material? She didn't intend to write a scene involving a blade, did she? Did she want to use me as a practice dummy? But I can't recall anything that would upset her.
I even treated her to lunch once. Maybe I'm overthinking it.
["Of course, I'd be happy to help, Kasumigaoka-senpai. Do you have a specific time and place in mind?"]
["Thank you so much for your willingness to help. Let's meet tomorrow at 9 AM at Angel Café."]
["No problem, I'll be there on time."]
["Alright then, see you tomorrow, Hikigaya-kun."]
["See you tomorrow, Kasumigaoka-senpai."]
Hachiman let out a sigh of relief after putting down his phone.
The meeting place was a café, so it wasn't about practicing with blades after all.
It seems I overthought things. But helping with material gathering? That's a great opportunity to earn some favorability points.
.........
In a not-so-large café, the floor was neatly covered with polished redwood.
On either side of the counter were displays of various coffee beans, and the entire café exuded a classical and elegant atmosphere, as if the sound of Scottish bagpipes could be heard playing in the background.
"Ever since my days in the trading company, when I encountered those top-grade coffee beans in Brazil, I fell in love with coffee..."
"Since then, I resigned from my job and opened this café..."
"Every year, I personally visit the coffee's place of origin to source my carefully chosen beans. I roast, grind, and brew them myself..."
"I've been relentlessly pursuing the best coffee, and more than twenty years have passed."
"Time flies, doesn't it?"
"Now, I can finally say that..."
"Actually, I'm quite confident in our blended coffee."
The café's mustached manager stood behind the counter, adjusted his bowtie, and began the day's operations.
Soon, he welcomed his first customer.
A casually dressed, somewhat handsome young man with unusual eyes walked in through the door.
It was Hachiman, the first customer to arrive.
"Welcome!" the café manager greeted with a smile.
"Good morning, sir," Hachiman politely replied.
As it was just past 8:30 in the morning, there were almost no other customers.
Hachiman found a seat by the window, and the kindly café manager approached him with a menu, saying, "What can I get you, sir? Due to our reopening, all orders are eligible for a 20% discount."
"Reopening?"
"That's right. To ensure the quality of our coffee, I close for two months every year. During that time, I fly overseas to find the highest-quality beans."
"By the way." The café manager adjusted his tie and wore a confident smile on his face.
"Actually, I'm quite confident in our blended coffee..."