Chapter 176: Hachiman's Mini Classroom Resumes!
"It's all because of you," the girl exclaimed, rolling her eyes in his direction.
"Me?" Hachiman was perplexed, pointing at himself.
"But you were the one who used to avoid me before, and now you're flipping the script on me."
"It's your fault, really. You, with your exceptional qualities, have drawn more and more girls towards you, each with their unique charms."
"What's maddening is that you, this fool, haven't shown any interest in me."
Utaha initially scolded Hachiman, then gradually disclosed the situation. After all, they had already shared a kiss, so there was no point in keeping it a secret.
"So, I had to take the initiative, thinking that if I could write an outstanding novel on my own, it would prove that I'm worthy of being your girlfriend."
"Who would have thought it would turn out like this."
In the end, a hint of grievance crossed the girl's face.
She genuinely wanted to achieve it on her own, but things didn't go as planned. The more she pursued perfection, the more she struggled to write, which is why she ultimately brought Hachiman into the picture.
But the result was good; Hachiman had already kissed her. All that remained was a confession, and they could officially become a couple.
Hmm.
Upon grasping the entire story, Hachiman felt rather dumbfounded.
Could it be that being outstanding is also a fault?
"Do you really have to go to such lengths just to write an excellent novel? You've even scared Sonoko, so she specifically asked me to come and check on you," Hachiman said, feeling somewhat helpless.
Utaha, upon hearing this, pouted unhappily. "You fool, are you suggesting you wouldn't have come to see me if Sonoko hadn't told you to?"
Women could be quite unreasonable at times. It was you who was avoiding me before, and now you're blaming me for not paying attention to you.
Hachiman felt a bit of a headache, but sometimes, you had to comfort them.
"Alright, alright, my bad. But your previous novel, 'Koisuru Metronome,' did quite well, didn't it?"
"An 1.8 million sales figure is already quite outstanding for a novice writer."
Utaha, hearing this, gave him a not-so-friendly look.
"Compared to you, the author of two novels that sold over ten million copies each, what's my nearly two million sales worth? Plus, you helped me with it."
Well, you can't really compare mine. I have a 'cheat code,' and you don't.
But he couldn't say that, so Hachiman offered some words of comfort.
"Our novel genres are different. Light-hearted, high-fantasy genres like me are naturally more accessible to readers. Writing school romance novels like yours takes more skill."
"I understand that. So, I'm not aiming for over ten million in sales like you. If I can reach five million, I'd be satisfied," the girl nodded, her expression somewhat helpless.
"But right now, I have no idea how to write it."
"In that case, let me take a look at what you've written so far?" Hachiman suggested.
"Well... okay, come with me," Utaha hesitated for a moment but eventually agreed.
She stood up and led Hachiman to her room on the second floor. That kiss a moment ago had truly broken down the barriers in her heart.
In the girl's room on the second floor, everything was pitch dark.
After turning on the light, they were greeted by a slightly messy double bed, with lingerie underwear and stockings scattered carelessly on it.
As Hachiman observed this scene, his expression was somewhat peculiar, and he shifted his gaze to Utaha, who was busy working on her computer beside him.
At this moment, the girl was wearing only a pristine white nightgown, with her lingerie strewn across the bed. In other words, she was currently nearly bare.
With this in mind, a hint of desire flickered in Hachiman's eyes.
For someone who had already tasted the forbidden fruit, he was well aware of its allure. He had been ogling the girl's body for quite some time. Moreover, judging from their recent kiss, there was a high probability that she'd agree to go further.
"Alright, Hachiman, please have a look," Utaha said, opening her manuscript. As she turned towards him, she couldn't help but notice the intensity of Hachiman's gaze.
Glancing at the scattered lingerie and stockings on the bed, she could easily surmise his thoughts. She playfully gave him a seductive wink.
"Aren't you going to begin reading?"
"Oh, yes, I should. I should."
Hearing her words, Hachiman snapped back to reality, recognizing the importance of the task at hand. He promptly pulled a chair up to the table, seated himself, and delved into reviewing the manuscript.
The word count wasn't particularly extensive, likely around 30,000 words, so he swiftly completed his reading.
Upon finishing, his expression took on an intriguing quality.
It seemed that the girl might have inadvertently drawn from her own experiences when shaping the narrative. The central theme of the story could be succinctly encapsulated in three words: "competing for a man."
The storyline revolved around a female protagonist who was, in many respects, "average," entangled in a rivalry with a group of female characters, each possessing unique talents, all vying for the affection of the male lead.
This situation reminded him of a novel from his previous life, titled "How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend."
Though not the same story, the central plot bore remarkable similarities. The female protagonist had transitioned from Kato Megumi to the current Utaha Kasumigaoka.
"But where are you 'average'? Just being a beautiful young novelist already sets you apart from the crowd."
With these thoughts in mind, Hachiman's expression took on an intriguing quality.
"What's wrong? Did I make a mistake in my writing somewhere?" Utaha asked, puzzled, noticing his peculiar expression.
"It's nothing. It's just that the female protagonist in this story is probably based on you, isn't she?"
"That's correct. The female protagonist is me, and the other female characters are those girls from the beach the other day. As for the male lead, naturally, it's you."
"Speaking of which, I have to thank you. You gave me excellent inspiration," the girl remarked, shooting him a fierce glare.
Hachiman raised his hands in an innocent gesture. Could he be blamed for being outstanding?
"But even if the idea is excellent, I'm still stuck, and sometimes I have no idea how to continue writing."
Towards the end, Utaha let out a somewhat disheartened sigh.
Despite having established the central plot, she often struggled with how to further develop the content, leaving her feeling somewhat uneasy.
Upon hearing her words, Hachiman took a moment to ponder.
"Actually, Utaha, you've fallen into a trap. The role of the female protagonist, Uta, is just an ordinary person. How could an ordinary person be so perfect? Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses."
From the manuscript he had just read, it was evident that the girl had high hopes for this novel. There were traces of revisions in many places, especially in the character development. In many instances, perfection was intentionally pursued, but the more perfect something is, the harder it is to convey.
"Excessive perfection can make readers feel it's unrealistic. Where can you find an ordinary girl who excels in everything?"
With Hachiman's calm voice, the "Hachiman's Mini Classroom" was back in session!