Chapter 61: The Best and Coolest One Is Me
The next day, Shunsuke; woke up early as usual.
The previous night, he ended up sleeping at home since his father had rarely come back.
He prepared breakfast and left a portion in the thermal box for his father, while carrying three portions to the Izumi household.
Despite the fact that the Izumi household was all women, he still had to cook for them.
Occasionally, Shunsuke grumbled to himself about how hard life was for a good man like him.
Fortunately, in his past life, he hadn't gotten married. Otherwise, if he'd carried over the habit of being a pushover, it would have been unbearable.
By ten o'clock, Shunsuke left his house and walked toward the nearby train station.
Utaha had chosen Shin-Inaba Station as the meeting point.
The agreed time was eleven o'clock, but Shunsuke arrived twenty minutes early. He was already itching to see Utaha's reaction when she learned the truth.
To his surprise, however, when he stepped out of the station, he found Utaha already waiting there.
"Tsk."
When Shunsuke spotted Utaha, she naturally noticed him too.
She clicked her tongue deliberately while keeping her eyes fixed on the station exit.
Given Utaha's usual demeanor as a composed and refined young lady in front of others, she would rarely display such uncouth behavior.
But Shunsuke was simply someone she couldn't stand.
"Well, well, isn't this the sharp-tongued senior without any friends? Two days apart, and you're still so pitiful. What are you doing here alone on a weekend?"
"Pretending to wait for someone to make it seem like you have friends? Is this your way of consoling yourself with a scene so tragic it makes people cry? What's next—singing karaoke with your imaginary friends?"
Since she dared to start the verbal sparring, Shunsuke wasted no time firing back.
Utaha hit a sore spot but didn't show any weakness on the surface. She let out a cold laugh.
"I am waiting for someone—a successful, charming, and very handsome man, no less. But what about you, my stalker of a junior?"
"Are you following me again? Better be careful not to end up in the same train carriage as me next time, or I'll go straight to the authorities and report you."
Although she had never met "Fujii-sensei," Utaha had inquired about him from her editor. The editor described him as a very handsome man and even jokingly told her to seize the opportunity.
While Utaha had dismissed it as a joke at the time, the point about Fujii-sensei being a handsome guy stuck with her.
Hearing Utaha's remarks, Shunsuke chuckled to himself at first, but his expression quickly darkened. This woman was truly venomous!
Accusing a man of being a pervert on the train could utterly ruin his life, leading to complete societal death!
Seeing Shunsuke's darkened expression, Utaha tilted her head back triumphantly.
Although she wouldn't actually go that far, it didn't hurt to scare him a little.
At least it would keep this flirtatious junior—who seemed to be juggling multiple girls—from getting too full of himself.
"If you're scared now, then hurry up and leave. I don't want to see your flirtatious face again. Honestly, a scumbag like you juggling multiple women—what on earth did you say to seduce Iwase into liking you?"
"How can you say such things, venomous senior? This is slander! I could sue you for personal attacks!"
Utaha sneered. "You know better than anyone whether it's true or not."
Shunsuke sighed internally. Prejudice really was like a mountain—difficult to overcome. He didn't even have a girlfriend, let alone the chance to juggle multiple relationships.
When Shunsuke didn't leave, Utaha frowned. Shunsuke merely shrugged. "Unlike the charming, imaginary man in your fantasies, I'm actually meeting a real beauty here."
"Hah! And you still claim you're not a scumbag?"
Utaha scoffed, gave an exaggerated "hmph," and moved to the right side of the station, distancing herself from Shunsuke.
Shunsuke chuckled to himself and walked to the left side of the station.
Time ticked by—one minute, three minutes, ten minutes.
Eleven o'clock arrived.
Still, there was no sign of Fujii-sensei. Utaha's brows furrowed; she despised people who were late. But based on her impression from their chats, Fujii-sensei didn't seem like the type to be tardy.
Thinking it over, she sent him a message via LINE.
[Kasumi Utako: Fujii-sensei, was something holding you up?]
The reply came swiftly.
[Fujii: Not at all. I'm already here. But what about you, Utako-sensei? I don't see you anywhere.]
Huh?
Utaha's eye twitched slightly as a vague sense of foreboding began to creep in.
[Kasumi Utako: The one with long black hair, black stockings, and the most beautiful face outside the station—that's me.]
After a brief silence, Fujii's reply finally arrived.
[Fujii: The tallest and handsomest one in a white shirt—that's me...]
Reading this, Utaha slowly turned her stiff neck to look to her left.
Their eyes met through the crowd. That junior who was a year younger than her was staring right back at her.
—Wait, didn't Iwase call him Fujii-kun?
—He's a year younger than me, also named Fujii, and... a handsome guy... Could it be? No way! Fujii-sensei can't possibly be him, right!?
—What kind of idiot uses their actual surname as their pen name? This guy's insane!
As Shunsuke walked toward her step by step, Utaha's lips twitched. Her expression grew increasingly awkward and rigid.
Click.
Shunsuke discreetly used his phone to snap a photo of her hilarious reaction.
"Kasumigaoka Utaha is Kasumi Utako, huh? Utako-sensei, your pen name is surprisingly easy to figure out."
"And you're one to talk? Fujii-sensei, your pen name is literally just your surname. You have no right to criticize me!"
Utaha instinctively retorted, but unlike her usual jabs at Shunsuke, her tone unconsciously shifted to the slightly coquettish manner she used when interacting with Fujii-sensei.
Of course, Shunsuke had skillfully guided her into this mood.
"But I noticed you didn't recognize me either, Utako-sensei."
"Neither did you, Fujii-sensei."
"You even described me as a successful, charming, and handsome man. While it's true, hearing you say that makes me a little embarrassed."
"You also called me beautiful!" Utaha blurted out in a panic.
"Of course. That was my sincere opinion. But after seeing Utako-sensei in person, I feel like I didn't praise you enough."
"Smooth talker! Since when did you become like this, Fujii-sensei?"
The two exchanged a few more playful quips before suddenly falling silent. They locked eyes for a few seconds and then burst out laughing at the same time.
At that moment, it felt as though the wall between them had vanished.
"Well then, let's head to our destination. Honestly, Fujii-sensei, inviting a girl out but leaving the location to her? That's such a failure on your part."
Utaha spoke as she began to lead the way, heading toward a large hotel across the street from the station with Shunsuke following behind her.
…? A hotel?
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