Ch 27 – 02 May, Time with Utaha 03

"Alright, let’s forget about that for a moment. How are you feeling? Much better?" Kouta asked those questions and tried to change the conversation.

"Aa… Didn’t I say, I was fine? You are just worrying too much." Utaha answered flatly.

"Well, okay then. If that’s the case, will it be fine if we talk at another place?"

"Hm!? Why?"

"I want to go to the bookstore and buy some books about the fundamentals of making games. So we can go there together and talk about the visual novel in a family restaurant nearby."

"Really…"

"Yeah, rather than go there alone. I'd rather have fun with you, Utaha-senpai." Kouta honestly asked her senior about going with him.

"Ah…" Utaha was confused for a moment. "That’s… Rather, it came out of nowhere." Before she responded, she blushed.

"So, are you going or not?" Kouta asked her again while titling his head and showing a questioning expression on his face.

"Fine… Since you look desperately forward to asking me, and I feel sorry if you go alone. I’m going."

"Why... do you occasionally act like a tsundere... on this day?" Kouta nonchalantly said that.

"Shut up… Are we going or not?" All of a sudden, Utaha’s eyebrow shot up as she pinched Kouta’s cheek.

"Yes… We’re going."

"Well, that's good, and don't say the stupid thing again. Okay." Utaha smiled at Kouta as they were leaving the audiovisual room.

Looking at Utaha's profile in school, she's always got a cold and bored expression. Which made her famous for doing it at her own pace, and seeing her natural smile that had come from the bottom of her heart. It must be a personal privilege to have one.

Kouta smiled wryly as they were going to take the train at Kizukuri Station, deciding to stroll through a bigger bookstore.

"Oh, there it is…"

Kouta finally bought several books that were recommended by Takao and Inada. Putting those books in the cart, Kouta looked up and saw Utaha around the corner.

He is seen looking at various books, opening them briefly before putting them back on the shelves. From his face, which gave off a gentle impression, he looked very serious.

"Did you find something interesting?" Kouta asked Utaha who immediately shook his head.

"Hmm… I don't think so. How about you?"

"I just bought some books recommended by friends from GCC." Kouta answered while showing his cart, which contained several books.

"Well, great then."

"Is there anything you want? Or how about we see a new arrival section."

"Ah… That's a good idea. Maybe there's something worth reading."

It didn't take long for the two of them to arrive at the new arrival section. The place they passed because Kouta went straight to where the book he was looking for was.

Her eyes glittered brightly as soon as she saw one book.

"Oh, it looks like this new book has been released. I'm kind of waiting for it to be released."

Utaha showed Kouta a hardcover book written by a western author. Kouta didn't know the genre of the book, but he became slightly interested. He wanted to know the stories from the west. Even in the previous world, he didn't read many western novels. All he could remember reading were Harry Potter and Eragon.

Looking at her happily, made Kouta realize how much Utaha likes reading. He couldn't help but smile at Utaha's behavior.

If he wasn’t mistaken, Utaha was a person who just wanted to live each day sleeping, reading, and writing. In the end, she picked that book, and they went to the counter. After they were done paying for the book, they went out of the bookstore. Now, what they needed to talking about the dating sims they made. .Kouta brought her to a family restaurant near the station.

Kouta took her hand and crossed their fingers together. Utaha was surprised, as she immediately blushed, but she didn’t reject Kouta approach. She even stepped forward and matched Kouta walking to his side, with her head down.

With their hands holding each other, Kouta and Utaha walked along the sidewalk, until they eventually reached a nearby family restaurant, where they spent around half an hour ordering and eating the food. Well, for Kouta; he was gladly watching Utaha eat and enjoying the atmosphere between them.

After they were done eating, they just casually chatted after the meal. Especially, about the dating sims, they’re make.

"So… this is about MC getting killed by the lancer…"

"Ah… Yes. He actually died before saved by Rin’s gem. But in the end… the lancer attacked him back, and MC accidentally summoned Saber."

"Okay, then…"

Utaha swirled her glass of iced coffee around while smiling elegantly and waiting for an improvement from him. Kouta read Utaha's script and did his best to keep the story true to the original.

After finishing reading the script, there was a long pause. Kouta’s expression turned serious. He would always take his time to point out minor flaws, even so…

Kouta was taken aback by how quick and good Utaha's script was. It felt like she started to understand the vibe Kouta wanted, and she based the newest script on what he told her in the last note. It wasn’t perfect, but her work looks more and more like the original, especially the vibe given from the script.

Well, it was as expected of someone who became an author at such a young age. Like Eriri, who can draw an illustrator at a high level and fairly quickly. Utaha herself was a genius in her own world.

Kouta couldn’t help if it wasn’t anime, how could the protagonist/Tomoya could get their attention and affection without any plot armor. At the same time, because of working with them… That Tomoya ended up with good experience and became successful at the end of the anime. Kouta wondered if he could keep up with them if he didn't have any cheat ability.

Well, it's not like Tomoya useless too, since he was actually a good blogger himself at a young age, which shows he had some talent too.

"Hmmm… Well, this is good enough."

"Glad to hear that… Are you sure?"

After pointed some of the flaw, Kouta simply smiled and quite until he said that. "I may have some complaints, but that would be just nitpicking." He answered her question.

"Really… Phew…" Utaha sighed, feeling relieved.

"It was surprising… that you can working in multiple job. I hope this didn’t hinder with your work at second volume." As Kouta said that. Utaha smiled.

"You don’t have to worry. It’s a good experience to write in another genre, and I feel like I became better." She shook her head and answered Kouta’s question as she drank her iced coffee.

"I see." Hearing that, Kouta felt relieved too. He looked at the clock.

"Shall we go home?"

"Ah… Yes."

Kouta took her hand again as they were heading toward the station. Her train was going in the opposite direction, so they will have to go their separate ways after passing the ticket station.

"Uhm… I want to stay a bit longer with you." Utaha then said something that made Kouta very surprised. Not only that, Utaha looking straight at him with her beautiful scarlet red eyes.

"Well, that’s…" Utaha’s words stunned Kouta for a moment. To be honest, Kouta rarely felt such sincerity from others outside his family. All of his previous world life was inside his family circle. While, in this world, because of his cute appearance in the past he experienced some bullying which why he came introvert in the first place.

And losing his family, made his will to life was plumed near to zero.

If Utaha did it to Kouta before he got previous world family, he may be madly fallen in love with her. Too bad for her, it remained unclear exactly what he felt, but he felt something, and it was making his urge spread throughout his whole body.

‘I make her mine. No matter what.’

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Utaha Perspective.

Utaha wondered since she felt like this. She could remember when her classmate told her that someone had called her. And that was her first time meeting Kouta, a pretty looking guy with beautiful pink hair. As someone who likes reading and knows some degenerate stuff from the otaku hobby, Utaha always liked younger boys. But it may her first time she found someone to be her type.

Utaha didn't know why he called her, but after talking, she found out that he wanted her to be in the dating sim project he made. To be honest, it wasn’t something she usually took seriously, but since he said he was actually one of her fans,

Utaha couldn’t help herself, especially since this was her first time meeting her fan. So she was reading the proposal with low expectations. Well, she never met someone as good as her at her age until this point, after all.

And the proposal was actually good. It may be nearly perfect… The story, design character were good. But the one who blow her mind was when Kouta gave her one of the illustration that had been made.

Yeah, the Art made by Kashiwagi Eri was beautiful. When Utaha saw that, she felt like that moved. If she worked with these people, her work would be elevated. No, if they were working together. They would be making a storm within the industry. That was her confidence.

But, her debut work was not as smooth as she thought… that’s why she was a bit hesitant.

But, the boy in front of her… told her with his confidence how good actually her work was. And he promised that her work would be increasing by his plan.

It was absurd, but for Utaha to have a chance to work with Kashiwagi Eri something she didn’t want to let go of, and she accepted.

Without knowing if what this boy said was true. Just like he said, her fan site was created, and the book sales were increasing. All of these are thanks to him. She felt like a princess who had been rescued by a prince. That’s how low she feels about her debut work, since the novel hasn’t sold as well as she expected.

Before she was knowing… she couldn’t help but have such fondness for the boy. When they worked on the dating sims, he was always pointing out her flaws and was sometimes strict about it. But he became cute and docile when he was talking to her about her book as a fan.

Seeing Kouta, Utaha’s heart started throbbing. Sometimes the throbbing of her heart reached its climax and brought her heart to utopia. So sometimes, she couldn’t help but say something stupid to make her heart calm down. For the first time, in her life, she kind of understood what a tsundere girl might feel.

Even though, she was happy that he asked her going together in bookstore. ‘Can I say this after school date’ she thought to herself.

It was a happy evening, that accidentally, she said she still wanted them together even more, and he accepted her wishes.

Kouta looked around and saw benches around for those waiting for someone or a train to come. There were some vending machines next to it.

"Let’s buy a drink." Kouta pulled her along with him to the vending machines while still holding her hand. After they bought their drink, they rested on the bench nearby.

Utaha timidly sat beside Kouta, her eyes fixed on her juice box. Before she saw them, there were several boys and girls about their age who were holding hands.  Seeing how their calm and happy auras together. It made her feel a bit embarrassed.

Many thoughts popped into her head all of a sudden. It was complicated, but… she wondered if this what it feels like to liking another person.

At that moment, Utaha could feel him reach out with his hand and gently grasp her hand. It was just a simple gesture, but for someone who didn’t have any experience. It was a sweet feeling. Furthermore, it feels like she couldn’t give up the warmth she felt from him. She was still learning this feeling, she felt this was still good enough, and she wanted hope for the future.

But it may not the future she may be thinking of.