Kasumigaoka Utaha.
That name had long been etched into Miyahito's mind, ever since he was lying in a hospital bed in his past life.
Even now, he could vividly recall the profound sense of regret and indignation he felt for her—a girl of immense talent and hidden romanticism.
A love letter spanning hundreds of thousands of words, only to be met with repeated perfunctory responses, cowardice, and incompetent evasion.
Miyahito simply couldn't wrap his head around it. How could someone be so utterly clueless about human emotions? Or so painfully dense? How could a man ignore, or even completely overlook, such a heavy, sincere affection from a girl?
But no matter how much he dwelled on it, it had nothing to do with him now.
After all, he had already missed his chance. If only he had met her sooner...
Maybe then, he would have mustered the courage to pursue the beautiful fantasy he'd always harbored.
But alas, a missed opportunity was just that—a miss.
Besides, if the current Kasumigaoka Utaha was still the same person from his memories, she would absolutely never give up on her feelings—even if the Miyahito of now was vastly superior to that male lead.
The outcome would remain the same. Because she was "Kasumigaoka Utaha."
"Well, might as well take a look."
With that, Miyahito stepped into the bookstore.
Carefully setting his guitar case on the floor beside him, he casually picked up a preview copy of Love's Metronome Vol. 2.
Gently turning the pages, his eyes tracing the printed words, the corners of his mouth unconsciously lifted.
The faint smile seemed somehow stiff, a bit forced.
Oblivious to it himself, Miyahito kept reading and muttered softly.
"Feels like in every crossover webnovel from my past life, the protagonist had to read Love's Metronome at least once."
"Does this count as a successful check-in? Or should I take a photo for proof?"
Talking to himself, he pulled out his phone and opened the camera.
He carefully angled it to obscure the actual text inside, framing only his hand and the novel's cover in the background.
He gently tapped the shutter button.
Click...
The sudden shutter sound echoed slightly in the quiet bookstore. As he was about to put his phone away, Miyahito caught the shop clerk behind the counter staring at him from the corner of his eye.
Her gaze seemed to say, "Sir, that kind of behavior isn't really appropriate."
Catching her meaning, Miyahito paused, looking down at the book, then back at his phone.
Meeting her eyes again, he couldn't help but flash an awkward smile.
Noticing his apologetic expression, the young female clerk didn't make a fuss. She simply offered a polite, understanding smile and nodded.
After all, this wasn't some shady shop. They couldn't exactly kick a customer out just for taking a picture without buying.
Maybe I should remind the manager to put up some 'No Photography' signs later.
Unaware of the clerk's internal deliberation, Miyahito gathered his scattered thoughts, opened Twitter on his phone, and uploaded the photo along with a short caption.
He put his phone away and returned his gaze to the novel in his hands.
As time quietly slipped by, Miyahito gradually found himself immersed in the tender, beautifully woven world Kasumi Utako had crafted—a world meant for him, and for every reader who opened her pages.
At the same time.
In a cozy little café, just twenty or thirty meters from the bookstore, the air thick with the rich aroma of roasted beans, a young girl sat at a booth by the window.
Her black hair shimmered like a starlit galaxy, her complexion pale as snow, and her figure gracefully curvaceous.
Yet, what truly held one's gaze were her distinctive wine-red eyes.
On the table, a cup of warm coffee released waves of heart-soothing fragrance.
But the girl, head bowed and pen in hand, was entirely undisturbed by the playful scent.
She penned a few more lines onto the pristine manuscript paper.
Unnoticed, a few strands of hair fell beside her ear, their tips dancing playfully across the page.
Finding nowhere to land, her pen hovered helplessly in midair.
Naturally, she raised her left hand, her slightly curled pinky finger gently hooking the stray locks before tucking them back behind her ear.
Just then, a pair of delicate, pure-white earbuds appeared in her ears.
If one listened closely, a familiar, almost ethereal melody drifted softly from them, blending seamlessly with the café's quiet ambiance.
「This year, the first snowflake.」
「Draws closer to the two of us.」
「In this moment of quiet observation.」
「Fills us with joyful happiness.」
「No need for pampering or fragility.」
「I just... love you....」
Listening to the melody echoing in her mind, the girl couldn't help but let a barely perceptible smile grace her lips.
"Oh my, what's our genius bishoujo author, Kasumi Utako-sensei, listening to so happily?"
"Smiling that sweetly... mmm, super sweet."
A sudden voice startled her out of her thoughts.
The teasing tone made her look up with a hint of annoyance, her gaze landing on the abruptly appearing "rude intruder."
"Editor Machida. As a mature woman, shouldn't you know better than to interrupt someone without warning? It's basic etiquette."
"Oh, come on, what's the harm, Utaha-chan?"
"Please refrain from using that nickname, you utterly tactless editor."
"As strict as ever, Kasumi Utako-sensei."
Chuckling, Machida Sonoko casually tossed her briefcase onto the sofa opposite Utaha and sat down. Resting her elbow on the table, she propped her chin on her folded fingers, a teasing smile playing on her lips as she asked:
"So, Utaha-chan, what song are you listening to?"
"I told you, stop calling me that!"
Shooting an exasperated glare at her thick-skinned editor, Utaha cleared away some of the manuscript papers cluttering the table.
She then turned her phone screen toward Machida, earphones still connected.
Seeing the display, Machida's smile took on a "lightbulb moment" quality. "Oh, it's Snow Flower. Seems like you really are a fan of Miyani-sensei."
"Hmph."
Caught off guard by the teasing, Utaha's cheeks flushed slightly. She stiffly changed the subject. "Whether I l-like it or not... Editor Machida, did you come here to discuss something specific?"
"Hehe, Utaha-chan's blushing? So cute."
"Please spare the irrelevant chatter, Editor Machida."
"Alright, alright."
Resting her chin in her palm, Machida's playful smile finally shifted into a more serious expression.
Sitting up straight, she pulled a document from her briefcase and handed it to Utaha, gesturing for her to read it.
Still slightly dazed, Utaha took the file. After a few seconds of scanning, she looked back up. "A signing event?"
Machida took a sip of her coffee, then nodded. "Yes. The publisher has decided to hold a signing event for Love's Metronome Vol. 2 at the bookstore down the street this weekend to boost sales."
"Why?" Utaha frowned, placing the proposal down. "Didn't you already confirm that my series won't be canceled? Why the sudden signing event?"
"Well, you see..."
Forking a small piece of cake, Machida chewed thoughtfully before explaining, her words slightly muffled by the sweetness. "Even though your volumes one and two saw a clear sales jump thanks to the recommendation from the mega-blogger 'TAKI', our editorial department believes Love's Metronome still has massive room to grow."
"So..."
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