So many geniuses in anime! What's wrong with me joining?

"No, that would be too boring."

"Using other people's names to pass the time, your personality is quite interesting, Sakurakoji. Why didn't I notice this last time? I think you need someone to replace your teachers at school and educate you." Hiratsuka Shizuka smiled and clenched her fists, her joints cracking.

"Conveniently, there's an educator right here, wouldn't you say? Right?"

"Ho, Teacher Shizuka-cute wants to have a fair samurai duel with me? Even though I haven't practiced in a while, I probably won't lose. After all, I've been learning various martial arts since I was a child." Sakurakoji Talent's face showed interest, and he performed a Goku Jump on the spot, looking at her eagerly.

"..." Hiratsuka Shizuka's murderous gaze fixed on him, and it felt as if lightning and sparks were constantly erupting between them, making Yamada Ryo and Ichiji Nijika, who were standing by, tremble as they hugged each other.

After a long moment, she turned her head and clicked her tongue, then sat down.

"You, you're really not cute at all!"

"While I might not be very cute, I think Teacher Shizuka-cute's personality and appearance are both very cute." Sakurakoji Talent narrowed his flame-like eyes and replied with a sly chuckle.

"What?!" Hiratsuka Shizuka's expression changed, and she spread her arms in a startled gesture, leaning back. Her eyes held a hint of fear as she looked at him.

"You! Don't you know what you can and can't say?! You're not allowed to tease adults!"

"I'm just saying what I truly think, what's wrong with that? Besides, you're only a few years older, it's not a big deal. I'm not a student, I won't fall for your act." He turned to start preparing for work, replying casually.

"You..." Hiratsuka Shizuka, biting her lip, was helpless against his stubbornness. She choked, and her beautiful profile gradually flushed, unsure if it was from shyness or excitement.

In the end, she could only puff out her cheeks and complain to Ichiji Hoshika beside her, "Hey, forget about your sister, why are your employees so arrogant too? I want to complain!"

"Give up. I'm even more helpless with this guy. In fact, I'm partly relying on him for support right now." Ichiji Hoshika rested her chin on her hand, not surprised by her defeat at all. She took a sip of Good Kid Brand Juice and said calmly.

"You really are a useless manager..."

"Shut up!"

Image: "Trash Manager", Location: "Images/1756472119-100446961-113785843.jpg"

Noticing that the situation quickly calmed down, Sakurakoji Talent was not surprised at all. After all, they all had such easygoing personalities. Although Hiratsuka Shizuka could be a bit petty at times, she was usually easy to appease. Otherwise, he wouldn't have joked with her like this.

From this perspective, perhaps this was the composure of adults.

"By the way, Sakurakoji." After chatting with Ichiji Hoshika for a while and taking a break, Hiratsuka Shizuka looked at Sakurakoji Talent's busy back in front of her and asked curiously, "How old are you really? Are you really not in school?"

Although she had asked Ichiji Hoshika, she didn't seem to know much either. She only knew that he was a returnee and didn't seem to be enrolled yet, but his skills were outstanding. His family situation and exact address were unknown, only that his parents were overseas and he had a sister whose age was also unknown. He had come to Starlight to work by chance and had now become the pillar of the establishment. In short, he was full of mystery.

Hearing Sakurakoji Talent say again that he wasn't a student rekindled her curiosity.

This guy was different from any teenager she had ever met, inexplicably difficult to deal with and special. His looks and aura surpassed everyone she had ever met, let alone the popular outgoing guys at her school, she hadn't seen anyone like him even in high society.

What kind of environment and experiences had shaped someone like him? Judging by his appearance, he should be about the same age as her students. Were his parents just leaving him to his own devices?

"I am indeed currently not attending school. As for my age, well, that's a problem." Sakurakoji Talent rested his chin on his hand, thinking for a moment. He hadn't thought about this question in so long that he had almost forgotten.

Only when his family celebrated his birthday every year did he realize: Ah, so this was my birthday.

At other times, he just took things as they came. Before returning to Tokyo, he rarely even looked at a clock. He was tired enough from battling his own body every day, and he spent the rest of his time distracting himself, numbing his senses by learning various things.

"Well, it's a secret," Sakurakoji Talent put his index finger to his lips, fluttering his long eyelashes, and replied with a faint smile, "In any case, I'm not at the age to just start high school."

It was obvious that his sister was going into her first year of high school this year, so how could he be the same age as her?

"Still a secret... Are you some shy maiden?" Hiratsuka Shizuka looked at him speechlessly.

But speaking of which, this guy, when he made this gesture, really had a bit of that vibe, even more so than in the movies... No, no, what was she thinking, he was rubbing off on her!

She couldn't help but look at him with a shudder, finding this young boy to be damnably sweet.

"If you're not at the age to just start high school, then you must be preparing to start your second year, right?" Hiratsuka Shizuka guessed.

"Who knows? Maybe I'm at the age to go to university, or maybe I've already graduated and should be working." Sakurakoji Talent chuckled, not giving a direct answer.

"Who are you trying to fool! You don't look that old at all!" Hiratsuka Shizuka was displeased with his slyness.

"You don't think so?" Sakurakoji Talent blinked, then suddenly frowned. The normally gentle lines of his eyes gained a touch of toughness, his gaze deepened and sharpened, adding a bit of the resentment of a working person who wished the world would end. His aura became aloof, and he looked coldly at Hiratsuka Shizuka, "What about now?"

"..."

Faced with his performance of instantly aging ten years, Hiratsuka Shizuka twitched the corner of her mouth, feeling utterly speechless. In the end, she couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"Hahaha! What is this! Do you think you're performing Rakugo?" She wiped the tears from her eyes, laughing heartily at his clumsy acting.

"Strange, it doesn't seem like it? I was quite confident." Seeing her reaction, Sakurakoji Talent fell into doubt.

"If you want to act mature, you're a hundred years too early!"

Even though she said that, when Sakurakoji Talent turned back to look at her doubtfully, Hiratsuka Shizuka secretly patted her chest, thinking, "That was close." Just a moment ago, her heart seemed to have skipped a beat. Honestly, his performance did make him seem a bit mature, and he didn't look like a high school student at all—could this kid really be around her age?

Then, when he called her Shizuka-cute, could it have meant that?

!!!

Hiratsuka Shizuka covered her face with her hands, unable to think any further, or she might not be able to sleep tonight!

An hour later, just before Starlight was about to open, Sakurakoji Talent brought a dessert he had just made to Hiratsuka Shizuka.

"Teacher Shizuka-cute, here, have a dessert. Consider it an apology for my behavior just now."

"You know you're guilty?" Hiratsuka Shizuka, who had finally calmed down, looked at him irritably and snatched the disposable cutlery from his hand.

"It's good that you know your mistake. You're not allowed to call me Teacher Shizuka-cute anymore, understand!"

She put a spoonful of the warm dessert into her mouth, her face instantly lighting up with happiness. This guy, although a bit annoying, his cooking skills were truly superb. If only he could cook for her every day—though that was impossible.

"I understand."

"?" Hiratsuka Shizuka, spoon in her mouth, blinked her innocent, wide eyes, surprise evident in her gaze. She hadn't expected him to be so obedient this time.

"From now on, in front of everyone, I won't call you Teacher Shizuka-cute anymore. I'll just call you Teacher Shizuka," Sakurakoji Talent whispered, leaning his beautifully shaped head close to her ear.

"Oh, it's good that you know." Hiratsuka Shizuka shifted slightly, feeling a tickle in her ear. At the same time, she felt an inexplicable sense of loss.

The nickname "Shizuka-cute"... she actually didn't dislike it that much, as long as it wasn't used in front of others. That would be too embarrassing.

"From now on, when we're alone in private, I'll call you Shizuka-cute then." Without waiting for her reaction, Sakurakoji Talent walked back without looking back.

"..."

After a period of mental shutdown, Hiratsuka Shizuka finally registered what he had said. The snow-white, delicate skin of her face could no longer be controlled, turning a deep crimson, almost obscuring all her original color.

"!!!"

What did that guy mean by that?!

She mechanically continued to put food into her mouth, but it tasted bland. That damned guy!

Tonight, she probably wouldn't be able to sleep.

Volume 1: The Daily Life of Attracting Bees and Butterflies : Chapter 76: Using Galgame to Start Fishing

"Good work." X N

Exiting Starlight, Sakurakoji Talent took out his phone, preparing to ask a certain girl out for tomorrow.

Just now, a plan, which he himself found somewhat cruel and wicked, had popped into his mind. He needed to contact the other person and get the key to unlock it.

In the evening, after he had teased her, Hiratsuka Shizuka's face alternated between red and green. She sat there in a daze for a long time, making Ichiji Hoshika mistakenly think she was sick and urging her to go home and rest.

As it turned out, she was quite receptive to the suggestion. Without saying goodbye to Sakurakoji Talent, she bent over and, with a weary body, headed back to Chiba.

He wondered if, the next time they met and she had recovered her energy, she would mete out iron-fisted retribution upon him.

He searched through the many accounts he had recently added for the name he had in mind, even he had to sigh at how busy he was.

How could a protagonist like him be so busy? Couldn't he have just one day off?

He shuttled between different women every day, not for the pleasure of monthly flings, but still needing to manage their emotions and increase their affection for him. Was there anyone more miserable than him?

However, he didn't dare to stop. He could only say that in the face of extreme pain, let alone happiness, if anything could even slightly alleviate this long-standing suffering, he would be willing to jump off a three-story building.

His gaze landed on the name on the screen. Sakurakoji Talent tapped on the chatbox and sent a greeting.

If it were anyone else, they might be getting ready for bed by now, but he knew that night owls like the person on the other end were just starting their nightlife.

"Senpai Utaha, are you there?"

He didn't put his phone away but stood by the roadside and waited for a while. As he expected, after more than ten seconds, his phone vibrated.

"Is that Talent-kun? Yes, I'm here. What's up?"

"Speaking of which, this is the first time you've messaged me."

"Happy.jpg"

The phone vibrated three times in succession, delivering three messages.

Seeing her message, Sakurakoji Talent momentarily thought he hadn't contacted her in a long time. But on closer reflection, they had only met for the first time a week ago. Yet, quite a few things had happened in the meantime, and they had even gone to Kawasaki.

"Mm, there is something, but it's not convenient to talk about on the phone."

"Are you free tomorrow? I'd like to discuss it with you face-to-face."

He typed his thoughts into words and sent them.

Kasumigaoka: "Ehh~ Are you asking me out? Not bad, Talent-kun. Your speed and courage are commendable."

Sakurakoji: "You could say that. So, Senpai Utaha, do you have time?"

Kasumigaoka: "Okay, tomorrow is Sunday anyway, and it's spring break. When do you want to meet?"

Sakurakoji: "How about tomorrow noon? We can chat while we eat."

Kasumigaoka: "It seems like it's something important. I understand. I'll be there on time."

Sakurakoji: "...Don't stay up all night tonight, okay?"

Kasumigaoka: "No way!"

Kasumigaoka: "Probably."

Probably...

Sakurakoji Talent twitched the corner of his mouth, not quite believing her willpower. Praying that she wouldn't be late, he put away his phone and headed home.

On the other end of the phone, Kasumigaoka Utaha stared at the screen, which was no longer displaying new messages, and tossed her phone aside.

She lay flat on the soft, large bed, her long black hair spread out beneath her. The undulating, sexy curves of her body were somewhat softened by gravity. She rested her fair arm on her smooth forehead, her flame-colored eyes unable to conceal her thoughts.

Although she had allowed him to call her by her name last time, after thinking about it carefully, they had only met once. Wasn't that a bit too hasty?

It wasn't easy to retract that statement now, especially since they belonged to the same industry and would inevitably interact in the future.

For a whole week, she hadn't heard from him, so she thought he was just being polite and had already forgotten about her. After all, he was a rising star with a lot of popularity... She hadn't expected him to contact her again.

She was genuinely startled when he suddenly reached out to her.

But what were his intentions? It didn't seem like he just wanted to ask her out on a date.

The thought of his appearance, like an elf from a manga, brought a mix of emotions to her heart. If you put the two of them together, it wasn't that he would have improper thoughts about her, but rather, most people would probably think the opposite, right?

"Wuwuwu~"

She picked up the white bolster pillow beside her and buried her face deeply into it.

"Damn it! Why does a guy have to be so beautiful! Damn it, damn it!"

"He's a popular high school writer just like me, doesn't he understand that we're stepping on each other's toes?!"

"Not only is he younger, stronger, and better-looking than me, but he even has the special skill of drawing. Was he sent specifically to target me?!"

While angry, she used her soft, pink fists to vent her emotions on the pillow.

After venting for a while, she became worried about another matter:

"Tomorrow, what should I wear to meet him?"

"But he said he's my fan, right? And a loyal fan since the first volume. Should this be considered a fan meeting? Then I don't need to dress too formally, right?"

"But this is our first private meeting. If I dress too casually, it might not be good. He might think that I, as a senior writer, am difficult to get along with."

"Arghhh~ So troublesome!"

"..."

The next day,