Tomoya Aki suddenly thought of a possibility.
"Um, Doma-san, are you close with Utako Kasumi?"
"Mm!" Umaru Doma nodded. "Since we go to the same school, I figured it couldn't stay a secret anyway, so I'll just tell you. Once you see her in person, Aki-san, you'll know—Utako Kasumi is actually Utaha Kasumigaoka, a second-year upperclassman. And Utaha and I are good friends."
Tomoya Aki: "..."
Wait, if the two of them were friends, then his earlier deduction had been completely wrong! Because there was another possibility: Umaru Doma really was the perfect young lady. She hadn't come here as a reader at all, but as a friend supporting Kasumigaoka-senpai!
No wonder, no wonder Doma-san had never seemed guilty from start to finish. It was because she wasn't an otaku at all!
A certain Hamster Umaru: <(￣ˇ￣)/
As if mere mortals could see through her acting!
Tomoya Aki felt as though half of his fated encounter had shattered. If she wasn't an otaku, then Umaru Doma, the normie young lady, would never have any connection with him.
The more that was the case, the more Tomoya Aki wanted to claim first place. Umaru Doma was already beyond his reach, so only Kasumigaoka-senpai, who had concealed her identity, remained. As a novice writer, she would surely remember the first person to receive her autograph. Combined with his extensive otaku knowledge serving as theoretical guidance, he would definitely be able to establish a connection with Kasumigaoka-senpai!
Good. A new problem emerged: how could he become the first reader to get an autograph? Cutting in line. He had to cut in line!
"Doma-san, since you're attending this signing event as a friend, please give me, a veteran fan, a chance. I really want to get Utako Kasumi's first autograph..." Tomoya Aki prostrated himself