Hikigaya wants to be a novelist

Hikigaya's speech was unremarkable—he didn't intend to say anything particularly eye-catching. They weren't celebrities relying on attention, and besides, there was hardly an audience to attract at all; the award ceremony for these two awards barely garnered 2,000 views on YouTube, with not a single comment.

After returning to his seat, his fellow writers congratulated him, and he responded to each of them in turn. Eventually, the award ceremony concluded, but neither Hachiman nor Haruno left immediately.

Haruno appeared calm at that moment. After a brief silence, she gently pinched one of Hikigaya's little fingers, eliciting a puzzled look from him. She said softly, "I didn't expect you to write a true mystery, Hikigaya-kun. I'm really looking forward to it."

"...Senpai, if you have something to say, just say it. You're making me feel uneasy," Hikigaya replied, a bit speechless. The devilish traits of this beautiful senior were challenging for him to handle.

"Hm? Senpai? I don't have much to say. I'm just an ordinary fan of Mr. Hachiman. Every month, my hope is to read Mr. Hachiman's serialization on time, and then, during the endless painful wait, I look forward to next month's magazine," Yukinoshita Haruno said pitifully, leaning against Hikigaya's arm.

Hikigaya felt the soft touch on his left arm and lightly patted Haruno's hand. "I understand what you mean, Senpai. You just want to know the ending. I'll tell you right away. Actually, the real purpose of Nonoguchi Osamu in 'Malice' is..."

Before he could finish, Haruno fiercely covered his mouth. Her palm was small, but she applied enough pressure to show her genuine anxiety. "Hikigaya Hachiman! If you keep going like this, you're going to lose me as your senior. I'm not just talking about losing my heart; I mean losing me as a person, physiologically speaking!"

Haruno said with frustration, realizing she couldn't take advantage of this junior. It was the first time in her life that she felt her emotions could be manipulated so easily by someone younger than her.

"Ahem... don't get so excited, Senpai. Did I really look like I was about to spoil the plot for you? My acting is pretty convincing," Hachiman said with a smile once Haruno released him.

"Mr. Hachiman, it's time to end the show. Should we go?" Naho Imamura said while walking toward Hikigaya. She noticed a beautifully dressed woman next to him, who appeared to be only two or three years older than Hachiman. Imamura's eyes suddenly narrowed.

"Mr. Hachiman, who is the lady next to you?" she asked. 

As Hikigaya contemplated how to introduce his troublesome senior schoolmate, Haruno spoke first. "Hello, I believe you are Editor Naho Imamura. I'm grateful for the care you've shown Hikigaya-kun at work. As for my relationship with Mr. Hachiman, would you like to guess?"

Haruno had little fondness for the editor who had gone shopping sweetly with her junior earlier that day. She hugged Hachiman's arm, ignoring his pleading look as he prepared to stand.

Imamura had no intention of engaging in a childish confrontation with a girl ten years younger than her, but the other party's pretentiousness forced her to respond. She recalled how, during their shopping trip that morning, Hachiman had mentioned that aside from his family and those in the publishing house, only Machida Sonoko knew his true identity. So, this girl must have only recently learned about Hachiman's identity.

After returning to his seat, the writers around him congratulated him and he responded one by one.

Later , the award ceremony finally ended, but Hachiman and Haruno did not leave immediately.

Haruno seemed very calm at this time . After a brief silence, she gently pinched the other person's little finger, and received a puzzled look from Hikigaya . She said softly :

" I didn't expect you to write a true mystery, Hikigaya-kun . I'm really looking forward to it . "

" ... Senior, if you have something to say, please just say it. You're making me feel scared. "

Hikigaya was a little speechless . The devilish attributes of this beautiful senior sister were really a bit hard for him to handle.

" Hmm? Sister, I don't have much to say. I'm just an ordinary fan of Mr. Hachiman. My hope every month is to read Mr. Hachiman's serialization on time, and then in endless painful waiting, I look forward to the arrival of next month's magazine. "

Yukinoshita Haruno said pitifully, her body already pressed against Hikigaya's arm.

Hikigaya enjoyed, no no , felt the soft touch on his left arm and patted Haruno's hand lightly.

" I understand what you mean, senior. You just want to know the ending. I'll tell you right away. In fact, the real purpose of Nonoguchi Osamu in "Malice" is ... "

Before Hikigaya could finish his words, Haruno covered his mouth fiercely. Haruno's palm was small, but she used a lot of strength, which showed that she was really anxious.

" Hikigaya Hachiman ! If you keep going like this, you're going to lose me as your senior . I'm not talking about losing my heart, I 'm talking about losing me as a person, physiologically speaking! "

Haruno said angrily, she found that she really couldn't take advantage of this junior. This was the first time in her life that she felt that her emotions could be manipulated so casually by another person, and this person was three years younger than her.

" Ahem ... don't get so excited , Senior. Did I really look like I was going to spoil the plot for you? My acting is pretty good. "

Hachiman said with a smile after being released by Haruno .

" Mr Hachiman , it's time to end the show. Should we go ... ? "

Walking towards Hikigaya , Naho Imamura noticed that there was a beautifully dressed woman next to Hachiman , and she looked only two or three years older than Hachiman. Imamura's eyes suddenly became sharp.

" Mr Hachiman , who is the lady next to you? "

Hikigaya was still thinking about how to introduce his troublesome senior schoolmate when she spoke first.

" Hello, I guess you are editor Naho Imamura . I am grateful that you have taken good care of Hikigaya-kun at work. As for the relationship between me and Mr. Hachiman, do you want to guess? "

Naturally, Haruno had no good feelings towards this editor Imamura who went shopping sweetly with her junior during the day and was used as a weapon by her junior to hurt her young heart at night. She hugged the arm of Hachiman who was about to stand up, ignoring the pleading look from him.

Naho Imamura had no intention of engaging in such a childish confrontation with this girl who was ten years younger than her, but the other party was so pretentious that she had to take action.

Imamura thought of the time when they were shopping in the morning when Hachiman told her that besides his family and the people in the publishing house, the only outsider who knew Hachiman's identity was Machida Sonoko. So the girl in front of her must have just learned about Hachiman teacher's identity not long ago, so ...

"Hachiman-san."

Imamura suddenly called out to Hikigaya, who raised his head, puzzled about what Imamura meant.

"I have finished reading the manuscript of *Malice* that you sent me earlier. I never expected that Nonoguchi Osamu would..."

"I was wrong, Editor Imamura. Mr. Hachiman and I are still friends for now."

Haruno instantly stood up and bowed deeply with genuine sincerity, though her heart was crumbling inside. She had indeed been defeated by a single trick.

"Very good, Yukinoshita-san. Since we are all friends of Mr. Hachiman, there is no need to target each other, right?" Naho Imamura remarked, resting her left arm with her right hand while supporting her chin with her left. She subtly pointed her Longines watch toward Yukinoshita Haruno, the light in the venue reflecting slightly off the dial.

Haruno gazed at Imamura showcasing her watch, suddenly realizing something as she turned her gaze to Hikigaya.

"Uh... the gift-buying thing is indeed true."

Hikigaya had no choice but to admit it.

"Alas, in the end, I still lost to this trick of yours," Imamura sighed. She had never imagined that Haruno actually came from a wealthy family. Her family's driver had driven her from Chiba to the Toshima District in a luxury car, which would also take her back. Naturally, the car was spacious enough for both Haruno and Hachiman.

"You've already won too many games today, Editor Imamura. Let me save face this time," Haruno said in a listless tone, acknowledging her defeat against both Hachiman and Imamura.

Imamura then took Haruno aside and said, "I know you have feelings for Hachiman. If I were ten years younger, I would definitely compete with you fiercely. But I am already 28 years old this year, a social animal exhausted by life and work. Mr. Hachiman has become the only light in my dark life; in short, he has healed me. But I will not harbor any unrealistic fantasies about him."

Naho Imamura noticed Haruno looking slightly guilty and continued, "I think you can sense it—no matter the time, there will always be girls drawn to Mr. Hachiman. Yukinoshita, you are ahead for now, so don't let someone else steal your home."

With that, Naho Imamura turned around and left gracefully, leaving Haruno standing there in a daze.

"Senior? Come on, get in the car. It's quite cold outside now. You don't want to catch a cold," Hikigaya called out at just the right moment, bringing Haruno back to reality.

"I'm here, junior. Sorry to have kept you waiting," Haruno replied with a smile as she got into the car. The journey back to Chiba would still be long, but both Haruno and Hachiman maintained a comfortable silence, quietly enjoying this time together.

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