Crouched in the farthest corner of her spotless room—hands around her knees, face buried in shame—Kirisu Mafuyumade a soft sound. It wasn't quite a scream, nor a gasp. It was more like the helpless squeak of a cornered mole who had suddenly realized its den had collapsed in on itself.
"M-M-Mafuyu, what did you do…?"
She muttered to herself, mind reeling.
You… flirted with your student.
You acted spoiled. You called him "darling."
You begged for a shoulder massage and ear cleaning like some kind of pampered wife!
And that student wasn't just anyone. It was Yukima Azuma—a boy who had shown you nothing but respect, kindness, and restraint.
And worst of all…
He was someone Yukinoshita Yukino liked.
A wave of guilt hit Mafuyu so hard she nearly keeled over again.
If there was a hole nearby, she would've burrowed down, curled up, and requested to be sealed inside forever.
Just wall me up like that cask in the Poe story. Thank you.
But life was not so merciful.
One could run from many things—responsibilities, deadlines, paperwork—but not from one's own shame.
After twenty full minutes of self-inflicted emotional flagellation, Mafuyu finally mustered enough courage to face the consequences.
With the trembling resolve of a soldier walking into certain death, she tiptoed toward the door. Slowly… cautiously… she lowered the doorknob and cracked the door open a sliver.
She peeked out—eyes wide, breath held.
Please… don't be there.
Please don't let Yukima Azuma be right outside that door with a smug grin and a devilish comment like—
"'Morning, sensei. You called me darling~ last night. Do it again~!'"
But…
The hallway was empty.
Kirisu Mafuyu exhaled, shoulders sagging in relief.
Crisis averted.
—Or so she thought.
"Mafuyu-sensei?"
A calm, elegant voice echoed gently through the corridor.
Kirisu Mafuyu flinched like she'd been tasered.
She turned her head, dread creeping up her spine.
Good news: It wasn't Yukima Azuma.
Bad news: It was Yukinoshita Yukino.
Elegant and unreadable as always, Yukino stood near the stairwell, holding a clipboard and dressed as if she were about to attend a business meeting—or perhaps conduct one.
Her icy blue eyes settled on Mafuyu with mild curiosity. "You're awake? There's some plain porridge downstairs. Azuma-kun made it for you."
Mafuyu's throat tightened.
"…Azuma-kun?" she echoed.
Yukino nodded. "He said the hangover remedy should've helped, but you'd probably want something light to eat."
She paused. "Seems he was right."
Mafuyu blinked, trying to focus. Now that Yukino mentioned it, her head… didn't hurt. At all.
In the past, after drinking, she always woke up with a pounding headache and parched mouth.
But this time, there was no discomfort—only the lingering mortification of her behavior the night before.
She remembered how gently Yukima had held her. How he'd fed her the hangover medicine. How he'd tidied her chaotic room. How he'd respected her boundaries even when she was at her most unguarded.
Her heart thudded traitorously.
She could finally understand why Yukino liked him.
But understanding that only made her guilt more unbearable.
"…He's not home?" she asked, voice small.
"No. He left early," Yukino replied. "Today's the premiere of the Bunny Girl Senpai movie."
Right. That was today.
Mafuyu had seen the posters around campus. It was a major event—the adaptation of the bestselling light novel series penned by none other than Yukima Azuma.
Of course he wouldn't be here.
Yukino was now casually flipping through her clipboard, but Mafuyu's world felt like it was spinning.
She felt both relieved and… oddly disappointed.
She hated that she felt disappointed.
Trying to shake off the growing storm of feelings, Mafuyu stiffened and gave a quick bow. "I… I'll go eat."
And with that, she fled down the stairs.
Meanwhile… Ginza: Stardom AwaitsIn front of the Ginza theater, the morning sun lit the wide sidewalks in soft gold. Even though it was still an hour before showtime, the area was already brimming with energy. Fans lined up around the block, some wearing character merchandise, others holding light sticks and cheering like they were attending a concert.
And amid this electric atmosphere, Kurokawa Akane stood with quiet anticipation.
Today, she wore a pure white summer dress that fluttered gently in the breeze. Oversized sunglasses shielded her face, and a sunhat covered her glossy hair.
She was stunning.
She was dazzling.
But most of all—she was glowing.
Because today, she wasn't just watching a movie.
She was watching his movie.
The movie that Yukima Azuma had written specifically for her.
When she first met him, Akane had been labeled "the emotionless doll." An actress praised for her stoic control and poised elegance—but no one ever saw the real girl inside.
Until Yukima Azuma reached in and pulled her out.
Once, he saved her on a bridge.
Then again, he saved her from herself.
Now, as she saw him approaching—his casual stride, that familiar gentle smile—her heart fluttered.
"Good morning, Akane-san," he greeted with a wave.
Akane's breath hitched slightly.
Why did "Akane-san" sound so distant today?
Wasn't she already beyond that?
She blushed faintly, then muttered under her breath, barely audible:
"...You can call me with more love, you know…"
Her voice was soft as cotton, as if she were offering a secret.
She looked up, waiting for his response, her cheeks tinged with nervous hope.
But before Yukima could react—
"Akane-chan!! Waaahhh! You're okay!!!"
A blur of blonde hair and pink hoodie launched itself into Akane's arms.
Startled, Akane instinctively raised a defensive hand… until she recognized the attacker.
"…MEM?"
It was MEM-Cho—the lively YouTuber and fellow castmate from LoveforReal.
Behind her, Sumi Yuki also stepped forward, smiling gently.
Akane pieced it together immediately.
Yukima must have invited the other LoveforReal members.
That made sense.
Still…
She glanced at Yukima briefly.
Couldn't we have had at least ten seconds of romantic buildup before the ambush?
MEM finally picked up on the awkward tension in the air. Her excitement turned sheepish.
"Uhh… did we interrupt something?"
Akane hesitated for a second.
Then gave a perfectly honest, deadpan nod. "Yes."
"Uwaah, that was way too direct!"
MEM groaned, slapping her forehead.
Still, she couldn't blame her. Even as a third party, she could tell something was very real here.
This wasn't some fan-fiction level pairing. This was "hero saves princess" material. A walking light novel.
Even she felt like swooning.
The Movie, The Crowd, The Industry BuzzEventually, the four of them entered the theater together.
Inside, the crowd buzzed with energy. Some fans had traveled from other cities. Others wore cosplay. The air smelled of fresh popcorn and hype.
MEM glanced around, eyes wide. "This turnout is insane. You're gonna break box office records. I'm so jealous, nyan~!"
Sumi Yuki smiled. "Of course. The original light novel already sold over seven million copies."
Seven million readers.
Even if just one in seven showed up for the movie, it'd already make headlines.
MEM turned to Yukima, eyes sparkling. "So… anyone contacted you to write scripts yet?"
"Oh, probably," he said nonchalantly. "I haven't really checked."
He opened his phone, switched to his work LINE account, and handed it to her.
MEM's jaw dropped.
Major production companies. Talent agencies. Streaming platforms. The offers were piled so high, it looked like a corporate feeding frenzy.
Some of them offered mind-numbing figures.
Just for him to write.
Her voice cracked. "Boss… if you signed just one of these, you'd make over a billion yen!"
Yukima shrugged. "Honestly, I'd make that even if I didn't take new work."
"YOU'RE A FILTHY CAPITALIST!" MEM cried in mock agony. "Why hasn't anyone hung you from a streetlight yet!?"
"I prefer the term entrepreneur," he said smoothly. "Also—keep talking, and I'm docking your bonus."
She froze.
Then immediately bowed. "I-I was wrong! Long live the boss!"
Akane, watching quietly beside them, felt a smile tug at her lips.
He didn't want to write scripts for anyone else.
Because he was already doing what he loved.
Because he had people—her—that he cared about.
Because he had already found his story.
And maybe, just maybe… that story included her.