Chapter 139: An Experiment Even For This?
Just past eight in the morning, Sakamoto Ken went out.
At this time, the assistants and Editor Kaji hadn’t arrived yet; originally, he should have waited until everyone was there before leaving.
But thinking carefully, over these past few days, Mio and Haruna had stalked him several times already. If he left a bit later and happened to run into them coming over, wouldn’t that mean another one or even two little tails following behind him again?
So, Sakamoto Ken tidied up the storyboard draft, sent a message to Kaji Keiko asking her to come to the studio a bit earlier, and had her keep a closer eye on the drawing work of the three assistants today.
Having changed the door lock to a smart lock was convenient; as long as he gave the visitor password to Kaji Keiko, she could open the door directly.
After Sakamoto Ken went out, he didn’t head toward Akihabara Station as usual, but walked further north to Ueno-okachimachi Station to take the train, transferring to the Oedo Line to Hongo-sanchome, which was right at the main entrance of Todai University.
After getting off, Sakamoto Ken walked the whole way. He hadn’t been to this area in this round yet, but the surrounding environment was all too familiar to him.
Crossing through a block, Sakamoto Ken found the apartment building where Hoshihara Ai lived.
Though not as luxurious as Haruna’s apartment, it was still a high-end apartment building.
Sakamoto Ken pressed the button at the downstairs doorway: 1706.
From yesterday until now, he hadn’t asked for Hoshihara Ai’s exact address, and she hadn’t said. This was also part of the verification.
Soon, the intercom transmitted a voice: “Who?”
Just that single short word, and Sakamoto Ken could tell it was definitely Hoshihara Ai.
In last night’s dream, the two had exchanged deeply for a long time, but hearing her voice in reality felt different from the sensation in the dream.
Sakamoto Ken said to the intercom, “It’s me, Sakamoto Ken.”
The other side was silent for three seconds. She didn’t say anything more, only a “click” was heard, and the apartment building’s main entrance unlocked and opened automatically.
Sakamoto Ken quickly walked in and took the elevator.
Actually, he really wanted to see Hoshihara Ai again, but he didn’t feel the timing was right yet.
In the nearly two months before, high school graduation, publishing manga, rushing drafts every day, setting up the studio…
Even without counting the matters with Mio and Haruna, his schedule was already packed.
If considering Mio and Haruna, he didn’t know how to interact with Hoshihara Ai at all, since he had absolutely no connection with her in this round.
Mio went without saying; they had always been classmates.
Haruna had met him through the manga side of things.
Hoshihara Ai… that was the short manga she later submitted for the call for submissions, and he unexpectedly saw her name on the judge list.
Among these three, though Haruna was a year ahead of Mio in school, their ages weren’t that different—they were both 18 this year.
Hoshihara Ai was more like an older sister type; she was already serving as a mentor for graduate students, but because she had always skipped grades, she graduated with a doctorate at 22 and was now 24.
With a “ding,” the elevator arrived at the 17th floor.
Sakamoto Ken reached the end of the aisle; Hoshihara Ai’s room was in the farthest corner. Just as he arrived at the doorway, he saw the room door cracked open from inside.
“Come in.” Hoshihara Ai’s voice came from inside.
She must have seen him through the cat’s eye.
Sakamoto Ken gripped the edge of the door, pulled the room door open, and stepped inside.
At first glance, he saw Hoshihara Ai standing with arms crossed, leaning against the shoe cabinet.
Sakamoto Ken’s steps halted until the room door behind him automatically closed with a “bang,” snapping him back to his senses.
The memories from the previous life or the experiences in the dream all had some illusory feel to them.
At this moment, the woman in front of him was the one who truly existed.
Glossy black hair fell on her shoulders, her fair skin glowed moistly, her eyes sparkled with lively light, and striking red was presented boldly without concealment.
At first glance, Hoshihara Ai stood so openly in front of Sakamoto Ken with no reaction.
But actually, that wasn’t the case. If looking closely and being familiar with her, one would know her inner heart was rippling with waves.
It was just that changes on a girl’s exterior were never as obvious as on a boy’s; merely the area above where her arms were crossed showed some slight change—from peony pink to a faint rouge red.
“You really still remember my home address,” Hoshihara Ai said.
Sakamoto Ken nodded and said, “Of course. After coming so many times, there’s no way I’d forget.”
Hoshihara Ai smiled faintly, turned, and walked toward the living room.
Sakamoto Ken looked at her swaying waist and followed closely, then sat directly on the sofa.
“Same appearance, same memories—I can treat you as the same person.” Hoshihara Ai sat across from Sakamoto Ken, lifted her legs, and placed them directly on the coffee table.
When he first entered the room, for those few minutes, Sakamoto Ken didn’t know where to put his gaze.
But seeing Hoshihara Ai now facing him just like in the previous life when they were already very familiar, he had no reservations.
Scanning up and down, he felt the woman in front of him hadn’t changed much.
Thinking about it, in the previous life, subjectively it had only been less than two months, but actually it was a matter from ten years later.
Hoshihara Ai said, “Tell me, what do I look like ten years from now?”
Sakamoto Ken recalled and said, “Actually the same as now, just…”
“Just?” Hoshihara Ai raised an eyebrow and said, “Just older?”
“No.” Sakamoto Ken shook his head and said, “Just fully ripened.”
“Heh… you sure know how to talk.” Hoshihara Ai laughed, without covering her mouth, boldly tilting back her snowy swan neck.
“Just telling the truth,” Sakamoto Ken said.
“Then do you still remember the rule for coming to my place?” Hoshihara Ai smiled with curved brows and eyes, gazing at the boy across from her.
“Still have to follow it now?”
“Mm-hmm.”
Sakamoto Ken unbuttoned his shirt from top to bottom one by one.
Soon, he was the same as Hoshihara Ai across from him.
Actually, without the experiences from last night’s dream, he wouldn’t have been so decisive.
Hoshihara Ai nodded very satisfied, her smile uncontainable; she bent her arm, supporting the side of her face with the back of her hand, looking at the boy in front of her with great interest.
“You haven’t changed much either,” Hoshihara Ai said.
“Of course.” Sakamoto Ken shrugged and said, “You experienced it yesterday.”
Hoshihara Ai tsked and said, “Who begged for mercy first?”
“Me.” Sakamoto Ken admitted.
“You’ll beg for mercy first in reality too?” Hoshihara Ai raised an eyebrow and said.
“I think… probably…” Who could beat you, with skills that don’t even have cooldowns.
Hoshihara Ai withdrew her legs and stood up, walking toward Sakamoto Ken.
Sakamoto Ken said, “Didn’t you say we were going to talk about the dream, science, experiments, and such?”
“This is part of the experiment too.”
“The experiment includes this?”
“Are you the scientist or am I?”
“You…”
“Then shut up and listen to me.”
First 2 updates, more tonight!
