Chapter 113: Who’s Losing Ground?
“You… what are you doing?!”
Mikazuki Haruna quickly took off her shoes and entered the house, striding to the table.
Sakamoto Ken kept smiling, waved at her, then very calmly sat up straight and moved the chair slightly away.
Natsume Mio wasn’t pretending like nothing had happened like he was; she lifted her chin, stared straight at Mikazuki Haruna, and said, “A Jian and I were kissing, you interrupted us!”
Mikazuki Haruna looked at Sakamoto Ken, then at Natsume Mio, rolled her eyes at her, and said, “Where does that look like kissing? Don’t make up stories about A Jian on your own.”
“Tch, I already said you interrupted us.” Natsume Mio straightened her back and crossed her arms.
Mikazuki Haruna ignored this girl, put the plastic bag on the table, and took out two bottles of cola from it.
“Here, your Pepsi.” Mikazuki Haruna handed the chilled cola to Sakamoto Ken.
“Why did you go to the convenience store to buy it? Isn’t there a vending machine at the doorway?” Sakamoto Ken reached out to take it and asked.
“The vending machine didn’t have your favorite blue bottle; that one’s from the Coke company.” Mikazuki Haruna also twisted open her own bottle and took a small sip.
The girl smacked her lips; she didn’t like this flavor before, but upon closer taste, it seemed… pretty good?
“What about my oolong tea?” Mikazuki Haruna asked, seeing the two of them drinking.
“Here.” Mikazuki Haruna took the room-temperature oolong tea from the plastic bag and handed it to Natsume Mio.
Then she looked at her with a mischievous thought.
Natsume Mio touched the bottle, somewhat surprised, and said, “You actually bought the room-temperature one for me.”
“You didn’t say which kind you wanted.” Mikazuki Haruna turned her head away, pretending it wasn’t intentional.
Natsume Mio twisted open the cap, gulped down a big mouthful, and said, “Did you figure it out?”
“Figure it out?” Mikazuki Haruna was slightly stunned and asked doubtfully.
Natsume Mio rubbed her lower abdomen and said, “It’s my period today; I was thinking if you bought a chilled one, I’d have to let it warm up before drinking.”
“Ah?” Mikazuki Haruna hadn’t expected that her bad intention had done a good deed.
But she immediately went along with Natsume Mio’s words: “It’s obvious; I could tell at a glance.”
“Really…” Natsume Mio pursed lips and said, “I thought it wasn’t noticeable.”
She looked at Sakamoto Ken and asked, “A Jian, did you notice?”
Sakamoto Ken gently shook his head and said, “I’ve never had a period, no experience.”
“True.” Natsume Mio nodded and said.
In the previous life, Sakamoto Ken didn’t remember the exact days very well; after all, the date isn’t fixed, a few days early or late is normal, and it requires long-term recording with a special app to predict accurately.
But he knew that Natsume Mio had a constitution that didn’t hurt much; at most, she was just a bit weak these few days.
There had even been times when she pestered him during these days saying she wanted to… but Sakamoto Ken strictly refused; he didn’t want the situation to get out of hand.
Of course, if stimulated by spicy or cold things, she would still feel bodily discomfort.
Mikazuki Haruna drank two sips of cola, then unpacked the potato chips and Pocky, stuffed potato chips into her mouth, crunched them, and held a Pocky stick in her mouth.
Her cheeks moved slightly quickly, like a guinea pig eating leaves; the chocolate biscuit stick swayed toward her mouth, getting shorter and shorter, until she ate the whole thing.
Haruna licked the chocolate on her lips and held another one, crunching it.
This girl, who just stubbornly said she had eaten lunch before coming, must be hungry now.
“Here, want one?” Noticing Sakamoto Ken looking at her, Mikazuki Haruna drew one from the box and offered it to Sakamoto Ken.
“Thanks~” Natsume Mio reached out to take it, holding it between her index and middle fingers.
She looked at Sakamoto Ken and said with a beaming smile, “A Jian, want to eat?”
As she spoke, she directly offered it to Sakamoto Ken’s mouth.
Sakamoto Ken slightly opened his mouth, and the Pocky went into his mouth.
Natsume Mio smugly covered her mouth and smiled, then reached out to Mikazuki Haruna and said, “Haruna senior, I want one too~”
Mikazuki Haruna: “…”
She ignored Natsume Mio’s request and kept eating one after another, even turning the chair and facing sideways.
Natsume Mio just smiled; she took an unopened box from the shopping bag herself, unpacked it, drew one out, and savored it in small bites.
She checked the time on her mobile phone, sighed lightly, and said, “A Jian, it’s about time; I need to go, still heading to the convenience store side…”
“What are you going to the convenience store for again?” Mikazuki Haruna asked doubtfully.
“Does Haruna senior want to come along?” Natsume Mio said with a slight smile.
“Shopping?”
“Anyway, coming or not?”
“Fine, I’ll go with you again.” Mikazuki Haruna stood up.
While Mikazuki Haruna wasn’t paying attention to her, Natsume Mio put her index finger to her lips and gestured to Sakamoto Ken to keep quiet.
Fine…
When Natsume Mio said she was going to the convenience store, she definitely meant the one by the old apartment.
And what Mikazuki Haruna understood was definitely the one next to the studio.
She might even ask Mikazuki Haruna to drive her there…
It seemed Haruna was at a disadvantage.
This round’s Mio had clearly improved in skill compared to the previous life; she definitely had guidance from an expert.
Seeing these two competing, Sakamoto Ken had no intention of breaking this wonderful atmosphere.
This was a good thing, as long as the intensity stayed within a controllable range.
If they didn’t compete with each other, they’d turn their competition on him.
Although the two girls’ words sounded full of barbs, Sakamoto Ken felt his safety factor was getting higher and higher.
How hadn’t his previous life self thought of operating like this…
But his previous life self didn’t have the conditions then; he was just a flop manga author, really short on rich women’s big money for his pen.
Now, he was JUMP+’s featured writer, Sensei Sakamoto Ken, who created Chainsaw Man.
Sakamoto Ken saw the two girls off out the door before standing up.
“…”
His legs felt a bit numb.
He hadn’t noticed earlier, but he wasn’t as calm as he appeared on the surface.
The memories in his mind and the clear pain in his body—as soon as he recalled that scene, there was still faint phantom pain.
This was much better than the initial PTSD; this degree was just right to give him more motivation to achieve the HE ending.
But speaking of which, there was still some space in the first-floor corner by the window; he could put a treadmill there—it was time to start working out.
Sakamoto Ken moved his body a bit, first going to the window by the room door, lifting the curtain and looking outside.
Natsume Mio and Mikazuki Haruna had already left.
Listening carefully.
After about three detached houses to the left of the studio, there was a small paid parking lot with three spots; if Haruna drove here, the car should be parked there.
Also, to go north, the path at the studio doorway was the way.
Sure enough, he heard the engine start; the red Porsche emerged from the intersection ahead, turned right, and drove toward the studio.
Sakamoto Ken dropped the curtain, pretending nothing was happening outside.
