Chapter 31: My Whole Body Went Soft
「Editor Kaji Keiko invites you to join the group chat『JUMP Writer Exchange Group』.」
Sakamoto Ken saw the group invite from Editor Kaji, his fingertip pausing above the screen for two seconds before he still clicked in.
Then, Kaji Keiko sent another message.
Kaji Keiko: 「Sakamoto Sensei, I’ve invited you to our JUMP Writer Exchange Group. Everyone in the group is writers serializing in JUMP series magazines and colleagues from the editorial department. You can exchange ideas with everyone.」
Sakamoto Ken replied simply: 「Okay, thank you, Editor.」
Then he switched to the group chat interface.
The member list showed 175 people.
Sakamoto Ken swiped up and roughly scanned the member list.
All the editors from the editorial department were in it, and the rest were writers.
At a glance, he spotted several familiar names.
But there were more pen names he had no impression of, probably authors from WEB or monthly magazines or separate publications.
Those well-known writers, especially the older ones, wouldn’t join such a large group; they didn’t have time with deadlines and various events.
Even if they were in the group, they probably wouldn’t speak much; famous writers likely had their own small circles.
At that moment, a name made Sakamoto Ken’s finger stop.
Takahashi Kazuki.
Seeing this name, Sakamoto Ken couldn’t help but feel a bit emotional.
In his previous life, this father of《Yu-Gi-Oh!》 tragically died in 2022 while surfing at the seaside, attempting to rescue a diver caught in a rip current.
When the news broke, card players around the world sighed in regret.
But at this point in time, Sensei Takahashi was still fine, probably vacationing at some scenic spot…
Creating a work like that would allow him to live off it for life, and even for the later manga and animation, he just lent his name while writers like Miyoshi Naoto actually did the work.
Rebirth was like a moth flapping its wings… and it had to be a giant divine moth level, with all the accompanying influences changing countless things, enough to prevent that tragedy from happening.
Bet you didn’t expect it, Sensei Takahashi, I’ve become a time rewinder.
Just as Sakamoto Ken was feeling emotional, a few new messages popped up in the group.
Hamada Tsubaki too: 「Oh? A newcomer joined the group, welcome welcome!」
A few other authors Sakamoto Ken had no impression of also sent welcome expressions.
Sakamoto Ken didn’t want to seem too aloof, so he casually typed a line in the input box.
Sakamoto Ken: 「Hello everyone, newcomer Sakamoto Ken, please take care of me.」
The message was sent.
Two seconds after his message appeared, the exact same line was repeated verbatim.
Miyuki Haru: 「Hello everyone, newcomer Sakamoto Ken, please take care of me.」
「Miyuki Haru retracted a message」
Miyuki Haru: 「Hello everyone, newcomer Miyuki Haru, please take care of me.」
Sakamoto Ken: “…”
You lazy guy, too lazy to even type?
However, Miyuki Haru…
Sakamoto Ken stared at this name for several seconds, not expecting to meet her online so soon.
When he joined the group earlier, Sakamoto Ken had actually anticipated this, but he still didn’t refuse Editor Kaji’s invitation.
He figured since he had to face it sooner or later, better to start with high-safety online contact.
You can’t come stab me over Wi-Fi, right?
Next, Sakamoto Ken chose to stay silent in the group but kept paying attention to the messages.
This guy will definitely lose patience before me.
Sure enough, five minutes later, a notification popped up at the top of the screen.
It was a friend request.
……
Shibuya Ward, Shoto.
Mikazuki Haruna sat upright, her whole body somewhat stiff.
Her hands gripped the mobile phone tightly, her heart pounding wildly.
A few minutes ago, Ono Tomohiro had pulled her into that writer exchange group.
She had joined right away and was about to check the member list when she saw Sakamoto Ken’s join notification.
Seeing people in the group sending welcome messages to the new member, Mikazuki Haruna was thinking about how to greet him when she saw Sakamoto Ken post first.
So without thinking, she copied it directly, moved the cursor to change the name inside, but her hand shook from tension and she accidentally hit send…
It’s fine, no big deal.
Haruna ignored the group chat content and clicked on Sakamoto Ken’s avatar, looking at his profile page.
After hesitating for a while, she finally pressed the “add friend” button.
Miyuki Haru: 「Hello, I’m the author of《Young Lady, Sniper Rifle, and Pantyhose!》, serializing at the same time as you, want to exchange ideas.」
After sending the request, Haruna put the phone on the table, feeling like all her strength had been drained.
Her gaze fell on the sketchbook beside her hand; it was open to a sketch she had just finished… a memorable scene.
In the drawing was Sakamoto Ken completely nude, but unlike the previous scene with only him, this one had an extra person.
A girl also completely nude hugged him tightly from behind, her cheek pressed against his back.
The girl’s face was behind the boy, so it wasn’t drawn, only showing a side profile curve, but Haruna knew that was her.
Scenes from the dream uncontrollably surged in her mind.
She remembered locking him in the hotel room under the pretext of urging the manuscript…
She remembered the sensation of the boy’s warm palm stroking her skin…
The girl’s cheeks flushed lightly, her breathing becoming rapid.
The friend request had been sent but not yet approved.
In the remark of the friend request, Haruna had said she was the author of《Young Lady, Sniper Rifle, and Pantyhose!》, but in that memory, this manga was drawn by Sakamoto Ken, so she had plagiarized it.
She thought, what if at this point in time, Sakamoto Ken was already creating《Young Lady》, like having the conception or character designs, matching what she published…
Then, he would definitely show doubt, even suspicion.
This made her a bit uneasy, so she couldn’t help but jiggle her leg lightly.
Haruna’s body leaned forward slightly, arms supporting on the desk, her waist unconsciously swaying gently, slowly grinding against the soft chair mesh.
“Hoo…”
She exhaled a hot breath from her lips, staring unblinkingly at the mobile phone screen.
Time passed second by second…
Finally!
A notification popped up, showing the other party had approved her friend request.
At the same time, a message was sent.
Sakamoto Ken: 「Hello/handshake」
Oh, so aloof…
But this also made Haruna breathe a long sigh of relief.
A tone like this meant he didn’t remember anything about the《Young Lady》 manga.
In that instant, Mikazuki Haruna felt a taut string in her body suddenly snap and release.
An indescribable electric current rose from her tailbone, instantly spreading through her limbs, making her whole body go soft; her arms weakened, almost collapsing onto the desk.
She panted heavily, the cursor flashing in the input bar, but her fingers froze above the screen, her mind blank, not knowing what to say.
It stayed like this for a full half minute.
Haruna chose to long-press copy and paste.
Miyuki Haru: 「Hello/handshake」
