NOVEL NEXT Chapter 7: Request
Both of them ate breakfast together.
Eating breakfast together, Sora knew that Haru had an appointment later. She knew that he was working for both of them and she decided to help with chores.
"I will clean the dishes. You should go and meet your editor now."
Haruka was quite surprised to see her quite kind today. He nodded and said, "Thank you. I'll go back as soon as possible. I'll teach you the problem that you don't know after I've gone back later."
Before Haru went out, he decided to go to his room to change his clothes. He was about to go back but stopped when he heard her voice.
"Hmm, thank you."
"Hmm, did you say something?" Haruka asked.
"No, no, it is just your imagination!!" Sora said.
"Okay, don't eat too many snacks, okay?" Haruka said.
"I'm not a child, okay?" Sora said while turning her eyes upward.
"Alright, alright, I will go now," Haruka said.
Sora sighed, didn't want him to go, but she knew that without him working then they could only sell this apartment which was left by their parents.
---
Haru rode on a tram and went to the 'Undead Library Works'.
Undead Library Works is a publishing company where he publishes his novel.
It took him 30 minutes to arrive at the location, it wasn't his first time in the office of Undead Library Works. He greeted the receptionist and waited for Machida in the lobby. Looking out the window absentmindedly, he saw a group of beautiful young mothers talking and laughing together while bringing their babies in the stroller.
"Your taste has changed to a married woman?"
Haruka turned his head and saw someone familiar with the girl. He was a bit surprised to see her in this place.
"Kasumigaoka?"
"Oh, really? It seems I have to be careful around you now," Machida said.
"You're not a married woman."
Haru chided Machida and changed the topic quickly. "Why is Kasumigaoka here?"
"Hmm, you don't welcome me here?" Kasumigaoka asked, looking at him with a glance. It had been a while since she had seen him and she was a bit nervous actually.
"Of course not." Haru shook his head and smiled looking at Kasumigaoka.
"I'm happy to see you here."
Kasumigaoka Utaha was his classmate before he decided to take a break after middle school graduation.
Kasumigaoka Utaha is a tall and beautiful girl with a slim figure. She has dark mid-back hair and wears a white hairband on her hair. Her eye color was scarlet red. She wears beautiful white dresses that show her beautiful milky white skin and black stockings that make her legs become more enchanting.
Haruka tried to look away from her legs which were trying to tempt him.
Haru's reaction made Utaha smile.
"So... were both of you in that kind of relationship before?" Machida asked.
"She was my classmate before," Haruka said.
Looking at Haru, Utaha had a complex emotion within her heart. She was happy to see him again, but at the same time, she also wasn't sure how to react after seeing his lukewarm reaction. She thought that he would be crying in happiness and begged her to go out with him, but it seemed that wasn't the case that threw out all of her plans on her head.
In the past, both of them had often competed with each other in the school who would be the ranked one in the entire grade.
Utaha tried to defeat him, but she had always lost to him. Then a friendship started to blossom between both of them. She felt a bit sad when she found out that he didn't continue his high school.
Utaha tried to ask him to go to the same school as her, but Haru rejected her since he needed to take care of his family after he had lost his parents. She could do nothing at that moment, but when she knew that he had become novelist, she knew that both of them would meet each other again.
Inside her heart, she knew that both of them were connected by a red string of fate and meant to be together.
It was the case now since even if Haru took a break from his high school, both of them were able to meet each other by fate.
Utaha observed Haru and had to admit that he was more manly than before. She was worried that he would change to bad, but it seemed that she didn't need that worry. Rather he had become more handsome than before with a face and countenance that was quite sharp and manly. Giving anyone reassurance to anyone who could become his girlfriend.
Utaha wanted to contact him again, but Haru had changed his number, but she knew that her chance was once again to connect the relationship between the two of them.
"She is our new novelist. You know... I've told you about this before, right?" Machida said.
Sonoko Machida is a young woman with dark blue chin-length hair. She has light blue eyes and fair skin. She is usually seen wearing a black work-blazer, a white button-up shirt, and a black knee-length pencil skirt.
"Really? Maybe I was quite sleepy when you told me before," Haruka said while rubbing his chin.
"Sigh..... you should take care of yourself better, you know? Look, your collars are a bit messy."
Machida walked toward him and fixed Haru's collars.
"Probably because of the tram earlier. There were a lot of people there," Haruka said.
Machida and Haru started to talk to each other about random things. Their relationship was very close since he thought of her as a dependable and useless older sister who often chided him. He was grateful to her since she often talked with him when he needed someone to talk to after he had lost his parents.
For Machida, Haru was similar to a naughty little brother who often did some naughty things. But she had to admit her time with him was very enjoyable. If he was born 10 years earlier then both of them might marry each other now.
Utaha who was by their side twitched her lips and felt deep jealousy. She coughed to remind them that she was there.
Machida only remembered that Utaha was beside them. She was a bit embarrassed since Utaha had asked her for help before, but she ignored Utaha in the middle of the conversation.
"That's right! I've got something to do now! I need to finish it right away! Both of you can talk to each other!"
Machida waved her hand and left them in an instant.
".............."
Haru was quite speechless at Machida.
"You're very close to her?" Kasumigaoka asked.
"She is my editor. We have known each other for quite a long time."
Haru meant that it was normal for him and Machida to be quite close to each other. He changed the topic and asked, "Anyway, what's wrong? I've heard that it was my ex-girlfriend who wanted to meet me, but you're not one, right?"
Utaha was annoyed and said, "Not one? Haven't you remember that you've messed up my body before?" Her words were quite ambitious, and some people looked at both of them with surprise expressions.
"Don't say something that will cause a misunderstanding!"
Looking at his reaction, Utaha smiled and asked, "So who are you? Are you planning to go to school?"
"If there's no problem then I'll go to your school next year."
Utaha's smile was very beautiful when she heard it. "Good. You should call me Utaha-senpai next year."
Twitching his lips, Haru replied, "Our age is the same, right?"
"But I'm your senior."
Haru shook his head and didn't intend to continue this conversation. "I know it is a bit late, but congratulations that you've published your novel. I'll try to recommend your book on my twitter later."
"Thank you."
Utaha smiled and felt warm inside her heart. She knew that it would be hard for a new author to gain popularity, but it was different if she had someone's help such as Haru. She thought for a while and knew that both of them might not able to talk to each other again after this.
Utaha knew that it was her only chance to close the relationship between the two of them. She took a deep breath and said, "That's right, can I ask you something, Haru?"