Game Developer in the World of Anime

Yukinoshita Yukino was a girl who always stayed true to herself, never going out of her way to please others. She was exceptionally principled, possessing a gentle heart beneath her cold exterior. Despite being blunt and direct, Yukino always kept her judgments fair and focused, rarely dismissing or disliking anyone without a valid reason. Of course, if someone openly displayed dislike towards her, that was a different story.

As for Eriri, with her hidden otaku identity, Yukino naturally had no reason to dislike her. On the contrary, after learning about Eriri's circumstances, Yukino even considered ways to help her be more authentic with herself—bridging the gap between her inner and outer persona.

If Ichin and Utaha knew what Yukino was thinking, they would undoubtedly say in unison: "Not a chance."

Revealing her true otaku side to outsiders? Even if the world were ending, that would still be unlikely to happen.

Yet Eriri felt deeply touched by Yukino's words. After all, there weren't many non-otaku people like Yukino who didn't react negatively to her interests. Kasumigaoka, on the other hand, was a different story altogether; they both knew each other's secrets and were essentially kindred spirits.

For Eriri, Yukino was the first non-otaku friend she'd made in high school who didn't reject her hobbies. Eriri had seen firsthand how some girls were ostracized by their peers after revealing their otaku interests, which is why she was so cautious in hiding her own. But seeing the qualities Yukino had that she herself lacked, Eriri felt a strong desire to join the Service Club, hoping to learn something valuable from her.

Eriri's announcement not only took Yukino by surprise but also left Ichin and Utaha completely stunned.

Utaha raised an eyebrow and questioned, "Are you not joining the Art Club?"

"No need," Eriri dismissed the idea with a wave. "The Art Club isn't that special. I can draw at home anytime. Joining the Art Club would mean daily club activities and participating in competitions and such, which would just waste my time! Yukinoshita's club seems more interesting to me. And when there are no requests, I can still draw in the Service Club, right?"

This turn of events was completely unexpected for everyone.

Ichin couldn't help but look forward to what kind of dynamic Eriri's presence would bring to Yukino's Service Club.

Currently, Yukino was attending a school in Tokyo, which meant that the events of Oregairu probably wouldn't take place. Although Ichin didn't know much about the first-year students, he hadn't heard of anyone quite like Hachiman Hikigaya.

After a brief moment of hesitation, Yukino accepted Eriri's request to join.

"No problem, I agree. We're running out of time, so let's go to Ms. Hiratsuka and fill out the club application form," Yukino said, finishing her tea and turning to Ichin and Utaha. "Senpai, thank you both for your help today, and thank you for the tea. Let's go, Sawamura-san."

"Alright!" Eriri quickly gulped down the rest of her tea and waved at Ichin and Utaha before following Yukino out of the room.

After the door closed, Kasumigaoka Utaha turned towards Ichin.

"Got any thoughts, Ichin-kun?" she asked.

"Hm…" Ichin rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I don't fully understand Yukinoshita's personality yet, but based on what I've seen so far, Sawamura joining her club might not be a bad thing. The only concern is whether Yukinoshita might get influenced by Sawamura."

"Exactly, I feel the same way," Utaha agreed with a nod, stretching lazily before adding, "With such an interesting club next door, things certainly won't be boring. But Ichin-kun, you'll probably start heading home early more often, right? Since you have to balance things with your studio."

Initially, Ichin had planned on leaving early every day. But with this new development, he slightly adjusted his plans.

"Our studio hours end at 6:30, but everyone's work schedule isn't that fixed, so I don't have to rush back. As long as I keep an eye on things for the next few days and the development progresses smoothly, it should be fine. Honestly, I'm kind of curious about the Service Club—it feels like there'll be some interesting stuff happening."

Utaha narrowed her eyes with a sly smile. "Or are you just interested in that beautiful black-haired girl?"

"…"

Ichin looked helplessly at Utaha, and seeing her surprised expression, he reached up and pinched her smooth cheek.

"Aren't you also a beautiful black-haired girl? Yukinoshita may be pretty, but that's all there is to it. Come on, let's head to class. We can clean up the cups later in the afternoon."

After packing up his laptop and grabbing his bag, Ichin got up, and Utaha quickly followed him out of the clubroom.

"Ichin-kun, how did my cheek feel?" Utaha asked.

"Not bad, smooth with lots of collagen," Ichin replied honestly as he locked the door. "You probably didn't put on much makeup, right?"

"I only put on a light base," Utaha said, slightly narrowing her eyes. "Even if someone is naturally beautiful, a little maintenance is still necessary. I wouldn't want my bare skin getting sunburned."

"I see."

Ichin nodded, slipping the key into his pocket and heading towards the stairs. Despite his calm exterior, he wasn't feeling quite so composed on the inside. He wasn't sure why he had impulsively pinched her cheek earlier. It was an action he didn't really think through, almost like he was possessed.

Fortunately, Utaha didn't seem to mind.

Thinking back on it, it was unlikely she'd be angry anyway. But even if that's the case, Ichin reminded himself not to act so impulsively with girls in the future. It could easily be taken the wrong way.

What puzzled Ichin even more was why Utaha hadn't brought up her question from yesterday.

Walking beside him, Utaha glanced at Ichin's hair and casually said, "Your hair's gotten a bit long, Ichin-kun. Why not get a trim this afternoon?"

"Hmm?"

Ichin raised his hand and tugged at the fringe hanging over his forehead. It was indeed a little long.

"You're right. The last time I got a haircut was before I left the country in March. It's been almost two months now. Time for a trim, I guess."

"Then let me take you this afternoon," Utaha offered. "The salon I go to is really good—fair prices and excellent skills."

"Alright, I'm not picky about these things. If you say it's good, then let's go," Ichin agreed.

Chatting casually, the two returned to the second-year floor and entered the classroom under the curious gazes of their classmates.

Ichin wasn't too bothered, but everyone's attention was mostly on Utaha. She seemed to be smiling a lot more than usual, which was quite different from her usual demeanor.

Was the reason for her extra smiles today related to Ichin?

…

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