Mrs. Yuigahama's Smile

"This is also the first time I've seen Hanayui-sensei's illustrations involving weapons," Yukinoshita Haruno commented, impressed as she looked over the drafts drawn by Mrs. Yuigahama, Hanayui.

Up until now, Hanayui had primarily worked on school romance light novels, so her illustrations never featured weapons. But seeing her detailed work on Sword Art Online's iconic swords like the Elucidator and Lambent Light, it was clear that Hanayui had a hidden talent for this genre as well.

After discussing for two hours, the details for the illustrations in Sword Art Online Volume 1 were finally settled. They went over which scenes would need illustrations and how certain character designs could be refined.

As Izumi Kotomi and Mrs. Yuigahama spoke, Haruno diligently typed everything up on her laptop, documenting the meeting.

"Alright, the illustrations for Volume 1 are set. I'll leave the rest to you, Hanayui-sensei," Kotomi said politely.

"No, no, I should be the one thanking you for choosing me as your illustrator. I honestly didn't think I'd get the job when I applied, so when I found out I was accepted, I was ecstatic. Thank you so much, Kotomi-sensei," Mrs. Yuigahama replied with genuine gratitude.

Kotomi smiled and waved it off. "No need to thank me too much. I picked you because I really like your art style—it's purely based on your skill."

"I'll do my best to make sure you won't be disappointed!" Mrs. Yuigahama responded earnestly.

As a part-time illustrator, she didn't follow the light novel industry closely, but she understood that working on a hit series like Sword Art Online was a huge opportunity. Many illustrators would have fought for the chance to have their name appear on the cover alongside Izumi Kotomi's. The recognition this project could bring would be invaluable, potentially skyrocketing her fame as an illustrator.

Haruno, noticing they had concluded their discussion, chimed in, "Well, it looks like everything's settled for now. I'll send over the final details for the illustrations to you later via email, Hanayui-sensei. Please make sure to complete them by mid-month next month. Your pay will also be adjusted accordingly."

"Got it! I'll take care of it," Mrs. Yuigahama replied, her motivation evident despite the tight deadline.

Haruno smiled and leaned back. "I'm really looking forward to your collaboration. Now, how about we all go out for dinner to celebrate?"

As their editor, Haruno had long wanted to treat Izumi Kotomi to a meal, but given Kotomi's high school schedule, they never had the chance. Since it was a Sunday and everyone seemed free, Haruno saw this as the perfect opportunity.

However, both Kotomi and Mrs. Yuigahama had other plans.

"Sorry, I've got to get back to my shop, so I'll have to pass on dinner. It's already getting late. Goodbye, Yukinoshita-san," Mrs. Yuigahama excused herself.

"And I still haven't finished my homework… I'll have to skip this time too. See you, Yukinoshita-san!" Kotomi said apologetically.

Haruno sighed in defeat. "Alright, alright… take care. Contact me if you need anything."

Kotomi and Mrs. Yuigahama left the Dengeki Bunko building together.

"Um… Kotomi-sensei, I…" Mrs. Yuigahama hesitated as they walked toward the station.

Kotomi, anticipating what she was about to say, reassured her immediately, "I know what you're going to ask, don't worry. I won't tell Yui-chan about this."

"Really?" Mrs. Yuigahama seemed relieved.

"Of course. In return, I'd appreciate it if you could keep my identity as a light novel author a secret too. Don't tell anyone."

Mrs. Yuigahama let out a big sigh of relief, finally feeling the weight lift off her shoulders. Unable to contain herself, she chuckled. "It looks like we're both in the same boat—neither of us wants people knowing what we do, huh?"

"I guess so. At least, not many people at school know about me," Kotomi nodded.

"Does Yui-chan know?"

"No, she doesn't."

Mrs. Yuigahama let out a laugh, reflecting on how surreal it was. "It was a shock seeing you at the Dengeki Bunko offices today. I never imagined that the famous author of Sword Art Online was my daughter's classmate."

"You're exaggerating. I'm not a big deal—just a student writing for fun," Kotomi replied, scratching her head modestly.

After chatting for a bit, Kotomi suddenly realized something that had been nagging at her. Throughout the entire meeting at Dengeki Bunko, Mrs. Yuigahama had been addressing her as "Kotomi-sensei." While it was a normal term of respect between authors and illustrators, it felt strange to be called that by someone she already knew personally.

"It feels kind of weird being called 'sensei.' Can we switch to something else?" Kotomi suggested.

"Hmm… let me think," Mrs. Yuigahama tapped her chin thoughtfully. After a moment, she smiled and said, "How about I call you 'Kotomi-chan'?"

"That sounds way too childish! How about just 'Kotomi'?"

"Alright, 'Kotomi' it is," Mrs. Yuigahama agreed cheerfully. "But in that case, you need to change how you address me too."

"Change… how?" Kotomi asked, confused.

"Well, I may be older than you, but I don't like being called 'obasan' all the time. It makes me feel old. How about you call me 'auntie' instead?" Mrs. Yuigahama suggested with a smile.

Kotomi was puzzled. Is there really a difference between being called "auntie" and "obasan"? But seeing Mrs. Yuigahama's expectant expression, she relented.

"Okay… 'auntie' it is," Kotomi agreed.

Hearing Kotomi call her "auntie," Mrs. Yuigahama's face lit up with a beautiful, mature smile. "Hehe~ Being called 'obasan' always made me feel old. But being called 'auntie' makes me feel refined, like I'm aging gracefully."

Watching Mrs. Yuigahama beam with happiness, Kotomi couldn't help but wonder.

Is there really such a big difference between those two titles?

But seeing Mrs. Yuigahama's genuine smile, Kotomi quickly dismissed the thought. Well, as long as she's happy…

One thing was clear—Mrs. Yuigahama had a beautiful, youthful smile that made her seem as vibrant as ever.