Chapter 113: Hitori Gotoh’s Turn!

(TL Note: Plot sounds like a copy of "Your Name", so I recommend reading it while listening to kimi no wa ost or Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso OST!)

Staring at the manuscript of The Girl Hidden Within the Azalea Fields—

Just moments ago,

Kikuri Hiroi had been carefree and playful,

But now—

She was silent.

The opening lines greeted her with an extremely calm self-narration:

"The one I love is gone."

"I will be alone forever."

The words were simple—

Even plain.

Like someone whispering softly in her ear.

And yet, for some reason—

That very calmness—

That plain, unembellished prose—

Somehow seeped into her alcohol-soaked heart,

Forcing it into an unnatural stillness.

The story began from the male protagonist's perspective.

He was someone naturally indifferent to others,

Born with a numbness to emotions.

Because of this emotional dullness,

He had never made any friends.

Even while living in a city,

He was completely alone.

The city was filled with thousands of glowing windows,

Yet not a single one was left on for him.

The prose was still calm, almost indifferent—

Yet, the way Minami Shouji expressed it—

His delicate and intricate writing style—

Brought out every detail of the protagonist's inner loneliness.

Minami's words—

Felt as though they had a certain magic.

Kikuri Hiroi could see it.

She could see the protagonist right before her eyes.

And as someone who had once been a loner in high school,

Who had later decided to change herself—

She felt an odd connection to this character.

She stayed silent,

And turned the page.

During a vacation from work,

The protagonist sets out on a solo journey—

A destinationless trip.

Along the way,

He stumbles upon a station near a vast azalea field.

Attracted by the vibrant sea of blossoms,

He steps off the train.

There—

Amid the lush, endless azalea fields,

He meets a girl—

Komako.

She was cheerful,

Energetic,

And overflowing with warmth.

The protagonist was drawn to her,

And as he was—

So was Kikuri Hiroi.

The passionate and beautiful Komako—

Just like the novel described—

"The azaleas dyed the blush on her face even deeper, and even her fingertips— in my eyes— were unbearably lovely."

Meeting Komako.

A brief conversation.

A country girl's longing for the big city.

A young man, fascinated by her warmth.

These two characters—

Even though Kikuri Hiroi had never met Minami Shouji in person,

In his writing,

They felt as if they were real people.

As if somewhere in this world,

There truly was an endless azalea field—

And a girl named Komako.

The drunken haze in Kikuri Hiroi's eyes gradually faded.

Her half-lidded eyes,

Usually lazy and half-asleep,

Were now fully open.

Her delicate fingers,

Holding onto the manuscript,

Gently turned the page.

She felt happiness when Komako smiled.

She felt sadness when Komako left.

And most of all—

Kikuri Hiroi could see herself in the protagonist.

The socially dull,

Emotionally detached protagonist…

Somehow felt so much like her past self.

And these printed words on paper—

Began to feel less like words…

And more like a world she had stepped into.

For a brief moment—

It was as if she was no longer sitting in STARRY.

But rather—

Inside the protagonist's empty, lifeless apartment.

Yes.

Kikuri Hiroi lifted her head.

Returning home—

There were no family members to greet her.

No LINE messages from her bandmates.

No hot meal waiting on the table.

Only an empty room—

And a body weighed down by exhaustion.

"I want to go back and find Komako."

A strong, overwhelming urge rose up inside Kikuri Hiroi.

She wanted to see her again.

She wanted to talk to her again.

She wanted to be with her again.

But—

What was this emotion surging inside her?

This restless, turbulent feeling?

Kikuri didn't understand.

All she could do was wander aimlessly through the city streets,

Watching the crowds of people passing by.

Among the bustling sea of people—

She alone felt like a ghost.

It wasn't until—

She absentmindedly confessed her feelings to an old man—

That his words finally made her realize the truth.

"This is love. You are deeply in love with that girl!"

Yes.

Someone like her—

Who had long since become numb to emotions—

Was now finally able to recognize the warmth that had been lingering in her heart all along.

It was love.

Something irreplaceable—

Yet the most precious thing of all.

She had to find it again!

And so—

She boarded the train once more.

The train that would take her back to the azalea fields in full bloom.

But—

It was already too late.

A fleeting encounter—

Now meaningless.

The azalea fields remained,

Still blooming just as beautifully.

But the girl she cared for most—

Was nowhere to be found.

She stood alone in the vast, empty landscape.

Staring at the endless sunset and the sea of flowers.

She was alone—

"Lost! Gone! Never to return!"

At this moment—

A crushing wave of sorrow surged inside Kikuri Hiroi's chest.

The delicate, understated prose had completely engulfed her.

Just as she was about to turn the page—

She froze.

The novel had—

Abruptly ended.

Not only had it delivered such a gut-wrenching, heartbreaking moment—

It had the audacity to cut off here?!

No ending?!

No closure?!

This was the final straw!

The cruel, heartless cliffhanger struck her like a fatal blow.

The pent-up frustration inside her clashed with the novel's tragic beauty.

Kikuri Hiroi couldn't take it anymore.

Her eyes lost all light—

And she burst into loud, ugly sobs.

"Komako! My Komako!"

A twenty-six-year-old woman—

Usually mature and composed—

Was now sobbing uncontrollably like a child.

Komako had disappeared.

The protagonist's deep, heart-wrenching loneliness—

Had completely consumed her.

No.

It wasn't just that.

It wasn't just that she could relate to the story.

It was something far scarier.

This novel made her feel—

A growing fear about her own life.

If she kept wasting time like this—

If she kept drowning herself in alcohol every day—

Would she one day become like the protagonist?

Would she also lose the person she loved most?

No...

There was an even bigger problem.

Did she even have someone to love in the first place?

Would she ever find someone?

She wanted it.

She wanted to experience what the protagonist had.

She wanted to meet someone.

She wanted to fall in love with someone.

She wanted to confess her feelings to someone.

Just like in the story.

Instead of spending her life in eternal regret.

Yes!

I can't keep going on like this!

I can't keep being a coward!

I am not a coward!

I need to find someone! And confess!

With that thought, Kikuri Hiroi wiped her tears,

And looked around the room.

At that exact moment,

Seika Ijichi hesitated before carefully speaking up,

Her voice cautious as she tested the waters—

"...Hey? Kikuri?"

As she spoke,

Seika Ijichi was carefully watching Kikuri Hiroi's expression.

What's wrong with her?

Is she drunk and ranting?

Did she finally drink herself brain-dead?

Why is she suddenly calling out someone's name?

Seika was genuinely concerned about Kikuri's mental state.

But before she could think further—

Just calling her name had been enough.

Because the moment Kikuri Hiroi heard her voice—

She immediately turned around,

Her tears and snot still dripping down her face—

And threw herself onto Seika, embracing her tightly.

At the same time,

She wailed out loud—

"Seika-senpai! Please! Date me!"

"I-I can play bass and support you!"

"WHAT?! You idiot! Let go! You're disgusting!"

Seika Ijichi was completely stunned by the sudden attack-hug.

But when she felt the warm tears and the sticky snot getting onto her clothes—

Her natural instinct for cleanliness completely broke down.

"Get away from me, Kikuri!"

"Why?! Why are you rejecting me?! I love you so much, Seika-senpai!"

"No way! A lifetime of loneliness is better than this!"

Her face covered in tears and snot—

Kikuri Hiroi, who was normally considered beautiful,

Now looked like an absolute mess.

Anyone would be disgusted.

And Seika Ijichi—

Who was still struggling to break free—

Was no exception.

"Let go of me! You're disgusting!"

She fought back,

Her voice full of frustration.

This idiot! She's so strong!

Unable to break free,

Seika finally snapped—

"And I'm a woman! You moron!"

Yes.

She was a woman.

What the hell is wrong with this idiot?

Why was she suddenly clinging to her and confessing like this?!

"That's okay, Seika-senpai! I don't mind!"

Kikuri Hiroi sniffled loudly,

But refused to let go.

"I! MIND!"

Seika Ijichi's usually mature and composed face was now bright red.

She was so infuriated she felt like she was going to cough up blood.

Back in high school,

Because of her attractive looks,

She had a lot of guys confessing to her.

But—

Since she had to take care of Nijika,

She had rejected all of them.

That did not mean she was into girls!

She just never had the time or energy to date someone.

That was all!

"Senpai is so shy—"

"But that's okay! We can start developing our relationship now!"

"What do you mean, 'start developing'?! I'm not interested in you!"

Seika yelled,

Then immediately turned to call for backup—

"PA! Get over here! Help! Pull this idiot off me!"

Yes.

If she couldn't escape and couldn't reason with her,

Then she might as well call for help.

That would be faster.

Seika turned toward PA-san behind the counter.

And then—

She saw it.

Just a moment ago,

PA-san had been curiously flipping through Minami Shouji's manuscript.

But now—

Her expression was starting to change.

At first,

She had looked calm and composed.

But as she continued reading,

She was becoming more and more silent.

Why… does this feel familiar?

Seika frowned.

She had a bad feeling about this.

"Hey! PA!"

Barely managing to break free from Kikuri's grip,

Seika rushed over to PA-san's side.

And there—

She saw it again.

PA-san's eyes were teary,

Her face full of emotion.

It was as if she had been completely purified by the novel.

Seika glanced at the manuscript sitting beside her.

"The Girl Hidden Within the Azalea Fields."

The title was neatly written in flawless handwriting.

"Seriously?"

Seika turned back to look at Kikuri Hiroi,

Who was now face-down on the table, sobbing about 'heartbreak'.

Then she looked at PA-san again—

Who was overflowing with sorrow,

As if she had just experienced a tragic yet beautiful love story.

Her mind was a mess.

It's just a novel written by a high schooler, isn't it?!

Not some literary master. Not a famous novelist.

Does it really deserve this kind of reaction?!

She didn't get it.

Not at all.

Shaking her head,

Seika turned to the side,

Where Hitori Gotoh had been watching with curiosity.

"Bocchi."

"Hm?"

Hitori Gotoh, who had been curiously looking at Minami Shouji's manuscript, tilted her head.

"Since two people have already read it, why don't we take a look too?"

Raising the manuscript in her hand, Seika Ijichi casually suggested her idea.

"Eh? You mean read Minami-senpai's manuscript?"

Honestly, Hitori was indeed very curious about what kind of story Minami had written.

"Yeah. Since two people have already seen it, it's not really a secret anymore, is it?"

Seika flipped through the pages briefly.

There were about ten or so pages—it wouldn't take long to read through them.

"This story will be published in your school's magazine, right?"

"Mmm... It should be."

Hitori had full confidence in Minami's abilities.

"Then let's give it a read and offer Minami some feedback."

Seika rubbed her chin thoughtfully.

"After all, novels are best when shared with more readers, right?"

"Well... that's true."

Hitori, though still a little hesitant, nodded.

The more readers a novel had, the more insightful feedback it could receive.

After all, gathering different perspectives often led to better writing.

And more than anything else—

Hitori was extremely curious.

What kind of story had Minami written...

That could make a habitual drunkard like Kikuri Hiroi and the ever-composed PA-san react so strongly?

Curiosity burned inside her, and she leaned in closer to Seika.

The two of them lowered their heads—

And began to read word by word, carefully.

And then, as they continued reading—

Hitori Gotoh and Seika Ijichi gradually realized something.

Their eyes—

Could no longer look away.

Meanwhile—

"I really didn't expect to run into Minami-san at the supermarket in Shimokitazawa."

Walking along the street, Nijika Ijichi radiated an aura of warmth and kindness.

She smiled brightly, looking up at Minami Shouji.

"Yeah."

Minami smiled and nodded.

"I stopped by Starry earlier, but no one was around, and the fridge was empty. So I figured I'd take a quick trip to buy some groceries."

"Oh, my sister and PA-san probably went to the music store to check out some equipment."

At the mention of her "tsun-tsun-tsun-tsun-tsun" older sister—

Nijika's expression softened visibly.

She knew very well.

How much her sister had done to take care of her.

Ever since their mother passed away—

Her sister had, in many ways, taken on the role of a parent.

She might not have been the most mature—

And she was sometimes clumsy—

But Nijika was filled with gratitude for everything her sister had done.

Compared to most people her age, her sister had an undeniable sense of maturity and reliability.

But—

Now that Nijika herself had grown up...

She couldn't help but feel that—

Maybe...

At twenty-nine years old...

Her sister should probably find a boyfriend... right?

Thinking about this, Nijika's expression became troubled.

And—

As if he had read her thoughts,

Minami Shouji, walking behind her, spoke up understandingly—

"Don't worry, Ijichi-san."

"The manager is beautiful, and she has a great personality—finding a boyfriend definitely won't be a problem."

It wasn't just empty reassurance.

With Seika Ijichi's looks—

Finding a boyfriend in Tokyo wouldn't be difficult at all.

"Really?"

Hearing Minami Shouji's response, Nijika Ijichi's previously worried expression melted away, and she smiled playfully as she teased:

"If my sister could find me a brother-in-law like Minami-san, I'd be completely at ease. Not only can you cook, but you're also brilliant at studying, and you're good-looking too."

But Minami only smiled at her words, without responding.

After all, he knew that Nijika was just joking.

The age gap between him and Seika Ijichi was far too big.

He was seventeen, while she was twenty-nine.

No matter how you looked at it, there was no way the two of them would end up together.

Or rather, if Seika really were interested in him...

That would be a serious problem—

Minami was still a minor.

The two of them chatted and laughed as they walked.

Nijika truly lived up to her role as the core of Kessoku Band.

Unlike the shy and reserved Hitori Gotoh,

She was bright, cheerful, and even liked to joke around.

Even Minami found her easy to get along with.

As they talked and laughed, they finally arrived at Starry's entrance.

"My sister should be back by now."

Feeling much better after their conversation, Nijika pushed open the door to Starry, smiling.

At the same time, she offered naturally—

"Come in and have a seat, Minami-san. I'll get you some tea."

"Sure."

Minami nodded,

Just as he was about to step into Starry's live house—

"MINAMI!"

Suddenly—

Hurried footsteps came rushing from inside Starry.

Nijika, confused, turned her head toward the noise.

And then—

She saw it.

From inside Starry—

Her older sister, Seika Ijichi, ran out and suddenly threw her arms around Minami—

Tears streaming down her face.

At the same time,

Her voice trembled with emotion—

"Go out with me, Minami!"

She tightly gripped Minami's hands,

Her expression serious as she declared—

"After spending twenty-nine years of my life single, I finally understand!"

"I can't keep being a coward!"

"I have to confess to you!"

"I can't let you slip away like the protagonist in your novel lost 'Komako'!"

"..."

Minami fell into deep thought.

Beside him—

Nijika Ijichi stood frozen.

Her red eyes darted back and forth between Minami and her older sister.

She never expected that—

What she had just casually joked about earlier—

Would actually come true?!

Minami really became my brother-in-law?!

And the age gap between them was just too much!

For a moment—

Nijika couldn't process what was happening.

But then—

Something even more unbelievable happened.

With a loud bang—

The doors of Starry suddenly burst open.

And at that moment—

A tear-streaked woman with long black hair rushed out.

The moment she saw Minami,

She did exactly what Seika had done—

Throwing herself into his arms.

One on the left, one on the right—

Both women buried their faces in his chest—

Crying uncontrollably.

But crying wasn't enough—

Both of them clung to Minami—

Begging him to date them.

This sight completely broke Nijika.

She stood there, utterly stunned.

"Wait... PA-san?! Sis?! WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING?!"

Nijika, who had just barely managed to process what was happening,

Finally snapped out of it.

She stared in disbelief,

Mouth slightly open,

Then quickly reached out her hands—

Trying to pry her sister and PA-san off of Minami.

But—

It was no use.

These two clung to him as if their lives depended on it, completely unwilling to let go.

"Nijika, you still don't understand."

PA-san's delicate face was filled with melancholy as she looked at Nijika.

"Do you know what women our age are truly lacking?"

"...What?"

Nijika's bright and youthful face was filled with utter confusion.

Lacking something?

She had only gone out for a bit to pick up groceries.

And when she came back—

She found that both her sister and PA-san had somehow completely lost their minds.

"It's love, Nijika! Reading Minami's novel made me realize it!"

Seika Ijichi murmured to herself,

Her mind still entrenched in the world of romance from the novel—

"Life is truly fleeting… Even the time we have to meet the ones we love is painfully short!"

Yes!

Romance and poetry were right beside them!

She couldn't let herself become like the protagonist in The Girl Hidden in the Azalea Fields—

She couldn't let her own "Komako" slip away.

After reading Minami's novel,

They finally understood—

What they needed was a love so beautiful it could last beyond death!

"...What are you two even talking about…?"

Nijika's entire face went blank.

She genuinely didn't understand anything.

Novels? Love?

How were these things even connected?!

But just as her thoughts began spinning out of control—

Minami suddenly spoke up.

"In any case, we need to calm them down first. We can't just have the manager and PA-san hanging onto me like this forever, can we?"

"Ah… right."

Finally snapping back to reality,

Nijika quickly helped Minami pry PA-san and her sister off of him.

Once the two of them had been detached—

Minami let out a deep breath.

Part of it was physical relief—

PA-san and Seika probably weighed somewhere between 50 to 55 kilograms each.

One person alone wasn't too heavy.

But two people at once—

That was enough to make Minami feel suffocated.

But the other reason for his relief was simply…

He was still a guy.

And Seika and PA-san were mature women in their late twenties—

Far from the youthful inexperience of Hitori Gotoh or even Ryou Yamada.

Their figures were—

Undeniably different.

Hugging him so closely—

With that much body contact—

Even Minami, who prided himself on his self-control, had felt a reaction coming on.

His ability to "keep himself in check" was only average at best.

So he had been this close to reaching his breaking point.

But now—

He finally had some breathing room.

Minami glanced toward the interior of Starry.

And that's when he saw it.

There, sitting on the bar counter—

His partially opened manuscript for The Girl Hidden in the Azalea Fields.

I messed up.

Minami quickly picked up the manuscript.

When he had left earlier,

He had only planned to run a quick errand—

So he had simply left his student bag and manuscript on the bar counter,

Thinking he'd be back soon anyway.

But he hadn't expected that—

The moment he left, Seika and the others would return.

And now,

Looking at their "I desperately want to experience a love so romantic it could destroy me" expressions…

They had clearly become the first victims of his novel.

Minami let out a silent sigh.

Last time, it had been the fried chicken incident with Hitori Gotoh—

And that had been intentional.

But this time—

It was completely unplanned.

How was he supposed to know that these nosy women would actually go snooping through his manuscript?!

"Then again…"

Minami glanced sideways—

At the sleeping woman passed out on a table.

Her messy purple hair drooped over the edge,

And her face was half-buried in her folded arms.

It was Kikuri Hiroi.

Passed out drunk as usual.

Minami had already met this woman before in his simulation.

She was the bassist of a well-known band in Shinjuku.

And, in the simulation—

She had been a long-time supporter of Kessoku Band.

Even in their early days,

She had helped them a lot.

Hitori Gotoh had never explicitly mentioned her in the simulation—

But Minami could tell that Hitori truly respected her.

...Even if she was a complete alcoholic.

Kikuri's personality was chaotic, loud, and utterly carefree.

If she saw a manuscript lying around—

Of course, she'd be curious enough to read it.

And once she started reading—

Seika and PA-san naturally followed suit.

So in the end…

This outcome wasn't surprising at all.

Minami shook his head,

Then stood up,

Helping Nijika move Seika and PA-san onto a bench.

Once the effects of his skills—

"Writing (Romantic) LV4" and "Late-Stage Minami's Pure & Poetic Romantic Literary Style"—

Finally wore off…

Minami was genuinely curious.

What kind of expressions would these two have then?

But for now,

Minami focused on a more pressing matter.

"Nijika-san, was there anyone else here earlier?"

Because anyone who had been here after he left…

Might have also read his novel.

This thing was far too dangerous—

Anyone who had read his novel was now a liability.

He had to figure out exactly how many people were affected.

However, when Minami asked,

Nijika—who was still preparing hot tea for her sister and PA-san to help them calm down—

Merely shook her head.

"I'm not sure either.

I was on the phone with my sister earlier, so I don't actually know how many people were with them."

"I see."

Hearing this, Minami could only nod in acknowledgment.

Nijika didn't know.

Seika and PA-san were still trapped in their post-romantic daze.

And Kikuri Hiroi was completely passed out drunk.

Every possible lead was dead on arrival.

Minami had no choice but to drop the subject for now.

Instead, he stood up and called out—

"It looks like they'll need a while before they fully recover. I'll head upstairs and start cooking."

"Okay! Thanks for helping out, Minami-san!"

Nijika—who was still checking on her sister and PA-san—

Simply replied without turning around.

From the basement of Starry—

To the kitchen on the ground floor—

This was a path Minami had walked countless times before.

As he made his way upstairs,

His mind continued to analyze the effects of his Writing (Romantic) LV4 skill.

What exactly triggered this reaction?

And how could he prevent this from happening again?

Pondering these thoughts,

Minami absentmindedly pushed open the kitchen door.

Everything looked normal.

The kitchen was as spotless as ever—

Nothing had been moved.

But then—

Something felt off.

A strange, unexplainable sensation pricked at the edges of his consciousness.

It was like a warning bell going off inside his head.

Something wasn't right.

Minami instinctively took a step back.

He turned around, preparing to leave immediately.

But then—

"Mmm?!"

A soft, warm sensation suddenly pressed against his lips.

Minami's eyes snapped open in shock.

Because right in front of him—

Hitori Gotoh was standing on her tiptoes,

Her delicate arms wrapped tightly around his neck.

Her rosy, petal-soft lips

Were sealed firmly against his.

And that wasn't all—

He could feel it.

Even through her oversized pink hoodie—

Minami could clearly sense the plush, inviting softness pressed against his chest.

Too soft.

Too warm.

Too… intense.

And—

Even more shocking than the sensation itself—

Was the fact that Hitori Gotoh had initiated this.

This was Hitori Gotoh.

The girl who could barely hold a conversation without breaking into a nervous wreck.

The girl who practically fainted at the mere thought of eye contact.

So how—

How was she doing something this bold?!

Minami's wide, dark eyes stared down at her—

And then, he saw it.

That beautiful, delicate face—

Was utterly entranced.

A dreamy, faraway look filled her gaze—

As if she was completely lost in the overwhelming romantic melancholy of the moment.

And then—

Minami finally understood.

It wasn't just Seika, PA-san, and Kikuri Hiroi.

Hitori Gotoh had also read his novel.

That's why—

This should've been impossible moment was happening right now.

This was wrong.

This was completely out of character for her.

And yet—

And yet—

And yet—

Hitori Gotoh's body pressed even closer.

Her fingers tightened around his nape.

Her toes lifted even higher.

Minami's breath hitched.

Because this shy, timid, anxious girl—

Had just done the unthinkable.

She was slipping her tongue into his mouth.

Minami froze.

His mouth parted slightly in shock—

And that tiny movement only emboldened her further.

Her soft, warm tongue gently brushed against his.

Her deep, adoring gaze

Looked up at him with pure, uninhibited longing.

Minami's mind raced for solutions.

He had to push her away.

He had to break free.

But how?!

Because right now—

Her full, inviting chest was pressed so snugly against him

That there was nowhere to grab without making things even worse.

For the first time—

Minami finally understood the meaning of a certain phrase—

"Alcohol ruins everything."

Or in his case—

"Literature ruins everything."

(TL Note: Intense kissing next chap... TO BE CONTINUED->

I'll be the roundabout

The words will make you out 'n' out

I spend the day your way

Call it morning driving through the sound of

In and out the vall-)