chapter 8: "The first lesson:patience"
Kai sighed, staring at the desperate look on Hotaru's face. He had seen that expression before—determined, yet slightly on the verge of madness. He knew if he didn't say something soon, she would either break down in tears or explode with frustration.
"…Fine," he muttered, rubbing the back of his head. "I'll help you. Just this once."
Hotaru's eyes sparkled as if she had just been granted a divine blessing. She rushed toward him, gripping his sleeves, and began firing questions at a speed faster than light.
"This part, this part, and this—how can I improve them? What about this sentence? Should I add more dialogue here? Do I need to change the pacing? Maybe I should rewrite the entire scene—"
Kai placed a hand on her forehead and pushed her away gently. "One at a time, woman."
Hotaru blinked. "Oh. Right."
Then, with a smirk and a sudden air of superiority, Kai straightened his back, crossed his arms, and declared, "Call me Kai-sensei, and I shall bestow upon you my vast knowledge and experience as a devoted reader."
Hotaru gulped dramatically. "I am ready for anything, Kai-sensei!" she said, both nervous and excited.
Kai nodded solemnly. "Good. Then I shall grant you a crash course… with enthusiasm."
"With double the enthusiasm," Hotaru echoed, raising a fist in excitement.
Then Kai yawned, stretched, and promptly lay back down. "Let's start tomorrow. I'm going back to sleep."
Hotaru's world shattered. "What?! No, no, no—wake up! I came here because I need advice now! My brain will explode if I don't fix my story today!"
Kai turned to the other side, pulling the blanket over his head. "Go back to sleep."
"But I'm not sleepy!" Hotaru cried.
Kai slowly peeked out from under the blanket, his eyes sharp and serious. "If you can't wait till tomorrow, then you're not willing to give your everything."
Hotaru gasped.
"Patience," Kai continued, his voice deep and philosophical, "is a fundamental virtue of a writer. A true writer must endure frustration, delays, and rejection. If you cannot even wait until morning… how will you handle the long, torturous journey of writing?"
For a moment, silence filled the room.
Hotaru stood there, letting the words sink in. She clenched her fists, feeling newfound respect for Kai. "You're right," she whispered. "I must have patience. Thank you, Kai-sensei. I'll wait."
Kai nodded solemnly. "Good." Then, before Hotaru could turn away, he added, "Oh, and turn off the lights and close the door on your way out."
Hotaru twitched but obeyed.
As soon as she left, Kai sighed, sinking into his pillow. What a pain... He didn't actually believe half of what he had just said. It was simply the best answer to get her to stop pestering him and go to sleep. But, looking back, it wasn't a bad speech. Maybe he really did sound wise. Sensei, huh? I kinda like the sound of that.
The Next Morning
The sun had barely risen when Hotaru jolted awake, filled with renewed motivation. Without wasting a second, she sprinted straight to Kai's room and shook him violently.
"WAKE UP, SENSEI!"
Kai groaned. "Go… away…"
"IT'S MORNING! TIME TO TEACH ME!"
Kai cracked one eye open, looking at her with exhaustion. "Go and freshen up first."
"No, I want to start now!"
Kai pinched the bridge of his nose before narrowing his eyes. "Your breath stinks."
Hotaru gasped. She cupped her hands over her mouth and exhaled, sniffing the air. Her face contorted in horror. "Oh my god…"
Kai rolled back under the blanket. "Come back after brushing your teeth, you gremlin."
Hotaru, humiliated but obedient, ran off to clean up. When she returned, she was greeted by an unexpected sight—Kai sat at the table wearing glasses and a formal suit. But not just any suit.
It was her father's suit.
Hotaru's jaw dropped. "Wh-what are you wearing?!"
Kai adjusted his glasses with an exaggerated professor-like expression. "If I am to be your sensei, I must look the part." He motioned toward the seat across from him. "Take a seat, Hotaru-chan."
She hesitated before sitting down. This was… bizarre.
Kai clapped his hands. "Now, let us begin. Do you have a question?"
Hotaru raised her hand hesitantly.
"Yes, Hotaru-chan?"
"I've been writing since I was in junior high, and when I reached high school, I decided I wanted to become a writer, but…" She trailed off.
Kai nodded wisely. "Go on."
Hotaru fidgeted. "But… what if my writing isn't good enough? What if I'm just fooling myself?"
Kai sighed dramatically, shaking his head. "Hotaru-chan, my dear student, that is the fate of all writers."
Hotaru blinked. "Huh?"
"Every writer thinks they suck. Even the best of the best doubt themselves. You know what that means?"
Hotaru thought for a moment. "That… I should just keep writing?"
Kai smirked. "Exactly. You only truly fail when you stop."
Hotaru's eyes widened as the wisdom of his words struck her. "Kai-sensei…"
Kai waved his hand dismissively. "Now, go get me a cup of tea. Teachers need tea."
Hotaru narrowed her eyes. "I take back my respect."
Kai grinned. "Too late. Now let's start your first lesson—how to write dialogue that doesn't sound like a robot malfunctioning."
And just like that, Hotaru's crash course in writing had officially begun.
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~~~~~~~~~end of chapter 8~~~~~~~~~
WARNING
This is the original version of the webnovel "Hotaru's assassin" by the author "Hanagaki Ryuka". Please don't copyright or upload it in your name
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1O1cON4UEjsjFPMZxqNSY425-fdHW19779uAKscbDsy8/edit?usp=drivesdk