Why wasn't I the one who got the male lead's script?

As soon as An Yi finished speaking, the atmosphere, which had reached a peak of tension in just a moment, was relaxed unconsciously by him.

However, everyone's expressions became more different.

Xingjian, who had originally looked up with interest, concerned about how he would answer, raised her eyebrows, sighed in her heart, and then drank the last bit of water in the cup.

How many people can be fooled by this?

"........."

Eriri, who had turned her head to pay attention to Aki's response, heard this, and for some reason, a hint of disappointment crossed her lovely face. However, she didn't express it immediately. Instead, she pouting, walked back to her seat, picked up her brush, and began to work intently.

"Is this so?"

Kasumigaoka Utaha looked at Aki with a look that wanted to confirm, but the latter just kept looking away.

"...It seems you're still unwilling to give me an answer, Ethics-kun."

Kasumigaoka Utaha lowered her head, sighed as if a little disappointed, closed her computer and walked out of the meeting room.

"what………"

An Yi was quite hesitant as he looked at Shiyu leaving, but in the end he did not chase after her.

Kato, who was used as a shield by Aki, looked at Aki Tomoya, who was pretending to be calm but was actually very panicked. Then he turned around to look at Eriri who was concentrating on painting and Hoshimi who was watching the show on the side. Finally, he just blinked his eyes slightly innocently.

There's something weird about it.

In order to verify whether his idea is true or not, Xingjian plans to leave here first.

"I'm going to use the bathroom."

Before leaving, Hoshimi deliberately looked at Aki, who was lying on the table in frustration because of Kasumigaoka's departure. The other party seemed not to notice him, but Kato nodded at him.

“…As expected.”

After greeting Kato, Hoshimi pushed open the door of the conference room and gradually quickened her pace.

He caught up with Kasumigaoka Utaha who was about to walk down the stairs to leave with her laptop.

"Kasumigaoka-senpai—"

Xingjian called out to the girl with long black hair who was about to turn the corner of the stairs with her back to him.

Shiyu paused for a moment, then stopped where he wished, and turned around to look at Xingjian on the stairs.

"...I never thought it would be you, Hoshimi-kun, who would come and call me."

I don’t know why, but the smile of Kasumigaoka Utaha, which used to give people a sense of ease, is now mixed with a hint of bitterness.

"Ah, could it be that you actually have some feelings for me?"

"Well, I'm sorry that Ren didn't come after you. I was going to see a friend, and I'm even more sorry that I just happened to be going the same way as you. And—"

The black-haired boy walked down the stairs with light steps and finally stood in front of Kasumigaoka Utaha.

"Don't force yourself to pretend to be at ease and tease your juniors. It's okay. Senior, you know I just like your work."

"What? That's like saying that. It's like I got dumped by someone younger than me again."

Shiyu smiled again because of Xingjian's sarcastic words, and the melancholy on her face disappeared a lot.

They walked down the stairs side by side.

"Don't bother with words of comfort. They won't be of any real help to me."

Kasumigaoka Utaha planned to shut Hoshimi's mouth first - maybe she felt it was embarrassing to be comforted by a junior.

"Oh, that's fine. I had no such plans anyway."

The smile on the black-haired boy's face was gentle and pure, easily giving people a sense of approachability and peace - if it weren't for the rather irritating words he said.

"After all, it's the senior who's clinging to an unattainable wish, and no amount of persuasion from bystanders will help."

"Are you trying to say that I deserve it?"

"I mean, Senior isn't stupid at all, it's just that he's too stubborn."

Why do you have to rush into the fire like a moth for something impossible?

Xingjian, who has never been interested in others, really can't understand this stubborn emotion.

"Ah, thank you so much. Did you chase me just to mock me? Hoshimi-kun, you're even more sinister and mean than I thought."

"Eh... I've suddenly become such a distinctive character. I feel a little flattered."

Kasumigaoka Utaha opened her mouth, wanting to say something but stopping herself - it was rare for her to not know what to say in response.

"...You're surprisingly mean. So you came after me just to make fun of me?"

"If you think this explanation makes sense, Senior, I have no objection."

He shrugged nonchalantly. This attitude was not so much gentle tolerance as it was a cold indifference, as if he didn't invest too much emotion in something he didn't care about.

"But there's one thing I really can't understand... Are you still deceiving yourself, Senior?"

He curled his lips in a somewhat nonchalant manner, and then met Shiyu's gaze with a slightly sharp look.

"Last time, too. Because he couldn't get recognition from Tomoya, he sought recognition from others. I can understand that—but I really don't understand."

Why would such a mature and intelligent person like Kasumigaoka Utaha fall so deeply in love with Aki Tomoya?

"Don't you understand? Well, of course you don't understand."

Having said that, Kasumigaoka Utaha smiled bitterly and did not meet Hoshimi's gaze again.

"When my work was about to be cancelled, it was Ethics-kun who promoted it for me free of charge, which brought it back to life."

"........."

Xingjian frowned slightly, and then returned to normal without a trace.

As a reader of Teacher Kasumi Shiko, he also knew about this.

When "Love Metronome" first debuted, its sales were dismal. Although the writing was excellent and the plot design was great, it just couldn't boost sales.

However, one day, a blogger named TAKI-kun with hundreds of thousands of fans began to recommend "Love Metronome" day and night. The sales of this book took off as if it had been reborn, and the name Kasumi Shiko became famous overnight.

"It can be said that... all my current achievements are brought to me by Ethics-kun."

"...Is this why you are helping Tomoya for free now, Senior?"

Xingjian's fist clenched and unclenched, and finally he just gently hid it behind his back.

He did not mention the fact that he was a loyal reader of Kasumi Shiko and posted on various forums on the Internet to promote "Love Metronome" like an idiot. He just hoped that more people would read the book and not have it cut off.

I did the same thing, but just because the people were different, I got different responses.

Actually, it's human nature.

"... In this regard, Hoshimi-kun, there's no difference between you and me, right?"

Kasumigaoka did not answer Hoshimi's question, but instead directed the conflict towards him.

"A strange kid who no one cared about was nurtured by friendship, and he was deeply trapped in the idea that he should repay the favor he received - even though we are all the same people."

"........."

A very uncomfortable feeling started to rise in my chest again.

Xingjian couldn't tell where this discomfort came from, but Shiyu's words made him very unhappy.

"We are still a little different, Senior."

Therefore, when he raised his head and looked into Shiyu's eyes, there was a hint of displeasure in his calm gaze for the first time.

"...After my patience wears off, I'll make a clean getaway."

——It was only at this time that Kasumigaoka Utaha noticed that Hoshimi was holding a piece of manuscript paper in her hand.

On it were five big words: Application for Resignation.

"……what happened?"

Kasumigaoka Utaha narrowed her eyes slightly as if she had anticipated something.

----

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Because I don't want this book to be full of hostility, I hope everyone can discuss it rationally.

Let me briefly explain here that Qing and the readers with a God's perspective have certain information errors and cognitive biases towards Renye.

We see Midoriya flirting with several girls, but Haru has no idea that Midoriya is flirting with several girls. For example, in the previous chapter, when Eriri went to Midoriya's house to comfort him, he was completely unaware. At most, he thought that several girls were pursuing him at the same time, and he chose Kei. This is the first information error.

Secondly, he asked Kei to go to Tomoya's house without knowing that "Tomoya had decided to let Kei stay overnight", and thought that Tomoya would really let Kei leave at dinner time as he had promised him before, so he felt at ease and prepared to leave. Later, he found out that he wanted to force Kei to stay at his house overnight, and realized that his thinking was inappropriate, so he quickly took remedial measures and hoped to send Kei back privately. After being rejected by Kei, he stayed at Tomoya's house to accompany him. The reason why this action made everyone feel uncomfortable was caused by the second intelligence error.

In short, to put it simply, Qing, who has no experience in dating, thinks too highly of Lun. If anyone feels that my statement is biased, please feel free to send me a private message to discuss it. I hope the comment section will be less chaotic, so some comments with a harsh tone may be deleted directly. I apologize for this.

----

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The author has something to say about being limited to 500 words, so I've included the above explanation in the main text. To compensate, this update has 3k words.

Is Qing, the tool character, rather selfless? Yes. I think so, too, and I intend for him to correct this in the coming chapters, gradually developing the presence and moral character expected of a protagonist. So, there's no need to worry about him remaining this way forever.

Of course, by now you probably understand what's going to happen next. Read the book carefully, make reasonable guesses, and avoid any venom.

Love＆peace (of course it would be better if you have tickets)

By the way, the next update will feature the invincible Futaba (dog head)

Aki Tomoya cannot predict the future: Chapter 11: A turbulent future (Part 2)

"A few days ago, Ren asked me to invite Kato to my house to play games, and we ended up spending the night together."

This time, Hoshimi told everything to Kasumigaoka without hiding anything.

"……What did you say?"

A complex array of emotions flickered across the face of the black-haired girl, and her originally calm demeanor was slightly shaken.

Sure enough, she was still kept in the dark.

"...It's true. After all, I was there the whole time."

Having said that, Xingjian looked away and sneered in self-mockery.

"That was my fault. I was thinking that even if the study session turned into a game tutorial, Ren would still see Kato off before dinner—but I ended up leaving myself."

"...So when you invited Kato-san to go to Renji-kun's house, you didn't know he was planning to stay overnight?"

"I don't know, but this has nothing to do with me betraying Kato's trust in me."

Xingjian frankly stated the inappropriate things he had done before, and did not use excuses like "ignorance is not a crime" to excuse himself.

He understood that if one knew one was wrong, one should correct it; if one was beaten, one should stand at attention.

"So from now on, if Kato is unwilling to face Tomoya's pursuit, I will find a way to help her - this can be regarded as making up for my previous mistakes."

There wasn't much he could do, and in the final analysis it was just to balance the guilt in his heart.

"That's why I don't plan to have any further contact with Ren in the future - I personally feel that he and I are somewhat incompatible."

Is this also the reason why he applied for resignation?

"...So you're planning to betray the friendship that Ethics-kun has for you, Hoshimi-kun?"

"………Oh."

Friendship...ah.

Speaking of this somewhat ironic word, the self-deprecating expression on Xingjian's face became more intense.

"...I thought I considered Ren a friend. But now that I think about it, did he really consider me a friend...?"

Xingjian thinks it is normal to go through fire and water for a friend. Even if this kindness will not be discovered, as long as the other person can become better because of his help, he will be satisfied.

He doesn't demand a corresponding reward for his efforts - but he hates being treated as a tool to be called upon at any time.

"Ethics-kun—he won't."

Subconsciously wanting to argue, Kasumigaoka Utaha blurted out these words, then slowly, unable to add anything, she frowned and lowered her face.

"He...wouldn't take advantage of others like that..."

"...Don't try to convince others with a tone that can't even convince yourself, Senior."