The Stand User Of The Daily World

Chapter 75: Master of Modern Poetry

"Things must be going well for him, right? Takagi is a very determined person. If he didn't like Miyoshi, there's no way he'd let him stay around," Shunsuke said as he began brewing tea.

"Besides, tonight's gathering isn't really suitable for you. It's mostly people aspiring to be manga artists. Everyone's just getting to know each other and working toward the same goal."

"Manga artists?" Hanabi muttered softly.

"Shunsuke, aren't you a light novelist? Why are you getting into manga now? I remember you considered it back in middle school but gave up because you thought it was too much work. Why are you suddenly pursuing it again? Aren't you worried it will affect your studies?"

"It's a dream I once had. I figured I might as well chase it now."

Shunsuke rinsed the teapot with hot water.

"Liar."

"Huh? What did you say, Hanabi?"

Shunsuke paused, thinking he must have misheard.

Hanabi forced a smile. "Oh, nothing. I said it's great—you get to chase your dream."

"Is that so..."

Shunsuke believed her—or not!

He's not one of those dense protagonists who suddenly goes deaf at critical moments.

---No matter how quietly you speak, Hanabi, you can't fool me. Not a chance!

---But why did Hanabi sound like a resentful wife just now?

Shunsuke couldn't figure it out.

---Didn't she like Narumi-sensei?

---Was she projecting emotions from playing the role of someone like Mugi from Scum's Wish for too long?

---But seriously, even though I'm drawing a manga like Nisekoi, there's no "fake lover" pact between us. Why are you adding your own subplot here?

To put it simply, Shunsuke had some deep-seated biases against Hanabi.

Silence followed.

When Shunsuke finally served the tea, Hanabi suddenly asked, "I heard... uncle is getting remarried?"

"News travels fast these days, huh?"

"Yeah, so... does that mean you're moving?"

"Yeah, this house is a bit small now, and there are two kids across the street. If we all live together, it would make sense to move into a bigger place," Shunsuke explained.

"I see..."

Hanabi fell silent again.

At this point, no matter how biased or blind Shunsuke had been, he couldn't ignore that something seemed off.

—Could it be... maybe, possibly, perhaps... there's an issue here?

After a moment of thought, he decided to probe. With a teasing tone, he asked, "What's this? Are you reluctant to see me go?"

"Honestly, I am a bit reluctant," Shunsuke continued, half-jokingly, "but luckily, I've saved up a bit. I plan to buy a new place here—part of it will serve as a manga studio—so I'll still be around a lot."

Hanabi's eyes lit up for a moment but quickly dimmed again.

Forcing a smile, she quipped, "Oh, so you're saying you're reluctant to leave me? Isn't it actually that you can't bear to part with Sagiri and Shiina? I mean, you even picked up manga again for Shiina. She must be really touched."

Shunsuke had more or less figured things out, but he continued to feign ignorance. "What kind of nonsense is that? Sagiri is my adorable little sister, and you, Hanabi, are my childhood friend. Of course, I'd miss you both."

"Ah, so I'm not being treated like a little sister, huh?" Hanabi joked.

Without waiting for his response, she stood up, dusted off her skirt, and with her hands clasped behind her back, playfully turned toward the door.

"Alright then, since I know you're not leaving, I'll hurry back and tell my mom. She'd be so relieved."

Shunsuke stood up as well. "I'll come with you."

Hanabi declined with a smile. "No need. If you're too polite, Mom will just start lecturing you again. Besides, we're all having dinner together tomorrow anyway."

Shunsuke frowned as he watched her leave, feeling troubled.

If Hanabi wasn't interested in him, then whatever she did wouldn't concern him.

But if she was interested... then if he kept playing this ambiguous "the body is yours, but the heart isn't" game with someone else, wouldn't he end up unknowingly getting himself tangled in a love triangle?

And yet, he had ambitions—to become a six-winged seraph, no less!

He couldn't possibly tie himself down to just one person.

Sure, Hanabi was beautiful, but in this world, equally beautiful—if not more stunning—girls popped up all the time.

It was like cockroaches: if you found one, there were bound to be more nearby.

...Wait, was that metaphor a bit gross?

After much deliberation, Shunsuke decided it was best to stabilize his position first before making any major moves.

With the stand and the system on his side—essentially giving him the resources and confidence he needed—Shunsuke began to act with more assertiveness.

"Since it's been brought up, the housing issue needs to be resolved first," he muttered, pulling out his phone. After a moment's hesitation, he dialed Suzuna.

He didn't have the time or energy to visit house after house on his own, so naturally, he needed someone trustworthy and competent to handle it for him.

However, Suzuna was ultimately just his editor, not his personal assistant.

Though for high-profile authors, the two roles often overlapped, it still felt a bit inappropriate to keep troubling her with matters like this.

"If only I had a hardworking, intelligent, and loyal secretary," Shunsuke thought wistfully.

Images of characters like Kirari Momobami's secretary Sayaka Igarashi, Manabu Horikita's secretary Tachibana Akane, and Kaguya Shinomiya's aide Ai Hayasaka flashed through his mind.

Shunsuke longed for a capable secretary of his own.

Unfortunately, none of the girls he had met so far seemed to fit the bill.

Most of them maintained equal standing with him in their relationships.

When the call connected, Shunsuke explained his request.

Suzuna sighed lightly but agreed without hesitation.

She also updated him on some of the logistical aspects of the literary awards.

"So, you want me to write a few essays, modern poems, or short stories to create some buzz?"

Shunsuke felt his spirits sink.

Most of the works he had read in his previous life by prominent Japanese authors were mid-length or full-length novels.

He had no exposure to essays or poetry, let alone things like haiku or tanka.

Where was he supposed to plagiarize from?

The modern poetry of the Writers' Association?

If

You hit the Enter key

Frequently

Even poetry

Will seem

Quite good

That was the extent of his ability to write modern poetry.

He decided it was better not to embarrass himself.

Understanding his own limitations, Shunsuke decisively refused.

Suzuna was a little troubled but relented when she saw how adamantly Shunsuke insisted he wasn't skilled in this area. "Alright, we'll think of another way. Nishio-sensei's Norwegian Wood is of high quality, so even without additional buzz, it should hold up well. We'll try to smooth things over by treating some of the judges to hot springs and fine dining."

Hearing her mention their unreliable editor-in-chief, Shunsuke couldn't help but frown.

After ending the call, he pulled out the business card Kirari Momobami had given him and studied it for a moment.

Although it felt like overkill to approach Kirari Momobami for something that was practically a sure thing, dealing with her was all about winning the gamble. As long as he came out on top, it wouldn't be a loss.

Plus, with points involved, there was no reason for him not to go.

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