manga artist Kirito

Page 183

The lyrics grew increasingly somber, and the performance clearly reached its final stage—signifying the end of the school festival.

This song evokes a feeling, a longing, in everyone, from the singer and the musicians to the listeners.

However, the ending was not happy.

As the performance came to an end, the girls on the stage were not looking at the audience below, but at—Kirigaya Kazuto, who was also standing on this stage.

His intense gaze made Kirito's emotions unsettled.

It was a wrong choice. I shouldn't have gone on stage and performed with them. No, I should say I shouldn't have chosen this song.

Kirito fully understood the meaning behind the looks in the girls' eyes. He wasn't a traditional light novel protagonist; obtuseness and the rare gentleness he possessed were uncommon. He knew all of this from the beginning, even though... he didn't understand why things had turned out this way.

But no matter how things ultimately turn out, this performance is over.

The temporarily formed RUA band also reached its destination perfectly.

At this moment, the silent audience erupted in applause like a tsunami, breaking the complex emotions and frozen atmosphere of the people on stage.

The stage host returned to the stage, while the five young men and women, each with their own ideas, went backstage one after another.

"...Aren't you going?"

Yukino Yukinoshita tilted her head slightly to look at Asuna, who was urging the other executive committee members, and asked with a hint of concern.

"Me? Well, although I should definitely be the one to go, but right now..."

Asuna chuckled, "Right now, I shouldn't be backstage either."

Without replying, Yukinoshita lowered her eyes slightly. The chestnut-haired girl standing beside her was too gentle, even... a little too gentle.

"Oh, my liver! My liver hurts so much!"

Perched on Kiritani's shoulder, Haruno looked furious, constantly barking and whining, completely lacking any of her ladylike elegance.

"Want a shot of Durex cold medicine?"

Kirito looked expressionlessly at the girl who didn't seem to mind the heat, then reached out to take the tissue that Kato Megumi offered, but before he could even hold it tightly, Haruno snatched it away.

Then, she gently pressed the tissue against his forehead to wipe away the sweat.

Kirito pursed his lips, not refusing Haruno's offer, and instead took out and put on the headset.

"This is Kiritani. Have you found the Chairman yet?"

Hachiman's tone was slightly complicated, "I... I found him. I saw Ryunosuke. Sagami Minami was on the same rooftop with him, and she looked like she was about to cry... no, she was already crying."

"...Fine, it's okay if you don't bring her back—you bunch of idiots, come back and get ready to clean up after the closing ceremony!"

Kirito took off his headset, just as the girls backstage turned their attention to him. "Sagami Minami encountered an absolutely rational contestant. We can't expect her to come back and give a speech. Hopefully, she won't be traumatized by this incident."

"Huh? Is it that scary?"

Yang opened the author's eyes slightly, looking somewhat gloating.

"...Absolute rationality?"

Kato Megumi tilted her head, indicating that she did not fully understand the meaning of those four words.

"Okay, let's pray for her."

Kasumigaoka Utaha had now composed herself of her complicated feelings and had managed to return to her former self.

"Wait, what does this mean? It's okay if we don't bring them back? Without all the forms, the closing ceremony..."

Jingke acted a bit hastily, even forcing herself to go on stage to buy time, but the result was still the same? I'm so unwilling to accept it!

"Jing'er, you seem to have forgotten that I am the Vice Chairman!"

Kiritani-kun took out his phone and turned on the screen. Yui's image appeared on it, and she said in a very cute way, "All the forms were actually compiled by Dad. Although they were printed out, I still have a backup here! — In Dad's words, I knew there would be some trouble at the closing ceremony!"

"..."

Everyone present stared in astonishment and shock at Yui, who was displaying various forms on her phone screen. Their feelings were complex and subtle.

Especially Kiritani-kun, he can already see the scene of her being hung up and beaten by Asuna - ah, how did Yui learn to say such things?

…………

The music ends and the people disperse?

As Kirito walked towards the entrance of the gymnasium, Kato Megumi had already been forced onto the stage to give a speech and announce various data. Kasumigaoka Utaha seemed to have a new inspiration and was still backstage using Kirito's notebook to record her new ideas. Shizuka, on the other hand, needed to consider the bigger picture and stayed on the side of the stage to watch Kato Megumi's performance.

Just then, someone walked towards them, and it was Sagami Minami who had almost caused a major mess at the closing ceremony. Her eyes were red as if she had just been crying, and the well-known Hayama-kun and Sagami Minami's two henchmen were comforting her.

"It's over. Your plan has failed."

Kiritani stared blankly at Sagami Minami. "Do you know why you were still late even though I tried my best to stall for time? Because they weren't really looking for you. Maybe... they just wanted to see you make a fool of yourself..."

Sagami Minami's expression changed repeatedly.

Hayama, standing nearby, flashed anger in his eyes and reached out to grab Kirito's collar.

Kirito turned sideways expressionlessly, his right palm pushing up on Hayama's chin, while his raised right foot kicked backward, striking Hayama's shin, his arm exerting force at the same time.

Peng!

Ye Shan collapsed to the ground, completely stunned.

"Well then, congratulations, Sagami Minami!"

Kirito shook his head and then walked towards the door.

Seemingly having waited a long time at the door, the chestnut-haired girl walked over and took the boy's arm, the twilight light of the setting sun shining on their faces.

"go home!"

The school festival has ended.

401

[NO.397 New Chapter, New PDA]

Chiba is peaceful today.

Kiritani Kazuto's home is also peaceful.

Having just gotten up and not even washed up, Kiritani-kun turned around and slumped onto the sofa, completely lacking energy.

The heating was on inside, so even though it was late autumn, it didn't feel like autumn, even though it had been raining for the past two days.

In the kitchen, Asuna was preparing breakfast. Even though she didn't have to go to class today, Asuna still got up early to make breakfast; it had probably become a habit.

Yes, it's good that my wife has developed this habit.

Of course, for Kiritani-kun, it's not necessarily a bad thing for other people's wives to develop such habits.

The phone screen lit up on its own, and Yui pressed her face against the screen, but all she could see was the ceiling. She puffed out her cheeks.

"Daddy, hurry up and wake up Mashiro! If you don't get up, Mommy's going to pull your ear!"

It's a very pleasant voice; Kiritani-kun carefully tuned it for Yui.

However, that careful adjustment was not intended to make his daughter urge him to wake someone up every day.

"Ah! Whatever, it's a day off today. There's nothing to do even if I get up so early. As for your Mashiro sister... she might have gotten up early and been secretly drawing manga, but we just didn't notice. So—let me sleep a little longer."

He looked up, his eyes still closed, and groggily reached for the coffee table. Perhaps because his arms were too short, he rolled off the sofa as soon as he touched his phone.

"Oh! Silly dad, are you alright... No, don't turn it off!"

Yui's voice grew clearer and clearer, finally exploding at the loudest volume. Kiritani instinctively sat up, and then his forehead hit the coffee table.

"Ugh! Dog shit!"

The sleepiness was gone; Kiritani-kun was now fully awake, completely jolted awake by the pain.

He watched Yui making funny faces, his lips twitching. This kid is probably going to grow up to be crooked. Who did she learn that from?

Even though Mashiro isn't this dark—wait a minute, maybe she really learned it from Mashiro. These two kids seem to have a really good relationship.

Considering that Mashiro wasn't featured much in either of the two volumes, if she didn't hang out with Yui, she'd probably only be drawing manga.

"Kazuto, what are you and Yui arguing about?"

Asuna, who peeked out from the kitchen, was wearing an apron, her chestnut-brown hair was casually tied up with a hairband, and she was dressed in simple home clothes, but she looked quite mature.

When Asuna found Kiritani sitting on the blanket between the sofa and the coffee table, she wrinkled her nose, cutely expressing her displeasure, "You two are really something! Even though the heating is on, you'll still catch a cold sitting on the floor—and hey, didn't I tell you to go call Mashiro? Haven't you washed up yet? Hurry up and go..."

"Yes, I understand! Please continue preparing breakfast, Your Majesty!"

Kiritani-kun kept a straight face and was very serious. After Asuna returned to the kitchen with a mix of laughter and tears, he immediately turned the phone volume down to the lowest setting and warned his daughter fiercely, "Hurry up and wake your Mashiro-neechan up. Turn the volume up to the maximum, or I'll lock you in the dark room!"

"Dad is being naughty. I'm going to tell Mom later that you're going on a date with Yukino's older sister next door."

"is that so?"

Asuna, who had appeared before Kirigaya-kun without anyone noticing, wore a complex expression, yet her eyes were incredibly kind. Looking at Kirigaya-kun and Yui, whose mouth was agape in an "O" shape, she tilted her head slightly and let out a soft laugh, "Hehehe..."

And so, the phone in Kiritani's hand automatically shut down. Yes, that's right, it was Yui's doing.

Maintaining her smile, Asuna looked at the dumbfounded Kirito with a grin, "So?"

"No, I didn't, I didn't!"

Kiritani looked completely innocent. "I've never gone on a date with Yukinoko next door. Girls like her are incredibly tsundere, and I have absolutely no interest in tsundere traits."

"Oh? You once said that my tsundere side was cute?"

Asuna looked into Kiritani's eyes and slowly lowered her body. "Besides, Yui was talking about Haruno-senpai, not Yukino from next door!"

Holy crap! How could I have made a mistake like this? I wasn't the one who said something wrong!

As for Haruno... Haruno... Have I ever gone on a date with her?

No, right? Absolutely not, right?

Okay, I forgot... No, rather than saying I didn't have a deep impression, it's more accurate to say that every time Haruno appeared, she brought help or some special information. Things like dates, which should have left a deep impression, really didn't happen.

That's a bit unfair, really. At least I should treat her to a meal after helping her out... Hmm, I think tonkotsu ramen would be pretty good. I'll invite her when I have time.

But then again, Shizuka has been giving Kirito a cold shoulder lately. Ever since Kirito called her "Shizuka" on the school festival stage, some students have started calling her that too. Although most of them are female students, every time she goes to class she hears, "Shizuka is so cute!" This kind of classroom etiquette makes Shizuka really want to go back to the day of the school festival and strangle Kirito when he almost fell on the stage.

In short, Kiritani-kun is now a little afraid to meet Shizuka, fearing he might be strangled.

Okay, back to the main topic.

Faced with Asuna's kind smile, Kiritani naturally chose to tell the truth, "No, absolutely not! Haruno has never gone on a date with me... In fact, I haven't gone on dates with anyone other than Asuna... Hmm?"

Before he could finish speaking, Kiritani's eyes widened as Asuna leaned down and kissed him, her pretty face so close to his. Kiritani, who was still trying to show his loyalty, was a little surprised—Wow! Asuna is so proactive!

After a long-awaited kiss, Kiritani-kun was in a very pleasant mood, especially since Asuna had taken the initiative... Wait a minute, wasn't Asuna the one who took the initiative last time too?

...Suddenly, I felt something was off.

Is Asuna really that assertive?

Kiritani-chan felt he was so tired. Faced with his girlfriend's domineering attitude, he could only silently endure it, and then suddenly he seemed to have matured a lot.

A few dozen seconds later, Kiritani-chan's pretty face was flushed and she was panting. Asuna licked her wet lips and said tenderly, "This is a good morning kiss... Okay, go wake your eldest daughter up."

Kiritani-chan paused slightly, a little concerned about whether she would receive a good morning kiss tomorrow, when she suddenly heard something fall to the ground.

He quickly turned his head and saw Shiina Mashiro, who should still be in the next room, standing at the door of the study, her eyes somewhat vacant...

402

[NO.398 More dog food?]

"...Are we going out today?"

After breakfast, Kiritani-kun, as usual, enjoyed Asuna's lap pillow, clearly quite relaxed.

Although Kiritani-kun still has a lot of things to do, it would be a waste to spend his precious day off on work.

It's actually quite nice to go out with Asuna occasionally, at least it's better than letting Asuna stay at home and just focus on writing. By the way, while Kasumigaoka Utaha was finishing two volumes of her light novel, Asuna had already finished four.

After all, when Kirito was drawing manga, Asuna would sit on the small sofa in the study with him, and she would be writing at that time.

Of course, often during these times, Shiina Mashiro would be quietly drawing manga in a corner near the bookshelf, holding her sketchbook.

Unlike most manga artists, Shiina Mashiro can concentrate on drawing manga anytime, anywhere. External distractions seem to completely disappear for her. Even if you are fixing her hair, she can still concentrate on drawing manga... Yes, that's right, she is the kind of person who is absolutely not distracted.

However, she would stop whenever Kirito-kun spoke.

"We're going shopping today. Mashiro doesn't have any autumn or winter clothes. Although she usually wears her school uniform so it's not a problem, sometimes you still have to go out, so preparing clothes is a must."

Asuna counted on her fingers, thinking about what she needed to do today. "Of course, you need to change your clothes too. You seem to have grown quite a bit taller this year. You're taller than me now... I was definitely taller when we first met."