Chapter 1

Muu-chan said he’ll be late back, and we’ve got no plans as a team. I’ve finished all my business, so I won’t be getting any urgent messages.

Now to put my phone in airplane mode… there, that should do it.

(I’ve been looking forward to Sanseiu-sensei’s new work for weeks now… I need to get myself in the right environment to gaze upon it with my full attention.)

(You only get one chance to experience something for the first time, so I have to be prepared for it. Alright, time to start—)

Ah, forgot to get a drink. Wouldn’t want to get thirsty partway through, I’ll go grab one now.

Ah, Ushio-kun!

I was just brewing some tea, want some? I got some nice tea leaves on a business trip, so I bet it’ll be delicious!

Aah… if it’s almost done, then sure, I guess. I’m in a bit of a hurry.

Yep, all that’s left is to pour it. …There you go, be careful, it’s hot.

Thanks.

(It does smell good. I think it’ll be the perfect thing to go with Sanseiu-sensei’s work. Plus it saved me the effort of preparing something myself, so I guess I’m grateful.)

(Alright, time to hurry back to my room and read—)

Oi, hold it right there.

Huh?

Really, you… geez, you’re such a birdbrain.

There’s oyster sauce on your nose. It makes you smell of fish¹… as if you were a mermaid princess.

HUH!?

Re-Renga-kun? Why are you talking about oyster—

TH-THAT WAS SO COO~~~L!!

Like I thought, you’re a perfect match! It’s like my oshi came straight out of the screen!

Really? Well, this much is nothing for someone like me!

Hm? Toi-kun…?

What? Is this some kind of farce?

Ah, Chief-san and Ushio-kun…! Sorry, did we surprise you?

No, you’re good, just… What were you two doing?

Toi asked me to recreate a line from a game he likes, so I was acting it out.

That surprised me… I thought you’d finally lost it.

Huh, did it look like I lost my touch²!? Maybe I really should’ve angled my head differently…

Not at all! You looked just like the real deal in my eyes!

No, the issue starts before that… What do you mean “smell of fish”, what kind of situation would that line even appear…?

C-come on now… I’m sure it’s an important line to Toi-kun, right?

Right! If you read the scenes before and after it closely, I think you’d be able to tell how deep it really is.

I don’t believe that for a second… but whatever. I’m in a hurry, so I’ll be going now.

(Yeah, now’s not the time to listen to someone yap about weird lines.)

(The countless, gem-like lines woven by Sanseiu-sensei are waiting for me to return.)

Aaa~~~h… I can't… it’s too much for me…

I’m pretty sure this was… uwah, it WAS foreshadowing! Wait, and this line was too? Aah, each scene is so valuable…

(…Seriously, it’s all too peak. Wonder how things are gonna play out from here?)

…Take a deep breath. You need to prepare your heart for whatever’s next.

(Fate has brought about a situation with them alone in a pleasant atmosphere. It’s clearly building up to a climax in the next double spread—)

……

UU…! Crap, my heart stopped. Wait wait, yeah, this is… huh?

Are you joking? This… this composition, these expressions… they’re the best. Sanseiu-sensei really is god… I get it, our interpretations are so in sync~~!!

This line’s a little unnatural… but that just makes it better. Saying that it’s “as if Ouji were the princess of a candy kingdom” because he got chocolate on his nose is—

There’s oyster sauce on your nose. It makes you smell of fish… as if you were a mermaid princess.

…No.

NO NO NO! This is COMPLETELY and UTTERLY DIFFERENT from THAT!

Sweet chocolate GOES WITH sweet developments! Oyster sauce sounds RIDICULOUS no matter how you slice it! And seriously!? “Smell of fish”, come on!

*sigh*… I can’t believe THIS is how my concentration gets broken. There’s gotta be a limit to how out of left field things can be…!

Aah, this is so stupid… I need to just forget it and keep reading.