Chapter 254: Utaha-chan, Your Mouth is Getting Dangerously Sharp

Gently stirring the fragrant milk tea in her cup, resting her chin on her palm, Machida Sonoko looked at the relaxed and content Utaha in front of her with a playful gaze.

“So, you two are living apart now?”

“Speak properly.”

Raising her gaze slightly, Utaha shot Sonoko a look of faint disdain.

“Miyahito and I are doing perfectly fine.”

“Yeah, yeah, perfectly fine.” Using a tone like she was humoring a child, Sonoko crossed her arms, leaned back against her chair, and said with a smile on her lips.

“But how come I heard that you and your man have been going back to your own places lately? Weren’t you two glued together every day before? Monday, Wednesday, Friday at your apartment; Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday at Miyahito-kun’s place; and on Sundays, you alternate weeks. Tsk, tsk, what a perfectly rational distribution.”

Listening to Sonoko’s statement, which sounded less like a summary and more like a roast (and a roast filled with envy, jealousy, and hatred at that), Utaha’s expression remained calm and tranquil, even carrying a hint of disdain.

Relaxing her posture slightly, Utaha crossed her arms just like Sonoko, leaned back casually against her chair, and parted her cherry-pink lips to utter a few soft syllables.

“Jealous?”

The moment the words fell, the air instantly fell silent, as if a heavy, oppressive weight had descended upon the space between them.

“…..”

After a moment of speechlessness, Sonoko slowly exhaled a breath full of indignation and resentment. Picking up her perfectly tempered milk tea, she chugged a massive gulp.

As her inner frustration washed down with the milk tea, Sonoko set the cup down with a deadpan expression. Her tone was ghostly, carrying a hint of ‘unspeakable’ emotion as she said.

“Utaha-chan, your mouth is getting dangerously sharp.”

‘Sharp? If you think that’s sharp, I can say more!’

Reading the unspoken words faintly drifting between Sonoko’s brows, the corners of Utaha’s lips curled into an imperceptible, disdainful arc.

Hmph, is that all the mental fortitude you have? And you still want to challenge me? You’re seriously overestimating yourself.

“Let’s not talk about you two.”

Having said that, Sonoko turned her upper body halfway, muttering under her breath, “Why do other high school couples not have as much drama as you two? Just date properly, instead of fussing around every single day…” while pulling a folder from her briefcase beside her.

“Take a look.” Sonoko raised an eyebrow as she flipped to the first page and handed it to Utaha.

“Is it more troublesome work again?” Utaha complained slightly, but obediently reached out to take the folder.

After a brief glance at the documents inside, Utaha looked up, her brows slightly furrowed, and asked Sonoko, “This plan… are you sure about it?”

“Yeah.” Folding her hands palm-down and resting her chin lightly on her interlaced fingers, Sonoko wore an expression that said, ‘I don’t want to take this either, but it’s a direct order from above, so I have no choice.’

“The editor-in-chief told me to do everything in our power to support Kasumi Utako-sensei’s work, and to strive… no, to absolutely ensure that Utako-sensei participates.”

“Well, considering the explosive popularity of Kasumi Utako-sensei’s new book, Your Name, Hida City has seen a massive influx of fans going on pilgrimages to the locations described in the book. So, it’s not unreasonable for them to invite Utako-sensei to hold a book signing event there.”

Saying this, Sonoko suddenly remembered a question she had and asked with a smile, “By the way, when did you go to Hida City for research?”

“Not long ago.” Multitasking, Utaha flipped through the project proposal in the folder and answered somewhat absentmindedly. “Around the end of September, Miyahito wanted to visit Hida City, and I happened to need to finalize the story’s setting and background.”

“So he rode his motorcycle, and the two of us went to Hida City for a two-day trip.”

A motorcycle trip!

And a motorcycle trip for just the two of them!?

How enviable… ahem, how dangerous is that!!

Dispelling the heartbreaking image in her mind of ‘riding down a quiet, deserted road lined with autumn leaves, intimately enjoying their alone time together,’ Sonoko said with a sour tone, “Yeah, that’s so nice, being able to go on a trip.”

“Let me think, what was I doing at the end of September? Oh, right, I was busy making plans for your new book, contacting the printing press, and bickering with the PR department to finalize the promotional strategy…”

Listening to Sonoko’s sour muttering, paired with her resentful expression… although it didn’t feel great, Utaha couldn’t help but curve her wine-red eyes into a smile, nodding in agreement with the corners of her lips turned up.

“Yeah, that trip was really nice. The scenery was super good.”

“I highly recommend that Wako-nee go on a spontaneous motorcycle trip herself if she has the time!”

The moment those words left Utaha’s mouth, Sonoko’s face turned green.

To describe it in words, it was like being ‘forced to eat ten pounds of bitter melon, and then forced to eat several pounds of honey’… bitter and astringent, yet sickeningly sweet.

This was simply….. absolutely diabolical!

Inhaling deeply, exhaling deeply. After a few rounds of deep breaths, Sonoko’s complexion finally improved slightly. She looked calmly at Utaha, who was still smiling faintly…

No, it still stings! I’m envious! I’m aggrieved…..

“Utako-sensei, do you have any objections to this proposal?” Suppressing the sourness in her heart, Sonoko kept a straight face and asked in a stiff tone.

“If you do, you can bring them up. We will discuss them based on your feedback and modify the plan accordingly if it’s reasonable.”

Hearing Sonoko’s stiff, strictly-business, “I don’t know you” tone, Utaha pursed her lips slightly and thought to herself, ‘Crap, I accidentally drove my editor into a depressive state!’

Without thinking, Utaha subconsciously mimicked the way her man acted when he accidentally made her angry. Softening her voice, she said to Sonoko, “Um, Wako-nee, are you mad?”

“….No.”

“Really~”

“…..Really.”

“Oh, come on, don’t be mad.”

“I’m not mad.”

“Well, you know, I met a gentleman at Miyahito’s studio who’s quite nice. I heard he’s single, too…..”

“… (Slowly raising her head, her gaze drifting uncertainly toward Utaha)”

“He’s a really good person. He’s in charge of tuning Miyahito’s songs. He’s talented, tall, and handsome, and Miyahito said his family background is quite good, too~”

“….Ahem, do you have a photo?”

“Yes, yes, I do!”

“Mm, the book signing event must be held, but as for the other aspects, Utaha-chan, I will handle them for you.”

“Hehe, thank you, Wako-nee.”

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