Chapter Text
It was by chance that Hiyoshi discovered the existence of a certain young man who is close to Segasaki.
She hadn’t been actively seeking it out either. In fact, she wasn’t even thinking about Segasaki at all during that moment, but of course, the man she had his eyes on would invade her gaze just as she was turned away.
Almost as if it were fate.
That's why she has to do something about it.
Right?
-
It's funny how it works, how big things seemingly happen during the most mundane parts of the year. Occasional rain showers, bright sunshine dappling through tree leaves, or humid air slowly being replaced by a drier kind of cold—unremarkable and predictable weather changes are suddenly contrasted with changes in routine, like a meeting with someone she hadn't seen in a while, drinking iced Americanos outside a bustling cafe.
"I'm still not used to you being on TV, Aika-chan~."
"Maybe you haven't been informed by the weather enough. I've been forecasting for a good while now."
And it's in that quiet mundanity that Hiyoshi hears something unprecedented come out from that old friend's mouth.
"But it's crazy seeing you stand next to Segasaki in the broadcast! I think there might've been other weather channels out there, but it's a coincidence that you'd work alongside him…"
Hiyoshi freezes as she almost chokes on her coffee. Segasaki? Her coworker Segasaki?
"Huh? You know Segasaki-san?"
"Oh," Her friend nods as if it were nothing. "Yeah! I went to the same university as him! He was three years older than me, so I didn't get to see him much, but his name still reached me. I didn't think popularity would still be such a thing going into university…"
Now this is news to her. If her friend knew about Segasaki, shouldn't she have reached out to her, at least? Like, let her know that her connection to Segasaki was closer than she thought?
Then again, it's not as if her friend knows about Hiyoshi's interest in Segasaki when she hadn't met with her for a long time, and she's definitely not the first person Hiyoshi would talk to about love interests, so she's not too bitter. Still, a simple text would have sufficed! Like, it was cool seeing you on TV, Aika-chan! Did you know I went to the same school as Segasaki? And this meeting would have happened even sooner, and she would have known more about Segasaki.
Now, her heart is racing with the knowledge that a glimpse into Segasaki's past is right by her fingertips…!
"Wh-what was he like?" Hiyoshi asks nervously, trying not to sound too eager.
"Eh? Well, honestly, I never got close to him at all, I just knew his name and saw him walk around campus, and it's not like I have anything to say about him…"
Hiyoshi pouts as she bites her straw.
That's expected. Maybe.
Still, the fact that he was popular in university shouldn't be too surprising. Even in the office, her coworkers couldn't help but flock all over him, both men and women alike. She easily saw how the ones handling the new weather technology took to Segasaki for help, even if what they wanted to talk about was the new izakaya they could take Segasaki to after work. Or one of the female TV crew members backstage pressing up to him, making clarifications to Segasaki about his lines, even if there was a teleprompter in front of him to aid with the forecast.
Hiyoshi knows she's not the only one who has a strong interest in Segasaki, and Segasaki has not once talked about himself during the entire time Hiyoshi has been working at Everyday Weather. It's not hard to see why people want to be close to him.
So… perhaps, with this knowledge…
"What about the people he's with?" Hiyoshi asks instead.
"His friends?" Her friend raises her eyebrow as she tries to recall her student days.
Just the notion of Segasaki having friends interests Hiyoshi. She wouldn't assume Segasaki's social life is stagnant, especially given his overwhelming charisma and overall high-spec nature, but aside from the office, she knows practically nothing about Segasaki's circle. Nothing about his parents, relatives, or even friends. He leaves the office as soon as he can, and he never seems to have anyone of note that would warrant a special mention, like a birthday or anniversary.
Her friend purses her lips. "I'm totally in the dark about that, too. I did hear that he used to hang out with a bunch of people then, but if my memory serves me right… I think I only ever saw him hang out with one person."
One?
Even one person can be a valuable piece of information.
"Do you…" Hiyoshi swallows nervously. "Do you know who that might be?"
Her friend shakes her head. "Not at all. Actually, if anything, that guy looked totally out of place hanging out with Segasaki. Really plain and unassuming. Like, he looked so plain that he ironically stuck out, if you get what I mean," She laughs. "Like if you managed to find a needle in a haystack, there'd be that one special piece of hay clinging to that needle when you pick it up!"
Hiyoshi sighs, but to be honest, she missed her friend's nonsensical ramblings. It's refreshing after spending endless days at work with a bunch of men. "I honestly don't know what you're talking about, but I'll take your word for it."
"You get me for real, Aika-chan!"
Hiyoshi giggles. Still, she tries to push a bit further. "If you manage to find out anything about this guy, can you tell me?"
"If I get lucky, I guess?"
"Yeah…"
But if that's all, then there's no point in continuing this conversation any further.
"So, have you heard that Emi-san is moving to Osaka this fall?"
"What! No way! We haven't had a chance to do a reunion party, and she's leaving so soon—…"
…
-
In the changing months, the memory of that exchange with her friend slowly fizzles out as she becomes busier the longer she works at Everyday Weather. Still, that curiosity lingers as she watches Segasaki during their breaks, keeping to himself as he looks over their weather data and refusing to engage with anyone. She doesn't get to pry into it further as her other coworkers pull her aside for more work or other, more mundane things.
Just as Hiyoshi is about to get home, she gets a text from that same friend, and her eyes widen as the curiosity springs anew.
Aika-chan! Can I meet you after work? Turns out my team will be working around Tokyo and I have something HUGE to tell you! Keep your schedule free!
"What do you want to tell me?" Hiyoshi immediately asks as they get their drinks from the server.
Her friend laughs at her eagerness, taking a sip of her fruit shake. "It's about the guy who hangs around Segasaki!"
Hiyoshi immediately guessed that this is what it's about, but her friend is becoming even more aware of how forthcoming she is about it, so she straightens her back and huffs a breath.
"What about it?"
"You know how I have another otaku friend who likes to bring me to a bunch of conventions if our schedules align?" She leans forward, grin wide and toothy. "I found that same guy at the convention selling eromanga."
Hiyoshi freezes.
Eromanga?
"Eromanga?" Hiyoshi's thoughts slip out. Her tone is covered in questionable disgust.
"Yes, eromanga! I think seeing him now finally made sense, though, why he always felt a bit off-putting when I'd come across him on campus. It's always the quiet ones who have something to hide, so I guess that's one of his secrets!" She says offhandedly.
Hiyoshi tries to put on her friendly, for-TV smile in front of her friend to hide the rising suspicion in her gut.
Something to hide, huh?
Segasaki isn't exactly quiet, but he never speaks more than necessary. It's why Hiyoshi is so curious about him in the first place.
Even then, Segasaki is absolutely not the type to keep weirdos around for company. Just the way he interacts with their coworkers tell as much, all cordial and respectful and… Actually, there's not much she can really glean from those conversations anyway. All Hiyoshi knows is that with the way Segasaki holds himself, there's just no way Segasaki would be hanging out with those kinds of people. It almost feels disrespectful to even think about. She doesn't want to believe—she can't believe that this is the only clue Hiyoshi has about Segasaki outside of work.
"Are you sure this is the same guy we're talking about?" Hiyoshi clarifies. Mostly for her own peace of mind.
"It's been a few years, but I honestly think he is." Her friend stirs her shake with the straw. "He still had those same mannerisms back in university; it's almost uncanny. It's like I was back on campus! Though if you looked up close, he did look a bit pretty."
"Pretty…" Hiyoshi's face sours when pointing out that guy could be pretty. As far as she knows, weird otaku guys are far from pretty.
"Yeah. Those hoodies frame him badly, though."
"I see. Is there anything else you found out about him?"
"Why do you even want to know about him so much?" Her friend asks. "He's shy and doesn't talk, and he also sells eromanga. Back then, if Segasaki left that guy alone, he'd start looking a bit lost and look all weird by himself; that's why I don't think anyone even approached him, even if they wanted to know more about Segasaki. I didn't think you'd be interested in such things."
"Oh goodness, no!" Hiyoshi laughs, denying it completely. "It's just odd when you think about it. Someone like that kind of guy being close to Segasaki-san? It's almost unbelievable."
"Why? Will it change how Segasaki looks in your eyes if you find out who he is?"
Hiyoshi blinks. Would it?
Honestly, it's pretty unfair of her to look so lowly of someone she doesn't even know about, but you cannot fault her for the intrigue, can you? Segasaki has spoken of no one close to him in his life, so the mere idea that someone who has such a vulgar lifestyle would be someone Segasaki would associate with is hard for Hiyoshi to think about.
Is… Segasaki even sure about being close to someone like that?
"No," Hiyoshi says simply. "I just never hear anything about Segasaki-san, that's all. So I'm really curious, you know! Maybe I can find something in common with him if I find out who he's friends with!"
She doesn't sound convincing at all, but her friend merely tilts her head in cautious approval. "I would lie if I said I wasn't curious about Segasaki-san back in university. All the ladies were about him, but I've never seen him around them at all!"
"I'd honestly like to know a name, though, maybe it will make this mysterious eromangaka become a real person in my head instead of this faceless thing in your stories," Hiyoshi jokes.
"You're right. But do you think a pseudonym is fine?"
"What!" Hiyoshi rattles the table in surprise, almost spilling her cup of tea. "You've known it this whole time, and you didn't think to tell me?!"
"I didn't think it was that important!" Her friend jumps. "These authors would show their faces alongside the biggest tits and asses you've ever seen, and they wouldn't even attach their real names. I don't get those standards at all."
"Never mind that," Hiyoshi doesn't care to hear about what her friend has to say about the contradictions of an artist's reputational pride. "What's the name of that guy?"
"Here," Her friend pulls out a business card from her wallet. "I just thought it could be a funny memento. Seeing him up close when I took the card kind of confirmed my memories. He didn't even look at me when he thanked me for taking it."
The business card shows a crude drawing of a girl flaunting her massive breasts with a shy expression on her face, and right beside it are the unassuming strokes of two katakanas hilariously plastered plainly as if they, too, were ashamed to be next to this girl. Dayo. In the corner were two links to his socials: one is a popular social media website that Hiyoshi frequents during her downtime, and one is what she assumes to be an art website meant to share those drawings. In the corner was an image of a leaf, innocent and out of place in a horrible looking business card meant to provoke.
…It's nothing much, but it still feels like striking a gold mine.
"Do you mind if I keep this?"
Her friend scrunches her eyebrows.
"Seriously?"
"Yes."
"If that's what it takes to get closer to Segasaki, then sure, I guess."
Even putting that business card in her wallet feels all sorts of strange for Hiyoshi.
-
That gold mine was more like sifting through a bunch of rocks and finding the tiniest pieces of the dullest gold she's ever seen.
She decides to look up his pseudonym on a search engine alongside the term eromanga. It brings up his social media account, his artist's page, a bunch of artworks on the image tab, and other information pages linking his work, but they bring up very little information about his identity. Her face already sours looking through these sites and glancing through the thumbnails of these eromangas that Hiyoshi never had the interest in finding out about. She exits them and opens up a new tab.
The first site she goes through is the social media site.
The account barely gets any updates, and the posts are mainly news about new chapter releases. There are no indications of his personal life, and any photo posts outside of drawings do not show any face or any physical body parts, and even old food posts heavily censor his fingers, with the background replaced by a mosaic. Are these people that concerned about privacy?
The account bio itself only shows his basic information. Dayo, and a sprouting leaf emoji right next to his name. Eromangaka, author of "XX". The link on his account bio shows the same artist's page link on his business card.
The pinned post is him thanking readers who bought his manga and confirming an appearance at an upcoming convention.
Hiyoshi opens up the artist's page next. She rolls her eyes as she creates a new account because the site doesn't allow guests to view R-18 content and will only allow logged-in users, so she uses a burner email to create an account.
"Oh…"
Her face scrunches up in disgust as she looks through his catalogue. Earlier works show all sorts of girls being fucked in all sorts of angles, lewd faces drenched in semen and their breasts dripping with it, too.
"This is gross."
She keeps scrolling through his catalogue. There are page samples of old "doujinshis" (as her friend calls them) that preview his work, mostly the foreplay scenes before the climactic sex act, to urge interested readers into buying them. Hiyoshi feels dirty going through them, thinking to herself, so there are worlds like this that I haven't seen, huh? as her thumb scrolls through the drawings in autopilot. Bits of ruined seifukus, scenes of vaginas oozing with come. It's almost all the same thing, but she huffs a breath when she skims through the most vulgar displays of heartfelt love confessions she's ever seen. It almost makes her believe that this Dayo person has a heart, even though she's sure he mostly functions from his dick.
As the posts get more recent, there is a switch from anime girls to manga previews of boys' love that feature a strange sense of yearning amongst the sudden displays of penises and muscular chests. So he's into that, huh? It felt strangely abrupt how he ended up drawing BL when he started by profiting off of massive tits, but she looks at the post statistics, and there was an increase in engagement. That's where his niche probably lies, then.
Hiyoshi closes her phone and lies down on her bed. What is she even doing, stalking some guy's art account and making conclusions from that? She isn't even sure if she can even fully trust what her friend had told her. For all she knows, she could have been talking about a different guy entirely, and she's been fruitlessly going through someone's eromanga just to satisfy her ever-increasing curiosity about Segasaki.
So what if he makes BL? Maybe he isn't even gay. He created porn of women at first, maybe he just found out that money lies in the female audience. Hiyoshi laughs bitterly. The idea of this guy sticking to Segasaki is making her stomach churn with a weird nervousness she once felt when she went on air for the first time. She hadn't felt this kind of anxiety in a while.
"This is his fault…" Hiyoshi mumbles to herself. If only Segasaki opened up more, maybe she wouldn't go through such strange lengths just to find out more about him.
Maybe the simplest course of action is asking him out for lunch, after all.
-
It doesn't go to plan.
She's been delaying it a bit, but she couldn't find the time—rather, the right timing to ask him out. He seems to disappear somewhere when break starts, or their breaks don't seem to align due to differing schedules. It's a bit ridiculous when she's his co-host, and she had many chances to pull him aside for small talk the same way they banter on screen.
The one time she tries to ask him, Segasaki's phone rings, and he leaves for somewhere quieter. She thinks of waiting for him to end his call before she can ask him, but something in her gut tells her to follow him into the secluded area. She looks around, making sure that everyone else is too busy minding their own business for them to bother Hiyoshi. She slips away and treads through the shadows of the studio, making her footsteps as quiet as possible.
Segasaki's voice is muffled, but Hiyoshi strains her ears as close as she can, leaning on the edge of the wall without showing herself at all. There is a louder part in her brain telling her to get out of there; it's rude to intrude into Segasaki's life like this, but the nervous beating of her heart is louder. As if beating for Segasaki.
"…Yes, I'll meet you there. You don't get to say no."
A pause, and a sigh.
"I don't trust you around that glasses guy. Are you sure that woman is with you, at least?"
Glasses guy? That woman? Does this mean Segasaki has a girlfriend?
Her nails dig into her palms. Segasaki has never mentioned a girlfriend. Hiyoshi should probably give up now. The bitterness rises to the back of her throat.
She hears Segasaki groan. He sounds irritated. She has never heard this tone of voice from him. Ever.
"Fine. Let me at least meet you after the convention."
She freezes.
"5:30 pm. I need to see you at XX cafe by then. You can bring that woman to accompany you, but we're having dinner alone after."
There are many conventions scheduled in the upcoming weeks, right? There are many branches of the cafe that Segasaki had mentioned, and maybe these conventions have the said cafe right nearby. She remembers that in the manga previews of those posts, the summary not only included the plot for the manga, but also the schedule for convention appearances for when these manga were going to be sold. She brings her phone out in haste, looking up that guy's artist page and tapping on the latest post for their next convention appearance. This Friday.
Both Hiyoshi and Segasaki have their days off that day. It's a simple coincidence, isn't it? It's not that serious. It could be a different convention. Manga conventions aren't the only popular thing that happens in Tokyo. Maybe Segasaki is calling in advance for another, non-manga convention next week. Hiyoshi doesn't know of any other conventions scheduled at all.
"You'll be a good boy until then, won't you?"
Hiyoshi almost drops her phone.
This can't be real.
Maybe this is a younger relative, a younger brother? Maybe he's overprotective like that. She… She doesn't know him at all, that's why! It's no good. She clutches her phone and quietly leaves the place before Segasaki can end his call. This way, she won't be spotted.
It's not like she can hear anything beyond the blood pounding in her ears.
-
The sun justifies her use of shades and a hat, but she finds it hard to justify her outfit. It's nothing like what she usually wears, and these were pretty old clothes she didn't feel like wearing since they weren't her style—gifts from her relatives meant for the sake of formalities—but this is the first time she found them to be useful. She thinks she looks plain enough in some gray, long-sleeved top and baggy pants, and outside of the usual skirts and dresses she got accustomed to, she didn't seem to recognize herself in the mirror when she put on the glasses and the hat. It helps that she has been keeping her hair short, and with that, she looks like a stereotypical otaku without the blindingly embarrassing bags covered in pins and keychains of anime characters.
Is she really going this far? She doesn't even have tickets to enter the convention. She watches a mix of fans exit and enter the center, from girls in alternative fashion to guys clad in the most atrocious merchandise you've ever seen. Even girls aren't exempt from showing off their own merchandise, having no problem mingling with different kinds of otakus around the place, even squealing when they see some guy in cosplay.
Hiyoshi will never get used to this sight. She thinks about her friend who seems to frequent this kind of thing. Hiyoshi likes cute merchandise herself, but to this extent is something she cannot fathom. It's not that she isn't open-minded, but her tastes definitely don't lend well to this kind of thing at all.
So she can't connect Segasaki to this. Handsome, charismatic Segasaki, being surrounded by vulgar media and merchandise? If anything, it's blasphemous.
She isn't even sure if the person Segasaki was calling is this Dayo person. She isn't even sure if this is the right convention. She isn't even sure about anything at all, connecting loose threads and drawing pointless conclusions from hearsay and poor research because she couldn't keep her curiosity about Segasaki at bay.
Still, she hopes that something happens to dispel this unease. It's only four in the afternoon, but after scouting the convention center, she decides that she's bored and pulls up the maps app on her phone to see if the cafe Segasaki mentioned was really nearby.
A few meters from the center. She follows the arrow, and the crowd thins out the longer she walks, finding herself in a rather quiet area more reminiscent of the afternoon market on a weekday—not too busy, and not too empty, but quiet enough to feel secluded from the number of people she was in earlier.
Even if it's the day of the convention, there isn't much foot traffic around these parts, so maybe it's just the area itself being the problem. Other than thinking about the logistics of putting businesses in places where people barely pass through, how does Segasaki know about this place? There were tons of other establishments where he could meet someone, and taking the effort to be somewhere this secluded raises even more flags in Hiyoshi's head. Is he embarrassed to be seen around the convention? Is he being careful? It's probably ridiculous to think about a weather forecaster like him walking around a place like that.
Why did he sound upset about it, though?
Hiyoshi stares at her phone, looking at Dayo's latest post about being at the convention right now. Her fingers feel numb from clutching her iced Americano, seated just a few tables away from the designated cafe, and is just waiting in another kind of cafe. It's a lot cheaper than the one Segasaki decided they should meet, and Hiyoshi can't help but feel how desperate she is.
A part of her wants Segasaki to come so she can say that wasn't delusional and that her conclusions were real. A larger part of her hopes that everything had just been her active imagination and that she had just been too in her head, even if it's going to leave her embarrassed that she spent one of her rest days trying to confirm a vague idea in her head when she could have spent it relaxing on her own. She doesn't think sitting at a place she's never been in relaxing.
"Will it change how Segasaki looks in your eyes if you find out who he is?"
…She doesn't think it will change what she thinks, per se. It's not exactly an endorsement of what the other person does. She doesn't understand why her friend attends these kinds of events, but it doesn't change who Hiyoshi is, right? Segasaki is still the same charming man, and perhaps he's lending his kindness to someone vastly different from him. Just thinking about his graciousness makes Hiyoshi swoon, feeling her heart beat fast at the thought of his beauty conjoined with a precious personality.
It's no wonder Hiyoshi fell for him.
Ever since she started working at Everyday Weather, her eyes have never left Segasaki. She remembers her breath stopping when he greeted her for the first time, and her eyes widening when he smiled at her during her first day.
"Don't be nervous, Hiyoshi-san. It will be over before you know it. I'm here to guide you if you need help."
Those words were almost like her saving grace, and she had never forgotten that kindness ever since. He always goes out of his way to help others without asking for anything in return, even if Hiyoshi tries so hard to return the favor. Segasaki just does it because he can, and never lets that smile waver for a moment, even through her rookie mistakes during her first few weeks at the company. Hiyoshi wonders if he's shouldering a burden too much without relying on anyone, and she's struck by an ache in her heart.
That's why Hiyoshi wants to be there for him. She can be that person for him, and she can be someone he can rely on. That's why she's doing this. She wants to chip at the walls he put up around himself, and she wants to take a peek at his heart. She wants to cradle it, offer him words of comfort, and be the woman worthy of Segasaki's love. She deserves it.
Segasaki deserves as much.
So whoever it is on that phone… maybe Hiyoshi can ease his anxieties for him. She doesn't know if that person is a close relative, a friend who needs protecting, or a brother that Segasaki needs to look after, but Hiyoshi thinks she can offer something to Segasaki that only a woman can do for him. That's… that's right. Everything, up until now, has been for Segasaki's sake. It's on Hiyoshi to step up for Segasaki if he doesn't want to let go of those barriers. Segasaki had been carrying a heaviness he couldn't tell anyone, that's why he's very solitary, isn't he?
It's unfair how the world works. Hiyoshi will be there for him. When she returns to work, Hiyoshi will ask him out to lunch for real, and Hiyoshi will close the distance between her and Segasaki, and Hiyoshi will—
"Oh? You didn't bring her?"
Her world crumbles.
His back is turned against her, body obscured by the plants and table parasols of the cafe—but the sultry, quiet tone of his voice is undeniably Segasaki.
Hiyoshi is frozen as she watches Segasaki—who's dressed in casual wear and sporting glasses that beautifully frame the lines on his face—approach a shorter man and take his luggage. Both of their backs are turned against her, so there's no way that they'll be able to see her, but Hiyoshi neither hides nor makes her presence known. The information she's getting in front of her leaves her too overwhelmed to even do something about herself.
The shorter man doesn't exude the same aura as Segasaki. He's dressed in a hoodie and baggy jeans, and his back is slouched with his hands held just below his stomach, fiddling with his fingers like he doesn't know what to do now that Segasaki took his bag from him.
What a strange man, completely unfit for the likes of Segasaki.
"She's… with her husband now…"
"Is this a treat? You're being kind to me."
"What are you even talking about?"
"You want me for yourself, don't you?"
What?
"D-don't say that! Not here…"
Their voices are low, and Hiyoshi leans forward.
Her trembling fingertips open the camera app on her phone.
"You're sure about that, Yoh?"
"It's just…"
She keeps her hands steady as the shorter man grabs Segasaki's sleeve.
The inside of her cheeks bleeds as she watches the shorter man lean up and kiss Segasaki's lips.
"I've been busy and haven't seen you in a while, so…"
She doesn't hear anything else as the two of them walk away, taking with them their footsteps and their voices.
Leaving Hiyoshi behind with her phone, her pride, and the evidence of that man's sin.
The absolute gall of that person to taint Segasaki with something so impure.
-
If you ever find out that person's email or contact number, can you give it to me?
The memory of that day is a haze, and the only tangible evidence of that moment is staring in front of her. The video loops cruelly, any hope for that scene being a hallucination from her brain dashed as she repeatedly watches that man come onto Segasaki like he had any right to do so.
She watches the video again. At this point, she doesn't trust what she originally saw, as if something darker filmed over her eyes when she saw it for herself back then. On her screen, Segasaki was unresponsive when he kissed him, and Segasaki was dragged away by him before anything else could happen.
That means Segasaki didn't exactly like that, right? He was pulled on a whim. She thinks about the verbal exchange. Their voices were pretty muffled, even if Hiyoshi heard them clearly. Maybe. The audio recording barely picked it up, and she can only make out a few words. They weren't even clear in that moment, too, so she could hardly understand what they meant. And what did Segasaki say his name was?
She jumps when her phone starts vibrating, the caller ID of her friend flashing on her screen. She picks it up, trying to put on a calm voice despite her racing heart.
"Hello?"
"Aika-chan! You're pretty desperate, aren't you?"
Hiyoshi sighs. "Straight to the point, aren't you?"
"You're in luck!" Her friend says. Hiyoshi immediately sits up in interest, but doesn't probe any further. She's not going to bring truth to her friend's words, even if she's right. "Apparently, my otaku friend actually knew him in university because they were in the same class one time. They only worked once on a project, but she still has his email from years ago! I'm not sure if that's what you want, though!"
"It's enough!" Hiyoshi blurts out. Even an email is enough. She doesn't need his number or anything, just a simple way to contact him. "Th-that's all I need, thank you."
"The world is much smaller than we think, isn't it?" Her friend points out dreamily. "She didn't even remember him until I talked about Segasaki-san. She said that there were times when Segasaki would stand outside the lecture halls just to wait for him until class ended. I didn't know they were that close."
Hiyoshi feels sick, but she swallows the rising bile in her throat. "Is that so? Does she remember his name?"
"Oh! Yes! I finally have a name!" Hiyoshi presses the phone closer to her face, as if trying to ground herself in the anticipation. "Tanada Yoh. Oh, but it's the character for 'leaf'. I think you'd see it in his e-mail, too. Honestly, even my friend thought he was pretty weird because apparently, all he did was draw during class. At least he did his part in their project." She laughs.
Hiyoshi couldn't be bothered to care about that. All she cares about now is getting that damn email and pushing through with her plan. "That's funny… Listen, I have to work early tomorrow, so I'll have to leave soon. Can you just text me his email address after this call?"
"Of course! I wouldn't want Aika-chan to look like a mess on TV tomorrow. Good night and see you soon!"
"See you."
Hiyoshi puts her phone down and stares at her reflection on the blank screen. A few seconds later, a text comes through, and the message line is an email address for this Tanada Yoh person. Yoh… Leaf? Is that why his pen name is associated with a sprouting leaf? Hiyoshi falls on her bed and laughs and laughs and laughs, finding it so terribly funny how coincidental and easy things were. Everything is falling right into place for her. Yoh. So she really didn't mishear him.
Does Tanada Yoh know what this could mean for Segasaki if it comes out that they're associated with each other?
Everything about him can ruin Segasaki. It's one thing for a strange guy with an unpleasant personality to be friends with Segasaki. She can easily see that it's just Segasaki's kindness that allows him to stick so close to him. But a good-for-nothing manga artist drawing porn for a living? And being romantically involved with him? It's terrible. It's preposterous. It can bring only doom upon Segasaki, who already has his foot planted firmly in the industry they're in, promising an even brighter future as a meteorologist in their world. And society is already so unkind towards minorities, so if it goes out that Segasaki is… with him…
Hiyoshi can't bear the thought. The only correct course of action is for Tanada Yoh to cease all contact with Segasaki. If he truly cares about Segasaki, he will do what's best for him and separate himself to make Segasaki's life even better career-wise. Besides, if her friend's friend knew of Yoh, who's to say that they can't reconnect? It isn't too late to redeem himself. And Hiyoshi can take this opportunity to show Segasaki that she's the best romantic partner for him, since she already has it going for herself: beautiful, sociable, and capable on her own. She can be someone Segasaki wants. Does he want someone independent? She already lives by herself. Does he want someone he can rely on? She can cook, clean, and offer herself up for him when he needs someone. They already look like the perfect couple on screen, so why can't they be one behind the scenes?
What does he even see in Tanada Yoh?
All she hears is that he's a weird nerd with a terrible disposition, hearing nothing but negative things from her friend and even her friend's friend. It's one thing if another guy was dating Segasaki, but Tanada Yoh, of all people, is something Hiyoshi cannot accept.
Hiyoshi is the perfect woman for a man like Segasaki. Besides, it means that they don't have to hide it if they're in a relationship. Maybe he just couldn't see that the right option is in front of him all along.
So Hiyoshi has to eliminate that obstacle.
from: [email protected]
SUBJECT LINE: Regarding Segasaki Mizuki
Good day. Apologies for surprising you, but I feel that this is important for Tanada Yoh-san and Segasaki Mizuki-san.
Attached below is a video captured between you two on 20XX.XX.XX. If you would like to settle this matter privately, please meet me on Wednesday, 3 pm, at XX Cafe.
You will know who I am once you enter the meeting place.
I am sorry for alerting you, but I would like to meet you alone during that date. Rest assured, I will also be alone in our meeting.
This is not bribery. I am not asking for anything, only your cooperation.
I am looking forward to seeing you.
H.A.file attached: IMG_17348.mov