In the backstage lounge, most of the students interested in light novels immediately pulled out their phones to check Futaba Publishing's latest updates after hearing Rinko's words.
"Ajitani, do you think Miyamura's new book this time will be romance-oriented?" Rinko asked without looking up, her thumb scrolling through the comments on her screen.
Ajitani stared at the preview poster Shouko had drawn, hesitantly nodding. "It… it should be…"
She had heard a little information from Miyamura during their gathering, but she still wasn't quite sure.
After all, the two books she had read by Miyamura both ended with regrets. What if this one did too?
"Futaba Publishing also said that the preview for I Want to Eat Your Pancreas will be released in two waves, with the synopsis coming next month. So, we'll have to wait~"
Rinko said, leaning lazily back against the chair, the last "~" dragging out for a long time. Then she turned to Ajitani, who was sitting next to her, and asked:
"Youth healing genre, Ajitani, do you remember what genre Anohana was?"
"I forgot. I think it was also a healing genre, right?" Ajitani shook her head, her gaze falling on the highly-liked comments in the feed.
"…"
Rinko looked at Ajitani strangely, saying nothing more. She was now a bit hesitant about whether to buy this new book…
Tsuna briefly replied to Jun with a few words, then closed his eyes to rest, not very interested in the new book topics being discussed around him.
Because most of the time, their conversations would eventually turn into insults directed at him…
"Tsuna, Tsuna… time to wake up, we're about to take a group photo."
He groggily opened his eyes, instinctively pulling out his phone to unlock and check the time.
"…"
Tsuna squinted his blurry eyes, rubbing one hand, while the other hand "patted" away the wandering little perverted hand on him, muttering helplessly:
"It's only been a little over ten minutes, hasn't it?"
"But it's almost time," Shouko said, rubbing the back of her hand, her eyes curving. "Takagi-chan and the others will finish their last scene on stage soon, and then it'll be over."
"Miyamura, do you want to go anywhere after this is over?"
At this moment, Nishikata, holding his conspicuous pink pig head mask, plopped down in the empty seat next to Tsuna and asked casually.
"I'm going to find Ajitani-chan, you guys chat." Shouko said, her gaze already catching sight of Ajitani not far away, and she got up and walked towards her.
"After lunch, I plan to go back and take a nap. As for the afternoon…"
After she walked away, Tsuna covered his mouth and let out a big yawn, tears squeezing from the corners of his eyes. "Sorry, I have plans for the afternoon."
He would finish around 11:30, then meet up with his mom outside after the cleanup, have lunch, go back to sleep, and come back around 2:30 in the afternoon.
Tsuna silently planned in his mind.
"You're still planning to go back at noon?"
"It's so hot at noon, you might break a sweat just walking a few steps. You're not still planning to go shopping, are you?"
"Then Taka—"
"If you're going to ask about Takagi's plans for noon, her plans are similar to mine," Tsuna wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes, interrupting him.
"Ah…? You—"
"Shouko told me, but your plan to visit the School Festival today might fall through," Tsuna leaned back lazily against the chair. "Of course, if you can squeeze into the two Girl's group this afternoon, then disregard what I said."
"Slap…"
His words were cut off several times in a row. Nishikata couldn't help but glare at him and casually slapped his arm with a loud smack.
However, since he said so, Nishikata could only pout and drop the topic.
As the two chatted, the narrator's voice on the stage sounded again.
The people who had been scattered in the lounge earlier didn't need Nanase-sensei's urging or reminder this time. They all consciously got up and flooded towards the passage to the stage.
Shouko and Ajitani were chatting happily when the corner of Shouko's eye caught a glimpse of a blue figure entering the lounge. She curiously turned her head to see who it was.
"Misae-nee?"
Although she had already confirmed it in her heart, she still called out the name to confirm.
"Hmm?"
Misae-nee, who had just walked into the lounge following instructions, heard her name being called, stopped in confusion, and turned her head to look for the source.
Upon seeing the person, her eyes suddenly lit up.
Before she could walk over, Shouko pulled Ajitani forward.
"Misae-nee, why are you here? The professional photographer Ajitani-chan hired wouldn't be you, would it?"
Misae nodded confidently, acknowledging Shouko's compliment. She casually lifted the camera hanging around her neck and gently waved it at Shouko.
After greeting the two in front of her, Misae looked Shouko up and down with interest.
"Shouko, are you playing the Big Bad Wolf from Little Red Riding Hood today?"
Putting everything else aside, paired with Shouko's face, the first impression was cuteness. She even felt like asking her to take a few photos after they finished…
"No, it's the Big Bad Wolf from Snow White."
"The… the Big Bad Wolf from Snow White?" Misae-nee was stunned, muttering softly:
"The story of Snow White is just seven dwarfs and a silly princess. Where would there be a wolf…?"
"Misae-nee, what did you say?"
"Nothing… Oh right!" Misae met Shouko's curious gaze and quickly changed the subject. "Shouko, why haven't I seen that brat?"
As she spoke, her gaze had already swept around Shouko, front, back, left, and right, but she still didn't see him.
"That brat is behind you."
Tsuna's faint voice sounded behind Misae, looking a bit helpless at Shouko's suppressed smile.
"Hiss…"
Misae turned her head at the sound, just meeting the hint of speechlessness in Tsuna's eyes that he hadn't had time to hide.
However, her attention was now drawn to his outfit. She curiously scanned him up and down:
"This outfit of yours is… a Western medieval prince?"
As she spoke, her decade-long 'occupational disease' seemed to be triggered, and her hand naturally reached for the camera around her neck, poised to raise it and snap a few shots of Tsuna.
"Let's go, Misae-nee, let's sit on a chair for a bit. It'll still be about ten minutes until it's over."
Tsuna seemed to have sensed her thoughts and timely interrupted her budding desire to take photos.
After greeting her, he immediately turned around and walked back to his original seat.
— — — — — —
"And so, the wicked queen received her punishment from Snow White, and the seven dwarfs and the prince lived happily ever after."
"Clap, clap, clap…!"
As the narrator's last sentence fell and the curtain slowly closed, Nanase-sensei in the backstage lounge clapped her hands forcefully, gathering everyone's attention, and announced loudly:
"Everyone, go to the stage now. We'll disband after the group photo."
With that, Nanase-sensei led the way into the passage.