Aki Tomoya greatly admired Kasumigaoka Utaha, this Senior.
Young and successful, according to his friend Hashima Iori, with Kashiwagi Eri helping out, after her second work became a big hit, maintaining the pace meant the day she would be at the peak of the light novel industry wasn't far off.
However, in reality, Kasumigaoka Utaha's life wasn't going as smoothly.
She was a hidden otaku, much better than before, but in University, she truly hadn't been able to meet any friends she got along well with.
And in her own words, the common topics that existed in University might only be about studies, and matters of traditional literature and popular literature.
There were also more topics about other aspects, things outside of Kasumigaoka Utaha's interests.
Those things could be called topics between "normies" and "normies," and otaku couldn't participate in them.
And with the casual learning attitude she had in high school, although she couldn't get first place at Keio, for some reason, most people still kept their distance from her, just like those around her in high school, seemingly finding her difficult to approach.
They were polite on the surface, but inwardly felt she was very difficult to approach.
Kasumigaoka Utaha wasn't someone who couldn't read the room either.
How should one describe the atmosphere in the Faculty of Literature? There were people she could talk to, but it was difficult to confide in them, because the areas of interest were slightly different, and the biggest problem was the lack of truly common topics.
"Aki-kun, what kind of people do you know at Tokyo University?"
"Hmm... families of Doctors, those whose families run hospitals, or people like me. But one thing is certain, everyone will be in the same circle in the future."
"So, it seems I should look for friends within the industry?"
Kasumigaoka Utaha thought for a moment, perhaps her goal was wrong from the start.
She couldn't find friends in University, but it was different in the industry circle; at least she was still popular now.
She also had the nameplate of Keio University in her hand, so trying to secure more resources was still viable.
However, she seemed to be doing all these things; she had resources, but when it came to connections, she had completely handed them over to Machida Sonoko.
Thinking of this, Kasumigaoka Utaha couldn't help but shiver. That Vice Editor had also done quite a few things quietly.
"However, even if everyone becomes Doctors in the future, they still split into many small groups. For example, the top student in the Todai Faculty of Science III class is currently making moves to win people over. No matter where you are, forming groups has benefits."
Aki Tomoya didn't say much about the situation at University of Tokyo, Faculty of Science III.
But with Kasumigaoka Utaha's decent ability to fill in the blanks, she could probably imagine that before the final threshold of entering society, or rather, among the reserve forces heading towards the white tower of Japan, the people there were not idle for a moment.
The competitive pressure there was definitely much greater than in the Keio Faculty of Literature.
Also, the situation at the Keio Faculty of Medicine wasn't much different.
"I really admire you for being able to hold your ground there."
Kasumigaoka Utaha said sincerely. Her praise made Aki Tomoya a little flustered.
At the same time, he couldn't help but reply, "Senior, at Keio, well... it's alright?"
Remembering what Eriri had said before, he guessed that this Senior was probably a loner in University, just like she was in high school.
Was it that she couldn't find people with similar topics, or that they couldn't catch her eye? Aki Tomoya was more inclined towards the former.
Because logically speaking, this Senior seemed to lack nothing.
Fame?
She had it in the light novel industry.
Money?
She should have earned a lot.
Connections?
With her current popularity, people would flock to her even if she didn't want them to, and Machida Sonoko would also help her.
In the industry, Kasumigaoka Utaha should be the type of author who could live quite freely.
"It's not good at all, it's about the same as high school. My only true friend is Eriri. Isn't that miserable enough?"
"...Should I say you're perpetually arrogant, or should I say your taste has become pickier because of Eriri?"
If she said that, then the reality was probably similar.
Having only Eriri as a friend she could confide in, and counting Machida Sonoko, it wasn't really miserable. It's good enough for a person to meet one or two true friends they can confide in in their lifetime.
But looking at her, she seemed to be lacking some normal social interaction to some extent.
Although she wasn't as assertive as before, her standards were still the same. It was probably because of the arrogance in her heart that if she wanted to make friends, she would want to make friends with people of the same caliber.
But at her age, whether it was luck or ability, there weren't many people in the industry who could compete with her.
"Are you also first at Keio?"
"Just among the top."
"...I think I understand."
If he continued to ask, Aki Tomoya was sure that the person beside him would definitely say that because they weren't in the same circle and didn't have common topics, they couldn't talk together.
This person is becoming more and more of an otaku...
And at Keio, she can get to the top just by studying casually...
Aki Tomoya looked at Kudo Sayaka in front of him. Indeed, interacting with the Senior beside him would put more pressure on ordinary people.
At the same time, Kasumigaoka Utaha was also different from Suzuya, whom Aki Tomoya knew at Tokyo University.
The latter would actively try to win people over, while the former casually wanted to find people she got along well with.
Simply put, Kasumigaoka Utaha's standards for making friends were a bit strict. If there were three criteria, half the people in the Keio Faculty of Literature met the first two, but not the last one.
And that last one might be, "Unfortunately, you are not an otaku."
This person was still very accepting of her identity as an otaku and would prefer to seek out and get to know people with similar interests.
"I hope you can find friends like Eriri in the industry."
Aki Tomoya could only pray for her like this.
And while both were otaku girls, Kasumigaoka Utaha was actually very different from Eriri.
You know, Eriri had always been in the upper class world.
...
If everyone went to karaoke together, Kudo Sayaka would definitely be the one to liven up the atmosphere. She could even get Kato Megumi to sing along.
"I.want.you, i.need.you!"
It wasn't strange at all that Kato Megumi would sing an AKB single.
Reluctantly agreeing to sing the Kamen Rider theme song with Kamigō Yoshihiko, Aki Tomoya noticed that the Senior was constantly shaking her leg.
It was like the nervousness of someone who feared being tone-deaf or having their hobbies exposed, just before being "executed."
"Can't help you there, let me sing with you instead. Any anime theme song is fine!"
Eriri said generously to Kasumigaoka Utaha. She didn't mind her interests being exposed. Anyway, they were all people she knew. Even though Kudo Sayaka was meeting them for the first time, her childhood friend definitely wouldn't be someone who would have any prejudice.
Kasumigaoka Utaha looked up at Eriri, first pretending to be calm, then pointed her finger at a song on the list: "This one..."
"No way, is that Kasumigaoka-senpai?!"
Kamigō Yoshihiko widened his eyes and quietly asked Aki Tomoya beside him.
If he wasn't mistaken, that song was the theme song of a certain popular anime.
That cool and distant Senior is an otaku?
Some of the nervousness she was showing now seemed like how he used to be...
What a joke?!
"Is it the end of the world, Aki Tomoya?!"
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