Vol 1 Chapter 9 – Is There a Problem?

The merit: The publications from the ‘Modern Culture Research Club’ will sell better.

The demerit: Kajiwara-kun might get exposed on social media and attract the attention of weird women.

That we’re making a commodity of his sex appeal.

That’s it.

That’s all I wrote, over and over, in the report.

Content that held no merit for him whatsoever.

“Is there a problem? I don’t mind at all.”

He gave me an instant okay.

With a smile, no less.

I haven’t even said anything yet!

He’s holding the report in his hand, waiting for my reply.

“…”

I went to respond—and bit my tongue.

It hurt so much I couldn’t speak.

In the end, this Segawa couldn’t muster the courage to talk to a boy.

That’s why I cut my sleep by about two hours to write a report.

I wrote it with everything I had.

Just how many more of our books would sell thanks to Kajiwara-kun promoting them on social media.

How to make a commodity of Kajiwara-kun’s sex appeal and tie that to our sales numbers.

Any guy who reads this will be put off.

I wrote it while my eyes were still bleary with sleep, thinking, This is probably a really bad idea.

And when I reread it in the morning, my eyes aching from lack of sleep, it was, in fact, a really bad idea.

“This thing doesn’t have a single shred of humanity in it,” or so the thought came to me, for some reason in an Osaka dialect.

It’s a completely cold judgment of Kajiwara-kun as nothing more than a sexual commodity.

But I handed it to him.

After all, we didn’t have much time before the doujin convention.

I figured if it’s come to this, I might as well make him hate me.

If he turned me down or got offended, it could all be settled by saying that I, this Segawa, was at fault.

I thought the damage would be limited to my own reputation.

I steeled my resolve.

I have my pride as the head of advertising for the ‘Modern Culture Research Club’.

The pride that says, We’re going to sell every last book we can, and social media isn’t a game.

“…You’re not mad?”

“About what?”

He tilts his head.

It was a thick neck.

Kajiwara-kun, who could only be described as powerfully built, tilted his head to the side.

His clavicle, my personal fetish, is hidden beneath a clean dress shirt.

But from his well-built physique, the upper fibers of the trapezius muscles that covered his collarbones and ran up his back stood out.

Hoo, a breath almost escaped me, like an owl’s.

He’s so my type.

To be honest, for Segawa, his clavicle and the muscles surrounding it were exactly her type.

I want to just bite down on it.

No, no, this is no time to be thinking about that.

“…I was sure you’d be angry. I determined that it would offend you, Kajiwara-kun.”

I had to ask his true intentions.

An immediate agreement is fine, but it’s possible it wasn’t what he really wanted.

That because he’s still a newcomer, he’s being deferential to the club.

For example, he’s only agreeing out of consideration for the club president who invited him.

That wouldn’t be good.

“I just have to take a smiling picture for social media to promote things. And then work as a salesperson. That’s all, right?”

“…Well, yes, if you put it that way, that’s all, but.”

I explained it properly in the report.

About the slightly underhanded nature of the whole affair.

The goal of working as a salesperson is to sell as many of our publications to the customers as possible.

To that end, we will use your sexuality as a commodity to attract the kind of otaku girls who rarely get to interact with guys.

We are using a man as a commodity to sell books.

Just like a sexy pin-up model.

That, of course, will get people talking.

You might even get bad-mouthed on social media.

I even wrote such threatening language in the report.

So it’s okay for you to hate me for it.

Did you even read it properly?

“Are you asking about the contents of this report?”

“…Yes.”

It seems he did read it properly.

In that case, he must have some thoughts on it.

Like, what do you think people are?

“…Any parts that you were unhappy with, um…”

“Not really.”

He’s not?

I’m a little stunned.

“Was there anything in that sincere document to be dissatisfied with?”

“…Was there? Sincerity?”

I say it without mincing words.

There wasn’t any sincerity.

It was written purely in terms of merits and demerits.

I only wrote about the merits for our club and the demerits for you, Kajiwara-kun.

It basically said, “We’re going to use you as a sacrifice for our club.”

It was the kind of business document that would make you think the person who wrote it was a serious idiot.

It was a total screw-up.

I really thought this was a total screw-up.

“…I don’t have any sincerity. I just want to sell as many books as possible, even if it’s just one more.”

I say it honestly.

“Isn’t it sincere to clearly tell me about the demerits concerning me without hiding a single thing?”

“…I don’t see it that way.”

I avert my eyes.

Why does this boy keep trying to meet my gaze?

I’d always had this strong image of boys as these willowy, weak creatures.

Creatures who, like us nerds, were always looking down, their heads bowed.

Why is he trying to make eye contact with me?

“…Um, I just wrote things that were convenient for me, and, um…”

“A scammer would only tell you the convenient parts, wouldn’t they? They wouldn’t lay out the demerits so clearly, would they?”

It was almost as if he were comforting me.

He even sounded a little exasperated.

“It’s like this. How do I put it… um, you don’t have to try so hard to be disliked. I understand that it’s necessary, so you don’t have to operate under the assumption that you need to be the sacrifice.”

The gaze he sent my way was strangely gentle.

It was as if he were treating me like any other girl.

Like he was thinking, We’re in the same club now, so I’d like to get to know you better if I can.

Treating me like just another member.

Well, I mean, that is technically the truth.

Are boys really this kind? I wonder.

Since I don’t know any other boys, I have no basis for comparison.

“It’s not that I’m trying to be a self-sacrifice or anything… but, you don’t mind being a salesperson?”

“Nope, not at all. It’s not like I have to wear some obscene cosplay, right? It’s not like you’re asking me to walk around the venue in my underwear, is it?”

Well, that’s true.

“Anyway, as long as I don’t get stabbed in the gut, I’ll be fine.”

Just how badly does he not want to be stabbed in the gut?

I wanted to know about his past.

His sense of self-preservation is extremely high, yet when it comes to sexual matters, it’s extremely low.

I, this Segawa, am finding that I don’t understand Kajiwara-kun at all.

“…So you don’t mind.”

“I don’t mind.”

“I see,” I murmured.

It seems my worries were all for nothing.

I let out a breath.

“If I minded, I would have refused back when President Takahashi asked me to do it.”

That’s also true.

Still, I’d thought that being an active promoter would be daunting for a nerd like us.

There are timid examples, like Emma.

“I joined this club to interact with people and find fellow otaku. So you can use me for the sake of the club. I told you that once, didn’t I?”

“…I heard you.”

Am I just worrying too much?

Or is he still pushing himself too hard?

I struggle with it.

Is it okay to take his words at face value?

Hesitation flickers in my eyes.

“Should we take a picture together? For social media.”

“Hm?”

The question wasn’t directed at me, but at President Takahashi.

The president responds.

“Great idea, I’ll take it! Hey! Segawa-chan, go stand next to Kajiwara-kun!!”

“…What’s that!?”

I muttered, almost like Emma’s English catchphrase, as I processed the situation.

Huh? He wants to take it with me?

No, I’ll just be in the way.

It’d be better with just the guy, I was about to say.

“Right, could someone bring last month’s publication? I’ll hold that, and Segawa-san can hang a sign that says ‘New Issue Available’…”

Well, it’s true we have a ‘New Issue Available!’ sign in the clubroom.

But taking a picture with a boy…

Isn’t that, like, something straight out of a teen romance? I was about to protest.

“Segawa-chan, here, I brought the sign.”

Emma came over, triumphantly holding the sign, so I stopped myself.

I take the sign. Kajiwara-kun is standing there with a broad smile, holding last month’s publication.

President Takahashi is also smiling broadly, holding her phone up like she’s about to say, say cheese.

That’s it. With Kajiwara-kun ready for the photo, I can’t possibly say I don’t want to be in it.

“…Please be gentle with me.”

Stiff with nervousness, I stood next to Kajiwara-kun.

Finally, I resigned myself and accepted everything.

This is it. What is it?

Kajiwara-kun is a good kid. Probably.

As I thought about how nice it would be to get along with such a good kid, I forced a stiff smile just as President Takahashi gave the signal, “Okay, cheese.”