Chapter 42: Mio’s Conquest Plan

On Monday, Sakamoto Ken came to the store for the last time to hand over his duties.

He said goodbye to the old manager, though it wasn’t really a farewell. After all, he still lived nearby and would still come to buy bento boxes.

After settling his wages and conveniently depositing them at the store’s ATM, his part-time job was officially over.

For the next week, aside from a daily trip to the convenience store for food, Sakamoto Ken basically stayed in his room.

The manuscript for Chainsaw Man was the top priority.

He slowed down his pace slightly, mainly because the later stages were purely a matter of physical labor, leaving his hands sore and his eyes blurry.

Working nearly twelve hours a day, he could produce about 15 pages of manuscript.

By Wednesday, he had completed his main task for the week. Editor Kaji came to his door to pick up the original manuscripts for chapters 12 and 13 of Chainsaw Man.

Next, Sakamoto Ken threw himself into the creation of Look Back.

By Saturday, combined with what he had drawn before, he had a total of 55 pages of original manuscript, completing one-third of the work.

At noon, Sakamoto Ken stopped drawing.

He got up and walked to the small refrigerator, opened it, and found it empty.

Only then did he remember that he had stayed up late last night and, feeling hungry, had eaten the mapo tofu bento he had saved for today’s lunch.

He had to go to the convenience store again.

Sakamoto Ken went back into his room, changed into some clothes for going out, but then sat down again.

Seeing the magazine on the table, he casually picked it up again and flipped through it.

Although Sakamoto Ken’s mind was a repository of many works from his previous life, he still read books, mainly to review his memories of the current era.

For example, the magazine in his hand.

When he was organizing the magazine rack at the store, he had seen the news on the cover about Mikami-sensei’s upcoming debut in the AV industry.

Of course, he didn’t look at the magazine in detail that day; Mio was still there.

Last night, Sakamoto Ken went to the store to buy a discounted bento and bought it on the way.

The magazine was full of gossip from the gentlemen’s circle, as well as various new film introductions, newcomer introductions, and all sorts of colorful high-paying recruitment ads.

This issue of the magazine also mentioned the “2015 Sky PerfecTV! Broadcasting Awards.”

This was considered a top award in the industry, equivalent to the Oscar for Best Actress.

Among the awards this time, there were a few names Sakamoto Ken was familiar with.

The winner of the final grand prize, Sakura-sensei, and the nominated Uehara, Yoshizawa, and several other teachers.

Above were the established stars, and there was also one whom Sakamoto Ken personally rated the highest.

Best Newcomer Award, Amatsuka Moe.

In addition, in the Best Actor award that no one paid attention to, this year was also the beginning of another strongman’s fame.

The “little cannon,” Shimizu Ken-sensei.

He was 1.63 meters tall, shorter than many actresses, but no one said he couldn’t perform.

After winning the award this year, Shimizu-sensei transformed into an author, publishing five books in five years, teaching his secrets of invincibility.

Why was Sakamoto Ken so clear about this?

It wasn’t because both of their names were Ken.

It was because in his previous life, Sakamoto Ken had carefully studied Shimizu-sensei’s five books and benefited greatly.

Flipping through the various interviews and articles in the magazine, Sakamoto Ken couldn’t help but sigh. Although they were in different industries, the competition was particularly fierce for everyone.

Like the manga industry he was in, countless newcomers squeezed into various submission contests every year, but the vast majority could only become stepping stones for the strong to climb up.

At noon, the sun was just right outside. In the early spring season, a short-sleeved shirt and a thin jacket were enough. Sakamoto Ken opened the window, and a gentle breeze blew into the room, making him feel refreshed.

He stretched, just about to get up and go to the convenience store.

Looking down, he saw a familiar figure downstairs.

Then, the two of them made eye contact from dozens of meters away.

…

Natsume Mio came early today.

This week, besides practicing her vocal music at home, she had done something particularly important.

That was to ask her mother how to pursue boys.

Previously, when her mother brought up this topic, Natsume Mio would always shyly avoid it, but this time she took the initiative to ask.

Then, Natsume Mio’s mother taught her everything she knew, and she even took notes.

Now, Natsume Mio felt that she was terrifyingly strong!

Seeing Sakamoto Ken at the window, the girl raised her hand and waved at him.

She didn’t pause at all, walking quickly towards the apartment building.

When she got downstairs, she was about to look up and call for Sakamoto Ken to come down and open the door when she saw another resident happening to come out.

Natsume Mio rushed forward in a few quick steps, held the main door, and slipped inside.

A minute later, she was standing at the door of Sakamoto Ken’s home.

“Ken, have you eaten yet? Open the door,” Natsume Mio knocked on the door and said from outside.

Sakamoto Ken got up, glanced at the table again, picked up the magazine, and stuffed it into a gap in the bookshelf.

Then he went to the entrance and opened the door.

“Why are you here?” Sakamoto Ken asked.

For a whole week, Sakamoto Ken had not contacted Natsume Mio at all.

Today was Saturday again, the day she was supposed to come to work according to the original plan.

He had thought that Natsume Mio would tell the manager to cancel her part-time job plan, but it seemed she hadn’t.

Moreover, she was carrying a FamilyMart plastic bag in her hand.

Natsume Mio turned sideways and looked into Sakamoto Ken’s room, saying, “Ken, you haven’t had lunch yet, have you?”

“Not yet…” Sakamoto Ken said, “I was just about to go to the convenience store to buy some.”

“That’s perfect, I brought you some~” Natsume Mio lifted the bag in her hand and said, “Don’t get the wrong idea, I still have an hour before work. I just brought you a bento, nothing else~”

Sakamoto Ken sized up the girl in front of him.

Braids, two long sideburns, which had grown a little longer these past few days, making her look even more like Makima’s hairstyle.

She was smiling brightly and didn’t mention anything else.

“Hey, hey, are you just going to let me stand at the door?” Natsume Mio pouted and said.

“Then thank you, I’ll pay you.” Sakamoto Ken took a step back and let Natsume Mio into the room.

Now Sakamoto Ken was fully confident that he could suppress her emotions. Something like a yandere knife would definitely not happen again.

“Thank you, excuse me~” Natsume Mio bowed slightly to Sakamoto Ken politely, and then stepped into the room.

“I haven’t had lunch either, so I bought two bento boxes. You often get the minced meat bento when you eat at the store in the afternoon, but it’s not really because you like it, right? It’s just that you feel it’s taking advantage of Manager-san to take a free bento that’s too expensive.”

Natsume Mio, wearing black round-toed leather shoes, rubbed her feet together, and a pair of pure white cotton socks stepped onto the wooden floor inside.

She continued on her own, “I guessed you like to eat pork cutlet bento, so I bought it. At this time of noon, the bento has only been in the refrigerator for a short while, so the taste is much better than buying it at a discount at night.”

Natsume Mio skillfully opened the microwave on the kitchen counter and put the bento inside.

The microwave made a “buzzing” sound. Natsume Mio knelt properly on the tatami mat, with a very calm and decent expression, her back straight, her chest slightly out, and a faint, almost imperceptible smile always on her lips.

This feeling was just like a gentle wife waiting at home for her husband to return.

She didn’t mention a single word of the direct topics from the previous few times, but every action seemed to be repeating the same meaning.

Sakamoto Ken had originally wanted to get some information out of her, why she suddenly thought of bringing him a bento today.

But now, he only had one premonition.

This girl, has she consulted an expert?

(End of Chapter)