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503 – No One Can Refuse a Girl Like Kasumi Utako-sensei!
🕑 Added 2025-09-07 15:00:14 +0000 UTC“Wait, it’s really him!?”
The moment Matsuya confirmed it, Sayuri, the office lady, shot up from her seat in excitement, leaning so close that her face was almost touching his.
“That’s right—exactly the same.”
Although Matsuya was secretly thrilled by the sudden closeness of the izakaya’s second most beautiful woman.
He still instinctively leaned back to avoid being smothered by her soft chest.
“Wow!! I saw people online earlier saying they’d spotted Hojou-sensei at the LUCY crepe shop, and I thought it was just a rumor. But it’s real!” Sayuri beamed, as if she herself had been the one lucky enough to meet Hojou Kyousuke.
“Is he… a celebrity?” Amagi asked, confused.
“Come on, old man. This is Shinjuku—we could at least try to stay a little bit in touch with fashion!” Sayuri rolled her eyes, silently vowing never to bother greeting him again.
“The author of The Devotion of Suspect X, perhaps?”
One hand propped on the counter, the glamorous hostess chimed in.
“Huh?”
Amagi almost jumped out of his seat.
“Even the boss lady knows!?”
He began doubting himself.
Could this Hojou actually be someone far more important than he thought?
“Of course I know. Talented and handsome men like him… to women like me, they’re pure poison.”
As the hostess’s full red lips parted under the warm amber lights, every man present gulped hard, Adam’s apples bobbing in unison.
Damn it—who the hell was this guy, to make even the sultry hostess pine for him!?
Sayuri nodded vigorously, fully agreeing.
“In fact, Amagi-san, it’d be stranger if you didn’t know him,” the hostess added.
“Huh? I don’t read books. Not recognizing some newbie author isn’t strange at all, is it?” Amagi scratched his head.
“Even if you don’t read, you must have heard of him!” Sayuri slapped the table.
Amagi wanted to argue back, but the sight of the hostess and several other customers nodding made him feel surreal, as if reality itself had been tampered with.
Why was he the only one left in the dark?
“Hey, Iguchi—you know this Hojou-sensei too?” he asked his drinking buddy.
“I think you’ve had too much, Amagi. Next thing I know you’ll be forgetting you still owe me money.”
Iguchi sighed.
“Your company’s near San-chome, right? Remember that massive Kinokuniya signing last year? It caused such a stir the police had to send officers to maintain order.
Don’t tell me you forgot. We even passed the line together, and you were saying how lucky authors are, with all those beautiful female fans.”
“Ah! That’s right!” Amagi suddenly smacked his forehead.
“Wow, unbelievable… At first I thought it was a drama shoot or something. I mean, the entire line was full of gorgeous women!”
With his alcohol-fogged memory jogged, Amagi launched into a vivid retelling of the beautiful fans he’d seen that day, all queued up for Hojou Kyousuke’s autograph.
Sayuri and the hostess exchanged a glance, both thinking the same thing: Men.
Moments ago he’d been like a broken old computer, not a flicker of recognition.
But the second the word beautiful women came up, suddenly his memory was working like a high-performance server.
“You bastard!” Amagi suddenly cursed.
“So not only does he have all those gorgeous fans, but he’s also that handsome!? If he’s that good-looking, why not just become a host instead?”
His outburst instantly resonated with Iguchi and the other men, who all nodded furiously.
Exactly—if he could make a living off his face, he should just serve rich women and leave hard-working men like them alone!
“Right? If Hojou-sensei became a host, I’d definitely work even harder at my job!” Sayuri sighed dramatically.
“Let’s go together, then.”
The hostess folded her arms under her ample chest, laughing sweetly.
The gesture only made her curves stand out more, threatening to spill free.
And with those words, every man’s imagination betrayed him:
The elegant office lady on one side, still in her half-unbuttoned blouse from work, pressing close…
The sultry hostess on the other, body like a coiling serpent, clinging tight… both of them leaning into Hojou Kyousuke.
One smelling faintly of perfume and copy paper, the other of kitchen smoke and red wine, lips pursed like a teasing girl’s.
Ah, damn it!
So much for professional decorum—what kind of “host” is this supposed to be!? What bar does he even work at?
We’ll file complaints until they shut the place down!
Amagi fumed silently.
“Ahem. Anyway, he really shouldn’t be a host. Way too much of a waste of talent. Besides, doesn’t Hojou-sensei already have a girlfriend?
Didn’t Yahoo run that online poll not too long ago?” Iguchi coughed, as if defending the sacred space of their izakaya.
“Girlfriend? Poll?” Amagi blinked.
How could those two words even belong in the same sentence?
“You know, that gossip magazine listed possible candidates for Hojou-sensei’s girlfriend, and then people voted online.” Iguchi explained while scrolling through his phone.
The more he explained, the less it made sense to Amagi.
A public poll for someone’s girlfriend candidates?
That wasn’t news—that was abuse of public resources!
“Here, look.” Iguchi handed the phone over.
Amagi took one glance and nearly threw it across the room.
“What the hell is this supposed to show!?”
The supposed “candidates” were all pixelated so badly you couldn’t even make out colors, let alone faces.
“Nothing we can do about it. They’re not public figures, after all.”
“Oh, speaking of that—Matsuya, didn’t you say earlier you saw Hojou-sensei sharing a crepe with some girl?” Sayuri suddenly asked.
“Eh?” Matsuya almost said yes, but then quickly caught himself.
Back then, he hadn’t known who Hojou Kyousuke was, so it was fine to chat casually.
Now? Running his mouth could get him in real trouble.
Unlike Amagi, he actually followed the gossip online.
At first he thought it was all fake, but after meeting Hojou up close, he wasn’t so sure.
That aura… it wasn’t something a mere delinquent could have.
Call him the heir to a hundred-year-old yakuza family, and Matsuya would’ve believed it.
“Actually, not really sharing. Hojou-sensei was eating, and the girl was just standing there, watching him quietly.” He chose his words carefully.
“Ha! Making a girl just watch while he eats… handsome and talented guys really can get away with anything.”
Amagi grumbled again.
Though unspoken, the implication was clear: Hojou Kyousuke’s looks and talent might win him girlfriends, but his personality had to be rotten.
“Ahhh, I wish I could stand there quietly, watching Hojou-sensei eat a crepe too…”
Sayuri’s eyes shone with envy.
Honestly, if she could, she would’ve squatted in front of Hojou-sensei, tilting her head back just to catch any crumbs that might fall from his crepe.
After all… those would be Hojou-sensei’s leftovers!
Even though no one could hear Sayuri’s inner thoughts, her one wistful line was already enough to make Amagi grit his teeth in jealousy, nearly grinding them into dust.
“Oh! I remember now! That girl even wiped Hojou-sensei’s mouth with a handkerchief—super intimate.” Matsuya added helpfully.
‘Nice! Good job, Matsuya! That’s the perfect way to crush Sayuri’s delusions!’ Amagi cheered inwardly.
“Here, here! Matsuya, the girl you saw—was it this person, Kasumi Utako-sensei?” Amagi shoved a phone under his nose, pointing at one of the rare photos among the blurred-out faces.
“Hey, that’s my phone.” Iguchi muttered, but he also leaned closer, just as curious.
“What does it matter? You’re dying to know too!” Amagi brushed him off.
On the screen was the infamous online poll about Hojou Kyousuke’s rumored girlfriend.
Sure enough, Iguchi’s vote had gone to Kasumi Utako.
“Ahem… well, of course!” Iguchi said defensively.
Life was dull and repetitive; if you didn’t want to talk politics, gossip about celebrities was the next best thing.
That was exactly why tabloids—especially gossip rags—were still thriving.
“What the hell? How could you two seriously think Kasumi Utako is Hojou-sensei’s girlfriend? Your taste is garbage.” Sayuri scoffed, clearly annoyed.
Uh… did that really need explaining?
Because for any man alive, who wouldn’t want a girlfriend like Kasumi Utako?
Amagi and Iguchi locked eyes. They didn’t even need words; their expressions said it all.
The photo in the poll was one snapped during one of Kasumi Utako’s book signings.
She wore a cropped white blazer, a pale-blue skirt, and—of course—black stockings.
The shot was from the side, and even without striking a pose, her figure was flawless.
Especially those long legs in sheer black tights—just sitting there, they looked endless.
If she stood up, they’d probably be longer than your lifespan. And then there was her chest… those breathtaking curves could suffocate a man.
The conclusion came instantly—within 0.1 seconds.
Both middle-aged men nodded as one: Kasumi Utako absolutely had to be Hojou Kyousuke’s girlfriend.
No doubt, no debate.
On their manly honor, no one could possibly reject a bombshell like her.
That cold, expressionless beauty.
That icy, untouchable aura. That dominatrix vibe—!
“Kasumi Utako-sensei is definitely Hojou Kyousuke’s girlfriend!!” ×2
Amagi and Iguchi declared in unison, then both turned to glare expectantly at Matsuya.
“She is absolutely, definitely NOT!” Sayuri snapped, furious.
A woman like that could never be Hojou-sensei’s type! Absolutely not!
As the saying goes, writers may scorn each other, but women?
Women will never allow another woman to be perfect in their eyes.
“Kasumi Utako’s chest is that big? Please. Totally fake. Nobody in the world has a chest that perfect in both shape and size—it’s all implants. Only idiots like you shallow men would fall for that.” Sayuri declared smugly.
She even glanced at the hostess, who gave her a supporting nod.
Sayuri jabbed at the poll again, ranting:
“And those so-called unbeatable black-stockinged legs? Do you even know what kind of women wear stockings like that? Women with too much fat on their legs, or bad leg shape—that’s who! They use black tights to cover up their flaws!”
The three men instinctively lowered their heads to study the photo again.
Too much fat? Bad shape?
All they could see were long, sleek, perfectly sculpted legs that deserved to be worshipped.
“Wait, Sayuri… aren’t you wearing black stockings right now?” Amagi pointed out suspiciously.
“So what if I am!?” The office lady puffed up proudly, chest thrust forward, refusing to back down.
“But didn’t you just say—”
“Exactly! My legs aren’t perfect, so I wear stockings to hide the flaws!”
…
Savage. She was so desperate to discredit Kasumi Utako that she didn’t mind throwing herself under the bus first.
The three men exchanged looks, then silently shut their mouths.
After all, Kasumi Utako belonged to Hojou Kyousuke.
The only woman they could realistically look at was Sayuri. Better not piss her off.
They were grown adults now—they had to recognize reality.
“Ahem… if it’s not Kasumi Utako, then who? Since you’re such a devoted fan of Hojou-sensei, you must’ve voted too, right?” Amagi pressed.
“Don’t fans usually hope their idol stays single forever?” Matsuya muttered his own theory.
“Hah! Idiots. You’re supposed to be adults—learn to face reality. Even if I don’t vote, it won’t change the fact that Hojou-sensei will have a girlfriend. So why not pick someone I can at least tolerate?” Sayuri sneered, rolling her eyes at their collective stupidity.
The three men looked at each other again, speechless.
Face reality? Lady, you talk as if Hojou Kyousuke will date whoever you vote for. And even if your logic were right, so what?
What, are you going to feel more… “involved” when Hojou Kyousuke gets intimate with his girlfriend?
Despite their sarcasm, curiosity got the better of them.
If even a top-tier beauty like Kasumi Utako didn’t meet Sayuri’s standards, then who did she pick?
Sayuri tilted her chin proudly, sweeping her gaze across the room before finally settling on the hostess.
“Boss lady, who did you vote for?”
The hostess, caught off guard mid-spectating, blinked, then forced a small smile.
“Me? Oh, I didn’t really follow that whole thing.”
What kind of question was this? Did they expect her to just say, “Well, aside from me, no woman is good enough for Hojou-sensei”? Way too embarrassing!
“I see…”
Sayuri muttered, then lifted her chin higher and announced with pride:
“Of course I voted for Candidate #1—the mosaic one!”
“...Huh?”
The three men instantly lowered their heads to check the voting page.
Beneath that blurred-out “Mosaic No.1” option, there were two top comments:
————————————————————————
[Kyoko]: Nonsense! It’s absolutely, absolutely, absolutely Mosaic No.1! Do you even know what “childhood friends” means? If you saw how they interact in daily life, you’d never spout something so stupid, you single dog! — 6,602 likes
[Shadow King]: I know, but I can’t say. If you get it, you get it. If you don’t, then even if I explained, you still wouldn’t. Mosaic No.1, without a doubt! — 331 likes
————————————————————————
Since some time had passed, the like counts had gone up since last they checked.
Though, thanks to that second guy’s cryptic nonsense, plenty of people were flaming him in the replies.
“Why would you think it’s this one, Sayuri?” Amagi asked, baffled. “It’s literally just a blurry mess! Who would vote for that except some riddle-spouting troll?”
“Hmph! Do you even understand what childhood friends means?!” Sayuri declared with conviction.
“It’s the purest, most beautiful kind of love in the world! Didn’t you read those comments?
Those are clearly from people who know the truth! Even Hojou-sensei’s friends are saying so—how could that possibly be fake?”
“But—”
“Absolutely not! Absolutely no one else—it has to be this one!” Sayuri cut off Iguchi with a sharp wave of her hand.
“Well, hearing Sayuri say it like that… I kind of agree. Childhood friends really might be it.” The hostess suddenly chimed in.
“Huh? Boss lady, not you too…”
“Oh, oh! I get it now too!” Matsuya’s eyes lit up with sudden realization.
“What? You get it?” Iguchi asked, dumbfounded.
“Iguchi-san, you still don’t understand women,” Matsuya whispered knowingly, leaning in close to spill his “secret” in a very obvious not-whisper.
“Even someone like Sayuri—who refuses to acknowledge even a perfect beauty like Kasumi Utako, with her flawless looks and incredible body—would never give her approval. So think about it: who would she acknowledge?”
“Uh…”
“The answer is: no one! Exactly. Which means, in her mind, the only kind of woman who could ever end up as Hojou-sensei’s girlfriend would have to be a childhood friend. Someone who wins by sheer dumb luck, not by competing on looks!”
Matsuya spoke with such confidence that both Iguchi and Amagi couldn’t help but nod along, deeply convinced.
“I see… that actually makes sense!”
“Then, Sayuri,” Matsuya asked, “do you happen to know the name of Hojou-sensei’s childhood friend? Earlier, I thought I heard him call out to a girl by name.”
“Her name!?” Sayuri’s eyes lit up, her gossip radar instantly going full throttle.
“Yeah. I think it was… Shouko? I’m not sure about the kanji, but I clearly heard that pronunciation.”
