Tokyo Soft Rice King.

"That's fine. You can participate in CM or whatever you want, or you can choose not to participate."

Kuroba Akira couldn't understand what she meant and asked in return.

"Are you sure it's okay? Ohno-sensei, you suggested we form a professional club because you value our professional skills, right? As the organizer, if we become a professional club, you'll essentially gain a powerful partner."

Relationships among adults are nothing more than an exchange of interests; they come together and break up because of mutual benefit.

Although she has a loli-like figure, Junko Ohno is still an adult, so when dealing with her, Akira Kuroba can regain his full adult spirit and not be completely overwhelmed by the sincere feelings of the girls as he is when facing them.

The young girl is attractive to the older man, but the older man isn't afraid of an adult loli who can legally drink alcohol.

Surprisingly, Junko Ohno did not encourage Akira Kuroba and the others to create a professional club for her own benefit.

"I've been in this circle for quite a while now, so I know how fragile those so-called professional groups that make a living from fanfiction are... Let's not even talk about profit distribution. The industrialization of derivative works is already controversial, especially for adult-oriented works, which already belong to the 'gray industry'."

Junko Ohno scratched her head and said.

"On the other hand, as a teacher, I couldn't possibly let my students dedicate themselves to such an unstable industry, could I?"

"It's actually an irrefutable argument!"

This time it was Kuroba Akira's turn to say those words.

While relationships between adults are indeed primarily based on the exchange of benefits, in Junko Ohno's eyes, Akira Kuroba and the others are first and foremost her students, beings who need her, as an adult, to take care of them, before they are creators.

It is utterly shameful to use them for personal gain.

Although she was self-aware enough to think that she wasn't a proper adult, she wasn't a useless adult who needed to live off students either.

She just wanted the group of kids in the Literature and Art Department to continue their friendship.

"So what I mean by professional clubs is more like... well, a symbiotic relationship."

"Reciprocal circle?"

"Yes, you could also call it a collaborative network, or a cooperative group. For example, the reason you came to CM to set up a stall this time... Since Kuroba said it was an unplanned plan, it means it was a plan made on the spot for someone in your literature club."

"That's right, just as you expected, we started drawing comics together for the sake of Moe Art."

"Then, in order to exhibit at CM, you asked Kuro-chan to find me, and then I helped you arrange a booth... This is a collaborative network that starts from 'one point', where everyone in the club does their best to help others in the club to make something happen."

Suddenly, Wei Lai had a flash of inspiration and thought of something similar.

"Ah! This is a resource-sharing community!"

This is similar to the resource sharing posts from kind-hearted people online; it's also a primitive symbiotic system of interdependence among humans.

"Right, that way, even after graduation, your relationship can still last, right?"

"Yes! That's a great idea!"

Takanashi Mirai's eyes lit up, and she excitedly grabbed Kuroba Akira's arm, completely convinced by Ohno Junko.

"Akira! Ohno-sensei's idea is brilliant! Let's create a professional club like this where everyone helps each other!"

"Um……"

Kuroba Akira didn't disagree with this statement, but he knew that Teacher Luo only said the nice things and didn't mention the hidden dangers and potential problems.

Mutual benefit and win-win is the ideal situation, but as long as one person violates the basic principles, the mutually beneficial cycle will be broken, and internal division will soon occur.

Ultimately, it's just as impractical as the Crystal Palace.

If creating a professional club not only fails to help them support each other, but instead turns into groups of girls scheming against each other, ultimately ending in discord and disbanding, then it might be better to end it as an arts and literature club, at least leaving behind some beautiful memories of youth.

Of course, Kuroba Akira wouldn't just stand by and watch. If there were any signs of conflict, he would definitely step in to resolve it immediately.

Just thinking about the countless chaotic situations he might have to deal with in the future, and the fact that most of them involved women with whom he had deep relationships, and that he couldn't afford to offend either side, started giving him phantom stomach pains.

Meanwhile, Junko Ohno was still telling the two of them about other benefits.

"Besides, only students from our school can join the Arts and Literature Club, right? But with a new club, we can invite people from outside the school to join."

"That's right! And in that case, you can join us too, Mr. Ohno!"

"..."

Junko Ohno paused for a moment, her face slightly flushed. In fact, after all the encouragement she had given them to start a professional club, her real purpose was very simple: she wanted to join herself.

If it were the school's arts and culture department, she wouldn't have the nerve to ask her best friend for the position of arts and culture advisor. Even if she did, they could only be together for a year at most, which she felt was too short.

Therefore, a new organization is needed that allows her, an 'ordinary person' who aspires to talent, to join.

She was a little embarrassed when Takanashi Mirai suddenly pointed it out, and she couldn't use the words she had prepared.

Seeing Ohno-sensei's awkward expression, he naturally asked a question in return.

"Mr. Ohno, don't you want to join us?"

"Um... For me, if you guys have the chance to create another great work like Slippery Girl together in the future, that would be the most meaningful thing..."

No, that's not right! Why say such polite things!

Why not just honestly say that you also want to join?

Damn it, my personality is still too awkward... Ah, is this the real reason I can't get a boyfriend...?

Junko Ohno felt despair about her stubborn pride, which caused her to suffer for it. Because of this, she always said things against her conscience, missed opportunities time and time again, and caused one misunderstanding after another.

This time too... all those previous efforts were in vain.

Just as Junko Ohno was about to lower her head, she pursed her lips and heard Akira Kuroba scolding Mirai.

"Idiot Mirai, if we're going to start a professional club, Ohno-sensei will definitely have to join, right? We should definitely ask her for advice on this. If the rest of us try to do it, it'll just be no different from the Literature Club, won't it?"

"Ah, right..."

"It's more accurate to say she's already a member of the team. Without her help in arranging the booth and reprinting our comics, our comics wouldn't have sold so well, right?"

Kuroba Akira is too good at getting people on the same pirate ship. Adhering to the principle that whoever comes up with the idea is responsible, he will not let Junko Ohno, the instigator, get away.

It now seems unlikely that the idea of ​​establishing a professional club will be abandoned in the future. If I object, she will definitely object and say that she will go back and discuss it with others. Then the others will most likely agree to establish a professional club.

Since he was going to establish a professional club anyway, Akira Kuroba had no choice but to find someone who could help him solve his problems in advance.

Junko Ohno, who is an adult and a skilled event organizer, is the best mediator.

After being reminded of his future, Kuroba Akira bowed and apologized.

"That's true, I was stupid, haha... I'm sorry, Professor Ohno, I asked an unnecessary question."

Junko Ohno rubbed her slightly flushed cheeks and squinted at Akira Kuroba as she spoke.

"...I think I can suddenly understand why you're so popular with girls, Kuroba-kun. You're such a sinful man..."

She had wondered before how the eldest daughter of the Anri family could have taken a liking to Kuroba Akira. It couldn't be because of his great talent and skill, could it?

In retrospect, it seems that he always steps forward when others need help the most. Whether intentional or unintentional, this is something that can greatly increase his popularity.

Junko Ohno had to admit that her feelings for Akira Kuroba had already exceeded 50%.

Completely oblivious, Kuroba Akira said with an innocent expression.

"What did I do now...?"

"If you don't understand, then just stay ignorant."

Thanks to Akira Kuroba's "rescue", Junko Ohno, who was in a negative mood, was able to return to normal, adjust her mood, and honestly express her thoughts.

"In short, if you're willing to accept me, I'd like to join you. After all, even if we're good friends, there's still a barrier between the roles of teacher and student in school..."

Because it's not an equal relationship, we can't become true friends.

"But it's different in other clubs. I'm just an old guy who's a bit older than you. You don't need to treat me like a teacher, and I won't lecture you like students... We're all partners in the same club, let's treat each other as equals... Ming, there's still a future."

I see. That's why when she sent out the invitation to establish a professional club, she changed her self-reference from 'Takanashi-san' to 'Kuro-chan'.

"Yes! We've been best friends for a long time! Ohno-sensei... no, Sesame Dumpling!"

Two lolis of different ages, one a teacher and the other a student, extended their right hands and clasped together.

It serves as both proof of friendship between two old online friends meeting offline for the first time and as a congratulatory gesture for reaching a consensus.

Their online friendship will continue in real life.

Kuroba Akira was deeply moved by this scene, but at the same time felt a little uneasy.

This means that even after graduation, the Literature and Art Department will continue to exist in another form...

In other words, the harem group led by Akira Kuroba is no longer an abstract concept, but a 'physical organization'.

Moreover, the idea of ​​establishing a professional club coincided with Hitomi Anri's plan.

The close interactions among the harem members will reduce the time they each spend with Akira Kuroba.

On the other hand, in this supportive community, if everyone is so close that they're like best friends, they might defy common sense and be willing to share resources, or even collaborate in groups...

After all, there are already precedents like Hitomi Anri and Makoto Hikawa, although the former wasn't entirely willing.

However, if everyone does this, it will turn monopoly into a minority.

This will enable the formation of a genuine resource-sharing and mutual-aid community.

Kuroba Akira is a core resource among them.

Of course, looking at it from the other side, it could also be said that Kuroba Akira monopolized all the valuable resources.

It remains to be seen whether he can handle it.

Chapter 359 Next up is the banquet.

After the teacher and student reached a consensus, they both looked at Akira Kuroba with expectant eyes to seek his support.

"Ming~ Let's start a club together~"

"Come on~ A pink and rosy life awaits you!"

The two of them rested their little fists on their chins, looked up at Kuroba Akira, and used their sweet voices to act cute and coquettish.

The future is one thing, but Teacher Luo, you're even joining in the cuteness act? You're truly shameless...

Kuroba Akira sighed. He knew that further opposition would be futile, so he nodded.

"Ha... I understand, let's go and see how it's established."

"Yay~" x2

The two lolis raised their hands and clapped in front of the barren land for a second celebration, because as long as Kuroba Akira agreed, the establishment of a professional club would basically be a done deal.