I, Tomoya Aki, am not a bootlicker

"Wait for me!!!"

A boy of the same age as Tomoya Aki chased after him in a somewhat collapsed manner.

After hearing the shouting from behind, Aki Tomoya stopped his bicycle in confusion, then turned around and asked, "I didn't crush your foot, did I? If you want to blackmail me, I'll call the police."

Along the way, he didn't even run over a stone, and when he saw the man showing off on the street, he even walked around him.

After that person caught up with him, Akito Tomoya immediately felt that there was something fishy about this guy and that he might be a scammer.

Being wary of strangers, Aki Tomoya looked at the boy of the same age with suspicion.

"Hey, hey, hey, you can't pretend you don't know me, can you?"

The boy's mouth twitched and his face looked a little embarrassed. He had been waiting here for a whole day. After all, they had only not seen each other for a few years. It was impossible for the other party to forget him.

However, in fact, Tomoya Aki did not remember who this guy was at the first moment.

"It would be a problem if I knew a suspicious person like you!"

Aki Tomoya frowned, still treating the other party as a suspicious person.

He looked at the boy in front of him carefully, and suddenly felt that he looked familiar, but at the same time, he felt an indescribable disgust for some reason.

After hearing these hurtful words, the boy took half a step back as if he was shocked.

"Hajima Iori, I'm Hajima Iori!"

Iori Hasima shouted out his name.

He pretended to be extremely sad and looked at Aki Tomoya. If he had eye drops, his performance would have been more exciting.

"Oh, it's Iori Hasima."

Akitomo remembered it and after taking a closer look, he realized that this person seemed to be his best friend from junior high school.

And I have met this guy's sister before.

But why is this guy here, standing in the middle of the road pretending to be cool and not dead?

“So cold!”

There is a black string hanging on Iori Hajima's head.

He originally thought that after meeting again after a long separation, there would be a fateful showdown, but he was a little disappointed by Tomoya Aki's cold reaction.

This reunion was quite different from the dramatic development he had expected.

Come to think of it, he still remembered seeing a declaration of retirement from home on the homepage of his best friend in junior high school a few months ago.

That Tomoya Aki would actually choose to retire was something that Iori Hamajima could never imagine.

The end of the world, alien invasion?

These things are not enough to describe Iori Hamajima's feelings.

"So, you've never died standing on the street?"

Aki Tomoya reminded him that he was not as careless as Hatima Iori, and after stopping, he immediately walked to the side of the road.

And now looking at the posture of Hamajima Iori, this guy must be waiting for me here on purpose.

They chose to visit him during the graduation ceremony, and Aki Tomoya was quite touched by the fact that the brother and sister came to visit him one after another.

His schoolmate, Nami, came to him for the summer CM exhibition, but this best friend from junior high school might not be looking for him so simply.

"Don't say that. I've been waiting for you since noon. And I'm not blind. It's you who's too slow!"

Iori Hatima shook his head and smiled, with a hint of curiosity in his eyes.

He looked at Tomoya Aki carefully, observing how much his best friend from junior high school had changed.

He posted a suggestive statement about quitting his home on his homepage, and then sold his treasures one after another.

Among those who took over was also Hasima Iori.

Thanks to Akitomo Yasuno, he now had what he didn't have before, but after getting it, he was not happy at all, and always felt that something was missing.

"So, when did you guys move back from Nagoya?"

After putting his bicycle away, Tomoya Aki asked Iori Hamajima.

In fact, he knew that Iori Hasima had moved back from Nagoya several months ago.

That time, this guy pretended to be a stranger and took over his treasure, but he didn't clean up the mess and was discovered by Aki Tomoya.

"It's been a while. I haven't seen you for a few years. You've really changed. I can only describe you as two different people. Is this just happening recently? Or have you started to be interested in further studies since you entered high school?"

Iori Hamajima shrugged. He had moved back to Tokyo for some time.

It’s just that he hasn’t had time to contact the people he met in Tokyo, so he thinks the graduation ceremony is just the right time.

"Is there anything wrong with this path of further study?"

Aki Tomoya replied expressionlessly.

At this time, Iori Hatima smiled and slowly took out a business card from his pocket.

"Nothing wrong, but I should have reintroduced myself, 'rouge.en.rouge', and I did."

Chapter 61: Incomprehensible (3/12)

"rouge.en.rouge", the top doujinshi club in the otaku world, is represented by Akane Benizaka and is active in the industry as a top doujinshi club.

And Iori Hatima is now one of them.

"Come to think of it, Renye and I were the ones who said we would reach the top of the otaku world together, but you suddenly changed your goal and I feel sad and lonely!"

Iori Hatima handed the business card to Tomoya Aki, with the corners of his mouth slightly raised with a smile.

Does this best friend from junior high school still remember the agreement they made?

Iori Hatashi declared that he would make a difference in the otaku world and he did it, but Tomoya Aki left there without hesitation.

This is something that Iori Reihamajima cannot understand.

He was well aware of Tomoya Aki's past love for the two-dimensional world.

"You're doing great in the club of Akane Ayane, Iori, you're still the same as before."

An Yilun glanced at the business card inconspicuously, with a hint of mockery in his eyes.

He could probably imagine how his former best friend climbed up the ladder. As a member of a top fan club, this guy could be said to be in high spirits.

"You are able to get the best of both worlds, fully utilize your own advantages, and use your talents reasonably. You are a sophisticated egoist. It's still you, Iori Hasima."

Amaki Tomo was not very surprised about the business card in Iori Hamajima's hand.

Precisely because he knew what kind of person Hamashima Iori was, he understood that it was only natural for Hamashima Iori to reach this point.

"So, are you showing off? From my impression, you don't seem to be such a childish person, right?"

The smile on Tomoya Aki's face remained unchanged, but his gaze was extremely cold.

Is his former best friend showing off in front of him by doing something like this?

He thought that Iori Hatima shouldn't be so narrow-minded.

Thinking about showing off his assets in front of his estranged friend, if this is really the case, Akitomo thinks he should make some changes to his evaluation of this person.

Iori Hatima's expression was a little embarrassed. Tomoya Aki's cold reaction was beyond his expectations.

If it was Akane Akinosaka's club, based on his understanding of Tomoya Aki, the other party should have shouted it out at this time.

As a result, Tomoya Aki's indifference made him feel powerless.

“Hey, hey, hey, is this still the person who promised me that he would reach the top of the otaku world?”

It seemed as if Iori Hatima's smile was difficult to maintain, and his momentum had already diminished a lot at this time.

At this moment, Aki Tomoya sighed and said, "Iori, we have never been the same kind of people. Don't you know it now?"

He said and shook his head.

Tomoya Aki now understands this person, including some of his actions.

There's nothing wrong with it, and there's nothing bad about it. He might be despised by people who simply love the two-dimensional world like he used to be, but as a means of making progress in the otaku world, Iori Hatima has undoubtedly succeeded.

"As a former friend and in return for your care over the past period of time, I want to remind you that no matter where you are, it is very cruel to want to be the best. You must maintain this momentum, and at the same time, tighten your tail a little."

Aki Tomoya said with a smile.

How should I put it, Iori Hatima does have the capital to show off, including now in front of him.

But how to say it, since it is no longer the same world, Akitomo felt a little embarrassed.

"Of course, as your former friend, I am very happy that you have achieved what you have now. Sincerely."

A smile appeared on Tomoya Aki's face.

In the otaku world, Iori Hasima has indeed fulfilled the declaration he made before and is working hard to climb up.

Although he couldn't extract any motivation from this person, as Tomoya Aki was his best friend in the past, it was only right for him to say a few words of blessing.

"So, what do you think about giving up all the power you've accumulated and all the ideals you once had?"

Iori Hajima looked at Tomoya Aki in confusion.

"You've been studying since your second year of high school, and you've even set your sights on the University of Tokyo. I really don't know whether to say that you're as naive as before, or that you're full of confidence. Is what you're pursuing now a little unrealistic?"

Iori Hajima finds it hard to understand the change in Tomoya Aki.

With his unique advantages, he can definitely fulfill his past declaration of reaching the top of the otaku world, but has he ever really considered giving up these things to compete with the so-called social elites?

"You've done a really thorough investigation of me. But that's right. If it were you, the fact that Kashiwagi Eri and Kasumi Shiko were both in my school would be in line with your character if you could find out."

Aki Tomoya knew what Hamajima Iori was talking about, but his words now sounded extremely awkward to him.

"Why do I have to do what you expect of me?"

Immediately afterwards, Aki Tomoya responded mercilessly.

Is he reminding himself as a friend?

Maybe there were some, but what Tomoya Aki saw in his eyes was more of unwillingness.

Deep down in his heart, the other party seemed to regard him as his destined opponent, which made Akitomo feel very embarrassed.

"I just can't understand it."

Iori Hasima calmed down.

He had indeed investigated Aki Tomoya's current situation and that he had set his sights on places like the University of Tokyo.

"I'm close to the top. You obviously have the potential. Why don't you come over?"

"I just chose the safer path."

"Safe? I don't think the path of applying to Tokyo University can be considered safe no matter how I look at it!"

Iori Hatima couldn't help but retort.

In his eyes, the path that Aki Tomoya was going to take was even more cruel and could not be considered safe at all.

"See, this is the biggest difference between you and me now. Are you afraid of the so-called elites? Obviously, in the otaku world, you are also considered one of the elites, right?"

There was a hint of sarcasm in Tomoya Aki's tone.

"…So what do you think about Kashiwagi Eri and Kasumi Shiko working together? I will try to get them to join our club!"

"Changing the subject? Iori, you too... Tsk, never mind. Since you asked me what I think, I want to remind you to stop thinking like this as soon as possible. I'm not trying to discourage you, but the outcome is doomed. It's possible that you can ask Akane Benizaka to take action personally, but you're still a little naive now."

Aki Tomoya shook his head and laughed.

Iori Hamajima has the capital to impress many people, but his current capital is just enough to be considered as a bit of a show.

At the moment when the other party showed doubt on his face, Amaki Tomoya did not intend to hide his current opinion: "Don't be unconvinced, Akinaka Akane's subordinate number one, tighten your tail a little, you still don't have enough cards. But having said that, I don't understand how cruel your world is."

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