I, Tomoya Aki, am not a bootlicker

This New Year's party was initiated by him, and now it's time for him to show his presence.

The group walked into the courtyard and were led by the waiter to the booked room.

"Wow, it seems like someone treated me to a fancy meal during the New Year. The friends Alan knows are really amazing."

Michiru Hyodo sat down on the tatami without any courtesy.

"Indeed, the people that Renya knows are not ordinary."

Although he was the organizer of this event, Iori Hatima echoed what Michiru Hyodo said, making Tomoya Aki the focus of everyone's attention.

"It's impossible to know a rich friend like you. I said I would come to welcome you when I'm free. It's been half a year, and I still want to thank you for your care."

Aki Tomoya had a smile on his face, and he was mentally prepared to give Hamajima Iori a good beating.

However, there is another thing that Aki Tomoya is very concerned about.

"When we were outside earlier, you said that almost everyone was here. Are there any others?"

At this time, Aki Tomoya asked curiously.

Besides him and Michiru Hyodo's band, who else did Iori Hasima invite?

After all, now that Iori Hasima is also an insider in the industry, he must know a lot of people.

This sophisticated egoist will never miss someone who can help him demonstrate his value.

"Did my brother invite anyone else?"

At this time, even Bodao Chuhai looked confused.

She thought these were the people present today.

In response to their questions, Iori Hatima nodded. When he was about to say something, the door was suddenly opened and an apologetic voice sounded at the door.

"I'm sorry, am I late?"

The maturely dressed woman walked into the room shyly, and looked at the people inside.

Apart from Tokai Hajima and Michiru Hyodo's group, she knew the other two people.

"Good evening, Izumi-kun, and...Taki?"

When the woman's eyes fixed on Tomoya Aki, her expression froze for a moment.

Before coming here, she never thought she would see Tomoya Aki here.

"Good evening, Deputy Editor-in-Chief Machida. You can just call me Aki."

When Aki Tomoya noticed that the person coming was Machida Sonoko, he frowned slightly, but soon relaxed.

He greeted Machida Sonoko politely. Even though there were some unpleasantness in the past, there was no need to think about that now.

Machida Sonoko looked at Aki Tomoya with a little embarrassment: "Good evening..."

At the same time, Iori Hajima stood up and invited, "Please take your seat as soon as possible."

At the invitation of Hamajima Iori, Machida Sonoko sat opposite Aki Tomoya. As soon as their eyes met, the atmosphere became extremely awkward.

Aki Tomoya turned around and whispered to Iori Hajima: "You are a guy who never gets up early without profit, but there is no one else, right?"

Iori Hatashi snickered and said, "Don't worry. With my skills, I was able to invite Ms. Machida here. I put in a lot of effort. Those two teachers didn't give me any face at all."

As he spoke, he looked at the people present. One of them was his sister. Needless to say, her abilities would shine in time.

A good friend with potential, then a band to work with, and finally the deputy editor-in-chief of Fuzugawa Bookstore.

Taking advantage of a day like New Year's Day to bring you all together is about friendship and the future.

Seeing the exquisite abacus of Iori Hatima, Tomoya Aki wanted to laugh but couldn't.

"But what surprised me was, is there anything unpleasant between you and Ms. Machida?"

At this time, Iori Hatima also asked with an embarrassed look on his face.

Even if Aki Tomoya has retired from being a homebody now, at least he had made contributions to Fuzugawa Bookstore for free in the past.

However, the atmosphere between this collaborator and the deputy editor-in-chief was unexpectedly awkward.

"Things like this should be thoroughly investigated first, Iori."

Aki Tomoya raised the corner of his mouth, the other party almost made things worse.

Fortunately, neither Machida Sonoko nor they had a quarrel because of the past unpleasantness, and now it's just awkward.

Seeing the mockery in his friend's eyes, Iori Hatima said with a wry smile: "Thanks for the reminder."

There were sounds of footsteps in the corridor across the door. There were a lot of guests coming here during the New Year's Day.

Soon after everyone in this room arrived, the adjacent rooms on both sides were already full of people.

The door was opened again, and waiters in kimonos came in carrying dishes.

Today, Iori Hasima really suffered a lot.

"Long time no see, Deputy Editor-in-Chief Machida."

Aki Tomoya suddenly looked up and took the initiative to say to Machida Sonoko that the awkward atmosphere between the two of them was a bit out of place in the New Year, and if possible, he still hoped to eliminate this awkwardness.

Besides, it’s been so long since the last unpleasantness happened, so the other party should have calmed down by now.

Machida Sonoko raised her head and looked at Aki Tomoya, seeming to want to say something but stopping herself from saying it.

I guess he was remembering what Tomoya Aki said last year.

"You don't have to be so formal, Amai-kun."

Machida Sonoko's eyes were somewhat complicated at this moment.

The last time they talked was last year, and since then Machida Sonoko has never thought about contacting Aki Tomoya again.

Indeed, if possible, she still hoped to take over the fans website, but when she thought about the huge blow she suffered from him, Machida Sonoko gave up.

Now that I think about it, it’s amazing that the fandom has been able to survive until now without Tomoya Aki’s operation and maintenance.

"Ami-kun, are you selling that "Love Metronome" fan website?"

=

Chapter 117 Is it my fault? (4/4)

Two years ago, after meeting Kasumigaoka Utaha at a book signing event, Tomoya Aki set up a fan website for her work "Love Metronome" and was active on it, pointing out that she had laid many foreshadowings that most readers were not aware of.

Thanks to this fans website, now that I think about it, Aki Tomoya feels that the publicity department of Busei should really go eat shit.

A year after not visiting, Tomoya Aki finally remembered this fan website he had forgotten when Machida Sonoko mentioned it.

"Deputy Editor-in-Chief Machida, this is not the time to talk about work. Today is New Year's Day. If you take your work so seriously, it will make men worried."

Aki Tomoya said this as if jokingly, but he looked very serious.

Even at this time, I am still thinking about the author. How much do I care about my work?

A woman who regards work as everything will scare men away.

"It just so happens that this opportunity has come. We should not miss it, right?"

Machida Sonoko's expression was a little embarrassed, but she still insisted on behaving as she should in front of Aki Tomoya.

It is indeed a bit inappropriate to talk about the ownership of the fan website at this time, but Machida Sonoko doesn't know whether she will have the opportunity to contact Aki Tomoya again in the future.

Take advantage of the momentum of Kasumi Shiko and Kashiwagi Eri to work hard and try to get the biggest benefits.

"Then I'm sorry, you shouldn't ask me about this. I'm just an administrator now, and I gave the website to someone else a long time ago."

The only things that the fan community can use to prove Tomoya Aki's existence are his past comments and the fact that the administrator has saved his name.

As for the operation and maintenance of the website, it has nothing to do with Akitomo.

Upon hearing this, Machida Yuanzi asked in shock, "Did you sell it to someone else?"

At this time, everyone else also looked over curiously because of Machida Sonoko's excited reaction.

Iori Hatima watched all this silently, without any sign of making any move.

"Transfer, Deputy Editor-in-Chief Machida, don't you understand?"

Aki Tomoya looked at Machida Sonoko helplessly.

"That website is just a fan site. Even though I registered it, it takes so much effort to maintain and operate it, and there's also the money to rent the server. I don't think you officials have ever funded me."

When he was working part-time before, a lot of money was spent on that website. After preparing for the university entrance examination, Akitomo no longer had the energy, not to mention continuing to pay the server rental.

"…This is indeed something we didn't consider carefully, but I think we can still make up for it now."

"If you want to think so, that's fine. The person who took over now is only willing to continue operating and maintaining it out of love for the work itself."

That happened a long time ago, and Akitomo had long forgotten the specific details.

I even forgot why I suddenly transferred it away after I found a fan who was willing to accept it and decided on the price.

All he knows now is that the website has nothing to do with him anymore, as the maintenance, operation, and server rental are all borne by others.

"Anyway, please go to the person who is currently running the website for this matter. Of course, Deputy Editor-in-Chief Machida can rest assured that the website is still being run well."

Aki Tomoya believed that this news would definitely put the other party at ease.

It would be a bad thing for them if the website that had gathered a large number of fans were gone.

From a certain perspective, that website no longer belongs to Tomoya Aki, but to most people.

"Ami-kun, I mean no harm."

Machida Sonoko frowned. Although the other party's tone was very calm, it sounded extremely harsh to her ears.

This forced her to explain that she was only considering the author.

Aki Tomoya noticed the change in Machida Sonoko's eyes and sighed: "Deputy Editor-in-Chief Machida is definitely a good editor."

After he said that, he glanced at Iori Hatima and gestured to him.

If we don't stop it, it will turn into an argument and it will be difficult to resolve.

"Ms. Machida, let's not talk about work today. It's a New Year's party, so let's relax a little."

Iori Hatima also understood that he had to show up at this time, otherwise, a good New Year's party would be filled with tension, which was not what he wanted.

What surprised him even more was that the one who couldn't keep calm was Machida Sonoko.

This also made him more curious about the conflict between the two, but he also began to regret gathering the two here.

Machida Sonoko also knew that the occasion was not right, and that even if they were arguing, it shouldn't be here. At the same time, she was a little distressed, not understanding why she was so uncalm today.

Am I overthinking it, or is there really something else the other person is saying? Let's put this matter aside for now. The New Year's Day party cannot be ruined because of something like this.

Perhaps because she was so angry that she couldn't vent it, Machida Sonoko kept pouring cup after cup of shochu into her mouth and couldn't stop.

At a gathering of minors, Machida Sonoko is not only concerned about the conflict between her and Aki Tomoya, but also about her own age.

In such an occasion, her age should not be too prominent.

"What's wrong with this old lady?"

Michiru Hyodo leaned over to Tomoya Aki's ear and whispered.

The conversation between the two of them had scared her a little. Although she had calmed down temporarily, Machida Sonoko's face, which was red from each cup of shochu, made people very worried.

"Am I old?!"

Machida Sonoko looked over, and her eyes were so sharp that Michiru Hyodo was frightened so much that she fell backwards onto the tatami.

Suddenly my ears are so sharp, does something like soju really have any added value?

Aki Tomoya thought about it and replied casually, "He graduated from university and is now the deputy editor-in-chief of the Fuzugawa Bookstore. He is in his early thirties, which is the perfect age."

"truth?"

"fact."

"So Amami-kun looks down on people like me?"

"Ms. Machida's impression of me is really not bad, hehe."