Chapter 7: Chapter 07 – Chizuru Ichinose 02
Chizuru opened the manga, noting that the art and overall presentation were impressive—on par with the work of a professional. As she began reading, the story unfolded with a college student being dumped by his girlfriend. The protagonist's subsequent actions, however, gave her pause. He imagines his ex-girlfriend with someone else, an unsettling thought, while scrolling through a rental girlfriend app. Eventually, he decides to hire a rental girlfriend and goes on a date with her to an aquarium, showcasing the typical purpose of such a service.
Chizuru couldn't help but feel a twinge of disgust at the protagonist's behavior. It hit uncomfortably close to home, given her own work as a rental girlfriend. While she understood that clients like him were part of her reality, seeing it portrayed so vividly on the page didn't make it any easier to stomach.
However, when Chizuru reached the part where the protagonist met the rental girlfriend and they appeared to be enjoying themselves, her perspective softened. The rental girlfriend was portrayed as acting professionally and fulfilling her role exceptionally well, which resonated with Chizuru.
What stood out to her most was how closely the rental girlfriend's actions mirrored her own methods and approach to her job. For the first time, Chizuru felt a sense of satisfaction as she continued reading. A smile crept onto her face as she turned page after page, following the two characters as they concluded their date at the aquarium.
Hm, this feels surprisingly realistic. I guess… Chizuru thought as she took a sip of her cold drink and nibbled on some fries.
However, her enjoyment of the manga came to a halt when she reached the part depicting the protagonist's reactions after the date. It was especially jarring when he read the online comments about rental girlfriends—some praising the professionalism and charm of the rental girlfriend, while others harshly criticized or demonized them.
At the end of the day, people should understand that this is purely a business relationship, Chizuru reflected. If a rental girlfriend fulfills her role, ensuring the customer has a meaningful and enjoyable date, that should be enough. But sometimes, the male ego refuses to accept that reality. Chizuru thought to herself as she felt a bit bad to this rental girlfriend.
Including the protagonist, who outright called the rental girlfriend a slut and even gave her a one-star rating. This, of course, made Chizuru furious. Akira could clearly see her body trembling with anger, a stark contrast to her usual calm and composed demeanor.
This was a side of the protagonist that had never been shown to Chizuru before. If she had known about it earlier, her perception of the character would likely have been vastly different.
"What the hell is he thinking…? How can he give her a one-star rating when she did such a great job as a rental girlfriend? And then he rents her again, just to intending insult her in her face? This guy is nuts!" Chizuru exclaimed after finishing the manga Akira had given her. The manga ended with the rental girlfriend receiving payment before agreeing to another date with the same client.
"Ahaha, it seems like you're really immersed in the story I wrote," Akira remarked, amused as he observed Chizuru's passionate reaction. Realizing that Akira was watching her so intently, Chizuru's face flushed slightly with embarrassment. Still, after a moment, she managed to muster genuine praise for the man who had created the manga.
"Ah, I must look so embarrassing," Chizuru murmured, lowering her head slightly as she reflected on her passionate reaction to the manga. Clearing her throat, she continued, "Ahem, to be honest, I'm not an expert in this sort of thing and rarely read manga. However, I think the story you've created so far is quite interesting. The artwork and overall presentation give off a professional vibe. And the depiction of the rental girlfriend aspect feels… somewhat realistic."
Chizuru paused as a sudden realization struck her, and her expression turned serious. She looked directly at Akira. "Wait… Are you using me as inspiration? Or worse, are you basing this manga on the dates we've had?" she asked, her voice laced with suspicion since Akira's was her previous client and he used her service several times. The thought that the protagonist's perspective might reflect Akira's own unsettled her. Her gaze sharpened, brimming with heavy intent as she awaited his response.
"Ahaha, yes. Of course, I'm using you as inspiration," Akira admitted with a laugh. "I made the protagonist an exaggerated character, but he could easily represent the type of person who might rent a girlfriend." He spoke honestly before shifting the conversation. "But that's not really the point. After reading this, you know that I want your help to create this manga."
"Ah, I see. So you want my input and insights based on my experiences in this field?" Chizuru replied, understanding Akira's attempt to steer the conversation away from the rental girlfriend topic. Instead, he was focusing on their collaboration and his promise to keep her secret. To her, it wasn't a major issue, and she felt it would be easy to agree to his proposal.
However, Akira's intentions were far from what Chizuru had envisioned. He had a completely different approach to what he meant by her helping him with the manga.
"Of course, I'd like your input on the manga, but that's not really the most important thing for me," Akira admitted candidly. "What I truly need is for you to be my assistant." Akira's honesty revealed his true intentions. He didn't particularly need Chizuru's feedback on the story or artwork. What he truly wanted was for her to be around him every day, even if just for a short while. His primary goal was to better understand his cheat abilities and gain whatever benefits he could from her presence as the heroine.
"Assistant?" Chizuru tilted her head, her brow furrowed in confusion as she tried to decipher Akira's meaning.
Akira scratched the back of his head awkwardly, a sheepish grin forming on his face. "Well, yeah, I could really use someone to help me out in my daily life," he admitted.
Chizuru's expression shifted to one of disbelief when she heard what Akira asking from her.
[author]
Schedule; 1 chapter every monday to friday
If you want you favorite girl in this fanfic, just comment and I may think of it, especially for you… if I can…
200 powerstone to make me post in saturday and sunday
[/author]