Ghoul: Starting with Sharingan

Eto and Minami happened to share similar thoughts, though Eto spoke up first.

"Huh…? Me? Well…"

Minami instinctively glanced at Arima.

Even when she was alone with him, she couldn't muster the courage to confess her feelings directly.

And now, with Byakuya and Miss Eto present, she felt even more embarrassed.

Eto noticed Minami's gaze but wanted to confirm it. She pressed on, "Could it be… Arima?"

"Pfft…"

Minami almost spat out the coffee she had just sipped.

Although she managed to avoid that, she ended up coughing lightly.

Seeing her strong reaction, Eto was convinced that Minami indeed had feelings for Arima.

It seemed she had been overthinking things before.

Feeling reassured, Eto decided to spare Minami any further embarrassment.

"Looks like little Minami is a bit shy, so I won't press further" she said, dropping the topic since she'd already gotten her answer.

While Eto had already figured it out, Arima had also pieced it together.

Though Arima was rather reserved in such matters, it didn't mean he lacked awareness. Whether he would respond to Minami's feelings was another question entirely, but at the very least, he now knew.

Even though Eto had ended the conversation, Minami still felt a little awkward and flustered.

Still, if it meant Arima would realize her feelings, she thought it might not be such a bad thing after all...

With this in mind, Minami couldn't help but glance at Arima again, only to find him looking back at her. Their eyes met.

Embarrassed, Minami quickly looked away, feeling a bit panicked.

Meanwhile, Arima's expression remained as stoic as ever.

His calm demeanor left Minami somewhat disappointed, making her think he hadn't noticed anything at all.

As expected, Arima is just too dense…

…

After the brief interruption, Minami handed the tea she had prepared to Eto.

"Thank you~"

Eto accepted the cup with a bright smile.

Fortunately, Eto, as a rare natural-born half-ghoul, could enjoy tea just like a human.

"Pretending to eat" usually required some level of acting, especially for someone skilled like Minami, who could often tell if someone was faking it.

However, Eto's enjoyment seemed so genuine that Minami didn't suspect a thing.

She never even considered the possibility that Eto might be a ghoul, remaining certain that Miss Eto was an ordinary human.

"By the way, I know your true identity as a ghoul, Minami, but don't worry—I won't expose you."

Eto got straight to the point. "I'm actually a writer, and I came to Minami for inspiration. That's why I asked if you have a crush at school."

"Oh! So Miss Eto is a writer? That's amazing!"

Minami immediately expressed her admiration.

"You flatter me. I haven't debuted yet—I'm still in the publishing process. Calling myself a 'writer' is a bit of a stretch."

Eto laughed self-deprecatingly.

She hadn't finished publishing her work yet.

Even if she succeeded, there was no guarantee it would sell well. If it didn't, her chances of publishing another book would be even slimmer.

After all, without Byakuya's initial help, she might not have even qualified for a contract.

"Still, that's really impressive," Minami said earnestly. "It'd be wonderful if I could create something I love, just like you"

"Creating isn't that hard — it's getting a contract and earning royalties that's challenging" Eto replied. "Without basic income, it's tough to stay motivated. Most people burn out quickly if they rely solely on passion."

"That's true. I don't feel confident about getting a contract, so I just write little stories for myself now and then" Minami admitted with a small nod.

Balancing her daily efforts to integrate into human society left her too drained to focus seriously on creative work.

For now, Minami decided not to dwell on these distant dreams. "If you need inspiration, Eto, I'll gladly help out."

"Great! Let's start with your age, height, and measurements."

Eto had already taken out a notebook and pen from her bag.

"Huh…?"

Minami was caught off guard.

She hadn't expected such a question from her.

Eto quickly explained, "My new story will use you as the template for the main character, so I need a full picture of who you are."

"Oh, and could the guys step out for a bit? Especially a certain 'lolicon'~ ❤"

Eto added with a pointed look at Byakuya.

"Lolicon?" Minami asked, confused.

"…"

Byakuya silently left the room.

Arima followed without a word, stepping out with him.

Byakuya couldn't say anything to defend himself—admitting it would only confirm the accusation.

"Alright, they're gone. You can share now, Minami."

Eto smiled warmly.

"Well… I'm sixteen, 161 cm tall, and my measurements are…"

Minami paused for a moment, trying to recall. "About 86, 60, and 87, I think."

"Got it. Thanks, Minami!" Eto scribbled the details down. "So, your crush at school really is Arima, right?"

Hearing this, Minami's cheeks flushed red again. It was too easy for Eto to read her in matters like this.

"Don't worry—it's just us here. As long as we keep our voices low, no one will hear, and I promise to keep your secret."

Encouraged by Eto, Minami hesitated briefly before shyly nodding. "Mhm…"

Since Eto had already guessed, there was no point in denying it anymore.

Eto clasped her hands under her chin, looking intrigued.

"Now, can you tell me how a ghoul like you fell for a ghoul investigator like Arima?"