Then a smooth, flowing combo.
Reina's character was pinned into the corner, juggled helplessly in the air.
Ten seconds.
Her fingers trembled around the controller for a full ten seconds. Her eyes grew redder by the moment, but she endured it.
"I lost," she said quietly, lowering her head. Her voice was filled with grievance.
"You're actually talented," Haruto said, calming down from the thrill of the match. "You managed to play this well after only nine rounds. Practice a bit more and I will not be able to beat you."
The pride he had felt vanished instantly. Beating a beginner was nothing to brag about, and he reflected on himself while offering some consolation.
"Zero to nine." Reina's breathing trembled as she clenched her fist.
At that moment, the doorbell rang.
Yukino's delivery had arrived.
The delivery worker brought in a massive pot, followed by trays of ingredients, assorted meats, and seasonal vegetables.
Within minutes, the living room was filled with rich, mouthwatering aromas. Haruto and Reina both swallowed as their stomachs growled loudly.
It was already past eight in the evening, and none of them had eaten since lunch.
"Alright, we'll talk while we eat," Yukino said. Even her own stomach was protesting.
At the dining table, the red, spicy broth bubbled vigorously. Haruto and Reina sat properly, eating while listening attentively to Yukino's critique.
After all, she was treating them. You behaved when someone fed you and let you use their consoles.
"Reina, your protagonist is well written, but the issue lies with the supporting cast," Yukino said.
"You introduced more than ten characters across two chapters. If they do not have follow-up roles, gloss over them. Do not let them distract readers."
"And the scene in Chapter Eight was not good. In the dream labyrinth, when the classmate who framed the heroine falls into danger, it is already generous not to kick her while she is down. Why did you have the male lead save her?"
"I wanted to show his kindness," Reina Fujimoto replied softly. Being criticized in front of Haruto made her uncomfortable. He was her competitor, after all. How could she let him see her being torn apart so easily?
"Wrong. Completely wrong," Yukino said bluntly.
"Modern readers do not like male leads who are kind to everyone. Or rather, that kindness should only be reserved for the heroine. A guy who saves even the people who hurt the heroine is just a walking space heater type of scumbag. That is a massive deduction for the male lead."
Reina could only memorize those words in silence.
Ten minutes later, Yukino finished her critique of Yesterday's Starlight.
"That's it. There are no major issues. Just small details. They are easy to fix."
Reina's heart lit up with anticipation.
'My turn is done. Next is Haruto's.'
She waited eagerly.
"Haruto," Yukino said, her pink lips parting.
"Yes, I'm listening," he replied seriously.
Reina stared intently.
"Do you think the beef from this hot pot place is fresh?"
"…" "…" Both Haruto and Reina froze.
"It's okay," Haruto replied after a moment, unsure of her meaning. "Though not quite as fresh as eating it straight off the cow."
He forced a joke, afraid this was the calm before a storm.
"Then hurry up and eat. The meat will get tough if it stays in too long."
Yukino smiled lightly and focused on eating.
"Huh?" Reina's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Um… Yukino, don't you have anything to say about Blue Spring Ride?" she prompted.
"Blue Spring Ride?" Yukino replied flatly. "Nothing to say. The plot is excellent, the prose is strong, and I cannot find any faults. Just submit it directly for serialization."
She glanced at Reina with mild annoyance.
'I did not even want to bring this up because I did not want Haruto to get cocky. Why did you remind me?'
Reina's mouth fell open, her fingers trembling slightly. Neither Yukino nor Haruto noticed that, in that very moment, something inside the girl quietly shattered.
Still reeling from being utterly defeated in a game, she was now crushed again by the comparison in writing.
The hot pot in her mouth no longer tasted good.
'Why… why did it turn out like this?'
_______________________
[You can leave your power stones here.]
Support me at /CulturedOne and read 50 Advanced Chapters