I’d just left a Western-style restaurant. On the subway home, I got a call from Xiaxi.

Xiaxi is Ai Loli-sensei. She’s doing the illustrations for my novel. A flat-chested loli who looks a lot like the heroine in her smut books.

“Chidori-sensei, the character sheets are done. You’ll absolutely love them,” she sounded full of pep.

“That fast?”

I was a little surprised. She looks like an unreliable flat-chested loli, but she’s a pro illustrator. Her efficiency is solid.

“Wanna come to my place?”

“Eh… huh, are we at the meet-the-parents stage already? Too fast. I’m not prepared. Is Chidori-sensei the kind who brings a girl home after one meeting?”

“What are you even thinking? It’s just me at home. And meeting up makes it easier to discuss details and revisions.”

“Wow~ so it’s just you at home… Chidori-sensei, you’re a pervert through and through.”

Talking to her is exhausting. First time we met, she just cried and cried. Inviting a girl to my place out of the blue is on me, sure. But I really want to see the character sheets soon. I’m kind of excited.

How will she draw Elisa, Lin Zheng, and everyone else? Will it be what I’m hoping for?

While I was getting hyped, I said, “Let’s go to the editorial office. We can get Miss Jinmu’s input too.”

“No way!!!”

Her voice was insanely loud. My ears felt like they’d burst.

I held my phone far from my ear. I could still hear her yelling perfectly.

“Ab-so-lutely not going to the editorial office. That old woman will definitely chain me to work. Fine, your place it is. I’m mentally prepared. Even if you whip out XX from your pants and point it at me, I won’t panic!”

“I’ll panic to death! Who would whip out XX at you from their pants? Am I a pervert? I’m not doing anything to you! Nothing at all.”

The moment I shouted, I regretted it. Crap, I yelled too loud. I’m still on the subway. People beside me were giving me very delicate looks. The packed train suddenly had a tiny no-man’s zone around me.

How terrified is Xiaxi of Miss Jinmu? She’d rather risk a pervert than go to the office.

And I’m not a pervert!

She was an übere-crybaby the first time we met. How did we jump to full lewd so fast?

There were so many things to rant about, I didn’t know where to start.

“Just saying upfront, I’m on my period today, so no naughty stuff.”

“…”

Should I start with “she looks like a literal child but still gets a period”? Or “do I look like a maniac who’d do anything to a loli”? Or “even on your period, there’s XX and XX”?

No, no, no. I can’t keep bantering with her. At this rate I’ll actually turn into a pervert.

“My address is…” I rattled off my home address, then yelled into the phone, “Bring the character sheets over. Now.”

I hung up right away, giving her zero chance to cut in.

What I didn’t expect was this: when I got home, Xiaxi was already waiting at my door.

She had a big tote bag stuffed to the brim. The moment she saw me, she planted her hands on her hips and yelled at my door, smug, “You’re so slow.”

“How are you this fast? It’s been less than ten minutes.”

“After I hung up, I realized your place is super close to mine!”

“Where do you live?”

She pointed at the house to the left of mine. “There.”

I’ve said this before. Before my parents passed, we were fairly well-off. In City S, where housing is pricey, we have a detached two-story house. The neighborhood’s mostly similar buildings.

The place she pointed at is right next to mine. Even one side of the yard wall is shared.

“So you’re my neighbor? How come I’ve never seen you?”

I was puzzled. I don’t hang out with neighbors much, but most faces are at least familiar. I’d never seen Xiaxi.

“It’s not exactly my house. It’s my aunt’s. I’m just staying there for now.”

“I see…”

She suddenly covered her chest, eyeing me warily. “Why so detailed? Planning to sneak in while I’m asleep and… ah, inspiration!”

Xiaxi pulled out large sheets and a pencil from her bag. She squatted on the ground, totally unladylike, and started sketching.

“The ground’s dirty. Go inside and draw.”

I tried to be nice, but she acted like she didn’t hear me. She focused hard, not even noticing her panties peeking out a bit at the back of her waistband.

I tilted my head down so I wouldn’t look. Then I watched, curious, to see what this illustrator would draw.