Shizuka Hiratsuka's Conversation

After class started, the first period on Friday was Shizuka Hiratsuka's Japanese class.

As usual, ten minutes into the class, Izumi Kotomi took out her notebook and continued sketching, occasionally pondering how to write the next part of Volume 2.

Izumi Kotomi's work on Sword Art Online wasn't just a direct copy of the original from her previous life; she had added her own modifications.

Her goal was to make the less appealing parts better and the good parts even better.

That was Kotomi's initial motivation for creating Sword Art Online.

The story about Yuuki, however, was bound to end in tragedy, but she planned to write an alternate "if" story where Yuuki survived.

When she first had this idea, she felt so inspired that it seemed she could write the entire "if" story in one night.

But when it came time to actually plan out the details, she found herself hesitating. Despite having a rough idea in her mind, she struggled to decide where to begin writing.

"No, I still can't figure out how to start Yuuki's 'if' scenario… I'd better stick to writing the main volume for now." In the end, Kotomi, who hadn't yet figured out how to write the "if" story, decisively chose to continue working on the main story.

She figured that she might start writing the "if" scenario after publishing Volume 5 of Sword Art Online.

By then, the readers would have likely moved on from Yuuki's death and would be focusing on the new plot. Releasing a Yuuki "if" story at that point would be like delivering another blow to readers who had only just started to heal.

This was Kotomi's way of preparing a bittersweet treat for her readers—sugar-coated with a hidden blade.

After making this decision, Kotomi turned her attention to her work on the Chainsaw Man manga. Her new computer should arrive this afternoon, and once it was set up, she could dive into gaming…

Ahem, writing novels and drawing manga.

"Kotomi-san?" Just as Kotomi was eagerly anticipating the delivery of her package, Shizuka Hiratsuka suddenly called out her name from the front of the classroom.

"Ah! Yes, here!" Kotomi hurriedly stood up, not fully grasping the situation, but knowing she had been called upon.

Shizuka Hiratsuka glanced at the slightly flustered Kotomi and, after a moment of contemplation, decided not to ask her what she had been doing with her head down earlier. Instead, she tapped the board and asked:

"Please provide the answer to this question."

So, she just wanted her to answer a question? Kotomi had feared that Hiratsuka had caught her daydreaming.

Relieved, Kotomi calmed herself and confidently provided the correct answer to the question on the board.

"Correct, you may sit down," Hiratsuka said after Kotomi gave the correct answer. Then, as if she had just remembered something, she added, "Come to my office after class. I have something to discuss with you."

Huh?

Why was she being summoned to the teacher's office out of the blue?

Feeling a bit bewildered, Kotomi sat back down, deciding to figure out what it was about after class.

After Kotomi sat down, Hiratsuka resumed her lecture. When the bell finally rang, she closed her textbook, pulled out a cigarette from her pack as if she had been holding back the entire lesson, and gave Kotomi a look that said, "Follow me," before heading out of the classroom.

It seemed she was eager to get outside and have a smoke.

Kotomi had hoped that Hiratsuka might forget about their meeting after class, but it was clear that she hadn't. Even in her rush to get outside for a smoke, Hiratsuka made sure to give her a reminder.

It seemed there was no escaping this visit to the office.

With no other choice, Kotomi stood up and, after explaining the situation to Yukinoshita Yukino and the others, left the classroom.

As soon as she stepped out, she saw Hiratsuka standing by the corridor window, smoking.

"Ms. Hiratsuka," Kotomi called out quietly.

Hiratsuka stubbed out her cigarette and said, "Come with me to the office. There's something I want to talk to you about. Don't worry, I'm not going to scold you. If I wanted to do that, I would have done it in class."

With that, she turned and walked toward the office without looking back.

Faced with Hiratsuka's straightforward manner, Kotomi could only follow behind.

She had no idea what Hiratsuka wanted to discuss, so she could only follow and find out. If it came down to it, she could always admit her fault and promise to improve, whether or not she actually intended to.

When they reached the teacher's office, it was empty. Most teachers rarely ended class right on time; unlike Hiratsuka, who never extended her lessons beyond the bell.

It was as if she believed those extra minutes would somehow dramatically improve her students' grades.

Hiratsuka sat down, placed her textbook on the desk, and looked at Kotomi.

"I've been hearing a lot of praise about you from other teachers lately. They say that whenever you're called on, you always give the most detailed answers. Mr. Nakamori, in particular, is already trying to persuade you to pursue the sciences, even though you've just started high school."

"Really?" Kotomi asked with a wry smile.

In her previous life, her poor performance in science had led her math teacher to suggest she pursue the arts for a better chance at scoring higher on college entrance exams. She couldn't help but find it ironic that, in this life, she had become the top candidate for the sciences.

The contrast between her past and present was almost laughable.

"Yes, but whether you choose the arts, sciences, or pursue an arts-related career, that's entirely up to you. Teachers and parents can only offer advice—the final decision should always be yours."

Hiratsuka reached for her cigarette pack again, but seeing that Kotomi was still there, she refrained from lighting up.

"I haven't really decided yet…" Kotomi replied with an awkward smile.

"That's okay. You've only just started high school, so there's no rush. Take your time to figure it out. Once you've made up your mind, just let me know. By the way, I heard from Naegi in the art club that you're planning to enter the Tokyo University National Youth Painting Competition?"

"Yes," Kotomi replied without hesitation.

"Good, then do your best. Winning that competition could give you a chance to secure a spot in university. It's not an opportunity that comes around often," Hiratsuka said, taking a sip of water before continuing, "During class, were you thinking about how to approach your painting for the competition?"

Kotomi was taken aback. She hadn't expected that Hiratsuka had called her to the office just to ask about this.

It seemed she would have to be more careful in class from now on...

Even if she pretended to be paying attention, teachers weren't easily fooled. From now on, she would need to keep a lower profile and not spend every minute of class thinking about her creative projects.

"Yes. I'm sorry, Ms. Hiratsuka. I'll be more careful in the future," Kotomi apologized earnestly.

Even though she had actually been thinking about her light novel and manga, the art competition made for a perfect excuse—why not use it?

She couldn't very well tell Hiratsuka, "Teacher, I wasn't thinking about the competition; I was thinking about my light novel and manga."

That would be like walking right into trouble—if Hiratsuka didn't scold her, who would?

Kotomi wasn't that foolish. Sometimes, it was better to tell a small lie.