Marrying Her Home?

After finishing the initial draft for the book signing event proposal, Yukinoshita Haruno finally let out a long sigh, giving herself a brief moment of rest.

Although she had overseen the publication of many novels, this was her first time writing a proposal for an author's book signing. Despite having reference materials from past events, the truth was that each author's signing event had its own unique process.

The proposal she was currently drafting was more of a general outline, with the detailed steps still to be determined after further discussions with Izumi Kotomi once the sales figures came in next month.

Although it was just a rough plan, the work had kept her in the office until late at night. Being an editor-in-chief had certainly increased the number of responsibilities she had to manage.

Haruno leaned back in her chair, her eyes narrowing as she glanced out the window. It was a cold, moonlit night, and this was the first time she'd worked so late into the night.

"Do I really like this job?" Haruno murmured to herself, as if asking her own heart.

Her decision to work at Dengeki Bunko hadn't been driven by a love for light novels. It had merely been a practical choice to get a job, to reassure her parents—particularly her domineering mother—to stop meddling in her life. She had other, higher-paying job opportunities, but the chance to work alongside her college friend, Agami Ai, had swayed her decision.

When her family learned she had become an editor at a light novel publishing company, they were surprised. Her mother had initially been opposed to it, but upon discovering that Haruno's friend Hiratsuka Yuko was the editor-in-chief at Dengeki Bunko, her mother had grudgingly accepted it.

Sometimes, people don't choose jobs because they love them. They choose them because they're suitable or necessary. Haruno thought to herself, not everyone gets to do what they love. Even if you find something you love, it doesn't mean you can turn it into your career.

"Maybe I'll stick around for another two or three years and then think about resigning," Haruno mused. "But if Izumi Kotomi's novel performs well, I might even get promoted to deputy editor-in-chief, or possibly editor-in-chief someday. That'll take a lot more time, though... I wonder if my mother would allow me that kind of freedom." Haruno sighed, resting her head in her hands as she spoke aloud to herself, somewhere between a complaint and a reflection.

The next morning, 7:00 AM.

Izumi Kotomi opened her eyes groggily, remembering how, just before falling asleep the previous night, Megumi Kato had wrapped her in a warm, gentle embrace. Despite the unexpected situation, Kotomi had slept incredibly well, even having a sweet and comforting dream that she could no longer recall. Upon waking, she felt utterly refreshed, as though she had spent the night floating on a cloud.

"A strange ceiling," Kotomi muttered the classic line upon waking, staring up at the unfamiliar room above her.

The blanket next to her shifted, and Megumi, still sleepy-eyed, sat up and glanced at Kotomi beside her. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but seemed too groggy to speak. After a brief pause, she lay back down on the pillow and finally spoke.

"Good morning, Kotomi-san. How did you sleep?" Megumi asked softly.

"I was a bit anxious at first, but once I relaxed, I fell asleep without even realizing it," Kotomi replied.

Megumi turned to lie on her side, her lips slightly pursed in what seemed like a shy expression, as if deliberately letting Kotomi notice the slight tension in her demeanor. She spoke in a timid tone, "I know my sleeping habits aren't great. My mom used to tease me about it all the time when I was little. I've always tried to sleep more still, but I just can't control myself. So when I was sharing a bed with you last night, I was really nervous. I didn't do anything to bother you, did I?"

Seeing Megumi's flustered expression, Kotomi's initial suspicions that Megumi's behavior might have been deliberate began to fade. It really did seem like Megumi was simply a restless sleeper.

After all, what reason would Megumi have to lie about something like this? It wasn't as if there was anything for her to gain from pretending to have bad sleeping habits.

Reflecting on how she herself had fallen asleep so early the night before, Kotomi dismissed any lingering doubts. If Megumi had any ulterior motives, there wouldn't have been any opportunity for her to act on them.

"No worries," Kotomi reassured her. "I was a little startled when you hugged me at first, but it's fine. Honestly, I like to hug things while I sleep too, but I've been too embarrassed to buy a body pillow since I'm not living alone. Maybe when I have my own place, I'll get one!"

Seeing that Kotomi hadn't been bothered by her actions, Megumi smiled slightly, the corners of her lips curving upward in a barely noticeable yet satisfied way. She felt like she was winning a careful, strategic game. Every move she'd made, from inviting Kotomi to the movies to setting up this overnight stay, had been calculated. Her ultimate goal had been to share a bed with Kotomi and have a legitimate reason to hold her in her arms.

Someday, Megumi hoped she wouldn't need any excuses to share a bed with Kotomi—she longed for the day when she could freely and without hesitation hold her close, with no need for pretense.

With that thought in mind, Megumi's gaze softened as she watched Kotomi, who was now busy changing her clothes. There was a gentle warmth in her eyes, reserved for Kotomi alone.

After both of them had dressed, they headed downstairs to the hotel's breakfast buffet. It was a simple meal where they could pick and choose whatever they liked.

While they sat down for breakfast, Megumi made a quick phone call to her parents, assuring them not to worry.

Kotomi, having returned to the table with another round of food, noticed that Megumi was still on the phone. She made sure to keep her movements quiet as she ate, taking small bites of her tomato sauce-covered eggs. The yolk was soft, just the way Kotomi liked it.

She had picked out a hearty breakfast of fried eggs, beef stir-fried with vegetables, a glass of sweet soy milk, fries, a chicken sandwich, and pork dumplings. Since her reincarnation, Kotomi had noticed her appetite had grown significantly. While she had always been a big eater in her previous life, her current appetite seemed to have doubled.

Yet, no matter how much she ate, she never gained weight—her body maintained the ideal figure of a young girl. As her system, Kamizuki, had once put it, Kotomi had the ultimate "queenly physique"—she could eat as much as she wanted, and any extra weight would only enhance her natural curves.

Kotomi figured many men and women would be jealous if they knew about her "blessed" body.

Just as Megumi finished her phone call, Kotomi slid a plate of eggs across the table and smiled at her.

"Megumi-san, you should eat some eggs. I brought these for you. I like them with ketchup, but I wasn't sure if you did, so I put the ketchup on the side. If you don't like ketchup, you can eat the eggs plain. But if you do like it, you can dip them in—it's really good!"

Megumi stared at the eggs Kotomi had prepared for her, her lips parting as if she wanted to say something, but instead, a soft, warm smile spread across her face.

"Thank you, Kotomi-san. You like ketchup with your eggs too? I love eating them that way!" Megumi responded as if discovering a shared interest. She took a bite, dipping the egg into the ketchup and savoring it with a contented expression.

If Megumi's mother had been there, she would have been shocked—her daughter had always hated eggs, especially soft-boiled or runny ones. Normally, she would only eat the whites, avoiding the yolk altogether. Yet here she was, happily devouring the eggs Kotomi had given her.

Halfway through her meal, Megumi seemed to remember something and put down her chopsticks.

"Kotomi-san, when I was on the phone just now, my mom asked me something."

Kotomi looked up from her food, a bit of ketchup still clinging to the corner of her mouth. "Hmm? What is it?"

Megumi smiled and reached out, wiping the ketchup from Kotomi's lips. With a slightly mischievous twinkle in her eyes, she leaned closer and said, "My mom asked me when I plan on bringing you home."