Chapter 208 - 206

Words : 866 Updated : Oct 14th, 2025

As the final League of Legends pro match of the year, SL vs. PX had drawn a massive audience, both in person and online. But just before kickoff, a new piece of gossip began circulating on major livestream platforms: "Mizushiro-yes, the Mizushiro, the famous manga author and anime screenwriter is attending the match in person." And it wasn't just him. "He came with Ryuko." The buzz spread fast. Though League was hugely popular in its own right, Mizushiro's name brought in a different level of attention. Among anime and manga fans, his influence rivaled that of celebrity actors. Within minutes, the stream's chat feeds were overtaken by speculation. "Wait, Mizushiro sensei is watching live?" "No way! He works on two serializations and anime how does he have time to Watch League?" "I was at the venue! Got his autograph before he vanished into the crowd!" "Ryuko and Mizushiro? I'm not okay. I thought she was finally a pure, talented voice actress, but now she's... dating him?" "Confirmed someone posted a photo in the fan group chat. It's them lining up outside." "Unreal. He destroys us with sad anime and now flaunts his love life IRL too?" The news reached even the event organizers. The manga, anime, and gaming worlds were deeply connected and Mizushiro was at the top of his game. They quickly searched ticket registration logs, narrowing down entries under the names "Ryuko" and "Haruki". Sure enough, Ryuko had booked two tickets. ... Back in the stadium, the first match kicked off and to Haruki's disappointment, his favorite team, SL, was completely crushed by PX in the first round. He hadn't expected a sweep. His mood soured. Ryuko had tried to talk to him a few times during the match, calling his name quietly but Haruki was laser-focused, ignoring her completely. When the round ended and the break began, Ryuko couldn't hold back anymore. "Haruki..." "Hm? What's up?" He turned to her, a bit dazed. Ryuko opened her mouth, hesitated... then pivoted. "Did you enjoy today so far?" Haruki blinked. "Yeah. Of course." To his own surprise, he meant it. He hadn't expected much when she invited him. But despite the morning's roller coaster-induced nausea, he'd had fun. And now, watching a live match feeling the energy in the arena it had been a refreshing change from his usual routine. "I haven't hung out like this in a long time," he said. "After the match, we should go on a few more rides, yeah?" Ryuko glanced sideways at him. "Even after what happened earlier? You're not worried about... rumors?" "Rumors?" "When the fans saw us in line. People took photos. They might assume we're, you know... dating. Aren't you worried about that spreading?" Haruki shrugged. "Honestly? I'm used to it." "In high school, people thought I was dating my manga assistant. Even her grandma came to school to yell at me. The teacher gave me a whole lecture about 'appropriate boundaries.' But none of it was true." He paused. "I mean, people always jump to conclusions. If today they say I'm dating you, tomorrow it'll be Airi, or Haruka, or Kazuya. Maybe someone will see me with Kazuya and start questioning my orientation." That made Ryuko burst into laughter. "Your orientation? You really overthink things." "I'm just saying people will always assume things. I can't control that, so I stopped caring." "So," she teased, "you are straight, then?" "Obviously." "Then how come you've never dated anyone?" Haruki paused, then said honestly, "I've just been... living my life. School, work, games. I think about romance sometimes, but I've never met someone like... you know, Akari, Mikako, Tomoe... Someone who walks into your world and changes everything." "Those are all anime characters," Ryuko said flatly. "Yeah, well." He gave a sheepish smile. "Maybe I'm still recovering from my chuunibyou phase." Ryuko raised an eyebrow. "Are you telling me you're waiting for a perfect 2D heroine to materialize before you start dating for real?" "No," Haruki said, shaking his head. "I'll snap out of it eventually. I'm not that far gone." "In a few years," he continued, "I'll find someone, fall in love, get married... Then take her to visit my parents' grave, introduce her properly. That's what I'd like." Ryuko was quiet for a moment, then gave a small nod, lips curving upward. "So... if the time comes, you'd consider dating a real girl?" "Well, yeah." Haruki blinked. "What else would I date? A demon? I mean, I know I spend a lot of time watching anime, but I'm not that far gone." Right then, the second match began. Haruki turned toward the stage again, fully focused. But Ryuko sat quietly beside him, confidence slowly returning to her expression. So he's still a normal guy, she thought. Good. As long as he hasn't completely lost himself to fiction... I still have a chance. (TL:- if you want even more content, check out p-atreon.com/Alioth23 for 60+ advanced chapters)

Chapter 208 - 206

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