Chapter 566: Love River Spinning

Chapter 566: Love River Spinning

The victory party.

Celebrating Sensei Kasumi Utako’s debut novel selling like crazy.

Himekoji got dragged along against his will. He tried to stand his ground and refuse, but his stubbornness went in the wrong direction.

“See? Wishes come true.”

Kasumigaoka Utaha lightly clinked her glass with Himekoji’s. “Tink!” The cups rang crisply. Sweet orange juice sloshed inside.

“Nah, this has nothing to do with wishing,” Himekoji dismissed her.

Kasumigaoka Utaha already had that talent.

“I told you—you need to believe!”

It truly had nothing to do with wishes. What Kasumigaoka wished for that Tanabata night wasn’t this. Yet right now, she insisted on treating her novel’s success as proof wishes came true.

She wanted to make this non-believer believe.

“Sincere hearts make miracles.”

“Maybe…” Not wanting to dwell on this, Himekoji casually brushed it off.

The victory party happened on a stone bridge—an outdoor barbecue.

Way out in the sticks, surrounded by green waters and lush mountains. Who knew why the editorial team picked this spot.

Guess even city banquets get tiresome sometimes? Being out in nature just felt more freeing.

Himekoji leaned over the stone railing, watching the rushing river below.

The party’s star, Kasumigaoka, kept drifting toward Himekoji the loner. She scooted close, holding two freshly grilled chicken skewers.

“Here.”

Beaming, she offered one to Himekoji.

As he reached for it, their bodies drifted near. Perhaps it’s because girls feel soft by nature—Himekoji swore he brushed against a fluffy, adorable cloud.

His heart lurched with panic. Himekoji jumped back like he’d touched an electric fence.

His fumbling hands dropped the skewer straight into the river.

“Hey!”

Kasumigaoka leaned over the railing, stretching to grab Himekoji’s snack.

She’d grilled these herself! Only these two came out perfect—no burning, no charring.

“Ah!”

Missed by a hair. Worse still, Kasumigaoka accidentally lost her fancy wristwatch too.

The strap must’ve been loose. That beautiful, expensive watch sailed down after the chicken skewer—a double suicide plunge into the river.

“Plop!” “Plop!” Two splashes burst on the water’s surface.

But it wasn’t over—

“SPLASH!!!”

The massive third splash that followed stole the show.

Water sprayed over half a person’s height! Totally Himekoji’s fault for his awkward cannonball dive.

“H-Himekoji?! What’re you doing?!”

Still leaning on the railing, Kasumigaoka stared, stunned and speechless.

One second he stood beside her—then poof! Gone. Vanished.

Chasing a chicken stick and wristwatch…

Himekoji didn’t answer. Instead, he simply acted.

In the fast currents, he doggy-paddled with un-graceful strokes until he caught the drifting watch and snack.

Himekoji steadied himself mid-current. Drenched but grinning purely, he waved them at Kasumigaoka: one hand holding the girlish watch, the other clutching the soggy chicken stick.

“That… that was close!”

Almost got swept away, he shouted up to bridge-girl Kasumigaoka.

“Pfft!” Kasumigaoka covered her mouth briefly, then gripped the stone railing, looking down as laughter burst out. “What kind of pervert are you?! Seriously! Such an idiot! A total fool! How dare you leap off this high bridge?! Do you know how dangerous that was?!”

Mid-sentence, she’d already kicked off her shoes and socks, scrambling atop the railing.

“Catch me!”

And with sparkling eyes, Kasumigaoka jumped.

Skirt fluttering, hair streaming—in that moment, Himekoji realized more than angels fall from heaven. So do Evil God-samas.

Evil God-sama wore black lace underwear.

“C-careful!!!”

Himekoji paddled furiously toward her landing spot, snatching her just before she hit the water.

They sank together into the river’s depth. They floated back up tangled in each other’s arms.

Still clinging, Kasumigaoka’s first question for Himekoji was:

“So? How does plunging into the love river together feel?”

Himekoji blankly stared, wordless.

The others—fellow writers and editors—rushed over in panic after the splash-fest. They scrambled off the bridge, offering towels and worried questions by the riverbank.

But Evil God-sama rudely waved them off, annoyed by the disturbance.

That’s the perk of being the star author—you get to be moody.

……

“Well?” Dripping wet but ignoring her soaking, Kasumigaoka turned eagerly to equally soaked Himekoji, pressing again.

“What ‘well’?” Himekoji pretended not to get it.

“You never answered—how does falling into the love river with me feel?”

Grabbing Himekoji’s sleeve, Kasumigaoka squeezed tight—hinting she wouldn’t let go without an answer. Water squeezed out of the fabric onto her hand.

“Water’s… plentiful.” Himekoji dodged, handing her a dry towel while urging her not to catch a cold.

But Kasumigaoka took that as the answer.

“Himekoji, you really are a pervert.”

No. You’re the perverted one, he mentally grumbled. Yet an unexpected lightness filled his whole being.

Moving behind Kasumigaoka, he towel-dried her dripping hair.

“Himekoji,” she suddenly whispered his name.

“Hmm?”

“Why did you jump back then?” This mattered hugely to her.

“Why’d you ask… I really don’t know.”

“Then figure it out fast.”

“Do I have to?”

“You must.” Hugging her damp knees, she leaned against Himekoji.

It felt warmer that way.

“Well… the chicken skewer and watch fell.”

Was that truly why?

Himekoji didn’t know.

He hadn’t thought. He’d simply jumped.

“You like chicken skewers?”

“Not exactly…”

“Then you like watches?”

“Er… sorta.”

Forcing Himekoji to answer felt unfair.

If he didn’t really like chicken skewers or watches… what was left? What did he like?

“So watches, huh?” Resting her chin on her knees, Kasumigaoka asked curiously, “What else do you like, Himekoji?”

Feeling trapped, Himekoji racked his brain desperately:

“Sunflowers. Ferris Wheels. Carousels.”

Three was his limit. He almost said “Imouto” but bit his tongue.

“So, Himekoji, you like slow spinning things?”

“Slow spinning things?” Himekoji repeated.

True—sunflowers trace the sun slowly; Ferris Wheels glide around; carousels twirl gently.

Himekoji nodded. “Yeah. I guess I like slow spinning things.”

“If slow spinning things are on one side… and me on the other? Which would Himekoji like more?”

Kasumigaoka spun around, eyes intently locked on him.

“Huh?!”

Himekoji froze. The towel slipped from his numb fingers, drifting softly to the earth.

Ignoring his shock, Kasumigaoka leaned forward as if catching him off guard:

“Slow spinning things or me—which do you like?”

“Slow spinning things.”

Against his own heart’s whisper, those words came out.

It felt safer that way.

But Evil God-sama refused to yield.

“How about… me spinning slowly?”

Suddenly, Kasumigaoka Utaha stood. Rain-drenched clothes dripped. Hair trickled. And like that—right before Himekoji—she began to slowly spin.

Just like Himekoji’s loved watches, his sunflowers, Ferris Wheels, carousels.

Slowly turning.

Slowly spinning.

Exactly the way Himekoji liked it.

Spin. Spin. Spin.

—This became the second thing Himekoji remembered: his slowly saved, slowly spun life.

……

……