If it weren't for Nana-ko and Kanda Tori-nin being by his side, those cheerful, enthusiastic high school girls would probably have clung to him.
"Phew, being this popular is a bit of a hassle," he sighed.
"But Nana-ko, don't worry. My heart won't change~"
Shin-chan chuckled, rubbing his head, his face flushed, as if all those girls were after him instead of Nana-ko.
Lin Yu put the cap back on the pen and gently nodded toward Nakamura Nozomi.
"Thanks for earlier."
Nakamura Nozomi blushed, embarrassed, as she took the pen from Lin Yu's hand. She felt guilty for the trouble her shout had caused.
"It's okay, I didn't mean to... If it weren't for me, this wouldn't have happened..."
Nakamura bowed deeply to apologize, and Lin Yu smiled and waved it off.
"No need to worry about it, it's fine."
Hearing Lin Yu's gentle words, Nakamura stood up. As a bookstore employee, her pay wasn't high, and the work wasn't exactly easy. But the one perk was being able to read books for free.
"Weekly Shonen Jump" was one of Nakamura's favorite publications, especially with the recent release of Inuyasha that had captured her attention right away. Although Inuyasha could be considered a shonen action series, the delicate character interactions and the female high school protagonist, Kagome, drew in a lot of female readers.
You could tell by the excited high school girls just now.
The chemistry between Kagome and Inuyasha, their emotional interactions, was especially captivating for girls.
Nakamura was no exception, which is why when she found out Lin Yu was the author of Inuyasha, she couldn't help but shout in surprise.
From a certain perspective, it was a huge shock to have the author of her favorite manga standing right in front of her.
"Nana-ko, I think we should go to the café. This place doesn't seem right for us anymore."
Nana-ko spoke as she gave a subtle glance toward the now-scattered crowd, as if she wanted to gather them again.
Lin Yu nodded silently, without hesitation. The bookstore seemed to be fine now.
If they stayed much longer, the enthusiastic fans might turn it into a signing event, and that wouldn't be easy to handle.
"Shin-chan, do you want to come with us to the café and wait for your mom? I'll text her."
"Yay! I'll go with Nana-ko to the café!"
At Nana-ko's invitation, Shin-chan's nose flared up in excitement as he nodded eagerly. Nothing was more exciting to him than being with his favorite Nana-ko.
Just as they were about to leave the bookstore, a soft call came from behind them.
"Sensei Aomatsu!"
Lin Yu stopped and turned to see Nakamura Nozomi, red-faced, running toward him with a Weekly Shonen Jump magazine in hand.
"Sensei Aomatsu, I know it's a bit forward, and I caused you some trouble earlier…"
"But I really love Inuyasha and was wondering if you could sign it for me..."
She spoke shyly, her eyes filled with earnest expectation. Although she knew her earlier outburst had caused Lin Yu some inconvenience, she couldn't suppress her desire. As a fan, it was incredibly rare to meet the author of your favorite work, and she didn't want to miss this opportunity.
Lin Yu was taken aback for a moment, but he smiled and took the magazine and pen from Nakamura.
"It's not your fault, it's actually me causing trouble for you all. Don't worry about it."
After signing his name, Lin Yu returned the magazine to Nakamura, bid her a polite farewell, and left the bookstore with his group.
"Sensei Aomatsu is such a gentle person. He's handsome and talented..."
Nakamura held the signed magazine, watching Lin Yu leave. A faint blush spread across her cheeks as she stood by the door, her thoughts rippling like a quiet wave.
"Nakamura-san!"
"Nakamura-san!"
"Ah! Yes, manager..."
"Don't block the door, customers still need to come in."
"Sorry… Sorry..."
After leaving the bookstore, Lin Yu felt like a celebrity. Looking at the busy street, he wondered if he would need to wear a mask if he appeared on any shows in the future.
"You must really understand how popular Inuyasha is now, right?" Nana-ko commented, and Lin Yu nodded in agreement, recalling the overwhelming enthusiasm of the high school girls.
"Nana-ko, Shin-chan, thank you so much earlier..."
"And me! And me!" Shin-chan piped up, raising his hand. Lin Yu gave him a thumbs-up.
"Thanks to Shin-chan, I'll treat you to some chocolate biscuits later."
"Yay, chocolate biscuits, yummy, crispy chocolate biscuits~"
Seeing Lin Yu's slightly uneasy expression, Nana-ko couldn't help but laugh, her beautiful face standing out even more in her smile.
"But, Lin Yu, you really are quite popular with those girls. You're handsome and talented after all..."
Kanda Tori-nin remarked with some admiration, recalling the earlier scene clearly in her mind.
Nana-ko nodded in agreement. This was just a casual encounter at a small bookstore. If it were a real signing event, most of the readers would probably be girls.
Thinking about it, Nana-ko couldn't help but feel a strange sense of anxiety.
"Lin Yu."
"Hm? What's wrong?" Lin Yu looked at Nana-ko in confusion.
"From now on, when you're out alone, be sure to take care of yourself."
"???"
Lin Yu was baffled by Nana-ko's serious expression, still unsure of what was going on.