Tomorrow or the day after, he'll find time to give them out.
"Right, and there are the gifts for the fans."
Thinking of this, Akifumi felt a bit troubled, but then his eyes lit up with an idea.
"I hope they'll like these."
Back home.
"Welcome back, it must be really cold outside?" Mahiru stepped forward and took off Akifumi's coat.
"You know my body type. Even if I went out in a short-sleeve shirt, I'd be fine in this temperature."
Especially after training with Yor-san for a while, his physical strength had improved dramatically.
For instance, when having a intimate moment with Mahiru, after about an hour, the girl could hardly keep up, but he didn't feel anything at all.
He'd even tried walking outside in just a short-sleeve shirt when no one was around.
The cold weather had no effect on him.
Of course, if he actually went out in such weather in short sleeves, he'd probably be mistaken for a panda.
While he didn't mind being looked at by others, he didn't particularly enjoy being the center of attention.
Shaking off these thoughts, Akifumi smiled at the girl in front of him and teased, "I feel like Mahiru is starting to act more like the lady of the house."
The girl blushed lightly and softly said, "Mugiho-kun, stop teasing me."
Akifumi shook his head with a smile.
He wasn't mocking her, he just genuinely thought so.
Back in the living room with Mahiru, he saw that Mashiro and Eriri were both curled up in the blankets, looking at their digital tablets with focused and serious expressions.
However, Akifumi's arrival did disturb them a bit.
Mashiro looked up and nodded at him, "Mugi."
After greeting him, she went back to focusing on her tablet.
Eriri lazily put down what she was holding and said, "Yo, you're back."
Akifumi nodded in response and then curiously asked, "I heard your dad's back, doesn't that mean you'll be really busy these days?"
"Nope." Eriri waved her hand with a slightly gloomy expression, "After Christmas, he'll be heading back there again."
"Are you not going with him?"
"I'm a serialized manga artist now. I can't leave, no way!"
Now that "Shokugeki no Soma" was getting really popular, she was getting a lot of positive feedback from readers every time she did surveys.
Sure, there were some complaints about some of the content being too suggestive for a teen magazine, but for someone who had been in the industry for years, those minor doubts didn't bother her.
However, thinking about serialized manga reminded Akifumi of something.
"By the way, isn't it tough to keep up with a weekly release schedule?"
"Shouldn't you get some assistants?"
Eriri didn't try to act tough and seriously thought about it, before replying "It's indeed a bit exhausting. After all, I'm not like you, some freak who finishes everything in one go without needing edits."
"Not to mention, I have to balance it with my studies..."
"Every time I think about how you manage to be number one in your grade while serializing two mangas, I just want to open your head and see what's going on inside!"
"That's a terrifying statement!" Akifumi chuckled at her exaggeration.
"So, do you want to find assistants?"
"Yeah, my backlogs from the holidays are almost used up, so to maintain the regular schedule, I'll probably have to get some help." Eriri sighed.
"Otosuna-san will help with that."
"I was planning to talk to her after the year-end party anyway."
Akifumi nodded "Well, while you're busy outside, I'll prepare the gifts for the fans."
"Gifts for the fans?"
"Just sending them a colored illustration feels a bit too simple. I'll write a short story for them and throw in some sweets."
Eriri raised an eyebrow, surprised "When did you grow a conscience?"
Usually, whenever he was sending out something cruel, his expression was one of pure delight.
"What do you mean, conscience?" Akifumi replied somewhat gruffly "It's all for the story, I'm just a fan-loving person."
Eriri couldn't deny that.
After all, even just drawing manga wasn't enough he also wrote songs and edited videos for them, making him one of a kind in the industry.
"Still, you're such an overachiever!" Most of the industry just sends a colored illustration as a New Year's greeting, but you're out here doing a whole short story!
She could already imagine other manga artists' complaints.
But, why was she one of the victims of the overachiever trend?
"Wanting to make the fans happy, what's wrong with that?" Akifumi headed to his room.
He opened a document and began editing the text, then started considering the storyboarding.
Not too muchjust four panels for each story.
The ongoing "Your Lie in April" wouldn't be part of this.
Only "Madoka Magica," "Anohana," and "WorldEnd."
After all, while WorldEnd is still in its early stages, much like Your lie in April, the former is much closer to completion, with only two more volumes left.
The story is almost fully told.
On the other hand, Your Lie in April is still a fresh story, a tender new sprout, and any side stories at this stage could reveal too much too soon.
[143] Different Level
Looking at the two girls in the house drawing manga and the one person working hard inside, a helpless smile appeared on Mahiru's face.
'Even though it's already the holidays, it feels like they're working harder than when they were in school'
While Mahiru understood that the three were striving for their dreams, she couldn't help but feel a bit of sympathy for them.
'I can't fall behind too much either!'
Though the only thing she could do was to manage their logistics and make sure everything went smoothly, she was determined to do her best.
As for her own dreams, just being able to continue being with them was enough.
With that thought, Mahiru smiled softly.
Time always flew by quickly when working. Before she knew it, it was already the afternoon of Christmas Eve.
"Mashiro, it's time to go."
Unlike usual, where Mahiru would wait inside Akifumi's place, today she waited outside.
As for Eriri, she was a step ahead and had gone inside to change clothes.
"Hold on a sec." Inside, they could hear Mashiro's slightly anxious voice.
A moment later, Mahiru stepped outside first.
"Mugiho-kun, it's impolite to rush a girl when she's changing clothes," she teased.
Shortly after, Mashiro came out. She looked slightly uneasy, her brows furrowed.
She looked... so strange.
She was wearing a pure white dress, her skin like freshly fallen snow, and she looked almost like an ethereal snow fairy.
Her long hair was styled elegantly behind her, adding a graceful touch, and her light makeup complemented her perfectly, making her even more beautiful.
She wore crystal 5cm high heels, and her pure, almost otherworldly aura made her look like a princess who had never encountered the real world.
There was no doubt that tonight, she would be the center of attention.
Akifumi blinked, slightly mesmerized at the sight.
"Mugi, did I captivate you?" Mashiro's voice was soft, tinged with shyness, and her pale face flushed with a faint pink hue.
Akifumi shook himself awake, smiling as he nodded, "Mashiro is so beautiful; it's only natural to be captivated."
Mashiro's face lit up with a genuine smile in response to the compliment.
But then a gust of cold wind blew, and her face turned pale again.
Mahiru sighed, draping her coat over Mashiro's shoulders.
"I told you it's cold outside. You should've worn it earlier, but now you can take it off once we get to the venue."
Mashiro stubbornly said, "I wanted Mugi to see it."
"I've already seen it. Don't catch a cold, okay?"
"Take good care of Mashiro, alright?" Mahiru said, looking at Akifumi.
Akifumi smiled and nodded, "Don't worry."
They left the house and got into the car. It was a car prepared by Shueisha, a privilege only Akifumi enjoyed as a newcomer.
The venue for the year-end party was at a high-end hotel, where the standard dining price was several tens of thousands of yen.
It was clear they had put a lot of effort into organizing the event.
By the time Akifumi and Mashiro arrived at the venue, many people had already gathered.
As a newcomer, Akifumi didn't recognize anyone and had no interest in socializing.
He simply grabbed some drinks and food, leading Mashiro to a quiet corner.
Despite this, some people couldn't help but glance their way, though no one approached them.
After all, not everyone in the manga industry was a shut-in; there were some social butterflies, but they were the minority. The majority preferred to keep to themselves.
Akifumi was more than happy with the peaceful corner.
Keeping an eye on the entrance, he quickly spotted Eriri.
He went over and pulled her to their corner, finally bringing the "Iron Triangle" together.
Eriri wore a yellow evening dress that showcased her beautiful figure perfectly.
"Relax," Akifumi said, handing her a glass of juice.
"I-I'm not nervous!" Eriri protested, but she almost spilled her drink as she turned the glass in her hands.
"You're a bit of a social anxiety case, huh?"
Akifumi chuckled.
Eriri touched her little tooth, taking a sip and finally starting to relax.
She glanced over at Mashiro, curious. "Mashiro, aren't you nervous?"
"Why would I be nervous?" Mashiro replied, puzzled.
Eriri blinked, then realized that was a silly question.
As one of the top oil painters in the world, Mashiro had attended many such events.
Her calm demeanor showed that she was used to these occasions.
Though Eriri herself had hosted plenty of parties, she felt this one, full of manga artists, was a little different.
Being a former artist of adult content, she couldn't help but feel nervous.
With that realization, she completely relaxed.
Soon, the event officially started, and Otosuna Mihari, the editor, came over.
She looked the most nervous among everyone as this was her first time attending such a gathering.
The evening's agenda was pretty standard: speeches, awards, and looking toward the future...
Akifumi was the only one among the three to receive any recognition: Best Newcomer Award, Most Popular Work Award, and Best Creative Award.
The two girls, on the other hand, focused on supporting him.
Once the formalities were done, under the guidance of Mihari, Akifumi met several senior professionals.
Finally, the event concluded.
Once back in the car, Eriri let out a sigh, reflecting on the evening.
"So tiring!"
"Mm," Mashiro nodded.
Akifumi sighed. "That's why I told you two not to come."
Eriri shot him an exasperated look but didn't voice her complaints.
Mashiro, on the other hand, honestly said, "I was curious because Mugi was coming."
Akifumi shook his head helplessly. He didn't continue the conversation but turned to Eriri.
"Are you free tomorrow on Christmas?"
"Nope," Eriri replied, sighing. "My dad specifically came back to spend the holiday."
"But tonight, I don't have to go back." She blushed slightly, shyly looking away.
Akifumi smiled and invited her, "Well then, do you want to stay over at my place tonight?"
After a moment's hesitation, Eriri nodded, "Okay, I'll stay with you tonight."
Not very straightforward, huh?
Half an hour later, the three of them got out of the car.
"Ugh, so cold!" Eriri exclaimed as she stepped out, feeling the cold air despite wearing a coat.
Mashiro didn't say anything but held onto Akifumi's hand a bit tighter.
"Let's hurry inside," Akifumi said, holding both girls' hands as they quickly entered the apartment.
While it was much warmer inside, it couldn't compare to the comfort of the car.
It wasn't until they reached home that they finally relaxed, basking in the warmth.
"Welcome back," Mahiru greeted them with a sweet smile.
"The water's already been prepared."
Akifumi urged the two girls, "Hurry and wash up."
Once it was just the two of them, Mahiru stepped forward and hugged Akifumi.
"It's a bit lonely being by myself," she said softly.
Akifumi gently patted her back. "We've been together this whole holiday."
"Mm!" Mahiru nodded, leaning into his embrace.
Outside, soft snowflakes drifted down, and the winter air thickened, adding to the festive mood of the New Year across Tokyo.
[144] The First Shock Brought by Steins;Gate! [200 PS]
The Shueisha annual gathering may seem like a simple meetup for authors, but in reality, it garners significant online attention.
After all, in the manga industry, Shueisha holds an undisputed dominance!
The awards presented at this event carry immense weight, even serving as a benchmark for the industry's major annual awards.
So, as soon as the event concluded and the mangaka, including Akifumi, returned home, the real celebration among online fans had just begun!
Under Akifumi's SNS account, "Warrior of Love and Hope," fans frequently gathered to interact.
However, during regular times, they preferred engaging in their own fan communities. But this time was different!
With the annual gathering just ending, it meant that the award results were imminent!
The honors their beloved mangaka received felt like personal achievements for the fans.
Naturally, this was the perfect time to share their excitement in a large public space!
As a result, messages flooded in every second:
"Any news yet!?"
"The authors have left the venue. The official Shueisha website should announce the results soon!"
"It's out! It's out!!"
"Best Newcomer Award, Most Popular Work Award, Best Creativity Award Our sensei won six awards in total!"
"Damn it, Bakuman King was still out of reach"
"Well, yeah. It's expected. Sensei is still new, and most of his works are short stories."
"So what!? With the brilliance of Madoka Magica, winning Bakuman King should've been a given!"
"Agreed!"
"Let's be rationalMadoka Magica hasn't been around long enough. The final chapter was only released this August. While it may rival or even surpass this year's Bakuman King in reputation and popularity, the sales numbers likely still have a considerable gap."
"That's right. Bakuman King is Shueisha's most prestigious award because it evaluates comprehensive data. Just waitnext year, this long-overdue honor will surely belong to Sensei!"
"Honestly, I'm already satisfied. Considering Sensei only debuted in the second half of the year and has only completed two major works, winning six awards is already incredible!"
