"No, no! That's a terrible idea!"
"If mom finds out, she'll definitely make some weird jokes about it!"
Eriri's pale cheeks flushed pink. Absolutely not happening!
As she shook off those thoughts, her finger jabbed the doorbell with renewed determination.
Then
"Eriri?"
That familiar voice, tinged with surprise.
"Whayou're not home?!"
A boy's amused voice replied: "Not everyone sleeps until ten on holidays, you know."
"Sh-shut up!"
Flustered, Eriri's face turned red as she shot a glare at him, "Who even sleeps until ten just because it's a holiday?"
"Sure, sure."
Akifumi Mugiho laughed, his eyes catching the beads of sweat on her forehead.
"How long was she standing out here?" he wondered.
The weather in May wasn't that hot yet.
Shifting the grocery bag in his hand, he pulled out a key.
"Well, you wanna come in and sit for a bit?"
Eriri hesitated but eventually relented, "Since you're insisting, I guess I'll come in for a while."
Inside, Akifumi handed her a pair of indoor slippers.
"You haven't been around here for ages, so these are my old ones. Hope they'll do."
Eriri took them without a word and followed him inside, her eyes wandering around the room.
"Nothing's changed at all..."
When was the last time she'd come here? Two years ago? Three? It had been so long she couldn't quite remember.
"Suddenly leaving and suddenly coming backhe's always like this!"
Her chest tightened with an inexplicable ache, a hint of bitterness creeping in. A thin layer of moisture gathered in her blue eyes.
"And then last month..."
The memory of that scene in the multipurpose room surfaced. Her heartbeat stuttered before speeding up uncontrollably.
Her face flushed crimson, like the sunset painting the sky, making her look stunningly radiant.
"Why did he do that?!"
"There's only one explanation!"
"L-lik"
Even in her own mind, she couldn't finish the word.
"But hey, I am a super cute girl, so it's totally natural he'd fall for me, right?"
"But if he confesses, what should I do?"
"Should I accept it... or accept it?"
"Guh-hee-hee."
Eriri's imagination spiraled, painting vivid scenes in her mind. Her expression shifted into a goofy grin.
Moments ago, she'd been sulking in frustration. Now she was mentally daydreaming about... self-crafted romantic scenarios. Classic Eriri.
Akifumi glanced at her, bewildered by her sudden goofy expression.
He had no idea that in just a few seconds, her thoughts had gone from elementary school to planning the names of their future children.
He pulled a Coke from the fridge and handed it to her.
"Here."
Eriri snapped out of her thoughts and frowned at the label.
"No Pepsi?"
Pepsi? Ew. Even dogs wouldn't drink that.
[TL Note — Some people will murder you for that....]
Still, for the sake of keeping the mood light, Akifumi held back from saying that aloud.
"Only Coke. Or I can get you some water?"
"Tch."
She rolled her eyes, twisted off the cap, and took a big gulp.
"Ahhh~"
She let out a satisfied sigh.
Akifumi smiled and grabbed a bottle for himself.
As they sipped their drinks, he asked, "So, did you come here for something specific?"
There wasn't really anything important.
She just wanted to confront him about what had happened that day.
Because of him, she hadn't been able to sleep properly, and the dark circles under her eyes were proof.
But now that they were face to face, she lost the nerve to bring it up.
"Speaking of which... it's almost August, right?"
That abrupt topic shift would confuse most peoplebut not Akifumi.
He sighed. "Come on, you have three months it should be enough, right?"
Her lips curved into a small smile, her voice tinged with delight.
"Creating something isn't that easy, you know!"
"You have to pour your heart and soul into telling a perfect story in just twenty pages, and still leave readers wanting more."
...Wait, perfect story?
This girl really had no shame.
Even though she was too young to read Kashiwagi Eri's more mature works, online reviews often criticized her storytelling.
Watching Eriri puff out her chest in pride, Akifumi hesitated but decided not to crush her enthusiasm. He just gave her a polite nod. "I see."
"So, Kashiwagi Eri-san, what stage are you at now?"
Eriri avoided his gaze. "Uh... worldbuilding."
[019] Why Does She Always Lose It Over This Stuff?
A story's "worldbuilding" refers to an abstract, overarching concept encompassing the narrative's core philosophy, values, and guiding principles.
It's the foundation for the plot, character development, and thematic elements of any creative work.
Or to put it simply
"So you haven't even started yet, have you?"
"L-Look who's talking!"
Eriri flared up, trying (and failing) to hide her guilt.
Her voice went up a notch, as though louder words could justify her creative stagnation.
Then came the inevitable flood of excuses: "Creative work isn't that simple!"
or "You have to be daring and innovative within the original framework!" The room buzzed with her lively attempts at justification.
Once she finish trying to make excuse for herself, Akifumi asked casually, "So, what's the plan now?"
"Well, I have a rough idea," Eriri declared confidently.
"I'm hoping to organize everything by the end of this month."
"And you need my help for?"
"Oh, it's simple! Just like beforebackgrounds, toning, and that kind of stuff!"
"..."
Akifumi raised a brow. "Just to confirm... does this include coloring too?"
"Umm" Eriri averted her gaze, her confidence wavering. "Maybe?"
"Maybe?"
"Fine, definitely!" she huffed, clearly embarrassed.
Akifumi sighed, already anticipating the inevitable.
If things fell behind, she'd beg him for help again, just like back in middle school.
Those were rare moments when Eriri actually dropped her usual bravado.
Back then, he probably would've hesitated and eventually given in.
But now, that wasn't an option.
June marked the announcement of the Tezuka Prize, and there was always a chance he might start serialization.
Even if he worked non-stop until June, he'd only make it through to Chapters 7 or 8 of the original draft.
Considering final exams at the end of June and potential summer comicket, Akifumi couldn't afford any distractions.
So...
'Sorry, but I really can't help'
Rejecting upfront was better than accepting and failing to deliver, but how should he put it?
It's hard to say no to someone you're too close to. At least he needed a convincing excuse.
Wait, got it!
Akifumi's eyes lit up. "Hey, Eriri, your goal is to become a mangaka, right?"
"A doujin artist who doesn't want to be a mangaka is no real artist!" she declared with conviction.
So she still hadn't given up on that dream.
Akifumi couldn't help but picture her as his assistant if he ever got a serialized deal with Shonen Jump.
That would be... entertaining, to say the least.
But back to the point: if he could steer the conversation toward her dreams, she might drop the request altogether.
Grinning like a sly fox, Akifumi asked, "Then why not ditch your 'Kashiwagi Eri' alias and focus entirely on manga?"
"You think I don't want to?" she sighed.
"But it's not that easy. I can't even tell a decent 20-page short story, let alone tackle a full-length series."
"Wouldn't it be easier if you worked with a good story editor?"
In the manga world, artist-writer collaborations were commonpractically the norm. But for Eriri, finding the right partner would be tricky.
Her art style leaned toward the ornate and intricate, so she'd need a story that matched that aesthetic. Otherwise, her talents would go to waste.
Plus, being a doujin artist came with a stigma in the industry.
Ironically, her fame as Kashiwagi Eri was more of a burden than a benefit.
Eriri sighed internally, opting not to explain further. "Manga isn't as simple as you think," she muttered.
"I'm basically just a gambler with decent skills."
Huh? That sounded oddly familiar.
Akifumi shrugged it off. "Fair enough. Hey, have you been keeping up with the Tezuka Prize?"
"The Tezuka Prize?" Eriri blinked in surprise. "Of course! Any aspiring mangaka wouldn't ignore it."
The Tezuka Prize was the ultimate gateway for new talent in Japan. Even being listed as a finalist could open doors at other publishers.
Recalling the prize announcement from the previous night, Eriri grumbled, "I still didn't pass the first evaluation. So frustrating!"
Since middle school, she'd been submitting entries under a secret alias. Yet after all these years, she had never passed the initial round.
Thinking back to the recent shortlist, Eriri couldn't help but complain, "Seriously, even a magical girl story made it through? Makes you question what the Tezuka Prize's standards these days."
Akifumi tilted his head. "Wait, magical girl? The only one on the list was Madoka Magica, right?"
Ah...
"Just to clarify," he asked carefully, "You're talking about that magical girl story, right?"
"Madoka Magica! It's the only one listed, isn't it?"
Mystery solved.
"You've been keeping up with the Tezuka Prize too?" Eriri asked, surprised.
"A-ha-haha....."
Akifumi rubbed his nose sheepishly. "Is it that strange for someone who loves drawing to follow the Tezuka Prize?"
"I guess not."
Eriri didn't doubt his explanation.
But their views on the selection criteria clearly differed.
"The Tezuka Prize focuses on story quality. Magical girl plots are so predictablehow could that pass?"
"Maybe the fixed template works if paired with stunning artwork?"
He decided to let it drop. Explaining would be too much hassle.
'Great,' Akifumi thought bitterly, 'Now I've run out of excuses to say no.'
Was he really going to cave and help her again?
"Why don't you use someone else template for the storyboard?"
Eriri's eyes gleamed with a newfound idea.
"Using templates for storytelling that might actually work!"
As they wrapped up the conversation, Akifumi asked casually, "It's getting late. Want to stay for lunch?"
"Well, since you're offering, I guess I can grace you with my presence."
Akifumi rolled his eyes.
Seriously, how does she always acting tsundere over stuff like this?!
[020] A Torrential Downpour
Time passes quickly.
Before he knew it, it was the last day of Golden Week.
At 3:00 PM, in Akihabara,
"Nihon-ga-shi, pencils, dip pens, ink, screen tones..."
Akifumi Mugiho checked off the items on his list as he picked up the necessary materials for drawing manga.
By the time he came out of the store, half an hour had passed.
"With all this, I should be set for the next two months."
His backpack was bulging, and he was also carrying two big bags in his hands.
He looked like a otaku returning from a "holy war," weighed down by his haul.
"My money really doesn't stretch far!"
Akifumi Mugiho couldn't help but sigh.
It was already May, and his living allowance had just been deposited into his bank account.
Apart from the holiday expenses, the 70,000 yen he'd spent so far had already eaten up most of his funds.
"I still have the remaining 30,000 yen, but I still need to pay 10,000 back to Kato..."
"Damn it! How am I supposed to make it through the next 20 days, spending less than 1,000 yen a day!?"
Even though the future looked bright, the present struggle still weighed him down.
The only silver lining was that he'd predicted these expenses ahead of time, so he didn't blow the money as soon as it came in.
Otherwise, the remaining allowance might have been less than 10,000 yen by now.
Lost in his thoughts, Akifumi Mugiho kept walking toward the subway station, not bothering to glance at any distractions.
Figures in the distance? Games? Maid cafes!?
Hilarious.
He didn't dare look.
He remained silent as he walked.
After getting off the subway, the bright sky earlier had already turned ominous.
"Is it going to rain?"
With that thought, Akifumi Mugiho picked up his pace.
Boom.
The thunder rumbled.
Drip, drip, drip.
The rain began to pour.
"Damn, that was close!"
Standing in front of a convenience store, Akifumi Mugiho smiled.
His newly purchased supplies were almost drenched.
Taking advantage of the sparse crowd waiting to avoid the rain, he borrowed a shared umbrella and headed toward the residential area.
The rain kept getting stronger.
Raindrops fell from the sky like ink splattered on paper by a passionate poet.
Though the sky had darkened, there were still people caught unawares by the rains.
Watching the passersby, wet and hurrying to seek shelter, Akifumi Mugiho couldn't help but feel a little amused.
The park, usually filled with the sounds of children playing at this hour, was now peaceful and quiet.
A lonely figure on a swing stood out against the gloomy backdrop.
A girl with long flaxen hair, her angelic face was stunning at first glance. But what was unsettling was the emptiness in her caramel-colored eyes.
Even in a world painted in shadows by the dark clouds, the girl seemed to lack any color at all.
"Is she really that sad?"
A sudden unfamiliar voice snapped the girl out of her thoughts.
She looked up blankly, seeing a stranger under a plain umbrella.
The rain falling on her was a little chilly, but it didn't match the coldness of her expression.
Their gazes briefly met before the girl lowered her head again, her indifference striking.
"Ugh, what a troublesome situation."
Akifumi Mugiho muttered to himself, shaking his head, but he couldn't help but continue walking towards her.
"Why am I such an idiot for getting involved?"
Holding the umbrella between his neck and chin, his free hand took the two bags from his left hand and slipped the openings over his wrist.
Even with over 10 kg of weight that should have hurt, Akifumi Mugiho didn't flinch.
His right hand grabbed the girl's wrist, pulling her along, including the sleeves that were already soaked.
"You really think standing in the rain by yourself is going to do any good?"
He spoke almost like he was talking to himself, frustration in his voice.
"Is it going to make those who hurt you regret it? Or change their ways?"
"Sadly, that's not going to happen."
"Those people will just think, 'How did this idiot end up like this?' and then go back to their lives without a care. You, on the other hand, will catch a cold from this rain, suffer for days, and regret everything."
