I, who tortured the readers, was knocked to the ground by them!

Chapter 41 Why are you looking at me?
"Eh?!"

Hane Shion was stunned, her black pupils shrank slightly, and a rare look of shock appeared on her face.

What do you mean it was only finished yesterday afternoon?
I had actually been working intensively since the afternoon before yesterday, forgetting to eat and sleep, and it was not until late last night that I finally finalized the general framework.

I originally thought that since I worked so hard, my progress should be far ahead of Sakurai Itsuki.

She was thinking about giving him a good beating after finishing her overtime work over the next two days.

So, he had already finished it yesterday afternoon?
How is this possible?

"Ah, but I actually took up a lot of Shu's time. I usually see him drawing pretty fast."

Sato Wakaba looked at Hane Shion's somewhat shocked expression and thought that she felt that Sakurai Itsuki was a little slow, so she was helping Sakurai Itsuki to make up for it.

Obviously, as a complete layman, she didn't know that the scene was like a storyboard script for a simple sketch, which actually required much more effort than copying two exquisite paintings.

"."

After hearing this, Hane Shion fell silent, and her bright mood just now suddenly darkened.

Sato Wakaba looked at the silent Hane Shion, feeling a little confused, and turned to look at Sakurai Itsuki.

As Sakurai Itsuki listened to the conversation between the two, his expression was also very subtle.

"Did I say something inappropriate?" Sato Wakaba felt the atmosphere was a little strange, so she lowered her voice and asked awkwardly.

"I had something at home over the weekend and haven't started writing yet."

Hane Shion took a deep breath, turned her face away, and lied.

Although honesty is a virtue.

But in this situation, how could she still tell the truth?

Especially in front of the competitor that he originally wanted to suppress.

"Oh, I see. But it's okay if something delayed you! Everyone in the group also said there's no need to rush. They said they'll continue the meeting over the weekend, so there's still plenty of time!"

Sato Wakaba nodded, and then comforted Hanase Shion.

But her words of comfort were like sharp knives stabbing into Hanase Shion's chest.

Hane Shion bit her lip slightly. Thinking of how complacent she was before, she suddenly felt like a pathetic clown.

So after leaving a sentence "If it's okay, I'll leave first," she quickly ran away.

"Oh alright, see you later then."

Sato Wakaba nodded. Although she didn't know why Hane Shion was unhappy, her ability to read the air clearly told her that something was wrong with the atmosphere.

So I didn't continue to bring up the next topic.

Looking at Hanase Shion walking away quickly, Sato Wakaba rubbed his chin slightly. After thinking for a moment, he suddenly turned to Sakurai Itsuki and said, "I know. It must be your problem."

"what?"

Sakurai Itsuki wondered if this could be put on him?

"She must be rewatching 'Flame Fist' over and over again because she's writing a storyboard. She must be in a bad mood."

Sato Wakaba felt that her reasoning was reasonable.

"Well, blame me then."

Regarding Sato Wakaba's reasoning, Sakurai Itsuki, who had roughly guessed the real reason, could only shake his head helplessly and sigh.

It's true that Sato Wakaba can't be blamed. This outsider in this industry has only come into contact with a cheater like herself.

It's no wonder she didn't know how harsh the speech that just now made sounded to the ears of the normal people who were actually working.

How should I put it? It's almost like the way you beat your opponent in an internet cafe and then taunt them with, "Is that all you've got?"

There's no way she'd be in a good mood.

After thinking about it, I can only blame myself for being a time traveler.

"Oh, have you finally found your conscience? Are you planning to turn over a new leaf?"

Sato Wakaba asked Sakurai Itsuki, who rarely admitted his mistake.

Sakurai Itsuki raised a finger and said, "I told you, don't talk about me and comics outside."

"Oh, I know, I was wrong, wrong, don't!"

The first class in the morning is mathematics.

Although there are many famous painters in history who are also outstanding mathematicians, Sakurai Itsuki is obviously not one of them.

In his previous life, he chose the path of art. In addition to being poisoned by the two-dimensional world, another major reason was that for some people like Sakurai Itsuki, mathematics was so boring that it was no different from being hypnotized.

In fact, it’s not that Sakurai Itsuki doesn’t completely not want to study.

Although he no longer had to worry about money for food and clothing, he did not choose to drop out of school to concentrate on drawing comics.

In addition to promising his family in his hometown to go to college, he also felt that it was necessary to go to college and get a diploma.

But, I want to learn, but
He really didn't know what the person who arranged the class schedule was thinking.

Early in the morning, Mr. Iguchi, the old man from the Showa era who seemed a little weak when speaking, was giving a lecture on functions on the stage.

Now, it’s impossible not to feel sleepy.

Sakurai Itsuki, who wanted to study for the first time in a long time, supported his face and looked at the blackboard. In less than ten minutes, his eyelids began to struggle.

Sakurai Itsuki has never been the type of person to let himself be wronged, so he didn't struggle too much. Soon, he lay down on the table and fell asleep as usual.

Meanwhile, Hanase Shion, who was sitting upright, should have been holding a pen and taking notes meticulously as usual.

However, she was unexpectedly distracted today.

Hane Shion heard the sound of Sakurai Itsuki lying down, turned her head to look at Sakurai Itsuki who was sleeping with his head down, and was slightly dazed.

Did he really finish the storyboard yesterday afternoon?
This question has been lingering in Hanase Shion's mind all morning since she was at the school gate.

Can it really be that fast?
And Sato Wakaba also said that she wasted some of his time, so I guess they were flirting again, right?
In other words, his actual speed should be even more outrageous, and he completed it in less than a day.
No, it's impossible. No matter what, it can't be so fast.

Unless he just scribbled it casually and did it perfunctorily.

Yes, it must be. It was so fast, the quality of his script must not be up to standard, or even very poor!
But, he also drew very quickly in art class before, and his paintings did not look casual or perfunctory at all.

I have a preconceived notion that the quality must be poor. Am I deceiving myself?
After being slapped in the face twice in a row by Sakurai Itsuki, Hane Shion kept recalling his previous words "She is not as good as me" in her mind, and her thoughts were no longer on the classroom.

Although she didn't want to admit it, she had actually lost her confidence.

If you could read his script, you would know whether he is a mule or a horse.

If I saw that he was just doing it perfunctorily, I would probably be able to continue creating slowly with peace of mind, and then I could continue to mock him for being a mediocre guy.

But what if he did really well?
For some reason, Hanase Shion was inexplicably afraid of that kind of scene happening.
He shouldn't be that powerful.
He is so talented, why would he give up his dream of becoming a cartoonist so easily?
No, I'm becoming more and more concerned.

But how do I ask him for the script?
Hanase Shion, who had said many times in private that she didn't want to deal with Sakurai Itsuki, was a bit embarrassed. Should she just ask directly, "Can you show me your script?" Or should she be more tactful and start with another topic and then move on to the above topic?
Or should we let other members of the club ask him for it, and then have him post it in the club group for public discussion?

But we had agreed to discuss and submit the script on Saturday.

If he hands in the storyboard now, but I am still far from finished, wouldn't I seem far inferior to him?
Ugh! No matter what, this feels really awkward.

"Haze-san, could you please repeat what I said last time?"

Mr. Iguchi on the stage suddenly put down the math textbook and interrupted the struggling Hanase Shion with a word.

This sentence immediately drew the attention of the entire classroom to Hane Shion, who was staring at Sakurai Itsuki in a daze.

Hanase Shion stood up hurriedly.

Even Sakurai Itsuki, who was drowsy, felt the attention and slowly opened his eyes.

Hane Shion stood upright, looking down at her out-of-date notes, feeling as if her face was burning with shame.

This was the first time in her life that she was caught by the teacher for being distracted in class.

After a brief silence, Hanase Shion whispered, "I'm sorry."

"Is it so interesting to watch Sakurai-san sleep? Even more interesting than me in class?"

Mr. Iguchi was obviously a little dissatisfied.

The teachers in the office all said that the newly transferred student, Hane Shion, was a serious and good student, but today in her own class, she stared at Sakurai Itsuki and was distracted.

This is too disrespectful to myself.

As soon as Mr. Iguchi said this, the expressions of everyone in the class suddenly became subtle.

That cold-faced lady was secretly looking at Sakurai Itsuki, but Sakurai Itsuki was not with Sato Wakaba
The topic of gossip is lingering in the minds of adolescents again.

Sakurai Itsuki, who had just woken up, looked at Hane Shion, who was lowering her head beside him, with a look of surprise.

She was lowering her head, biting her lips tightly, and her snow-white face was rarely red.

It’s over, it’s so embarrassing!

Feeling the subtle gazes coming from all directions, Hane Shion really wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

"Okay, I'm just reminding you to pay attention in class and not to follow the guy next to you. Just being good-looking without any skills won't get you a foothold in society."

Old men in the Showa era always like to say things that sound very positive but are actually not very useful in society.

Obviously, in this day and age, being good-looking may be more useful than most test-takers.

"Okay, sit down and listen carefully."

"Yes." Hane Shion nodded and quickly sat back in her seat with her head down.

Sakurai Itsuki, who was inexplicably AOE'd, didn't care about the teacher's evaluation. Compared to those people who scolded him on the Internet every day, it didn't matter at all.

He was just simply curious at the moment. Why was this young lady staring at him for no reason?
Do I look so cool when I sleep?

Hane Shion noticed that Sakurai Itsuki was looking at her, but she lowered her head in embarrassment, staring at her notebook, not daring to look away for fear of meeting his eyes.

Oh, I’m dying!
I clearly said that I didn't want to deal with him anymore, but I was caught by the teacher when I was staring at him in a daze, and he said it in front of everyone.

Hane Shion has lived for seventeen years, and there has never been a moment when she wanted to strangle herself more than now.

but
Mr. Iguchi said that he was just good-looking but had no talent.
He is completely incompetent, so what am I?

Although I don't want to admit it, but at his age, even if he hasn't entered the industry, the painting skills he learned from his previous art classes are already impressive enough, right?
Hane Shion didn't know why, but at this moment she suddenly had the urge to help Sakurai Itsuki refute the teacher.

Thinking of this, Hane Shion, who had buried her head, couldn't help but turned her eyes slightly and glanced at Sakurai Itsuki out of the corner of her eye.

I was inexplicably curious about his reaction.

Although she deliberately kept her body still, her peripheral vision still met Sakurai Itsuki's gaze.

Sakurai Itsuki, who was no longer sleepy, was holding up his face and looking at Hanase Shion curiously.

The moment their eyes met, Hane Shion immediately regretted her behavior and quickly turned her head away, looking in the completely opposite direction.

It seemed as if this way Sakurai Itsuki wouldn't notice that she was stealing glances at him like a thief.

To be honest, if you ignore her troublesome personality, Sakurai Itsuki thinks her movements might be quite cute.

If those adolescent virgins whose values are based on appearance saw this kind of scene, they would probably immediately put aside their past grudges and want to reconcile with her, right?
Sakurai Itsuki couldn't fall asleep anyway, and couldn't concentrate on math class, so he just propped up his face with a mischievous look and stared at Hane Shion.

Hanase Shion pretended to be calm, and her hand holding the pen kept writing on the notebook.

But the slight scraping of her feet on the ground completely exposed the torment she was experiencing.

I don’t know how long it took before the bell for the end of get out of class finally rang.

Hane Shion slammed shut the notebook in which she had no idea what was written, and stood up to leave.

But after getting up, he turned around and looked at Sakurai Itsuki who was leaning against the window and still looking at him calmly. He couldn't help but ask, "Why are you looking at me?"

"Why, weren't you the one who watched me sleep first? You watched me, so I can't watch you?" Sakurai Itsuki asked back, "I actually wanted to ask you, why did you stare at me sleeping today? You disturbed my rest."

"Who looked at you? I was just looking at the scenery outside, and the teacher misunderstood me. Don't be so self-indulgent."

Feeling extremely embarrassed, Hanase Shion made up an excuse on the spot.

"I was just looking at the classmate next to you. Don't get emotional." Sakurai Itsuki used the same method to fight back.

"Oh, that's great, but I still advise you to study hard since you've given up your goal."

Faced with the same excuse from Sakurai Itsuki, Hane Shion had no way to refute it and could only stubbornly change the subject.

"Don't bother worrying about it."

At this moment, Sakurai Itsuki probably guessed what she cared about, so he fought back.

"Rather than that, you should hurry up and finish your script. I don't want to wait for you too long."

"Who asked you to wait?"

Hane Shion snorted in dissatisfaction.

"Speed isn't the key; quality is more important! You'd better hand it over to the club for research today. After all, it's still early. If you're rejected, you still have a chance to draw a second version."

"Are you sure? Okay, I'll hand it in now. It will reduce your workload and save you the trouble." Sakurai Itsuki said.

"Hmph, you're so arrogant!"

Hane Shion felt very guilty, but she still pretended to be stubborn.

"In that case, how about we make a bet?" Sakurai Itsuki suddenly said.

PS: I'm a bit stuck in the writer's zone, so I won't divide the chapters. The word count is not reduced for everyone.

Also, thank you all for your tips and monthly tickets. I’m so grateful! There’s so much red bean paste, the bosses are so generous!
(End of this chapter)