Master of the Machete Style Manga

Chapter 153 Afternoon Nap, Log In?
The morning meeting has temporarily come to an end, but the atmosphere is not exactly relaxed.

Director Seiji Mizushima is a veteran in the industry and has led several classic works. He is meticulous about every detail of the adaptation, and the plot framework has only been initially confirmed so far.

As for more specific details, such as the pacing of each episode and the additions or subtractions of content, these cannot be decided in a short time.

While anime adaptations should follow the original work, manga and animation are different forms of expression, so they certainly cannot be completely copied.

"Alright, that's all for this morning." Editor-in-Chief Tomohiro Ohno checked the time. "Everyone, take an hour's break, and we'll continue discussing the schedule and milestones for future projects this afternoon."

Everyone present was hungry, so they all stood up and tidied up the documents in front of them.

Ken Sakamoto stood up. He was about to tell Keiko Kaji that he had to meet someone at noon when Keiko Kaji approached him first, gesturing for him to come out.

"Mr. Sakamoto, thank you for your hard work." As she walked out of the meeting room, Keiko Kaji said softly, "The investors and the director are quite powerful, but don't worry, the editor-in-chief and I will try our best to get a voice for you."

"Thank you, Kaji-san." Ken Sakamoto nodded and lowered his voice. "Kaji-san, I'm going downstairs for a bit. Mio brought me a bento box and I need to use the small cubicle over there in the meeting room."

"Delivering bento boxes?" Upon hearing this, Keiko Kaji immediately smiled knowingly, then whispered a reminder, "Then Sakamoto-sensei should be careful, it's best not to let Hanabe-san and Director Mizushima see you with Mio-chan."

Is such caution necessary?

“It’s mainly because Mio-chan’s Machima hairstyle is so eye-catching; you can recognize her from afar,” Keiko Kaji said. “Think about it, we just recommended Mio for the role at a meeting, and then you turn around and meet her privately, and she even brings you a love-filled bento box or something…”

Ken Sakamoto understood. Although he did want Mio to get the role, this was something that couldn't be made public.

He is just the original author. For animation adaptations, which involve investments of hundreds of millions, the main say still lies with the investors and the supervisor, especially the investors who have invested real money.

“I understand.” Ken Sakamoto nodded solemnly.

"Hmm." Keiko Kaji thought for a moment and said, "There are too many people coming and going in the meeting room. How about this, you can use the writers' lounge next to the editorial department. It's quieter there. You know where it is, right?"

“I know, it’s that little dark room.” Ken Sakamoto remembered. Although he had never used it, he had heard that there was such a place in the JUMP editorial department.

It's called a writers' lounge, but it could also be called a dark room.

Some writers are so late in submitting their manuscripts that editors forcibly bring them here and lock them in a small, dark room to finish their work...

After all, in the comic book industry, editors usually have more say.

"That's good. I'll go downstairs first. See you this afternoon, Sakamoto-sensei." Kaji Keiko winked at him, then took her documents and headed for the elevator.

Ken Sakamoto, carrying his backpack, left without saying goodbye to Kyoko Hanabe and the others.

……

The lobby on the first floor of Shueisha.

Natsume Mio was holding a warm lunch bag and standing in front of the poster wall, admiring a promotional poster for Koro-sensei.

She dressed up specially today, still sporting her signature pink braided hair, and wearing an elegant light-colored dress with a knee-length hem that revealed her calves encased in pure white mid-calf socks.

Ken Sakamoto recognized her from afar and walked towards Mio Natsume.

Natsume Mio spotted him immediately, her eyes lighting up. Just as she was about to greet him, she saw Sakamoto Ken walk quickly up to her and put his index finger to his lips in a "shh" gesture.

"Come with me first," Sakamoto Ken said in a low voice.

"Eh?"

Although Natsume Mio was completely confused, she immediately shut her mouth and quickly followed Sakamoto Ken's steps.

The two entered the elevator one after the other.

There were only the two of them in the elevator as the metal doors slowly closed.

Only after the elevator began to ascend smoothly did Natsume Mio ask softly, "Ken, what's wrong? Why are you being so secretive..."

Ken Sakamoto explained, "The investors and director of the anime adaptation are all having a meeting at the company today. Kaji reminded me not to let them know about my relationship with you for the time being. Let's go to the writers' lounge for dinner."

Mio Natsume said, "Is it to avoid suspicion? Recommending someone you know or something..."

Ken Sakamoto nodded and said, "Yes, so we need to keep a low profile."

Hearing Sakamoto Ken say that, Natsume Mio was very happy.

After all, Ah Jian just mentioned "our relationship".

Ah Jian admitted it himself!
In other words, I'm a special person to Ah Jian~

Mio Natsume said, "Don't worry, Ken, I'll be chosen based on my own merit!"

She paused, stared at Ken Sakamoto, and asked, "So, Ken, what do you think our relationship is?"

Kenjiro Sakamoto smiled slightly and said, "It's a collaborative research relationship."

Natsume Mio pondered the sentence for a moment. Although it wasn't the answer she was most satisfied with, at least they were together.

She felt that Ah Jian was just saying that, and that what he was really talking about was just a romantic relationship.

At least from now on, we'll definitely be boyfriend and girlfriend.

Thinking this to herself, she nodded and said, "Yes, collaboration on material sourcing, okay."

The elevator doors opened, and Ken Sakamoto led her out to the writers' lounge next to the editorial department.

"Is this the writers' lounge?" Natsume Mio looked around curiously.

“Hmm, nobody usually comes here.” Ken Sakamoto opened the door.

The room wasn't big, but it was furnished very comfortably.

Two sofas were placed against the wall, with a low coffee table in the middle, and a professional painting workbench on the other side, with neatly stacked draft papers and painting tools.

Most importantly, the windows are covered with thick blackout curtains, and the soundproofing is excellent when the door is closed.

"Have a seat." Ken Sakamoto sat down on one of the sofas and gestured to the sofa opposite him.

Mio Natsume quickly sat down on the sofa opposite Ken Sakamoto and placed the insulated lunch bag on the coffee table.

"Ah Jian, try this! The Wagyu beef with yakiniku sauce I made today is really delicious!" She opened the bag and took out two identical bento boxes.

Upon opening the box, a rich and enticing aroma instantly filled the air.

Inside the bento box, thinly sliced ​​Wagyu beef is coated in a rich gravy, glistening with an enticing sheen. It's accompanied by broccoli and golden tamagoyaki (Japanese rolled omelet), and three sections of grilled sausage sit beside the rice compartment. The combination of colors is simply irresistible.

"I studied several recipes and tutorials before I made this. Ken, you should try it!" Natsume Mio handed the chopsticks to Sakamoto Ken.

Ken Sakamoto took the chopsticks, picked up a slice of beef, and put it in his mouth.

The beef is incredibly tender, almost melting in your mouth. The rich meaty aroma and slightly sweet sauce blend perfectly on your taste buds, and the fragrance of the fat bursts forth instantly.

"Hmm..." Ken Sakamoto couldn't help but let out a satisfied sigh.

"How was it? How was it?" Natsume Mio looked at him expectantly.

“It’s delicious,” Ken Sakamoto praised.

"Hehe~" A faint blush rose on Natsume Mio's cheeks. "If Ken likes it, I'll make it for you every day from now on!"

"That's too much work," Ken Sakamoto said while eating.

"It's not tiring at all!" Natsume Mio picked up her chopsticks and started eating in small bites. "Ken, you're working much harder at drawing. How was the meeting just now? Were you very tired?"

"It's alright, we just discussed a lot of details." Ken Sakamoto quickly finished his bento box.

He put down his chopsticks and looked at Natsume Mio, who was eating in small bites across from him.

"What are your plans for this afternoon? Are you going back later?" Ken Sakamoto asked.

"Hmm..." Natsume Mio swallowed the food in her mouth and said, "Does Ken have to continue the meeting this afternoon?"

“Yes, there are still many things to discuss.” Sakamoto Ken nodded.

"Well... I'll wait for Ken to go to his meeting, then I'll head back," Natsume Mio said.

Ken Sakamoto checked the time. Tomohiro Ohno had just said there would be a one-hour break in the middle, and they would continue at 1:30 pm.

There are about forty minutes left.

Just then, Ken Sakamoto's cell phone vibrated in his pocket.

Ken Sakamoto took out his phone and glanced at it.

Ai Hoshihara: "Afternoon nap, time to log on?"

Ken Sakamoto subconsciously turned slightly to the side, his phone screen perfectly out of Mio Natsume's sight, and his fingers flew across the screen typing.

Ken Sakamoto: "I'm in a meeting at Shueisha, so I can't go online."

Ai Hoshihara: "Never mind then, I have a ton of things to do too."

Ken Sakamoto: "Next time for sure."

He put his phone back in his pocket and looked at the girl in front of him.

Needless to say, Ai Hoshihara is already very skilled at playing online games with her.

I had connected with Haruna before, but it was an accident, a complete coincidence, and it didn't last long. Haruna suddenly disappeared from my arms, which must have meant she woken up in reality.

Natsume Mio, on the other hand, has not yet met him in her dreams.

Ken Sakamoto leaned back on the sofa, stretched, and yawned.

"With all the drawing and meetings, I'm really a bit sleepy..." He rubbed his temples. "I want to take a nap."

This yawn seemed to be contagious, as Natsume Mio also covered her mouth and yawned.

She said softly, "Now that you mention it, I got up early this morning to practice my voice, and I'm a little sleepy too."

Ken Sakamoto got up and locked the door to the lounge.

Natsume Mio's heart skipped a beat when she saw his action.

"Ah Jian... why are you locking the door..." Natsume Mio said cautiously.

"To prevent other editors from bringing authors over to lock them in a dark room and accidentally disturbing my sleep," Sakamoto Ken said calmly as he walked back.

Ken Sakamoto took off his shoes, stretched out his arms and legs, and lay down, taking up the entire sofa.

He looked at Natsume Mio: "Are you going back now?"

"..."

Natsume Mio watched him lie down like that. She had initially been somewhat expectant, like Ken doing something to her in the dark room...

Looking at Sakamoto Ken's lying posture now, I'm completely infected by his sleepy look.

“Then I’ll lie down for a while too…” She also took off her shoes and lay down sideways on the sofa where she was sitting.

Ken Sakamoto did not respond, only making steady breathing sounds.

Natsume Mio: "..."

This guy, is he really just sleeping?!
She turned to face the direction of Ken Sakamoto.

Being able to take a nap in the same room as A-Jian means we've slept together, right?

It feels pretty good.

The girl's thoughts drifted away, and her eyelids grew heavier and heavier...

Soon, she also fell into a deep sleep.

　I wrote over 8,000 words today!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)