My girlfriend is Saiki Kusunoki

"Nanzi, Nanzi! Is that person in the painting you?!"

"How romantic! That Naoto guy actually drew you in a contest! When did you two officially become a couple?"

"No, we are not..."

"Oh, stop hiding it. Don't try to fool us with that childhood sweetheart thing. That's not something childhood sweethearts would do."

Amidst everyone's teasing, Nanzi's face gradually began to turn red.

It's hard to imagine that Nanzi, who is like that, would feel shy because of a painting.

(No wonder Naoto wouldn't tell me what he drew; this guy actually used it! I'll make him pay when I get back!)

"Ah Qiu! Do you have a cold?"

Naoto, who was in the venue, suddenly felt a chill and quickly covered himself up. At that moment, he thought it was just because the air conditioning in the venue was set too low.

"I'm sure everyone wants to know why I call this painting the most surprising one I've ever received. Putting aside the painting technique, the subject matter alone surpasses all others."

Faced with President Fujino's words, everyone around him looked puzzled.

If the other person's drawing skills are superior, that's understandable. After all, Naoto's drawing is truly remarkable; with just a smile, he evokes a wealth of emotions. In terms of drawing skills, many established painters may not possess this ability.

But why did President Fujino say it was stronger in terms of its theme? Generally speaking, aren't academic themes that celebrate beautiful things more popular?

"Indeed, in everyone's eyes, those works that praise laborers are certainly better in terms of their themes. However, those works should be placed in youth awards or higher-level competitions, not here. Let's not forget what kind of competition this is."

Upon hearing this, many people looked at President Fujino thoughtfully. Recalling Naoto's previous artwork, they seemed to understand something.

"The National High School Art Competition should have been a place to showcase the diversity of art among high school students in my country, a place where a hundred flowers bloom. But the works I received were all the same, like exam answers. Is this art? I don't think so."

President Fujino sighed, pointing to Naoto's painting, and said, "It's actually very simple. Does a high school student think about national affairs all day long? Does he pay attention to the working people every day? I doubt it. Even if he does, it's only a minority. I don't want the art world ten, twenty, or thirty years from now to be a murky mess, where everyone's thinking is bound by rigid rules and regulations. If that's the case, it will be a tragedy for the Japanese art world."

Hearing President Fujino's deafening voice, many people suddenly understood.

Yes, art should not be bound by any frameworks; art should be free and unrestrained.

If even competitions consist of works constrained by rules and regulations, how can future creative works possibly be of any good quality?

"This painting, while ensuring its exquisite beauty, also boldly expresses the artist's most genuine feelings. I'm sure everyone has experienced the love for their girlfriend, right? For a child of this age, what could be more beautiful than the smile of their beloved? For this reason, it is undoubtedly the first place winner in this competition."

As soon as Chairman Fujino finished speaking, the entire venue erupted in thunderous applause.

But Naoto was a little confused at this moment. Did he think this much when he drew this thing? No way! I just wanted to be an extra!

Chapter Sixteen: Sorry, this is not for sale.

When Naoto held the trophy in his hands, the unreal weight made him feel somewhat at a loss.

Even if you include my past lives, I have never won any awards for studying art.

But who would have thought that less than three months after his transmigration, he not only became the protagonist of a JUMP manga series, but also won the national high school art competition. This is where even novels get a little outrageous.

As the straight man held the trophy and grinned foolishly, the media around him didn't hesitate to take a lot of photos of him.

Soon after, people discovered Naoto's true identity, which sparked a heated discussion online.

"Guys! I've discovered something incredible! It turns out that the champion is also a manga artist serialized in JUMP!"

"I've figured it out too. So this person is ONE, the vampire featured in the last article! He's so young."

"Is this for real?! Your oil paintings are so good, and your comics are just as amazing?"

"Maybe this is what they call genius. I can't compare."

"Is ONE still a high school student? I didn't expect him to have a girlfriend now. And how romantic! He actually drew his girlfriend as a subject for a competition."

"I'm impressed, I'm really impressed. I just went to see this champion's comics, and his comics are even more amazing than his oil paintings! Why does such a genius have to exist in this world?"

"Have you guys noticed that ONE's girlfriend is also very beautiful? The two of them look like a perfect match."

In this information age, it is simply impossible for a straight person to keep their identity completely secret.

After winning the competition, Naoto's fame skyrocketed, and his identity as a serialized manga artist and oil painting genius spread throughout the internet.

At this point, even the editors in the JUMP editorial department were stunned. Upon hearing the news, many editors said they were completely dumbfounded.

It's not uncommon for our own cartoonists to neglect their duties.

But there are really not many oddballs like straight people.

You said you went to paint oil paintings and then entered a competition, and no one stopped you. In the end, you even won a championship. Isn't that a bit too much?

However, this may not be a bad thing for JUMP.

At least I can guarantee that when the next Bloodline update comes out, there will be a large number of readers who will come because of its reputation, and judging from the current situation, the number should be quite large.

It's even possible that these people might become loyal readers of JUMP after purchasing it. From this perspective, it's actually quite exciting.

Furthermore, Naoto discovered that his ultimate lazy dog ​​system not only upgraded the moment he became the champion, but also gave him a new skill.

Painting level: Advanced

Painting skills: Vivid and lifelike (others can feel the smells and sounds conveyed in your paintings through them.)

Although Naoto didn't quite understand what this skill meant, it sounded pretty powerful. If possible, Naoto would like to find some time to try out its abilities.

After the awards ceremony ended, Naoto naturally became the focus of everyone's attention.

Many painters and celebrities wanted to get to know him. Anyone with a discerning eye could see that this young man's future was limitless.

At that moment, Mr. Kazuo Sayama, who had appeared earlier, was also standing in the crowd, and he handed Naoto his business card.

"Tokyo Cultural Co., Ltd., Kazuo Sayama?"

Looking at the man in front of him, he was somewhat puzzled as to why this so-called Tokyo Culture Co., Ltd. would approach him.

"Hello, my name is Kazuo Sayama. I consider myself a collector. I wonder if you are interested in selling the painting you have? I am willing to purchase it for two million."

When they heard that Kazuo Sayama was willing to buy Naoto's paintings for two million yen, not only Naoto was stunned, but the surrounding painters were also shocked by Kazuo Sayama's generous offer.

Keep in mind that's two million! That's nearly 100,000 yuan in Chinese currency.

Although this price is less than one-tenth, or even one-hundredth, of those famous painters' prices.

However, it should be noted that Naoto is currently just a painter who has just won first prize in a high school competition. In the art world, he is at most a novice.

Two million is an astronomical sum for a straight person. You have to understand that most painters can't even sell their paintings, while this Mr. Sayama is clearly the kind of person who doesn't care about money. If he becomes a regular customer, his fortunes will probably take off.

Just when everyone around him thought Naoto would agree to the request, he refused without even thinking.

"I'm sorry, this painting is not for sale."

Everyone around was stunned to see that Naoto showed absolutely no interest in two million yen.

Is this person simply extremely wealthy, or is he someone who sees fame and fortune as worthless?

"Is the price too low? No problem, I can raise the price..."

“It’s not about the price, Mr. Sayama.”

"What on earth is that..."

Looking at the serious-looking Naoto, Kazuo Sayama felt, for some reason, that this young man didn't seem to care about the price of the painting.

"First of all, I have no intention of becoming a professional illustrator. I would rather be a cartoonist than an oil painter. Participating in this competition was just a coincidence."

"A manga artist?!"

When they heard that Naoto had chosen to become a manga artist instead of a traditional painter, everyone around him was incredibly surprised.

It's important to know that most traditional painters don't really think highly of so-called cartoonists, believing that what cartoonists draw is all meaningless stuff.

However, while traditional painters looked down on cartoonists, cartoonists also didn't like traditional painters much, thinking that traditional painters were all old-fashioned.

Moreover, in terms of fame, unless it's a painter of Picasso or Van Gogh's caliber, most traditional painters certainly can't compare to comic books.

Looking back further, the manga world has seen giants like Akira Ootoriyama and Fujiko Fujio, and in recent years, Kishimoto, Sorachi, Takahashi, and other big names who are known worldwide.

For someone they considered a traditional painter to choose to become a cartoonist was utterly incomprehensible. It was a complete waste of talent!

"But being a cartoonist isn't that easy."

Kazuo Sayama couldn't bear to see such a talented child fall into the quagmire of comics, and planned to continue to persuade him.

"That's no more difficult than in the traditional art world, is it? Besides, my work is already being serialized in JUMP. If you ask me to give it up now, I really can't agree."

After hearing that Naoto's work was being serialized in JUMP, the people around him felt as if they had been hurt again.

It's incredible that a high school student who is only sixteen years old has made achievements in two different fields of painting.

"Moreover, you probably know the reason why I can't sell this painting. The owner of this most beautiful smile can only be that person."

Upon receiving Naoto's reply, Kazuo Sayama burst into laughter.

"Interesting, very interesting. Alright, alright, since you've made your decision, I won't say anything more. However, if possible, try to paint more traditional paintings in the future, even if it's just one a year, it will be very helpful to you. Don't forget to contact me when that happens."

“I understand. If I have the chance, I will never forget Mr. Sayama.”

Naoto had a rather favorable impression of Mr. Sayama, who claimed to be a collector. At least his first impression of him was extremely good.

Naoto will seriously consider the other party's suggestion. After all, he has already achieved the Ichiban Kuji Prize for Junior High School Students, and it would be a real shame to retire completely now. The international influence of traditional art is indeed much stronger than that of manga.

And so, Naoto then left the venue with his work and Matsuzaki-sensei, who had been waiting for a long time.

However, Naoto knew that his path to the pinnacle of Japan was only just beginning.

Chapter Seventeen: If This Isn't Love

By the time Ms. Matsuzaki took Naoto home, it was already dusk.

After a busy day, I not only missed lunch, but now I don't even have dinner in sight.

The straight man holding the drawing felt incredibly hungry.

At this time, the Qi Mu family's house was completely dark, indicating that everyone had probably gone out.

"I guess I should go find something to eat first. Oh no, what am I going to say when I see Nanzi tomorrow?"

While agonizing over what to eat, Naoto suddenly remembered Nanako's situation.

To be honest, Naoto originally thought that he was just a bystander and that no one would know about the painting if he didn't win an award.

But to his utter surprise, he not only won an award, but he won first prize. Now he's probably famous all over the country.