Full-time comic artist

Chapter 17 Dormitory Colleagues

On August 30th, Higashino Hibiki left home with her suitcase on her back.

Mei clung to Hibiki Higashino's arm, refusing to let go. "I don't want you to leave, big brother. We won't be able to see each other for a week, sob sob sob."

Her mature, handsome older brother, who often took care of her, had only been back for two days when he had to leave again, leaving her heartbroken.

“I have to go to school, there’s no way around it,” Higashino Hibiki patted her bun and smiled. “If you stay home and listen to your parents and study hard, you can go to the same school next year.”

Enhiko High School is located in Nerima Ward, Tokyo, near the Akimiya Art School. It's more than 20 kilometers from the Higashino family home, a three-hour journey by subway and train, so he has to live in the dormitory.

Fortunately, the art department has dormitories; if it were a regular department, you would have to rent a place nearby.

However, there is no requirement to study at Yan Yan High School for general students.

“Mmm,” Mei Higashino nodded, looking aggrieved, “I will be good.”

Hibiki Higashino pulled his arm away from Mei Higashino's embrace and looked at the Higashino couple. "I'm leaving now, Dad, Mom."

Higashino said reluctantly, "Take it easy, and be careful."

"Yes."

Higashino Ichiro said sternly, "When you get to school, you must study hard. The drawing knowledge you gained in the training is invaluable, so you must review it often. Build good relationships with your classmates, and finally..."

“Ahem,” he coughed and turned his face away, “Call home more often, your mother is quite worried about you.”

"Yes, yes." Higashino Hibiki nodded with a smile.

Higashino covered her mouth and chuckled.

Mei Higashino exclaimed, "Dad's right! You didn't call home once in August! I was so worried about you!"

“Sorry,” Hibiki Higashino said, not realizing he hadn’t called home.

"I am leaving."

He took one last look at his family, then, carrying the 18 yen he had earned as an assistant and the 60 yen he had paid for Higashino Ichiro's cram school, he walked away towards the rising sun.

……

Enhiko High School is located near Musashino Art University; it's a 10-minute walk from the subway exit.

He walked along the tree-lined path, looking at the Musashino Art University campus.

Japanese wooden houses blend harmoniously with their surroundings, creating a very comfortable atmosphere.

However, it wasn't comfortable living there.

It's an old-fashioned house, and it smells of decay. During the rainy season, it needs to be disinfected frequently.

"Higashino-kun! It's Higashino-kun, isn't it!"

The person behind him took two steps and caught up.

"It really is Higashino-kun! Long time no see!"

"Yoshii-kun, it's been a long time."

The guy with blond hair and an enthusiastic demeanor is Hibiki Higashino's roommate, Yoshii Yamahisa.

The banker's child often treats people to meals.

"Dad said that we should get along well with everyone and make lots of friends!"

"My father said that the children of the Yoshii family are born extraordinary."

"My dad said I'm a strong child and I can't cry."

Higashino Hibiki doesn't dislike people who often use such catchphrases.

Naïve, ambitious, and unwilling to admit defeat.

He has the feel of an anime protagonist.

"What did Higashino-kun do this summer?" He followed closely beside Higashino Hibiki, carrying his schoolbag, and asked curiously, "Beach? Hiking? Or traveling abroad?"

Higashino Hibiki uttered two words, "Study."

He was surprised, "Wow! You're really working hard."

Hibiki Higashino asked, "What about you, Yoshii-kun?"

Yoshii Yamahisa said with a smile, "I spent the whole summer in the countryside. The fireworks display was amazing!"

"It must have been a dazzling display of lights, a spectacular display that illuminated my life," Higashino recalled, tilting his head back in his imagination.

"Yes, the fireworks were beautiful. Dad stayed with me the whole time."

Hibiki Higashino said, "The best fireworks are those you see with someone you love."

"You're very knowledgeable!" Yoshii Yamahisa exclaimed with delight. "That's exactly what I meant!"

We chatted as we arrived at the dormitory entrance.

The art department has three grades and a total of 72 students. There are 10 two-story dormitories. When some students do not live in the dormitories, there are usually five students and one dormitory teacher.

Hibiki Higashino's dormitory is named "Yoshihara-sou" in honor of Jiro Yoshihara, the founder of the Gutai school of Tibetan Buddhism.

Hibiki Higashino took out his key and entered the lobby. He said to Yamahisa Yoshii, "I'm going back to my bedroom first. Let's talk again after I've packed my things."

"Okay! Bye-bye."

Higashino Hibiki's bedroom is on the second floor at the far end. Pushing open the door, there is a faint musty smell because he hasn't been there all summer.

So the first step was to open the windows for ventilation.

I then searched the bedroom but found nothing unusual.

It's rare that Hibiki Higashino, with his sound mind, didn't hide any contraband in his dormitory.

Don't people usually keep adult magazines under their beds?

"Oh! Found it!"

It was placed openly on the bookshelf, with a photobook cover featuring a young woman. Young Hibiki Higashino is not to be underestimated.

Hibiki Higashino excitedly took it out, looked at the cover, and then was utterly disappointed.

"It's Weekly Young Jump..."

The cover of Weekly Shonen Jump was so daring that it surprised Hibiki Higashino.

"Are you looking at the Imperial Uncle?"

Higashino looked up abruptly and saw a young woman dressed in revealing shorts and a tank top, her heart pounding with excitement.

"Hey! You're such a serious guy, you have this side to you too!"

As if the cat had spotted meat, she excitedly darted over.

Higashino Hibiki subconsciously hid the comic book behind his back.

"let me see!"

She pounced on Higashino Hibiki, her voluptuous body climbing onto his legs. She showed no regard for the intimacy, and kept hooking her hand around the magazine.

Hibiki Higashino remained motionless until she received the manga magazine, at which point she finally breathed a sigh of relief.

This carefree person with a high ponytail is Hibiki Higashino's senior, Nozomi Takagi.

In my memory, it has always been like this.

Higashino sniffed and smelled a hint of alcohol.

really……

"Hiccup," she hiccuped, tossing the comic book aside dismissively. "It's just a comic book. I thought it was something more!"

"Takagi-senpai, you've been drinking again?"

"I'm all alone in the dorm, it's so lonely, I can only drown my sorrows in alcohol." Takagi Kiko leaned against the wall, her curvaceous figure on full display, her eyes gazing at Higashino Hibiki with a languid gaze.

"He becomes unrestrained once he drinks..." Higashino Hibiki was speechless, only able to say that he was indeed an artist, unlike ordinary people.

"I've always been curious, who exactly is selling you alcohol? You can't sell alcohol to minors!"

"Maybe they think I'm not a minor." She straightened her figure, revealing her ample bosom, and then staggered away.

The smell of alcohol lingered, and Dongye got up and opened the window even wider.

"Oh, right," she concluded, "Matsushita-sensei has retired. I wonder who the new teacher will be? I hope it's not that old-fashioned Hitotsubashi!"

"I understand, thank you for letting me know."

Ms. Matsushita was the homeroom teacher at "Yoshiwara-sou". She was 60 years old, gentle and refined, and got along very well with everyone. It's such a pity.

Chapter 18 Painting "The Soul of Chess"

After tidying up the bedroom, Higashino Hibiki went downstairs to the living room, which had wooden floors and a TV and sofa.

Kiko Takagi was pestering Yamahisa Yoshii, trying to get him to drink.

"Dad said minors can't drink alcohol, wow!"

While he was speaking, he was given a mouthful of medicine.

"I'm sorry, Dad..."

The bitter taste filled his mouth, and Yoshii Yamahisa collapsed onto the sofa, his eyes vacant, his shirt ripped and his delicate skin exposed.

Like a girl who's numb afterward.

Higashino Hibiki paused for a moment, then looked at Takagi Kiko's dangerous gaze. "I have other things to do, I'll go upstairs first!"

After saying that, he ignored Yoshii Yamahisa's cries for help behind him and ran away.

"I'm sorry, Yamahisa-kun, resent me." Hibiki Higashino left, burdened with guilt.

……

Enter the house and lock it.

Hibiki Higashino took out a complete set of tools given to him by Akira Toriyama, along with the storyboards he had drawn and blank A3 paper, and filled his desk to the brim.