Full-time comic artist

"Thank you." Togashi smiled broadly.

The two sat at the buffet table, and Higashino picked up a plate full of food, chewing until his cheeks were bulging.

He was thinking of enjoying the food alone, but Togashi was standing beside him, hindering his performance.

"what happened?"

Togashi had been hesitant and reluctant to speak, so Hibiki Higashino had no choice but to ask him directly.

"Was creating 'Slam Dunk' very difficult?" he asked cautiously.

"It used to be very tough, but I've had some free time lately," Hibiki Higashino answered honestly.

After all, a tense match has just ended, and now is a buffer period.

"That's good, that's good." Togashi breathed a sigh of relief.

This unusually concerned tone gave Higashino Hibiki goosebumps all over.

He doesn't like men, not even men with long hair.

"Just say what you want to say, stop beating around the bush," Higashino Hibiki said, unable to hold back any longer.

"Hmm!" Togashi made up his mind and asked, "Will you participate in the short manga contest? No, you absolutely must participate!"

He and Naoko Takeuchi were deeply in love at the time, and now he abandoned his reserve and made a direct request.

Higashino Hibiki suddenly realized, "Takeuchi-sensei asked you to ask this, right? Let me think about it before I answer you."

"Yes." Togashi looked nervously at Higashino Hibiki's expression.

His heart skipped a beat whenever the other person frowned.

Hibiki Higashino recalled Akemi Akemi's joyful expression as she read the readers' letters and made a decision.

"My work has just slowed down, but it won't be long before I get busy again."

“I understand,” Togashi said, his eyes dimming.

“But,” Hibiki Higashino took a deep breath, “it’s okay to be a little tired. That’s how we manga artists are. We work hard to create works every week. Togashi-sensei used to only sleep 3 hours a day. I should learn from you!”

By associating diligence with himself, Togashi felt that Hibiki Higashino was humiliating him.

"Thank you very much!" I could only greet him with a smile.

He should thank himself, Higashino thought to himself.

After the two of them finished talking, they heard a question not far away.

"Please apologize!"

His tone was full of grievance, tinged with naivety and determination.

The two quickly looked over and were surprised to find that it was Oda, and the person he was talking about was Torishima Kazuhiko.

"Please admit I was wrong!"

Torishima Kazuhiko remained expressionless.

He now looks like Piccolo Daimaō, full of imposing presence.

But Oda ignored him and stared straight at Torishima Kazuhiko.

“I was wrong,” Torishima Kazuhiko said.

This is about something that happened during the One Piece serialization meeting.

Oda was under a lot of pressure because he wasn't favored by the editor-in-chief, and this is the moment he finally let it out.

"He's a born stubborn fool." Higashino Hibiki shook his head.

People like Oda are so rare.

"Oh, this guy is really good," Togashi said, praising him highly. "Only a troublemaker like him can draw interesting manga!"

"He is Eiichiro Oda, the author of One Piece," Hibiki Higashino introduced.

Togashi remembered it.

After the New Year's speech, Higashino Hibiki failed to win the lottery, and this year's New Year's party gradually came to an end.

As it was ending, Sasaki approached him and said, "Let's have a drink together."

In the bar, what he wanted to discuss was the short comic strip competition.

Higashino Hibiki decided to participate and immediately told him.

"I still need to think about what the story is."

"The official deadline is in April, so there's still time," Sasaki replied.

He poured Higashino Hibiki's drink.

……

The next day, Higashino Hibiki had a splitting headache, and Akemi Akimiya lay beside him.

It turns out that even after drinking too much alcohol, it can still get erect.

Stumbling into the bathroom, Higashino Hibiki looked at himself in the mirror in astonishment.

The person with a pale, exhausted face was actually himself.

"I have been ruined by wine and women, and it has come to this. From today onwards..."

"Quit drinking!"

His voice was strong and clear!

……

Because of the New Year holiday, none of the assistants were there, and only Akemi Akemi was in the studio.

After washing his face, Higashino Hibiki looked much better, with color returning to his complexion.

While we were out buying breakfast and eating with Akemi Akemi, Hibiki Higashino said, "I'm going to participate in this year's short story contest."

"Huh?" Higashino Hibiki's unexpected remark caught Akemi Akemi off guard.

She asked curiously, "Why did you suddenly make a decision?"

“There’s a story I want to draw,” Hibiki Higashino said. “My creative urge is growing.”

“Oh,” Akemi Akemi nodded, “I’m going to be busy again.”

Hibiki Higashino then said, "For this short story, I have a favor to ask you."

"Speak," Akemi Akemi said, staring at him with her large, unblinking eyes.

"As you know, I'm very busy. With 'Slam Dunk' finished, and 'Hiyori' ending, I need to start brainstorming new anime ideas."

Hibiki Higashino said earnestly, "So this time, I hope to work with you."

"Huh?" Akemi Akemi didn't understand.

"In other words, I'll be the original writer, and you'll be the illustrator; we'll become a duo," Higashino Hibiki explained his idea.

“Me?” Akemi Akemi understood Higashino Hibiki’s thoughts, and she pointed to herself in shock, “I can’t do it!”

“What’s wrong with that?” Hibiki Higashino retorted. “My introduction to manga was also thanks to your guidance, Akemi. I am your student, and you are my teacher. In terms of drawing, you are better than me!”

Akemi Akemi poked at the sandwich on her plate, then touched her chest, feeling a pang of anxiety.

"Shall I draw?"

Her tone was full of insecurity.

"Of course!" Higashino Hibiki grasped her hands. "Please!"

"Okay." She bit her lip and agreed.

While clearing away the dishes, Akemi Akemi suddenly said, "Hibiki, thank you."

She could tell that Higashino Hibiki was thinking of her.

All my desire to draw short comics was for her.

Emotions surged within her, and after a long pause, she finally said thank you.

"Why are you being so polite with me?" Higashino Hibiki smiled slightly.

Chapter 198 Five Centimeters Per Second

Ms. Akimiya aspires to draw original content, and Hibiki Higashino is aware of this.

Given her abilities, finding original writers to collaborate with on comics wouldn't be very difficult for her.

So she also made sacrifices; this time it was a two-way street.

The two of them are currently in a situation where they both consider each other's feelings and treat each other with respect.

Hibiki Higashino really enjoyed this feeling.

"So? What kind of work are you planning to paint?" Akemi Akemi asked curiously after washing the dishes, sitting down opposite Hibiki Higashino, resting her chin on her hand and revealing her clear and beautiful jawline.

"Is it snowing outside the window?" Higashino asked instead of answering. "The cherry blossom trees at school are all bare branches in winter, they look terrible."

Akemi Akemi nodded. "It's snowing."

Outside the window, the snow was white and the cherry blossoms had lost their pink petals, leaving only black, withered branches, giving off a desolate feeling.

Hibiki Higashino sighed, "Perhaps a snowy scene can delay a love affair."

……

The story begins when I was a child.

The male protagonist is named Takaki Tono, and he has a childhood friend named Akari Shinohara.

They were a perfect match and always stayed together.

However, in the second semester of sixth grade, Akari moved to Iwafune, a place far from Shinjuku for elementary school students...

This led to love stories between long-distance couples.

Sasaki finished reviewing the storyboard and glanced at Higashino Hibiki.