Full-time comic artist

Page 22

……

Higashino woke up and was brushing his teeth in the second-floor bathroom with his white shirt open when he suddenly heard Kiko Takagi call his name.

"What?" Higashino Hibiki spat out the toothpaste foam and asked in confusion.

"You received a call from someone claiming to be Sasaki."

"Thank you, I'll be right down."

"Yoshiwara-sou" has a landline, located at the entrance hall.

After rinsing his mouth, Higashino walked out of the bathroom. As he passed Akemi Akemi's bedroom, Akemi came out with her hair sticking up and her eyes glazed over.

Good morning, Ms. Akimiya.

"Good morning...you!" She slowly turned her head to greet Higashino Hibiki, then suddenly exclaimed, her sleepiness vanishing. Pointing at Higashino Hibiki, she scolded, "Why aren't you dressed properly?"

Her strong, streamlined figure and well-defined abs made her quite embarrassed.

I covered my eyes and refused to look.

"I'm sorry," Higashino Hibiki said, buttoning up his shirt. "I used to go shirtless at home and sometimes I didn't pay attention to what I wore. I won't do that again."

"Yes, that's how it should be."

She forcefully bypassed Higashino Hibiki and went to the restroom, though she felt a little regretful.

He rushed downstairs and into the entrance hall, where Higashino picked up the microphone.

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

"I'm sorry to bother you so early," Sasaki's voice came through. "I didn't notice the time."

"Everyone is getting up to go to school, this is the perfect time."

“Hmm,” Sasaki paused for a moment, “Higashino-kun, no, I’ll still call you by your pen name. Tori Akino Mirai-sensei, I would like to extend a special invitation to you to attend the Tezuka Award banquet on November 3rd.”

So...did I win an award?

Sasaki hesitated for a moment, "The Tezuka Award banquet invites many people, including assistants, voice actors, collaborating companies, and manga artists... so it doesn't necessarily mean anything."

Higashino's heart sank to the bottom, feeling utterly cold.

"However, Hikaru no Go is indeed on the list of winners, but I don't know the specific ranking."

"Thank you, Mr. Sasaki!" Hibiki Higashino smiled, unconcerned by his feigned mystery.

After hanging up the phone, she looked around to make sure no one was beside her, then jumped up and down excitedly.

To be honest, even including the years before he transmigrated, he had never received such a high honor, which is truly embarrassing.

However, he is still a child and has the right to express his emotions.

……

After eating yesterday's leftovers.

"Higashino-kun, let's go to school together." Yoshii Yamahisa walked up to Higashino Hibiki, carrying a backpack, his eyes sparkling with anticipation as he looked at Higashino Hibiki.

"Where's Takagi-senpai?" Hibiki Higashino asked.

The two of them are often together, and Kiko Takagi likes to tease Yamahisa Yoshii, like teasing a dog.

“Takagi-senpai is off today,” Yoshii Yamahisa replied.

"Yes, I forgot."

Japan offers 2-3 extra days of vacation each month, which are available to both students and office workers. You can choose the time yourself.

When Hibiki Higashino watched the anime "Minami-ke" before, there was a scene where the eldest sister was on vacation and the two younger sisters went to school.

I was very confused at first, but now I understand.

So I went out and headed towards the school.

Halfway there, Yoshii Yamahisa looked at Higashino Hibiki with curiosity, "You seem to have a lot of fun today, Higashino-kun."

"Eh, really?" Higashino Hibiki covered the corner of his mouth and nodded. "I am really happy, like I'm about to become a billionaire."

Yoshii Yamahisa seemed to understand but not quite, "That's a good thing, congratulations."

"Thank you."

While chatting with Yoshii Yamahisa, he saw two boys ahead of him, Nishimura and Kitamoto.

They held copies of Weekly Shonen Jump, staring intently at it, as if they wanted to crawl inside.

So he went up to them and patted their shoulders hard, startling them.

"What are you doing?" Hibiki Higashino asked.

"Ah! It's Higashino."

"That's really going too far."

They grumbled a few words, then Nishimura, holding a Jump aloud, proudly presented it to Hibiki Higashino, exclaiming, "We're still playing around, and someone our age has already been nominated for the Tezuka Award!"

"So fast?" Hibiki Higashino praised the editorial department's speed.

Nodding at the comments, he pretended to be nonchalant and said, "Well, it's just a nomination for the Tezuka Award, it's not like the serialization has started yet, no need to be so surprised."

"You make it sound so easy, you jerk," Nishimura said, putting away the manga magazine and scoffing. "This is the Tezuka Award! Even the lowest honorable mention gets you 20 yen. 20 yen! I've never had that much money before."

“Higashino,” Kitamoto supported Nishimura, “the Tezuka Award is the highest honor for a new manga artist; it’s a tremendous honor.”

The implication is that you should take it easy.

"Higashino-kun, you need to be humble," Yoshii Yamahisa whispered his advice.

"Yes, yes, I understand."

With his hands in his pockets, Higashino Hibiki walked toward the school.

……

In a sketching class, 12 students sat facing each other and drew each other's faces.

Opposite Hibiki Higashino was Yuko Asahina.

Half an hour has passed, and her expression has not changed.

Thanks to this, Higashino Hibiki drew with ease.

He put down his pencil, looked at the drawing board, and nodded in satisfaction.

It perfectly captures the essence of the character and is truly outstanding.

It could easily be sold to Nishimura for 1,000 yen.

"Higashino-kun, is it over?"

Hibiki Higashino nodded subconsciously, then snapped out of it, "Asahina-san, was that you speaking?"

“Hmm,” she nodded slightly and asked Yuko Asahina, “Is Higashino-kun the same as Toriakino Mirai?”

Chapter 26 Tezuka Award Banquet

"Asahina-san, how did you know?" Hibiki Higashino asked in astonishment.

“During summer vacation,” Asahina Yuko said, “you and Akimiya-sensei ran into me in the countryside.”

"I don't remember this at all... Wait a minute!" Hibiki Higashino looked at his drawing, covered his hair with his hand, and instantly realized: "You're the girl wearing the big golden flower hat who took the picture of the praying mantis hunting its prey?"

“Hmm,” Asahina nodded, and said quietly, “Higashino-kun didn’t recognize me.”

"I'm sorry, but your long black hair left such a deep impression on me that I couldn't remember what you looked like," Higashino Hibiki argued.

At that time, the original owner had only been in this world for a short time, and the memories in her mind were not yet sorted out. Moreover, the original owner's understanding of Asahina was limited to two things: an indifferent classmate and a friend's goddess.

"Asahina-san, even so, how did you know I was Toriya Akino Mirai?"

"Bird, Akira Toriyama; Autumn, Akemi Akimiya; Wild, Hibiki Higashino. The future, the bright future of the three of them." Asahina was expressionless, but Hibiki Higashino seemed to see Conan's deduction skills reflected in that face.

With a touch of pride.

“And I saw that you were staying at Akira Toriyama’s house,” she continued.

Hibiki Higashino understood. At 17, he adopted a drawing style similar to Akira Toriyama's—cinematic manga shots that were fluid, easy to read, and effortless to appreciate.

With all these factors combined, only Hibiki Higashino could have drawn "Hikaru no Go".

"Asahina-kun, you are truly brilliant."

“No need to flatter me, I won’t tell anyone. I just want to know,” Asahina blinked, her eyes seeming to sparkle, “Higashino-kun, is the content of your works interesting?”

"Yes, it's very interesting." Higashino Hibiki was most confident about this.

He's a man with a vast knowledge base.

Seeing Asahina Yuko nod thoughtfully, Higashino Hibiki was about to ask her a question when he saw Akemi Akemi glaring at him. So he gave up.

She's a teacher; we should give her face in class.

It's definitely not because I'm afraid of her.

After school.

Higashino Hibiki was surprised. Akemi Akemi, who was in front of him, had tied her hair in a high ponytail and was walking very fast.

Before I could even call out to her, she had already vanished from sight.

He abandoned Yoshii Yamahisa and hurriedly chased after him.

Higashino Hibiki said to her with a grin, "Miss Akimiya, let's go home together since it's on our way."

"Call me teacher," she said coldly.

“Akimiya-sensei,” Hibiki Higashino chimed in, “Are you angry?”