Full-time comic artist

"So that's how it is."

Everyone glanced at them with blessing looks, then quickly looked away, not wanting to disturb their date.

Higashino saw it all but didn't pay it any mind.

He's about to graduate and will get married then. There's nothing wrong with him going shopping with his fiancée.

"They are a perfect match, a match made in heaven."

"This must be the prototype for 'The Garden of Words'! They got together in 1995! Yay!"

"Pure love lovers are ecstatic!"

"It's all true in the manga, Akino Tori didn't lie to me! Takao Akizuki and Yukari Yukino are together!"

In the summer of 1998, the students secretly wished Hibiki Higashino and Akemi Akemi well, giving them space.

As the fireworks burst high in the sky, Higashino Hibiki didn't look at the dazzling fireworks, but instead looked at Akemi Akamiya. As the fireworks continued to bloom, Akemi Akamiya's face was also illuminated by the interplay of light and shadow, attracting Higashino Hibiki's gaze, which he couldn't look away from for a long time.

"The fireworks tonight are so beautiful."

……

September arrived, and Musashino School started.

Just as the art class students were chatting about their summer vacation plans, one person stood up in shock.

"Tori Akino-sensei and Akimiya-sensei are a couple!"

Tada Banri was shocked.

The person next to him nodded repeatedly, "They were so affectionate during the fireworks display, many people saw it. At that time, they only had eyes for each other, ignoring the people around them, they must be together."

"Tada, isn't it normal for teachers to be together? Wait a minute..." Someone was about to say that Tada Banri was making a fuss, but he suddenly realized, "Tori Akino-sensei...you mean Higashino-kun!"

"Wow!"

The classroom erupted in gasps of surprise.

Yuko Asahina, who had been sitting quietly, stared wide-eyed, more panicked than she had ever been in her life.

She turned to look at Nan Qianchun, her mouth agape, gesturing wildly with her fingers, "This! This! This! This!"

She'd known them for so long, yet she hadn't noticed a single trace of anything.

Hearing this kind of gossip felt like meeting an alien.

Nan Chiharu covered her forehead, speechless.

After a while, she reached out and touched Asahina Yuko's chin. "Really, didn't you guess anything? A woman who cooks for other men can only do so for her father, son, or partner."

“You,” Asahina Yuko pointed at Nanichiharu, judging with confidence, “you will.”

“I…” Minami Chiharu stammered, “I did it for Fukuzawa Yukichi. You woman, you really don’t understand people at all.”

"How can you possibly have a boyfriend if things continue like this?"

Yuko Asahina shook her head and said, "I don't care about these things."

Chiharu Minami and Yuko Asahina were touching, and Yuko Asahina was very uncomfortable with it. She tried to pull away with her hands, but she couldn't resist Chiharu Minami's strength.

"Looks like I'll be the only one keeping you company, hehe."

……

After a summer vacation, Hibiki Higashino was even more exhausted than when he was in school. His recent manga work was very tiring, and he often only had three or four hours of rest.

So Hibiki Higashino came today to contact the school and ask for a leave of absence until the game between Shohoku and Ryonan is over.

The school quickly approved it. As a manga artist, Higashino Hibiki had rarely missed classes in the past three years, which was quite diligent of him.

Because this is an art school, Higashino Hibiki's attendance rate is surprisingly among the highest.

Moreover, by fourth year, there are very few classes left, and students are either starting to apply for graduate school or already looking for jobs.

Rubbing his temples, Higashino Hibiki steadied himself and rushed to the classroom to say goodbye to his classmates.

Upon entering the classroom, he was surprised to find that they were all staring at him, and their eyes would shift one degree as he moved one step.

"Could it be because of the comic?"

In the recent "Slam Dunk" series, with his wholehearted dedication, in addition to the wonderful storyline by Takehiko Inoue, Hibiki Higashino's storyboard illustrations are also quite amazing. The latest original manuscript is a result he is very proud of.

Therefore, it's not impossible for everyone to look at you with admiration.

But why did those eyes reveal a hint of fervor, as if they wanted to devour him alive? This made Higashino Hibiki's hair stand on end.

Higashino and his classmates stared at each other, and after a long while, the classroom fell into complete silence.

"Teacher Toriakino," after a long silence, Minami Chiharu raised her hand and stood up, "Wasn't the fireworks display last month beautiful?"

Higashino realized what was going on after her reminder; the classmates were gossiping about her and Akemi Akemi's relationship, and the news had already spread.

Just as the standoff was reaching its peak, Akemi Akimiya walked in with her lecture notes. She looked at the scene with curiosity and asked, "Why haven't you gone back to your dorm yet?"

"Wow!" Cheers erupted from the classroom as the students widened their eyes and crowded closer to see.

"What's wrong?" Akemi Akemi took a step back, covering her body with her handouts, looking very surprised.

"Ms. Akimiya, are you with Ms. Tori Akino?" someone stood up and asked.

"Eh?" Akemi Akemi's face turned bright red instantly, her eyes darted around, she felt dizzy, and it felt like steam was rising from her head.

"How...how did you know?"

She indirectly acknowledged this.

Hibiki Higashino looked at her and sighed. "How stupid."

Akemi Akemi glared at him, her expression saying, "Are you insulting me?"

She was particularly clever in this regard.

"what!!!"

"Mr. Akimiya, best wishes to you!"

At the start of the new school term after summer vacation, Hibiki Higashino revealed his relationship.

From pursuing Akemi Akemi from 1993 to finally winning her heart in 1995, he was finally able to receive blessings from others.

……

There was a recent manga exhibition in Japan featuring works by Araki, showcasing his creations of different countries around the world, with many original manuscripts displaying diverse artistic styles.

As the organizer, Mr. Akimiya specially accompanied Hirohiko Araki.

“I really have to start looking at manga artists in a new light,” Mr. Akimiya said to Araki as he looked closely at the artwork. “It’s really artistic. I was just a frog in a well.”

"My skill level is far from yours," Hirohiko Araki replied with a bow. "Not to mention yours, even your daughter's works have benefited me greatly."

"Her paintings of the snow season are truly..."

Araki was interrupted before he could finish speaking.

"Akami's manga?" Mr. Akimiya looked up, his tone filled with surprise. "She can draw manga too?"

……

Akemi Akemi started drawing and submitting manga during her university years. One year, two years, three years... five years passed, but Akemi still hadn't succeeded.

Even after graduating and getting a job, Akemi Akimiya still didn't give up.

However, she simply didn't have the talent for it, and in addition, Ms. Akimiya thought that manga was vulgar and unbearable, so she stopped her.

"I didn't expect her to still haven't given up even now?" Mr. Akimiya murmured, stroking the single volume of "5 Centimeters Per Second":

"You really enjoy drawing comics that much, Akemi?"

Opening the manga, I saw the artist's name, and sure enough, it was Akemi Akimiya.

“So they found the original author, no wonder… This person is Tori Akino Mirai…” He put on his reading glasses.

Mr. Akimiya had some impression of him, as if he had met him before, but he couldn't remember him at the moment.

He opened the comic book and got engrossed in it. Half an hour later, he took off his reading glasses.

"I don't quite understand some of it... but the emotions are very genuine. And the drawing is quite good; it's not a work that I dislike."

After commenting on "5 Centimeters Per Second," he turned to the title page of the manga and asked, "Tori Akino... Tori Akino Mirai... who is she?"

……

Higashino Hibiki shivered, feeling like someone was talking about him.

"I always knew those two were having an affair."

In the studio, Kiko Takagi crossed her legs, revealing her smooth skin, and looked at Yamahisa Yoshii, speaking softly.

Akemi Akemi blushed, stepped forward and covered Kiko Takagi's mouth, gritting her teeth as she said, "Takagi-san, what you said went too far."

"Ugh!" Kiko Takagi struggled, reaching out to Yamahisa Yoshii beside her, pleading for help.

"How is this possible? How could this be?" Yoshii Yamahisa was questioning his sanity. "How come I didn't see it at all?"

"Am I really a block of wood?"

He ignored Kiko Takagi.

Hibiki Higashino looked up at him and said, "Get back to work."

"Yes……"

Tanaka, standing to the side, was unsurprised. He had already guessed it, but felt there was no need to say it.

While drawing comics, he was thinking about "The Bizarre Detective Agency".

This manga has been doing very well recently. As the work gradually gains traction, its outrageous content has resonated with readers, and it's currently competing with "One Piece" for attention.

"Actually, the style of my previous works is similar to that of 'The Bizarre Detective Agency'."

He had an idea.

but……

After glancing at the people in the studio, Tanakai temporarily put the idea aside.

……