Full-time comic artist

Nanase said, "She really is a young lady from a wealthy family."

Just as Nanase had said, there were only tables, chairs, benches, a single bed, and a pile of miscellaneous items on the table.

However, it was connected to electricity, had lights, a monitor, and a DVD player.

There is a CD of "Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day" next to it.

Chapter 237 Teacher... Akimiya-sensei...

The small hot spring in the Mano Mountains was separated by Nanase with cloth, and the wind would occasionally blow up a corner, revealing the lights of the secret base outside.

Akemi Akemi noticed that Nanase Yui kept glancing at the curtain, so she asked, "Are you worried that Higashino is spying on you? Don't worry, he's a good person."

"No," Nanase said, touching her flat chest, on the verge of tears. "If I were to wear only shorts on the beach like this, no one would care."

Akemi Akemi was taken aback. After a moment, she comforted her, "Nanase is so cute, just like a kitten."

"Is that so?" Nanase muttered, her mouth agape. "It's just that I don't like cats."

Akemi Akemi, who had been nodding continuously, stopped abruptly, feeling somewhat embarrassed.

"Haha," Nanase laughed, scratching the back of her head. "I was just kidding, cats are cute."

"You really are something." Akemi Akemi scooped up some hot spring water and splashed it at her.

"Excuse me, sorry, oh, don't splash me. I'll splash you instead."

"What! You dare to resist! Watch this move!"

"I was wrong!"

……

Hibiki Higashino sat at the table, and could hear the noise carried by the wind.

"Akemi and the others had a lot of fun."

He sat awkwardly in the base, glancing around at his surroundings, but there was nothing to do.

After thinking for a while, Hibiki Higashino picked up a pencil and a piece of white paper from the secret base and began filling in the storyboard gaps in the "Slam Dunk" spin-off.

With only three months until the opening of "Jump Festa," Higashino Higashino doesn't have much time left to finish the spin-off.

Let's not waste this time.

Takehiko Inoue created a short manga that filled in the background of Ryota Miyagi, titled "Earrings." The female protagonist's name is Ayako, which sounds exactly like "Ayako" in Japanese.

Therefore, some people believe that Ayako is Ayako.

Hibiki Higashino disagrees. If it really is the same person, then this short story, like Ultraman Tiga's "Final Holy War," violates the original character settings.

At the beginning of the manga, Ryota Miyagi spent three years building a secret base by the sea. Now he is in sixth grade and is looking at the sea.

Ayako was at the beach when she threw the gift box containing the earrings into the sea.

This is a gift from Sasaki, her mother's blind date.

Upon seeing this, Liangtian jumped into the sea, held his breath, and painstakingly found the gift box.

After getting ashore, Ryota threw the gift box to Ayako and slapped her.

The two then engaged in a passionate, turn-based brawl, which led to them becoming acquainted through the fight, and together they ventured into Liangtian's secret base.

Ayako was very dissatisfied with Sasaki's gift after discovering that it was a small pair of earrings; she felt he should have given her a pair of earrings with large gemstones.

"This is how she cherishes her mother."

Higashino Hibiki was carefully going over the plot when a voice suddenly came from behind him. He turned around and saw Nanase wrapped in a bath towel, her hair dripping wet.

Just as she said, her chest was indeed very flat.

“Ayako thinks that if it were her, she would definitely give a more precious gift. A little girl from a single-parent family is worried that her mother’s love will disappear,” she thought, stroking her chin.

Higashino asked in surprise, "Is the hot spring bath over?"

He glanced down at the time; thirty minutes had already passed.

“Hmm,” Nanase nodded, patting Higashino on the shoulder. “Higashino-san, your story is very interesting. Keep it up!”

"Thank you." Higashino Hibiki nodded.

“I just feel like this character looks familiar.” She pointed to Ryota Miyagi, who was initially called Ryota in the manga. The storyboards drawn by Higashino Hibari show the character in simple sketches.

"Hmm, who is it?" Nanase started thinking. "Ah! Never mind, I really can't remember!"

She gave up after only three seconds.

Hibiki Higashino put away the simple storyboard, apologized to Nanase for using items from the secret base, and then asked, "Where's Akemi? Is she still soaking in the hot spring?"

"Hmm," Nanase said. "Akemi-neechan said the bath was very comfortable and she didn't want to come out."

She sighed, "Although Tokyo is great in every way, it must be really tough to stay here. Akemi-neechan must be exhausted, both physically and mentally."

“She really works very hard,” Hibiki Higashino said. “Sometimes she only sleeps three or four hours a day.”

To realize their dreams.

Nanase clicked her tongue.

Hibiki Higashino said gently, "Could you please wait a little longer?"

"It's alright, just like Chairman Kadota said, I do nothing all day long." Nanase waved her hand with a smile.

"By the way, Mr. Higashino, aren't you going to soak in the hot springs? For a couple's bath together."

She smiled ambiguously, teasing Higashino Hibiki.

"I... I think I'll pass." Higashino Hibiki pondered for a moment, then lowered his head hesitantly.

Amidst the misty steam, Akemi Akimiya's long hair cascaded down her back, her face flushed with an alluring blush, and her fair skin glowed a delicate pink from the hot spring water.

She sat in the hot spring, and you could vaguely see her slender waist and long, thin legs beneath the water.

Half of it is above the water and half is in the water, like a floating protrusion. Hot spring water gathers in a small pool on the chest, which can be swallowed in one gulp.

Higashino Hibiki couldn't help but lift his foot, turning around to see the disdain in the girl's eyes.

“I’m worried that Akemi might faint in the hot spring. But let’s wait a little longer,” Higashino Hibiki explained.

"Tch." Nanase curled her lip.

She pulled out the DVD of the last episode of "Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day" and watched it in the dim light.

Soon after, she burst into tears amidst Jinta Yakumi's shouts of "hide-and-seek".

"Every time I watch it, I feel so sad."

"You really like 'Anohana'?" Hibiki Higashino asked.

"Yes, because it's very similar to me."

Nanase recounted that all of her childhood playmates, except for Shiori, had left Manoyama to venture out into the world.

She herself returned to Manoyama because she couldn't make it in the outside world. When watching "Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day," she felt a stronger connection to the story and cried to relieve her emotions.

"We're all the same, actually."

Higashino Hibiki has no recollection of his childhood friends.

All good things must come to an end, and it's impossible to stay together forever. This may be why "Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day" has been well-received by audiences.

Ten more minutes passed, and Akemi Akemi finally came out, looking embarrassed.

She sighed deeply, "It really feels so good."

It was already dark, and Higashino Hibiki didn't soak in the hot spring. Led by Nanase, he hurriedly went down the mountain.

……

On the way back to the hotel, the starlight guided the way, and the grass echoed with the gentle chirping of insects.

Nanase carefully avoided the cow dung, drawing the attention of the Higashino couple.

After walking along the dirt road, we arrived at the main road of the town. There were dim streetlights every 50 meters, and mosquitoes were flying around in the light.

Back at the hotel, after washing up, the two lay on the bed. Akemi Akemi said apologetically, "It's all because I soaked for too long and didn't give you enough time."

“It’s alright,” Higashino Hibiki doesn’t have the Japanese habit of taking baths, so whether there’s a hot spring or not doesn’t matter. “Akimiya-sensei has worked too hard, so please relax and relieve your fatigue.”

"T-Teacher, you're not allowed to call me teacher anymore!" Akemi Akemi pulled the blanket up to cover her flushed face. "I'm so shy."

In the dark room, they could only see each other.

An intimate atmosphere flowed between the two.

Higashino Hibiki was deeply moved and couldn't help but say, "Coming to the countryside, I was reminded of the summer of '93. Ms. Akimiya was wearing a kimono, her hair was up, and she was adorned with jewelry. She was gentle, beautiful, and exuded an irresistible charm."

Akemi Akimiya blinked and listened attentively.

In the stillness of the night, a feeling of deep emotion welled up within her.

She thought of "The Garden of Words" and Hibiki Higashino's confession.

Listen carefully.

Hibiki Higashino's emotions deepened, "Teacher... Akimiya-sensei...you finally belong to me."

"Pfft," Hibiki Higashino couldn't help but laugh as she waited for Akemi Akemi's positive response. "Isn't that the first half of Mitsui's confession? How out of place."

"You! You woman!" Higashino Hibiki was furious, her deep affection flowing towards the ditch.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

The event came to an abrupt end tonight.

Exhausted, the two soon fell asleep.

"How boring," Higashino Hibiki muttered in his sleep.

……

The next day, the proprietress of Anji prepared breakfast.

There is a wild mountain specialty called taro.

It has a soft, delicate texture, and is sweet and fragrant; it's really quite good.