Full-time comic artist

“Yes,” Higashino nodded, “Everyone is watching.”

Even at the classroom door, Nishimura, who was on the verge of tears, was comforting Kitamoto.

Asahina Yuko has been feeding him for half a month now.

Except for weekends, it's every single day, like clocking in on DingTalk.

Hibiki Higashino had a misconception: could it be that she really liked him?

Yuko Asahina looked around and then said, "I'm sorry, I'm a bit slow on the uptake. I was just trying to please you. I won't do it again."

She turned and left with the lunchbox.

Higashino Hibiki breathed a sigh of relief, then stood up and went to the school cafeteria with Nishimura Kitamoto.

"Did you reject Yuko?" Nishimura asked. "I sensed she was very unhappy."

"We've just made it clear that we won't be sending lunchboxes anymore," Higashino Hibiki replied.

He changed the subject and asked the two of them, "It's been a long time since I've been to the cafeteria. I wonder what new dishes they have."

Kitamoto replied, "Strawberry Mapo Tofu, and ice cream cone ramen."

"Ah," Higashino Hibiki stopped in his tracks, looking at the two of them, "I wonder if it's too late to regret it now?"

……

So for lunch, I could only eat the most famous fried noodles with bread, which was a bit strange, but still acceptable.

After school, Higashino bought a stack of manuscript paper and returned to his dormitory.

"You've been practicing drawing a lot lately," Yoshii Yamahisa said in surprise.

This was the third time he had seen it. Each time, he would buy fifty tickets.

The consumption is astonishingly high.

"Yes, because of Akimiya-sensei."

With Akemi Akimiya as an assistant, he was able to draw so quickly.

He's already drawing chapter 6 of "Hikaru no Go," so it's good to prepare early for the serialization.

"So it really is Akimiya-sensei teaching you to draw." Yoshii Yamahisa suddenly realized that their relationship was indeed purely platonic.

It's all Takagi-senpai's fault for making him overthink things.

Yoshii didn't stay long before leaving.

He's been like this lately, I don't know what he's busy with. After school, he disappears from the dormitory and doesn't come back until almost midnight.

Hibiki Higashino usually goes back to his bedroom to draw manga, but today he's waiting in the living room.

Someone will come to see him; it's a female professional 2-dan who has been consulting with Shinoda 4-dan about "Hikaru no Go".

I heard his name is Akira Yamazaki.

"Hello, this is Yamazaki, I've already made a reservation!"

A lively and cheerful voice suddenly came through the ringing bell.

"She's already here," Dongye thought, getting up and opening the door.

The girl standing at the entrance was about 1.55 meters tall. She had an average appearance, but a round face. Her beige clothes and long, straight hair made her look like a tall nut.

"I'm Yamazaki 2nd Dan, and you must be Hibiki Higashino-sensei!"

"Just call me Higashino. I'm still a newcomer, and I don't even know if I'll be able to serialize this yet, Yamazaki Go player."

"Then call me Yamazaki Pro 2nd Dan."

Higashino Hibiki was stunned.

She laughed and said, "I was just kidding, just call me Yamazaki."

Walking into the living room and looking at the empty dormitory, she asked curiously, "Aren't my roommates here?"

Chapter 33 may go bankrupt, but it will never change.

“They’ve all gone out,” Hibiki Higashino replied.

Minami Chiharu has to work, Takagi Kiko is never in the dorm, and Yoshii Yamahisa has been busy lately as well.

As for Akemi Akemi, her friend held an art exhibition, and she went to help out.

How did Hibiki Higashino know this?

Akemi Akemi apologized for not being able to be an assistant today.

This made Higashino Hibiki feel extremely ashamed.

Akemi Akemi had always worked as an assistant without expecting anything in return, and Hibiki Higashino thought that the only way to repay her was to give her a good husband.

“Yeah, that’s pretty boring.” Yamazaki Akira shook his head, looking slightly disappointed. “I was hoping it would be more lively with more people, so I brought UNO cards specifically.”

"Huh?" Hibiki Higashino was a little surprised. "I thought that Go players all preferred to be a bit aloof."

"How could that be?" Yamazaki Akira perked up. "Go players are human too. I usually enjoy dancing or going to karaoke."

She took out a folding fan from behind her back, on which were written the two Chinese characters "极道" (Ji Dao, meaning "Extreme Way") in calligraphy. She shook it proudly and said, "I am Yamazaki Akira, a professional Go player of the second dan rank. Please take care of me in the future."

"Isn't it cold in winter?" Higashino asked in surprise.

"It's still quite cold." Yamazaki Akira shivered.

"Enough talk, enough talk, let's begin!" Yamazaki Akira waved his hand, sat on the sofa, and blinked at him.

"Okay, I'll go get the chessboard."

Higashino went upstairs and brought down the cassia wood chessboard he had bought.

This brand-new chessboard, along with the chess pieces, cost a total of 15 yen, which is unexpectedly expensive.

That's enough for Hirasawa Yui to buy three guitars after the chairman's daughter bargained down the price.

However, there was no other way to make the comics look more professional.

You can't just go and use the chessboard at the chess academy for free, can you?

Although today's second stage seems quite easy to fool.

Facing Yamazaki Akira, Higashino Hibiki told her about the game he needed.

"Our team uses the Shusaku style, at the Kisei level. Our opponents are modern Go players, amateur level 100, and they won't lose to anyone except professional players."

"Mmm." Yamazaki Akira nodded, her expression somewhat complicated, but that was exactly what she was there to do.

"It requires Shusaku to use the guide moves, and the victory is easy."

"Hmm..." she hesitated for a moment.

"Our side uses an old, established pattern, a steady approach, to defend against the opponent's attack."

"Let me think about it..." Yamazaki Akira was somewhat troubled. It was supposed to be a simple and fun job, something that could become a topic of conversation and be written about at length. He never expected that the boy named Higashino Hibiki would be so strict.

Yamazaki Akira opened his folding fan and fanned his head, which was already feeling dizzy and throbbing. "I need to go back and look through the old chess manuals at the Go Institute. Please wait a while."

Higashino Hibiki nodded. "Yes, time is not a problem. I'll leave all this to you, Yamazaki Akira, professional 2nd dan."

Perhaps worried about being looked down upon by Higashino Hibiki, she looked at the chessboard and smiled, "Let's play chess. I'll give you a five-piece handicap."

"Five stones! You underestimate me!" Higashino Hibiki stood up angrily. Five stones! Although Go is not a game of five-in-a-row, having one more stone is already a huge advantage, let alone five!

"clatter!"

With the plate arranged, Higashino Hibiki was full of confidence.

Today marks the beginning of our journey to defeat professional Go players.

20 minutes later……

“Goko…Goko is no good…” Higashino Hibiki lowered his head, feeling melancholy.

They were utterly and completely defeated.

"Hahaha," Yamazaki Akira covered his mouth with his folding fan and chuckled, "You looked down on me, now you know the strength of a professional second dan, right? I fought my way up from among thousands of people."

"I was too superficial," Higashino Hibiki apologized.

They played a few more rounds, and Higashino Hibiki lost them all.

Akira Yamazaki has an insatiable competitive spirit. When playing against beginners, he shows no mercy and instead enjoys the thrill of crushing them.

It wasn't until five o'clock that she let out a long sigh, stood up, and slung her backpack over her shoulder. "I'll take my leave now. If all goes well, I'll bring the chess manual on Wednesday."

Hibiki Higashino urged, "Won't you stay for a meal?"

"I'm sorry, I have a date with my boyfriend tonight."

"Then I won't bother you anymore. Take care on your journey."

Higashino Hibiki saw her to the door and then watched her leave.

Just then, Minami Chiharu walked over from the other side with a shopping basket slung across her shoulder. Looking at Yamazaki Akira's departing figure, she asked curiously, "Higashino-kun, what's going on?"

Higashino took the basket of vegetables, looked down at it, saw that there was meat, and grinned, "I hired a professional Go player to teach me how to play Go."

"Really? Higashino-kun likes playing Go," Minami Chiharu said without taking a break. She went into the kitchen, put on an apron, and started preparing dinner.

Hibiki Higashino followed beside her, helping to wash the tomatoes and meat. "Hmm, Go seems quite interesting."

"That's a rare hobby. Boys who can play chess are really handsome." Nan Chiharu squatted down to peel potatoes. "But don't forget to study hard, we're art students."

"Of course, I have eight hands; I want both fish and bear's paw."

"It sounds like a little kid talking."

"Haha, maybe so."

Without a serialization, Hibiki Higashino is not yet ready to reveal any plans to draw a manga.

After all, everyone around you knows, and if you fail, it would be really embarrassing.

Once it's serialized and can't be kept secret any longer, we can surprise them. That will be really interesting.

……