Full-time comic artist

She stood up, patted her clothes, and said, "I should go make dinner now. There's beef today."

“Wait, Minami,” Hibiki Higashino stopped her, “You don’t need to make it for me, I’m going out in a bit.”

"Okay." Nan Qianchun nodded and walked towards the kitchen.

"By the way, Higashino-kun," Yoshii Yamahisa asked curiously, "how do you know the sequel to Hikaru no Go?"

Nan Chiharu stopped in her tracks, curious.

"It's just a guess, isn't it?" Kiko Takagi said.

Higashino Hibiki shook his head and exchanged a smile with Akemi Akemi.

She said, "Is it going to be made public?"

Hibiki Higashino laughed and said, "Of course, after all, a bedroom can't be used as a studio."

Kiko Takagi was incredibly curious, and she quickly pressed, "What are you two trying to dodge the question with?"

Hibiki Higashino: "Don't be afraid of what I'm about to say."

Nan Qianchun wanted to hit him. "Hurry up!"

Hibiki Higashino took a deep breath, filled with pride and self-satisfaction.

"I wanted to interact with you all as an ordinary person, but all I got in return was prejudice. I'm not pretending anymore, I'm Tori Akino Mirai, and I'm coming clean!"

He grinned and shrugged.

"Because of limited space, I would like to use part of the living room as a studio later, and I hope to get everyone's consent."

Yoshii Yamahisa looked at him with concern, "Higashino-kun? Did something happen to you?"

Kiko Takagi chuckled. "That's really funny. Higashino, you're usually quiet, but you can be quite interesting when it really matters."

Minami Chiharu's face showed a solemn expression.

He stood out as quite an oddity among the three.

"Thinking about it carefully, 17 years old, Tokyo, and able to draw—it's not impossible if it's Higashino Keigo." She stroked her chin thoughtfully. "As an art student at En'hiko High School, drawing manga is quite normal. And..."

She looked at Akemi Akemi and said, "I couldn't understand why Akemi-sensei would secretly go to your bedroom before, but now that we've put it all together... is Akemi-sensei working as your assistant?"

Yoshii Yamahisa was stunned. Takagi Kiko's laughter vanished instantly, and the once radiant woman became a complete dazed goose.

Akemi Akemi blushed and whispered shyly, "You all noticed?"

“Yes,” the three nodded in unison.

"Ugh!" Akemi Akemi covered her face and squatted down. "I'm too ashamed to show my face to anyone."

“We’re all under the same roof, it’s normal to be discovered,” Higashino Hibiki comforted her.

“Minami could write mystery novels,” Hibiki Higashino said, giving a thumbs up. “You were absolutely right.”

"So," Yoshii Yamahisa exclaimed excitedly, "Higashino-kun is really Tori Akino-sensei?"

"Mmm!" Higashino Hibiki nodded, hands on his hips.

"Wow, that's amazing, Higashino-kun!" Yoshii exclaimed.

Kiko Takagi approached Hibiki Higashino, tugged at his sleeve, and pleaded pitifully, "Could you please get me an autograph from Akira Toriyama?"

Hibiki Higashino was surprised, "Takagi-senpai actually likes Dragon Ball?"

"I like 'Dr. Slump.' When I was little, I watched the cartoon and I thought Dr. Slump was so cool because she did whatever she wanted." Takagi Kiko swayed her upper body and started to whine, "Please, please."

"Higashino-kun, could you please get Yoshihiro Togashi's autograph for me?" Yoshii Yamahisa shouted.

After hesitating for a while, Nan Chiharu said, "I want Mr. Yamamura's autograph, please!"

Three deep bows were almost enough to send Higashino Hibiki off.

Chapter 38 Apologizing with Thorns and the New Year's Party

“It seems you really like Yamamura’s books,” Higashino Hibiki said, glancing at Minami Chiharu. “But you don’t need me to get your autograph.”

Nan Qianchun straightened up, full of curiosity, and asked, "What do you mean?"

“I just said I was going out,” Hibiki Higashino said, looking up. Sasaki had contacted him a couple of days ago. “Today is Shueisha’s New Year’s party, and I was invited.”

Yamamura informed us that he would be coming with Shueisha's driver. You should tell him that yourself then.

“Very good!” Nan Qianchun nodded heavily, looking very happy.

When Hibiki Higashino was a child, he loved reading Lu Yao's books. He thought how happy he would be if he could meet Lu Yao and get his autograph.

Minami Chiharu is probably thinking this way right now.

"As for you two," he said, looking at Kiko Takagi and Yamahisa Yoshii, "give me the individual volumes in your collection. If I happen to come across them today, I will."

"Yay!" Kiko Takagi cheered loudly. Her room was on this floor, and not long after, with the sound of running, she took out the sixth volume of the Dr. Slump manga.

"If possible, please also sign your name, Mr. Kazuhiko Torishima, in the name of Dr. Masilitsu."

Hibiki Higashino looked at Kiko Takagi speechlessly. He naturally understood that Kazuhiko Torishima hated being recognized as Dr. Masilito.

“Okay,” Higashino Hibiki gritted his teeth and nodded with difficulty.

Yoshii Yamahisa also brought a single volume of "Yu Yu Hakusho".

Hibiki Higashino accepted the manga under his expectant gaze, just as his phone rang.

"May I visit Ms. Tori Akino Mirai's residence? Thank you for your hospitality today. I am Tanaka from Metropolitan Transportation."

Higashino Hibiki checked the time; there were still fifteen minutes until the appointment. The address he left at Shueisha was "Yoshiwara-sou," so he replied, "Okay, thank you. But isn't it a bit too early?"

"I'm sorry I arrived early so I wouldn't be late."

"Oh, I wasn't blaming you. Um, thank you, Mr. Tanaka. I'll head out right away."

After hanging up the phone, Hibiki Higashino put on his coat, put the two volumes in his pocket, and glanced at Akemi Akimiya.

She smiled and shook her head.

Hibiki Higashino knew that she hoped to attend the New Year's party as a manga artist, so she didn't insist.

He turned and walked out of the room.

Others were very curious and followed them out to see.

A black luxury car was already parked at the entrance, with a driver in uniform waiting in the cold.

Higashino Hibiki hurried over.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

"Is it because I arrived too early that we should leave now?"

Hibiki Higashino looked around and asked curiously, "I heard that Mr. Yamamura Morimichi is here too, where is he?"

Tanaka, the driver, looked like he was constipated and glanced into the car.

Just then, the rear door of the car opened, and a sculpted man with a bare upper body stepped out, carrying a bundle of thorns on his back.

He was from the mountain village. He knelt on one knee in front of Higashino Hibiki and said, "I have come to apologize. Please whip me, Higashino."

"You're really something, Mr. Yamamura. A true man who keeps his promises," Higashino said, pulling away the bramble and draping his coat over him.

Tokyo in January isn't hot; in fact, it's quite cold. Today it's 2°C.

Higashino Hibiki could see him trembling.

"Higashino is indeed a gentleman..." Yamamura Morimichi breathed a sigh of relief and thought to himself.

Unexpectedly, at this moment, Higashino waved, and a round-faced beauty walked over, dumbfounded.

Yamamura Morimichi felt a wave of dizziness, because there were three more people in that direction.

"This is Mr. Yamamura, whom you admire very much. Just ask him for his autograph," Higashino Hibiki said to Minami Chiharu with a smile.

His handsome face was adorned with gentleness and care.

“No…no…” Nan Qianchun’s limbs stiffened, and she returned as if moving mechanically.

Yamamura Morimichi was taken aback, not expecting that the other party was his fangirl.

His face flushed instantly. He tugged at Higashino Hibiki and whispered angrily in his ear, "You bastard, you tricked me!"

Hibiki Higashino looked at him with pity. "I didn't know you were so proactive."

"Damn it!" Yamamura Morimichi shouted.

Originally, I planned to let bygones be bygones and better demonstrate my commitment to keeping my promise, but I didn't expect to only make a fool of myself in front of the readers.

The great writer's image has been tarnished; he has lost all face.

He felt sorry for himself.

Hibiki Higashino said to Tanaka, "We can set off now."

He draped his coat over Yamamura Morimichi, as he himself was freezing.

……

Forty minutes before the event was scheduled to begin, Higashino Hibiki and Yamamura Morimichi arrived at their destination safely.

After saying goodbye to the driver, Higashino Hibiki looked at the grand hotel and couldn't help but feel a deep sense of awe.

"As expected of Shueisha, this is truly a grand undertaking."

Dozens of black luxury cars were parked neatly in front of the store, creating a very striking sight.

People coming and going, some in suits, some in formal attire, looked very high-class.

Higashino Hibiki remained unchanged, doing as he always had. He put his old coat back on and walked towards the opulent hotel.

Yamamura Morimichi was wearing a long trench coat, which surprisingly suited the place.

Sasaki was greeting guests at the door when he saw Higashino Hibiki, and a slight smile appeared on his serious face.

"Yes, please come in. I still have work to do."

"I thought I'd come to the wrong place." Higashino Hibiki smiled at him and walked inside.

The hall was packed with people, with food displayed in the very center, and waiters in tuxedos strolling around the hall, serving champagne and fine wines.