Full-time comic artist

He had barely finished speaking when Mr. Akimiya pushed open the door, revealing half his face. "No outsiders allowed, and... no contact with the Higashino family. You two are such irresponsible parents, take good care of yourselves for the next while."

After he finished speaking, he slowly closed the door.

The Akimiya couple looked at each other in bewilderment.

"It's time to take responsibility," Akemi Akemi sighed.

"The hard times are yet to come, you mean Dad!" Dongye pointed indignantly at the door.

"What about me?" Mr. Akimiya is back again.

Higashino Hibiki was deflated. "It's all for our own good."

"Hmph," the old man snorted, not paying any attention, and let Higashino Hibiki escape.

"Keep the room temperature at 24 degrees Celsius, check frequently for eczema, especially on the buttocks, and when holding the baby, hold him in your arms with his head resting on the inside of your elbow..."

He rambled on and on about changing diapers, when he was hungry, when he would wake up, and so on.

These are all details that take care of Higashino's future.

Higashino Hibiki quickly took out his phone to record what he was saying halfway through.

With a touch of reluctance, Mr. Akimiya departed.

"He won't be coming back, will he?" Higashino asked anxiously.

"It shouldn't be like that." Akemi Akemi looked towards the door. "It's just taking care of the baby..."

"No problem, I've got it covered," Higashino Hibiki assured him, patting his chest.

……

Not long after Mr. Akimiya left, the Higashino couple were watching a TV series when Higashino Mirai suddenly burst into tears and cried for a long time. He wasn't old enough to be breastfed yet.

"What's up with him?"

"what happened?"

Hibiki Higashino and Akemi Akemi immediately turned to each other, realizing that the other was equally at a loss.

They put down the TV and rushed to the cradle in the living room.

"He probably had diarrhea."

After much deliberation, Higashino carefully opened the diaper as if defusing a bomb, and sure enough, a strange smell wafted out.

"Ugh, it smells sour and stinky. Why would someone who only drinks milk poop?"

He held the diaper far away and said, "Mingmei, get me a pair of diapers."

"Shouldn't you wipe your bottom first?"

"Oh, right, that's right!" Higashino recalled the parenting tips he had researched beforehand, but he had forgotten all of that knowledge after his parents took over.

Akemi Akemi ran around, constantly searching for wet wipes and diapers.

Higashino put the diaper in a plastic bag and threw it away. Then he smelled his fingertips and noticed a sour, foul odor. He frowned in disgust.

"Hehe~ Hehe! Hahaha."

Higashino Mirai stopped crying and burst into laughter, her cheeks twitching.

Hibiki Higashino looked closely at her baby and couldn't help but smile. "So cute."

Being a parent and taking care of a naive child should be a happy thing.

I cleaned Mirai's bottom with the wet wipes Akemi Akemi handed me, changed her diaper, and the baby fell asleep again.

"He's so cute." Akemi Akemi pressed the baby's cheek, the soft touch filling her with delight.

“Yes,” Hibiki Higashino nodded in agreement, “we almost overlooked the shared memories we needed to cultivate.”

When they grow old, they will likely have fond and emotional memories of this time.

……

"I can't take it anymore!"

Late at night, Higashino Hibiki was woken up again by the crying of the cradle by his bedside. He sat up, feeling extremely anxious.

This is even more painful than rushing to meet a deadline!

He will have to endure this for some time to come.

Two days, three days, he became increasingly devastated.

I'm caught in a cycle of being healed by my baby, yet also tormented by him – a mix of heaven and hell.

……

The New Year arrived quickly.

Now the Higashino family is celebrating the New Year with three people.

Higashino Hibiki had prepared hot pot in advance, but considering that Akemi Akemi was currently breastfeeding, she could only eat sukiyaki, a three-ingredient flavor with mushrooms to enhance the taste.

"This is probably the most relaxed New Year we've had since we met, right?" Akemi Akemi asked.

“Yes,” Hibiki Higashino looked at the TV, which was showing footage of citizens celebrating the New Year by ringing bells at temples. He picked up a piece of beef and his eyes narrowed involuntarily. “In previous years, even though Jump was on New Year’s break, I would still have some other work.”

For example, drawing colored illustrations and publishing single volumes.

"Wow! Wow! Wow!"

Their conversation woke up Higashino Mirai. The baby cried out and clapped her hands loudly to attract her parents' attention.

"Want some hot pot?" Hibiki Higashino held up a slice of beef roll to his face, showing off a bit, and then looked at Mirai, his gaze following the roll. "Too bad you can't have any yet."

After he finished speaking, he stuffed it into his mouth and chewed it happily, "Mmm, so delicious."

"Was this beef handed to you by Nishimura?" he asked Akemi Akemi in surprise. "It's really delicious."

"Waaaaah!" The child started crying.

"Why are you teasing him?" Akemi Akemi said angrily, slapping Hibiki Higashino.

This crying lasted for another ten minutes or so.

"It's quite a spectacle when they cry." Higashino Hibiki watched Higashino Mirai cry her heart out and fall asleep from exhaustion, feeling quite satisfied.

"Come and eat hot pot." He pulled Akemi Akemi to sit at the table. "Once he wakes up, there won't be time."

"You've gone too far!" Akemi Akemi huffed, stuffing a slice of beef roll into her mouth. "Why didn't you say the beef was so delicious sooner!"

Higashino Mirai: ...

Baby is exhausted.

……

One week later.

"Mom, please."

Hibiki Higashino and Akemi Akemi tied on their scarves; they were about to head out.

"It's nothing, I'm just bored." Higashino Shino didn't look at Higashino Hibiki. She was holding Higashino Mirai, rocking her body to help the child fall asleep, and said softly.

Today is January 1th, 2003. The Higashino couple are going to attend the Jump New Year's Party.

The annual meeting has never been missed by Hibiki Higashino.

Having been away from Jump for a long time this year, he also misses his colleagues a bit.

"Have a safe trip." As the Higashino couple left home, Shio waved goodbye at the door.

……

Not long after, Higashino and the others arrived at the hotel where the New Year's party was being held.

I ran into Yoshihisa Pingzi at the main gate, and as I walked further in, I saw many familiar faces.

Akemi Akimiya went to visit her friend who runs a shoujo manga.

"Tori Akino-sensei, it's been a long time." Someone came up to Higashino Hibiki.

"Takahashi Kazuki-sensei, it's you!" Hibiki Higashino was taken aback, then reached out his hand.

Their hands clasped tightly together.

Whether Takahashi Kazuki was down on his luck or now he's successful, his relationship with Hibiki Higashino has never changed.

He would occasionally give Higashino Hibiki gifts, as a token of gratitude for the mentorship he had shown him back then.

"Is any teacher absent today?" Higashino asked.

“Togashi Yoshihiro-sensei didn’t come. I heard he’s sick. As for the others… well,” Takahashi Kazuki thought for a moment, “it’s Shimabukuro-kun.”

When Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro was mentioned, the two of them fell silent.

It's a great pity that an excellent work has to be canceled due to unforeseen circumstances.

"By the way, Mr. Tori Akino," Kazuki Takahashi said with a smile after a while, "Congratulations on the birth of your child. You've achieved a perfect life at 27."

He is 40 years old and has not yet found someone he loves.

In this respect, one can't help but envy the triumphant and successful Tori Akino Mirai.

“Let me tell you,” Higashino complained, “kids can be as cute as angels. But they’re also always naughty. They sleep all day and keep disturbing people’s sleep at night. I really wish I could wake them up during the day so they can sleep at night.”

Kazuki Takahashi listened with a smile.

Hibiki Higashino then vented, "Luckily, I'm not planning to draw manga for a while, so I have the energy to take care of him. Otherwise, I would have really left him with my parents, haha."

“Tori Akino-sensei,” Takahashi Kazuki paused, “Are you going to take a break? Yes, you’ve worked so hard for so many years. But…”

His expression was full of regret. "For us fans, this is bad news. It's such a pity we can't see your new work soon."

"Don't say that," Higashino Hibiki waved his hand, his mouth unable to suppress a smile, "It's kind of embarrassing."

……

Hibiki Higashino and Kazuki Takahashi were chatting, while Tite Kubo, who had been serializing "Bleach" for over a year, was also having a lively conversation with his seniors.

Through his experience drawing comics, he gradually lost his former extremism.

There's no need to hide in a corner at the New Year's party; chatting with others and discussing painting techniques is a wonderful thing in itself.