Full-time comic artist

Hibiki Higashino was extremely satisfied throughout the entire process.

Outside the art room, Hibiki Higashino stopped Takeshita-sensei, who was leading the way, and said, "It's ready, I've made up my mind."

Takeshita seemed a little unsatisfied, "Then let's leave it at that."

She led Higashino Hibiki towards the principal's office.

Is he still Principal Ota?

"Yes, but the principal is about to retire; after all, he's already 65 years old."

Takeshita knocked on the door.

"Please come in," an old voice said.

"This is Higashino's parent, who wants to enroll their child," Teacher Takeshita introduced Higashino Hibiki and Higashino Mirai.

"Ah, so this is the new student." Principal Ota stood up, bent down, and looked at Higashino Mirai. "Welcome to Meguro Elementary School."

Higashino Hibiki quietly looked at the elderly principal.

His hair was gray, and his face was full of frowns.

A wave of sadness washed over me.

It seems like there's a lot to say.

He turned around and looked at the office.

Principal Ota's office was not luxurious, and the furniture looked a bit old, but it was very clean.

There was a bookshelf that stood out, with all sorts of things on it.

There are dolls made by elementary school students and calligraphy written by them, which look naive and innocent.

He was captivated and watched intently.

until……

"This is……"

Near the principal's desk, there is a painting depicting children teasing several birds, which looks very childlike.

Higashino suddenly realized something and unconsciously picked up the painting.

This was drawn by "him".

“Oh, this one,” Principal Ota said, unknowingly approaching Hibiki Higashino and looking at the painting with admiration. “This is a student’s painting, and it even received praise from Akira Toriyama. It’s truly remarkable. That child seems to have been born to paint.”

He asked proudly, "Isn't it a very good drawing?"

Higashino Hibiki's lips trembled. "Yes, yes, it's amazing. Principal Ota, you still keep this painting?"

“Of course, this is a painting I’m very proud of,” Principal Ota said matter-of-factly, as his bookshelf was filled with such treasures.

"But I wonder if that child continued drawing?"

"Yes, of course." Higashino nodded vigorously, then said with mixed feelings, "It's been a long time, Principal Ota."

……

Hibiki Higashino donated 500 million yen to Meguro Elementary School to maintain its soccer field.

The proposed higher amount was rejected by Principal Ota.

Higashino Hibiki had no choice but to give up.

Higashino Mirai's school graduation has been confirmed; we're just waiting for April.

……

The manga series "Hanzawa Naoki" is coming to an end, with only four episodes left.

This is what follows.

Owada prepared a mock Financial Services Agency interview to make things difficult for Hanzawa Naoki, hoping to use this opportunity to transfer the manager in charge of Isejima to his subordinate Fukuyama, thus removing Hanzawa Naoki from his position.

Fukuyama, an elite, meticulously analyzed the problems of the Isejima Grand Hotel and Hanzawa Naoki's mistakes while holding his laptop. He cornered Hanzawa, then recommended Executive Director Hane to become president, thus fulfilling Owada's ambitions.

Ōwada intends to use the bank's mistake on Ise Island to bring down the bank's president, and then seize power himself.

At the crucial moment, Hanzawa discovered Fukuyama's weakness.

Fukuyama has never met Executive Director Hane, so on what grounds does he support Hane becoming the president of the Isejima Grand Hotel?

Hanzawa questioned loudly, looking around at everyone.

Fukuyama was in a complete mess. He swiped through his notebook, but to his surprise, there were no solutions on it.

He was ultimately just a talker who only knew how to boast and engage in empty rhetoric.

Hanzawa Naoki once again thwarted Owada's conspiracy, achieving a partial victory.

On the other hand, Tamiya Electric, which Kondo Naosuke worked for, had lent 3000 million yen to another clothing store, and the female owner of the clothing store was indeed Mrs. Owada.

Without a doubt, this was a move by Ōwada to enrich himself at the expense of the public.

Once the evidence is found, Hanzawa Naoki will have won a complete victory.

During the Financial Services Agency's investigation, Watari Shinobu negotiated with the American company Foster + Partners, and Hanzawa Naoki persuaded President Yuasa to accept Foster + Partners' investment, finally resolving the crisis of the Isejima Grand Hotel's bankruptcy.

Kondo Naosuke obtained President Tamiya's testimony, and it was time for Hanzawa Naoki to switch roles from bottom to top.

At a crucial moment, Ōwada tempted Kondo, persuading him to abandon submitting the report in exchange for a transfer back to head office. He could coordinate arrangements with any department.

Kondo Naosuke's family had always lived in cramped rooms and moved frequently, and he wanted to provide his family with a better living environment.

The allure of Owada, the concern and worry of his family, and his friendship with Hanzawa Naoki—a multitude of emotions swirl within Kondo's heart.

His eyes were bloodshot and he made the decision with extreme pain.

"Then I'll have to trouble you... please take good care of me!"

Chapter 396 Relieving Depression

“Principal Ota is so kind,” Higashino Mirai said as she put down her schoolbag after school and looked at Higashino Hibiki earnestly. “He bows to us at the school gate every day.”

"But Dad, why did you make him cry?"

During his visit to the school that day, he met the kind-hearted principal, who gave him an orange-flavored candy.

As Higashino Mirai was savoring the moment, he saw the principal weeping uncontrollably.

“Probably because,” Higashino moved his lips, overwhelmed with emotion, “he discovered that I was still painting and had realized my dream, and he was moved to tears.”

There are very few people who can stick to their own beliefs.

Just like teachers in mountainous areas, seeing their students succeed through knowledge makes their hard work worthwhile.

“I don’t understand…” Higashino Mirai pursed her lips and shook her head.

Higashino Hibiki squatted down and patted Higashino Mirai on the shoulder. "You don't need to understand now. Just know that the principal is very happy."

"Oh! Principal Ota is very happy!" Higashino Mirai suddenly realized, his round eyes widening with a bright smile.

"That's how it is."

Higashino Keigo got up to draw the final chapter of "Hanzawa Naoki," and had the child go play with his grandmother.

He had just turned to walk towards his studio when the child called him back.

“Oh, right, Dad,” Higashino Mirai said with a smile, “the soccer field is being renovated, so we can play soccer to our hearts’ content from now on.”

"That's really true, not bad at all."

……

"I heard that 'Hanzawa Naoki' is going to be made into a TV series."

"Yeah, someone said they saw a film crew filming at the Umeda Hankyu Building in Kakuda-cho, working really hard."

"That's wonderful! I really love this manga. It would be amazing if it could be made into a TV series!"

"Maybe we'll see it by the end of the year. By the way, Miura-kun, aren't you coming to this gathering?"

"Because something happened at home."

"Always the same excuse..."

After saying goodbye to his colleagues, Shigeyuki Miura happily returned to his home where he lived alone.

Although his wife wasn't home waiting for him after get off work, and his parents were back in his hometown, this rented apartment was his only haven in Tokyo.

"My mom always tells me to find a wife, but the pressure to survive in Tokyo is just too great. Honestly, she doesn't think about me at all."

Miura opened the refrigerator, took out a bottle of beer, and started eating with the side dishes.

"What woman would want to live with me in such a cramped room?"

"Tch~"

In "Hanzawa Naoki", Kondo Naosuke betrayed Hanzawa Naoki and sided with Owada.

Readers pity and loathe this character, seeing Kondo as the kind of person who compromises with superiors in the workplace, and is despised by many.

But Miura has a different opinion.

Naosuke Kondo was an honest and talented man, dedicated to serving the bank. However, this same man suffered from mental illness due to being suppressed by his superiors. After being demoted to a branch office, he was transferred to another company where all the employees looked down on him.

His wife endured hardship and displacement because of him, but never abandoned him, living in a cramped company apartment.

When Kondo told his wife that he was being transferred back to the bank.

Mrs. Kondo was first puzzled, then incredulous, confirmed it several times, and finally overjoyed, almost bursting into tears.

"Kondo has his reasons. How can a man make his wife suffer? Ha~"

Miura took a long sip of beer, looked around the room, and sighed deeply.

Everyone wants to be like Hanzawa Naoki, who has ideals, ambitions, and unwavering beliefs, but when faced with all aspects of life, they are always bent over and become like Kondo Naosuke.

……

At first, Hanzawa Naoki couldn't understand why he had misjudged the friendship he had built up over the years, which led to his downfall.

Finally, he understood that this was what banks were like. They were always talking about money and people. Employees could be transferred out or stranded on a desert island for the slightest mistake.