Full-time comic artist

……

On Friday, Hibiki Higashino had no classes and spent the whole day drawing manga.

“Because other works have seen an increase in sales,” Sasaki said, “the number of reader surveys for Dragon Ball has dropped significantly.”

Although I'm still in first place, it's not as unattainable as it used to be.

Higashino Hibiki knew exactly what was going on.

For some reason, there was a hint of guilt in Sasaki's words.

Higashino Hibiki didn't ask any further questions; he was still drawing the next part.

"The second volume of 'Hikaru no Go' is now on sale," Sasaki said, mentioning something else.

"Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Sasaki," Hibiki Higashino said in thanks.

It's wonderful to have such an editor.

It really saved him a lot of trouble.

After hanging up the phone, Hibiki Higashino drew comics for a while longer.

There was a knock on the door.

"It must be Ms. Akimiya and the others who are back," he thought.

When the door opened, a man in a suit and tie appeared, carrying a briefcase and bowing obsequiously. He seemed extremely polite.

“Hello, I’m an NHK staff member,” he said, glancing into the back room. “You have a TV here, right? I’m here to collect the signal fee.”

The other person handed over their business card while glancing around furtively.

Higashino frowned, blocking his view.

Then, taken aback, NHK?

This is Japan's CCTV, notorious for its infamous practices.

Because anyone with a television at home has to pay NHK a fee, regardless of whether they use their channels.

Seeing that Higashino Hibiki did not speak, the other party explained the fees in detail.

Those with satellite TV pay over 25,000 yen a year.

Hibiki Higashino was very unhappy. As a manga artist, he simply didn't have time to watch TV.

Moreover, this is inside Musashino Art University. Is it even allowed to charge admission here?

"Huh?" He opened his mouth and said in Chinese, "What did you say? I don't understand. I just arrived in Japan and don't know the language here yet."

The other person's confident smile vanished. He considered many possibilities, but he never expected that the other person would be a Chinese person who did not understand Japanese.

“Private Marseille, excuse me.” He bowed.

“Private Marseille, private Marseille,” Higashino Hibiki followed up.

Seeing the other person walk away unhappily, he laughed out loud.

At least I wasn't taken advantage of.

With that money, you might as well treat your assistants to a barbecue.

Seeing that there was no movement at the door, Oda moved out.

Because he's been so busy drawing comics, he's become too lazy to take care of his appearance. His hair has grown so long lately that it's practically covering his head, and he was even questioned by the police and almost mistaken for a suspect.

This made him somewhat ashamed to face people.

"Tori Akino-sensei, what's this?" Oda asked curiously.

“NHK’s toll collectors,” Hibiki Higashino replied.

“NHK!” Oda exclaimed in surprise. “Did you pay them? We don’t usually watch TV.”

He looked at Higashino Hibiki as if he were looking at leeks.

Hibiki Higashino: "No, he left after I only said two words to him."

"Ha! How is this possible!" Oda was even more shocked. "These people are even more troublesome than the Red Ribbon Army. Even I couldn't stand them and had to pay them."

"Do you have a TV where you live?" Hibiki Higashino asked.

“No,” Oda shook his head.

Why should you pay a fee if you don't have a TV?

"That's why I said they were difficult to deal with..."

Higashino Hibiki was speechless.

……

Not long after, Akimiya and the others returned, and upon learning about the NHK incident, they wore expressions of relief, as if they had finally arrived.

Higashino Hibiki told them his plan, and Yoshii breathed a sigh of relief.

"Then they probably won't come."

By 6 p.m., thanks to Higashino Hibiki's hard work throughout the day, the week's manga was finally finished.

Hibiki Higashino stood up and looked at his tired assistants.

"I'll treat..."

Before he could finish speaking, there was another knock on the door.

"It can't be NHK again, can it...?"

Fortunately, the person knocking on the door was Takashi Sasaki.

He was holding his suit jacket behind his back, looking very unhappy.

"Ms. Akimiya, Mr. Oda, and Mr. Yoshii are all here."

The way you look today doesn't seem like you're here to work.

"Mr. Sasaki," the others said reservedly.

Sasaki and Higashino talked for a while, looked at the manuscript, and instead of putting it away, they placed it on the table.

"Yes, no problem. But there's no rush, we have plenty of time. Let me treat you to dinner."

If someone invites you to dinner, of course you have to go.

Not going is not in Higashino Hibiki's style.

When Sasaki arrived, he happened to be driving a five-seater SUV, which was just the right number of people present.

"Can I go too?" Yoshii Yamahisa pointed to himself, somewhat puzzled.

“Of course, all three assistants can go together,” Sasaki said generously.

The destination was a high-end restaurant in Chiyoda Ward.

Oda looked up, his eyes shining as he gazed at the shop.

There aren't any restaurants this upscale near Musashino Art University.

As an assistant, his daily nutritional intake basically came from the dinners he had while drawing comics.

"Mr. Sasaki is really very generous," he exclaimed.

Upon entering the restaurant, you'll find sushi served directly opposite the chef.

There are salmon, bonito, tuna, caviar, and cucumber sushi, which Higashino Hibiki wouldn't eat.

You can order anytime, and the chef will prepare the food right there in front of you.

"Eat as much as you like, don't be shy," Sasaki said.

He set an example by ordering a bottle of shochu first. Finally, he looked at Higashino Hibiki and asked, "Would you like to have a drink with me?"

"Uh..." Higashino Hibiki wanted to say it was no problem, but then he felt a prickling sensation on his back.

That was Akemi Akimiya's sharp gaze.

Recalling the embarrassing situation after drinking last time, Higashino Hibiki replied, "I'm a minor, sorry."

Sasaki was taken aback, then gave a wry smile. "If you hadn't told me, I would have forgotten. You always act so mature, but you're only nineteen."

He began to drink alone.

Hibiki Higashino ordered a large belly nigiri sushi. Looking at the beautiful fish, he sighed, "It's a good thing it's not a conveyor belt sushi restaurant. Otherwise, it would be terrible if someone licked the cup or the sushi."

"Ugh!" Oda had just eagerly taken a bite of salmon sushi when he heard Higashino's words and immediately choked.

He took a big gulp of tea before it went down.

"Guest, please don't say such things." The chef looked at Higashino Hibiki with hostility.

Higashino Hibiki waved his hand, indicating that he would not say anything more.

Sasaki took a sip of his drink, but almost spat it out because of Higashino's words.

“You really are…” He shook his head, thought for a moment to organize his thoughts, “You have a very quick mind.”

Akemi Akemi poked Hibiki Higashino's waist, signaling him to be careful.

Hibiki tucked her closer and then whispered something in her ear.

"That's what you're lacking. If you drew a character like that in a comic, it would immediately stand out."

On a societal level, this will cause a huge uproar, and the work will thus gain popularity.

“I don’t want to,” Akemi Akemi whispered in her ear, “I don’t want to draw this kind of gimmick.”

"Look at it another way, this is prevention."

"No."

……

Sasaki poured himself a drink and finished a bottle of shochu, becoming somewhat tipsy.

Higashino Hibiki shook his head; it seemed this person wasn't much of a drinker.

Compared to him in the previous world, he's far inferior.