Tokyo 1970: I'll draw Doraemon?

One is the joy of being recognized, and the other is the joy of having a high-quality assistant.

……

One assistant is certainly not enough.

Fushimikawa went to see Ryo again, but unexpectedly ran into a wall with him.

"I'm sorry, Fushimi-kun," Ryo said, scratching the back of his head and laughing happily. "Yesterday at the CM convention, Horii, the editor from Tomigen Publishing, said that my doujinshi was very interesting and made some arrangements for me, so I didn't have time."

Fugeon Publishing House was a name Fushimikawa had never even heard of.

It's probably a niche comic magazine publisher with a circulation of less than 3.

There are many such publishing houses in Tokyo, providing fertile ground for manga artists whose livelihoods are precarious.

"Alright then, congratulations." Although Fushimikawa wasn't too optimistic about Ryo's choice, he didn't say much since they weren't close friends.

"I will catch up with you, Fushimi-kun."

Liang smiled, but his tone was firm.

"It will most likely be very difficult."

……

Because he spends all his time drawing manga, Fushimikawa doesn't know many people in Tokyo.

That leaves only Fujiko Fujio Studio and Waseda Manga Club.

Fujiko's side is also short-staffed. The manga club has been completely drained by him, and Fushimikawa is somewhat troubled by the shortage of assistants.

"Let's contact Editor Fukuda. Shogakukan should have a pool of assistants."

However, this means that one cannot choose a suitable helper.

Fushimikawa doesn't want people who are complacent and lack ambition.

"what happened?"

A soft female voice sounded from the side.

Fushimi turned his head and saw that it was Fujiwara Maki.

Are you done with your work?

“Yes,” Fujiwara Maki nodded, “I’ve received all the joy the club members are sharing, except for you, Fushimi-kun. Not only are you unhappy, but you’re frowning. Is something bothering you?”

Fushimikawa blurted out his troubles.

It's a very strange feeling; from childhood to adulthood, he has always been the one taking responsibility.

Whether it's family or friends, you can only rely on yourself.

He never considered using other people's strength to solve the problem.

But when facing Maki Fujiwara, he couldn't help but feel a sense of vulnerability.

I hope she can help me.

"Is that all?" Fujiwara Maki's lips curled up, and smugness radiated from her.

Fushimikawa remained silent: "You seem to be gloating a little."

“That’s not how it is,” Fujiwara Maki said, covering her mouth with one hand to hide her smiling face and waving the other hand around. Her tone was light and cheerful. “Fushimi-kun is amazing. In my mind, he’s someone who can solve any problem. But now he’s troubled by a small problem, which makes him seem a little… cute.”

His drawing skills are comparable to those of veteran cartoonists, and his plot ideas are ingenious; even the editors of Sunday magazine couldn't get him.

A simple suggestion to hold a CM convention solved the problem for fanfiction authors.

People like Fushimikawa are born to be envied.

“Cute…cute? No one has ever described me like that before!” Fushimikawa stammered.

'That's amazing, A-Chuan.'

'How did you come up with this method? You're a genius!'

'Your novel won another award? You're truly capable of anything.'

In Fushimikawa's memory, this was what his friends often said.

Even her best friend, Megumi Asano, looked at her with admiration, not as an equal.

Fushimikawa questioned, "Can you solve this problem?"

"Don't underestimate my network of connections!" Fujiwara Maki said confidently.

"With so many outstanding senior students in the Anime Research Club, finding a few suitable assistants is a piece of cake."

Luckily, she was wearing flared jeans today, so there was no need to worry about her showing too much skin.

"Then I'll leave it to you, President."

"No need to be so polite, I should be thanking you." Scratching her cheek, Fujiwara Maki recalled the grand occasion of yesterday's CM exhibition, and the dozen or so outstanding new manga artists who were brought in as a result, and her gratitude towards Fushimikawa grew even stronger.

"I really want to do something for you."

"Then introduce me to the best comic artists you know."

Fujiwara Maki blurted out, "The most outstanding person? That must be Hirokane Kenji, who just graduated not long ago."

……

Kenjiro Hirokane, born in 1947, graduated from the Faculty of Law at Waseda University and currently works in the Advertising and Public Relations Department of Panasonic Corporation.

He was also a senior member of the manga club.

It looks reliable, but it's actually a bit unreliable.

Fushimikawa learned this information through Fujiwara Maki.

"If I just joined a big company, would you come and draw comics with me?"

In a coffee shop, Fushimikawa rested his chin on his hand, looking rather bored, with no expectations whatsoever.

But since we've already made the appointment, let's meet up anyway.

"jingle."

The coffee shop door was pushed open, and a young man in a sharp suit with a briefcase tucked under his arm looked up, searching for someone.

"here."

Fushimikawa guessed his identity and quickly raised his hand to greet him.

The man walked over quickly, his tone hurried.

"You must be Fushimi-kun? Hello, I am Hirokane Kenshi."

"Hello, senior," Fushimikawa gestured, "Please have a seat."

After he sat down, Fushimikawa started chatting.

"I'm so sorry to bother you. I'm here from President Fujiwara's..."

“Let’s get straight to the point,” Hirokane Kenji interrupted him, speaking frankly. “I snuck out during a break and I have to work overtime later. So just say what you need to say.”

Fushimikawa closed his eyes, feeling like he'd wasted his day.

Chapter Twenty-One: Life Isn't the Same No Matter Who You Spend It With

"I've seen the works that you left in the manga club, and they're all very interesting. You can tell that you put a lot of effort into them. Hirokane-senpai must really like manga."

Fushimikawa played the emotional card.

He wasn't there to ruin anyone's future.

After all, Kenji Hirokane works for a large corporation, and as long as he coasts along, his future livelihood won't be a problem thanks to the seniority-based system.

However, Kenji Hirokane has a great talent for manga and is fully capable of making a name for himself.

If he wasn't interested in comics, he wouldn't have joined the comics club and drawn so many short stories.

Fushimikawa wanted to have a real talk with him.

Do you want a stable job, or do you want to pursue your comic book dream together?

“Manga…” Hirokane Kenji paused anxiously, “It seems like I haven’t heard that word in a long time. After graduation, nothing and everyone I’ve encountered has anything to do with manga. It’s like crawling from the ocean onto the land. Let me think about it.”

He placed his briefcase on the edge of the table leg and began to ponder.

Fushimikawa called over a waiter and bought himself and another cup of dark roast coffee.

This is currently the most popular coffee among urban white-collar workers, as it can boost their energy and make it easier to work overtime.

Fushimikawa often drinks alcohol while staying up late to draw comics, and he doesn't seem to mind it.

As the coffee was served, Kenji Hirokane continued to ponder.

Fushimikawa was somewhat surprised; wasn't he in a hurry?

At this point, I became calm and composed.

He was instantly defeated before he could even say anything, having only briefly mentioned comics.

“Because I really like Osamu Tezuka’s manga, I’ve been trying to draw manga since I was a child,” Hirokane Kenji suddenly said after a long while, reminiscing about the past. “Because my studies were very easy, I easily got into the law department of Waseda University, so I’ve continued to draw manga.”

"Drawing comics is really fun. You can create your own worlds with boundless imagination and fill them with your understanding of reality. Compared to a boring, assembly-line job, it's like being in heaven."

"I still occasionally reminisce about my days in the manga club, when we all pursued our dreams together, and every day was fulfilling and joyful."

"You mean that capable young lady Fujiwara recommended you, right?"

Fushimikawa wanted to nod, but Hirokane Kenshi continued talking to himself.

"She suddenly contacted me a few days ago, wanting to consult on some legal issues. That's when I found out she took over as president of the Comic Club and organized such a big event as the CM exhibition. I really envy you guys, having so much fun."

When he talks about comics, he's full of joy, fun, and fulfillment, and he can't suppress the smile on his face.

Fushimikawa glanced at his watch and reminded him, "It's been 15 minutes since you arrived here."

Hirokane Kenji waved his hand dismissively: "It doesn't matter. I've already decided to resign, so why should I worry about working overtime!"

"???"

Fushimikawa was full of doubts. He was taken down so easily?