Tokyo: Earth Online Manga Artist

In her opinion, she could only truly relax once the award results were announced, or even once she received the prize money.

Only after quitting my job to become a full-time cartoonist or something like that can I consider it.

Otherwise, if you think you've already succeeded before the results are even out, and quit your job, wouldn't it be terrible if you didn't get selected in the end?

Are she and her sister going to become homeless?

This is also related to Eri Aragaki's personality; she is someone who anticipates all the bad outcomes while also leaving herself a way out.

To put it bluntly, he overthinks things and has a bit of paranoia.

By mid-May, Tokyo was already starting to feel subtly hot.

The sound of cicadas chirping outside, in particular, prompted Eri Aragaki and Ayane Takeda to keep complaining.

"These cicadas are so noisy."

"They're making my ears go deaf," said Ayane Takeda as she wiped the shelves.

Eri Aragaki said, "Just bear with it, we'll have to call for several more months."

"Huh? We have to keep calling him that for several months? Are we supposed to just put up with it, senior?"

Takeda Ayane complained.

"If you can't bear it now, won't it be even harder to bear later?"

Eri Aragaki shrugged and said.

"You're right, senior."

Ayane Takeda sighed and continued wiping the shelves.

The store manager is a kind-hearted middle-aged man who is married and has two children.

He also shares the surname Tanaka, which is one of the most common surnames in Japan, just like the surnames Wang and Chen in the People's Republic of China.

He was in his fifties and didn't talk much, but he was very kind to his employees.

He took great care of the two girls, Eri Aragaki and Ayane Takeda.

"Please feel free to eat the popsicles in the store if you're thirsty, don't be shy."

Hearing Ayane Takeda and Eri Aragaki's complaints, the shop manager took two popsicles out of the refrigerator, handed them to Eri Aragaki and Ayane Takeda, and said with a smile.

Ayane Takeda quickly said, "Thank you, manager."

Eri Aragaki also said, "Thank you, Tanaka-san."

The store manager waved his hand and said, "It's alright, it's alright. It's hot, something cold will make you feel better."

Eri Aragaki tore open the popsicle wrapper and took a bite.

The popsicle was soda flavored, cool and refreshing, which was really nice.

Ayane Takeda also ate her popsicle in small bites, her eyes narrowed into slits.

There were no customers in the shop at the moment, and the three of them were each doing their own thing.

Eri Aragaki tidied up the checkout counter and checked the goods on the shelves.

After wiping down the shelves, Ayane Takeda started putting discount tags on the bento boxes that were about to expire.

The store manager was checking the goods in the warehouse at the back door.

About twenty minutes later, a delivery van pulled up in front of the convenience store.

The convenience store has received another shipment.

The store manager came out of the warehouse and went to the door to sign for the package.

The delivery driver handed over a form, which the store manager signed.

Then the store manager turned to Eri Aragaki and Ayane Takeda in the store and called out, "Eri, Ayane, come out and help out."

Eri Aragaki replied, "Okay, I'll be right there."

She put down the rag in her hand and prepared to take Ayane Takeda out to help.

"Ta-da~ Ta-da~"

Just as Eri Aragaki was about to take Ayane Takeda out to help, her cell phone rang.

Eri Aragaki paused for a moment, then walked to the cashier and picked up her phone.

She glanced at the caller ID; it was a number she didn't recognize.

She hesitated for a moment, but still pressed the answer button.

Then she said to the store manager, "Manager, wait a minute, I have a phone call."

The store manager had already brought in a box of goods.

He saw Eri Aragaki on the phone and immediately said, "It's okay, Eri, you can answer the phone first."

He put the box on the ground and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Then he turned around and went out to move the next box of goods.

Ayane Takeda glanced at Eri Aragaki and went out to help move the goods.

Eri Aragaki held the phone to her ear and said, "Hello, who is this?"

A man's voice came from the other end of the phone, "Hello, is this Teacher who doesn't eat pears?"

When Eri Aragaki heard this address, her heart suddenly started racing.

She took a deep breath, trying to make her voice sound as steady as possible, "Yes, I just don't eat pears. You can just call me Aragaki. May I ask who you are?"

Masaya Sakurai on the other end of the phone immediately said, "I am Masaya Sakurai from the editorial department of Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump. Congratulations! Your submission, Attack on Titan, has been shortlisted for the 73rd Tezuka Award."

When Eri Aragaki heard this, she was completely stunned.

She opened her mouth as if to say something, but found her voice trembling slightly.

She took a deep breath and said, "Are you serious? I really won an award? I was selected?"

"Yes, we really won an award."

Masaya Sakurai said with a smile, "Being selected is the highest award of the Tezuka Award, congratulations."

Eri Aragaki felt her eyes getting hot.

She waited so long, and finally got this result.

"Thank you, thank you so much."

She quickly said, "I've been waiting for the results, and they've finally arrived."

"Congratulations, Teacher Who Doesn't Eat Pears."

Sakurai Masaya, in a businesslike manner, said, "The prize money for being selected is two million yen. The winning work will be published in a special issue of Weekly Shonen Jump. In addition, according to the rules of the Tezuka Award, the author of the selected work will be eligible to have his manga serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump. We need to discuss the subsequent contract matters with you in detail."

"Okay, okay."

Eri Aragaki asked, "Then what do I need to do?"

"We will send you the official award notification and contract. After you receive them, please take a look. If there are no problems, please sign them and send them back."

Masaya Sakurai said, "Also, there's something I need to tell you."

Eri Aragaki immediately asked curiously, "What is it?"

"The Tezuka Award has a relatively formal award ceremony, which will be held in the auditorium of Shueisha."

Masaya Sakurai said, "The award ceremony will be attended by the media and will even be broadcast on the news on TV, so you, teacher, have to come to the Tezuka Award ceremony in person."

Upon hearing this, Eri Aragaki frowned.

"Oh no..."

She hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Can I not participate?"

She's not socially anxious... well, she is a little socially anxious.

But what she was mainly afraid of was... you know, she copied Attack on Titan!

This is a crazy, grotesque act of throwing knives at people. If her fans find out what she looks like, will she ever be able to leave the house again?!

Masaya Sakurai said regretfully, "No, the Tezuka Award ceremony is a tradition, and in principle, all winners must attend, but..."

He could understand that cartoonists are more or less introverted and withdrawn, and don't like being in the spotlight.

This can be seen from the fact that many well-known cartoonists in the industry do not show up.

He thought Eri Aragaki was also an introverted manga artist.

"However, we can avoid revealing your true face at the Tezuka Prize."

So he said, "You can wear a mascot headgear that we provide when you appear, so the TV station won't be filming your face."

Hearing this, Eri Aragaki breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's good, then I'll participate."

She quickly replied, "Wearing a hood is fine."

"Then it's settled."

Masaya Sakurai said, "The awards ceremony will be held around the beginning of next month, but we will announce the exact date later."

Eri Aragaki said, "Okay."

She thought for a moment, then asked a question that concerned her, "Mr. Sakurai, I'd like to ask when the bonus will be credited to your account?"

Sakurai Masaya paused for a moment, then told him truthfully, "After the award notification and contract are sent out, you sign them and send them back. It will take us about two weeks to complete the process, and the prize money will be transferred to your designated bank account after the process is completed."

Eri Aragaki mentally calculated the time.

It will probably be late June or early July before I receive the money.

Although it will take some time, at least I'm certain I'll receive two million yen.

She felt much more at ease.

"Furthermore, we need to discuss the details of the subsequent serializations in person."

Masaya Sakurai then asked, "When would be a convenient time for you to come to Shueisha, teacher?"