Tokyo: Earth Online Manga Artist

After all, this place is full of hot girls and beautiful young women.

When Eri Aragaki entered the building, she felt a little intimidated by the gyaru-style window displays.

Bright pink slip dresses, leopard print short jackets, sequined mini skirts, and all sorts of backless, midriff-baring, and off-the-shoulder designs...

The mere thought of wearing those clothes made her feel incredibly uncomfortable...

So when she was browsing in the store, she picked out clothes that were more neutral in style.

A black, loose-fitting short-sleeved shirt with a small stand-up collar and two flap pockets on the chest.

Add a pair of dark gray straight-leg casual pants, with the cuffs slightly tapered.

There was also a military green, thin workwear jacket, which was oversized and dropped very low at the shoulders.

She took these items into the changing room.

The changing room wasn't big; it had mirrors on three sides and a warm yellow spotlight on the ceiling.

Eri Aragaki took off her black T-shirt and loose high-waisted pants and changed into the clothes she had chosen.

Wearing a black short-sleeved shirt, because of its loose fit, the shoulders fall just where they should, so it doesn't look too sloppy.

The dark gray straight-leg pants are just the right length, reaching the ankles, and the tapered leg makes the ankles look very slender.

She put her military green work jacket over her clothes and looked at herself in the mirror.

It works!

Anyway, she was quite satisfied.

She pushed open the door to the changing room and went out.

Natsume Akane, Erina, and Takeda Ayane were standing outside picking out clothes when they heard the door open and turned around at the same time.

Then all three of them suddenly brightened up.

Eri Aragaki's tall figure paired with this outfit gives her a surprisingly cool and stylish look.

The black short-sleeved shirt accentuated her fair skin, while the dark gray straight-leg pants elongated her legs, and the military green workwear jacket added a sense of layering.

Combined with Eri Aragaki's slightly masculine aura emanating from within, the way she stood there made her look less like a customer shopping and more like someone who had stepped out of a fashion brand's magazine.

With such a face, figure, and temperament, she might not necessarily attract men, but she would definitely attract many women!

In other words, he was... a lesbian heartthrob!

"Nai-san, this outfit looks great!"

Erina Aragaki was the first to speak, her eyes shining as if she had discovered a new continent.

Ayane Takeda nodded in agreement and said, "Senpai, this outfit really suits you, it looks so good on you."

Natsume Akane didn't speak. Her gaze lingered on Aragaki Eri for a while, the corners of her mouth curved slightly, and then she nodded. "Yes, it suits you very well, Aragaki-san."

Eri Aragaki turned around in front of the mirror, looked at the back view from the side, and then looked at the overall proportions from the front.

It's actually not bad, much better than the clothes she usually just grabs and throws on.

Moreover, this outfit is very comfortable to wear, and you don't feel restricted at all.

"Okay, then I'll buy this set."

After she finished speaking, she went back into the changing room.

She took off her work jacket and hung it on a hook, then folded her black short-sleeved shirt and placed it on the shelf next to her.

She was about to take off her dark gray trousers, change back into her original clothes, and then go to the counter to pay.

But just then...

"Senior, where are you?"

Ayane Takeda's voice rang out from outside the changing room.

Eri Aragaki paused in her work, thinking something might be happening outside, and replied, "I'm here."

Following the sound, Ayane Takeda found the changing room where Eri Aragaki was.

Before Eri Aragaki could react, the locker door to the changing room, which wasn't even locked, was opened.

Ayane Takeda walked in carrying a set of clothes she had her eye on: a white lace-trimmed blouse and a denim mini-skirt.

"Senior, all the other changing rooms are full, so I'll come in here to try on some clothes."

The changing room was small to begin with; it was spacious enough for one person, but a bit cramped for two.

Ayane Takeda squeezed in sideways, closed the door, and then hung the clothes she was carrying on another hook.

"Wait……"

Eri Aragaki wanted to stop it quickly.

But Ayane Takeda didn't even wait for Eri Aragaki to come out of the changing room.

She simply took off her clothes from the bottom up, her movements very natural, without any regard for Eri Aragaki.

After all... they're all girls...

But then... Eri Aragaki froze on the spot.

Ayane Takeda picked up the white lace-trimmed shirt again, put it on, buttoned it up, and then picked up the denim mini skirt and put it on as well.

She turned around in front of the mirror, checking the effect from the front and side, then turned to look at Eri Aragaki.

"Senior, what do you think of my outfit?"

And now she's finally discovered...

A bright red line appeared on Eri Aragaki's pale face.

Takeda Ayane was immediately alarmed and rushed forward, asking, "Senpai, what's wrong? Why are you bleeding from your nose?"

Eri Aragaki finally came to her senses.

She felt something wet on her upper lip, and when she touched it, her fingertips were covered in red.

She looked down at her fingers, then at her face in the mirror, blood streaming from her nose, and froze.

She quickly raised her head.

One hand groped haphazardly on the shelf next to him, trying to find tissues.

Ayane Takeda had already rummaged through her small cloth bag and pulled out a pack of tissues, handing one to her.

Eri Aragaki took the tissue, pressed it to her nose, and felt that the tissue quickly became soaked.

"No...it's nothing."

She quickly explained, "It's probably because I've been staying up too late lately..."

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Thriving

July passed in the blink of an eye.

Even in August, it would appear and disappear in an instant.

Before we knew it, most of the summer vacation had already slipped away.

The cicadas continued to chirp from morning till night, and the sweltering heat made one wish they could unleash their reverse-pulling energy.

Nobody wants to be out and about at this time, especially students. They'd much rather stay home with fans or air conditioning on and enjoy cold drinks.

Fujimoto Itsuki, as usual, came to the convenience store that day.

"Whoo~"

He pushed open the glass door, and a blast of cold air hit him, completely separating him from the sweltering world outside.

He walked straight to the magazine shelf, picked up the latest issue of Weekly Shonen Jump, and then went to the snack section to get a bag of potato chips and a large bottle of cola, which he then placed on the checkout counter.

The cashier was a middle-aged woman wearing glasses. After scanning the code, she glanced at the screen and said, "That'll be nine hundred and eighty in total."

Fujimoto took out a thousand-dollar bill from his pocket and handed it over.

The cashier took the money, gave him two ten-yuan coins as change, and then put the magazines and snacks into a bag. "Thank you for your patronage."

"Thank you."

Fujimoto took the bag and change, gave a casual reply, turned around, and pushed open the door to leave.

The heatwave immediately enveloped him again.

He squinted, stuffed the change into his pocket, and walked home with the bag in his hand.

During this time, he acquired another favorite comic.

It's that new serialization, Attack on Titan.

He had almost made it a habit to read the latest installment of "Claymore" after buying a magazine, and then immediately flip to "Attack on Titan".

Sometimes he would wonder if he should save Attack on Titan for last and savor it slowly, but his hands would always skip his thoughts and he would automatically turn the page after finishing Claymore.

"Anyway, this week will probably be just more of the same old memories."

He muttered complaints as he climbed the stairs.

After returning home, Fujimoto put the cola in the refrigerator to chill, opened the potato chips and poured them into a bowl, then took a magazine and sat down at his desk.

He first flipped to the "Claymore" section and read through the entire week's serialization.

The standoff between Gunia and Priscilla continues.

Priscilla's awakened form almost filled the entire page, and the oppressive feeling pressed down directly through the paper.

Gunia's high-speed sword exploded on the next page, the sword light filling the entire double-page spread.

Fujimoto stared at the double-page spread for a long time, muttering to himself.

"Priscilla's recovery ability is just too outrageous."

He turned another page, and Gunia was sent flying, crashing into the rocks behind her.