Tokyo: Earth Online Manga Artist

Ayano Kawakami replied with a smile, "No trouble at all, because there are also some personal reasons."

She took something out of the paper bag at her feet and placed it on the coffee table.

That was a brand new Attack on Titan Volume 1 standalone edition.

The plastic wrap on the single volume has been removed, but the cover is well protected, without even a crease.

"Didn't I tell you before? I heard you're a cartoonist, and I've seen your comics, they're really good!!"

Ayano Kawakami pushed the manga forward, looked into Eri Aragaki's eyes, and said, "I'm not just talking about Attack on Titan, but also... Wu Song. I really like your work. Could you sign it for me?"

Eri Aragaki blinked and then said, "Ah, an autograph? Okay."

Meanwhile, Erina, Ayane Takeda, and Akane Natsume, who had been watching the situation closely, suddenly realized what was going on.

Both Erina and Ayane Takeda were happy for Eri Aragaki.

Only... Natsume Akane, leaning against the sofa armrest, holding a water glass in her hand, lingered on Kawa Ayano for a long while.

As Natsume Akane looked at her, she felt a sense of alienation, as if another creature of her kind had suddenly appeared in some territory.

Eri Aragaki then took the new first volume of "Attack on Titan" from Ayano Kawakami and began signing it.

She was neither completely unfamiliar with this person nor particularly familiar with them. Before this, Masaya Sakurai had asked her to design a fixed signature for the Attack on Titan series, and she had signed her name several times in the author's section, the opening color page, and the preview for the next issue of the magazine.

However, this is the first time he has signed a fan's copy of a manga.

She turned to the title page, picked up the pen she usually used to jot down storyboard inspirations from the coffee table, paused the pen tip on the paper, and then quickly wrote the pen name "Don't Eat Pears" on the Attack on Titan manga.

"Could you draw a portrait of Mikasa for me in this blank space on the first page?"

Ayano Kawa watched from the side, "I really like Mikasa. I've liked her since her first appearance."

"can."

Eri Aragaki didn't see anything wrong with it, changed the angle of her pen, and quickly made a few strokes above the signature.

She drew Mikasa in profile, wearing her signature scarf, her hair blowing in the wind, her eyes cold but powerful.

No need for blackening or adding halftone dots, just the simplest pencil lines, but it captures Mikasa's cool yet gentle temperament.

After finishing the drawing, she closed the volume and handed it back to Ayano Kawakami.

Seeing the signature and Mikasa's portrait on it, Ayano Kawakami accepted it with satisfaction and carefully put the volume back into the paper bag.

She picked up her teacup, took another sip of barley tea, and then glanced towards the kitchen.

Are you preparing dinner?

She could already smell the delicious aromas coming from the open kitchen.

The aroma of fermented black beans and pork bones wafted from the steamer, while the sweet and spicy scent of curry chicken bubbled from the stove.

There were also chopped green peppers and beef that hadn't been cooked yet, but they were already arranged on the plate. The various aromas mixed together, making it quite tempting.

Chapter Ninety-Two Observers

"Yes, we are preparing dinner."

Eri Aragaki added, "Ayano, you probably haven't eaten yet either..."

She suddenly stopped speaking halfway through her sentence.

What is she doing? Isn't that implying that she wants us to stay for dinner? This damned subconscious politeness and courtesy.

She cursed herself in her mind, but she had already said it...

"Yes, I haven't eaten yet, but there's no need for that."

Ayano Kawakami replied, "I need to go home for dinner later. My family is waiting for me; my mother told me that before I left."

Eri Aragaki breathed a sigh of relief, and the smile on her face returned to normal. "Then I'll have to trouble you to come all this way, Ayano. Actually, you could have just sent me a message."

Not only her, but Natsume Akane, who was standing to the side, also breathed a sigh of relief.

She put the water glass back on the coffee table and leaned back into the sofa cushions. The possibility that Ayano had agreed to stay for dinner made her inexplicably tense up.

But just as they breathed a sigh of relief, Ayano Kawano said again, "However, I have a favor to ask..."

Eri Aragaki asked instinctively, "What kind of unreasonable request..."

Ayano Kawa pointed to the open door of the studio, her curiosity undisguised. "Can I go in and take a look at what I think is your art studio?"

She seemed afraid that Aragaki Eri would worry that she would cause trouble in the studio, so she quickly raised her hand and shook it, waving her palm seriously at Aragaki Eri twice, "Don't worry, I won't touch your things, I'm just going in to take a look."

I've always been curious about what famous cartoonists' studios are like; I'd only ever seen them in magazine interview photos before.

Eri Aragaki thought for a while.

The studio is currently filled with the giant artwork that hasn't been put away this week.

She wasn't worried about Ayano peeking at the plot; after all, the Attack on Titan content would be published in the magazine, and the whole world would be able to see it in a few days.

"Okay, as long as you don't mess with the drawings in my studio."

Eri Aragaki agreed.

The Giants' drafts for this week are still lying unpacked on the studio table. They usually finish them one by one and then put them into file folders. So as long as it's not animation drafts, everything is fine.

"Okay, then please lead the way for me, Eri."

Kawa Ayano tactfully let Aragaki Eri lead the way, then stood up from the sofa and followed behind.

"it is good."

Eri Aragaki pushed open the half-closed door of the studio and let Ayano Kawakami in.

Ayano Kawakami stood at the doorway and looked inside for a while, her gaze sweeping from the workbench on the left to the shelf on the right, past the concept sketches on the wall and the JUMP cover, before finally settling on the few pages of artwork spread out on the table.

Her expression was excited, like a tourist who had entered the backstage area of ​​a museum.

Then Ayano Kawakami just looked at it. She put her hands behind her back, bent over and approached the workbench, but her hands never touched anything.

However, she sometimes carefully examines the week's comic drafts on the table...

About ten minutes later, she came out and said, "Okay, thank you for your hospitality. I'm leaving now."

"Okay, Ayano, see you next time."

Eri Aragaki didn't mince words this time and spoke directly.

"Okay, see you next time."

Ayano Kawa smiled sweetly and said.

Then she walked towards the entrance.

But as she reached the entrance, she seemed to remember something and took her phone out of her coat pocket. "Oh, right, Eri, let's exchange contact information."

"Um... okay."

Eri Aragaki also took out her phone from her coat pocket. The two exchanged phone numbers and email addresses, saved them, and then exchanged a few more polite words in the entryway.

But this time it's clearly different from the last one.

Last time, Ayano Kawakami was probably only a little curious because of Eri Aragaki's identity as a manga artist.

When signing the rental agreement, I casually asked for her pen name, confirmed that she was a Tezuka Award winner, and then said, "I look forward to your serialization," and that was the end of it.

At that time, Eri Aragaki was just a newcomer manga artist. Attack on Titan had not yet started serialization, and she was not famous. She was just an ordinary passerby on the street.

So Ayano was only slightly curious, and that was the end of it. The two had almost no contact for the next six months after signing the contract.

However, while Attack on Titan isn't a huge hit, it has gained some recognition.

Ayano Nagakawa is a fan of Attack on Titan again, but this time it's different from before.

She clearly wanted to continue her close relationship with Eri Aragaki, and this visit was probably not only to deliver a message and ask for an autograph, but also to actively try to get closer to her.

"Goodbye."

Ayano Kawakami changed into her beige ankle boots, picked up the paper bag containing the autographed volumes, waved to Eri Aragaki from the entryway, nodded to Akane Natsume and Ayane Takeda in the living room, and then quietly closed the door and left.

The sound of her ankle boots clicking on the floor echoed down the hallway, growing fainter and fainter.

Eri Aragaki closed the door, turned around, and walked back to the living room.

Natsume Akane, Takeda Ayane, and Erina all looked up at her from their respective positions, their faces filled with curiosity.

Erina said, "Sis, that Miss Kawa looks so elegant and beautiful... although she's still a bit less so than you."

Ayane Takeda chimed in, "Yeah, senpai, is she one of those rich girls you see on TV?"

Natsume Akane leaned back on the sofa armrest without speaking, but her gaze was also waiting for Aragaki Eri's reply.

"Probably, after all, her father does business with the Republic, and it's international business."

Eri Aragaki also said, "She told me that her father, Nobunari Kawakami, is still in Shanghai discussing projects with partners."

"Wow??? That's amazing!"

Ayane Takeda sighed even more and said.

"Okay, now I'll go prepare the rest of the green pepper beef and bean sprouts, and we can get ready to eat."

Then Eri Aragaki stood up, clapped her hands, and said, "If the green pepper beef isn't marinated soon, the meat will dry out."

"Alright, alright! Time to eat!"

Ayane Takeda immediately shifted her attention from Ayano Kawakami to the food.

She put her apron back on and went back to the kitchen to turn on the stove.

Half an hour later, all the dishes were served on the table.

When the steamed pork bones with fermented black beans were taken out of the steamer, the bones were already tender and soft. The salty aroma of the fermented black beans had seeped into every layer of meat, and the broth in the plate was still bubbling.

The curry chicken simmered in a whole pot, the broth thick and golden in color, and when you picked up the chicken pieces with chopsticks, the curry dripped down the edges...

The four sat down around the dining table, which was laden with dishes.

Erina distributed the chopsticks to everyone. Ayane Takeda put her hands together, held up the chopsticks, and stared at the plate of steamed pork bones with fermented black beans, her eyes shining. Akane Natsume also picked up her chopsticks and straightened the bowl.