We are back in Japan, yet we are still under the influence of the vacation bug. So we called it a day, however, I have other plans and that is to start working.
"Hey, I'll be heading to the studio, I'm not asking you to come but if you get bored I'll be there." I implored.
"Sure, see you later!" Yasuyuki replied before his driver drove off.
"Kenji are you sure that you are okay? Don't overwork yourself." Hanako looks at me concerned.
"Yeah, I know…but I don't have time to rest or slack.." I replied and ride my taxi.
"Wait, Kenji I'm coming with you…" Fumi joined me inside the Taxi..
"Oy, seriously you two. Fine, we'll see if we can come!" Nagi commented covering her face with her palms as if she was annoyed.
"Sorry for the trouble, see you later." We drove off, I turn my attention to Fumi and held her hand. "Are you sure about this?"
"Yeah, I'll talk to my mom later. Ehe" Fumi grabs my arm pulling me in closer to her.
"Id-idiot, we are in a taxi." I push her on the side.
"Ehehehe, Kenji such a child." Fumi teased me then leaves me be.
I have to say something, I have to think of something quick, Why do I have to be so dense….Goddammit...I've been quiet for thirty minutes now! And Fumi is just staring outside the window….
"How long…."
"Huh?"
"How long are you willing to walk with me in this dream?"
".....I"
"....."
"I'm willing to walk with you forever…"
I never forgot that day when she told me everything…on the rooftop of that school.
*********
At the studio,
Everyone came over to help out,
"Yosh, fill in the other parts please, and check for mistakes." I handed Kozue the first part
"Sure thing,..Yasuyuki I need a new bottle of ink please." Kozue grabbed the first part..
"What do you think of this background does it fit?" Fumi already started finalizing the background.
"Nagi, Nami, please work on the side characters already, while waiting….it is numbered so you don't have to worry about losing track." I divided the tasks into two of them.
Hanako checked on each of us, "Yeah, this background is good. Shall I start inking this one now?" She asked for my confirmation.
"Yeah, please do," I replied but my attention was on my work.
"Oh crap! I forgot the deadline for this is due next week!" Yasuyuki after realizing he mixed the schedule…
I took a brief pause and said, "Don't falter about it, we can finish this within three days."
"Yeah, if we keep up with our current phase we can do it. No time to be worried or panic." Hanako agreed to me.
"Very well, let's put our every second into this!" Nami started upping her phase.
"Right. Let's us focus on work and it will be the best for us." Fumi is focused on her background.
Everyone is focused on each of their assigned tasks.
Then the doorbell rang,
"Did someone order a pizza?" Yasuyuki looked at us…
"Not that I know of, must be the newspaperman," I replied.
"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONIIIIIIIIII-CHAAAAAAAAAN" Kanna outside the door.
"What does she want? Can you get the door for me please, thank you."
Kozue opened the door, a familiar voice can be heard with Kanna.
"Oh, you guys are here."
"Mr. Nozumi! What brings you here, Come in!"
Mr. Nozumi greeted us, "How are you doing, everyone? I've heard you just arrived from your vacation."
"Yeah, we're good, thank you, what brings you here?" I stopped working,
"Wait, don't stop, continue doing what you are doing, you guys, I came here to announce Mr. Kiichi is back and he will be your editor again."
We were surprised and happy to know that Mr. Kiichi is back on track.
"But, the deadline will be next week, and we will need to change plans again?" I asked
"No, you don't have to because those plans I gave to you are from him directly." Mr. Nozumi smiled.
"You mean, all your opinions are from his?" Yasu turned his attention to Mr. Nozumi,
"Yes, well we all believe in your abilities and talent...and Mr. Kiichi is the best editor for you because he completely understands you."
Now that we knew it was Mr. Kiichi's plan after all and he is again our editor then we can now give it all our best to the manga.
"That's really a piece of great news! It's a surprise too."
Nami is excited to meet Mr. Kiichi again.
"Hahaha, it's just part of the procedures of handing over, but since I'm not your official editor, I'm just his messenger that's all." Mr. Nozumi then looked around the studio. "So how's the final draft going?"
"About that, we are making it now, we can finish within three days but we are upping our speed to finish it ahead of time," I replied maintaining my focus on my work.
"Just email it to Mr. Kiichi once you are done, I shall go now since my job here is also finished."
"Thank you Mr. Nozumi."
"Oh, I have almost forgotten to tell you, do you guys want to join the manga competition for all authors?"
"Manga competition for all authors?" Fumi is confused.
"Yeah, JADE is hosting a special event for Valentine's day, for all authors serialized in JADE."
"Hmm, we'll think about it, thanks for telling us," I replied.
"Okay then, excuse me." Mr. Nozumi went his way back to the office.
We went back to our tasks and finish the first ten pages,
"Let's take a break, we have all day." I stretched my back.
"Onii-chan, I already made some tea and some sandwich."
"Oh, thank you, Kanna!" Fumi hugged her.
"Sandwich isn't enough, I'm so hungry!" Nagi is rolling over the floor.
"I know you'd said, Nagi-nee so I bought some ready to eat curry rice!" Kanna surprised us again.
"Whoooooooa, such a good girl...You're spoiling me too much!"
As Nagi jumped over to Kanna, Kanna side step throwing Nagi face-first on the floor.
Everyone laugh…
"You're so mean to me! Kanna-chan!" Nagi cries rolling on the floor in pain.
"I have instructed her to evade you at all times. Ha!" I commented proudly.
Kanna comes over and gives Nagi a head pat, "Yosh, Yosh, pain, pain, go away."
After a one hour break,
"We promised to finish this ahead of time, right?" I started working again.
Everyone looked at me and smiled,
"I guess you're right." Yasuyuki took a long stretch and started helping out with the inking.
"Oh, I'm playing to do an all-nighter for the next day, I'm not saying you should, and it is up to you if you want to join me."
"What, just don't really overwork yourself, and class is coming back up, so we need to prepare." Kozue reminded me.
"Yeah, Yeah, I know so let's do our best to finish it and prevent me from doing an all-nighter." I smiled and hope they got my point.
"Leave it to us, Kenji!" Fumi got it.
"Then I���ll help you out on the draw of the main characters, I'll make sure to match my artwork to yours." Hanako started picking up pens
"Well, I guess you can leave the inking to Yasuyuki."
So we used all our time, finishing the remaining pages and double-check our work page by page to see if there is anything that was missed. And then call it a day….
"I'm happy we finished all of chapter one, I hope we can finish chapter two and chapter three tomorrow." I arranged my stuff while talking to Yasu
"Yeah, I hope so." Yasu organized our files that were scattered on the table.
"Good work for today, everyone!"
"Yeah!"