"Are you even 'The Lady in Blood' Yuki, and Nickson, the contemporary romance mangaka?" Our professor, Benjamin Tsai, scowls while waving at the sheets of paper and the illustrations in his hands. It is the product of both Nickson and I have submitted from the mini-contest from before.
We are staring at the table for already half an hour since this professor has asked us to meet him inside the club room the next day after our field trip.
I will cut our long story short.
We concluded the journey and went in our separate ways, returning home without a scratch. The officers were leaders of the school, so we guided the students back home. But our jobs did not finish for that day.
All nine officers made a report during the night about the event that happened that day. We needed to ensure the parents of these kids had an educational experience and appreciated more about the country of Japan, since most of us are international students.
When the morning came, a familiar professor summoned the two of us inside our organisation.
That reason behind the announcement is why we are here right now.
"We know what we are doing," I pronounce while sipping out the cup of coffee that I have bought in the store.
"It is like what the girl has said." Nickson, for the first time in my lifetime, defends my claim and is on my side. "We are popular authors and artists for a reason."
If our statement gets out from the public, we will lose our fame and our jobs. But we have a backup plan for that turmoil.
We are members of this damn club, so whatever we say here should be private meetings of the organisation. If we see something fishy going on and leaks out in the mass, we will blame sir Benjamin for our losses.
"I have told you this before!" Our club adviser slams our works on the board as he exclaims the reason behind his actions. "All of your work makes little sense!"
"If we put it online, people will love it." I retort, knowing that we have the upper hand in the conversation.
I do not care if my words mean arrogance to his mind, but I have read many books and lessons to support my claim. There are also drawing sites on Nickson's profile account, and it seems legit, judging by the works he has done throughout the years.
Upon considering our experiences of climbing up the ladder of fame, we mark our projects as a masterpiece worth seeing for the entire world. Nothing could prove us incorrect since most of the fans that we know say so themselves.
Those million views and supporters in the open still claim that my stories are one of the best.
"If you still feel vexed about it, why not look at our current works?" I suggest to the man in front of me. As I hear his comments, I open my phone to send the chapters to the professor.
Nickson does the same thing as he brings out his graphic tablet, swipes the applications, and reveals the sakura-filled scenery.
These arts we have produced through our experience from the field trip are the fruits of our observations and study. We want to know more about the Japanese culture and use that information in our drafts.
Japan has a unique sense of designs that makes it worth remembering for the audience.
There are hundreds of studios making this animation. These companies focus on the three-dimensional and two-dimensional cartoons that everyone sees on the screens.
The country also presents endless light novel books and stories from the comics. Their illustrated comic book has black and white ink-style of Japan called "Manga". Some of these works have anime adaptations, so they are famous worldwide. It is a style of Japanese film and television animation. These projects are aiming for the entertainment of adults and children (According to the Oxford dictionary).
"These works are remarkable as ever, and I respect your styles." Sir Benjamin sips out the cup of coffee from the board before continuing his sentence.
"But that has nothing to do with your choice of plots for various genres." The professor adds.
Benjamin's speech has some valid points that I consider an improvement for my future drafts and whatnot. However, I agree to disagree with his statement. I plan on denying everything he will say!
"How can you prove the weight of your words, professor?" Nickson looks like he has had enough with the conversation and wants to end it here and there.
But little does he know that our school teacher has prepared a comeback to his question.
"Do you ever think about your work being dull and having lesser impact compared to the other contemporary romance genre, Nickson?" Benjamin gazes at Nickson's eyes as he waits for his reply.
The mangaka stutters at first, but eventually musters up his courage and speaks. "I know what I am doing."
Nick repeats the claim I have said not too long ago, refusing to believe his advice as a professor.
I recall the plot of his notable work about a girl falling in love with a guy, your typical story. The settings and the outlines of characters have masterful details as ever.
I cannot figure out the missing puzzle piece missing in the work that I cannot pinpoint to him.
I do not have the eye of an artist. Since I am an author, there is little that I can do to check his projects. The only mistakes I have noticed in Nickson's manga are the forced dialogues of each of the people in the story. They feel more two-dimensional rather than human beings.
It is as if I am reading a story and do not care about the characters and what they do since it is difficult for me to relate with them.
Nickson could not give a riposte, considering what he has heard from the man in charge with the club and tell such criticism without warning. The mangaka knows to himself that those absent features shape the in-demand mangas in Japan.
Our adviser has yet to finish his sermon as he glances his eyes back at me with a stony stare.
"You have a knack for writing stories, and your gore and gruesome imagery of a dead person really glue inside the mind." Among the things he has said, Benjamin tosses me a compliment.
However, our professor adds a description to his statement and says something that surprises me. "But you are limiting yourself from that genre alone! Can you explore more worlds besides the ones you are most comfortable with, Yuki?"
The cat grabs my tongue and hinders me from speaking anything about what sir Benjamin has mentioned to the two of us. Like a statue frozen for eternity, I turn blank, unable to retort anything.
I gather my courage and say, "I can write something in a different genre!"
I know I am a terrible liar, and it has proven me correct as I announce my statement. Sir Benjamin sees right through my transparent expressions and shakes his head.
"I know you tried your best to write such a piece, but I cannot feel any emotions out of it," Our club adviser confesses while taking off his glasses on his face.
"The two of you need to discover things apart from your daily struggles. I know you are both famous in your line of work, and I am just a mere teacher providing suggestions in improving your drafts." Our professor continues.
"Two months from now, the school will hold the annual festival before ending the first semester, your awaited summer break. During that time, the two of you will act as leading directors."
Our eyes widen upon hearing such unfathomable responsibility as leaders of a play. Although writing a story is our skill, working together with that mangaka is an astronomical disaster if you would ask me.
Before I could even voice my concerns, sir Benjamin beckons his hands and resumes the topic he has been explaining earlier.
"The principal knows your titles, the two of you." The tired adviser admits while averting his gaze.
"You what?" Nickson is the first person to react as his body leans closer towards our professor.
A sudden shiver runs through my back upon hearing such a piece of news from sir Benjamin. We are juggling our student life and our pen-name life, so we cannot risk revealing our identities to the public so soon. I have been planning to tell the entire world my name and gather a group of supporters for my latest book I have in mind soon, but not right now.
"What did he say?" I ask.
Our professor could only frown as he invites someone standing behind the door, listening to the conversation we are having right now.
"Apologies for disrupting your meeting, but if I may, I would like to include myself with the rest of you here." The principal trudges into the room. With him are my books and the (illegal of some sort) manga adaptation of my work from Nickson.