After school,
As I promise, I wait for her in front of her class. People around see me strangely. And then she come out.
"Arashiyama-san! "
"I said don't come here. You can just wait at the front gate. "
Wow she so cute when angry.
"Sorry. I can't help it. Let's go. "
"Yes."
While we walk, I heard like a gossip behind my back.
"Hey why is that girl walking with that foreigner like guy. "
"Yeah she totally out of league for him. "
When I look at her, she seems like she in trouble.
"Don't worry. Don't take them so seriously. "
"Yeah you're right. "
After that,
"We're arrived. "
My house is not that big but I think it's normal for someone like me. We go inside the house.
"I'm back. "
"Welcome back. Who is this girl? Is she your girlfriend? "
"N-No she's not my girlfriend mom. She just uh my friend. I ask her to help me with my homework. "
"Oh is that so. Well have fun then. "
"Thanks for having me. "
We walk to my room and go inside.
"So this is my room. It's a bit messy but it's normal for a mangaka like me. "
"I see. "
"You can sit there. "
"Thank you. So what kind of favor do want me to do? "
I pick up all the pages that I already done.
"Here. I want you to help me make beta*. I'm sure you know how. "
*Beta: filling all designated areas of the manuscript with black ink.
"Yes sure. Oh is this a new volume for the manga? "
"Yes it is. The deadline is almost here and I just finished the drawing. If I do this alone, probably it'll be over the deadline. Thankfully I found you. "
"No need to thank me. I just do what I should do. "
"Yeah you're right. "
A few hours later,
"Oh 5 o'clock already. I think you can go now. "
"Eh? But there's still a lot of it. Are you sure? "
"Yeah. I don't want to keep you too long. We can just finish this tomorrow. I'll do some this night so we don't have much to do tomorrow. "
"I guess you're right. Alright then I'll head home now. "
"Alright. See you tomorrow. "
She bow to me.
"Alright then let's continue. Wait, I think I forgot about something. Oh right I forgot to ask her about that. "
One month ago,
I was meeting with my editor, Nakamura Shuji.
" Rizu-sensei, we need to talk about your submission. "
"Huh? Why? "
"Well you always send the manuscripts one day before the deadline. Why do you do that? "
"About that eh..... hehe. Sorry. "
"Well I don't know how your situation is but I think you need to do it a little bit faster than now. "
"Yes."
"Ok I think you need an assistant to help you with your work. "
"Hmm I think you're right. But to find it in such a short period probably a bit hard. "
"I'm not saying you need to find it quickly. Take your time. Maybe someday you'll find the right person. "
"Thanks for the advice. "
End of the flashback.
"Maybe I'll tell her tomorrow. "
The next day,
"Ahh I'm late again!! "
I do the beta until midnight so I got less sleep.
"I'm going now. "
I run to school.
"'pant' I made it. "
I made in time to get to class.
Meanwhile, in class C,
"Hey Kyoko, I want to ask something. " ask Kyoko's friend, Kobayashi Narumi.
"Something? "
"Well uh it's about yesterday. "
"Oh."
"Tell me who's that guy? Is he your boyfriend?"
"N-No he's not my boyfriend. We're just friend."
"Ehh is that so? Well it's still kinda suspicious. What are you two doing yesterday? "
"Well uh..... "
"See you can't answer it. I know it's suspicious. Hey are you gonna meet him again? "
"I guess so. Why? "
"Good. I'm gonna follow you today. "
"Ehh!? Why? "
"I want to know what you're up to. "
"Ehh? "
After school,
As her request, I wait her at the front gate. A few minutes later, I see her walk with another girl. A friend maybe?
"Hi Arashiyama-san. "
"Hello."
"Is she your friend? "
"Yes. Her name is Kobayashi Narumi. "
"I'm Kobayashi Narumi. Nice to meet you uh what's your name? "
"Oh right I never introduced myself yet. My name is Rizky. I'm from class 2-B."
"I see. "
"Anyway let's go. "
"Yes." say both of them.
And then,
"I'm home. "
"Welcome back. Oh another girlfriend? "
"No she's not. She is Arashiyama-san's friend."
"I'm Kobayashi Narumi. Nice to meet you. "
"Nice to meet you too. Well you guys have fun then. "
"Thanks for having us. "
And then we go to my room.
"Your room is kinda messy. "
"It is. There's nothing I can do about it. Anyway you can sit there. "
"Thanks. By the way, what are you guys doing yesterday? "
"Oh so you came here because you curious what we're doing yesterday. "
"Well yeah. "
I go to my shelf and take one of my work and give it to her.
"What is this? A manga? "
"Yes. Now you read the author's name. "
"The author? Oh here. Rizu Kirishi. Wait Rizu Kirishi? Rizuki rishi. Wait so are you the one that made it? "
"Yes I am. I'm Rizu Kirishi. "
"I see. So yesterday, she just helped you with some of your work. "
"Yes. Oh before I forgot, Arashiyama-san, there's something I have to tell you. "
"What is it? " ask Kyoko.
"Actually the reason why I ask you to help me because I want an assistant to help me with all my work. And I see you might be perfect for the job. "
"Eh are you sure you want me to be your assistant? "
"Yes. "
"If you ok with me being your assistant, then I'm willing to do it. "
"Good. Now I have nothing to worry about. "
"Hey Rizky-san. "
"What is it, Kobayashi-san? "
"Uhm is it possible for me to be your assistant also? "
"Huh are you sure? "
"Yes I want to help you too. "
"I see. Then from now on, you two are my assistants. "
"Yes, we'll do our best. "
"Alright all done, now let's do the work. "
I take all the undone pages.
"Here, I do a bit yesterday so there's like 30 pages left. So 10 pages per person. "
"Alright. " say both of them.
"Oh Kobayashi-san, do you know how to do the beta? "
"Beta? "
"Oh it seems like you don't. Arashiyama-san, show her how. "
"Sure. "
Kyoko show her how to do the beta.
"Ah I see. It's look easy but it's not. Alright I'll do my best. "
*Good. Now let's start working. "
One hour later,
"Ah finally I'm finish it. " say Narumi
"Thanks for the hard work. "
"As I was expecting, it really hard. "
"I know right. So what are we doing now, Rizu-sensei? "
"D-Don't call me by that name. Anyway I'm gonna call my editor and tell him to pick up the manuscript. "
"Alright."
I dialed my editor number and call him.
"Ah hello, Shuji-san. "
"Ah Rizu-sensei. Why do you call? "
"I want to tell you that the latest volume is done so can you pick it up at my house? "
"Yeah sure. I'll be there in like 15 minutes. "
"Alright. "
"Ok he'll be here in 15 minutes. "
"Alright. So I guess we'll leave now. "
"Wait! I want you guys to meet him so can you stay until he arrived? "
"Alright sure. "
"Thanks."
We wait for Shuji until he arrived. And then,
*Ding dong *
"Yes. " my mom go get the door.
"Yes? Oh Shuji-san. Are you here to meet Rizky? "
"Yes. "
"Alright he's upstairs. "
"Thank you ma'am. "
He go to my room.
"'knock knock' Rizu-sensei I'm coming in. "
He opens the door and see me with two girls.
"Oh your girlfriends? "
"N-No they're not. Plus who has two girlfriends at the same time. "
"I'm joking ok. "
"Fine. Anyway, they're my new assistants, Arashiyama-san and Kobayashi-san. "
"Nice to meet you. " say both of them.
"And this is my editor, Shuji-san. He's a cool guy but sometimes he can be very strict. "
"Hey I'm not that strict. It just you always make problem. "
"Hehe. I'm sorry for that. By the way, here the manuscript. "
"Thanks. If you always pass up your manuscripts early, then you do my work easier. "
"Yeah. "
"Ok I'm gonna get going now. See you later. "
"See you later. "
"So we'll get going also. So see you at school."
"Yeah see you. "
Both of them left the room.
"Ah i can't believe that I make not one but two cute assistants. I guess my work now is more fun then before. "