The next day, the new edition of Weekly Shonen finally arrived in Yoshino.
"Oh!
Right at the entrance of the bookstore, Takumi bumped into the same girl in the hat again.
"I'm sorry!"
She barely bowed, without raising her face, and shot off as usual.
"For God's sake!" Takumi growled. It's the fourth time!
He had crossed it in almost every recent week. And each time, the pattern repeated itself: running into it was the same as running into it without a magazine.
"Excuse me," he asked the bookseller with a resigned look, "do you have any Weekly Shonen left?"
"Not one. That girl took the last one.
Takumi sighed. He had managed to buy only once—a day when it rained so much that not even the most fanatical ones went out. The other weeks, she had beaten him to it.
In order not to return empty-handed, he bought a volume of Youth Cognitive Development... although he was not enthusiastic about it. In addition to drawing, I had lately been researching his ability to "inspire." He sensed that it was key to his long-term growth.
But on the way back, he met a familiar figure coming out of a store: his former deskmate, Shinji Arai.
"Hey, you idiot! He shouted in a mocking tone.
Shinji turned, saw him... and it tightened like a spring.
"T-Takumi... What are you doing here?"
His gaze dodged, his shoulders hunched, his feet ready to turn back.
"I came to buy a book," Takumi replied, lifting the tome with an arched eyebrow. And you? You're weird.
Shinji swallowed. Ever since Takumi had been in the newspapers for coming second in the entrance exam, he felt that his old friend was no longer on his level. It hurt him to admit it, but he also feared being rejected by him.
Takumi realized it right away.
"I was going for Weekly Shonen, but they beat me. Tell me, did you buy it today?
Shinji opened his eyes, surprised.
—Do you still read manga?
"Obviously," Takumi smiled. I'm an otaku, how can I not follow him? I'm dying to read the new chapter of Detective Conan!
"You too?!" Shinji exclaimed, his pupils ablaze. This manga is amazing! I follow him too. I bought it this morning.
In that instant, all the tension he had felt dissolved like salt into water. Takumi had not abandoned him. I didn't judge him. He was still her friend, the same one with whom she shared talks about comics and novels.
"How did you do it?" Takumi asked, genuinely intrigued. I haven't found it for weeks!
"Hahaha, there's a bookstore right under my building. I'm the first one to come in every week. You should have told me before. If you want, I'll keep a copy for you next time.
"Thank you," Takumi said, relieved.
"I swear this is going to get worse. Since last night Detective Conan exploded on the internet! There is news everywhere. The author is already among the most searched online.
Shinji took out his mobile and added proudly:
—I have followed him since the first chapter. I can't believe how quickly he became famous!
Then he enthused:
"And the protagonist, Ran Mōri, is the best!" She's beautiful, strong, kind... and on top of that she's swayed by the protagonist! Much better than those silly girls who appear in post-X mangas. Although yes, the father is the worst...
Takumi listened as a cold sweat ran down the back of his neck. Was his former classmate now a fan of his work? Good thing Hinotori had hidden his identity well... If not, what face would he put on now?
"Did it really become that popular...?" He murmured as he wiped his forehead.
"Very much!" This morning it was already in tenth place in trends. All the portals mention it. I joined a group of fans and there are even celebrities commenting on it.
Takumi smiled slyly.
Perhaps it had been a good idea for his mother—Aiko—to force him to sign the confidentiality contract.
Shinji, for his part, couldn't stop. He spoke for another ten minutes straight, praising vignettes, plot twists and the quality of the drawing as if it were a master class. Takumi could barely keep up... and he was the author.
"By the way," Shinji finally said, realizing that he had gone too far. Don't classes start this week?
Takumi blinked.
That was a good question.
"Our class is going to karaoke tonight," Shinji said, a little nervously. "Do you want to come?" If you come, I'll take you the Weekly Shonen.
Takumi looked at him in surprise. Karaoke? Since when had Shinji been interested in something like that?
Then an idea crossed his mind and he smiled.
"Yuki Liu is also going?"
Shinji blushed instantly. Takumi was the only one who knew that his friend was in love with this girl with a short skirt and an easy smile.
"Well... yes," he admitted, scratching the back of his neck. But if you come, I feel more comfortable.
Shinji had a hard time integrating. Takumi understood this well. And besides, in a couple of weeks he would move to Osaka. He hadn't disconnected from manuscripts for days, and the idea of a night without pressure seemed appealing to him.
"Okay. Let's go.
That night, they both arrived at karaoke dressed in white shirts. Upon entering the reserved room, several glances were instantly turned.
Until recently, Takumi had been just another kid in the class. Now, the rumor that he had placed second in the entrance exam was spreading by word of mouth.
But teens rarely get complicated.
"Good evening!" Takumi said with a confident smile. Can we unite?
"Of course, of course! "We are all comrades, come in without any problem!"
While some more shy students just nodded, the extroverts invited them right away. Takumi and Shinji sat in the back, near the song selection machine.
A girl in a short skirt and straight hair approached them with two drinks.
"What song are you going to sing?" Choose quickly or the list is filled.
"Let me take a look first," Takumi said, flipping through the catalog before looking at his friend. What's wrong, Shinji? Don't you see that Yuki Liu is asking you?
Shinji choked on the air. He looked down and murmured:
"I'm going to check... calmly.
He was naturally reserved, but with Yuki around, he turned to stone.
Takumi turned to the girl and smiled.
"Did you hear that?" He said he just needed to see you...
Yuki blinked, stunned. Then he let out a charming chuckle.
"Takumi!" Since when did you become such a joker?
Takumi frowned. I wasn't kidding. Shinji had said it with his soul, even though his lips didn't utter it.
But seeing the astonished faces of the others, he preferred to leave it there.
"These two could get married one day... and they don't even realize it," he thought.
"I learned it recently," he said, shrugging his shoulders. It seems to work, doesn't it?
"Guan, you're really different!" Yuki said, still amused.
Before, Takumi barely looked up in class. Now it radiated another energy. Confidence. Presence.
Yuki rolled her eyes with a smile and covered her mouth so she couldn't laugh anymore.
At that moment, one of the boys in class came over and said:
"Takumi, they say the number one in the entrance exam is in the next room." Aren't you going to say hello?
Takumi raised an eyebrow.
"Number one?" Shiori Jin?
"Yes," Yuki nodded. She.
"I'll pass. "Don't you know her?"
"I've never seen it," Takumi replied, shrugging his shoulders.
He did not say it with disdain, but naturally. That girl was a completely different story. And he already had enough plot on his hands.