"Regarding the character design for this work," Hachiman began, "although I have some of my own ideas, it is, after all, going to be serialized in a manga magazine, so it's necessary to draw the characters more beautifully. As for their personalities, there isn't really a template. This is a mystery, and generally speaking, the characters still have to serve the plot."
After Kasumigaoka Utaha's event was over, the friends who had attended gathered for a meal as usual. After arriving at the western restaurant they often visited, Hachiman and Eriri began their initial discussions about the manga version of The Jukakukan Incident.
"No problem, Mr. Hachiman," Eriri said, seeming full of motivation. "Creating beautiful characters is what I do best. I can start drawing the preliminary character designs according to the plan you gave me as soon as I get home this afternoon."
"In addition," Hachiman continued, "the most important issue we face now is how to present the final narrative trick of The Jukakukan Incident in the form of a comic. This task will determine the ultimate success of this manga."
For a long time, narrative trickery—a special storytelling method—was widely believed to exist only through the medium of text. But in recent years, many forms other than literary works had proven through practical application that they, too, could use narrative tricks, with even film and television dramas successfully using them in their filming.
"As those examples show, although it's difficult to present narrative tricks in pictures and comics, it's not impossible," Eriri said confidently. As a painter of some fame, she had strong professional qualities in the field of traditional art, which made her different from ordinary cartoonists. "Please believe me, Mr. Hachiman. The more challenging the work, the more it stimulates my talent."
"If you can really do it, Sawamura, this manga will be your best calling card," Hachiman said, amazed at her ambitious state. "As far as I know, no one has ever successfully created a narrative trick in the field of manga before. What we're going to do is something that has never been done."
"Unprecedented...?" Eriri savored the weight of those words. What she was about to do was something that had never been accomplished by anyone in the comics industry. Just thinking about it made her tremble with excitement.
At this time, Kasumigaoka Utaha, who was listening attentively, seemed a little lonely. She had always believed from the bottom of her heart that the arrogant blonde schoolmate beside her was far more talented than she was, and today, that belief had been further strengthened.
Her junior, Eriri, had been entrusted with such an important task by writer Hachiman, which undoubtedly showed that he also recognized Eriri's strength.
What about Utaha herself? She had already achieved more than most of her peers. Her Love Metronome had published four volumes, with average sales for each exceeding 100,000 copies. But that was, after all, based on a plot framework set up by Mr. Hachiman. Every time she had stalled, it was he who pointed her in the right direction. If it weren't for him, her novel would have been stuck on the second volume and would have likely been canceled by the publisher. She probably would have given up writing altogether because of that blow.
In other words, Kasumigaoka Utaha believed that her current "success" was entirely dependent on Mr. Hachiman's inspiration and subsequent advice. Unlike Eriri, who had been sought out by him because of her own strength.
There is a gap between geniuses...
Utaha deeply realized this cruel fact. She was a "genius girl" in the mouths of others, but compared with Eriri, her "genius" was greatly discounted. And as for Mr. Hachiman, any idea that came out of his mind was enough to make another creator feel as if they had found a treasure—a genius idea that countless colleagues couldn't think of even if they racked their brains.
She felt a serious sense of crisis. Love Metronome would be finished at the end of August, and her publisher had already begun to ask, intentionally or not, if she had plans for a new work. On the one hand, she didn't want to rely on Mr. Hachiman's creativity anymore; on the other hand, having already taken that shortcut, she knew very well how attractive his ideas were to her.
Of course, there was one more important thing. Machida Sonoko, her current editor, would be officially promoted to deputy editor-in-chief after the fifth volume of Love Metronome was completed. Utaha was naturally happy for her editor from the bottom of her heart; she thought Machida was the most responsible editor in the world and deserved it. But for Utaha herself, losing the caring older sister who had her back after she lost her temper would be a new test.
"Kasumigaoka-senpai, stop looking so sad and have a drink," Hachiman, who was sitting opposite her, suddenly invited. It seemed he had finished his work conversation with Eriri.
"I say, you guys should grow up quickly," Machida Sonoko said with some distress. "Otherwise, every time I come out to eat with you, there will be no one to drink with me." She didn't really care about not being able to find a partner; after all, she was successful in her career. But she couldn't stand not being able to find someone to drink with.
"Okay, Editor Machida, if you continue, you're risking inducing a crime," Hachiman reminded her. However, the other woman had already laid her head on the table. It seemed Editor Machida was not very good at drinking.
"Yukinoshita, does your family have a tradition of drinking?" Hachiman suddenly asked, very interested in the matter.
"Of course there is," Yukino answered seriously, though she didn't know why he had asked. "But at banquets, it's usually my father who drinks. After all, he's very good at it."
"So, have you inherited Mr. Yukinoshita's drinking capacity?" Hachiman said with a smile. "To be honest, I'm really looking forward to seeing you drunk, Yukinoshita."
"Rather than that, you should take care of yourself first," Yukino retorted, pointing her right index finger at the tip of his nose with a smile. "You have so many business collaborations. Won't you be entertaining people every day after you turn twenty? If you get drunk, don't call me to pick you up."
"Eh? Then I'll have to call Haruno. I believe she'll be willing to take me home... ah, no, no, no—"
Yukino did not tolerate his suicidal remark and directly pinched his cheek.
"Ah, what a disgusting couple, sitting right across from me. This is such bad luck," Sawamura Eriri and Kasumigaoka Utaha complained in unison as they continued to eat.
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