"Is that all, Maki?"
"Yes, let's chat a bit more!"
"Too bland, meow~ A long-awaited reunion of friends should be more emotional!"
When Nishikino Maki returned to her team, she was immediately teased by some idle teammates.
"You're overthinking it. Chihiro and I only have a pure friendship."
Nishikino Maki said with a slight blush.
"How can there be pure friendship between a boy and a girl? Nico doesn't believe it at all."
Yazawa Nico suddenly interjected.
"Nico-senpai, do you have any male friends?"
Nishikino Maki suddenly raised her voice.
"Uh…"
Yazawa Nico was instantly flustered.
The others also looked awkward.
They had mostly attended all-girls schools since childhood, and even in co-ed schools, they rarely interacted with boys. So, this was a blind spot for them, and when they saw Maki had a male friend, they wanted to tease her even more.
On the other side.
While the three were in a standoff, Mashiro suddenly tugged at his sleeve.
"Mashiro?"
Izumi Chihiro turned his head.
"I want to draw their story."
The girl's voice was as firm as a rock, and her eyes were full of spirit.
"Why?"
He asked, though he already knew.
"Because they all have wonderful colors, and they are sparkling."
Mashiro's eyes also emitted the same light.
The three onlookers looked bewildered.
"What are they talking about?"
"I don't understand."
"Even I, an old otaku, can't keep up. This is too stream-of-consciousness, isn't it?"
…
"However, Mashiro, are you planning to make it a documentary, or are you going to rely entirely on your own imagination to prepare this work? If it were me, I would recommend Mashiro to go for a documentary style, because reality is the best reference."
Izumi Chihiro nodded, then offered her advice.
"I'm sure what Chihiro said is fine."
Mashiro said without hesitation.
"Hmm… Since you've already decided, I'll try to discuss it with Maki and the others, using them as prototypes to depict a story of struggling youth."
Izumi Chihiro mused.
After the social engagement ended.
Izumi Chihiro brought Mashiro to the now-free μ's (Muse) group and directly stated his intention.
"Draw a manga based on us as prototypes?"
"Really, meow~"
"The rest doesn't matter, Nico must be drawn the cutest!"
"This sounds like fun."
Everyone heard this and, far from being dissatisfied, was very happy.
"Eli, what do you think?"
Tojo Nozomi asked with a smile, her eyes narrowed.
"Everyone has made their decision, what good would it do for me to object? Besides, this is very beneficial for us. If the manga becomes famous, then μ's (Muse)'s fame will also rise, and then everyone's dream will be fulfilled, won't it!"
Ayase Eli tilted her head slightly.
Everyone readily agreed, and the responsibility of making contact was, of course, entrusted to Nishikino Maki.
If Mashiro ever had any questions, she could use this contact channel to find out what she wanted.
After the two left.
"Speaking of which, Honoka's words back then, 'One day I will make this place full of people,' if drawn, would be very captivating, wouldn't it?"
"Mhm, I feel like Honoka's popularity will explode, meow~"
"No matter what, Nico must be drawn the cutest!"
"Alright, everyone is a team, and everyone will become more famous then!"
"However, it won't be that easy, debuting with a manga…"
"No, she can definitely do it, because that person is Shiina Mashiro."
"Shiina Mashiro? It sounds a bit familiar, I seem to have heard it somewhere before. Nozomi seems to know her well."
"Because that person is a world-class genius painter…"
Walking further and further, the five gradually left Otonokizaka.
"Those people are quite capable. They didn't seem like much in videos, but seeing them live, they have quite a charm."
Yamada Elf gave a sincere evaluation.
"This is a school idol. Such a performance is indeed great. This time that could have been used for flirting with my senior wasn't wasted."
Kani Nayuta clasped her hands behind her head and sighed towards the sky.
Sagiri also thought to herself, "If it's just about the performance, it was indeed good."
Mashiro didn't say much along the way. Her expression occasionally changed, as if she was thinking about something. Not even the Baumkuchen in the store could attract her attention.
"Senior, goodbye~"
The four got off the train, and Kani Nayuta on the train waved cheerfully at them.
This farewell did not make her sad, because her senior had already revealed her address, and the meaning of this made the girl joyful.
As soon as she returned home, Mashiro impatiently went back to her room and, using her incredibly exquisite painting skills, drew the nine members of the μ's (Muse) group one by one.
Everyone's expressions were the impressions she had just received. She memorized all of this, and with real-life verification, this made the painting much more realistic.
Mashiro stared at the painting for a long time, and a smile finally appeared on her face.
The girl could feel that her progress bar was about to be full!
As for Mashiro's behavior of painting as soon as she returned home, Izumi Chihiro was not only accustomed to it but also unsurprised.
In the evening, Izumi Chihiro took a look at Mashiro's latest masterpiece.
"Sigh…"
He shook his head and sighed softly, helplessly.
"Is it still not enough?"
Mashiro's tone wavered.
"No, Mashiro, you did very well, it's already very close. If you can maintain the completeness of these few pieces, then winning the Newcomer Award later shouldn't be a problem."
He denied it.
Mashiro smiled, still looking calm.
This was probably the deepest level of her emotional expression at the moment.
Izumi Chihiro was actually thinking about another matter now.
He knew how deep and irrational Eriri's obsession with Mashiro was.
The effort Mashiro could put into painting would also not lose to her childhood friend by even a tiny bit, and in fact, in the past few years, it would only be more.
Except for the period when she temporarily stopped painting at Chihiro's command, she had never stopped painting for a single day.
Talent and effort, both are far above yours!
How could there be any chance of victory in such a battle?
Even if Eriri was a few steps ahead now, Mashiro could catch up in an instant.
"Give up, Eriri, you can't beat Mashiro."
He couldn't bring himself to say such words.
Eriri wouldn't listen anyway.
So he could only wait in solitude, waiting for that day to come.
At that time, how should he comfort his dejected childhood friend?
That was truly a headache.
Inside the villa.
"Achoo!"
Eriri suddenly sneezed, looking suspiciously left and right, "Who is talking about me again?"
---
💯 PS = 2 bonus chapter