Full-time cartoonist.

Chapter 373: There is no problem in continuing the hiatus

The death of ordinary people in the industry rarely attracts public attention.

In industries such as coal, steel, construction, electricity, etc., people die accidentally every year. People will not learn about these people unless they are quite serious accidents.

But cartoonists are different. There are endless gossips about Soma Ichiro's death. People like to discuss this matter and reminisce about their childhood memories.

This allowed "Dream Eater" to catch the wind and be widely known.

The effect of this advertisement is much better than the promotion in newspapers by "Weekly Shonen Jump".

"Cartoonists are really hard-working. Many teachers have left behind sequelae. Mr. Oda also said that he can't sleep for three hours a day. No wonder Mr. Soma Ichiro is exhausted."

"Teacher Katsura Hoshino from "The Exorcist Boy" asked for leave. She said she was feeling unwell and wanted to go to the hospital for a check-up. She should rest for a while."

"Teacher Fujiko F. Fujio died at the age of 63 due to liver failure. He was too tired."

"It makes sense for Tori Akino-sensei to take a leave of absence. He is drawing "Naoki Hansawa" and also has to worry about the storyboards of "Dream Eater"."

Suddenly, the death of manga artist Soma Ichiro even made the front page of the news.

And what about time?Only three days have passed.

In the past three days, the scandal became more and more serious, and Shueisha couldn't sit still.

Sasaki was planning to refute the rumors in the next issue of Jump, but now he realizes that it is a bit too late.

It's only Friday and it's already on the front page. If it continues, won't it mean that the whole country is mourning?

"It's outrageous."

Because of Soma Ichiro, readers have empathy for all cartoonists, and even extend to masters such as Fujiko F. Fujio and Osamu Tezuka who died of gastric cancer.

People: Japanese publishing houses would be sorry for the death of Soma Ichiro if they don’t reflect on it.

Shueisha urgently sent out news that Souma Ichiro was still alive. Regarding a series of rumors, they were all intentional people deceiving the people for profit.

The next day, every major newspaper had space for Shueisha's announcement.

This huge oolong finally subsided.

Now, even readers of shoujo manga are interested in "Dream Eater".

Hibiki Higashikata became the biggest beneficiary of the incident.

The readers who asked for leave did not have any objections, but were relieved that he could get more rest. His work was known to many people, and it was no less than advertising on the Red and White Songs.

Another beneficiary, Ichiro Soma, was much worse.

He didn't dare to go out for the past two days, fearing that he would meet kind-hearted people holding candles and chrysanthemums on the roadside to commemorate him.

It’s okay if you’re embarrassed, but it’s not good if those people are scared.

There were also thousands of paper cranes sent to Soma Ichiro's studio by Shueisha, leaving him wondering what to do with them.

"It's finally over," Soma Ichiro breathed a sigh of relief as the host on the TV news refuted the rumors, "I was really worried that I had to die."

Immortal and unsociable.

He now regrets that he should not have rashly agreed to Tori Akino's request for future comics.

I thought it was a small thing, and I could commemorate my comic life.

The result was a mess.

This morning, even his father knew about it.

"If I hadn't seen you, I would have thought my son was dead."

"Dad, don't be joking!"

He was so devastated.

"Haha."

……

The emergence of a comic requires several months of hard work.

It takes more than a month to draw the storyboard. If the editor rejects it, you have to start all over again. If the editor approves, it will take more than a month to discuss the storyboard and make modifications with the editor.

When editors apply for storyboards to enter the serialization meeting, they have to be screened again.

Jump serial meetings don't happen very often. After a while, you have to wait and see whether you can pass it, and you may have to go to a meeting to modify the plot.

Even if it passes the serialization meeting, it will still take a month or two before it is published in "Weekly Shonen Jump".

If you add up all the zeros and zeros, it will take half a year at the earliest.

So it's hard to catch the heat.

Souma Ichiro knew this process, and he never wanted to benefit from this joke.

Unexpectedly, Sasaki came to see him.

Sasaki is Soma Ichiro's old partner and has a deep relationship with Soma Ichiro.

It is a very sad thing for a cartoonist to be thought to have died early because he has no works for a long time.

"Sōma-sensei," Sasaki asked him directly, "Do you have an ideal storyboard?"

Soma Ichiro has been sharpening his sword for 11 years. After such a long time, there must be a suitable storyboard.

"I drew a lot," Ichiro Soma scratched his cheek, "even more than Taro Kawaguchi in the manga."

The cupboards in the studio didn't even fit in, taking up a bedroom.

“But those weren’t interesting enough or outdated.”

All the storyboards he was proud of were submitted to Jump, but none of them passed, let alone the rest.

"Sasaki, I know you are worried about me," Soma Ichiro said, "Please be patient and wait. I will soon be able to draw storyboards that you find interesting."

"Then it's agreed," Sasaki stood up and walked towards the door, "I will always look forward to it."

……

Hibiki Higashi's house.

He was a little dumbfounded. This thing was really bizarre, even more bizarre than Sailor Moon thinking he had a crush on Naoko Takeuchi in "Slam Dunk".

But it's always a good thing.

Teacher Souma Ichiro must be very proud to have returned to the public eye again, right?

"Editor," Higashino Hibiki handed the manuscript to the editor of Youth Jump and said with a smile, "If the manuscript hadn't been completed, I always feel that readers would not have any objections if I took another week off."

Xiang was helpless, "Teacher, you'd better stop playing, you'll go too far."

The chapter "Naoki Hansawa" that was completed last week is so exciting, it can be called the most exciting chapter so far. If it is published next week and then suspended, readers will go crazy.

"I know, just kidding, haha."

Xiang shook his head, the cartoonist had an active mind.

After Higashino Hibiki talked with him about the ideas for the next chapter of "Hanzawa Naoki", Go left.

Not long after, Dongye's cell phone rang.

He looked at the caller ID and saw it was Kitamoto.

This made him a little surprised. Because of their different jobs, he and Nishimura Kitamoto had fewer and fewer common topics. Except when necessary, they rarely communicated.

Nishimura is far away in Hokkaido, and Kitamoto is a lawyer. He is not as relaxed as Hibiki Hibiki and has no time to chat.

"Hello, I'm Hibiki Higashikata."

"Higashino, I'm Kitamoto."

Kitamoto invited Hibiki Higashino to get together to relive the past. It was considered a class reunion, but there were only three of them, Nishimura and Hibiki Higashino, and the time was scheduled for Thursday.

"I will definitely go!" Dongye Xiang said.

The gathering location was arranged near their alma mater, Yanyan High School.

While eating, he told Akimiya Akemi about this.

"Go ahead, go ahead, this is a good thing," Akimiya Akemi waved her hand and narrowed her eyes and said, "But in order to squeeze out time, you have to work overtime."

"We can't stop publishing this time."

Dong Yexiang grimaced and nodded, he was almost drained.

……

It's Thursday soon. "Grandma, I understand all your needs, but I will focus on communication and mediation first."

Kitamoto smiled and exuded the aura of a professional elite, making the elderly trust him.

The grandmother's right to light in her home was affected by her neighbors, so she came to a law firm to seek legal help.

"I understand, then I'll leave it to you, Lawyer Kitamoto."

"After I read the information, I will get back to you next week."

Watching grandma leave tremblingly, Kitamoto's smile stopped.

He could only take half a day off, so how could he be happy?

Today is the day to meet old friends again.

"Higashino has left important work, and Nishimura is coming from Hokkaido. It would be too embarrassing if I were late."

He pulled off his tie, stood up, and walked toward the parking lot.

……

The time they agreed on was two o'clock in the afternoon. At 01:30, Kitamoto parked the car and finally arrived at the agreed place.

Fortunately, the other two didn't arrive, so Kitamoto breathed a sigh of relief.

The temperature was very high at noon in late May. Kitamoto looked at his watch and walked to a nearby supermarket. After buying a copy of "Weekly Youth Jump", he sat in the open air of the beverage shop.

When those two people arrived, he could discover them immediately.

"They can also see me." Kitamoto thought, and then watched "Naoki Hansawa".

He has been looking forward to the follow-up plot of this comic for a long time. What will happen when Naoki Hansawa and Higashida meet? Can the 5 million loan be recovered?
……

Hansawa Naoki asked Higashida to repay the [-] million loan, but the other party refused of course.

Higashida took out a golf club and swung it at Hansawa Naoki.

Banze was very accomplished in swordsmanship, and with just one step and a trip, Higashikata was completely defeated.

Higashida got up and wanted to attack, but Hanze moved quickly, picked up the club and pointed it straight at his throat.

"The job of banks is to lend umbrellas on sunny days and take away umbrellas on rainy days. You guys make a fortune every day by bullying the weak, and you still think you are great!"

Higashikata roared angrily, angered by Hanzawa's ease and ease.

Banze didn't defend himself. He was in a daze for a moment. Higashikata rushed over and Banze knocked the opponent to the ground in two or three blows.

"The movements are smooth and flowing, Banze is really amazing."

Kitamoto had just given a few words of praise when he saw Hanzawa being sneak-attacked by Higashida's lover Fujisawa Miki, who was hit in the face and unable to move for a long time.

Higashida ran away.

It rained heavily at the right time.

Banze sat in the rain, speechless for a long time.

He couldn't refute what Higashida said about banks lending umbrellas on sunny days and taking away umbrellas on rainy days.

The call from their subordinate Nakanishi came again. They have to go to the head office tomorrow for an interview and investigation.

Having just experienced failure, a bigger dilemma has arrived.

Banze collapsed to the ground helplessly.

"Could it be...this is my limit..."

Naoki Hansawa, who had been extremely strong from the beginning, finally became exhausted after a series of blows.

The interrogation room of the head office was placed in a huge venue, and Kitamoto felt extremely depressed when he looked at it.

Before the questioning even started, he was already worried about Hanzawa Naoki.

When he left home for the head office this morning, Naoki Hansawa didn't put on his winning tie. His wife forced it into his pocket.

Hansawa Naoki seemed to be giving in.

Faced with the embarrassing situation, he was helpless.

Hanzawa's friend Watari Shinobu accompanied him and waited at the door of the interrogation. Nakanishi had already entered. Ogiso, the deputy director of the interrogation personnel department, was inducing Nakanishi to blame everything on Hanzawa Naoki.

Kitamoto became more and more nervous, and he didn't even notice the two figures who suddenly appeared behind him.

When he first started reading comics, he would look up from time to time to see if his friends had arrived.Now I am completely immersed in the comics and watch them without any distractions.

……

Watari Shinobu said: "Even if what they say is not true, just say 'yes' and 'I'm very sorry'." "

All we can do now is stop losses in time.

Naoki Kondo, whom Ogiso once forced, became schizophrenic, causing Naoki Hansawa's good friend, an honest man with a promising future, to lose his future.

Watari Shinobu said many words and kept admonishing Hansawa Naoki.

Hanzawa Naoki stared with a serious expression and remained silent.

He thought a lot about what Higashida said, what President Takeshita said when he was forced to hang himself, and what his father said.

"We must pay attention to the relationship between people."

He walked into the interview room.

……

"call."

When it was time to turn the page, Kitamoto finally relaxed. The plot of the comic was so tense that he couldn't even breathe.

He suddenly saw the shadow on the table, turned around quickly, and saw his two old friends.

The two people looked at themselves funny with smiles on their lips.

"Oh, our Kitamoto-kun finally found us." Nishimura said.

"Yeah, I thought it would still take half an hour." Dong Yexiang answered.

"You two!" Kitamoto quickly put down the youth jump, stood up and asked in surprise, "When did you come!"

"When you read comics, haha." Hibiki Hibiki and Nishimura opened their arms, and Kitamoto hugged them.

"It's been so long!"

After a long time, the three of them separated.

"Long time no see Nishimura, you have become much stronger!"

"Yeah, right," Nishimura, who was wearing short-sleeved shirts, bulged his biceps, "I'm simply a superman. But Kitamoto, you feel even thinner than you did a few years ago."

"I don't have time to exercise."

"There's no need to exercise, daily work is enough." Nishimura muttered.

It looks like Nishimura has a hard job.

But now he is much more cheerful, "I am a sailor in the green ocean! I have to run a lot of pastures every day, and I have developed this muscle over time."

"It's really good." Hibiki pinched his biceps and bulged his own arms. The muscles were too small.

He is stronger than Kitamoto, a working man in Tokyo, but he is far from a farmer and herdsman.

"Haha," Nishimura laughed.

After all these years, he finally won.

"Nishimura, didn't you bring your child?" Kitamoto asked, "I've been curious for a long time, what does your child look like?"

Nishimura took out his phone and pulled out the photos for them to see.

"Oh, how cute."

"It doesn't look like your child at all."

The two men said.

The child in Nishimura is only a year old, and looks like a porcelain doll.

After going through ups and downs, Nishimura has become a rough man, and he looks very out of place standing next to his children.

(End of this chapter)