manga artist Kirito

Option 3: Asuna will sleep at my place tonight, she's too tired...

Well, the first two don't seem very good, especially the first one, which is like some terrorist kidnapping Asuna, while the second one is like... well, your sister is having sex with me?

So, as expected...

049

【NO.48 All three options together?】

"Ah……"

Looking at the three options that had come to mind, Kirito smiled slightly. Although none of them seemed to have any problems, in reality, each one had huge problems, especially since he had to say these words to that sister-complex guy.

"The wisdom of mortals... I foresaw the ending long ago!"

After saying that, Kirito coughed slightly, then dialed Asuna's number. The dial tone lasted for less than three seconds before being replaced by a slightly anxious gaze.

"Hey, sis, why aren't you back yet? You're not planning to stay overnight at that kid's house, are you? Come back right now... no, wait, tell me your location, I'll come pick you up right away!"

What's with this tone? Why am I being made to sound like a scumbag about to lay a hand on my girlfriend... Wait, even if someone is a scumbag, isn't it normal for them to lay a hand on their girlfriend? Kirito rolled his eyes. What kind of person does Asuna's brother take me for?

"Uh, Asuna's brother?"

"...Uh, who are you?"

"It's me!"

“…Who are you?”

"Kiri...Wakko."

"Oh~ it's Kazuko!" came a surprised voice from the other end of the phone. "I knew it! It wasn't Asuna or that bastard Kazuto calling... I meant your brother... uh, what happened to Asuna, Kazuko?"

The sudden change in his way of speaking and tone made Kirito rub his forehead. Asuna's older brother is really... a little bit terrible. He still believes in the existence of some kind of Oni-ko.

Ah, I should explain here that Kirito mastered four different voices starting around middle school, one of which was even praised by Akane Kousaka—"Ah, this voice sounds so much like a cute girl's. If she were to dress up as a woman, she could perfectly portray a female character without ever being exposed..."

Previously, Kirito and Asuna went to Hokkaido for fun out of boredom. They happened to find that the trains were out of service and it was too late, so they had to stay at a hotel nearby. Asuna didn't get home on time... so Kirito had to take care of her.

Kirito, who had no idea about morals at the time, simply used his cute voice to create a pseudonym called "Kiritani Kazuko" and claimed to be Kiritani Kazuto's younger sister...

I suddenly feel a bit disgusted, not only because of the other person, but also because of my own way of speaking. And besides, wasn't this alt account used only once? When did our relationship become so close that we can call each other by name?!

It's strange. I clearly dislike Kirito's existence, so why does changing just one word in his voice result in such a completely different outcome?

Wait a minute, are you thinking that Kirigaya Kazuto stole your sister, so you're going to steal Kirigaya Kazuto's sister...?

Hey, you'll get beaten to death if you keep doing that... even if Kiritani Kazuko doesn't exist at all.

……

Whew! My imagination seems to have run wild, but I'd better end this call quickly, or I'll get goosebumps.

"Hmm, Asuna-neechan went to a signing event in Heisei City with brother today. She seemed too tired and fell asleep on the way back. Now she's wrapped in my blanket, sleeping like a little pig... I doubt even thunder would wake her." As he spoke, Kirito turned his head to look at the sleeping Asuna, then said with that adorable gaze, "Um, what I mean is, Asuna-neechan probably won't be able to go home tonight. She's really too tired, so I'll let her sleep here..."

"I see. Asuna was so tired after a long day of work that she fell asleep without telling her family, so Kazuko called! Thank you so much..."

Hey, this siscon didn't even think of anything inappropriate... Doesn't he know that even girls sharing a room is dangerous these days? And why am I even assuming this girl's identity?!

"Well, don't worry, my brother is also exhausted, he's probably asleep by now, I won't let him disturb Asuna-nee's rest!"

Honestly, if he could, Kirito would really like to just collapse and go to sleep right now, but if he doesn't appease this siscon who hasn't seen his sister come home... the consequences could be quite serious! After all, siscon is a very scary creature!

However, deceiving a sister-complex like this... I feel so guilty!! I guess I'll have to ask Asuna to cover up for Kiritani Kazuko when she gets home.

"I see... Hmm? Okay, I understand..." The voice on the other end of the phone replied halfway through, then turned serious, but it didn't sound like they were talking to Kirito.

However, that is indeed the case.

"Ahem, something suddenly came up, so I'll have to talk to you for now... Um, Kazuko, if you're free, let's go out for a drink... I mean, you and Asuna can come to my house sometime."

Wait, what do you mean by that? Kirito's expression changed drastically. Could it be that you've actually become interested in this fictitious character, Kirigaya Kazuko? Please, no way! This is only our second conversation! What could possibly make you interested in this nonexistent character?

"...If you have time."

"So, goodbye."

"Hmm," it's best not to see her!

Although the ending was as I imagined, I don't know why I feel like I've lost a lot, but also gained something else that I don't know what it is...

Kirito adopted a deadpan expression, staring at the corner of the wall at a 45-degree angle, his emotions a complex mix. He murmured in a restored voice, "...Let Kirigaya Kazuko die in a car accident tomorrow!"

With this mindset, Kirito took a shower in the bathroom, then lay down on the bed, turning his head to look at the sleeping Asuna. Asuna looked very serene, with a few strands of hair brushing against her cheeks, revealing a strange beauty. Kirito just watched her quietly.

As if sensing something in her sleep, Asuna's eyelashes trembled slightly, and she opened her eyes a little. Her tranquil yet languid, tired eyes glanced at Kirito, then she reached out and hugged Kirito's arm, leaned her body slightly closer to rest her head on Kirito's shoulder, closed her eyes, and continued to sleep.

Kirito gave a helpless smirk; this arm was useless now...

Kirito reached out and brushed the hair from Asuna's forehead, then pulled the blanket up to cover them both, and whispered.

"Sleep well, no need to rush to get up tomorrow, goodnight!"

"Okay, goodnight, and goodnight everyone..."

-------------------

Surprised? Unexpected, right?

Requesting votes as usual~

050

【NO.49 Hmm, just another day】

Monday

The day students dislike the most.

Perhaps you, as a student, had a wild night out, and after finally getting home and falling asleep, you haven't fully recovered your energy before having to get up and go to class... It's so annoying!

But it has to be said that sleeping in class is really enjoyable, the feeling of other students listening attentively to the teacher while you're fast asleep—provided your teacher doesn't punish you with an iron fist.

It's okay, Kirito has already asked someone to help him get a day off, so he can still sleep in even though it's Monday.

however……

"Time to wake up!"

The blanket suddenly disappeared. Kirito, who was startled awake from his sleep, lazily yawned. His sleepy eyes scanned his surroundings before fixing on the face directly in front of him. It was a pretty face that he knew all too well, but seeing it right after waking up... was probably a rare occurrence.

Oh right, Asuna didn't come home last night...

"Good morning……"

I told you last night before I went to bed that it was okay if I didn't get up early today, so how about you be a little lazy this time, Asuna?

"Morning... my foot! It's not early at all, the sun's already high in the sky! Get up and have breakfast!" Asuna puffed out her cheeks and pinched Kirito's face with two white fingers, seemingly intending to pull him up like that.

"The curtains aren't even open, so it won't get any sun... Um, I've taken the week off, and I'll be focusing on my comics from now on..."

"Idiot, you're skipping class for comics?"

"Well, high school courses are no problem for me anyway, so I won't have any issues even if I skip this semester." Kirito reached out and grasped Asuna's right wrist, tilting his head slightly as he asked, "How does it feel, here on your wrist?"

"Ugh, not to mention my wrist, my hand and shoulder hurt so much." Asuna said with a pained expression, "If I had known it would be like this, I wouldn't have gone to that autograph session... I guess I brought this on myself."

"You can always look on the bright side. At least you can use this incident as an excuse to delay your manuscript." Sitting up straight on the bed, Kirito straightened his slightly disheveled clothes, then got out of bed. "Aren't you going to class today?"

"As for me... of course I'll go, after all, I already took leave later." As she walked towards the door, Asuna suddenly turned back, a mischievous look on her pretty face. "Don't ask why, it's a secret!"

"Even if you don't say it, I think I can guess what's going on." Kirito shrugged. Asuna had said yesterday that she would move here... Even though it's a rental next door, there are still some things to prepare before moving in, especially with that crazy painter she knows.

...Wouldn't it be better if you lived with me? You've already moved out anyway.

Uh, wait...

Kirito, who was washing up, suddenly stopped what he was doing, looked at himself in the mirror and blinked. Asuna moved in... then her brother, who is obsessed with his sister, will definitely come over often because he is worried about her, right?

If he comes over, let's put aside his attitude towards me for now, what if he suddenly decides to want to see the non-existent Kiritani Kazuko?

Kirito scratched his head, looking pained. Things seemed to be getting worse, but if you really wanted to, wasn't this his own fault?

It seems that it's inevitable that Kiritani Kazuko will die in a car accident!

Kirito wiped the water off his face with a towel and patted his cheeks hard. He couldn't just open his alt account carelessly; things could explode if he wasn't careful.

"What's wrong?" Asuna, sitting at the dining table, asked curiously, noticing that Kirito's expression seemed a little off.

"This is a terrible situation!" Kirito picked up his glass of milk, downed half of it in one gulp, then licked the white liquid from the corner of his mouth and clicked his tongue. "You might not believe it, but my voice imitation fooled your brother again last night..."

“I see…” Asuna nodded, pursing her lips, then a smile bloomed on her pretty face. “I roughly understand what’s going on! Hmm, Kazuto is really multi-talented.”

As she spoke, Asuna narrowed her eyes and leaned slightly closer to Kirito. "Hey, Kazuko-chan~ want to come home with me? Perfect timing~ didn't I just receive a pair of women's clothes from a reader yesterday~"

"No way! Kazuko's all turned to mush! Please, Asuna, just tell your brother this when you get home!" Kirito clasped his hands together and bowed his head earnestly to Asuna. "Crossdressing is impossible! Absolutely!!"

"Just kidding! Although Kazuko is cute, I'm not planning on giving you to my older brother!"

"Please stop talking about this, I really regret it!" Kirito couldn't help but cover his face. Why did I even bother to learn these strange voices in the first place?

"Kazuko is so cute!"

"Fine, fine, Kazuko is the third cutest in the world!" Kirito nodded resignedly, then picked up his chopsticks and started eating breakfast, muttering to himself as his mouth was stuffed full of food, "I'm practically turning into Kazuko-chan..."

"Anyway, please explain this to your brother. I really don't want him to come and ask me, 'Hey, don't you have a sister? Where is she?' I really don't know where to find Kazuko-chan then!"

When he said this, Kirito emphasized the word "sauce" a little.

"Okay, okay, don't worry." With a smile on her lips, Asuna nodded gently, then took small bites of the breakfast she had prepared early in the morning.

A short while later, Asuna stood up, wiped her mouth with a tissue, and went into the room. Less than three minutes later, Asuna came out of the room, and she was wearing a school uniform.

"...Oh, so you brought clothes with you?"

"No, I've had these clothes here for a long time." Asuna patted the hem of her skirt, a faint smile on her face. "Didn't you notice?"

No, no, no, not only did I not notice, but Yezi didn't even notice during the two days she stayed here, okay?

Yes! Kirito doesn't think that Suguha didn't search his room when she stayed here, since she could find all those things... But then again, this is the place I rented, and Asuna, you only come here for a short time each day, so why do I feel like you know this room better than I do?

"That's really true... Well then, Kazuto, remember to hide things in places where even I can't find them in the future."

I don't think there's any need to hide it anymore, you'll find it anyway. Rolling his eyes, Kirito walked to the door, took a shoe from the shoe cabinet, and placed it by the door.

"I won't go with you... Hmm, I want to go back to sleep."

"See you tonight~" Asuna put on her shoes and reached out to pat Kirito's head.

"Do you think I'm a child... Well, see you tonight."

As Kirito watched Asuna enter the elevator, he seemed to remember something and suddenly spoke up. "Hey, Asuna, what do you think should be a good name for our daughter?"

"puff……"

Ah, there will be a bad ending, it just depends on the plot... Also, um... should we create a group?

051

[NO.50 The Importance of an Assistant]

"...That was dangerous." Kirito scratched his head in confusion. It seemed he really couldn't say things carelessly; he almost got arrested by the neighbors.

However, this is indeed a bit of a coincidence. After all, Yukino Yukinoshita always leaves home relatively early, and the time is fixed. Unless something big happens, it will never change... unlike Kirito, who leaves home at whatever time he wants.

"Well, let's get started..."

Because he didn't cultivate his spiritual energy last night, Kirito is indeed full of energy now, especially after eating his fill, and he doesn't even want to go back to sleep...

Kirito opened the study door and went in. He turned on the computer, but instead of picking up a paintbrush right away, he first hacked into Ryunosuke's computer, copied a copy of Maid-chan's program, then integrated a special program that he had prepared beforehand, and then... put it in the background.

Then I opened my drawing software, took out my drawing tablet, and continued drawing from the previous chapter's plot, though my drawing speed was much slower. Although I'm very energetic and motivated now, ah… it doesn't feel like daytime, it doesn't feel like nighttime…

According to a source who wished to remain anonymous, the reason why creators endure mental exhaustion at night to finish their drafts is because they feel guilty about their laziness and inaction during the day…

Of course, Kirito simply felt that the night was quiet enough, and that sense of tranquility was perfect for working on a manuscript. Besides, whenever he entered a state of deep concentration… a kind of post-coital state. In this state, Kirito would be completely immersed in his creative work, oblivious to the passage of time or how much he had actually drawn during that time.

However, this approach is only suitable for solo creation. If you have an assistant, you'll likely have little chance. After all, humans are inherently lazy, and if you have an assistant, you'll probably delegate the less important aspects to them.

Generally speaking, comic artists are responsible for the comic script, main drawing, storyboarding, and artwork, while assistants are responsible for much more. Assistants are responsible for all the remaining work, including even the line drawing of minor characters, extras, backgrounds, frames, blacking, screen tones, etc.

Having a capable assistant not only increases the speed of completing artwork, but also provides feedback to help cartoonists whose work is not perfect. However, good assistants are hard to find, especially those with similar styles. In fact, it's even harder to find one. Anyone who can be an assistant must have some ability, and who would want to be an assistant if they have the ability?

Of course, if you can become an assistant to a very famous comic artist, some people would be willing to do it even if they were paid out of their own pocket, since they can learn something from it!

However, Kirito might not be considered famous at all in the manga; after all, he's just an ecchi artist...

On another note, if Asuna's relative were to come and want to learn about manga... perhaps she could work as an assistant for a while? It seems like a good idea. An equal exchange is only natural, isn't it? Besides, the other party is an artist with explosive talent. A manga team like that is bound to produce outstanding works.