Cartoonists and their assistants

Kanzuki Maki looked puzzled.

"Then let's go to another bookstore."

Eriri was secretly delighted.

As soon as they turned around, they ran into a shop assistant who had a very feminine air about her.

"Hey, Mizuki-san and Sawamura-san, are you two at the bookstore so early today? Are you perhaps here to buy books from me?"

Chie Takasago raised her head slightly to greet him, her smile gentle.

......

The scene shifts to the open doors of Takasago Bookstore.

The shop assistant tied her khaki apron around her neck and listened as the two explained their purpose.

"I see, so you wanted to observe the readers' attitudes..."

Chie Takasago nodded thoughtfully, then smiled with narrowed eyes.

"In that case, shall I be your first reader?"

Machi Mizuki and Eriri exchanged a glance.

"can."

"However, let me make this clear first: I'm a very discerning reader, and I won't just flatter you two because we're friends."

The shop assistant's expression remained gentle.

"Say what you will, we want honest feedback!"

Eriri doesn't pretend in front of acquaintances anymore, and her tone is very sharp.

Chie Takasago was somewhat surprised.

So this is what Sawamura's personality is like!

"By the way, there aren't any new issues here."

Mizuki Machi glanced at the bookshelf displaying comic magazines and turned to speak.

"Because the shop owner is still getting more stock, he'll probably be back in about ten minutes."

Chie Takasago glanced at the time and said.

There was nothing they could do; they couldn't go back to get the sample book. All they could do was wait.

However, the shop owner hadn't arrived yet, but the customers had.

He looks a bit more mature than them; he should be a high school student.

Teenagers do indeed make up the majority of comic book readers.

"Sir, is there anything you need?"

The shop assistant left the two of them standing to the side and went to greet them.

Do you have the latest monthly Shonen Gangan magazine?

"That's what they asked."

The two people not far away immediately perked up.

Could they be readers who came because of its reputation?

"It will be ready soon. The shop owner just received the goods and is on his way."

"...Then I'll wait a little longer."

The high school student turned his head and focused his attention on the other comics on the bookshelf.

Just a few minutes later, a young man in a car stopped at the intersection.

"Xiao Hui, come and help me out."

"Okay, shopkeeper."

At work, the girl did not address her father as "father," probably because she was proud of her role as the store's star employee.

The two of them spent a few more minutes piling the hundreds of comic magazines they had just received into the most conspicuous spot under the bookshelf by the door.

"I'll buy two."

At this point, the high school student simply took out his money to buy it, didn't even look at it, and then left.

Machi Mizuki and Eriri were both stunned.

"What's happening here?"

"They must be eager to share it with others, right?"

At this moment, Mr. Takasago also noticed the strange behavior between the two and asked his daughter about the situation.

"It's a classmate."

Chie Takasago's tactful answer did not reveal her other identity.

"I see, so it was promoted by Xiaohui?"

Mr. Takasago couldn't help but sigh inwardly as he recalled all the efforts his daughter had made for their family bookstore.

"It's all thanks to Xiaohui that the bookstore can keep operating."

Then, Mr. Takasago went up to introduce himself to the two men, and then turned around and left the bookstore.

The father and daughter also had an agreement that Takasago Chie would come to the store for a period of time after school on weekdays and during holidays.

As for her father, he has another job.

"Alright, no one should be here for now. Mizuki-san, Sawamura-san, let me see your masterpiece."

As she spoke, Chie Takasago picked up a copy of Monthly Shonen Gangan magazine.

"Shhh."

Mizuki Machi raised a finger to her lips, signaling Eriri to be quiet.

Eriri, though slightly annoyed by someone, was also eagerly anticipating what was to come.

This is a review from a seasoned reader, and it deserves serious consideration.

"Yuriko under the Moonlight?"

Chie Takasago looked at the pen name and murmured it aloud.

Because girls who know the author's true identity are better able to understand the meaning behind it.

"That's really ingenious."

She praised it, opened the magazine, and came to the first page of the story—

"From that day on, a boy named Jinta Yadomi and the ghost girl Menma reunited."

A match made in 27 days

The first thing that catches the eye is the color cover page.

The background is a large expanse of white, like clouds, or rather, it creates a dreamlike feeling, with some clover as an accent.

A prominent column of large text on the right reads: "New Serialization," with a 69-page color cover at the beginning.

A few lines of smaller print next to it read: "On that day, time, which had stood still here, began to flow again."

On the left are several large characters—we still don't know the name of the flower we saw that day.

Below them stood a row of unnamed figures, each with their own unique characteristics. Their postures, gazes, and expressions were all carefully chosen, symbolizing their respective relationships.

Just looking at this picture, Chie Takasago felt a sense of connection and began to imagine a complex web of relationships.

Judging people by their appearance is a common thing in real life. In the context of comics, it means judging the artist's skill level.

She has also read a lot of comics.

While this level of artwork isn't exceptionally good, it's already passing grade for a comic artist.

The focus now is still on the plot.

At its core, comics are 'fun'.

The word 'interesting' here is a rather abstract concept. To be precise, it means 'the interest that attracts people to continue reading' and can evoke resonance and emotions in readers.

.......

It was a hot summer day.

A ghostly girl in a white dress appeared in front of Jinta Yadomi.

At first, he tried to numb himself with thoughts of 'stress' and 'psychological trauma'.

However, he soon discovered that the girl in front of him was indeed Menma, his childhood best friend who lived in the past and was able to talk to him.

She transformed into a ghost, coming to fulfill a certain wish.

Guided by Menma, Jinta Yadomi is reunited with his childhood friends.

However, Menma was unaware that the relationships between the group had already broken down.

The latter half of the story includes a flashback that leaves a suspenseful question: what was the cause of Menma's death?

Finally, Jinta Yadomi had a change of heart and traveled over mountains and valleys to his old secret base, where he met his last friend, Popo, and happily agreed to help him fulfill one of Menma's wishes.

The last page of the illustration shows Jin Tai Yadomi as a child confidently saying, "We are the Super Peace Busters," with his name engraved on a wooden board.

At the end of the comic, there is another page with unanimous praise from the editors, as well as two comments with different flavors.

"My dream has finally sprouted; I will no longer stand still."

"I hope everyone will remember this name from now on—Tsukishima Yuriko."

......

Chie Takasago finished reading the entire story without realizing it, and tears welled up in her eyes.

This story is very simple, easy to understand, and even somewhat cliché.

But the simpler the description of emotions, the more touching it is.

In these 60-plus pages of illustrations, the plot clearly outlines the two most common emotions: friendship and family.

She didn't have any close friends when she was young, so she didn't have a deep understanding of friendship. However, the scene in the second half of the story where Menma returns home really touched her.

"Have you finished reading, Takasago-san?"

Mizuki Machi seized the opportunity to strike up a conversation.

"Mitsuki-kun is indeed a genius."

Takasago Chie said happily.

"It's old-fashioned but not clichéd. The simple story feels like it depicts a real life. You definitely couldn't write this if you didn't have a deep understanding of life. It even makes me wonder if you're the same age as me... However, although the story is very touching, the problem is that it's too simple and straightforward. It's fine for a sentimental girl like me, but it's not so attractive to boys of similar age."

Her analysis and evaluation were reasonable and well-founded, making them convincing.

No wonder he's a heavy reader with an exceptionally high reading volume.

"Looks like a pretty good review."

Mizuki Machi nodded in agreement.

"There's me too!"

Eriri sensed something was off and interrupted.

"Sawamura-kun's drawings... are pretty good. Among his peers, there are probably very few people with this level of skill. Especially the double-page spread with Menma crying sadly is really touching. Also, the color page at the beginning is full of information."

"Takasago Chie thought for a moment and said."

Eriri's face immediately fell, revealing the high emotional intelligence in her words.

I'm so sorry I couldn't satisfy you!

However, youth is indeed an asset.

She still has plenty of time to improve.