Cartoonists and their assistants

The girl was somewhat embarrassed afterwards.

Before you know it, you're completely absorbed in the role.

The phenomenon of "chuunibyou" (middle school syndrome) is something that is inherent in everyone's heart and cannot be avoided at all.

Especially in an old house like theirs.

"See you tomorrow for the truth."

Eriri blushed as she said goodbye.

"See you tomorrow."

Of course, Guan Yue was not uncomfortable at all.

He has a much thicker skin.

59 Sakura Chiyo

April 13th, the start of the school year.

Shimamura Junior High School welcomes new students, while the original first-year students are promoted to 'seniors'.

Cherry blossom petals fluttered along both sides of the boardwalk.

A petite and charming figure was walking down the street. She was wearing black over-the-knee socks, and her long orange hair was tied into pigtails with a large bow.

"What should I do...?"

"Will I have to rebuild my interpersonal relationships all over again when I move up to the second grade?"

"I hope I only run into acquaintances..."

"No, if it's one of those annoying guys, it's better not to have them at all."

The girl gripped the straps of her backpack with both hands, looking slightly uneasy, and muttered something to herself.

Upon entering the school, she first went to the notice board at the entrance, where the class assignments were listed.

"My name is here!"

The girl's gaze swept across the area, her finger moving with it until it finally landed on her own name—

Sakura Chiyo.

After finding the name, she then scanned through the names of her classmates.

"Thank goodness, we didn't run into those guys..."

Sakura Chiyo patted her chest and breathed a sigh of relief.

Just then, a commotion broke out in the crowd, and the girl was forced to retreat to the side.

"What happened?"

She was confused for a moment, but then she turned around and understood.

"So it's Sawamura-kun."

A beautiful girl with blonde twin ponytails strolled through the crowd, a faint smile on her face.

Eriri Sawamura, a genuine heiress, is the most popular and well-liked person in the school.

Unlike her, who is an inconspicuous nobody, she naturally causes a sensation wherever she goes.

"Speaking of which, Sawamura and I are in the same class this year."

Thinking about this, Sakura Chiyo felt a little excited.

As a member of the art club, she knew how outstanding Sawamura's drawing skills were, and that he was someone they admired. She even asked him for advice on drawing techniques when school started!

Unfortunately, less than two months after the start of the semester, Sawamura stopped coming back.

Nobody knows why.

She quickly changed her mind and thought, "If we're classmates, wouldn't it be a chance for me to ask Sawamura for help again?"

......

Enter the second-grade classroom.

The students each found a seat and sat down casually, then began to chat with each other.

"Nanako, we've been assigned to Class 1!"

"Great, we can go to and from school together again."

“Sawamura-kun is with us too.”

"That's so wonderful."

Since there are only so many classes, no matter how you divide them, you'll still have a lot of old acquaintances.

Sakura Chiyo also knew a few classmates, but they weren't particularly close; she just said hello and left.

About half an hour later, after everyone had arrived, the homeroom teacher led the students to the gymnasium to attend the opening ceremony.

There's not much to say; it's no different from when they started school.

Back in the classroom, the homeroom teacher arranged seats according to student ID numbers and asked everyone to give a customary self-introduction.

"Um, I'm Sakura Chiyo, a member of the art club. I specialize in watercolor painting, and my hobby is collecting cute little things..."

"Okay, please welcome the next student."

After she finished speaking, she took a deep breath.

No matter how many times she does it, the girl is still nervous.

"Machika Mizuki's hobbies are manga, novels, and games; as for her skills, she's a little bit proficient in everything..."

Just then, the student sitting next to me by the window began to introduce himself.

"So cool, so swagger..."

Sakura Chiyo's pupils widened in shock as she stared at the boy in front of her, whose demeanor was clearly different.

This person is very different!

Come to think of it, she seems to remember this name...

By the way, he's the top student in the grade!

Moreover, he's a childhood friend of that Sawamura classmate, a man who's quite the subject of much discussion.

"Mitsuki-kun, is it really okay for you to introduce yourself like this?"

The friendly girl asked in a low voice, sounding quite worried.

"Any questions?"

The other person retorted, as if they didn't understand the current state of society.

Sakura Chiyo said urgently, "At school, even if you have these otaku culture preferences, you can't say it out loud, otherwise you'll be ostracized!"

She suffered a similar fate in first grade, being isolated and ending up with few friends.

"I do not care."

"It's just the idea of ​​a bunch of mediocre people."

"But you... Sakura-san, right?"

"Please take care of me in the future."

The boy rested his chin on his hand, looking languid, but his words were completely nonchalant.

"Oh...please guide me."

Sakura Chiyo was stunned, feeling completely captivated by the boy's charm.

She also longs for that kind of carefree and unrestrained life...

Unfortunately, she couldn't do it.

"Now that the self-introductions are over, let's call it a day. Remember to carefully review the class schedule and other important information when you get home."

The homeroom teacher on the podium straightened the documents and said with a smile.

......

After the disbandment.

The childhood sweethearts were walking home.

"Zhenzhi, what's with your self-introduction?"

Eriri pursed her lips, her expression somewhat strange.

"What's going on? Wasn't this a normal self-introduction? I didn't say anything exaggerated."

Mizuki Machi raised an eyebrow, looking surprised.

"No, that's not it. Hobbies like liking comics and novels can be completely omitted, otherwise people will think..."

"What will people think of me? A shut-in? What's wrong with that?"

Faced with this rhetorical question, the girl was momentarily speechless.

She's a homebody too, so of course she doesn't think there's anything wrong with it.

However, given the current social environment, liking these things easily invites criticism.

"So what if you just don't try to talk to me at school?"

"That...how could that be!"

"Why isn't it possible?"

"I... everyone already knows about our relationship. If I ignore you, it would seem suspicious, and it wouldn't fit my image at school."

"That's settled then, just do it the same as before."

"Woo..."

Eriri felt helpless and let out a mournful cry.

Why does she feel like she's being led by the nose?

Mizuki Machi turned her head away, a smile playing on her lips.

He said that in his self-introduction today, which was obviously intentional.

He found it tiring to watch a girl wear a mask to school all day, so he really wanted to change her mind.

However, the girl's personality is quite stubborn, and she is prone to getting stuck on things. Her overly direct approach can easily lead to intense conflicts.

Mature thinking doesn't resort to head-on tactics, but rather chooses subtle and gradual methods.

I believe that sooner or later, he will successfully train the girl!

"By the way, Eriri, do you know Sakura Chiyo?"

"Sakura...Chiyo? I think I vaguely remember her. She's the girl sitting next to you, right? She used to be a member of the art club... Come to think of it, I think I've become a ghost member of the art club."

Eriri rubbed her temples, looking troubled.

She has given up too much in order to debut as a comic artist.

She even withdrew from interpersonal relationships at school and important club activities.

"Sigh, if I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have become a cartoonist."

Mizuki Machi deliberately sighed.

"I will never regret it! For my dream, I can give up all of this..."

Eriri reacted strongly, her voice impassioned.

However, when it came to becoming a manga artist, the girl's determination always exceeded his expectations.

Is it really just because I've read the comics that I had this idea?

Machi Mizuki actually had some doubts about this.