Lin Yu packed his schedule to the brim, not leaving a single gap. He even planned to squeeze out some time to work on page two.
All this effort—he knew—was for a better life down the road. That much, Lin Yu understood perfectly.
When the evening shift ended, he exchanged a brief farewell with Nanako and hurried home.
Time waits for no one. He had to make every second count.
Nanako watched his quickly disappearing figure and sighed helplessly.
She had wanted to remind him to take care of himself, to rest more—but before she could get a word in, Lin Yu had already vanished.
"Heading home, Nanako? Why are you spacing out?" her friend asked, concerned.
Nanako simply shook her head with a smile and began walking toward her place.
Meanwhile, Lin Yu returned home, cleaned up quickly, and dove right into his drawing.
According to what Nanako had said earlier today, Inuyasha would be going to print soon. There was still time, but just to be safe…
He had to at least finish chapter two before the serialization started. The last thing he wanted was to be caught unprepared and ruin his reputation.
As Lin Yu worked late into the night under a single lamp, Nanako had just gotten home herself.
"I'm home!"
"Nanako, welcome back! How was work today? Everything okay?"
Daehara Shijiro immediately dropped what he was doing, all attention on his daughter. In Lin Yu's previous life, people like Shijiro—bestselling novelist and full-time daughter-con—would've been described as having 'daughter worship syndrome.'
Compared to Nanako, his work wasn't even worth mentioning.
"Mm, not bad. Work was pretty light today."
Nanako answered while taking off her shoes, then suddenly looked at her father.
"Dad, are you done with your manuscript?"
"Agh, that kind of thing can't be rushed. Inspiration doesn't come until the very last moment…"
Shijiro waved her off, speaking with the nonchalance of a seasoned procrastinator.
Nanako glanced at him, then mentally compared him to Lin Yu. The contrast was so stark she couldn't help but shake her head. What a difference…
"What's wrong? Did that new manga artist you signed start slacking off already? I swear—"
Nanako waved him off as she walked toward her room.
"Nope. No such thing. Don't worry about it, Dad."
Shijiro scratched his head, a little puzzled by her reaction.
"If he's not slacking, then why bring it up…"
In her room, Nanako pulled out the sketches Lin Yu had practiced with earlier that day. Each one was carefully wrapped in a blank sheet of paper—no creases or damage.
She laid them out one by one, observing the slight yet steady improvements in every draft. Then, she gently slid them into a folder for safekeeping.
Her gaze shifted to the athletic outfit hanging on her wall. A thoughtful expression crossed her face.
The Next Morning
Lin Yu once again stepped out in his usual formal wear for his morning run.
The air was getting colder. He'd been so caught up with rushing home to draw last night, he'd forgotten—again—to buy new clothes.
Feeling the chill, Lin Yu decided that once his run was done, he'd skip the sushi shop and head straight to the mall to buy a couple of warmer outfits.
After all, wearing the same set of clothes every day really wasn't ideal.
But just as he turned the corner, he spotted a familiar figure jogging toward him.
"Morning," Lin Yu called out with a smile.
Seeing Nanako in the morning, even if the jog was a struggle, was kind of a treat for the eyes.
"Good morning, Lin-kun," she greeted with her usual gentle smile. But unlike the flushed cheeks she had after yesterday's run, her face today was noticeably pale.
"You okay? Are you coming down with something?" Lin Yu asked, concerned.
Nanako shook her head but gave him a careful once-over instead.
Most girls might've felt shy doing something like that, but Nanako was composed and direct.
"Lin-kun, you stayed up late again last night, didn't you?"
Lin Yu scratched under his eye. For some reason, he felt like a student who just got caught not doing homework.
"Is it that obvious?"
Nanako tilted her head, pondering seriously.
"Kind of panda-level obvious?"
Lin Yu laughed awkwardly. Between part-time work and drawing all night, he hadn't even noticed how rough he looked.
"Well, maybe. But you seem pretty disciplined—always up early to exercise and everything."
Trying to shift the topic, Lin Yu kept it light. His dark circles weren't something he wanted to dwell on.
Nanako giggled.
"Has anyone ever told you your transitions are painfully abrupt?"
"Nope. Never happened," Lin Yu said with mock seriousness.
That only made her laugh harder. Her bright eyes curved into half-moons, full of lively charm.
"Well, now someone has."
For once, the usually calm and refined Nanako showed a more playful side.
After a light jog, Lin Yu checked the time. It was about right—he had to get moving if he wanted to buy clothes before work.
"Where do you live, Nanako? I'm heading to the mall to buy clothes. If we're headed the same way…"
"Oh, my place is pretty close to the mall! Want me to come with you?"
Lin Yu hesitated but eventually nodded.
Since arriving in Japan, he still hadn't quite gotten used to the way people here handled politeness. Sometimes he couldn't tell if they genuinely meant something or were just being courteous.
Still, he wasn't too familiar with the mall. Having someone guide him would definitely help.
Haruwabe wasn't a big town. The mall was close enough that you didn't need a bus—just a short walk.
By the time they arrived, the early morning crowd was light—mostly elderly folks out for a stroll or doing their shopping.
Just like in Lin Yu's previous life. Some things never changed.
"So what kind of clothes are you looking for, Lin-kun?"
"Something thicker. Autumn wear—or maybe even winter gear."
Lin Yu eyed Nanako's outfit. It was clear she had underestimated the morning chill today.
She was definitely underdressed for this weather.