"Male character? Isn't it just Action Kamen's victory poses?"
"Yes... yes..." Shouko clearly felt her face heat up. "I haven't drawn those poses before, so could you help me with that?"
"..."
"Alright."
Tsuna hesitated repeatedly but still agreed. After all, it was just a few of Action Kamen's victory and entrance moves—no big deal.
At that time, it would just be the two of them in the room. No third person would know...
"Really!?" Shouko was a little disbelieving that he had agreed so quickly.
"Should I hesitate a bit more...?"
"No, no, no, you already agreed!" Shouko, afraid he would change his mind, quickly got up and left his bedroom, not giving him the chance.
"Click..."
Only after the door closed did Tsuna retract his gaze. He shrugged and returned his focus to the content on his computer, putting the matter Shouko had just brought up out of his mind.
Back in her own home, Shouko told Yaeko, who was watching TV in the living room, "Good night," and then hurried back to her bedroom.
"I've accepted this commission."
Flopping onto her soft bed, Shouko pulled out her phone and immediately sent a message to the client from that afternoon. The reply came almost instantly.
"As expected of Ms. Nishimiya, I'll transfer the deposit right now."
"By the way, Ms. Nishimiya, how long will it take to deliver these three illustrations?"
Shouko looked at the message and, after a moment of hesitation, gave an approximate time.
"Within a month and a half, or a month if it's quick."
The next month would be summer vacation. If nothing unexpected happened, she felt she could finish it within a week. But then she remembered the stories Tsuna had told her before.
So, she extended the time a bit. This way, the client would feel the money was well spent; if it was too fast, they might feel it was a loss.
"Alright, do I need to buy the clothes then?"
"No need, I'll go buy them with him."
"(OK.jpg)"
The two chatted for a while longer about the poses for the commission before saying their goodbyes. Shouko sent Tsuna a "good night" message, and not long after, she fell into a deep sleep.
At 5:50 AM, the eastern sky turned grayish-white, the convenience store's white light still reflecting on the empty streets, and cicada chirps began to sound sporadically.
Tsuna woke up according to his biological clock, changed into his sportswear, and went out for his morning run. After returning and showering, he started packing his clothes.
"Take good care of Shouko outside." Shizuka leaned against the doorframe, looking at Tsuna as he packed, reminding him.
"Mom, if you want, you can come too." Tsuna didn't lift his head, continuing to pack.
"Forget it. We'll go together when your dad has a day off."
Shizuka waved her hand, turned, and went downstairs. "You take care of yourself too."
"..."
"Tsuna, how are your preparations coming along?" At this moment, Shouko walked up, already a little impatient.
"Alright, let's go."
Shizuka saw them off at the station. After the five of them met on the platform, they squeezed into the rush hour train car, swaying for over two hours until they arrived at Toyama Station. The sea breeze, mixed with a salty, fishy smell, wafted in through the ticket gate.
Ajitani couldn't help but let out a loud shout as soon as she exited the station with her luggage. The other four almost wanted to pretend they didn't know her.
"Oh, sea! I'm here!" x2
"?"
Ajitani looked suspiciously toward the source of the voice that had shouted with her.
Under Tsuna's astonished gaze, Togashi Yuuta politely nodded at the group and then pushed Takanashi Rikka, who had started babbling beside him, away. Along with the two of them, four other people also left.
Nibutani Shinka even smiled politely in Tsuna's direction before she left.
"..."
"I feel like I've seen those people somewhere before..." Ajitani squinted and mumbled.
"Ajitani-chan, those are our upperclassmen." Shouko retracted her gaze from the backs of those people and reminded her.
She had a rather deep impression of them. Although she hadn't interacted with them, she recognized them at a glance.
"It's not important," Ajitani waved her hand. "Let's go. My uncle is waiting for us not far ahead."
Tsuna patted Nishikata's shoulder, telling him to snap out of it and follow the three girls ahead.
The four of them, carrying their luggage, followed Ajitani, and soon saw a dark-skinned big man leaning against a minivan, waiting by the roadside.
"Let's go."
The big man smiled at them, greeted each of them, and then started the car, heading towards their destination.
Along the way, the big man kept asking Ajitani about her school situation. The group also learned that his dark skin wasn't natural; it was from tanning...
"We're here," the big man scratched his head with a simple smile. "You all go back first, I still have some matters to handle, so I won't accompany you."
After Tsuna and the others got out of the car and confirmed that nothing was left behind, he started the car and drove away.
Tsuna briefly scanned the house they would be staying in for seven days, then retracted his gaze and followed the footsteps of the people ahead.
The mosaic-tiled exterior wall had patchy bald spots of varying sizes, eroded by the sea breeze. A clothesline hung limply from the second-floor security window. Beside the faded, grayish-white iron gate were three blackened foam seafood containers, and half a seashell was stuck in the cracks of the cement steps.
"Knock, knock, knock...!"
"Coming, coming, is that Ajitani?"
Ajitani knocked on the large iron gate, and a gentle voice from inside interrupted her.
When the large gate was pulled open, Tsuna saw that the person opening the door was an elderly woman with white hair. Ajitani excitedly hugged her.
"Grandma!"
"Good, good, good." After she let go, the old woman lovingly stroked Ajitani's cheek. "It's been a year, why have you gotten so thin? Aren't you eating properly at home?"
"No, I eat a lot." Ajitani shook her head, and afraid the old woman wouldn't believe her, she even flexed the muscles on her arm.
The old woman smiled and patted Ajitani's flabby muscles, then looked at the people at the doorway.
"These must be Ajitani's friends, right?"
Tsuna and the other three hurriedly called out 'Grandma.'
"Is this Ajitani's boyfriend?" The old woman's gaze fixed on Tsuna's face, then she nodded with satisfaction. "My Ajitani's eye for—"
"..."
Ajitani frantically waved her hands, interrupting the old woman's words. "No, no!! I haven't gotten a boyfriend in high school yet!!"
After speaking, she subtly glanced at Shouko's expression beside Takagi. Only after seeing no change did she let out a sigh of relief.
"Oh, that's a bit of a shame."
"..." Tsuna didn't understand why she was disappointed, but he didn't dare to ask.
"Quick, quick, quick, you must be tired from the journey. Come in quickly, have some water, and rest."
The old woman realized they had been standing at the door for a while, so she quickly had Ajitani lead them inside to rest.
Pushing open the door, Tsuna first smelled the musty odor of damp tatami mixed with the salty sea air. A thirty-year-old model green refrigerator stood next to a faded, chipped lacquer Buddhist altar.
There were several tea stains on the plastic low table. Under the wooden staircase leading to the second floor were stuffed rain boots covered in salt grains and a bound volume of Aquatic Products Monthly.