Two weeks have passed since One Piece was launched. As Hinotori Publishing expected, it has opened a 5 million gap with Weekly Boutique.
Although Weekly Boutique sales have normalized since the second week, this huge difference will not be so easily compensated. Takumi expected Kanto Manga Company to soon have a response strategy, but surprisingly, Kanto remained silent.
They did nothing, simply making up the difference calmly, which greatly puzzled Takumi.
Did Kanto abandon the competition with him? With this question in mind, before Takumi received the answer, invitations from Tomato and Sakura arrived.
The two couples, over 30 years old, did not seem to plan a grand wedding ceremony, but simply sent an invitation to invite him to a wedding banquet.
On Saturday morning, Aika wrapped the red envelopes, and Alice went to pick them up.
"Are there journalists there?"
On the way, Aika asked worriedly: "I've seen some journalists at the community entrance these past two days."
"Are there reporters at the community entrance?" Alice frowned slightly. Could Takumi's address have been leaked? She kept it in mind, but a smile appeared on her face: "Don't worry, Aika-san, Tomato and his family have already held a wedding banquet. This time, only those from our company will be invited, and there shouldn't be any reporters."
"Really?"
Aika relaxed. Alice drove to the hotel, parked the car, and they approached together. Tomato and Sakura were at the door dressed formally. Seeing them, their eyes lit up and they greeted them enthusiastically.
"Mirai-sensei, you've finally arrived!"
"I love editors. We've been waiting for you for a long time!"
They greeted each other, and Alice and Aika smiled and gave Sakura a red envelope. After the greetings, Takumi asked Tomato: "Have the others arrived?"
"Yes, all the editors are inside, only you and Mach are left, and there are some other mangaka who haven't arrived yet." Tomato, dressed in a suit, replied. He looked up and said: "What a coincidence, it seems Mach has also arrived...".
A taxi stopped by the roadside. Mach got out of the car with his partner and walked towards the hotel.
"Congratulations!" He greeted Tomato with a smile, then looked at Takumi and said with a hint of respect: "Mirai-sensei, long time no see."
Mach was truly very excited. "The Detective Sherlock" anime caused him some psychological impact. Now that "One Piece" had crushed "The Detective's Son", Mach let out a sigh of relief.
'I lost a lot at first. Those guys really challenged Mirai-sensei without knowing whether to live or die.'
The idea crossed his mind, and Mach looked at Takumi in awe. He felt that joining Hinotori Publishing was a very wise decision; at least he wouldn't have to fight Mirai-sensei.
"Long time no see, Master Mach...", Takumi replied with a smile, and then turned his head. He looked at the excited woman next to Mach: "Who is she?"
"I am Master Mach's girlfriend, Mirai-sensei, and I'm also your fan...".
The woman excitedly stepped forward to shake Takumi's hand, and Mach immediately told her story, which surprised everyone around him.
"What a coincidence." "How romantic...".
Alice and Shiori showed different expressions. However, Takumi noticed that Tomato and Mach's girlfriend secretly looked at each other, as if they were talking about something.
"Alright! Don't stand here, let's go in!" Sakura led them inside the hotel. Takumi and Tomato walked at the back. He whispered: "Do you know that woman?"
"What did you say?" Tomato's expression changed slightly and he pretended to be confused: "I don't know her."
"Don't lie to me," Takumi said with a smile: "I just saw you looking into her eyes."
"..."
Tomato was stunned for a few seconds, then smiled bitterly. "Mirai-sensei, your eyes are so powerful. Well, I'll tell you... But don't tell Mach."
He whispered to Takumi and explained: "I know that woman. She's a follower of Master Mach. Last time they met, in fact, I organized it."
Last time at the bar, Tomato saw that Mach refused to leave. After he left, he became more and more worried, so he looked for the woman and called her to appease Mach, which led to the current result.
"Why are you doing this?"
Takumi frowned slightly. What reason did Tomato have to do something like this without telling Mach?
"Mirai-sensei, Mach used to be very inconstant." Tomato touched his head and smiled bitterly: "He's handsome, aren't I afraid he'll think of Sakura?"
Tomato didn't dare to take it lightly after finally finding a wife in his thirties. Although Mach had changed his ways, his previous frivolous conduct was still fresh in Tomato's memory. He didn't want such a man to stay by his side. What if he seduced Sakura?
So he found a crazy fan to keep him in check.
"Master, don't look at his weak appearance, but he's really scary...", Tomato told Takumi: "A few years ago, I scolded Mach in the newspaper. This woman ran to my house with a knife and scared me to death!"
Tomato met this woman during that intimidation. Unexpectedly, after a few years, it had an unexpected effect.
After hearing the explanation, Takumi's face filled with wrinkles: "Isn't that woman the same as Shiori? No, maybe she's the same person as mother and daughter." He looked at Mach walking in front of him. He was ignorant and happy walking with the woman. Takumi sighed inwardly.
"What a shame...!"
"Master!"
At that moment, suddenly, a young girl ran out of the hotel: "It seems there's not enough wine."
She was a girl with acne and a pretty face. At first, she ran towards Sakura, but seeing Mirai-sensei on the way, she stopped and greeted him coldly: "Master Mirai, Mirai-sensei...".
Takumi looked at her strangely.
"Mirai-sensei, this is my assistant Haruna, 17 years old." Sakura introduced her to Takumi. She was a novice mangaka who had just debuted at Hinotori Publishing, but had not yet published a serialized manga. She was Sakura's assistant.
Takumi was a little surprised because the girl was roughly his age.
"Hello."
He extended his hand to Haruna. Haruna was stunned for a moment, wiped her hand, and timidly shook Takumi's hand: "Mirai-sensei, I'm your fan... I mustered up the courage to send my work after reading 'Bakuman'."
She told this to Takumi.
"Bakuman?" Takumi was even more surprised. No wonder Genji was more excited than he was when this manga was published. It turned out it really had a ripple effect.
"That's right, Bakuman." Haruna nodded and said excitedly: "I studied painting. Many of my classmates wanted to be mangaka after reading Bakuman, but I was the only one who managed to send my work."
A flicker of pride shone in Haruna's eyes.
Studying painting is not the same as studying manga. Haruna's first submission of a short manga was a success, which also showed her great ability.
"It hasn't been long since Bakuman came out, and you can successfully submit your work." "You seem very talented." Takumi saw through Haruna's background and smiled: "But don't be impatient. Study with Sakura calmly. Someday you'll be able to publish a series."
"Yes...",
Haruna nodded happily.
"It's the first time I've heard Mirai-sensei praise a newcomer." Sakura, who was standing to the side, listened to the conversation between the two and felt envious of Haruna. Not even she herself had received Mirai-sensei's praise on several occasions.
However, Haruna is undoubtedly a girl with great talent for manga. She is a newcomer valued by the Female Editorial Department and has great potential. Her skills in drawing and story creation are excellent, but she has been exposed to manga for too short a time and lacks experience.
With a little practice, Haruna will become a popular mangaka at Hinotori Publishing.
"Thank you for the compliments, masters."
Haruna lowered her head somewhat stiffly, her cheeks slightly flushed.
Indeed, she is a proud girl. She has always felt talented since childhood. This presentation was also a great success. The short story won a 400,000 yen prize, which made countless classmates... Envious.
During this time, Haruna had become a celebrity at school.
However, after seeing Mirai-sensei, Haruna felt that she had lost all her pride.
Mirai-sensei is younger than her, but he has earned the respect of professional mangaka, and furthermore, he is Hinotori Publishing's chief mangaka. Compared to him, Haruna feels inferior.
And most importantly...
"Mirai-sensei is really handsome!" her heart pounded.
- - - - - - - -
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