Chapter 62: ★★Nyanpasu on Fire [2]
"Teacher you are really..." Samantha shook her head smiling. "Whole net crazy for you, and you are so calm."
"Otherwise?"
"At least be excited!" She flipped to trending list. "Look, 'Nyanpasu' dominated for three days! Even elementary students say it! This influence is terrifying!"
Alex sipped tea, silent. To him, heat is temporary, works are eternal. Rather than caring about trending, better draw the next chapter well.
During morning work hours, they revised Non Non Biyori Chapter 5 draft together. Samantha drew the fireworks scene, but as she said, too beautiful, like a postcard.
"Here," Alex pointed to a panel. "Moment of explosion, don't just draw brilliance. Draw the kid next to it scared to tears, draw someone covering ears, draw sparks falling and burning a hand. The small messiness in the liveliness is reality."
"And here," he pointed again. "Goldfish scooping. Don't draw them catching easily. Draw net breaking, fish escaping, clothes getting wet, mocking each other. Healing isn't just success, but the fun of failure."
Samantha's eyes lit up, taking notes immediately.
Halfway through, Sarah called from downstairs: "Al, guest!"
It was Kai. Carrying a camera, looking a bit shy. "Mr. Walker, our school is doing a 'My Favorite Work' theme exhibition. I chose FMA. Can... can I take a few photos of you working? No face, just hands, work table."
Alex thought, nodded. "Okay, but only ten minutes."
"Thank you Teacher!"
Kai carefully took a few photos—brushes on table, spread out FMA storyboard, ranch view outside window. Finally he gathered courage to ask: "Mr. Walker, can I ask a question?"
"Ask."
"Drawing such dark content in FMA, don't you feel bad inside? After drawing my sister's death part, I couldn't recover for days..."
"I feel bad." Alex said. "But some stories must be told. Like a surgeon, seeing terrible wounds but must operate, because that's his responsibility. Creator's responsibility is to present the real world, even if that world is dark."
Kai stared at him, then nodded vigorously. "I understand. Thank you Teacher!"
After he left, Samantha whispered: "Teacher, can I write down what you just said? I think... it was said too well."
"Write it."
Afternoon, they continued revising. By evening, Non Non Biyori Chapter 5 draft was basically formed. In the picture, the fireworks festival was lively and messy, five girls soaked wet but laughing happily.
That pure, simple joy transmitted through the picture.
"Teacher," Samantha looked at the revised draft, whispering. "I understand now. Non Non Biyori moves people not because it's perfect, but because it's real. Real happiness has small messiness, small failures, small awkwardness. But precisely because of imperfections, it appears precious."
"Yeah." Alex nodded. "That's what I want to draw."
Sunset dyed the ranch gold-red. Cows returned slowly to shed. Sarah called for dinner from distance.
Ordinary, real.
Samantha took out her phone, snapped the view outside window, posted on Weibo: "Revising Non Non Biyori Chapter 5 at ranch. Teacher says, healing isn't just perfection, but real imperfection. Bonus ranch sunset Nyanpasu~"
Three minutes later, shares broke ten thousand.
"Real name envy learning from Alex at ranch!"
"This view! No wonder he can draw Non Non Biyori!"
"'Healing isn't just perfection, but real imperfection'—well said!"
"Want to go to ranch! Want to see Alex!"
"So the question is! How can such a healing place produce Nina chimera scene!"
Late night, Alex received Sue's message: "Kane wants to visit you, personal capacity, meet or not?"
He thought, replied: "No!"
"Okay. Also, publisher contacted, wants to publish your creation talks, organize your creative philosophy. Chief says consider it."
"No." Alex replied crisply. "Creation is practice, not theory. Want to learn, go see works, go live, go draw."
"Understood. Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
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Non Non Biyori continued to be hot. Six out of the top ten trending topics were related to this phrase. On short video platforms, the "Nyanpasu Hand Dance" broke 40 million views. From kindergarten morning exercises to influencers' transformation challenges, everyone was imitating that simple, cute gesture.
Most ridiculously, on a morning news program in a first-tier city, after broadcasting the weather, the host made a "Nyanpasu" gesture to the camera and smiled: "Nyanpasu today too!"
Later on the news website, a bunch of netizens left messages: "What is that Nyanpasu!"
"Why is the host so cute today?" "How can broadcasting news be so unserious, please keep it up." Basically, a bunch of curious netizens went to comment asking what that was! Then the official website crashed!
NextGen Manga Monthly Editorial Department. Liu from the Data Analysis Department stared at the real-time monitoring screen, expression shifting from shock to numbness.
"Chief," he turned to Lee, voice floating a bit. "Feedback for the first three chapters of Non Non Biyori: among paying users, 40% are groups who never read manga before."
Lee looked at the jumping numbers on the screen. "Specific groups?"
"Office workers aged 25-40, 68% female. Their purchase comments mostly say 'Healed by Nyanpasu,' 'High work pressure need relaxation,' 'Reminds me of childhood days in the countryside'."
"Broke the circle." Kevin Zhang pushed his glasses. "Truly broke the circle. FMA attracts deep readers; Non Non Biyori attracts... everyone."
Sue pulled up the social media analysis report. "More critical is the user-generated content. As of now, original content about 'Nyanpasu' on major platforms exceeds 800,000 posts, including hand dances, dialect tutorials, memes, handmade merch, even recipes—even more netizens learned about it from the news."
"News?" Lee raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, just today's weather forecast. A female host said Nyanpasu, causing the website to crash later. After knowing it was a manga, it drove another wave of traffic."
Lee was silent for a few seconds, then smiled.
"So we are now influencing across sectors!"
"You could say that."
Sue nodded. "And this influence is feeding back into FMA—27% of new readers brought by Non Non Biyori went to catch up on FMA. Although many said 'too dark can't continue,' the data is indeed rising."
"Tell the printing plant, reprint another 500,000 copies of Non Non Biyori tankobon."
Lee decided. "Also, contact legal, register 'Nyanpasu' trademark and image copyright ASAP. Although Alex might not care, we must protect this IP."
TO BE CONTINUE