7 Doubts and Fear

The next day we tried doing things in the studio...

"Makaino Joji, this guy pisses me off." I implored

"Why?" Yasu asks,

"His acceptance speech." I answered with an attitude."It's like he is talking to me, weeks ago while doing my best getting used to dipping pens."

"We'll be better than him in no time, on closer look they're appraising his artwork." Yasu confidently stated.

"You sure are confident, Yasu."

"Self-confidence, hard work, and trust among ourselves. Is what it's all about right?"

"That's what is just thinking." Well obviously having Yasuyuki around lightens up the atmosphere of doubts and fear in this room, I have to clear my mind off things and think of everyone else involved in this club more. Their hard work and confidence are what keeps us up until now.

"Uhm, Kenji can you take a look at my background if it suits your style?"

"Whoa, this is amazing Fumi, this is just too good also nice perspectives!"

"Come on now, you don't have to praise me that much. Hehehe"

"But this is just too great, all you have to do is fit this out with the panels and learn about the screentone and some background techniques."

"I see, thank you! I'll study it."

Right, I have the best people with me. I shouldn't doubt their capabilities and skills even under pressure. I am sure we can make it happen to our dream, it is closer than I expected.

"Dinner is ready!" Kozue readies the table

"Oh Kozue, thank you! Didn't even notice the time."

"So what are we having for dinner!" Fumi asks.

"Aoyama Eatery special dish! Spicy Curry and Tamagoyaki." Kozue proudly placed the dishes.

"I remember your family owns a small restaurant just across the street near the school right." I implored.

"Yes, our artworks are still hanging there, HAHAHAHA!" Kozue reminded us of our childhood artworks,

"What that is just embarrassing, come on," I replied,

"I told my mom to remove it but she said it is our childhood memories of our rivalry." Kozue mused.

"Fine, I won't lose to you as always." I declared.

"Same, I won't ever lose to you but for now we are comrades in defeating our common enemy," Kozue stated.

"Sorry to break the fun but are we going to win?" I shouldn't have said that, but I have to let it off my heart or I will have doubts this entire day or weeks.

"Oy, Oy, Kenji are you sick or something? That's not the Aki that I know of." Yasu placed his hands on my forehead to check if I was sick.

"Yes, you are contradicting yourself after being confident these past weeks," Fumi questioned my ingenuity

"I know I just had to let it go so I won't be bothered by it, sorry," I explained

"Yosh, Yosh, here Kenji eat up." Kozue being sweet to me is strange

"Eeek, Kozue, cheater you are taking advantage of the situation." Fumi being jealous is also strange.

"What's up with you two, maybe it's Kenji's popular phase now!." Yasu's jokes are at it again.

"Shut your trap! So what's going on here?"

"Nothing," Kozue replied,

"Yeah, nothing," Fumi said the same.

That was an obvious dodge but it is still strange for these two girls, I wonder if they are just trying to cheer me up, whatever.

"Thanks for the meal, now I shall get back to work." I implored.

"I'll go wash the dishes and get back to practice." Kozue cleans up the mess.

"Don't push yourself too hard guys, I'm going to take a bath and sleep." Fumi checked on us.

"Sure, sure!" I replied.

"I'm next after you," Yasu replied.

"Shut up you pervert." Fumi stare fiercely at Yasu

"WHAT?!" Yasu is surprised.

"I can see through your eyes!" Fumi responded

"Was I thinking out loud, again" Yasu's dream shattered

"I swear if you do something towards these girls later at night, I am unfriending you and send you to the police." I declared.

"Yes, Sir!" Yasu replied and did the dogeza.

"Anyway, I think Makaino's editor already told him he can start a series when he finishes high school." I implored

"WHAT HE HAS ALREADY AN EDITOR?" Everyone was in shock.

"No doubt about it, he won the award, or even if it is not there is an editor that will take a liking to you anyway," I explained

"An editor, I'm jealous and motivated at the same time," Yasu stated.

"I feared it since there is a good editor and a bad editor, so you just don't go and take one then that's it." I implored

"What do you mean?" Yasu asks,

"Amateurs need to follow their editors' suggestion, even if it's all BS that is why we are good for now," I explained,

"That's when trust comes in huh?" Kozue inquired.

"Mangakas can not choose their editor so they've just got to hope for the best," I answered.

"So what's good and what is bad?" Kozue asked another question.

"Like an editor, you can never get in touch in the morning, and when you catch him in the evening or after work hours, he's just chilling in the night club with girls," I answered.

"WHAT THE HECK?" Yasu was shocked

"That is just a hyperbole, don't take it seriously and post it on the internet like something," I explained.

"Don't surprise me like that, you know everything is serious right now," Yasu replied.

"I'll tell you another story but this one is said true, a newbie who had a one-shot story in another publishing had an editor who to him to keep working on a promising manuscript he had and on the last one, when he finished reading it he took a shredder and shredded it right the mangaka's eyes," I told them a story.

"A manuscript?" Kozue asks.

"Manuscript in the world of mangaka as represented is the final draft made by the manga artist which is handed to the magazine to publish it. If an editor approves a name, it turns into a manuscript." I explained.

"That's awful and horrible! Today he'll get sued for doing those kinds of actions, so what's next?" Yasu wants to hear the rest of it.

"You shouldn't underestimate newbies. That author did not stop after getting rejected a lot of times and getting insulted by that editor" I proudly answered.

"Wow! I guess that's not a bad story, after all, it just made the mangaka even more strong and shattered all his doubts and fear." Yasu is amazed.

"Later when he applied again in the same publishing the editor back then is now the editor in chief and apologized for what he did and acknowledges the mangaka's passion and skills," I said the last bits of the story.

"Then, what did the mangaka do?" Kozue asks.

"The mangaka thanked him," I replied.

"Isn't it like something from a manga?" Yasu questions the authenticity of the story.

"It may or may not but I am relating to that newbie, and how passionate editors are about manga," I replied.

"I want to meet an editor! Let's work on this and present it to an editor!" Yasu excitedly declared.

"Yeah, let's do this! I'll start with the front cover tomorrow." I replied.

"All we need is a manuscript and we'll meet one right?" Kozue asks.

"Yes, I just finished the main stuff, let Fumi do the backgrounds and you Kozue for the effects and we can send it." I gave orders

"I'm getting excited, let's break our doubts and fear, get out of our comfort zone, Kenji!"

"I'm gonna do an all-nighter it is up to you if you're joining me on this adventure." I declared

"I want to join too, it's the weekend tomorrow after all," Yasu replied.

"Yes, forget about sleeping tonight! We are doing Secret School Club!" Kozue also joined in.

"YEAH!" I agreed.

"YAY!" Yasu agreed as well.