12 The Bond That Brought Us Here

"All right, everyone for our club activity this two weeks we will be revising Secret School Club, We have discussed the prior changes to be made, and we will be having a special visitor today.."

I conducted the opening of our club activity.

"Roger!"

Yasu acknowledges and started writing the story.

"Okay!"

Kozue started preparing the kitchen,

"Yay!"

The twins started as well.

"And then, my so reliable little sister, you have the list for the groceries are you ready to do your first task as a new member of the club."

"YES!"

Kanna acknowledged.

"WHY DO I HAVE TO SAY THAT?!"

I furiously implored for I was annoyed.

"But you're now the president of this club."

Fumi reminded me,

"Are you taking advantage of the school, for being the niece?"

I replied in a depressed tone.

Ah, what should I say, my sister became an official member of the club, the presidency of the club got transferred to me, I have to act like one, I never thought being a mangaka will get me to involve with a troublesome bunch of people, and so my childhood friend is taking his sweet time laughing at this matter.

"Anyway, seriously let's do our best."

I started my work.

We have our former rival Makaino Joji (Hanako Enomoto) with us now who turns out to be Yasuyuki Okamura's cousin, we discussed what to revise, good enough to be a manga, honestly being part of this club isn't bad as well, we will surely become a great team.

"Here is the first part, what do you think? Is it good?"

Yasu handed us his revision.

"Oh, now I can see more interaction with the characters."

Hanako gave her approval.

"How's the background is it too dark?"

Fumi handed me her design.

"I'll check it, please check the character design is it good enough?"

I handed her my character design.

"The background is too dark in this scene, it doesn't say it is nighttime right?"

I gave my review.

Everyone is giving all they've got, we are all on the same wavelength with one goal in mind and that is to win.

*knock knock*

"Eh, they are here already?"

Yasu looked at the door

"Hold on I'm coming."

I ran with haste towards the door.

"Yo! Everyone, whoa I never have seen this place so lively before, how you are doing?"

My father enters the studio

"We are doing good, something is wrong with our doorbell,"

I replied and take his things.

"Yes, oh I should've called the utility to let them fix the doorbell here. That would be a problem when you guys become professional and do your meetings here."

My father proceeds to sit down on the couch available in the studio.

"Thanks a bunch, who is with you, where is this visitor?"

I inquired about the special visitor.

"I got a call from my friend, that he just finished a deliberation and he will be here shortly."

My father proceeded to check us individually.

"Friend, another mystery from your past huh?"

I replied and clear my table.

*knock knock*

"Oh, he is fast I never thought he'd remember this place. HAHAHA"

My father walks to the door.

"Who is that person, wait a minute is it the school director?"

Nagi asks a question.

"Yo! Welcome, come in."

A man in a trenchcoat with a bag of what looks to be written SHOKUNEN JADE

"Sorry for the intrusion, whoa it is sure lively in here, hello young'uns."

The man entered the studio.

I never saw this guy it was not the school director gladly, but something tells me he is a close friend of my father.

"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself, I am Takeuchi Miura, editor in chief of SHOKUNEN JADE, pleased to meet you."

He introduced himself.

"EDITOR IN CHIEF,"

We said it out loud synchronically.

"Yes, also the former editor of Shimakaze Dori or your father, or they're supposed to be a duo."

He then proceeds to explain.

"Shimakaze Dori, wait your father is Shimakaze Dori that mangaka who won several AKATSUKA AWARDS? Also, the one who got his manga adapted to anime, "One summer day"."

Nami looked at me in surprise.

"HAHAHAHA don't be so surprised, it was mine and your Hitoshi's manga, and for the pen name it means "island wind's journey" because that time we both set foot on a journey together it was our dream as best friends."

My father explained the meaning behind their pen name.

"Sounds like a BL manga to me."

I jokingly said.

"HAHAHAHAHA, come on now Kenji why did you break the environment but it is what it is."

My father laughed and grabs a drink in the freezer.

"Speaking of which, I never know about this, you never told me about this when I was young."

I ask him,

"Because I promise myself to keep it away from you because I want you to decide your own course."

My father drinks his beer and told me his reason.

"But isn't it contradicting making us rebuild the club?"

I ask him again.

"It was Hitoshi's request, I declined it however after hearing the real reason, I don't have a choice I love manga and the mangaka club so much. That is why I made a request from you but I have doubts at that time whether you'll accept it or not."

My father explains everything to us and now it's clear.

"And now we are here, I have so many things to tell you but we don't have time."

I want to hear more obviously but we do not have time to make this conversation plus why the editor in chief in here.

"I want to know why you are here, Mr. Takeuchi?"

"I came here the moment your father called my attention about checking out his son and your friend's work, as well as Ms. Hanako here or Makaino Joji for leaving us hanging for a month now."

We looked to Hanako in confusion,

"We are going to help you get this done before the deadline for the BASSATSU MANGA contest."

We are all surprised by the editor-in-chief's suggestion.

"But being the editor in chief, wouldn't it bias for you to help us."

I didn't hesitate to ask about his authenticity.

"Yes, but my opinions are just my opinions and it is up to you the mangaka to follow them and put them in your manga."

Mr.Takeuchi gave us his assurance.

"So it means, you're speaking as a reader's point of view and not as the editor."

I inquired for confirmation.

"Exactly."

Mr.Takeuchi confirms.

"I see, now everyone greets our visitors."

I gave everyone an order to greet our visitors.

"THANK YOU SO MUCH AND IT IS A PLEASURE TO BE WORKING WITH YOU!"

Everyone stood up and bowed to my father and the editor-in-chief

"Oh, sure its life around here, Yes! A pleasure to be working with you, so let's do it?"

My father waves his hands to let us continue doing our work.

I can not believe my eyes that the editor in chief himself came over and will help us with making our manga, we will surely learn a lot from my father and the editor in chief. Consider ourselves lucky this time but it will only raise the bar high because the expectations just got even higher!

"That is all of it, you all did a great job finishing it in one day. Now you should rest up and get a good sleep you still have school tomorrow. Call our office for the submission of the manuscript or just email it to my assistant directly."

Mr. Takeuchi prepared himself to leave.

"YES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!"

We all sent him off.

"Papa, do you have a moment?"

I approached my father.

"Sure, what is it?"

My father opened another bottle of beer.

"You probably know what I am going to say, a lot of things happen these two months, lately."

I ask him directly.

"Yeah, I've been keeping tracking you all the time. I feel like I am watching the past me all over again, giving everything, I've got for a manga."

My father thinks of me as his past self.

"Why do you love manga so much?"

I ask him with an obvious question,

"This may be childish but their storylines are so creative, it keeps me interested in the manga. It is kind of makes me compare the boring reality with a wonderful world where many possibilities can occur. So basically, the manga is just an escape to reality when things are not going so well for me or I am just bored. Also, an amazing time-killer. You can never get bored with the manga. And most of the ones I can look forward to the story progressing. Incredible art style. A lot of them put so much detail, you can tell they spent so many hours perfecting just one page. The manga art style has helped me so much in pursuing art at a really young age."

My father explained,

"Really"

I looked at him and looked around the studio,

"And that is why I read the manga."

He ended his explanation and grabbed his things.

I have heard enough, and the mystery was solved, now I can continue what my father has started.