Matsushita Editor-san and... [May, 19th]

In the world of writers, there are certain elements of assistance that work with multiple writers at the same time to provide support for these writers, who are strange desk creatures who hardly ever leave their homes.

That's in most cases.

But when it comes to my luck... let me add that the editor I was assigned to was a complete novice within the company. Maybe because they thought I was just a kid with useless aspirations.

If there is anyone who knows my ideas from beginning to end, and who knows the hidden meaning of the words put into my writings, it is undoubtedly Matsushita-san.

She is still learning about her work nowadays, and although she has not become a professional editor, she is still good enough for someone like me, with only one published book.

If I were asked... Would you change your editor?

My answer would probably be "Yes", but there's only one reason why I haven't decided to ask for a change.

For me... Matsushita-san is perhaps the only person capable of personifying my writing. I mean, I just write the drafts, and she is the one who does them with more human complexity than I do.

The other person who has her name next to mine on the back cover of the book is her, Matsushita-san.

I don't know what her first name is, as our relationship is only a working one and nothing more than that. Although sometimes we go out as friends, like the time we went to a restaurant to celebrate the publication of the book we worked so hard on.

But hey. Other than that, she's good with the media. She knows how to get my name out there and ever since our book came out, she's wanted to expand the media, only most of the time I've refused.

For now, it's only okay if we move into manga.

I drop Touka off at Matsushita-san's office, while the two of us go and talk to the mangaka who is willing to take our work.

Matsushita-san opens the door to the meeting room, where a dark-haired, dark-eyed woman sits with her arms folded, waiting for us. There is a stack of papers to one side of her.

Silently, we take a seat right in front of her.

We bow our heads at the same time.

Nice to see you again, Kurogane-sensei.

─Same here, Kurogane-san. I'm glad you made time in your schedule to take our work.

We both appreciate it.

After all it's a joint work that we carry, she understands everything I wrote and knows how to elevate it to absolute perfection.

Perhaps the only good thing about Matsushita-san is that she can fill the elements I wrote myself with much more complexity.

But it's still great.

She is an excellent person that I like and above all, someone I can trust.

The woman sitting in front of us adjusts her glasses and smiles a little as she answers us:

─I'm glad you're still well, Manabu-san. Here's the one shot, which previews a part of the publication. I followed everything according to the original book, word for word, what you have here is the illustration of your work. Worthy of the young man who pushed all the amateur writers with a self-questioning "God", isn't it?

Kurogane Ayai-sensei, the manga artist we contacted to illustrate our book. She slides the stack of papers to her side, and I start looking at them one by one.

Her most notable work, "Kouma", has a hundred million copies in circulation. Which puts her in one of the pillars of the manga world that really makes her entirely popular.

I fell in love with her drawings instantly.

The details, the depth, and even her drawing style are things that led me to notice her as a prime candidate to adapt my book into a manga.

I see the drawings... an illustration that projects in a better way the image I had of the protagonist of Mushinron no Catharsis.

[... it's time... to do it...]

The first pages of the stack of papers showed not the prologue inside the train, but the essential content of the first and second chapters, when Akira was about to take his own life.

It was only an instant of chance.

[It will hurt... just a little, nothing more...]

While she was about to throw herself into the void.

The gears of "Fate" all came together at the same time to produce it.

The only way religion is maintained is because people want to believe in a "Concept". They need something to base their miserable existence on to fill the void.

That is why.

"God" is just a "concept" that man created in order not to admit how empty their lives are.

[This is the beginning of the story of an "atheist" who became "God".]

[Mushinron no Catharsis - Written by Tatsuda Manabu - Illustrated by Kurogane Ayai]

The names of the two main members of this version are there, written in elegant calligraphy.

As I scroll through the pages, more and more images are projected in front of my eyes.

Their drawings... are perfect....

─What do you think, Manabu?

Matsushita-san seems to want my opinion.

I can tell by her expression that she loves them as much as I do.

This is really something to take your hat off to.

It's a splendid enough work to surprise the masterminds behind a successful top number one bestselling book.

Kurogane-san... you have my full permission to use all the contents of my work, including my name and the name of the work itself. The publisher is going to pay you a cheque for half a million yen, as we had agreed as a down payment, and also your salary per month is going to be fifty percent of the profits.

What about royalties?

─Included too, as long as you do a splendid job like this one here.

─Well kid, we have a deal. Hey you, Editor-san, do you want to go get something to eat with me and Manabu-san?

Mm? I don't remember agreeing to go.

─No, sorry, Manabu and I have other business to attend to.

Matsushita-san gives me a tap with his shoe to confirm what he's telling me.

I guess he'll be angry if I don't play along.

That's right, we have something to do. Sorry, but we'll accept your invitation when the manga is published.

─Mm, okay then. We'll see you until that comes. I'll keep in touch with you, Manabu-san.

─Okay, whatever problems you have, you can count on me.

That was the final exchange.

Kurogane-sensei took his papers out of the meeting room, and just like that, only Matsushita-san was left in the place.

So as not to bore us...

We started spinning on the office chairs with wheels.

What?

We are good friends, we are not on bad terms or anything like that. Maybe it's because of the age difference, which is almost ten years, actually. Matsushita-san and I are still immature on the inside, that's why we don't worry about gyrating on chairs like idiots.

There's nothing wrong with that.

Ah.

Maybe I haven't mentioned it before.

Matsushita-san is a 5'6" woman with light brown hair and unnaturally green pupils. I once heard from her that her mother is a foreigner, so that would explain the anomaly. Your white complexion stands out with the clothes she wears, which must necessarily be a jacket and tie. She wears trousers instead of a skirt.

In fact, I remember hearing that Matsushita-san in her high school days wore the school's boys' uniform for the entire three years.

It is not that she lacks femininity, but rather, what she lacks is proper fashion sense as a woman.

She argues that she likes boys' clothes much better, and I can't say anything to contradict her.

─Now that Kurogane-sensei has left, I want to get straight to the point, who the hell is that girl you brought? ─. She asks.

It's not out of jealousy or anything, she's just too curious.

That's another complaint I have towards Matsushita-san, her curiosity is simply too much to digest for someone like me. It's idiotic.

But I can't just leave her like that, she's still the newest in her job. Not many aspire to be editors, haha.

Anyway, that doesn't matter too much.

─She's a friend.

─No, that's not what I meant.... Why does she look so much like Akira... Who the heck is she?

Ah.

So that's what I was asking...

Well, if I had to explain it...

─I don't know.

That was the answer I came up with.

There really isn't much more to say about it.

Since Matsushita-san is just my editor, nothing more than that.

As an editor, she can't get too involved in my personal life.

But I guess that's okay.

Since I can be friends with Matsushita-san without having to worry about things like that.

But there's just one thing I have to remember....

─Manabu, don't go out with that girl until you can get justice for what was done to Kuroha. I'll repeat it as many times as it takes... I'd hate you if you do something as insensitive as going after another girl and forgetting about your past.

Matsushita-san's words hit me harder than I expected.

And they made me silently apologise for the person in question... who was already a month dead.

She is right...

After all, my last girlfriend's surname was "Matsushita". Someone related by blood to my editor, Matsushita-san... but I guess I shouldn't say more than that for now. Out of respect for the deceased.

It's alright... you're absolutely right.

I'm not going to tell Touka-san about my feelings until I can find a resolution to the biggest problem of all. Which is undoubtedly, Kotonoha Manaka.

─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─

The instructions were followed to the letter.

I cut joints.

I lacerated the face, gouged out the eyes and replaced them with buttons.

There is nothing more to it than that.

What could I add?

The feeling in my chest that I slit his throat to murder this individual, or the fact that I mock his death by decorating his corpse.

I have someone I want to reach... and the only way to do that is through these murders.

For there is no way "he" will notice me if I don't do something of this magnitude. He is a man of high standards when it comes to romance.

Although occasionally I don't get it... I know this is the only way to get him to notice me.

I don't care if he hates me.

I don't care if he cries either.

That bastard has to pay me back for everything he's made me suffer... I swear I will! That asshole deserves no mercy whatsoever!

That's why.

I cut, cut and kept cutting, unleashing my fury on this person who in an unfortunate way, has become a sacrifice to achieve my ideal.

It is nothing too complex...

But a difficulty has come my way. That black-haired woman who has carelessly joined the list of people I must eradicate.

I don't want to do anything too careless yet.

This is only the fourth murder.

There is room for fourteen more people, where I can add that bitch to get her out of my way. He won't even realise what happened and cry for her death.

Everything is perfectly planned...

No matter what happens, if the person himself doesn't suspect me, it's going to be impossible to get to me as the culprit of those murders.

It is as simple as that.

And by the simplicity of it....

It is that I must go and dump this corpse when I can, and without further delay, further confuse the cops who are investigating my streak of pristine and beautiful murders.