Chapter 4: Decisions
I remember still at the studio when talking about the ideas for our one-shot story, I was practicing using dip pens while Yasuyuki and Fumi read the drafts that were left unpublished.
"Hmmm, why are these panels small and too simplistic? It is so different from any other manga I've read,"
Fumi asks but it was indirect.
"Ah, that's because my father used to draw gag manga, that is why it looks simple and small. The target audience is for children mostly, but you have to do a storyboard that fits your story. If you just want to write a script then simply become a writer and collaborate with someone else."
I explained in detail.
"All right I'll do it, I'm really excited about this now! So what kind of manga do you like? I know we are childhood friends but we still do have different interests, also we shared manga as childhood friends. Those weren't really what we liked, right?"
Yasuyuki excitedly answered.
"HAHAHAHA, I remember dissing that manga about shapeshifting from humans to a Shiba Inu to get girls,"
I replied.
"HAHAHAHA, and I replied that it was an awful technique to get girls. Just because a woman loves dogs, especially cute ones!"
Yasu nearly fell on the floor laughing!
"So what are you interested in?"
Fumi breaks the conversation with a serious face.
"I really love to check the mainstream, typical battle manga which is exciting and from weak to strong. Just like HERO ACADEMY, Road to Pirate King, four-leaf black clover, Jonathan's Adventures are Bizarre"
I replied.
"I see, for me what I'm interested in is more like sci-fi battle mangas or likes, Ball of Dragons, Mecha Bots Battle, I'm also recently hooked in a manga, Dr. Rock, it's so awesome! A post-apocalyptic world where people turned into stones and the main protagonist is a high school genius who works to restore the earth! How about you Fumi?"
Yasu shared his.
"Uhm, I read mostly shoukujo manga now, Fruits Market, I am a God it's nice to meet you, Monkey Fish, Skip a heartbeat, Blue Bird Ride, and Kiss the other guy, Not Me."
Fumi shared hers.
"As expected of a girls' choices but of course it is helpful for the heroine's point of view, Aha! Fumi, help me with the girls' point of view since I don't really understand it that well."
Yasu implored.
"Eh? But different girls have different choices, likes, and dislikes, so I don't know what I can help you with."
"But girls don't have similarities right."
"Yeah, but I'll do my best."
"That's our Fumi!"
"Our"
Fumi eyes opened wide and blushed as Akihito said that she is theirs.
Back to the present where we are heading to my apartment to discuss things with my parents, my mother specifically.
"Kenji, I'll drop by the convenience store to grab some snacks just mail me what you guys want to have. I'll be back in a jiffy."
Yasu made an excuse to leave.
"Alright hurry up, I don't want to get everything misunderstood, you know."
I looked at Fumi.
I am just being careful because my family is a little bit crazy and annoying when it comes to me taking someone home, especially if it's a girl. It's not like I don't like bringing home friends, they just overreact.
First, we need to clear the radar of my little sister, second, act seriously towards my mother and father. I just hope not to mess this up... but as I opened the door right in front of me is my little sister of all human beings!
"MAMA, PAPA! Big bro brought home a girl."
My little sister ran to our living room.
"WHAT! OUR AKI HAS BROUGHT HOME A GIRL!"
My father took a peek.
"Oh my, oh my, I haven't prepared a feast, Darling I'm going to buy groceries really quick."
My mother rashly prepared herself to leave.
"Take the car, it will be fast enough, ah the camera, where is the camera."
My father replied.
"SHUT UP YOU TWO" I shouted to stop them. It is not that I disrespect them, this is just our daily interaction at home. "It's not like she's my girlfriend or anything! We are here to discuss something with you, and dad you're here? I see you got home early from work, how about you join us, Hiro will be here later on."
I ended the conversation.
"Pardon the intrusion, I am Fumi Sugawara from Akihito's classmate."
"So you're Fumi, Hitoshi's niece. It's nice to meet you! How is that jerk doing recently?"
My father started a conversation.
"As usual he is still a jerk hogging the school's office for himself,"
Fumi replied in disappointment
"HAHAHAHAHA, that jerk he never changes, I would like to meet up with him again, maybe get a few drinks and talk about our school days."
My father smiled as he reminisced about the past.
"Alright enough with that shall we discuss something now."
I ended their topic.
This is the rule at our house if I have a request or a problem I'll have to talk about with my parents. Then they'll discuss it among themselves when I am out and inside of my room or for this instance as I am with my friends. So we will wait for my dad to come home and discuss it together. So then,
"Mom, I want to be a mangaka."
I started
"I knew you'd ask me about that, but haven't we discussed this before? I did not agree with this."
My mother quickly disagreed.
"You don't have to worry too much, I'll start making doujinshi and earn money through it to support our activities and my own hobbies then proceed to become a professional mangaka, if I fail right before I enter college then I'll quit."
I stand on my ground.
"But that just means you'll do anything you want until you get into college. Your father did it back when he was your age. I understand that but he decided to retire to take care of us, didn't he?"
My mother implored.
"Just talk this out with dad, please?"
I requested.
"Fine, what say you darling?"
"Actually, I was the one who gave him the idea but I assumed he would decline because he'd wanted to do his own thing, miraculously he called me a few days back and he said he agreed."
My father explained
"Why didn't you tell me ahead of time, Kenji?"
"Anyway, dear I am responsible for it and there are some things we must leave for our child to go forthwith."
My father spoked before I could say anything
"'Leave him and let him learn a lesson', that's what you always say when we're arguing."
My mother replied.
That's right, I always did my own thing back then and they'd leave me alone until I got tired of it and moved forward. But this time everything has changed, I'm gonna live up to my dad's dream and make them proud!
"Big bro, Yasu is here."
"Just in time, anyway do we agree on this one?"
I looked at my parents and all they did was smile.
"Kenji, I'm sorry I couldn't find the drink you asked me to get so I just bought you the second option, matcha soda."
"That is good, you are not my childhood friend for no reason!"
I replied with a joyful smile.
"Kids, stay over here until dinner okay? I'll prepare food for everyone. We've got quite the stock, and I don't want it to just go rot."
My mother doesn't always do that, but we almost always prepare food that is too much for us and it just ends up going to waste."
"I'll just mail my mother that I'll be home late for club activities,"
Fumi replied.
"I'll do the same,"
Yasu replied.
"Alright so is everything ready for our meeting?"
I started to get serious.
"Yes, here it goes!"
Yasu handed me the storyboards he made last night
The titles were obviously focused on the shokunen genre but we have to read it one by one to see what fits our taste so that we could get the best out there and stand out to get members for our club.
A few moments later,
"Okay I'm done reading, how about you?"
I implored
"I'm done as well,"
Yasu replied
"Same"
Fumi replied.
"Now let's do our votes by title and give feedback for each?"
I requested.
"I'll go start with Party Boys, so the story goes around with a young elementary student who wishes to be able to do 'adult activities' and be able to do it."
Fumi replied,
"I don't like that kind of story. It kinda drops in the middle, here's the other one I go with, a Secret School Club where the members commit child pranks like hiding items, tailing someone in secret, etc."
I implored.
Our meeting went on until the dinner was served and we started to finalize our discussion, the chosen title was the Secret School Club. My father decided to read each storyboard as well and he found the Secret School Club interesting. It reminded him of his childhood, with his best friend, who we know as the current director of our school.
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