บท 31: New Year, New Beginnings

January thirteen, the moment that we have all been waiting for the New Year's party where we could meet another professional mangaka's under serialization with JADE.

"Hey, would we be able to meet the author of HERO ACADEMY, That Leaf Ninja, Ball of Dragons, Road to Pirate King!" Fumi excitedly asked.

"I'm pretty sure they would be there, I guess," I replied unsure of what to really expect.

"Damn, I'll make sure to take a lot of photos!" Yasuyuki is like a living being ready to meet his maker.

"The car's already downstairs, so we could go down there once we are ready." Kozue gave us a heads up.

Nagi peeked out the window and checked the car, "Wow! That car is long, is that what VIPs used to travel around."

"I've noticed that car thirty minutes ago, must be that one. Sure luxurious." Nami replied.

Hanako was already prepared when she arrived at the studio, so she helped out Kanna get dressed up.

"Kanna, are you excited to go to the party?"

"Yes, it is my first time at a big party."

"It's all our first time, but you have to behave and be a good

girl okay?"

"Yes!"

Inside the car, we feel rather awkward and out of place than getting comfortable.

"Hi, I'm Y-Yasuyuki Okamura… I wro-wro"

"Yasu, what are you doing?"

"I'm practicing my introduction, you guys should too."

"Indeed, we must practice…"

So we all mind our own business and practiced our introduction then the driver asked something,

"Ahem…excuse me, don't mean to be rude…aren't you guys too young to be involved in such a party? Are you family members of people going there?"

"Hahaha, no we are not, we are actually a school club lucky enough to be authors in SHOKUNEN JADE," I replied.

"That's amazing for young ones like you, by the way, we will be there forty minutes early if you want me to go straight to the party, so if you'd like to go somewhere else then please tell me."

"That's fine, I think we would like to go around the venue and take a lot of pictures, right everyone?" Yasuyuki's excitement overwhelmed everyone in the car.

"Yeah, we can just go straight to the party," I replied...

And so we arrived...

"All these black cars are like we are part of Yakuza party…" Kozue commented on arrival in the sight of having to see all black cars parked outside.

"We are also wearing suit and ties, to add we are the youngest!" Nagi replied adding to the crazy imagination Kozue have.

"Ah, excuse me, sir, if you'd like to return home, here is my number just call me, and I'll pick you up." The driver handed me his company calling card.

"Thank you..." I looked back, "I thought we would be early, but I guess everyone is on the same page."

"Hey, there you are kids!" Mr. Nozumi greeted us with a smile.

"Mr. Nozumi seems like you are having a great time," Yasuyuki replied.

"Yes, come quickly the editor-in-chief is this way."

Mr. Nozumi showed us the way to the ball floor.

"Oh, thank you! Mr. Nozumi, can we take a group photo?" Yasuyuki has one agenda and that is pictures!

"Sure, you can just make sure not to bother anyone. HAHAHA," Mr. Nozumi commented.

Mr. Miura finally saw us and greeted us, "Oh the mangaka club, you're finally here." gestured us to come close "Come here to meet your fellow newcomer authors."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Yoshikawa Kenji the president of the mangaka club and these people are my club members."

"Hi, I'm Fumi Sugawara, let's get along well."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Okamura Yasuyuki, I write the stories."

"I'm Kozue, a pleasure to be meeting you."

"I'm Nagi, nice to meet you, let's get along well."

"I'm Nami, I'm Nagi's twin"

"I'm Yoshikawa Kanna, the youngest."

"I'm Hanako, I am also a contestant entrant, Makaino Joji"

After we all introduced ourselves, we took a group photo for a souvenir.

"Minors are not allowed to drink alcohol, so we just have them a fruit juice or soda."

"Yes, thank you!"

We then started to roam around the party, take pictures, meet some other personalities, famous mangaka's, and some voice actresses.

Then we meet a strange one,

"I never thought that this company would dare to serialized young ones like you, ridiculous…" This guy never introduced himself. "To say the least, a school club? What are they thinking, well maybe you guys write comedy manga that would be forgiven."

"Excuse me, but you're referring to mangakas like you."

"Like me, are you joking? Hey, young'uns don't you put me in the likes of you and if you think this is your playground then I don't have time playing with you. I'm here to be the best mangaka in Japan."

And we thought that was the end of it,

"Kids, just give up, you wouldn't be able to dream like me or the others here."

"I see... IF YOU DON'T HAVE RESPECT FOR US AND WHO GAVE YOU THE RIGHT TO LOOK HIGH UPON YOURSELF!"

My voice echoed all throughout the ballroom hall, grabbing the attention of everyone.

"WE, GIVE UP? CAN'T DREAM TO BE THE BEST MANGAKA? PLAYGROUND, YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW MUCH WE HAVE TO SPEND TO BE ABLE TO COME HERE! AND YOU DARE LOOK DOWN ON US."

"Oh, scary, scary, you think shouting would scare me? Do you know who you are talking to? I'm the winner of last year's AKATSUKA?"

Hanako let out a sarcastic laugh then said, "You got a big head, huh...indeed you may be the winner of AKATSUKA, but we aren't even needed to enter such competition to get noticed and get serialized."

"What?"

"That's right, we got serialized without entering any competition, so you are just a puny little bug to us." Nami's eyes were fierce as a tiger.

"...."

"Hey, why are you suddenly quiet? Did you just realize that you had too much alcohol that your arrogance was all over the place." Kozue's face is as red as a beet due to anger.

Before I could say anything, the editor-in-chief Mr. Miura, the editor of the man in question, and Mr. Nozumi our editor arrived on the scene with a couple of guards.

Mr. Miura approached us with haste, "Everyone, what is going on?"

"This guy looked down and ridiculed us for being young yet we are serialized. He said some hurtful words, and Kenji snapped." Fumi explained in a troubled voice.

"You must have enough of alcohol, come let's take you out."

The guards took the guy away.

"I'm sorry Mr.Miura, I'm sorry everyone, I never know he has bad behavior after drinking too much alcohol." The Editor apologized to us.

"Kawaguchi, tomorrow I'm officially canceling the serialization of Miyagi Abe, I cannot risk the magazine's reputation with such behavior." Mr. Miura voice out in a serious tone.

Those words shocked us, but Mr. Miura is right this might cause a bad image to SHOKUNEN JADE…

"Kids, I'm sorry this had happened to you, we are supposed to be celebrating a new year, new beginnings. If only we did a little more research of our author's behavior then we would be not getting the likes of those, but we are not here to judge people with the behavior, but their work."

Mr. Miura patted each one of us to make sure we are okay,

"Come, the main event is just about to start."

Looking down, I replied, "Sorry, Mr. Miura but I think I'm going, for now, I have some drawing to finish."

Yasuyuki then commented, "If the president says there is still something to finish, we will have to finish it, right?"

"Yes, Mr. Miura, Mr. Nozumi, we will surely give you the best of the best manga you ever published," Hanako replied.

"Yes," Nagi, Nami, Fumi, Kozue, and Kanna shouted with determination.

"My, my, well if that's what you want, then I guess, I have no choice. I will surely wait for that!" Mr. Miura gave us a thumbs up.

Then we left the party and headed home…

"Tomorrow, at 7 PM I will wait in the studio be sure not to be late."

"Yes, let's show them what we got." Yasuyuki pointed in the sky.

"Yes, sir." Everyone nodded in agreement.