章節 6: A New Club Member!

"Ah, finally.. classes are over. Shall we head to the clubroom?" Yasu queried our side.

"Yes, let's go! I want to find more information about dip pens, so I could practice better as well." Fumi agreed.

"Hiro, you have your key to the studio right? I left mine in the house because I was in a hurry. I'll just grab a few things and head back."

"Here, I have it strapped in my wallet, oh this one is for Fumi right?"

"Wait you're giving me a key?" Fumi asked for confirmation.

"Yeah, it is best for when we decide to just come over and practice on our own as well," I replied.

Everything was settled. They headed to the clubroom and while I went to the studio to pick some things then back so I could proceed with practicing using dip pens. There is a lot for us to consider, especially when using manga traditionally, compared to how everyone else is using digital versions nowadays.

"Thank you for waiting." I mused

"So shall we, I stopped at the convenience store to get our snacks and food, I'm planning to come over to the school tomorrow even though it's a weekend." I implored.

"Then I'll come to school as well, early in the morning," Yasu stated.

"Oy, wait a minute." I was surprised by the answer.

"Me too, I am coming over!" Fumi excitedly responded as well.

"Not you too, come on guys." I'm quite embarrassed but I'll just let them do what they want.

"Ee, we are all in this together right, I am going to come to school."

"Fine, just be sure you guys will be on time, who knows this idiot Yasuyuki will be up early on the weekends, probably won't even show up."

"WHAT?! I WOULDN'T DO THAT TO OUR DREAM! Besides, I've decided to dedicate my whole life to this.." Yasu proudly declared.

"As if you didn't ditch me with our plans." I implored.

I sensed someone behind us as if it intends to stalk us on our way to the clubroom, this person a girl and a student here but I will only catch her outside to surprise her.

"Alright, the meeting is over, I'll head for the studio now. See you later." I ended the discussion.

"Yes, see you later, make sure to come back." Yasu tried his luck to tease me.

"What do you think of me?" I replied "But before that, you there, hiding in the other classroom. If you are planning to join us you don't have to hide." Yasu and Fmi looked at me confused.

"Th-The-There's no one here inside that room," Kozue replied.

"Then who is answering?" I asked.

"Kozue Aoyama, I have some popsicles" Yasu finally caught up and lured Kozue out of her hiding spot.

"Where, popsicles, where? AAAAAAAAAAH you caught me!" Kozue was embarrassed.

"You're too easy to find Kozue, even if you are small." Yasu looks at Kozue's chest

*slap, kick, slap*

"Where do you think you're looking at?" Kozue furiously questioned Yasu while pinning him to the ground.

"Now, now, who are you?" Fumi looks so friendly to see another girl.

"Kozue Aoyama, you can call me Kozue, I am from class 1-C and I am the one only rival of Kenji!"

"Rival? You're Makaino Joji? But he is a man right?" Fumi is confused.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!" I laughed at Fumi's reaction but Kozue isn't him.

"Do I look like a man to you! Hey, who is this chibi girl here!" Kozue inquired with us.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING CHIBI! FLAT FLAT FLAT"

"WHO IS FLAT"

The two girls started quarreling with each other.

"Oy, that is enough, so why are you following us Kozue?" I asked Kozue,

"I am joining the mangaka club!" Kozue proudly stated.

"What are you sure? But you're already in the club." Yasu implored.

"I quit the classics club for my love of drawing!" Kozue replied.

"Okay fine, come with us!" I implored.

At the clubroom, we proceeded to do our things. I continued to practice, Yasu continued to think of a story, Fumi practiced her background drawings with a dip pen. While Kozue, our newest member watches me closely to observe what I am doing.

"This G-pen is hard. I can't draw the thickness I imagine. So I used a kabura pen instead. There are three types of pens used for the manga, The G nib is probably the most fabled nib among people interested in the creation of manga. It's a Japanese-made pen nib that has cuts in its shoulders that make a "g" shape. This nib is large but capable of creating fine lines for its size. And the Kabura pen nibs have a spoon-like shape and are stiffer than the g-pen. Similar to the g-pen the kabura pen was once used for writing letters in the old days. Maru-pen tip is good for drawing thin lines. Mainly used for drawing details such as hair, folds of clothes, or inside of pupils." I explained.

"Oh, kabura pen, I always thought that it is the normal pen that is used?" Kozue asked,

"Yeah, my father used this one as well instead of a g-pen but his editor told him to use a g-pen then he got bad habits and never got used to it. It is hard to get a variety of width but it is good for fixing wide lines." I answered

"So even if your father used it like a pro, you can't? Yasu questioned my skills.

"Of course I can't, you can't get any feelings from the drawing," I explained.

"I see," Yasu replied.

"It is not like sketching with a pencil or painting with a brush you just keep using it and then get used to it. Since we got Fumi doing the backgrounds for us I guess, Kozue can do the effects''

"Eh, effects I guess I can handle it," Kozue assures herself.

"We are always open to suggestions to help us make a better story to tell." I implored.

"Yeah, we shouldn't worry about it too much since we are starting off with doujinshi's right?" Yasu implored.

"Oh doujinshi huh, that's good enough for starters, we are joining COMIKET, right?" Kozue surprised us with her suggestion and made us excited.

"That's right, I made up my mind we will join COMIKET with the SECRET SCHOOL CLUB. but first, we will have to make it check with the Shokunen Jade editors to see if it fits the contest." I decided to make our way to AKATSUKA!

"So you already do have a story, I want to read it." Kozue requested.

"Sure, here you go and tell us what you can find, a review is always a good thing." I handed her the storyboard.

We continue our work and waited for Kozue's review on our first one-shot story, joining AKATSUKA maybe is a huge stepping stone but it is just reminding me of our dream and our rival, I want to meet him and challenge him to who's going to be the number one mangaka.

"Amazing, who made this story? I love it, it reminded me of our rivalry and things I want to do as an adult." Kozue gave us her review.

"I am the genius behind that story! HA HA HA" Yasu spoked proudly.

"Oh, Yasu, as expected you are always good at making stories." Kozue implored while looking at Yasu in disappointment.

"Why do you look like you have something to say!" Yasu noticed it

"Nothing," Kozue replied.

"YAH! TO COMIKET WE GO! WE ARE COMING FOR YOU!" Fumi shouted in excitement.

"YAAAAAY!" Everyone got hyped up and got back to practicing.