Chapter 64: Four-Panel Manga: The Fly and the Good Person

What's going on?

It's that awkward feeling of running into an ex-girlfriend, and the ex before that.

Qingshan Li felt a silence, as if time itself was holding its breath.

Miyase Yaeko kept drawing, but the smile at the corner of her mouth was unmistakably a teasing one directed at him.

A real man never refuses a challenge; Qingshan Li, sit in the middle!

Ono Mika, sitting opposite, glanced over, but like someone unable to spot a drowning person beneath the water's surface, she failed to notice Qingshan Li's danger.

"Drawing a self-portrait?" Ono Mika asked.

"That's what we do when joining the club; right now it's a club experience, we're drawing a four-panel manga." Yasuhara Hanae handed them manga manuscript paper.

Four panels total, arranged vertically.

"It's simple," Yasuhara Hanae explained, "come up with a little story and draw it out in four panels."

"Can someone who hasn't learned to draw manage the art too?" Qingshan Li said.

"Sure, sure."

Yasuhara Hanae didn't give pointers, letting them relax and draw freely.

Qingshan Li flipped through the Manga Research Club's magazine, which also had four-panel manga.

Some were exaggerated, some interesting, there were even instruction manuals on how to use a washing machine, and ones depicting 'the school building from dark clouds to rain and finally clearing up'.

Styles varied, all interesting; appreciating these works made one want to try drawing one too.

What should I draw?

Qingshan Li, whose mind was lately full of "Detective A," immediately thought of drawing a scene from "Detective A."

It didn't seem necessary to be that serious about it.

Qingshan Li decided to just draw casually.

Five minutes later.

"Little brother, you draw really well!" Yasuhara Hanae said from behind him.

"Really?" Qingshan Li put down his pen, leaned back slightly, appreciating his own four-panel manga.

"Really great. Even with zero drawing skill, it's interesting and easy to understand — that's the most important ability for a mangaka!"

Qingshan Li checked the system; there was no 【Manga E】, no 【Drawing E】, in short no new special skill appeared.

"Senior Anbara, are you serious?" He confirmed again.

"Why won't you believe me?" Yasuhara Hanae looked doubtful.

"Because of my looks, ever since I was little, girls have always said nice things to me."

Yasuhara Hanae couldn't help but laugh: "Really?!"

"Really."

"A handsome guy's life is unexpectedly tough too; Senior won't lie to you — don't let manga waste your time."

"Understood."

Yasuhara Hanae then looked at Mikami Ai's manga.

"Mikami Classmate, you're simply a genius! Ah, right, I'm not saying this just because you're good-looking, or because I'm assessing you as Student Council rep — would you like to join the Manga Club? Your future income will certainly surpass Eiichiro Oda's!"

Eiichiro Oda's annual income is probably several billion yen.

If Mikami Ai's future income is only that much, that's truly a family decline.

Qingshan Li stole a glance at Mikami Ai.

This elegant beauty had a blank expression, calm as a rippleless water surface.

"Thank you, Senior. As Club President, your personality and character will also become one of the important evaluation standards." Mikami Ai said.

"Hmm— surpassing Eiichiro Oda's annual income is a bit difficult; of course it's not about ability, I think success needs a lot of luck. I reckon, Mikami Classmate, your annual income will basically be around ten billion yen." Yasuhara Hanae said after consideration.

Mikami Ai didn't speak.

Facing that calm face, Yasuhara Hanae suddenly felt a bit uneasy.

"Don't mix personal feelings into work." Miyase Yaeko spoke past Qingshan Li to Mikami Ai.

"Then I wish you an annual income of ten billion yen too." Mikami Ai said.

"Wait, I'm talking about Mikami Ai Classmate, and only pure income as a mangaka!" Yasuhara Hanae lost her "Manga Research Club definitely no problem" composure.

Around them, those club members drawing seriously all looked this way.

Turns out they were all acting, just like students who know the Class Monitor has appeared at the back door.

"Don't mind it," Miyase Yaeko smiled, "She just got dumped recently, bad mood."

"I see, no wonder Mikami Ai Classmate's manga is so bloody." Yasuhara Hanae breathed a sigh of relief.

Qingshan Li glanced at Mikami Ai's drawing board.

Mikami Ai tilted her drawing board to the other side, not letting him see.

Qingshan Li had already seen it; it depicted cannibals starving, ending up roasting and eating themselves.

On the other side, Miyase Yaeko's four-panel manga was—

Panel one: Manga Research Club presents manga magazine, President gives 5 points;

Panel two: Manga Research Club presents loyalty, President gives 6 points;

Panel three: Some Manga Research Club members kowtow begging for mercy, some draw manga resisting the President, President gives 4 points;

Panel four: Manga Research Club brings a handsome guy, President gives 10 points.

Title: "The President in the Eyes of the Manga Club".

Miyase Yaeko's thoughts are unpredictable.

Satirizing the Manga Club? Just drawing a gag manga? Or does she really like handsome guys?

As for Qingshan Li, what on earth was he drawing?

Once he looked away, even he himself couldn't understand what he had drawn.

—System, am I of the Picasso school?

The system didn't speak, which should mean it acquiesced.

Ending the experience, Qingshan Li and Ono Mika walked out of the Manga Research Club.

"Ono Mihana, your friend calls you 'Hana-Hana'?"

"Mm."

"Like a panda, feels like there's a panda called that name."

"Is that so?" Ono Mika was curious.

"Mm." Qingshan Li also remembered one thing, "Anbara-senpai is amazing, generally speaking, knowing we aren't real siblings, even if they don't ask aloud, they'd be curious in their heart, but she completely accepted it."

Ono Mika was also very surprised by this point.

She thought for a bit, then guessed: "Perhaps it's because she often reads some strange manga."

Regarding strange manga, if Anbara Hanae got fifteen years' imprisonment, Qingshan Li would get fifteen days' detention.

He never underestimates a creator's determination for material collection.

In Naruto, for the sake of material collection, Jiraiya even peeped at the women's bath, what a great and dedicated spirit.

"Before going to the next club, want to go to the vending machine to buy water? My treat." Qingshan Li proposed.

After their mother died, they also bid farewell to 'luxuries' like vending machines, now, it's time to adapt to a normal person's life.

Ono Mika hesitated, then said: "Forget it."

"Go on, I have money." Qingshan Li said with a laugh.

"Alright." Ono Mika smiled.

"Qingshan Li classmate."

The two turned around, Mikami Ai, who had also just left the Manga Research Club, was standing behind them looking at them.

"I want to speak with you alone about some things." Her expression was calm.

"I'll go buy drinks." Ono Mika said softly to Qingshan Li.

"Mm, I want the most expensive one."

After Ono Mika left, the corridor felt excessively quiet, even though instrument sounds and sports clubs' shouts could be heard.

"Impatient to start enjoying the rich life?" Mikami Ai's tone carried sarcasm.

"Indeed impatient."

Not a single day can be delayed, must immediately let Ono Mika enjoy campus life.

High school isn't a scenic spot you can just go to whenever you want, high school only happens once — repeating a year feels more like cram school and prison, not like a school.

"Have you ever thought, if your sister knew, what would she feel?"

"Would you hide it for me?"

". I will keep the promise."

"Then it's fine." Qingshan Li said.

Mikami Ai let out a disappointed sigh.

"Qingshan Li," she said, "you possess outstanding appearance, extremely high talent, why inject toxins into your own body? You could completely live a brighter life."

"Summer's coming soon, I prefer walking in shady places, it's comfortable there."

"A fly lands on a Venus flytrap, at first the fly sucks the flytrap's juices, it also feels very comfortable, but unknowingly, it becomes the flytrap digesting the fly."

Is she saying he's the fly?

"Mikami classmate, thank you for your kindness, you're a good person, but we're not suited." Qingshan Li spoke his true feelings.

Mikami Ai being willing to say this much to him already proved what a good person she is.

"Is that all you wanted to say?" He prepared to leave.

"Back at the Game Club, why did you admit defeat?" This was what Mikami Ai truly wanted to ask.

(Chapter End)