June 10, Sunday

The brisk morning air filled my lungs as I hurriedly finished my breakfast, my mind during the entire morning was filled with thoughts of the impending announcement of the Hikari Monthly Artists and New Writers competition winners.

Ah... I think my heart's about to explode.

Just as I finished clearing the table, my phone buzzed, immediately catching my attention. I glanced at the screen to find Satoshi's name flashing. Confused, I picked up the call, greeting him with a slightly surprised, "Good morning, Sato-kun."

"Good morning, Aya," Satoshi replied, and as usual, his voice is as cheery as ever. "Today's the day, isn't it? The announcements for the winners?"

"Y-Yes," I answered. "Yes, it's today."

"Great then!" Satoshi chirped with a hint of mischievousness in his voice. "I'm actually outside your door right now. Do you mind if I come in?"

Startled, I stood from my seat, almost knocking over a glass of water in the process. "You're... outside?" I managed to stammer out, before rushing towards the front door.

Peeking through the peephole, I saw Satoshi, grinning widely as he held up a bag filled with snacks and drinks. It seemed like he raided the entire convenience store. With a soft chuckle, I quickly unlocked the door and swung it open.

"Sato-kun!" I greeted him happily. "I-I didn't expect a visit! You could've told me..."

"Hehe~ I mean, what better than to surprise you," Satoshi replied, stepping into my apartment. He took off his shoes and placed the bag on the table. "The announcements are gonna be live streamed, right? So I brought a few snacks to help while we watch."

"Geez, you didn't have to trouble yourself with that," I said with a sigh before smiling. "B-But thank you... I appreciate it."

"By the way, Aya, can your TV watch live streams?" Satoshi asked, glancing towards the living room.

"Of course," I replied while heading into the kitchen to sort out the drinks Satoshi had brought.

Satoshi eagerly grabbed the remote, turning on the television. His fingers moved quickly, expertly typing in Hikari Suisei's channel with the remote. He stared at the screen for a moment before announcing, "Ah, there it is. It looks like the announcements will start in an hour. We still have time to relax."

"Huh... that's good," I called from the kitchen, pouring a glass of juice from one of the bottles Satoshi had brought. I walked over to him, holding out the glass. "Here you go."

Satoshi accepted the juice with a small, appreciative nod and he immediately took a sip, "Thanks, Aya," he said before his gaze drifted back to the television.

After a moment of silence, Satoshi turned to me. "Say, you think Kurumizawa will win his side of the competition?" he asked.

I hesitated for a moment before responding. "I-I hope so," I said with a light smile. "He's Kurotsuki-sensei after all."

Satoshi nodded, taking another sip of his juice, "You're right," he said. "I just continued reading Run With the Wind recently, so I also think that he'll make it."

Nearly an hour had passed since Satoshi and I started waiting for the livestream. We had chatted idly, snacking on the treats he'd brought while we waited.

Just when I thought the anticipation might become too much, the Hikari Suisei livestream began. Music starts to play, there were no people to be seen, only some overlays and a list of all the artists who had submitted their works for the competition.

"Good morning, everyone!" A cheerful voice boomed from the speakers, making both Satoshi and I jump slightly in surprise. "We're so thrilled to welcome you all to the announcement stream of the Hikari Monthly Artists winners."

The announcer's voice was filled with excitement, the overall mood was very amazing especially when he is paired with the upbeat background music.

"We want to start by thanking all of the amazing artists who submitted their work this month," the announcer continued. "Your interpretations of this month's theme, 'Happiness,' were nothing short of extraordinary."

The screen transitioned, showcasing each artwork one by one. I gazed in awe, each piece was unique and beautiful. I thought that the other artists' artworks were all so good, so much I almost couldn't believe that I was able to convince myself to submit artwork for this competition.

And then, there it was. My artwork, displayed for all to see.

"Oh, look at this one!" A second commentator's voice piped in, full of excitement. "This is from Pinkie-san! I've heard of her, she's one of the art livestreamers who has really been making waves recently. Her art is always so full of life and stories, and her viewers can't get enough. Not to mention that recently she began working with Kurotsuki-sensei, the author of the best-selling light novel series that just ended this year, 'Run With the Wind'!"

Satoshi almost jumped off the couch in excitement. "Aya, oi Aya!" He pointed at the screen, his blue eyes wide and filled with excitement. "That's your art! They're talking about your art!"

I couldn't help but laugh at his reaction. "Sato-kun, calm down!" I said, trying to hide the nervous flutter in my stomach. "Of course my art is there! I submitted for the competition!"

"I know, I know," Satoshi replied, grinning. "But it's still exciting!"

We continued watching as the announcer and commentators took the time to evaluate each artwork carefully. Their comments ranged from playful banter about certain pieces to thoughtful appreciation for the artists' techniques and interpretations of the theme.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"Woah... look at the way the colors blend in this one. It's like it's about to pop-out!"

"And this one here, the detail on the flowers... I could almost smell them! My goodness, boy do we have an exciting batch of artists this month!"

Satoshi and I chuckled at their lively conversations, but the underlying tension was still there, never leaving. Especially since the announcement of the winners was drawing closer and closer by the minute.

Finally, the moment arrived. The commentators praised all the participants for their exceptional work and talent but reminded us that only the top three could be chosen.

After a few more minutes of small talk, the final announcements began. The third place was awarded to an artist named Kamijinn, for their artwork titled 'Bask in Light.' The screen displayed a magnificent piece showcasing a young boy standing amidst a wonderland scenery. It was filled with vibrant colors and childish wonder, a captivating image that truly embodied happiness.

"Sato-kun, look at that!" I exclaimed. "I can't believe this gets third place... this person's good."

Satoshi nodded, his gaze fixed on the screen. "Ahh, you're right. But isn't it... too colorful? Probably just me." he shrugged and chuckled.

The commentators took a moment to praise and congratulate Kamijinn's work, highlighting the masterful use of colors and the imaginative scenery that seemed to leap off the image.

"And now, onto our second place winner!" the announcer's voice then rang out.

The screen then transitioned to show an artwork titled 'Bubbly Happy.' As soon as I saw the name of the artist, I felt my breath hitch in surprise. It was Yukari Yoshida, my recently new friend, and Keiyu's previous illustrator. Her artwork was a stunning piece filled with floating bubbles and bright colors with almost the perfect palette combination. It was a feast for the eyes, and I couldn't help but be awestruck.

"Yukari... Yoshida? Yoshida-san got second place?" I stammered, turning to look at Satoshi. He tilted his head in wonder of my reaction.

"What's wrong, Aya? You know that artist?"

"Yes, I know her," I explained hurriedly. "She's Keiyu's illustrator for 'Run With the Wind'. She's incredibly talented."

Satoshi looked back at the screen, seemingly contemplating the newly revealed information. "Woah, that's amazing. But doesn't that just mean you're participating with the best?"

I swallowed hard, my heart pounding in my chest. If Yukari, who I believed to be better than me in terms of skill and experience, only won second place, then what were my chances?

"Sato-kun... maybe we should stop watching," I suggested with a nervous whisper. "If Yoshida-san only won second place... I don't think I stand a chance."

Satoshi looked at me, his gaze stern, "Come on, Aya, you need to believe in yourself more," he said firmly. "We're not stopping now. Just one person left, we're seeing this through."

"But--"

"No buts, Aya. You only joined and did your best just for fun right? You worked hard for this, so you deserve to see the outcome, no matter what it is. And who knows?" He gave me a reassuring smile. "You might be surprised."

As the anticipation grew, the announcer's voice continued. "Now, the moment we have all been waiting for, the grand prize of 100,000 yen... the first place winner of this month's Hikari Monthly Artists competition is..."

I held my breath, my heart pounding loudly in my chest so hard that it feels like it was cracking my ribcage. Satoshi was right, of course. I'd joined this competition just to enjoy the experience, not necessarily expecting to win, but the wait for the announcement was more nerve-wracking than I'd expected.

So this is what waiting for an award feels like...

"...art livestreamer Pinkie-san, with her artwork, 'A Group of Three'!"

Eh?

For a moment, I was stunned into silence. I felt as if the world had stopped spinning as if time had frozen.

Me? They'd chosen me? My artwork? It was hard to believe.

Satoshi's sudden cheer brought me back to reality. He threw his arms around me, laughing and congratulating me. "Ha! You did it Aya! I knew you could do it!"

I was too shocked to respond at first, and when I finally found my voice, it was only to stammer out, "B-But... it's not a major contest, Sato-kun..."

He gave me a stern look. "That doesn't matter! Come on, pat yourself on the back for once!"

I couldn't help the blush that spread across my face. Satoshi was right, I should be proud. I'd entered this competition for the experience, and I ended up winning. Which surprisingly was more than I'd hoped for.

The announcer's voice began speaking once again, stating that they would reach out to the winners to claim their prizes. As the reality of the situation began to sink in, I found myself laughing, the tension from earlier finally lifting.

I actually won for the first time!

And so, Satoshi and I celebrated. Even though I'd always wanted to remain lowkey and humble, which was why I adopted the alias "Pinkie" online and never showed my face, that didn't mean I couldn't enjoy my victory. After all, this was a milestone, my first victory in an online contest. And, as Satoshi had said, I should be proud of it.

Our celebration was briefly interrupted when my phone buzzed, displaying Keiyu's name on the screen. Satoshi gave me a knowing look and a thumbs-up as I took the call.

"Hello? K-Kurumizawa-san?" I answered, trying to keep the excitement from my voice.

"Imaizumi-san, I saw the announcements," Keiyu's voice was bubbling with enthusiasm. "Congratulations on your win. I knew it was worth asking you to give it a shot."

"Thank you, Kurumizawa-san" I replied, smiling as I did so. "I couldn't have done this without you and Kaname-san encouraging me."

"Nonsense," Keiyu dismissed with a laugh. "You did this yourself. We only pushed you a little bit, and you worked hard and did the rest. I'm really proud of you, miss co-writer and illustrator."

I felt a blush creeping up my cheeks at his words, "T-Thank you, Kurumizawa-san. That means a lot."

Before we ended the call, Keiyu added, "Now I hope you'll be watching the New Writers competition announcement as well," I assured him that Satoshi and I would indeed be tuning in, and then we exchanged goodbyes.

As I hung up, Satoshi gave me an excited grin. "So, Kurumizawa's next to watch out for?."

I nodded and sat back down, "Yes, we'll cheer him on from here."

As I settled back into the couch, my phone buzzed again. This time, it was a text message from Yukari. I opened the message to find a string of congratulatory emojis and a sweet note.

"Congrats, Imaizumi-san! I had a feeling you might snag the win. Well, Kurotsuki-sensei chose you as his illustrator, and that means something. You deserve it!"

Her words made me smile. It was heartwarming to receive support from Yukari, especially given her own significant achievement. I quickly typed back a response.

"Thanks, Yukari! Congratulations to you too for getting second place. I had a lot of fun, and I was glad to see your name pop-up on the stream. Hope you had fun too!

She responded almost instantly, "I sure did! Let's hang out again soon when you're free. It'll be fun."

"Sure!" I agreed immediately before setting my phone aside.

The announcer's voice brought me back to the moment. "And now, after a short break, we will be presenting the results of the New Writers contest. Please stay tuned!"

Satoshi and I looked at each other, equally as hyped for the results.

The time during the break seemed to stretch on endlessly. Satoshi and I ended up chatting about trivial things, trying to keep the tension at bay. I couldn't help but glance at the clock every now and then, waiting for the moment when the stream finally resumes.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the live stream resumed. The announcer's voice spoke up once more, introducing the New Writers contest and explaining the mechanics of the competition. The screen showed the titles of the works, and the names of their authors.

As the announcer started to list the top 10 runner-ups out of 50 contestants, Satoshi and I exchanged glances. Keiyu's work, though I don't know the title yet, was yet to be mentioned. That was a good sign, right? It meant he still had a chance for the grand prize.

"And now, for the moment you've all been waiting for," the announcer's voice boomed.

"The grand winner of the New Writers contest, who will be given the chance to have their one-shot story serialized into a full series is..."