"Yes, in fact, he is on his way right now," Tanaka said to me with a smile.

"Ah... I see," I swallowed nervously. If I have to admit, I feel somewhat relieved to find out that this offer was real, but at the same time, I also felt anxious about meeting Kurotsuki.

Tanaka then seemed to notice my unease and asked gently, "Nervous to see Kurotsuki-sensei?"

I nodded, admitting my apprehension. "Y-Yes, a little. It's just... I've been reading his books for a while now and I really loved it, now I never expected to actually meet him."

Tanaka chuckled reassuringly, "Well, don't worry too much. Kurotsuki-sensei is probably just around the same age as you."

"Really?" I asked, surprised. "N-Now I kind of feel bad for doubting him in the first place.

"Positive," Tanaka confirmed. "Don't worry, you did the right thing. It doesn't hurt to be a little careful around the internet. Kurotsuki-sensei just had no other choice but to contact you there since your identity is private and he has no means of meeting you in person other than convincing you to meet like this."

I let out a small sigh of relief, "I-I see, that makes me feel a little bit better."

"So, are you in high school?" Tanaka asked, it was evident from his tone that he was trying to lighten the mood.

"Yes, I'm in my first year of high school," I replied.

Tanaka smiled, delighted by the coincidence, "Much better! You'd be surprised to know that Kurotsuki-sensei is a first-year as well."

My eyes widened in shock. "Really? It's kind of hard to believe that he can write like that..."

Tanaka chuckled. "Yes, it's quite surprising, isn't it? But that just goes to show that talent can be found at any age. I'd say the same thing for your skills as an illustrator."

"R-Really? I'm flattered, thank you," I smiled.

"Now, how long have you been creating art?" Tanaka then asked.

"I started streaming my illustrations way before graduating from middle school," I explained. "But I've been drawing for as long as I can remember."

Tanaka nodded, "Mmm... your talent is truly amazing, Pinkie-san. No doubt that you'll be the perfect partner for Kurotsuki-sensei, no matter what kind of book he plans to write."

A partner? Well, that's true but... oh well.

As we continued chatting, a knock came from the meeting room's door. Instantly, my heart started to race, knowing that the person behind the door may finally be Kurotsuki himself.

The door opened, and there he was. The opened door revealed a tall boy dressed in fairly simple attire. He had short black hair with uneven locks, one side longer on the right side of his face than the other. His black-rimmed glasses framed his golden-amber eyes, and he had undeniably handsome features.

"Ah, you must be Pinkie-san," he spoke up in a soft voice.

I couldn't help but blush as he smiled at me, but there was something familiar about him. I stood up to greet him, and we shook hands.

"Nice to finally meet you, I'm Keiyu Kurumizawa," he introduced himself, and suddenly, the familiarity clicked in my mind.

Keiyu?... Wait, no. The name does ring a bell, but something's off...

As my mind continued to dwell on the familiarity, the memory finally resurfaced.

I found myself standing in the hallways of our middle school, just a few minutes past class dismissal. There were only a few other students around.

I was pinned to the wall by three of my female classmates, my bullies. Their jealousy and hatred were evident on their faces. One of them was even tugging on my twin tails as they spat cruel words at me, each one feeling like a dagger to my heart.

"You think you're so special, don't you?" one of them sneered. "Just because you're pretty, it doesn't mean you're any better than us."

Another chimed in, "Seriously, we're sick of seeing that stupid act of yours, all shy and cute like an idiot. It's like you're just trying to attract attention!"

"Please..." My voice trembled as I pleaded. "P-Please...stop. I'm not doing anything wrong."

"Really now? Not doing anything wrong?!" One of them snapped, yanking my hair even harder.

"S-Sato-kun... help..." I mumbled, but I quickly realized that Satoshi had left to go home early. Still desperate for help, I looked past the girls, searching for anyone familiar. That was when I saw Keiyu passing by, our eyes meeting. I looked at him pleadingly, hoping he'd understand that I needed his help.

"Please..." I whispered, my voice strained from the pain.

He stopped for a brief moment but then looked away, choosing not to interfere. My heart shattered as he continued on his way, leaving me to fend for myself against my tormentors.

"Did you hear that?" one of the bullies mocked. "She was begging for help! Pathetic!"

The girl tugging on my hair threatened, "Listen, if you keep being such an eyesore, I swear I'll cut your hair short, I'll ruin you."

As the memory of that painful day faded away, I suddenly became aware of muffled voices calling out to me. Blinking, I realized that I had spaced out on the spot, and I was still holding Keiyu's hand.

"Pinkie-san? You alright?" Keiyu asked with concern in his voice. He noticed a tear forming in my eye and gently pointed it out.

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Embarrassed, I quickly wiped the tear away with a blush. "I-I'm fine. It's nothing, sorry," I stammered, trying to brush off their concern.

Tanaka eyed me with a hint of worry, but he didn't press further. "Well, if you're sure."

I gathered myself and continued where we had left off, introducing myself to Keiyu. "N-Nice to meet you too, I'm Ayase Imaizumi, or Pinkie as you know me," I then said, trying to sound confident.

I noticed a fleeting hint of surprise on Keiyu's face as well, and I could briefly see him frown before putting on a smile once again.

As the meeting began, Keiyu tried to ease my nerves. "Now don't be so tense, Pinkie-san," he said with a reassuring smile. Tanaka nodded in agreement.

Keiyu continued, "You're only here to learn about the part-time job, and you can always say no if you really don't want to."

He then explained once again, as he had mentioned to me online, that he wanted to offer me a part-time job as his illustrator and also his co-writer. His initial plans were to write a fantasy novel, but before doing so, he had to make sure it would click with the readers. To do that, he needed to come up with a one-shot first.

"That's where you come in," he said. "You'll help me brainstorm ideas, beta read the story, and illustrate the art for the one-shots." Keiyu's tone became serious as he added. "But it's not a guarantee that one idea for a story will be accepted by the editorial department, so we'll be making multiple ones."

Tanaka chimed in to explain the process further. "As Kurotsuki-sensei's editor, it's my job to make sure his stories are serialized. However, we still have to undergo the process with the higher-ups, as they'll be the ones picking which one-shot stories to feature in the anthology magazine. So there's a fair amount of competition."

As Tanaka and Keiyu explained the process, I felt increasingly confused. This was all new to me, and I had no experience in this field. Seeing my confusion, Keiyu offered a simpler explanation.

"Basically, we'll work together to create a one-shot, we'll make many if we have to. If one of those gets chosen by the editorial department, it could lead to a serialized light novel," he clarified.

I nodded slowly, starting to understand the process. "S-So, we need to come up with a one-shot that's good enough and manage to convince Hikari Suisei that our story is worth serializing, right?"

"Exactly," Keiyu replied with a smile.

Feeling more intrigued by the part-time job, I decided to ask about the schedule. "What about school? How will we manage our time?"

Keiyu reassured me, "Don't worry, I have school as well, so we share the same concerns. We'll work together in my home office on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday afternoons. On weekdays, we'll meet after school."

"A-Ah... I see," I couldn't help but feel flustered at the thought of personally visiting his house. "W-We'll be working together at your place?"

Keiyu nodded. "It's more efficient if we're working nearby each other so we can exchange ideas quickly. I'll ensure you're comfortable and have everything you need, including snacks and dinner if necessary. And don't worry, I'll ensure you have enough time to go home and rest before your evening live streams on Tuesday and Thursday."

Feeling a little more at ease, I hesitated before raising another concern. "Um, about the pay... I don't want to sound greedy, but how will I be compensated for this job?"

Keiyu smiled kindly, "I understand your concern. I'll pay you what you deserve, and if one of our one-shots gets picked by Hikari Suisei, I'll make sure you're paid separately for that as well."

With all my concerns answered, Tanaka then asked me a question, "Although our initial goal was just to tell you about the part-time job, we think it's best to ask you right away if you're interested in accepting it. So... are you interested?"

I took a moment to think about my answer, considering the possibilities. "To be honest... I'm not someone who likes being in the spotlight, but I also don't want to stay idle. Taking this role feels like the perfect balance," I explained.

"My parents don't really provide much financial support, as they have their own issues and other personal reasons," I admitted with a trace of sadness creeping into my voice. "Streaming my artwork only gets me so far, and even though I have a decent following, the donations and ad revenues aren't enough. I need to make sure I have enough savings for college and other things I'd need along the way."

Feeling a sudden surge of emotion, I continued, "R-Really... this opportunity might be the stepping stone I need as an aspiring professional illustrator. I don't mind how or where I start, as long as I eventually reach my end goal."

I didn't mention the deeper reasons behind my decision, like how this opportunity could help me deal with my "mental problems" and the emotional turmoil I experienced due to bullying and my issues with my parents.

With a determined nod, I looked at Keiyu and Tanaka, "Y-Yes, I'll accept the role, Kaname-san, Kurotsuki-sensei."

Keiyu's eyes softened, and he seemed genuinely touched by my words. "Welcome to the team, Pinkie-san. I'm glad to have you as my partner," he said warmly.

With the meeting concluded, and my new role as Kurotsuki's co-writer and illustrator confirmed, I stood up and bowed to both Keiyu and Tanaka. "Thank you for this opportunity. I'll do my best," I said earnestly.

Keiyu responded with a smile, "I need to stay behind for a while to polish things up with Kaname-san, so we can formally credit you in my future works. Is that okay?"

"Y-Yes, of course, well then, I'll be off," I nodded, then exited the meeting room. Taking the elevator down to the ground floor lobby, I checked the time and realized it was already past 4 PM. To my surprise, I spotted Satoshi dozing off in his seat, waiting patiently for me.

Gently shaking him awake so I wouldn't shake his brain too much, I called out, "Sato-kun, it's time to go."

"H-Huh? W-Wha-" He blinked groggily, rubbing his eyes before noticing my presence. "Aya! How did the meeting go?"

"I accepted the role," I replied with a soft smile, and Satoshi's eyes widened in surprise. He quickly recovered, beaming with pride. "Nice, that's great to hear! Man, I'm so happy for you. You're one step closer to your dream!"

As soon as Satoshi stood up, we returned the visitor's pass to the receptionist and left Hikari Suisei together. As we made our way home, Satoshi then asked me about Kurotsuki, curious about the person behind the pen name.

Remembering Keiyu's preference for privacy, I chose my words carefully. "He's... not who I expected, but I think we'll work well together."

"Oh? Well, as long as he's not a bad person, I'm not against it," Satoshi smiled.

I tilted my head, "Eh? Since when do people have to worry about you being against them, Sato-kun?" I said with a teasing voice.

Satoshi immediately blushed upon realizing what he said and tried to defend himself, "I-I mean, come on! I care for you, so it's only fair for me to say that!"

I chuckled, enjoying the flustered look on his face. "I'm just teasing. I'm glad that you're always looking out for me. I-I appreciate that."

He scratched the back of his head, still blushing but clearly relieved. "It's nothing, just doing what friends would do."

I smiled warmly at him. "I know, but it's still part of your good effort."

Satoshi grinned back, the redness in his cheeks finally subsiding. "Just do me a favor and keep yourself safe, and do well with your new job, okay?"

I nodded enthusiastically, "Absolutely, I'll work my hardest,"

We walked together for a few more minutes before we reached the point where we would part ways, each heading towards our respective homes. I waved goodbye to Satoshi and started towards my apartment.

As I walked, a thought crossed my mind: I should let my parents know about my new job. They should be informed about the changes in my life, after all.

But somehow, as I took out my phone with my hand hovering over the call icon, the weight of my strained relationship with my parents stopped me. I could almost already hear their dismissive voices in my head, claiming my new job wouldn't be enough to support them, or that my brother would always outdo me.

Right... it'd be pointless to let them know.

My heart ached at the thought, and I sighed deeply. Did it even matter if I told them? Would they care or even offer a word of encouragement? I probably knew the answer all too well.

With a heavy heart, I closed my phone and decided against letting my parents know about my new job. I didn't need their negativity to drag me down, not when I was finally taking a step towards my dream. I would prove to them, to myself, and to the person who saved me, that I could make something great in my life happen.

Even if I had to do it alone.