May 24, Thursday

The loud chattering of my fellow students filled my ears as Satoshi and I entered the school cafeteria. As usual, the lunch period was filled with hungry students.

We navigated the busy lunch line, and I opted for some katsudon while Satoshi chose a simple bento box. We found an empty spot at one of the tables and sat down together.

I could feel the warmth of the food radiating from my tray, and my stomach grumbled in anticipation. Satoshi must have noticed, because he chuckled and said, "Hungry, huh?"

"Starving," I replied, and made sure to say my thanks before digging into my katsudon. "Thank you for the food."

Satoshi took a bite of his lunch before asking, "So, how was your first day working with Kurotsuki? You didn't tell me about it yesterday."

I paused, chopsticks hovering over my food, "It actually went really smoothly," I said. "Kurotsuki-sensei is surprisingly kind and considerate."

"Oh really? I'm glad that he didn't turn out to be some weirdo," Satoshi replied, taking another bite of his food.

As we continued eating, I contemplated whether or not to tell Satoshi that Kurotsuki was actually Keiyu, my middle school classmate. I'm pretty sure he'll recognize the name, but I guess that topic will have to wait.

Taking a deep breath, I decided to change the subject for now. "Sato-kun, you know the Hikari Monthly Magazine, right?"

His eyes lit up in recognition. "Of course, the one where they publish bits of light novels and short stories? You two starting there?"

"Well yes," I said, trying to keep my excitement contained. "Kurotsuki-sensei's planning to write a submission for next month's issue. If Hikari Suisei likes his one-shot story, they'll publish it."

Satoshi's face broke into a wide delighted grin, "That's good to hear! I'll make sure to grab a copy."

I smiled back, feeling grateful for Satoshi's support, "You'd do that?"

"Of course! I mean, you're the co-writer and the illustrator, why would I pass out on seeing my friend's work? Magazines are fairly cheap anyway." He replied excitedly, and I nodded.

"Y-Yeah, I'm glad that you'd do that, you can let me know what you think about it as well."

Satoshi chuckled and lightly pumps a fist on his chest, "For sure, Aya. I'll be the critic for you guys' stories,"

After that conversation, we finished our lunch together, chatting about some of our classes, video games, my streams, and the upcoming weekend. Then the bell rang, signaling the end of the lunch period, and we headed off to our afternoon classes.

When the dismissal bell finally rang, I found Satoshi waiting for me by our lockers. I smiled at him and said, "I have to head to work now, Sato-kun."

"Alright, be careful, Aya," he replied, his eyes filled with warmth. "Stay safe, okay?"

I nodded, smiled back, and waved as I exited through the school gates, my steps taking me toward Keiyu's house. I still wasn't familiar with the route, so I opened the Maps link Keiyu had sent me the first time I went to his place. I carefully followed the directions, the streets gradually becoming more familiar with each step.

As I approached Keiyu's house, I shook off my worries and focused on the task at hand. We had a deadline to meet today, and I was determined to give it my all. I took a deep breath, straightened my back, and rang the intercom's doorbell.

Ring~

"K-Kurotsuki-sensei? It's me, Imaizumi," I spoke into the intercom, which immediately crackled on to give a reply with Keiyu's voice.

"Ah, Pinkie-san? Coming."

The door swung open, and Keiyu's face appeared with a warm smile. "Hey, come on in," he said, stepping aside to let me pass. He looked at me with concern and added, "Quite a long walk, huh? Want some iced tea?"

I smiled and gratefully accepted, touched by his thoughtfulness. "Y-Yes, if you don't mind."

He smiled back at me, "Of course not," He then gestured towards our workroom. "You can wait in there while I get it," he said. I nodded and entered the room, which was filled with the familiar sight of our workspaces. I set my school bag down beside my designated table, surrounded by the usual art equipment, and waited for Keiyu.

A few moments later, Keiyu entered the office, handing me a glass of iced tea. We took a few sips, enjoying the cool, refreshing drink before getting down to business.

"I've finished the draft manuscripts for the three stories you picked out last time," Keiyu informed me. "And I also completed the draft for Rose of Vermillion, for some reason this one feels special."

"Really? I think so too, I can get to reading them now if you wish."

Keiyu handed me the draft manuscripts for the four stories, and I was once again surprised by the number of pages he had written. "Just like the first draft I made you read," he said, "one-shots can reach even up to a hundred pages. Of course, I only went for the average 40 to 50, So, take your time reading and reviewing them. Afterward, you can start working on the sketch illustration for Rose of Vermillion."

I nodded and eagerly began reading the drafts.

The first story that I picked, the one that was set in a magical forest where mythical creatures coexisted with humans, was enchanting now that the draft is completely written.

Keiyu's world-building skills shone through in this one, and the characters were more fleshed out compared to the rough descriptions that Keiyu wrote in the outline before.

The second one is with the young mage who discovered a hidden magic academy. I'm not sure if Keiyu's good with mysteries but he managed to write a complicated storyline that can fit in a one-shot. The protagonist is well-written, and so are his companions and friends. The conflicts were nice, to say the least.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

The third story he wrote was the one with the two kingdoms at war, with a group of unlikely heroes from both sides uniting to prevent the destruction of their world. It had a high-stakes kind of conflict, which I'm currently having trouble putting into words how to describe it. The character development, personalities, and relationships were written well. Just goes to show how good Kurotsuki or Keiyu is at writing characters.

I mean, he did write Run With the Wind, after all. That one was a big hit.

Finally, I delved into Rose of Vermillion. It felt a bit mainstream, but the fantasy, romance, and action blended together seamlessly. I found myself completely absorbed in the tale of a princess who went to war against an opposing kingdom. The romance between her and the prince of the enemy kingdom was both passionate and heartbreaking, and their love story felt like it transcended the boundaries of their circumstances, really fitting for a one-shot.

As I finished reading the last page of the manuscript which roughly took me thirty minutes, I looked up at Keiyu, who was busy typing away on his computer, "T-The drafts are really amazing! I still can't believe you wrote this much in a few days."

Keiyu then turned to me and smiled, "So, what do you think? Think these are good candidates that we can propose?"

I nodded excitedly, "Of course! Especially Rose of Vermillion, I think it has the highest chance of being picked by Kaname-san."

Keiyu placed a hand on his chin and nodded to agree, "Hmm, that's why I said that there's something special about it. We can finish early today, think you can draw a couple of sketches for Rose of Vermillion?"

I looked at the clock to check the time briefly and was surprised to see that it was already past 5 PM.

Did I really read for that long?

"Sure, I can do that," I replied, picking up my pencil and sketchpad.

Within a short span of time, I managed to draw a few sketches for Rose of Vermillion – one for the protagonist and the love interest, and one for the potential cover art. I showed them to Keiyu, who nodded in approval.

"Great work, you're really fast with sketches," he said with a chuckle. "Now, all that's left is to submit these to Kaname-san so he'll choose which one to polish by Saturday." He added as he placed each story and their respective sketched illustrations into individual envelopes.

I then agreed to accompany Keiyu to visit Hikari Suisei, together we left his home and quickly made our way there.

Just a few minutes of walking later, we finally arrived. Keiyu confidently led the way into the sleek, modern lobby. He approached the receptionist's desk and announced that we were there to see his editor Tanaka Kaname. The receptionist instantly recognized Keiyu as Kurotsuki, picked up the phone to notify someone, and then turned back to us.

"You may wait for Kaname-san in meeting room two on the third floor," she said, handing Keiyu a pass that differed from the visitor's pass I had previously received a few days ago.

As I moved to follow Keiyu, the receptionist then stopped me, saying, "I'm sorry, but companions aren't allowed."

However, Keiyu was quick to intervene. "Actually, she works with me," he explained, gesturing towards me. "She's my illustrator."

I was surprised after hearing Keiyu speak like that, and before I even knew it, I was already blushing for God only knows for what reason.

The receptionist's expression softened as she apologized for her mistake. "I'm sorry, I wasn't aware. Please proceed."

As Keiyu and I stepped into the elevator, he pressed the button for the third floor and turned to me with a concerned expression. "Nervous about hearing what Kaname-san might think?" he asked gently.

"Y-Yes, I hope he likes my sketches as well," I nodded, my heart pounding in my chest. After all, it was my first time accompanying him to submit our work.

Seeing my anxiousness, Keiyu sought to reassure me. "You did an amazing job, Pinkie-san," he said softly, his hand instinctively reaching out to pat the top of my head, his fingers gently stroking my pink hair.

"E-Eh!? K-Kurotsuki-sensei!" Startled by the unexpected gesture, I looked up at him, my eyes wide.

Keiyu seemed to realize what he had done and quickly withdrew his hand, his face turning a deep shade of red. "I-I'm sorry!" he stammered, looking away. "Damn it, I don't know what got to me."

"Y-Yeah... it's okay"

He covered his mouth, mumbling quietly, "I just... I find it cute when you're worried about something." The blush on his face deepened, making me blush as well.

"Really? That's..."

"I'm sorry, really. I mean it. I won't do that again." Keiyu bowed briefly once again, before raising his head.

I turned away as well, my eyes looked around the elevator as I spoke in a low voice, "It was just... too much."

The elevator dinged, announcing our arrival on the third floor. We walked down the hall and entered the designated meeting room to wait for Tanaka. Setting our belongings down, we waited in silence, our cheeks still flushed from the earlier exchange.

After a few moments, the door to the meeting room swung open, and Tanaka entered, greeting us warmly. "Ah, it's nice to see you both, especially you, Pinkie-san! Welcome back."

"Yes... my pleasure to be here as well," I answered with a nod.

"No special greeting for me, Kaname-san?" Keiyu cleared his throat as he jokingly replied.

Tanaka laughed as he sat down, "You've been here many times than I can count with my fingers, Kurotsuki-sensei, of course not."

Keiyu chuckled and then pulled out the four envelopes he had been carrying. "Okay, now. We made a few drafts and sketches today for you," he said as he handed them over to Tanaka. "Four stories, Pinkie-san really worked hard on the sketches and helped me with the ideas. Now, we're hoping you can help us choose which one to polish and submit by Saturday."

Tanaka looked intrigued as he took the envelopes, carefully opening each one and examining the contents. "I see you've been quite busy already," he commented, glancing at both of us. "Alright then, let's take a look and see what you two have come up with."

As Tanaka started to read through the drafts and inspect the illustrations, Keiyu and I exchanged glances. We were both eager to hear his thoughts and find out which story he thought would be the best fit for next month's Hikari Monthly Magazine.

After a few moments of waiting for him to finish reading, Tanaka cleared his throat and began sharing his thoughts on the first three stories in a casual tone. "The magical forest concept in the first story is quite interesting," he began, "but I feel like it needs a more unique twist to make it stand out among other fantasy tales. Maybe add a special rule or phenomenon that occurs only in this forest, something to make it more memorable."

He continued, "The second story about the hidden magic academy has potential, but the conspiracy aspect could use some more development. It's important to make sure the stakes are high enough for the reader to feel invested. Maybe you could add some personal connections between the protagonist and the conspirators, or a shocking revelation that flips the entire story on its head. Overall, it works, so it's a candidate."

Moving on to the third story, Tanaka added, "The two kingdoms at war have a classic appeal, but I think we need to focus more on the characters and their motivations. The group of heroes should be relatable and dynamic, with strong emotional connections to both sides of the conflict. Maybe a couple of the heroes could be childhood friends who end up on opposite sides of the war, or maybe there's a traitor in their midst with a compelling backstory."

Tanaka finally moved on to reading Rose of Vermillion, and both Keiyu and I held our breaths, waiting to hear his thoughts. As he read through the manuscript, his expression seemed more focused and engaged than with the previous three stories.

After finishing his read, Tanaka placed the pages down on the table and looked at us. "This one," he began, "has quite a few strong elements. The fantasy setting is well-developed, and the romance between the princess and the opposing kingdom's prince is intriguing, but you need to explore more possibilities and layers when it comes to their relationship."

He continued, providing more detailed feedback than he had for the other stories, "Yes, there are some cliches and potential plot holes here and there, but it can be smoothed out. For instance, the prince and princess romance – how did it develop? Before the war, or during it? Questions like that need to be addressed. And the action scenes could use some work. I bet Pinkie-san can really help bring your story to life with her illustrations."

Keiyu nodded with a hand on his chin. "I do agree that Rose of Vermillion might have some cliches, but I think we can turn it into something special with the right approach."

"It is quite special compared to the others after all," Tanaka responded.

We all sat in silence for a moment, then Keiyu looked directly at Tanaka and asked, "So, Kaname-san, do you think Rose of Vermillion has a better chance than the other three stories?"

Tanaka sighs, his eyes lingering on the pages and illustrations for Rose of Vermillion one last time before looking up at us.

"Well, you see..."