Episode 3

After talking to the Shiori, I walked back to Kobayashi-san and Fumiya.

"Wow, Natsuo-kun you're really great!! I won't be surprised if you become a singer!"

Kobayashi-san said it without any baseless confidence. After all, he is quite informative about the entertainment industry. He knows that the song Natsuo-kun writes is very good and Natsuo-kun himself is very handsome. If I really become an idol, he sure can become a very famous idol in the country. 

Fumiya looks at him with a dumbfounded expression. 

"Who are you?"

"What?"

"I said who are you? Are you really Natsuo-kun?"

Fumiya seems to ask me, he wouldn't believe that it's really me Natsuo.

"What're you talking about Fumiya. It's me, maybe I've changed a little, but it's me your childhood friend. "

Hearing what I said he became calm.

"Sorry, I was just a little surprised that you can sing and your song is very nice indeed. Is that your original song?"

"Yes, when I write a novel. I thought of a good song, then why not make it."

He then nodded at me, then remember the scene where I come toward the beautiful glasses girl making him mad again.

"You!! Did you just sing that song, so you can pick up that girl!"

"No! My reason is pure to apologize to her!"

"Don't be a hypocrite to me!!"

We started to bickering again and Kobayashi-san joined in.

"Natsuo-kun, why don't you work here as a pianist?"

"Hey, but I don't have so much time."

"You don't have to come every day. I just hope that you can play on these three days and your pay is also calculated based on hourly work. And for that, you'll be paid this much..."

He shows me the number with his hand. 

"How much can he get that much?"

Fumiya seems very unsatisfied with the distribution. 

"Afterall, he is playing the piano. It's rare to have someone who can play the piano."

Thinking for a while I agreed with his offer. 

"Sure, Kobayashi-san. I can work in your cafe."

"Good, I'll wait for your play, for now, you mustn't make the girl wait."

While looking at Shiori. 

"Thank you, Kobayashi-san."

"Like I said call me Marie!!"

I ignored him and started to change clothes to meet Shiori. Coming out from the changing room and saying goodbye to both Kobayashi-san and Fumiya. I walk towards Shiori.

"Sorry, to make you wait."

I said.

"It's okay, let's go now!"

She then pulled my arms, then she started to walk, without saying a word.

"So, what is it, Amaya?"

"Call me Shiori, I hate it when people call me that."

"Well, Shiori what is it?"

"Hey, don't you feel embarrassed calling a girl's first name?"

She looks at me trying to make me embarrassed, but I just put a normal face as if it's normal to call her that. 

"You're no fun!!"

"Sorry, for being no fun!"

"Well, I've got something to show you."

"Sure."

She brings me to her apartment, from the building I know that her parents are rich. 

"Please, look at this."

She brings me some manuscripts. 

"This is?"

"This is a manga."

"Well, let me take a look."

She seems surprises, I don't show any expression besides curiosity.

"Don't you feel strange?"

"Of what?"

"I'm a beautiful girl drawing a manga."

"Calling yourself a beautiful aren't you very narcissistic."

"Didn't you also called beautiful before in your song today?"

She smiled at me. 

"Well, that's true you're beautiful."

She nodded at me as if she is won.

"So, you didn't think it's strange for a girl to draw manga?"

"No, it's normal. Every person has their own talent and for that, you can't make fun of them."

She was glad that she braves herself to asks this boy to come with her. 

"So what do you think?"

"Let me read it first."

I started reading the manga, she seems very nervous. Being judged by people for the first time.

After I finished reading, she asked me,

"How is it?"

"Well, it's not bad."

"Not bad?"

"Yeah, it's not that bad and not that good. It's average I guess."

"How can you say something like that?"

She seems angry that her hard work is being made fun of.

"Don't be angry. Your drawing is good. I mean, it indeed is!"

She seems satisfied with my praise. 

"But your story is just . . . . "

Then she became depressed, she knows that her story is not good at all. 

"But what should I do? I can't write a good story!"

She seems very desperate. 

"Why do you want to become a manga artist that much?"

"Because I love it!"

Her reason is simple, but the determination in her eyes is real. 

"Then how about a collaboration with me?"

"Collaboration?"

She becomes dumbfounded hearing about the collaboration.

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