Today’s Dong Ye is in the limelight.
It was time for Mr. Araki to go to bed. After Hibiki had eaten and drank, he left.
Dong Yexiang looked around and quietly prepared to go home.
When he first arrived at the gate, someone tapped him on the shoulder: “You are an adult now.”
Dong Yexiang turned around and saw a mouth full of white teeth.
It’s Momiya Hiroshi, Sasaki and the others are also there.
“It’s time for the second party!”
Hibiki Higashino didn’t want to participate, but he had already promised to others last year, so he could only sigh and follow the queue for the second party.
…
At eleven o’clock in the evening, in Higashino Hibiki’s dormitory.
Akimiya Akemi was lying on the table, her long and fine hair spread on the table. There seemed to be a pool of spring water in her eyes, and she was looking at a trophy at her fingertips in trance.
This is the Astro Boy trophy selected for the short story “Tezuka Award” in “Soul of the Game”. Because of Akimiya Akemi’s dedication, Higashino Hibiki gave his trophy to Akimiya Akemi.
“One day, Miss Akimiya will also receive honors one day. Until then, please remember me under the night sky today.”
Thinking of Higashino Hibiki’s affectionate confession, Akimiya Akemi covered her face in embarrassment.
Looking at the trophy, she seemed to see the affectionate Higashino Hibiki again.
Akimiya Akemi sat up and looked out the dark window.
“I wonder when Higashino-kun will come back.”
Whenever it comes to the New Year party, she will wait quietly.
At this time, when everything is silent, you can ask yourself about your heart.
“I’m no longer young.” Akimiya Akemi thought as she touched her delicate face.
She is twenty-seven years old, and all her peers are married.
“No, no, no!” Akimiya Akemi shook her head violently. She felt like she had become an idiot who only thought about love.
“I used to be indifferent, but I have become a jealous person. I really hate myself now.”
She sat down at the work table, spread out the manuscript paper, took out a pencil, and began to draw the storyboards in detail.
Gradually, Akimiya Akemi’s mentality calmed down.
In her mind, there were only comics in front of her.
…
Hibiki thought the second gathering was in Ginza, where he watched his sister perform on the stage, and the big guys in suits and ties talked freely in the audience, setting up a champagne tower to show off.
As it turned out, it was just a large KTV box with beer on the table and a dozen people sitting in the room.
Dongye Xiang was immediately disappointed.
He also wanted to open his eyes, but the result was no different from how he used to entertain customers.
But fortunately, here, he knows everyone in front of him, so he is not cautious.
“How does it feel to be here for the first time?” Sasaki handed Hibiki a watermelon and told him to relax.
Watermelon in winter is not sweet. When the pulp of the watermelon came into contact with his teeth, Higashino shivered.
He looked at the people in the box, including Sasaki and several other editors from Jump. There were also writers, including Motomiya Hiroshi, Arai, Hagiwara Kazuki and others, all of whom were still looking at him with smiles.
Compared to senior executives of large companies, Higashino Hibiki still likes to interact with these people.
“The atmosphere was pretty good,” he said.
Sasaki nodded: “That’s good.”
He finished the watermelon quickly, someone came on stage to sing, and several people gathered around to play cards.
Higashikata listened to their chat.
…
After everyone got drunk, they gradually lost interest. Hiroshi Momiya looked at the time, it was already two o’clock in the evening.
“Well…” He scratched his hair tiredly, “It’s already this point, so forget it.”
He kicked Dongye Hibiki, who was sleeping next to him, “It’s time for the kid to go home.”
Dong Yexiang opened his sleepy eyes, and it took him a while to realize that he was in a KTV.
He stood up and looked at everyone preparing to leave, “Yes.”
The editors stopped a taxi at the door and gave instructions one by one in the direction. Hibiki headed to Musashino Art University alone.
“Brother,” the driver looked at Hibiki Hibiki in the rearview mirror, “it’s really hard to socialize so late at night.”
Higashino Hibiki didn’t speak, and the driver said to himself: “But companies that can arrange taxis have very good benefits. After all, Japan is not the same as before, so you have to work hard.”
“You’re right.” Dong Yexiang rolled down the window, the cold wind hit his face, and he suddenly felt more awake.
After more than three years, he found that he was no longer adaptable to life in social situations.
Even though it was a gathering with people he knew, he still wanted to be quiet.
In the KTV box, they talked about comics, single book releases, past embarrassing events, and industry news. Hibiki was not very interested and fell asleep in a daze.
In the past, he could chat with customers and build relationships, but now his emotional intelligence has deteriorated.
The driver asked: “Don’t you like parties very much? You can’t survive in Japan if you don’t party. If you go home too early all day long, your wife will dislike you.”
He shook his head, his tone troubled.
Higashikata lamented, “It’s no better than before.”
He has the blessing of a time traveler. Although the work is hard, he no longer has the worries of ordinary people.
“Yeah,” the driver sighed. He subconsciously touched his pocket and did not take out the cigarette considering Hibiki Higashi was there. “When I earned 800,000 yen a month, my status was very high. But now…sigh.”
He misunderstood what Hibiki Higashino meant, but it didn’t matter.
“If you don’t want to be like me, you still have to comply with the rules of the workplace,” the driver advised Hibiki Higashino. “Otherwise, it will be difficult to survive.”
Dong Yexiang nodded, “Yes, I have learned a lesson.”
The driver continued: “Unless you become the president or a senior official, you will not be able to escape the Japanese workplace. However,”
His voice rose, with excitement and jealousy in his tone, “One of our night shift drivers has an eldest brother named Dongye, and his son has become a great writer. If you are like his son, you can escape the repressive workplace.”
Higashikata sighed.
We were about to arrive at Musashino. Seeing his disbelief, the driver became more interested and said, “Don’t you believe it? His son earns hundreds of millions of yen a year and has nothing to worry about. He must be living a happy life.”
The car stopped at the Musashino gate, Hibiki paid and got out of the car, “Writers also have to cater to others.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because I am Higashino Ichiro’s son.”
Smelling of alcohol, Higashikata staggered and disappeared in front of the driver’s widened eyes.
…
Using the employee key to open the door, Hibiki walked in Musashino at night. In winter, even the noise of insects was gone.
Everything was silent, and the silence was terrifying.
Fortunately, he arrived at the classroom dormitory soon.
When he saw that the light in his room was still on, Higashikata quickened his pace and quickly climbed the stairs to the second floor. After a few steps in the corridor, he arrived at the door of the dormitory. He opened the door and walked into the bedroom. Higashino saw the person lying on his back. Akimiya Akemi is sleeping in front of the table.
As she breathed, her body rose and fell rhythmically. Looking at the “Tezuka Award” trophy beside the table, Hibiki suddenly felt distressed.
He patted Akimiya Akemi’s shoulder tentatively and found that she was sleeping deeply, so he carefully picked her up, placed her on the bed in the bedroom, and covered her tightly with a quilt.
Looking at Akimiya Akemi’s peaceful sleeping face, Hibiki’s happiness arose spontaneously. He took off his coat and lay next to Akimiya Akemi. He smelled the fragrance of shampoo and put his hand on her slender belly. After a while, he also fell asleep quietly.
The next day, the sun was high.
The sun pierced his eyes, and Higashino Hibiki woke up. Since the publication was closed for the New Year’s Eve, he didn’t have to rush to draw comics. He finally had a good rest today and slept until he woke up naturally. However, he couldn’t run in the morning.
Looking around, Akimiya Akemi had disappeared.
Higashikawa got up, got dressed, came to the living room, sniffed, and smelled the sweet smell in the air.
There were milk and crepes on the table. It seemed that Akimiya Akemi also got up late, so she didn’t have time to make breakfast.
Akimiya Akemi was writing and drawing at her work station. When she heard the noise, she raised her head and said with a smile, “What time did you get home yesterday?”
“Two o’clock,” Higashikata rubbed his head, feeling the pain of a hangover.
Akimiya Mingmei frowned, “Go and wash your face quickly, and come back for breakfast…”
She hesitated to speak, but finally couldn’t bear it anymore, “It’s better to come back earlier in the future, so as not to affect your health.”
Dong Yexiang nodded, and his cell phone rang, interrupting what he wanted to say.
“Hey, Higashikata, wake up already.” It was Hongzhi Momiya.
“Teacher Motomiya,” Hibiki glanced at Akimiya Akemi, and then replied, “I just got up.”
“I hope I didn’t disturb you,” Hongzhi said, “I can rest this week. Do you want to go out and have a drink at night?”
Higashikata took a deep breath and refused: “I’m sorry, I don’t have time. I have to spend time with my girlfriend.”
Hongzhi Hongzhi was surprised, “Huh? Do you have a girlfriend? Yes, you must be very popular, so forget it.”
Soon, he ended the call.
Dong Yexiang breathed a sigh of relief.
“Look, I refused.” He shook his phone and proudly said to Akimiya Akemi.
“Go and wash up quickly, it smells like wine.” Akimiya Akemi covered her nose and said with a smile.
Hibiki took a shower and put on clean clothes. After breakfast, Akimiya Akemi was still working.
She started drawing new storyboards again, but the future was uncertain.
Higashikata felt left out and poked her arm, “New Year is here, let’s take a rest.”
Akimiya Akemi turned her head and looked at Higashi Hibiki: “Don’t disturb me.”
“Let’s go out for a walk,” Hibiki Higashikata said.
Akimiya Akemi was unmoved.
“amusement park?”
“Cinema?”
“Visiting a shrine?”
Akimiya Akemi ignored him.
Until Higashino Hibiki came up with his trump card, “Let’s go see the giant pandas!”
“Okay!” Akimiya Akemi stopped her pencil and stood up immediately.
Before Higashi Hibiki could react, she had already put on her coat and walked to the door. She turned back in confusion: “What are you doing standing there in a daze? Hurry up.”
“The charm of giant pandas is so great.” Hibiki Higashikata was helpless.
Arriving at the previous zoo, Higashino was stunned.
There is a long queue at the entrance of the zoo.
As a result, they did not win the tickets to the Panda Pavilion and returned disappointed.
Thanks for the tip from the most ferocious cat in history
