bookbashuk Page 30
Page 30
She won't be distracted by anything other than painting unless someone is talking to her—and even if someone is chatting with her, she won't stop painting unless it's something important.
And so it gradually evolved into this scene—while Eriri and her two friends were chatting about things like, "We went shopping at such-and-such place yesterday, the clothes there were pretty nice," and "Sagiri, is there anything you need to buy? I'll go out this afternoon and bring it back for you," and drawing their original artwork, Shiina Mashiro, who was sitting in the corner, walked over to Hyakuri Akira, handed him her graphics tablet, and said softly, "Hyakuri-sensei, I've finished my work for today. Is there anything else you need me to draw? If not, do you have time to teach me a little something now?"
Once or twice is fine, but if it happens every day... who can stand it?
Kashiwagi Eri, the ace of the school's art club and the chief illustrator of the doujinshi circle!
The rouge-en-rouge circle has recently discovered an artist with exceptional talent in creating doujinshi (fan-made comics) – Hashima Izumi!
Eromanga-sensei, a very famous illustrator in the hentai world!
The most crucial point is... Shiina Mashiro, you're clearly a junior! How could you treat your three seniors like this?
Everyone has their own pride deep down. So what if you're a genius painter from Great Britain? Let's have a competition and see who can paint better and who can paint faster!
"Well, this is how it turned out." Baili Xiao sighed heavily, sensing the biggest crisis since the studio's inception.
The source of the crisis was Shiina Makoto's naturally clueless nature, which meant she had "no common sense"!
"It must have been tough on you." Akane Akasaka looked at Hyakuri Xiao with sympathy, pondered for a moment, and snapped her fingers: "How about we take Mashiro out for a while? If we don't let her come into contact with other things, there's no way anything will change if she stays in this studio!"
Akane Akasaka's suggestion caught Baili Xiao's eye: "Great idea! I was just planning to go out for a while!"
"You're going out?" Akane Kousaka was slightly taken aback—she hadn't heard Hyakuri Akira mention this plan before: "[5 Centimeters Per Second] is currently in a crucial phase of its movie adaptation. Are you going out at this time? Where are you going?"
"It's a secret." Baili Xiao blinked, a smile playing on her lips. "I'm going to find something indispensable for the novel 'The Monkey King.' Don't worry, if everything goes smoothly, it won't take more than a few days."
Chapter 0083 Go, and remember to come back soon! (1/5 Please subscribe)
The so-called "indispensable" things are just what Baili Xiao thinks.
He hopes to produce an animated promotional video for the novel before Yamada Elf finishes writing the first volume of "The Monkey King" to increase its appeal—just like when the first volume of "5 Centimeters Per Second" was released.
Some people don't care about topics like "What good novels have come out recently?" because they have to go to work and take care of their families every day, or their time is mostly taken up by their studies.
(If they can see the promotional PV and find it interesting, they might also read the novel, which would be great.) With this in mind, Baili Xiao decided to go out and visit a nearby city, which everyone jokingly calls the "Idol City".
"Are we really going?" In the room, Kasumigaoka Utaha lay on Hyakuri Akira's chest, listening to the strong heartbeat in her ear, and sighed almost imperceptibly: "Yamada Elf will probably need quite a while to finish the first volume, right? Do we really have to go now?"
Baili Xiao held Kasumigaoka Utaha's small hand in his right hand, and would knead it from time to time—this was an unconscious action of his, after all, Utaha's small hand was soft and smooth, and it felt very comfortable to squeeze.
"It could be later, but I think the timing is just right now."
She paused slightly before continuing, "As you can see, Mashiro doesn't care about anything except drawing, which makes Eriri and the others secretly compete with her... The situation is alright for now, but I'm afraid that if this continues, Eriri and the others will become dissatisfied and consciously isolate Mashiro."
"I hope to take Mashiro out these two days and let her know that in this world, drawing is not everything. There are many things that are just as important as drawing, or even more important, such as... friends."
"So, it's a matter of having no choice but to go out."
Kasumigaoka Utaha's red eyes became complicated. After spending time with her, she also discovered Mashiro's problem: "Mashiro, she... sigh."
A heavy sigh escaped, and the dark room fell silent once more. Bai Lixiao and Kasumigaoka Utaha were each lost in their own thoughts, and for a moment, they fell silent.
Of course, this silence wouldn't last long, especially as the vibrant nightlife was just beginning.
“I don’t object to you going out, but you must take good care of Mashiro, and…” Kasumigaoka Utaha looked up, her black hair slipping from her shoulder and landing on Hyakuri Akira’s skin, making him feel a little itchy: “Don’t have any bad thoughts about Mashiro, she’s still a child… To prevent you from doing anything out of line, tonight…”
...
Inside the city airport, Baili Xiao looked at the crowd seeing him off and a wry smile appeared on his face: "Hey, it's not like I'm going to be gone for a year or two. Is there any need to make such a big scene?"
The entire studio staff (Izumi Sagiri insisted on coming, but was stopped by the others), Akane Kousaka, Sonoko Machida, and even Megumi Kato were in the group (it's the weekend today).
"Teacher Baili! I am so touched that you still have to go out and worry about me in your busy schedule!" Yamada Fairy looked so touched that she was about to cry. Seeing this, Baili Xiao couldn't help but raise his eyebrows.
A smile played on his lips as he flicked Yamada Elf's head lightly with his finger: "I don't object to you playing games, but you can't let it ruin your life. If I come back and see that you haven't written a single word, but instead have a lot more SSR characters in the game... you should know the consequences, right?"
"Huh? Hehehe, the teacher noticed..." Yamada Elf paused slightly, scratching her hair sheepishly. "Of course I won't play all the time, it's just... once in a while..."
Baili Xiao shook his head and smiled, ignoring Yamada Fairy, and turned his gaze to Kato Megumi standing behind the group: "Megumi, please take care of everyone while I'm gone."
He knew very well the daily habits of these "teachers" who were usually engrossed in novels and paintings—manuscripts left lying around, half-eaten snacks, cushions placed to the side... In half a day, the tidy living room could be turned into a mess by them.
"Mm." Kato Megumi nodded in response, looking at Baili Xiao with a smile, and said nothing more.
"And you guys! Mind your manners, don't cause too much trouble for Ahui." Baili Xiao's "fierce" gaze swept over Eriri, who couldn't help but take a half step back, forcing a "humph" and saying, "Okay, okay, we'll be careful if it's Ahui!"
(Huh? So, because it's me, she won't even notice?) Baili Xiao narrowed her eyes, secretly memorizing Eriri's words, and pondering in her mind what method she should use to deal with her in the future.
"Teacher Baili, please be careful on the road." Hashima Izumi held his phone horizontally in front of his chest. On the screen, he could clearly see Izumi Sagiri lying in bed with the blanket covering her head, only her round cheeks showing.
She looked at Baili Xiao on the screen with a complicated expression and said in a very soft voice, "Be careful."
It's unclear whether Baili Xiao can hear this, but for her, saying these words is enough.
"Ms. Kousaka, Ms. Sonoko, I'm entrusting the matter of the animated film to you two. If necessary, you can contact me by phone." After instructing the two, Baili Xiao turned his gaze to the last person he hadn't spoken to—Kasumigaoka Utaha.
"Shiyu..." Before he could finish speaking, Kasumigaoka Shiyu took a step forward, her slender, white fingers blocking Hyakuri Xiao's mouth, stopping him from saying anything more.
Like a wife giving parting words of advice to her husband, Kasumigaoka Utaha carefully straightened Hyakuri Akira's collar and sleeves, looked at him with satisfaction, and gently said goodbye: "Go on, remember to come back soon."
Chapter 0084 Come and see my idol's acting skills! (2/5 Please subscribe)
"Idol City" is a name jokingly used by people because the city is famous for producing idols.
In this city, there are nearly a hundred venues of all sizes that can host concerts, and the high schools and universities that are scattered throughout the city mostly have students who aim to "debut as idols".
"Teacher Baili, are you going to paint somewhere else?" Shiina Mashiro asked, sitting in first class and looking at Baili Xiao beside her.
For an artist, it is essential to frequently travel to broaden their horizons and seek inspiration in order to create better artwork. Shiina Mashiro had also traveled to various cities in the Kingdom of Great Britain with her grandfather, so in her understanding, Baili Xiao's trip this time was precisely for this purpose.
"..." Bai Lixiao shook his head helplessly, then coughed lightly with a serious expression: "Zhenbai, this trip isn't to prepare for future painting. In fact, you're not allowed to paint during these few days you're with me."
Shiina Mashiro tilted her head and looked at Baili Xiao, asking softly with a puzzled expression, "Why?"
"Hey, look outside." Baili Xiao gazed out the window, the experience of flying above the clouds was something he had never felt before: "There are many things in this world as interesting as painting. Aren't you interested in them at all?"
Shiina Mashiro did not answer Baili Xiao's question, but slowly but firmly shook her head—wasn't that the most direct rejection?
She loves to draw, and that's all she can do. Only in the world of painting can she feel happy.
If Baili Xiao knew what she was thinking, she would probably feel sorry for the latter.
"The purpose of bringing you out this time is simply to let you discover that there are many things that are important besides painting, such as..." Baili Xiao stroked his chin, deep in thought, when a thought suddenly popped into his mind: "For example, me. I am your teacher. Compared to painting, which is more important?"
"Of course it's you, teacher!" Shiina Mashiro answered without the slightest hesitation.
Bai Lixiao's face lit up with an extremely bright smile—being defined by Mashiro as "an existence more important than painting" gave him a strong sense of self-satisfaction—he wanted to start from this point to change Mashiro's mind, but the latter's next words made his smile freeze on his face.
"Without a teacher, I wouldn't be able to learn more, and my drawing skills would stagnate. So, a teacher is even more important," Shiina Mashiro replied earnestly, reflecting her true thoughts.
"Uh...it seems like what they said makes sense, huh?" Baili Xiao chuckled dryly, then curled up in his seat, frowning as he racked his brains for a solution.
Seemingly noticing Bai Lixiao's unusual behavior, Shiina Mashiro proactively asked, "Teacher, what's wrong? Were you dissatisfied with my answer?"
"No, no, that was a good answer, very good." Baili Xiao waved her hand, forcing a smile, but inwardly she couldn't help but sigh.
(Can I really change Mashiro's mind? This is so difficult... Ugh, my stomach hurts!)
...
Idol City, inside the international airport.
A girl with black hair in pigtails, wearing a pink jacket over her clothes even though it was almost summer, and sunglasses with thick over-the-knee socks on her legs, sat quietly in the waiting area.
She was under constant surveillance by security personnel. To be honest, in the hour since she arrived, she had been questioned by three groups of security personnel with the excuse, "Excuse me, could you come to the lounge with us?"
"Tsk! So what if I'm dressed a little strangely? Is it really worth making such a fuss?" The girl clicked her tongue in dissatisfaction, her red eyes fixed on the exit through her sunglasses. "You want me to wear a miniskirt and short stockings like other girls? To expose my fair legs to the sun? No way! Never in my life!"
"I'm going to become an idol, how can I not take good care of my skin beforehand?" The girl glanced at her phone, her delicate eyebrows furrowing involuntarily. "I heard from the paparazzi in the neighboring city that Teacher Baili is taking a plane here today, he should be arriving soon, right? Could it be... that Teacher Baili had already gotten off the plane while I was being questioned? Damn it! I spent so much time planning this operation! If it succeeds, I might just debut!"
0 ····Requesting flowers···· ·········
The girl never doubted the accuracy of her information—in fact, during her years striving to become an idol, she met many well-informed people (paparazzi) and, with their help (buying information), obtained many limited-edition legendary idol DXDs (released in extremely limited quantities, known as the legend among legends).
"Ahhh! How am I supposed to have an encounter with Professor Baili now?! Muse is doomed! The school is hopeless too!" With each word she uttered, the girl's face grew paler, until finally her entire face darkened—and the security personnel were watching her even more closely!
Just as the girl was about to leave the waiting area feeling dejected, her eyes caught a glimpse of Shiina Mashiro's striking long, beautiful blonde hair: "This is... Shiina Mashiro, the newest member of the studio? So, the person next to her is... Finally here! Great! Now it's time to see my acting skills!"
... 0th
The girl took a deep breath, stood up, and walked towards the direction Baili Xiao and the other person were heading, with her head slightly lowered.
In the girl's estimation, given their relative speeds, the final outcome would be that she "accidentally" bumps into Baili Xiao, then "slams" to the ground. Baili Xiao, "though it wasn't his fault, out of gentlemanly courtesy," would apologize and ask how she was doing. She, however, would fully utilize her acting skills, feigning dizziness and a sprained ankle, blaming Baili Xiao, and finally...
Everything was going according to the girl's plan. Based on what she had learned about Baili Xiao's personality, there was a 95% chance that he would follow the script she had envisioned!
(Hmph! This is my strength as a "future super idol"! Just you wait and see!)
...Of course, until her idea succeeds, it remains just an idea... The reality is...
Several security personnel nervously stood between her and Baili Xiao, holding batons and pointing them at her while talking incessantly.
"I knew something was off about you! You've finally shown your true colors, haven't you? Come on! Come with us!" Fan said.
Chapter 0085 Yazawa Nico's Request! (3/5 Please Subscribe)
The sudden development caught Baili Xiao's attention, as well as the attention of many passengers disembarking from the plane and people waiting in the waiting area.
All eyes were drawn to this spot, first to Shiina Mashiro's dazzling blonde hair and fair complexion, who secretly praised her as "so beautiful," before shifting their gaze to Baili Xiao beside her.
After a brief hesitation, someone asked uncertainly, "Excuse me, are you Teacher Baili?"
“Uh, yes.” Baili Xiao nodded slightly. He didn’t bring any equipment for disguise because he felt that “it wouldn’t matter if he was recognized.”
However... apparently, others don't think so!
"Teacher Baili? Is it really Teacher Baili?" People looked at each other, their faces beaming with excitement, and walked briskly toward the "310" building.
"Teacher Baili! I heard you came up with the story outline for '5 Centimeters Per Second'? Then please take this box of razor blades from my house with you!"
"The story of '5 Centimeters Per Second' is touching, but it's too close to reality and too depressing! Mr. Baili!"
"Yes, we have to succumb to reality. Just like in '5 Centimeters Per Second,' people who love each other can't be together for various reasons, even though they like each other."
"Are you the author Baili, the one who came up with this damn novel? How many more tears do you want to make us cry before you're satisfied? We just want to experience beautiful love from a novel! Why do you have to show us such a painful story!"
"I've watched '5 Centimeters Per Second' once, and I want to watch it a second time, but I know I can't hold back my tears. Ahhh! Mr. Baili! It's all your fault!"
A large crowd surrounded Baili Xiao and Shiina Mashiro. Among them were young men and women in their twenties who had just entered society, uncles and aunts in their forties and fifties who were already parents, and even an elderly couple with gray hair and glasses who leaned on each other.
Everyone shared their thoughts on "5 Centimeters Per Second" with Baili Xiao, but very few expressed gratitude for such a wonderful story. Almost everyone complained, "5 Centimeters Per Second is too tragic and realistic! Couldn't it be a little more fantastical and beautiful?"
Bai Lixiao listened to everyone's complaints with a "pleasant" smile on his face—why was he pleased? Because when he watched the movie "5 Centimeters Per Second" back then, he had the same thoughts as these people!
"Well, I understand how you all feel. However, the reason why the story of '5 Centimeters Per Second' is so touching is precisely because it is close to reality and can resonate with everyone. I think you all know that."
Baili Xiao pressed his hands down slightly, and as he did so, the noise gradually subsided until only his voice remained: "The reason I presented [5 Centimeters Per Second] to everyone is to encourage you to remember the person you once loved, and then cherish the people who are by your side in the future or now."